Pilgrimage to Sri Pada in Siam

The envoys from Kandy were on a noble mission seeking assistance from Siamese King His Majesty Borommacot Dharmaraja II (1733-1759) for revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka which was at a pathetic, declining phase and was in the verge of disappearing from the island due to lack of properly ordained monks to carry on the Buddhist order and doctrine for the benefit of future generations.
The Buddhist institutions were deteriorated and discipline among the clergy was degenerated.
The Sri Lankan ambassadors were carrying an urgent message (Royal Sannasa) written in Pali language probably using the Cambodian script, sent by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe appealing for help from the fellow Buddhist ruler for revival of the esteemed common religion sacred to them. Both countries have past records of mutual help in perpetuation of Buddhism in their hours of need.
There were five Sinhalese ambassadors in the delegation accompanied by fifty-five supporting staff including several personal assistants to the ambassadors, guards, soldiers’ cooks, washermen, musicians, drummers, trumpeters, ayurvedic physicians and astrologers.
The logistic and transportation aspects for this large entourage including personal belongings as well as gifts to be given to many temples and individuals required a well organised set-up consisting of a retinue of elephants, horses, bullock carts and several boats, to be provided by the hosts at the other end.
Vilbagedera Naide, the veteran ambassador in this large entourage kept a meticulous record of the events beginning from the day they departed Trincomalee port aboard the Dutch ship Weltryg (1st August, 1750) to landing back in Sri Lanka (30th May, 1753) on board the V.O.C. ship Oost Kapelle after two years and nine months stay out of home country.
He commenced writing his recollections purely as a meritorious act which was the motivating factor for such works in that era. His form of writing is lucid, simple and easy to understand.
The narration describes details of the sea voyage and hazards they encountered, the countries they passed, the river cruise from Bangkok to Ayutthiya, the glorious capital city, which was considered to be the largest and wealthiest city in Asia at that time, the grand entrance to the Palace, Royal elephant stables, the guard of honour, audience with the King, a pilgrimage to Buddhapada temple, the splendid hospitality showered by the Siamese to delegates from Kandy and mishaps they had to encounter on return journey.
On the date decided for the Royal audience (26th July, 1751) the Sri Lankan delegation arrived in sixteen decorated barges and at the palace gateway got into horse drawn carriages that took them to inner ramparts where they dismounted and walked past the guard of honour accorded by thousand riflemen wearing armour and brass helmets. A short description is given by the author at this point of what they saw including the Royal white elephant.
Then they entered the palace and presented themselves before His Majesty who was seated like God Sakra on the golden throne decorated with precious jewels. After usual salutations the king graciously announced the royal ascent in response to the noble request made by the king of Kandy.
A royal command was decreed after the audience that arrangements should be made facilitating the Sinhalese delegation to visit and worship Phra putthapad, (Sri Buddha Pada) one of the most sacred temples in Siam.
Although the distance from Ayutthiya was nearly sixty kilometres they had to go by boats first and then walk or ride through the jungle paths along a difficult terrain to reach Saccha pahn khiri (Saccha Baddha Giri) where Buddha’s right footprint was set.
In order to elucidate the link with this holy place and placing of the sacred footprint, the author has inserted at this point the discourse between Buddha and sage Saccha Bhadda which took place soon after the exalted one attained Buddhahood.

Sri Pada Pilgrimage Season

Sri Pada is the only mountains in the world where four major religions get together and worship. To the Buddhist, the imprint found on the summit of the mountain is the hallowed footprint of the Lord Buddha hence the Name ?SriPada?. To the Hindus, the footprint is that of God Shiva. To the Christians, it is the footprint of St. Thomas, and to the Islam, it?s the foot print of Adam, hence the title ?Adam?s peak?. Another name given by Sinhalese is ?Samanala Kanda? meaning Butterfly Mountain due to the fleet of butterflies fling around with the start of the season.It is 2243m in height above the sea level and about 27km (16 miles) from bottom to the top by foot or 14.4km(9 miles) by vehicle and 12km (7 miles) by foot to the top of the pointed peak.

Since the 11th century the mountain has been a place of pilgrims. King Vijayabahu the 1 and King Nissankamalla of Polonnaruwa both recorded their pilgrimage here. Pilgrimage season begins from the full moon Poya day of December and continues until the Wesak festival in May. At other times the mountain is wet and rains make the trail dangeruose. Thosands of people makes the journey every year. Most of them climb in the night. The trail is illuminated by lamps. Pilgrims rests and the refreshment stalls make the climb easier. Those who reach the summit by dawn witness a glorious view of sun rising.

