米欣塔莱

Mihintale

位于阿努拉德普勒以东 12 公里处的神圣山峰，被尊为斯里兰卡佛教的发源地。

概述

米欣塔莱 (Mihintale) 是一片山丘，遍布着古老的阶梯、佛塔、窑洞和修道院遗址，作为佛教传入该岛的地点而被视为神圣之地。沿着 1,840 级花岗岩台阶攀登，经过坎塔卡塞蒂亚 (Kantaka Cetiya) 和安巴斯塔拉舍利塔 (Ambasthala Dagoba) 到达山顶，从这里可以将周围平原的景色一览无余。这是从阿努拉德普勒和主要朝圣目的地（尤其是波松波亚）出发的轻松半日游。

历史

According to the chronicles, the missionary monk Mahinda, son of the Indian emperor Ashoka, met King Devanampiya Tissa here in 247 BCE and converted him to Buddhism, an event commemorated every year at the Poson full moon in June. The hill became one of the earliest and most important monastic complexes in Sri Lanka, with inscriptions recording the rules and endowments of its ancient monastery.