Symposia & Conferences
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Item A Short Study on the Occurrence and Usage of the Word ‘Elephant’ in the Buddhist Canon(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Wijayawimala Thero, SuriyawewaThe word elephant implies that it is the biggest animal in the forest. Among the many aspects of the elephant its brain is considered one of the most significant. This research is not going to elucidate on the significant characteristics of mammalian elephants but is concerned with the specific occurrence and usage of word elephants with reference to the Buddhist canon. More often than not, Buddhist teaching can be defined as consisting of figurative stories. When individual Dhamma was being preached, similes were taken from the surrounding by the Buddha. Accordingly, when studying the Buddhist norm one aspect that can be effectively identified are animal allegories. In such a context, the occurrence and usage of the elephant can usually be seen with prominent interpretations throughout the Pāli canon. For example, when paying attention to the Majjima Nikaya, it contains two suttas by names of simile of the small elephant’s foot discourse (Chullahatthipadopama sutta) and simile of the great elephant’s foot discourse (Mahahatthi Padopama sutta). When considering these facts, the word elephant can be identified in the outstanding structure of the Pāli canon. Therefore this is an analytical study on the significance of the occurrence and usage of the word elephant in the Pali canon.Item The Elephants in Brahmi Inscriptions and Mahavamsa(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Gunawardana, N.S.It is undoubtedly accepted that the elephant is an animal that has economic, historic and religious value. The elephant played a significant role in Buddhist tradition. The dream of queen Mahamāya, the story of Nālagiri is famous among the Buddhist community. The objective of this research is to identify the importance of the elephant during the kingdom of Anuradhapura. The elephant trainers were referred to as the “Ati acariya”. The Nāvalārkuḷam inscription in the Ampāra district mentions a cave, donated by a chief of the elephant trainer and the Kaduruväva inscription in the Kurunǟgala district indicates the presence of a superintendent of the elephant. Two elephants called Mahāpadumaya and Kunjaraya have been used by the king to demarcate the boundaries of Mahā Vihāra. An elephant has been used to deposit the relic at the Thuparamaya by Dēvanampiyatissa. In the later period elephants have been used for many activities. King Parakkramabahu I traded elephants with Burma. He used many rules and regulations regarding the trade of elephants. There was a massive demand for pearls extracted from the elephant’s tusk. The kings used to travel on elephants. The elephant is considered an auspicious object. Most of the kings who ruled the kingdom of Anuradhapura had a mangala hasti raja. King Duttagamini had an elephant called Kandula. King Elara and king Kashapa too had mangala hasti rajas. It is said that the elephant is intelligent enough to be selected for kingship. In some occasions subjects have given the opportunity to the mangala hasti to select the king. The elephant has been used to decorate the ceremonies. This paper proposes to discuss the significance of the elephant during the kingdom of Anuradhapura.Item Significance, Symbolism and Representation of Elephants in Gandhara Buddhist Art(Centre for Asian Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka, 2016) Anwar, N.Elephant being the symbol of stature, prosperity, wisdom and dominance is the most represented animal in the antiquity of South Asia. Since the dawn of Bronze Age, the depictions of elephants remained the choice of artists on priority basis. Similarly, the sculpting of elephants also remained a focal point during the Buddhist occupation of the historic Gandhara, the ancient name of present day north-western parts of Pakistan, the holy land of Buddhism. Around the end of the first century BC, it gave birth to a Sculpting Art devoted to the faith of the Buddha. The art was not a natural continuation of the Ancient Indian Arts but exhibits clear evidence of Hellenistic influence, though, it is significant to elaborate that the purpose of this art was the propagation of Buddhism through the images carved revolving around the Buddha’s life stories and other associated legends. So far, the case of elephant depictions is concerned, preliminary, the birth of the Buddha drawn by an elephant to miracles and up to representation in architecture, elephant continued to be the most celebrated animal in the Gandharan panels. The present research is an attempt on one side towards the significance and symbolism of elephant depicted in various postures where, on other side to eliminate on zonal workshops based on stylistic ground. Since the basic problem with the Gandharan sculptures is the absence of provenances, especially, those recovered in the early nineteenth century, the stylistic study is always adopted for affixing them to their probable zones. Similarly, the paper will also make an effort to reconstruct the glorious faunal past of that zone.