Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaKandy, the ancient capital of Sri Lanka.
It is truly wonderful to have such a large lake and abundant greenery in the center of such a large city. It is also pleasant to feel the laid-back atmosphere as a whole. It is also a great place to take a walk.
Kandy is a very comfortable city. I highly recommend this ancient city.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaIt takes about three hours to get from Sigiriya to Kandy. On the way, I decided to visit a place where a major event took place that had a bearing on Sri Lankan Buddhism and, by extension, on all of world Buddhism.
That will be this alvihara.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaThe most famous mural painting in Sigiriya is the Sigiriya Lady, a 5th-century nymph whose work has been compared to that of the Ajanta Grottoes in India.
And this mural was still amazing! This is another must-see spot in Sri Lanka.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaThis place is truly amazing. It is the highlight of my visit to the Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka. You can't miss this place when you come to Sri Lanka. The contrast with Dambulla makes Polonnaruwa even more fascinating. In this sense, I would like to encourage you to visit both Buddhist sites. I can assure you that it will be an interesting experience.
It's getting fun, Sri Lanka!
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaOur destination for the day was Dambulla. This is another World Heritage Site, and I will never forget it. I am sure that I will never forget this place in my life, and I am even sure that I will never encounter another World Heritage site that surpasses it in my life. I would like to show you a shocking sight.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaIn this article, I will discuss the general trend toward civil war, Sinhala Buddhist nationalism and the restoration of the Holy Land. I am sure that the last few articles have been full of surprises for you. I myself have been astonished by what I have learned about Sri Lanka. I am sure that you have found Sri Lanka to be a very interesting country.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaIn this article I will talk about a very important figure in Sri Lanka, Dharmapala. This Dharmapala is the one who advocated "Sinhala Buddhist Nationalism" that led to the Sri Lankan Civil War.
In Sri Lanka, Buddhism is integrated with nationalism and becomes the spark for ethnic conflict. We will also look at that Sinhala Buddhist nationalism.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaDharmapala had a decisive impact on the Sri Lankan Civil War.
He did not suddenly appear out of thin air either. He came into existence because of the historical background of Sri Lanka at that time.
In this article, I will briefly discuss the colonial period in Sri Lanka, which is also important for the history of Dharmapala and Sri Lankan Buddhism.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaSri Lanka's civil war lasted 26 years, from 1983 to 2009.
This was a civil war between Sinhala Buddhists, the majority of the population, and Tamil Hindus, the minority. Of course, religion was not the only major factor, but I was shocked that Buddhism became involved in the civil war.
Second Indian Expedition - Travels to Buddhist sites in India and Sri LankaSri Lankans have their own context, just as Japanese people have their own context. And the differences in context will always affect the differences in religion and culture.
In this article, I will take a break from my travelogue and talk about the kind of Buddhism in Sri Lanka to begin with. It is very interesting to consider the differences between Sri Lanka and Japan.
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The best of our blog! The "Dostoevsky's Journey" trilogy - my full-length European travelogue!
Travels to Buddhist Sacred Sites in India and Sri Lanka: What I felt there when I was called to India
(1) The birth of Prince Siddhartha in Lumbini, Nepal!
10 novels instead of business cards - I'm ashamed to say I'm such a person.
Why am I, a monk, reading Dostoevsky and world literature?" Articles - The Surprising Similarities Between Shinran and Dostoevsky
(64) Departure for a tour of Buddhist sites in India - A trip to visit Buddha's footprints. To my last trip called by Mishima.
(63) Visiting the grave of Yukio Mishima at Tama Cemetery - Thoughts on Mishima, who continued to question life and death
(62) Visit the site of Yukio Mishima's suicide and the Ichigaya Memorial Hall of the Self-Defense Forces Ichigaya Camp (now the Ministry of Defense)
(61) Yukio Mishima's Fierce Final Days! What was happening at the site of his suicide that day?
(60) Yukio Mishima loved Disneyland! What fascinated Mishima about Disney?
(59) After all, Yukio Mishima was exceptional! The overwhelming power of his brush strokes gives the impression of Dostoevskian black magic.
List of recommended commentaries on Disney as religious thought, history, and art
List of 15 recommended works of Yukio Mishima and commentaries - Interesting works of Yukio Mishima, one of Japan's most famous writers, and his epic life.