Sri pada pilgrims follow a number of traditions proceders. It?s customary for first time climbers to bathe at the stream call ?Seetha Gangula? and to pile white cloth on their heads. At ?indikatu pana? (place of the needle). The devotees stop and hang a threaded needle in to a shrub by path?s side, marking a spot where the Buddha is said to have stopped to mend a tear in his roab. It is bad form, by the way, to ask how far is it to the top...? Instead just exchange the greetings ?karunawai?: ?peace?. Some sing folk songs. The huge bell at the summit is strucked by every pilgrim once for each time they visited. Present visit is not counted, as it?s not completed until they return home. Wearing a sweater is a must as it could be very cold at the summit.

The Foot Print

On the top of the Peak broad steps lead up to a walled enclosure containing the rock over which is a tower-like structure. The portion marked off as having the imprint of the Buddha's foot is about five feet seven inches long and two feet seven inches broad. The hole in the rock in Thailand, which is believed to have the imprint of the Buddha's right foot, is about five feet long and two feet broad. Buddhists attribute this universal size to the fact (such is the belief) that the Buddha was about thirty-five feet tall. The real footprint on Adam's Peak is believed to be set in jewels beneath the visible rock. *

Muslims believe the footprint to be that of Adam (hence the name Adam's Peak); Christians, that of St. Thomas, the disciple Jesus; and Hindus , that of the god Siva . The Tamil name of the rock ( Civan-oli-pata ) means "the mountain path of Siva's light". Alongside the rock is a shrine containing images (one of which is made of silver) of the god Saman and a Brahmin priest officiates at this shrine. In front of the shrine is a small table on which pilgrims place camphor and lighted candles.

· The soles of the Buddha's feet are said to be flat with all the toes of equal length. On each sole there are one hundred and eight auspicious marks (mangala­ lakkhana), with the wheel (chakra ) the principal mark at the centre while around it are grouped figures of animals, inhabitants of various worlds and other kinds of symbols. The idea is that all things are subject to the Buddha who is lord or all, and under whose feet are all things.

Fact or Fiction?

S ri Pada or Adam's Peak as it was known to the early West was in the limelight from times before the recorded history of the island. Legends surrounding the sacred mount existed prior to the Christian era. It is axiomatic that worship of deities in high places is indulged in by mankind from times of remote antiquity. Indeed, high inaccessible places were held in awe and veneration from the time of man's primordial religion - worship of nature. The cult persisted in the pagan world up to the early Greek and Roman times and even later, thus Mt. Olympus in Greece was dedicated to the Greek pantheon.

Even to this day, Chomolungma (Tibetan for Goddess Mother of the World), a peak in the Himalayan range and several other peaks en route to Everest and Mt. Everest itself are held sacred by the Tibetans and Nepalese. It is recorded that Norkay Tensing and his sherpa clansmen who accompanied Edmund Hillary in his successful expedition to Mt. Everest in 1953, offered a sacrifice of food to the mountain goddess Chomolungma invoking her blessings for success of the expedition. Hillary himself buried a small crucifix given him by the leader, Colonel John Hunt. Tradition is hard to die!

Alexander's visit

By the time that Macedon's illustrious son, Alexander the Great, Greek warrior king and empire builder, is believed to have visited Sri Pada (circa 324 B.C.), the peak was already held in veneration. After his subjugation of the Persian empire and the dependencies thereof, Alexander led his forces on to India beyond the Indus to the ancient city of Taxila. He was at last countered by Porus the Indian king and his cohorts of battle trained fighting elephants. These huge beasts were unfamiliar to the Greek cavalry to which they presented a forbidding and formidable obstacle. The terrified horses stampeded and started to scatter out of control in utter panic. On the representation of his generals, fearing mutiny by the army Alexander decided to come to terms with Porus.

After his skirmish with the Indian king, the restless Alexander decided to detour the southwest coast of India and explore further south where he had heard of the fabulous isle of Sri Lanka known to the early Greeks as 'Taprobane'. Here reports of the sacred mount of Sri Pada, then dedicated to the Hindu deity Saman and known as 'Samanthakuty', attracted his attention. The peak with its proud pinnacle commanding an enchanting prospect was too much of an attraction for the pleasure-bent Alexander to resist.

Ancient artefacts

Ashraff, the 15th century Persian poet and chronicler, describes this odyssey of Alexander to Sri Pada in his work ' Zaffer Namah Skendari '. After landing in the island and indulging himself and his retinue in orgies and revelry he explores the wonders of the island. Here Alexander is known to have sought the assistance of the philosopher Bolinas, a celebrated Greek occultist and magician, to climb the sacred peak then supposed to be zealously guarded by various deities.

