Siam Nikaya
Encyclopedia
The Siam Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lanka
, founded by Upali Thera
and located predominantly around the city of Kandy
. It is so named because it originated within Thailand
(formerly known in Europe as the "Kingdom of Siam"). The Siyam Nikaya has two major divisions (Malwatta and Asgiriya
) and five other divisions within these two major units. The Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters have two separate Maha Nayakas or chief Monks. The Sangha only accept high caste for higher ordination
.
(higher ordination, as distinct from samanera
or novice
ordination) for a group of Kandyan monks. The Buddhist order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and was re-established in the reigns of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591–1604) and Vimala Dharma Suriya II (1687–1707) as well. These re-establishments were short lived.
Although hagiographies written within Sri Lanka avoid the issue, the foundation of the Siam Nikaya was closely linked to both the aristocratic and caste politics of its era, including an attempted coup d'etat
that is unusually well-documented, due to the interaction of the colonial Dutch and the king of Kandy at the time:
believed the Buddhist Sangha
in Kandy was suffering from a state of corruption, which included the practice of astrology
and his efforts were aimed at "purifying" the practices of the monastic order. It was also through the efforts of Upali Thera that the "procession of the tooth"
came into being. Annually in Kandy there is a celebration which includes a parade in which the focus is a relic
believed to be a tooth of the Buddha
. This procession was originally focused on honor to Hindu deities
, particularly those incorporated into Sri Lankan Buddhism. Upali Thera believed this to be inappropriate in a Buddhist nation, and his influence led to the king declaring that "Henceforth Gods and men are to follow the Buddha".
{| border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!Monasteries !!Temples !!Number of Monks
|-
|Malvatu Parshavaya (including Sri Rohana Parshavaya)||4,923||14,944
|-
|Asgiri Parshavaya||565||1,383
|-
|Rangiri Dambulu Parshavaya||unknown||200
|-
|Mahavihara Vansika Vanavasa Nikaya||71||889
|-
|Kotte Sri Kalyani Saamagri Nikaya||85||230
|-
|Uve Siyamopali||22||78
|-
|Total||6018||18,780
|-
|}
However in 1764, merely a decade after the re-establishment of the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka by reverend Upali, a group within the newly created Siyam Nikaya conspired and succeeded in restricting the Nikaya's higher ordination only to the Govigama caste. This was a period when Buddhist Vinaya rules had been virtually abandoned and some members of the Buddhist Sangha in the Kandyan Kingdom privately held land, had wives and children, resided in the private homes and were called Ganinnanses.[1] It was a period when the traditional nobility of the Kandyan Kingdom was decimated by continuous wars with the Dutch rulers of the Maritime Provinces. In the maritime provinces too a new order was replacing the old. Mandarampura Puvata, a text from the Kandyan perid, narrates the above radical changes to the monastic order and shows that it was not a unanimous decision by the body of the sangha. It says that thirty two ‘senior’ members of the Sangha who opposed this change were banished to Jaffna by the leaders of the reform.
The Govigama exclusivity of the Sangha thus secured in 1764 was almost immediately challenged by other castes who without the patronage of the King of Kandy or of the British, held their own upasampada ceremony at Totagamuwa Vihara in 1772. Another was held at Tangalle in 1798. Neither of these ceremonies were approved by the Siam Nikaya which claimed that these were not in accordance with the Vinaya rules.
The principal places of Buddhist worship in Sri Lanka including the Temple of the Tooth Relic
, Adam's Peak
, Kelaniya
and over 6,000 other temples are now under the administration of the Siyam Nikaya.
