Travelogue Sri Lanka 2010
Aluvihare Rock Temple

The next morning we took a regular bus back inland. The next morning we took a regular bus back inland. In Matale we visited the Sri Muthumariamman Temple again, stayed overnight and then continued to the Aluvihare Rock Temple.

Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — The Aluvihare Rock Temple plays an important role for the Buddhists of the region. Indian monks took refuge here in the first century BC when there was a twelve-year famine. The small white houses at the bottom of the rock lead into the caves.

employee Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — Very important for the significance of the temple is also that here the Pāli Canon was written down for the first time. The monks used a metal pen to write or “engrave” on palm leaves. This employee shows us how it’s done.

Example of how to write on palm leaves with a metal pen. Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka. — That’s how it looks … perhaps the monks at that time wrote more neatly. Overall, it’s quite a bit of work.

lying Buddha, Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — There are again lots of lying, standing and sitting Buddhas.

lying Buddha, Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — And when you come to pray, you offer some flowers. Buddhism looks very peaceful so far…

representations of the torments of hell, Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — On the other hand, the Aluvihare Rock Temple is also something like the predecessor of the “dungeons”, where you can get creeped out by the sight of medieval torture methods in many cities.

representations of the torments of hell, Aluvihare Rock Temple, Sri Lanka — These are representations of the torments of hell that people who have sinned during their lifetime have to endure after death. And I thought that nothing worse could happen to a Buddhist than to be reborn as an insect ….

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