Temple of the tooth

Ever since I got myself involved as a bit player in the receiving party for the Buddha relics, gifted to the Nandaka Vihara meditation society, when they arrived at the Penang airport from Sri Lanka on the 11th of November last year, I have been quite intrigued with these sacred relics and delving into the rich history that accompanies them.

Nandaka Vihara's two Buddha relics were quite miniscule and needed tweezers in order to pick them up properly. Under the close-up lens of my camera, they did look large enough to be mistaken for two pieces of human teeth. That's what my wife thought initially until I reminded her that the relics were too small to be complete whole pieces of teeth or bone. 

This, however, had set me thinking. Are there any Buddha relic of a whole tooth in existence today, not bits and pieces of broken down items? After Buddha's parinibbāna, did any whole tooth survive the cremation and if so, where is it now? Eventually, I read somewhere that there were indeed four canine teeth and that the left canine from the lower jaw is now housed in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy in central Sri Lanka. My inquisitiveness led me to search for more information on the history of this tooth relic, and this is my take on its historical aspect.

Buddha passed into parinibbāna in the 4th Century BC and his mortal remains were cremated soon after. When the Brahmins sifted through the ashes, they discovered small crystal-like, bead-shaped objects among the ashes. These objects were divided into eight portions and distributed to the various kings and clans who had attended the ceremony. 

A belief soon took root that whoever possessed a tooth relic held a divine right to rule the land. This sparked wars as various kingdoms sought to claim them. Around 800 years after the Buddha's parinibbāna, a tooth relic found its way into the hands of a feudal king, Guhaseeva. However, the Brahmins and their supporters vehemently opposed him, leading to conflicts with rulers from other lands.

Faced with this opposition, Guhaseeva took a strategic and fateful decision to send the tooth relic to the Kingdom of Anuradhapura in ancient Ceylon. There, his daughter Hemamala and her husband Dantha would safeguard it. Behind this decision was a prophecy of Buddha who declared that his religion would be secure on the island for 5,000 years. (Note: Ceylon was renamed as Sri Lanka in 1972.)

Wall painting at Kelaniya Temple, of Hemamali and her
husband Dantha in which she carried Buddha’s tooth relic
in her hair to Sri Lanka. – Painting by Solias Mendis

Hemamala conceived the idea of hiding the relic in her hair ornament, and the couple journeyed to Ceylon disguised as Brahmins. Their arrival in the eastern port of Lankapattana marked the beginning of a significant chapter in the island's history. King Kirthi Siri Meghavanna extended a warm welcome to the couple and received the tooth relic with great veneration.

To honour the tooth relic, Siri Meghavanna built a palace to enshrine it. This marked the initial stages of the relic's journey in Ceylon, setting in motion events that would shape the cultural, religious and political landscape of the island.

As the capital of Ceylon shifted over time, so too did the tooth relic as it journeyed along. It was King Wimaladharmasooriya in 1592 who brought the relic to its final resting place in the Temple of the Tooth in Kandy. Subsequent rulers, including Narendrasingha and Sri Wickrama Rajasingha, contributed to the expansion and enhancement of the temple complex, adding structures like the octagon and the Kandy Lake.

Over the centuries, the tooth relic evolved from a symbol of divine right to rule into a powerful living representation of the Buddha. The rituals, ceremonies and offerings conducted at the Temple of the Tooth became integral to the cultural and religious practices of Sri Lanka. The custodianship of the relic became a responsibility overseen by the Mahanayake Theros or Bhikkhus of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters and the Diyawadana Nilame. 

Today, the monks of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters continue daily worship at the inner chamber of the temple, conducting rituals at dawn, noon and in the evenings. Symbolic bathing ceremonies with herbal preparations, such as Nanumura Mangallaya on Wednesdays, are part of the religious observances. The water from these ceremonies is distributed among those present.

Kandy, Sri Lanka's second-largest city with its rich history, served as the last capital of the ancient kings and is a UNESCO world heritage site since 1988. The cultural and religious significance of Kandy is encapsulated in the Temple of the Tooth, which stands as a testament to the enduring legacy of Buddhism and its impact on the island's heritage. It remains a site of pilgrimage, drawing devotees and visitors from around the world who seek to witness the fusion of history, faith and tradition encapsulated within its hallowed walls. One day, I hope to be there.