The inscription is incised on the sloping granite rockface immediately to the right of the central cave shrine at the rock-cut temple known as Gal-vihāra, which is situated in Polonnaruwa, about one and a half miles north of the Promontory. Famed for its four large rock-relief statues of the Buddha, this temple was originally known as Uttarārāma (North Park). It was built by king Parakkama-Bāhu I, who reigned between 1153 and 1186 A.D. The inscription sets out a code of conduct for the Buddhist clergy. It is divided into two parts, each one terminating in a fish symbol. The first part contains a historical introduction (lines 1–18) and the second part details disciplinary injunctions (lines 18–51).
[Lines 1–4] Our Buddha having fulfilled the exercise of all the thirty pre-eminent virtues over a period of four asaṅkhyas and one hundred thousand cycles of years (kalpas), mounted on the dais at [the foot] of the great Bodhi tree, which formed [as it were] the field of battle with Māra, vanquished this [well-nigh] irresistible Māra together with his host, and attained to the state of omniscience. Thereafter, for forty-five years he manifested himself like a great rain-cloud over the four continents, and so, with showers of nectar-like Dhamma, he assuaged [the torments of] the living beings who were being burnt by the kleça fire of many kalpa cycles old, numbering hundreds of thousands of kōṭis. Having thus accomplished all the duties of a Buddha, he passed away into the nirupadhi–çeṣa nirvāṇa state in the grove of sāla trees of the Malla princes in the neighbourhood of the city of Kusinārā.
[Lines 4–9] At the expiration of 454 years [from this event], there reigned the great King Vaḷagam Abhā. Thereafter, for 1254 years the Buddhist Fraternity remained disintegrated, and the religion also continued its course of decadence. At this juncture, there came to the throne the mighty king of kings, Çrī Saṁghabodhi Parākrama–Bāhu, a scion of the lineage of Mahā-sammata, born of the Solar race and resplendent with the rays of [kingly] glory that diffused themselves through many a region [of the globe]. His Majesty was anointed with the unction of paramount dominion over the whole land of Laṅkā. And, whilst he was enjoying the delight of kingship with a display of abundant virtues, he witnessed sons of noble families of the Buddhist persuasion on the road to the apāya, having succumbed to the evil effects of non-perception or ill-perception through ignorance or imperfect knowledge. Now, His Majesty reasoned thus:-‘Seeing over and over again a blot such as this on the immaculate Buddhist religion, if a mighty emperor like myself were to remain indifferent, the Buddhist religion would perish, and many living beings will be destined to the apāya. Let me serve the Buddhist religion which should last five thousand years.’ So, with a heart animated by forethought and sympathy, [he argued further] ‘whose services should I enlist to restore the religion which has thus been ruined, so that I may make it endure for five thousand years?’
[Lines 9–18] Then, noting the congregation of Buddhist monks resident in the Udumbaragiri monastery with Mahā–Kāçyapa Mahā–sthavira as their chief—all of whom sparkled with the brilliancy of gems of virtues highest in the world, such as the body of moral piety which has been preserved, increased and cherished by the consolidation of various groups of good qualities that have no flaws or hiatuses; (His Majesty pondered that in days gone by) the great king Dharma Açoka, enlisting the services of Moggaliputta Tissa, the Great Elder of the Buddha Cycle acknowledged by the Buddha himself, crushed out the sinful Bhikkhus; suppressed the heretics; purged the religion of its impurities and brought about the holding of the Third Rehearsal of the Dhamma. In like manner, His Majesty [Parakkama-Bāhu] also enlisted the services of those (Udumbara-giri) bhikkhus and, removing from the Master’s religion many hundreds of sinful monks, brought about a rapprochement of the three fraternities and a coalition of them into one single fraternity (nikāya)—a reconciliation which former kings, despite their great efforts, were not able to effect, even though there were at the time eminently holy personages endowed with aggregates of divers faculties such as the six psychic powers, &c. At various spots in the Island of Laṅkā, His Majesty caused costly monasteries to be built, such as the Jetavana-mahā-vihāra, &c. In these he provided lodgings for members of the Order over a thousand in number, and treated them to a constant flow of spiritual and material gifts.
