This inscription is cut into the rock at the Gaḍalādeṇiya Vihārē, a fourteenth-century Buddhist shrine situated in Pilimathalawa, near Kandy. Rock-cut steps lead up the north-eastern side of the rock to reach the shrine. A number of inscriptions (including IN03154) are engraved, one above the other, to the right of the steps as one ascends. The present inscription is the earliest and also the longest of these inscriptions, covering more than half of the inscribed rock-surface. It is dated on the full-moon day of the month of Vesaga (Skt. Vaiśākha) in the third year of Bhuvanaikabāhu IV and also mentions the Śaka year 1266, expired. The part of the sentence which contains the date was interpreted by H. C. P. Bell (Report on the Kǟgalla District, p. 92, n. 1) and H. W. Codrington (A Short History of Ceylon, p. 88) to mean that the Śaka year given is the same as the year of accession of Bhuvanaikabāhu. However, Senarath Paranavitana argued that the sentence in fact indicated that the Śaka year in question was equivalent to the third year of the king. Hence the date of the inscription can be understood as the full-moon day of the month of Vesaga in Śaka 1266, which is equivalent to Wednesday 28 April 1344 A.D. The inscription is written in Sinhalese, except for the first line, which contains a Sanskrit śloka in the Indravajrā metre. The text records the foundation of the Buddhist shrine Gaḍalādeṇiya by the great sthavira Dharmmakīrtti. An account of the building of the temple, which comprises more than one-third of the record, is followed by a long list of lands dedicated to it by various personages. The inscription also gives certain details about the architectural features of the shrine and the images and paintings with which it was adorned. The shrine is said to have three storeys, the author of the inscription having apparently counted the terraced roof of the ardha-maṇḍapa and antarāla as the second storey and a cell on a higher level in the vimāna as the topmost storey. The name of the architect who designed the building is given as Gaṇeśvarācāri, which suggests that he was from South India, a supposition supported by the style of the architecture.
[Line 1] Hail! Let there be Happiness! By the exertion of Śrī Dharmma–kīrtti–sthavira, . . . . . . . . . people . . . . merit of diverse kinds, in causing a vihara for Buddha to be constructed.
[Lines 2–3] When One Thousand Two Hundred and Sixty Six years had been completed from the year of the illustrious Śaka, and in the third year unto King Bhuvanaikabāhu, the overlord of the three Siṁhaḷas, who has attained sovereignty at the present time—on the fifteenth day of the waxing moon in Vesaga.
[Lines 3–5] His Holiness Dharmmakīrtti–sthavira‚ born in the family of Gaṇaväsi which has come to the island of Śrī Laṁkā bringing the holy Mahā-bodhi (tree), (restored) a two-storied image-house at Śrī Dhānyakaṭaka in Dambadiva, too, [by spending] much gold and jewels.
[Lines 5–12] He, being desirous of causing an image-house of stone to be founded in the island of Laṁkā, so that it may last a long time, . . . . . . lords of the earth such as kings, sub-kings, officers of state, commanders of the army, judges, . . . . chiefs . . . . . chiefs, scribes, high and low folk such as kṣatriyas, brahmaṇas, vaiśyas, and śūdras, . . . . . . . army, such as Sinhalese, Tamils . . . . being made . . . . . . . . and having given about a hundred thousand in fanams and three thousand yāḷas of paddy, he caused to be built, on the expanse of flat rock called Dikgala, between the two towns of Siṅguruvāṇā, a three-storied image-house, by engaging master-artisans, at whose head was Gaṇeśvarācāri, the chief of the guild of sculptors, who was (well versed) in such arts as architecture and image-making.