From time immemorial the sacred Tooth Relic of Gautama Buddha has been considered the symbol of the rulers of Sri Lanka. As time went on, the seat of the kingdom was moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, then to Dambadeniya and other cities. Upon each change of capital, a new palace was built to enshrine the Relic. Finally, it was brought to Kandy where it is at present, in the Temple of the Tooth. The oldest Buddhist sect in Sri Lanka, the Siam Nikaya (estd. 19 July 1753) are the custodians of the Tooth Relic, since its establishment during the Kandyan Kingdom. The Siyam Nikaya traditionally grants Higher ordination only to the Radala and Govigama castes.[5] The Siyam Nikaya has been an exclusiveRadala Govigama
sect from the time of the Kings of Sri Lanka, giving lie to the myth of a Karava supremacy predating the arrival of Colonials,unfortunately the "Siyam" nikaya is promoting & practicing one of the 5 unpardonable sins in buddhism,which falls into the category of Anantharvedaniya karma namely,
1. Killing one’s mother
2. Killing one’s father
3. Causing a Buddha’s blood to be shed
4. Killing arahaths
5. Creating divisions among Sangha
The caste based discrimination made many Karava, Salagama, Durava, Bathgama & other castes people considered as low by the Govi to become Catholics & Anglicans,The Siyam Nikaya as custodians of the Tooth Relic have always received the full support and patronage of the Govigama dominated Sri Lankan State and its Ministers and Ministries of Buddha Sasana, Cultural Affairs and others,the monopolisation of the lord Buddha's tooth relic by the Radala Govigama combination on caste based lines have brought shame & a bad reputation to buddhism in Srilanka,which resembles the white apartheid rule in South Africa,where only the whites were able to enjoy certain privileges,though in one of his discourses the lord Buddha had specifically mentioned against caste based discrimination.During the late 19th century when buddhism was at the brink of extinction,due to Christian missionaries & the British government,it was a Salagama caste Amarapura nikaya buddhist monk, "Migettuwewatté Gunananda"thero,with his oratical skills & sharp logical arguments soundly defeated the christians at panadura,(Pandura waadaya),& subsequently the american , Col.Henry Olcott after reading the book on panadura debate,decided to visit Srilanka,& helped Sinhala buddhist,& one achievement was the establishment of Ananda college.The Amarapura Chapter was established in 1802. A number of monks of this Chapter had participated in foreign missionary work throughout the world. Monks such as Narada Thera, Piyadassi Thera and Most Ven Balangoda Ananda Maithreeya Thera were some of the erudite monks,from the "Amarapura nikaya"& Ven.Madihe Pannasiha from Ramanna nikaya also had done immense service to buddhism in Srilanka.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, founded by Upali Thera
Upali Thera
Upali Thera was a Thai Theravada monk and founder of the Siam Nikaya order of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. He visited Kandy in 1753 and there performed upasampada for a group of Sinhala monks. The upasampada was not observed in Sri Lanka for centuries until this time...
and located predominantly around the city of Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
. It is so named because it originated within Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
(formerly known in Europe as the "Kingdom of Siam"). The Siyam Nikaya has two major divisions (Malwatta and Asgiriya
Asgiriya
Asgiriya is a village in Sri Lanka. It is located within Central Province.-External links:*...
) and five other divisions within these two major units. The Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters have two separate Maha Nayakas or chief Monks. The Sangha only accept high caste for higher ordination
Ordination
In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...
.
History
On the initiative of Ven. Weliwita Saranankara (1698–1778) the Thai monk Upali visited Kandy in 1753 during the reign of king Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747–1782), and there performed upasampadaUpasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
(higher ordination, as distinct from samanera
Samanera
A samanera ) may be translated as novice monk in a Buddhist context. The literal meaning is 'small samana', that is, small renunciate where 'small' has the meaning of boy or girl. In the Vinaya monastic discipline, a man under the age of 20 cannot ordain as a bhikkhu, but can ordain as a samanera...
or novice
Novice
A novice is a person or creature who is new to a field or activity. The term is most commonly applied in religion and sports.-Buddhism:In many Buddhist orders, a man or woman who intends to take ordination must first become a novice, adopting part of the monastic code indicated in the vinaya and...
ordination) for a group of Kandyan monks. The Buddhist order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and was re-established in the reigns of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591–1604) and Vimala Dharma Suriya II (1687–1707) as well. These re-establishments were short lived.
Although hagiographies written within Sri Lanka avoid the issue, the foundation of the Siam Nikaya was closely linked to both the aristocratic and caste politics of its era, including an attempted coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
that is unusually well-documented, due to the interaction of the colonial Dutch and the king of Kandy at the time:
-
- "'[T]he plot of 1760,'... occurred during the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasimha and shortly after the formal beginnings of the Siyam Nikaya in 1753. One group within the local aristocracy conspired to overthrow the king and to place a Siamese prince on the throne. The leaders are said to have included not only key lay administrators... but also some of the leading Siyam Nikaya monks. Valivita Saranamkara, founder of the Siyam Nikaya, and his chief student... were named among the conspirators. The plot was discovered, the Siamese prince deported (with the reluctant assistance of the Dutch), and the lay administrators executed." [Anne M. Blackburn, 2001, Buddhist learning and textual practice in eighteenth-century Lankan monastic culture, p. 34]
Venerable Upali
Upali TheraUpali Thera
Upali Thera was a Thai Theravada monk and founder of the Siam Nikaya order of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. He visited Kandy in 1753 and there performed upasampada for a group of Sinhala monks. The upasampada was not observed in Sri Lanka for centuries until this time...