Being desirous of enjoying the sensation of joyous thrills arising from seeing the priesthood, His Majesty, from time to time, had recourse to the observance of the Uposatha-sīla precepts. [On these occasions], he used to enter the monastery and go amongst the assembled priesthood. Then, moved by the sensation of thrills of joy emanating from the spectacle of the reverend monks, [he was wont to say] ‘in order that this union of the Buddhist priesthood, which I have effected with great effort, may last unbroken for five thousand years and also that future members of the Order may prosper, endowed with virtues such as contentment and the like, devoting themselves diligently to the two tasks of scriptural study and contemplation, may the reverend Sirs preserve the religion by the administration of exhortations and instructions’.
Having hearkened unto these [repeated] appeals made with manifestations of appropriate decorum, the Community of Theras, headed by the great Thera Mahā Kassapa, formulated the [following] code of disciplinary injunctions without deviating from the customary formalities observed in the lineage of preceptors, and after due consultation of the Dhamma (doctrine) and the Vinaya (disciplinary regulations), in order that those of negligent conduct may not find an opening [for transgression].
[Lines 18–24] The head Theras of chapters of monks should not permit any negligence on the part of those among their respective co-resident saddhi–vihārikas and antevāsikas who are eligible either to be vouchsafed the nissaya or to be released from it, but should set them to the task of studying the scriptures.
They should not be allowed to neglect the learning at least of the Kudusikha and the Pāmok from the Vinaya literature] and the three Dasadhamma–sutta and the Anumāna–sutta from the Suttanta [Piṭaka].
They should also be dissuaded from [unbecoming conduct such as] taking delight in company, &c.
Since it is stated that those engaged in the study of the scriptures should always cultivate concentration of thought in seclusion, they [namely the saddhi-vihārikas, &c.], all throughout the three divisions of the day, should mould their ways of deportment perfectly, and their character absolutely without blemish.
Engrossed in meditation on subjects such as the consciousness of the [impermanency of the] body and rehearsing [the prescribed texts] in two or three ways, they should day by day cultivate without interruption concentration of mind in seclusion.
Since it is stated ‘one should set himself at first in the right’, each one should establish for himself these (afore)said attributes of virtue and promote one’s own welfare as well as that of others.
Those antevāsikas and saddhivihārikas who are unable to master a great portion of the [prescribed] course of study, should [at least] be made to learn by heart Mul–sikha and Sekhiyā and to rehearse the Sikhavaḷan̆da–vinisa. They should thus be rendered capable of repeating correctly any portion of the text from beginning to end on being questioned every six months.
They should be made always to remember the dasa–dhamma and cultivate the aforementioned concentration of thought in seclusion.
After they have finished committing to memory as much as they can [of the prescribed texts], they should be taught a subject of meditation conformable to the custom [in vogue] and be set to the task of contemplation thereon.
Thereafter, they should be made to spend the day in the manner related in the discourse on the fourfold circumspection.
[Lines 25–30] Novices should also learn and rehearse the Heraṇasikha, the Sekhiyā and the Dasadhamma–sutta. They should be made to practise this [rehearsal] without abatement and to cultivate concentration of thought in seclusion. This should be their training.
No permission to enter the village at wrong times shall be given to any of these [monks and novices] on any business whatsoever, save on account of a journey for begging food in order to succour their unsupported parents who had given birth to them, likewise their consanguineous and widowed elder and younger sisters, as well as the co-followers of the religious life or, in case of illness, on account of a journey to procure medicine [for parents and sisters] or to beg for medicine and other requirements of the co-followers of the religious life, or [finally], on account of a journey to recite the Paritta at an appointed place.
As it is declared that if permission be given to those [bhikkhus] who have to go out [into the village] on duties due to sickness, &c., those preceptors who grant such permission to those not versed [in the Buddhist regulations] shall be guilty of dukhaṭa offence; so, no permission shall be given to unlearned (bhikkhus) unaccompanied. Permission, however, should be given [to them] on the responsibility of a learned bhikkhu who at least knows [the procedure of] the Uposatha and Pavāranā services and is cognizant of what constitutes a fall and what not.
