stay, natural caves were cleaned and offered them
to Bhikkus. More than 1600 caves offered in such
a way to Bhikkus can be seen in different parts of
the country.
A suitable cave was found, cleaned, made a drip
ledge in order to prevent water from coming
inside during the rainy season and offered them
to Bhikkus. In some caves the details of those
who offered them have been engraved under the
drip ledge on the rock. Those days Brahmi letters
were used for that. Those inscriptions have been
written in old Sinhala language named ‘Sinhala
Prakrutha’. You, who participate in school
educational trips, will have the opportunity
to visit such caves, in which drip ledges and
inscriptions are engraved, in places such as
Mihintale, Ritigala, Vessagiriya and Sigiriya.
Given below here is an inscription in a cave in
Mihintale.
Inscription- Parumaka Gutha Putha Parumaka
Sumanaha Lene Agatha Anagatha Chathudisha
Sagasa.
Fig 4.3. In the same period when Arahath Mahinda Thero arrived in this country the caves like these were offered to
the Buddhist monks by virtuous devotees. In some of the drip ledges engraved on such caves, there are inscriptions with
the names of those who offered them.Meaning- This cave was offered to the Sanga (the
Bhikkus), both who are present and not present
from the four directions, by Chief Sumana, a son
of chief Guptha.Apart from caves and temples, sources mention
about certain buildings introduced in the name
of ‘Pannasala’. That means houses made of clay
and wattle and thatched with reeds and leaves.
The Bhikkus stayed in such places, before
temples and monasteries were built with bricks
and granite. The word ‘Pansala’ we use today has
derived from the term ‘Pannasala’.Several Bhikkus lived in ancient Buddhist
monasteries. The Bhikkus who lived under the
chief monk were called “Anthewasika Bhikkus-
disciples monks”. An inscription engraved in
a cave in Mahaelagamuwa in Anuradhapura
mentions about a person who was called
‘Athewasika Pussa’. During those days the chief
monks were addressed in the name of ‘Thera’.
In inscriptions the student monks who lived in
association with those chief monks have been