Among the artefacts devised to ascend the almost inaccessible peak were massive iron chains affixed to stanchions of the same metal secured to the bare rock face. The chains were secured to the stanchions with rivets of iron and bronze. Remains of these artefacts still exist. Early pilgrims to the peak sought the assistance of these chains to hoist themselves up to the summit.

The belief that Alexander visited Sri Pada existed before Ashraff. Ibn Batuta the romantic 14th century pilgrim traveller from Tangiers in Morocco who sojourned in the island visiting the sacred mount, refers to a grotto at the foot of the peak with the name ' Iskander ' inscribed on it. This ' Iskander ' and ' Skendari ' of Ashraff are identical, both names refer to none other than the celebrated Alexander the Great himself. Notes Batuta in his memoirs: "The ancients have cut steps of a sort on the vertical rock face, to these steps are fixed iron stanchions with suspended chains to enable pilgrims clamber up to the top with ease and minimum risk. The impression of the Almighty's foot is observed upon a black and lofty rock in an open space on the summit.

Apart from scanty and much belated Arab sources, history is strangely silent for over seventeen centuries on the visit of Alexander to the island and his journey to Sri Pada. Neither the Great Dynastic Chronicle ' Mahawamsa ' or any other historical record of significance refer to it. Alexander's exploits were centered mainly in and around Persia and the Persian empire, the legends and folklore of the early Persians were, as a matter of course, handed over to their Arab posterity.

Commenting on the ancient artefacts on Sri Pada, the Englishman Robert Percival, who served with the British garrison in Colombo in the early nineteenth century, notes: "The iron chains on the rock face of Adam's Peak have the appearance of being planted there at a very early date, who placed them there or for what purpose they were set up there it is difficult for anyone to know. The beliefs and superstitions of the natives present difficulties. Whatever it is, all evidence indicates that the Peak was in the limelight long before the recorded history of the island.

The Legend

A n ancient pilgrimage , which has long attracted thousands of pilgrims from perhaps all faiths, is the pilgrimage to the sacred mountain, Sri Pada , popularly known in English as Adam's Peak . It is a conical mountain 7,360 feet (2,243 meters) high, soaring clear above the surrounding mountain ranges. According to a legend, when the Buddha visited Ceylon he planted one foot on the north of the royal city and the other on Sumana-kuta (Adam's Peak) fifteen yojanas, or about hundred miles distant.

According to another legend the Buddha is believed to have left the print of his left foot on Adam's Peak, and then, in one stride, strode across to Siam, (now Thailand) where he left the impression of his right foot. It is called Phra Sat, and its appearance is supposed to be like that of the foot print on Adam's Peak and of similar size.

General Sir A. Cunningham, in his account of the Bharhut Stupa, which dates from the second century B.C., says:

"Footprints of Buddha were most probably an object of reverence from a very early period -- certainly before the building of the Bharut Stupa -- as they are represented in two separate sculptures there. In the sculpture the foot­prints are placed on a throne or altar, canopied by an umbrella hung with gar­lands. A royal personage is kneeling before the altar, and reverently touching the footprints with his hands. The second example is in the bas-relief repre­senting the visit of Ajata-satru to Buddha. Here, as in all other Bharut sculp­tures, Buddha does not appear in person, his presence being marked by his two footprints. The wheel symbol is duly marked on both'

The Legend

The most famous physical feature of Ceylon is Adam's Peak, which is situated in the Ratnapura district. It is on the edge of the central massif but its surrounding group of mountains called the Wilderness of the Peak, is so extensive in comparison to the bulk of the other mountain groups that it appears to form a nucleus of its own, separate from the others. It is about 7500 ft high and, though it is the second highest peak in the land, its position in relation to the topography is so dominant that it stands out above all others.

The physical features of a land are often spoken of first, by a foreign visitor. Physical descriptions compare it to a pearl and a teardrop. Lying at the southern point of India its pendant shape appears like a drop of water as it falls. South of it there is nothing but the Antarctic. It is on the major sea route between West and East Asia and therefore was a trading station for the Arabs and a trading station and a colony for the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British. The Arabian Nights has possibly the first reference to it.

Now the island of Serendib lieth under the equinoctial line, its night and day both numbering twelve hours. It measureth eighty leagues long by a breadth of thirty and its width is bounded by a lofty mountain and a deep valley. The mountain is conspicuous from a distance of three days and it contains many rubies and other minerals, and spice trees of all sorts. I ascended that mountain and solaced myself with a view of its marvels which are indescribable and afterwards I returned to the King.