Should a bhikkhu who has come from one monastic community (wish to take up his residence with another, no lodging ought to be given to him except after seeing either a letter [of recommendation] or a bhikkhu [emissary] from the Head Thera of the monastic establishment where he had (before) lived.
[Lines 30–35] The [Senior] Theras, the junior bhikkhus and those of the middle grade—[in fact] every member of the Buddhist Order should seek sleep at midnight, engrossed in thoughts on the fourfold discriminations and (thereby) should give repose to the body.
They should rise at dawn and should pass the morning perambulating and immersed in meditation.
They should then rehearse a text which they had learnt.
They should, thereafter, don the yellow robe, covering themselves properly with it, and, after they have finished cleansing the teeth, and have attended to the duties specified in the Khandaka, such as those rules of conduct in respect of the Dāgabas, the Sacred Bodhi tree, the Temple terrace, the preceptors, the theras, the sick and the lodging places, should, if need arise, enter the refectory, partake of the gruel and finish attending to the requirements of the refectory.
Then, with the exception of those (bhikkhus) who have pressing duties to perform, such as the consultation of books and documents, sewing (robes, &c.), dyeing, distribution of priestly requisites, &c.; all the rest, soon after they had partaken of the gruel, should pass the time deep in meditation.
After the midday meal too, they should be occupied in obligatory study and introspective meditation as already stated.
They should thus pass the time without consorting with lay or priestly society until the time arrives for [the performance of] obligatory duties.
[Lines 35–40] As it is declared ‘Oh Bhikkhus! There are two things [one of] which should be observed by the assembled [monks, namely] religious conversation or noble silence’, so, those [bhikkhus] also, who have congregated for [holding] a Paritta ceremony, should not dwell upon worldly talk or sinful thoughts, sensual and the like, which are outside [the sphere of] the two subjects, religious talk and meditation, unless indeed there exists a cause which precludes one from observing the correct deportment.
Moreover they should spend the first watch of the night in a manner void of emptiness, such as in preaching (the doctrine), reading (the scriptures), hearing or learning (the same) by heart, conversing on religious topics, &c., and in the task of introspective meditation; and when the middle watch has come, they should seek sleep engrossed in discriminative thoughts.
The bhikkhu-wayfarers who arrive from some business which had to be transacted outside [monastery precincts] should take up their lodgings at an appropriate place, such as the hermits’ hut, the image house and the like.
At all times, bhikkhus should refrain from uttering inappropriate words with any one either in anger or in fun.
They should not hold conversation in secret either with the opposite sex, even though she be (one’s own) mother, or with a youth, even though he be (one’s own) younger brother.
They should not be angry with servants without [first] complaining to the elders [regarding the servants’ misdeeds].
Articles whatsoever belonging to oneself should not be given away to another without the permission of the elders.
[Lines 40–45] If rain fall while the bhikkhus are on a journey, they should continue their natural walking gait, and arrive at a place where they will not get wet, provided that they do not carry in their hands any articles of equipment [robes, &c.] belonging to the elder monks, that are liable to be damaged by the wet. If there be such an equipment, they should indeed go in appropriate haste.
As it is stated ‘.. .. .. .. .. .. that is only proper’, so, even if there be a just cause for laughter, the bhikkhus should only show their mirth with mouths closed and with no sound allowed to escape.
The disputes which are being settled in a monastery which one has entered, should not be made known outside, nor should one take upon himself the disputes of another monastery which are also being settled.
As it is stated ‘a bhikkhu who does not give up even a little of the religious life ought not to exercise desire for material enjoyment, even in respect of things permissable to him [according to the Vinaya code]’, therefore bhikkhus should not be coveteous even in respect of requisites allowed [by the Vinaya rules].
They should not talk whilst in the act either of worshipping the dāgabas, the Sacred Bodhi tree, &c., or in the act of making offerings of frankincense, flowers, &c., or of using the tooth-stick, or of slipping the begging-bowl into its case.
