Uploaded December 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Ancient Buddhist cave paintings at Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains. There are more than 80 caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves that contain statues and paintings. These paintings and statues are related to Gautama Buddha and his life. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. (The murals cover an area of 23,000 square feet). Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara, and Buddha's first sermon.
Prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived in these cave complexes before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as there are burial sites with human skeletons about 2700 years old in this area, at Ibbankatuwa near the Dambulla cave complexes.
#Buddha #buddhist
Ancient Buddhist cave paintings at Dambulla, Sri Lanka.
Dambulla is the largest and best-preserved cave temple complex in Sri Lanka. The rock towers 160 meters over the surrounding plains. There are more than 80 caves in the surrounding area. Major attractions are spread over 5 caves that contain statues and paintings. These paintings and statues are related to Gautama Buddha and his life. There are a total of 153 Buddha statues, 3 statues of Sri Lankan kings and four statues of gods and goddesses. The latter include Vishnu and the Ganesha. (The murals cover an area of 23,000 square feet). Depictions on the walls of the caves include the temptation by the demon Mara, and Buddha's first sermon.
Prehistoric Sri Lankans would have lived in these cave complexes before the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka as there are burial sites with human skeletons about 2700 years old in this area, at Ibbankatuwa near the Dambulla cave complexes.
#Buddha #buddhist
