Historical
From very early times isolated rock caves such as Dambulla, Mihintale and Aluvihara have being the choice of residence by Buddhist hermits. The antiquity of Dambulla is authenticated by inscription in Brahmin script. The characters of the script at Dambulla is distinctly that of the 3rd century A.D. There is one inscription that records “Damarakita teraha lene agata anagata catu disa sagasa dine. Gamini abhaya rajiyahi karate” (Which is interpreted –the cave of the Elder Dhammarakkhita, given to the Community of the four quarters, present or future. In the reign of Gamini Abhaya). This is evidence that these caves had benn used as residence for the Buddhist clergy since pre-Christian times.
Only one king by the name of Abhaya is known to have lived in the first century B.C. He is also referred to as Vattagamini Abhaya (89-77 B.C). Hence the Abhaya named in the inscription is none other than Vattagamini Abhaya. No storied urn or memorial is needed to honor this monarch. Only a few inscriptions bear the royal name but he lives in the hearts of the people who revere him for his beneficence. The traditional story is that when South Indian invaders over-ran his kingdom at Anuradhapura, Vattagamini Abhaya fled to Dambulla and was given protection and refuge by the resident monks. The Mahavamsa records that the Buddhist scriptures were recorded in writing during the rule of King Vattagamini. This center of learning was also housed in a cave-complex. So we may conclude that cave-complexes were used as residences of the clergy, during the early period, and that these temples were favored by royal patronage.
Archeologist do not ascribe any Buddha image found in Sri Lanka to a period earlier than the 1st century A.D. Identification and dating of most of the Buddha images of the Dambulla Rock Temple is not possible , due to poor conservation and thoughtless renovation of succeeding periods. However it be tradition maintains that the five sedent images, including the principle images in Cave No. 1 was all executed during the reign of King Vattagamini Abhaya. A short inscription at Dambulla refers to a king named Gamini Tissa, who could be identified Suratissa, who reigned several decades before Vattagamini Abhaya. This shows that even before this king Dambulla was an adobe of Buddhist monks.
The historical records of the Island remain silent on Dambulla until the 11th century A.D. The Culavamsa, part II of the Mahavamsa, states that Vijayabahu (1070-1110) liberated the Northern region from Cola occupation (1077-1070). He also carried out restoration work at dambulla, and gave liberally of land, and gifted villages to the incumbents of Dambulla temple. And, so Dambulla came to its earlier position of royal patronage and favor.
The next king we her of having brought Dambulla under his patronage is Nissankamalla. Nissankamalla was a foreigner. He wanted to make his sway felt among the people, while at the same time, winning their acceptance and affection. To this end he tortured his realm, visiting prominent religious centers like Dambulla, Kelaniya and Anuradhapura. It was his custom to leave litchis records of his visits. These speak of four tours. The fourth royal tour was to Dambulla. The Mahavamsa states that on this tour was to Dambulla. The Mahavamsa states that on this tour the king spent lavishly and set up 73 gilded images of the Buddha. An inscription made by the king has left for posterity an account of his pious acts. The Closing lines of this record in stone, mentions that, “The King caused the sedent, recumbent, and the standing images of the Buddha to be gilled”. It goes on to chronicle that a great “Puja” or offering to the ditties was held at a cost of seven lacks. The name Swarangiriguha which means the Golden Rock Cave was also bestowed on the temple. From then onwards, Dambulla as Swarangiriguha or Rangiri Dambulla. Even after the decline of the Polonnaruwa kingdom at the end of the 12th century A.D., Dambulla held eminence as a religious centre, but was not favored by royalty. The rice of the rulers of the land, but this prosperity was short-lived. The migration away from the northern and north-eastern areas and the resultant shifting of population centers relegated places like Dambulla to the backwoods. But once again the 18thcentury sees rice in fortunes of Dambulla. A palm leaf manuscripts, called the Dambulu Vihara Tudapata, dated 1726 A.D. states the king Senratna also called Senarat, restored and repaired the temple. The document adds: “At the completion of the repairs which took three years, the king, on the festival of painting of the eyes of images of Buddha, proceeded to the temple accompanied by the three princes. After festival was over the king stood on the semicircular stone step of Maharaja Vihara (Cave II) and called on the monks there assembled to nominate a person fit to be appointed incumbent of this temple sixty-five images of which included the one in reclining posture, had been painted and finished. The last noteworthy royal benefactor of this temple was king Kitrhi Sri Rajasingha (1714-1782 A.D.) under whose patronage the kandyan provinces saw at that time being used as a store, was further excavated and converted into yet another shrine room, on a directive from the king in his Robes of state, which closely resemble the style worn by the kings of the Nayakkar dynasty of Kandy”.