They should not converse with the lay persons of the village on matters touching the priestly requisites or on unorthodox subjects.
As it is stated in the Anācāra–nirdeça (Definition of misconduct), ‘whatsoever person enters a congregation of bhikkhus and with no respect for them, stands or sits knocking against the senior bhikkhus or speaks standing [in close proximity to them] or swaying his arms to and fro or strokes the head of a boy [he commits a misdemeanour]’. Therefore those [bhikkhus] who move amongst the members of the Buddhist Order, should not brush against them (the senior monks} either with their bodies or with their robes.
[Lines 46–51] If there be a matter which needs talking over with a senior bhikkhu, the junior should converse with him with a show of regard for him and with his body bent forward (respectfully). He should not stand too near or sway his arms.
He should never at any place put his arms round a boy’s body and console him.
He should recite [and learn the scriptures] without disturbing those in the Hall of meditation.
As it is stated ‘when admitting [persons] into the priesthood, admit them after examination, ordain them after examination, give them (your) protection after examination. For, when even one son of a respectable family receives admission into the priesthood and (subsequently) the upasampadā ordination, he is instrumental in the establishment of even the whole Buddhist church’. Therefore, admission into the Buddhist Order should be made after examination. Likewise the upasampadā ordination as well as the nissaya protection ought to be conferred after examination. One should cultivate the Dhūtanga ascetic practices as much as one can.
No ill shall be spoken [of any one] for unwillingly observing these aforesaid duties.
Whosoever conducts himself in disobedience to and in violation of the disciplinary injunctions which have thus been enacted, shall receive the punishment due to the offence committed and be warned.
When this has been done three times successively and the bhikkhu still continues his misbehaviour in the selfsame manner, he shall not be given nissaya protection, but, after letting him remain (in the monastery) a month, if his demeanour be not in accordance with the Vinaya precepts, he should be expelled, and no one should hold communion with him.
Likewise, if the Theras who are heads of chapters of monks should neglect their respective duties and [as a result] fail to bring their community of bhikkhus under discipline, they should receive the punishments determined by the Senior Theras.
Other versions
1254 years from the time of King Waḷagam Abhā, when 454 years had elapsed since our Buddha, having, in a time extending over four asankhya’s 100,000 kalpa’s, fulfilled all the thirty perfections, and having, on the Māra battle-ground, mounted on the divan of thorough enlightenment, conquered the irresistible Māra, together with his retinue, attained the state of omniscience, and forty-five years (after that), on the fourth day, having accomplished by quenching . . . . . . as a large cloud does by rain, so he, in many hundred thousands of crores of kalpas, by the nectar of the law [having thus accomplished] all the duties of a Buddha, extinguished (his) life by means of the sacred nirupadhiçesha nirvāna near the city of Kuçinagara, in the grove of Sāl trees of the king of the Malla’s . . . . . . when, the congregations being broken up, religion was fading away. His Majesty King Çri Saṃghabohi Parākramabāhu, descended from the unbroken line of Mahāsammata and the others, born of the Solar race, the king over kings resplendent through the rays of his glory, which has penetrated many regions, anointed by the anointment of paramount dominion on Laṃkā’s ground, enjoying the delight of dominion with the treasure of his merits made patent, he, the very wise one, having removed the powerful poison of non-observance and false observance of religious ordinances (which are) the root of ignorance and false knowledge, having seen young gentlemen practising religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (thinking): if, seeing a spot on . . . . . . of an emperor like me in the religion of the pure Buddha they might become indifferent, then Buddha’s religion will be destroyed, and many beings go to hell, (therefore) it is right that I shall support the religion of Buddha in order that it may last five thousand (years) like Dhammāsoka, who, his heart instigated by compassion preceded by intelligence, having supported the . . . . . . . . . thinking I will make that it lasts spotless for five thousand (years), having combined a number of virtues as unbrokenness and freeness from holes, having seen the congregation of priests living in the great wihāra under the leadership of the great Sthavira Mahākāçyapa, who lived on Udumbara giri, ornated with the jewel ornament of wordly qualities as preservation, increase and cultivation of the aggregates of virtues, &c., having