believed the Buddhist Sangha
Sangha
Sangha is a word in Pali or Sanskrit that can be translated roughly as "association" or "assembly," "company" or "community" with common goal, vision or purpose...
in Kandy was suffering from a state of corruption, which included the practice of astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
and his efforts were aimed at "purifying" the practices of the monastic order. It was also through the efforts of Upali Thera that the "procession of the tooth"
Esala Perahera
Esala Perahera is the grand festival of Esala held in Sri Lanka. It is very grand with elegant costumes. Happening in July or August in Kandy, it has become a unique symbol of Sri Lanka. It is a Buddhist festival consisting of dances and nicely decorated elephants. There are fire-dances,...
came into being. Annually in Kandy there is a celebration which includes a parade in which the focus is a relic
Relic
In religion, a relic is a part of the body of a saint or a venerated person, or else another type of ancient religious object, carefully preserved for purposes of veneration or as a tangible memorial...
believed to be a tooth of the Buddha
Gautama Buddha
Siddhārtha Gautama was a spiritual teacher from the Indian subcontinent, on whose teachings Buddhism was founded. In most Buddhist traditions, he is regarded as the Supreme Buddha Siddhārtha Gautama (Sanskrit: सिद्धार्थ गौतम; Pali: Siddhattha Gotama) was a spiritual teacher from the Indian...
. This procession was originally focused on honor to Hindu deities
Hindu deities
Within Hinduism a large number of personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, Avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as devas. The exact nature of belief in regards to each deity varies between differing Hindu...
, particularly those incorporated into Sri Lankan Buddhism. Upali Thera believed this to be inappropriate in a Buddhist nation, and his influence led to the king declaring that "Henceforth Gods and men are to follow the Buddha".
The number of Siyam Nikaya monasteries and monks
(Estimates from Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Sri Lanka){| border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|
{| border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" style="border: 1px #aaa solid; border-collapse: collapse;"
|- style="background:#efefef;"
!Monasteries !!Temples !!Number of Monks
|-
|Malvatu Parshavaya (including Sri Rohana Parshavaya)||4,923||14,944
|-
|Asgiri Parshavaya||565||1,383
|-
|Rangiri Dambulu Parshavaya||unknown||200
|-
|Mahavihara Vansika Vanavasa Nikaya||71||889
|-
|Kotte Sri Kalyani Saamagri Nikaya||85||230
|-
|Uve Siyamopali||22||78
|-
|Total||6018||18,780
|-
|}
Religious power
By the mid 18th century, upasampada (higher ordination, as distinct from samanera or novice ordination) had become extinct in Sri Lanka again. The Buddhist order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and was re-established in the reigns of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591–1604) and Vimala Dharma Suriya II (1687–1707) as well. These re-establishments were short lived. On the initiative of Ven. Weliwita Saranankara (1698–1778) the Thai monk Upali Thera visited Kandy during the reign of king Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747–1782) and once again reestablished the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka in 1753. It was called the Siyam Nikaya after the "Kingdom of Siam".However in 1764, merely a decade after the re-establishment of the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka by reverend Upali, a group within the newly created Siyam Nikaya conspired and succeeded in restricting the Nikaya's higher ordination only to the Govigama caste. This was a period when Buddhist Vinaya rules had been virtually abandoned and some members of the Buddhist Sangha in the Kandyan Kingdom privately held land, had wives and children, resided in the private homes and were called Ganinnanses.[1] It was a period when the traditional nobility of the Kandyan Kingdom was decimated by continuous wars with the Dutch rulers of the Maritime Provinces. In the maritime provinces too a new order was replacing the old. Mandarampura Puvata, a text from the Kandyan perid, narrates the above radical changes to the monastic order and shows that it was not a unanimous decision by the body of the sangha. It says that thirty two ‘senior’ members of the Sangha who opposed this change were banished to Jaffna by the leaders of the reform.
The Govigama exclusivity of the Sangha thus secured in 1764 was almost immediately challenged by other castes who without the patronage of the King of Kandy or of the British, held their own upasampada ceremony at Totagamuwa Vihara in 1772. Another was held at Tangalle in 1798. Neither of these ceremonies were approved by the Siam Nikaya which claimed that these were not in accordance with the Vinaya rules.
The principal places of Buddhist worship in Sri Lanka including the Temple of the Tooth Relic
Temple of the Tooth
Sri Dalada Maligawa or The Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic is a Buddhist temple in the city of Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is located in the royal palace complex which houses the Relic of the tooth of Buddha. Since ancient times, the relic has played an important role in local politics because it is...
, Adam's Peak
Adam's Peak
Sri Pada , is a tall conical mountain located in central Sri Lanka...
