
About Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
Lord Gautama Buddha is considered as the Greatest Human Being appeared on earth. The esteemed one achieved the eternal bliss of Samma Sambodhi or the Enlightenment, ending the continuous circle of Samsara, the existence. This wonderful event took place 2600 years ago seated with his back against under an Esathu tree by the river Neranjana in the Bodhgaya, India. As the ascetic Siddhartha attained the Sambodhi Gnana under the shade of the Esathu tree, this highly venerated tree came to be known as the ‘Bodhi’.
The southern branch of this sacred tree in Bodhgaya was ceremoniously brought to Sri Lanka by Arahant Sanghamitta MahaTheree in 236 BC, with the patronage of Emperor Dharmasoka. King Devanampiyatissa planted this Bodhi tree in his Royal Park ‘Maha Meghavana Udyanaya’ in Anuradhapura, under the guidance of Arahant Mihindu Maha Thero. Since then, this highly sacred Bodhi comparable to the living Buddha dwells there shining with glory. The Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi of Anuradhapura is the oldest living tree of the whole world with a written history.
Read MoreProgrammes at Udamaluwa
Message
from the Atamasthanadhipathi
The sacred city of Anuradhapura, the first Royal Capital of the Island Kingdom, and the first UNESCO World Heritage Site of Sri Lanka, is known in the Buddhist world as the home of the oldest historically documented tree in the world, Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. It is considered the first among the Eight Sacred Sites (Ata Masthana) of this scared city, because it is the one and only living object among these sacred sites. Bodhi trees belong to the class of trees known as ‘vanaspati’, lords of the jungle, majestic trees that bear fruits apparently without blossoms.
The bodhi tree is one of the three symbols of Buddhist worship, the other two being the stupa and the Buddha image. As a result, it is more than a mere tree. It is the Buddha himself in symbolic form. Thus the Sinhala Buddhist calls it ‘Jaya Sri Maha Bodhin Vahanse’, or ‘Siri Maha Bo Hamuduruvo’. Village folk call it ‘Uda Maluve Bodhi Sami’, the Lord of the Upper Terrace, because it occupies the uppermost of the terraces (malu) at the site.
This tree was brought to the Island during the reign of the Great King Devanampiyathissa, three centuries before the dawn of the Common Era from Bodhgaya in Central India, by the famous Buddhist nun, Theree Sanghamitta, the only daughter of Emperor Dharmasoka. It was named the ‘bodhi’ tree because Prince Siddhartha attained Enlightenment (sambodhi) in its shade. This original tree at Bodhgaya is no more and as a result the tree at Anuradhapura becomes the oldest documented historic tree in the world. Saplings of this tree were sent to different parts of the island, and Buddhists believe that all the bodhi trees in the island today have their genetic links with this tree. Today saplings of this Tree are sent to different parts of the Buddhist world.
The Bodhi, which is also believed to be a shrine of gods, is full of spiritual powers as it has the power to cause rain and the Buddhists in general have a strong belief that offerings made to the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi produce favourable changes in their life. Many periodical festivals are held to pay homage to this Tree of Wisdom.
It is with a great sense of happiness and devoutness that we invite you to visit this site and pay homage to obtain the blessings of this Holy Bodhi upon you!
Most Ven. Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero
Atamasthanadhipathi
The Chief Sanghanayake of Nuwara Kalaviya
Chief Incumbent of Ruwanweli Maha Seya
Bomaluwa Temple
Mahaviharaya
Anuradhapura
Sri Lanka.
Atamasthana
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi
The southern branch of the sacred Bodhi where Lord Buddha attain enlightenment, planted here in 236 BC.
Ruwanweli Dagaba
Built by King Dutugemunu in 137 BC. this great Dagaba contains the largest quantity of Lord Buddha's sacred relics.
Thuparamaya Dagaba
Containing the sacred right clavicle relic of the Lord Buddha, built by King Devanampiyatissa in 236 BC.
Mirisawetiya Dagaba
Built by King Dutugemunu in 161 BC enshrining the king's sceptre and the sacred relics of the Lord Buddha.
Lankarama Dagaba
Built in 89-77 BC.by King Walagamba containing a part of Lord Buddha's 'Pati Dhathu' (belt) and other sacred relics.
Abhayagiri Dagaba
Built upon a sacred foot print of the Lord Buddha in 89-77 BC by King Walagamba. Contains Lord.Buddha's sacred relics.
Jethavanaramaya Dagaba
Built in 276-303 BC.by King Mahasen containing a part of Lord Buddha's 'Pati Dhathu' (belt) and other sacred relics.
Lova Maha Paya
The nine story 'Uposatahagara' (chapter house) of the Mahaviharaya Built by King Dutugemunu in 167-137 BC.
Administrative Structure of Anuradhapura Mahaviharaya
Anuradhapura Mahaviharaya is a highly venerated sacred monastery consisting of a large number of sacred places including the Anuradhapura Atamasthanaya. Most venerable Atamasthanadhipathi Nayaka Thero is the Chief Priest of Anuradhapura Mahaviharaya and the incumbent of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple called the Bomaluwa Temple and dwells there. The Atamasthanadhipathi Nayaka Thero is appointed with the vote of the Atamasthana Committee members. Atamasthanadhipathi Nayaka Thero appoints the ‘Viharadhikari‘ caretaker incumbents for effective administration of the other six (06) monasteries of Atamasthana where the venerable bhikkhus of the Mahaviharaya dwell. The Temples and the venerable theros holding the Atamasthanadhipathi and the Viharadhikari positions presently are as follows.
Atamasthanadhipathi Most Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero (Chief Priest, Nuwarakalawiya region)
Viharadhikari of Ruwanweli Maha Chaithyaramaya Most. Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero (Chief Priest, Nuwarakalawiya region)
Viharadhikari of Lankaramaya Ven. Relapanawe Dhammajothi Nayaka Thero (Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka of the North Central region)
Viharadhikari of Jethawanaramaya Ven. Ihalahalmillewe Rathanapala Nayaka Thero
Viharadhikari of Abhayagiriya Dr. Ven. Kallanchiye Rathanasiri Nayaka Thero
Viharadhikari of Mirisawetiya Ven. Eethalawetunuwewe Gnanathilaka Nayaka Thero
Viharadhikari of Thuparamaya Ven. Kahalle Gnanide Nayaka Thero
The ‘Lohamahaprasadaya’ belonging to the Atamasthana is the chapter house of the Mahaviharaya and no venerable bhikkhus dwell there.