supported them, having supported the great thera Tissa, son of Moggali, who was granted a Buddhakalpa by Buddha, having made the wicked Bhikshus behave spotlessly, having crushed what resisted, having cleansed from dirt the religion, had caused the third council—removed many hundred wicked Bhikshus from the teaching and religion, having made one nikāya by uniting the three nikāya’s, which even at the time when there were great Arhats endowed with a number of qualities as the six supernatural faculties, &c., not being united even with great effort by former kings were . . . . . . . having built the great wihāra of Jetāwana and many other costly wihāras in various places in the island of Laṃkā, having made there residences for more than thousand of the great priesthood, making support by the gift of the food of the religion uninterruptedly continued . . . . being desirous of the enjoyment of the taste of the happiness rising from the sight of the priesthood—having from time to time adopted the vow of fasting, having approached the wihāra and gone among the priests assembled—having enjoyed the taste of the happiness of the joy produced by this sight (thinking): it is right that by me, with great effort, in order that the glory of this saṃkhya may last five thousand (years) undisturbed, in order that in future also the priesthood, without levity, established in the duty of knowledge of the (sacred) scriptures, endowed with the qualities of alepa and cajata, may prosper, having given advice and instruction Religion shall be protected—being endowed with proper and pattern virtues, having heard the request of it, having stated that by the theras derived from the great Thera Mahākāçyapa, those who live carelessly shall not be tolerated, having made a sanda of the Vinaya of the law and with the intention that the chief theras should give among the faithful of the disciples who are with each of them the katikāwa which the aedurol made without expanding them, being fit for . . . . . . . . ., not allowing those who dwell to become careless, but uniting them to the burden of study, not allowing them to despise in the lower assembly the Vinaya, the Khudda-sikkhā, the Pāṭimokkha, the suttas, the Dasadhamma sutta, and the three Anumāna suttas, together with the Vinaya books, putting far away the conversation with the multitude, he ordered that those who were engaged in study should be continually kept in seclusion Having purified himself three times . . . . . . . . . . . . . . having set himself assiduously to . . . . . . . . . and other work, having taken two or three . . . . . . . . and having interrupted the seclusion not even for a single day, he ordered that each man should direct himself first to what is proper. And having applied himself to these above-mentioned virtues, accomplishing his own and other people’s work (?), having organised the burden of study in the above-mentioned way . . . . . . . . having made the pupils and fellow-priests learn the Mūla sikkhā, the Sekhiya and the Vinaya book, having heard the Sikkha walanda winisa (comp. Zoysa’s Report on the Temple libraries, p. 6), having made an abridgement . . . . . . . he disposed of the ascetics. Having observed the fasting . . . . . . . , having reflected on the Dasadhammasutta, having observed the above-mentioned seclusion, having shown his ability, having learned, in a limited time, the duties of performance, having applied himself to the burden of spiritual insight (Dhamm., p. 80), having spent his days according to the prescript of the four sampajaññā’s (Dhamm., p. 389), he said: It is right to teach the novices the Heraṇasikkhā, the Sekhiya, the Dasadhammasutta, the Vinaya book and the play (?), to exercise the pariharana without despising it, and to observe the seclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . mother and father, two persons, and those which are from the same womb (brothers and sisters), widows and virgins and fellow students (shall take) their food and go begging in the manner indicated above. Medicines for the sick and for the fellow students, and the five ways of collecting alms in forbidden places, except going to the pirit, must be avoided. At a wrong time leave to go to the village must not be given. If leave is given to those who go in order to visit sick people, it is a dukkaṭa āpatti for the teachers to give leave to the avyaktas; if the avyaktas have got no leave to go to the uposatha pawāranam (Khuddasikkhā, vs. 8), knowing the degree of āpatti and anāpatti (guilt and innocence) and making any one of the vyakta sangha responsible (?), leave should be given to them . . . . . . . . . if any one of the priesthood lives in the neighbourhood . . . . . . . . . . . . except having seen it is not allowed to make him dwell (there) . . . . . . . . . . . . for the priesthood in the middle of the night sitting down cross-legged, it is fit to enjoy sleep, and to recreate their bodies; in the early morning, having