, Kelaniya
Kelaniya
Kelaniya is a small town near Colombo, Sri Lanka in the Gampaha District. It is known for the Buddhist temple built on the banks of the Kelani River, which runs through the town...
and over 6,000 other temples are now under the administration of the Siyam Nikaya.
From time immemorial the sacred Tooth Relic of Gautama Buddha has been considered the symbol of the rulers of Sri Lanka. As time went on, the seat of the kingdom was moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, then to Dambadeniya and other cities. Upon each change of capital, a new palace was built to enshrine the Relic. Finally, it was brought to Kandy where it is at present, in the Temple of the Tooth. The oldest Buddhist sect in Sri Lanka, the Siam Nikaya (estd. 19 July 1753) are the custodians of the Tooth Relic, since its establishment during the Kandyan Kingdom. The Siyam Nikaya traditionally grants Higher ordination only to the Radala and Govigama castes.[5] The Siyam Nikaya has been an exclusiveRadala Govigama
Govigama
Govi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...
sect from the time of the Kings of Sri Lanka, giving lie to the myth of a Karava supremacy predating the arrival of Colonials,unfortunately the "Siyam" nikaya is promoting & practicing one of the 5 unpardonable sins in buddhism,which falls into the category of Anantharvedaniya karma namely,
1. Killing one’s mother
2. Killing one’s father
3. Causing a Buddha’s blood to be shed
4. Killing arahaths
5. Creating divisions among Sangha
The caste based discrimination made many Karava, Salagama, Durava, Bathgama & other castes people considered as low by the Govi to become Catholics & Anglicans,The Siyam Nikaya as custodians of the Tooth Relic have always received the full support and patronage of the Govigama dominated Sri Lankan State and its Ministers and Ministries of Buddha Sasana, Cultural Affairs and others,the monopolisation of the lord Buddha's tooth relic by the Radala Govigama combination on caste based lines have brought shame & a bad reputation to buddhism in Srilanka,which resembles the white apartheid rule in South Africa,where only the whites were able to enjoy certain privileges,though in one of his discourses the lord Buddha had specifically mentioned against caste based discrimination.During the late 19th century when buddhism was at the brink of extinction,due to Christian missionaries & the British government,it was a Salagama caste Amarapura nikaya buddhist monk, "Migettuwewatté Gunananda"thero,with his oratical skills & sharp logical arguments soundly defeated the christians at panadura,(Pandura waadaya),& subsequently the american , Col.Henry Olcott after reading the book on panadura debate,decided to visit Srilanka,& helped Sinhala buddhist,& one achievement was the establishment of Ananda college.The Amarapura Chapter was established in 1802. A number of monks of this Chapter had participated in foreign missionary work throughout the world. Monks such as Narada Thera, Piyadassi Thera and Most Ven Balangoda Ananda Maithreeya Thera were some of the erudite monks,from the "Amarapura nikaya"& Ven.Madihe Pannasiha from Ramanna nikaya also had done immense service to buddhism in Srilanka.
See also
- Relic of the tooth of the BuddhaRelic of the tooth of the BuddhaThe Sacred Relic of the tooth of Buddha is venerated in Sri Lanka as a relic of the founder of Buddhism.-The relic in India:...
- Amarapura NikayaAmarapura NikayaThe Amarapura Nikaya is a Sri Lankan monastic fraternity founded in 1800. It is named after the city of Amarapura, Myanmar , the former capital of the Burmese kingdom...
- Ramanna NikayaRamanna NikayaRamanna Nikaya is one of the most orthodox Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara, returned to Sri Lanka after being ordained by the Neyyadhama Munivara Sangharaja of Ratnapunna Vihara in Burma.-Similar orders:Ramanna Nikaya is said to be similar to the...
- Sri Lankan BuddhismSri Lankan BuddhismBuddhism in Sri Lanka is primarily of the Theravada school, and constitutes the religious faith of about 70% of the population.- History :...
- RadalaRadalaThe Radala refer to an extremely small minority caste in the Kandyan Kingdom of Sri Lanka. They were the aristocracy of the Kandyan Kingdom. After capturing the Kandyan provinces in 1815 with the aid of locals from both maritime and Kandyan provinces, the British created an extensive class of loyal...
- GovigamaGovigamaGovi, Govigama, Goigama, Goygama, Goyigama, Goviyo is the most influential and the dominant Caste in Sri Lanka and certainly comes as the leading cast in the hierarchy of cast system in Sri Lanka.The term Govi denotes farmer.From time immemorial the Govigama have been the landlords and have been...