Kelaniya Temple New Image House: Receiving the Bodhi Tree

SRI LANKA, Western Province, Colombo

According to the Mahavamsa, Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka by Mahinda, the son of King Asoka (reigned circa 269–232 BCE). Anula, the wife of the Sri Lankan King Devanampiya Tissa (reigned circa 250–210 BCE) wanted to enter the order of nuns, so she asked the nun Sanghamitta, the daughter of King Asoka, to come to Sri Lanka to establish the order. Sanghamitta agreed and brought a seedling from the Bodhi tree to Sri Lanka. This mid-20th century mural, located on the back wall of the north auxiliary chamber in the New Image House, depicts Sanghamitta arriving at the harbor of Jambukola with the Bodhi tree. A large vessel with a dragons head on the prow dominates the image. On the deck, the Bodhi tree seedling can be seen in a golden flowerpot under a canopy. Sanghamitta, dressed in a monastic robe, stands by the Bodhi tree. King Devanampiya Tissa wades in the water at the bottom of the image, holding up his hands in welcome.