risen, and having set themselves to work with . . . . . . to spend their days sitting, standing, and walking about, to learn pulumu(?), to put on clothes, to clean their teeth, the dagoba, the botree and the templeground; the teachers and the theras and the sick should receive their couches and their food and other requisites; afterwards the priests should descend into the dining-hall and, having taken their gruel and done the duties of the dining-hall, they should inspect the account books . . . . . . . . . . . . . . the dining, etc., should be done quickly. . . . . . . . . . . . Having taken the gruel, they should set themselves to work with . . . . . . . . . . and pass their days; having applied themselves to the burden of study with the nyāya (?), the householders and the ascetics should without becoming saṃsaṭṭha (?) up to a certain time spend their days . . . . . . . . not wealthy except by compassion (alms) . . . . . . having received and being pleased; when you come together, o bhikkhus, you should do two things—religious conversation or noble silence. Besides these two things, religious conversation and silent attention, (there is) the unprofitable talk (Brahmajāla sutta, p. 10) and love thoughts and evil thoughts (which) they should avoid, in the beginning of the night they should not (?) preach baṇa . . . . . . . . . . . listening to the religious conversation, etc., not in the succession of the disciples, spending (their time) in the acquisition of spiritual insight; at midnight, at a lucky moment, sitting cross-legged, it is fit to enjoy sleep afterwards to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . pilgrims and ascetics shall rest at the watchhuts, the . . . . ., the image house, or at some other place; at all occasions, either in earnest or in joke, unbecoming talk shall not be used by anyone; . . . . . . towards virgins and little children no harsh or laughing words shall be used, the overseers shall not be angry with the working people who do not know their work, those who only know their own yakaduru . . . . . . . and no others shall not give them to others, tom-tom beating by the elders of the priesthood and other utensils . . . . . . . . . . except what is at hand for obtaining rain . . . . . . . . at a place which is not irrigated is good to apply; such utensils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “the laughter alone increases” (?), thus having spoken on account of the laughter, it is fit not to expand the sorrow, but to show it alone by word of mouth, those that have their own temples destroyed shall not subdue others, and those that have destroyed others temples shall not stay in their own; . . . . “by a bhikkhu who does not know writing, and is careful . . . . . . . . through temptation eagerness,” thus having spoken, it is not right to show eagerness on any occasion; saluting the dagoba and the botree, etc., worshipping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ., etc., using the tooth cleaner . . . . . . . . . . it is not allowed to talk loud; the house-holders in the villages shall not use patibaddha kathā or visabhāga kathā: Here is a bhikkhu who either alone or in the middle of the priesthood by inconsiderate talk stands vexing the theras and sits down annoying them and preaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and strokes the head of a young man . . . . . . . . thus having spoken, appearing in the middle of the priesthood, you should not touch the body with the robe; and the elders of the priesthood with compassion up to this moment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . shall preach; in no place whatever young men touching (?) . . . . . with their bodies shall . . . . . . . .; those that live away from their houses shall not cause perplexion; after having purified [them] from sin, you should ordain [them]; after having purified (them) you should admit them to the order; after having purified them you should give them the nissaya; one son of a noble family having received the ordination and the admission to the priesthood . . . . . . . establishes the order; (the same in Sinhalese) after having purified (them) you should ordain them, after having purified them you should admit them to the order, after having purified them you should give them the nissaya . . . . . . . . . . . . . In this above-mentioned way you should not object to anybody’s wishes; anything that has been ordered in this katikāwa shall not be disobeyed; if anybody commits a mistake a fine is assessed up to the third time, but if he commits the mistake again without paying the fine up to a month’s time he shall be made a prisoner according to the rule in the Vinaya (?) . . . . . . . . . . . . . The elders of the gaṇas and the thera shall apply themselves to the burden (of study) and shall not be careless and shall not let the priesthood transgress these rules; it is right that by the great theras a fine shall he established. Hail!