Atamasthanadhipathi
Most Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero
(The Chief Sanghanayake of Nuwara Kalaviya and Chief Incumbent of Ruwanweli Maha Seya)

Viharadhikari of Ruwanweli Maha Chaithyaramaya
Ven. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayaka Thero
(Chief Priest, Nuwarakalawiya)

Viharadhikari of Lankaramaya
Ven. Relapanawe Dhammajothi Nayaka Thero
(Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka of the North Central Province)

Viharadhikari of Jethawanaramaya
Ven. Ihalahalmillewe Rathanapala Nayaka Thero

Viharadhikari of Abhayagiriya
Dr. Ven. Kallanchiye Rathanasiri Nayaka Thero

Viharadhikari of Mirisawetiya
Ven. Eethalawetunuwewe Gnanathilaka Nayaka Thero

Viharadhikari of Thuparamaya
Ven. Kahalle Gnaninda Nayaka Thero
News

අභිනව අටමස්ථානාධිපති ලෙස පූජ්ය පල්ලේගම හේමරතන නාහිමියන්
අභිනව අටමස්ථානාධිපති ලෙස නුවරකලාවියේ ප්රධාන සංඝනායක පූජ්ය පල්ලේගම හේමරතන නාහිමියන් ලබන 11දා නිලවශයෙන් වැ...
Read More
අපවත්වී වදාළ අටමස්ථානාධිපති නාහිමිගේ ආදාහන පූජෝත්සවය
අපවත් වී වදාළ අටමස්ථානාධිපති උතුරු මධ්යම දිසාවේ ප්රධාන සංඝනායක ආචාර්ය පූජ්ය පල්ලේගම සිරිනිවාස නාහිමිගේ ...
Read More
කොරෝනා රෝගය මව්බිමෙන් දුරු වේවායි ප්රර්ථනා කරමින් රටපුරා පවත්වනු ලබන රතන සූත්ර දේශනාව
මේ දිනවල රතන සූත්ර දේශනාව අනුරාධපුරයේ ජය ශ්රී මහා බෝධිය අභියස සහ ස්වර්ණමාලී මහා සෑ මලුවේ දිනපතා පවත්වනු ...
Read MoreLet’s worship Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi.
Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (Sinhala: ජය ශ්රී මහා බොධිය) is a sacred fig tree in the Mahamewna Gardens, Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. It is said to be the right-wing branch (southern branch) from the historical Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya in India under which Lord Buddha attained Enlightenment. It was planted in 288 BC, and is the oldest living human-planted tree in the world with a known planting date.Today it is one of the most sacred relics of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and respected by Buddhists all over the world.