[Lines 12–18] In the lowest storey [of that image-house, he] caused to be made, beautified by diverse paintings, the principal image, containing relics, which [depicted Buddha] seated on the vajrāsana, with his back to the Sacred Bodhi-tree and attended by gods such as Sakra, Brahma, Suyāma, Santuṣita, Nātha, and Mayitrī; and two attendant images. In the cell of the caitya on the top-most storey, he caused to be made an image of Buddha [depicting him seated], for delivering the discourse on the Abhidharmma, on the throne Paṇḍu-kambala under the Pārijāta tree, and attended by the gods Śakra, Brahma, and others, led by Mātṛ-devaputra. [Thinking] that there should also be a protection for this vihāra, he caused a shrine of . . . . . . , the king of gods, too, to be built.
[Lines 18–45] Pleased at seeing this great vihāra, named Dharmmakīrtti, caused to be established by . . . . . . His Holiness, and which was provided with Bodhi-trees, caityas, flower gardens, &c. . . . . . Deṇi . . . imiyā . . . . . about three thousand fanams for the work, . . . . maintenance lands, slaves, cattle, . . . . . . and [the sowing extent of] . . . . seed from the batgama . . . . nara; the sowing extent of six amuṇas of sprouted seed paddy from Ilupä(ndeniya), granted by the two, . . . . . . Senevirad and Vīrasiṁha Patirāja; fields [of the sowing extent of] one yāḷa and ten amuṇas of seed from Saṁdessa, which has been held as maintenance lands of his, granted by Senā Laṁkādhikāra; [the sowing extent of] . . . . . amuṇas of sprouted seed [paddy] from the two shares of the (Gaḍi)lādeṇi village, belonging to the two, Kesava Vaṇṇakka and Dan(gamu) . . . . . . man, were granted at the beginning of the work; [the sowing extent of] ten amuṇas of seed from . . . . . piṭigama, which is a maintenance land of his, . . . . and ten head of cattle granted by (D)evagiri Patirāja; fields [of the sowing extent of] a yāḷa of seed from Uturālla in Eḷiraṭa granted by De Patirāja of Bisovaḷa; fields [of the sowing extent of] . . . . seed, and one house and garden from the batgama Māyatgamu, granted by Kaḷu Siṭāṇa; [the sowing extent of] an amuṇa of seed from Pamuṇuva, granted by Niśśaṁka Patirāja; fields [of the sowing extent of] two amuṇas of seed from Rangama and three head of slaves granted by Vijayā Patirāja; fields [of the sowing extent of] an amuṇa of seed from Nāraṁriyana, granted by Prince Vīrasundara; fields [of the sowing extent of] five amuṇas of seed, from the village of Gannoru, and two desima, granted by Anurā Attara, reserving the right for his relations to enjoy [them] paying [the usual] dues and tithes; fields [of the sowing extent of] ten amuṇas of seed from Minginiyāpotta, granted by Prince Jīvasiṁha; fields [of the sowing extent of] amuṇas of seed and one gam–kaḍavara from Saṁdessa, granted by Prince Suva; one gam–kaḍavara and fields [of the sowing extent of] one amuṇa of seed from Uḍuvela granted by Suva Patirāja; likewise [granted by the same person], fields [of the sowing extent of] two amuṇas of seed from Dälivela, an amuṇa from Piḷimatalavuva, an amuṇa from Kirivavula, an amuṇa from Sǟpāṇa, an amunā from Iddavela, an amuṇa from A . . . . , three päḷas from Ämbulmigama‚ three päḷas from Uṇapatāṅga, three päḷas from Maṅgalagama, two päḷas from Piligama; [the sowing extent of] two amuṇas of seed from Bokē-kumbura in Ambäkka, granted by Digiḷi Senānāyaka; [the sowing extent of] an amuṇa of seed from Kirivavula granted by Min Dahampasaknā; two päḷas . . . . . . . two päḷas for requisites for the maintenance [of the monks], two head of buffaloes, fields [of the sowing extent of] . . . . . . seed . . . . . (Seṭṭi) . . . . . . from Beragama which was bought by paying . . . . . . fanams . . . . Peragama Senānāyaka . . . . . the stretch of fields, field [of the sowing extent of] nine . . . . prepared above Nara . . . . . . . having made.