How the Sacred Buddha’s Tooth Relic & the Righteous Ruler of Sri Lanka are connected

 

The Sacred Tooth Relic of Buddha enshrined in the Dalada Maligawa is revered as the legitimacy & beholder of the authority of the King (ruler) & its protection by the ruler is crucial for the stability of the Nation. The Tooth Relic which was originally enshrined at the Abhayagiri Temple in Anuradhapura during the rule of King Kithsiri Mevan. Ever since, every King has protected & guarded the Sacred Tooth Relic which is the palladium of kingship. This has been constitutionally enshrined via Article 9 and Article 16 and is binding of all.

 

When the capital shifted from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, after liberating the country from Chola rulbe, King Vijayabahu constructed the Atadage to house the Sacred Tooth Relic. Every King who ruled the Nation has venerated the Tooth Relic, guarded & protected it with veneration because it was synonymous with his Rule & more importantly Righteous Rule. The Adhammika Suthraya explains the importance of righteous rule for when a ruler is corrupt everyone below him also becomes corrupt. The “Dalada Siritha” lays out the rituals to be followed.

 

What is the significance of the Sacred Tooth Relic to the Governance of Sri Lanka?

 

1. The Sacred Tooth Relic is the symbol of Divine Legitimacy – it is more than a religious symbol, it is a divine endorsement of the Rulers/President’s kingship/Rule. Whoever held the Tooth Relic was seen as the legitimate ruler of the land approved by Buddha. You may recall how the colonial rulers always made attempt to steal the Tooth Relic to legitimize their invasion. Thus possession of the Tooth Relic was a claim to political power & religious authority over the State.
2. The Sacred Tooth Relic has been enshrined in special temples through history. Its protection was central to the Stability of the State. This is a prerequisite even in present governance.
3. National Unity – The Tooth Relic was the unifying force that brought people of Sri Lanka together, under one banner, with Buddhism enshrined as the dominant faith & protector of all via the Noble Buddha’s Principles & Buddha’s Jurisprudence which was the foundation for not only the legitimacy of the ruler by the foundation for a peaceful & prosperous nation.

 

Whether the ruler is King or the President, the Sacred Tooth Relic is a symbol of the King’s legitimacy & it is his duty to protect it & follow the established rituals coming down through history.

 

• Protector of the Tooth Relic – by the King/President as Custodian of Buddha Sasana
• Performing Rituals & Ceremonies – the King/President along with the Maha Sangha must continue all rituals with reverence as has continued
• Ensuring Justice & Protection – the King/President must ensure Buddhist principles are followed within the kingdom as per Dharmishta rule which implies in line with Buddhist ethics, spiritual teachings of Buddha & Buddhist jurisprudence (Buddha Sasana Legal system)
• Defending the Nation from external threats. The Sacred Tooth Relic was a symbol of the nation’s unity, if the relic was under threat, it was seen as a threat to the Nation itself. Thus, the Unitary State of Sri Lanka must be protected. There cannot be 9 Dalada Maligawa’s. There is only one & only one for whole of Sri Lanka, which implies no devolution/separation of power.

 

The Ruler/President requires to be

 

• Righteous & Moral (he is called the Dharma Raja – Righteous King) – one who embodies the principles of Buddhism in his leadership. This essentially translates to mean a ruler who not only carries out ceremonial roles by mentally & physically undertakes to protect the Relic & upholds moral standards in both personal & political life.
• Righteous ruler must be just, wise, compassionate & ethical in dealings with ALL PEOPLE
• Righteous ruler must show devotion to Buddhism, hold deep respect for the Sacred Tooth Relic, uphold all rituals & commit to righteous rule of the Nation.
• Ruler/President must rule by example – he is the moral & spiritual leader of the people. He must live by Buddhas moral codes. If not his leadership is seen as invalid & illegitimate. He is expected to personally exemplify the virtuesof generosity, morality, patience, and wisdom.

 

What if the Ruler/President does NOT FOLLOW the rituals & responsibilities?

 

1. If the Ruler/President fails to follow rituals or disrespects the Tooth Relic, it was a sign for the Buddhists to reject the ruler as he had by his actions lost the blessings of the Buddha. As the Relic is a symbol of Rule, failing to protect the relic symbolized the loss of divine legitimacy. When spiritual authority of the ruler is undermined it automatically impacts the governance & leads to internal strife within the kingdom. Thus, if there is internal strife within the kingdom it indicated the Rulers wavering in his duties.
2. When such a scenario unfolds, it leads to disastrous effects like natural calamities, droughts, famine, floods which are seen as divine punishment for the rulers/President’s failure to perform his duties. A rulers/President’s misdeeds bring other more dangerous misfortunes like external interventions, invasions, foreign military presence and eventual loss of political power.
3. Loss of People’s Support – People who believe their prosperity is tied to the moral integrity of the ruler/President & his adherence to Buddhist rituals would result in their loss of faith in him. This could result in rebellion, political unrest & rise of dissenting factions. To negate this belief, there are well funded campaigns to make people distanced from religion, rituals but the more people drift to immoral values the worse the situation for the nation becomes.
4. Exile or overthrow – the divine beings are aware of rulers/Presidents who pretend to be ceremonial custodians to those who are righteous rulers. Rulers who have failed to follow rituals & defied the Tooth Relic have been overthrown and their kingdom has been punished or living in disgrace. People can be fooled, but the Sacred Tooth Relic & the divine beings that guard it cannot be fooled.

 

 

Rulers who failed to venerate/protect the Sacred Tooth Relic & the consequences to the Nation.

 

1. King Kassapa (477-495ce) – came to power by usurping the throne by killing his father King Dhatusena & forcing brother Moggallana into exile. Thus his rule was seen as illegitimate. In order to secure his rule, he moved the Sacred Tooth Relic to Sigiriya (newly built capital) but he did not protect it as his predecessors did. King Kassapa’s reigh was marked by internal unrest, political instability, people lost faith in him & these led to his eventual downfall in 495ce when his brother returned from exile & defeated Kassapa in battle. Kassapa committed suicide.

 

2. King Rajasinghe II (1620-1645) – He too failed to protect the Tooth Relic & faced significant challenges as a result. The Portuguese captured the Sacred Tooth Relic was a severe blow. Eventually King Rajasinghe worked to resist Portuguese rule by seeking help of the Dutch but the loss of divine favor had long lasting effects on the stability of the nation because of his failure to protect the Tooth Relic.

 

3. King Bhuvanakabahu VI (1480-1513) – His reign was marked by political instability & conflict with foreign powers & collapse of centralized authority. Without the divine legitimacy symbolized by the relic, his rule was seen as “illegitimate” by the People.

 

4. King Senarath (1604-1635) – He too failed to protect the Tooth Relic. The Portuguese continued to expand their influence and took control of the coast. The failure to protect the Tooth Relic resulted in the loss of spiritual protection which paved way for foreign occupation & meant the kingdom had to endure conflict.

 

5. King Vikramabahu III (1357-1374) – He too failed to protect the Tooth Relic & faced both internal & external challenges including Chola invaders.

 

Who were the Righteous Rulers

 

They ruled upholding Buddhist principles, protected the Sacred Tooth Relic, ensured prosperity & unity of the Island & were true Dharma Rajas.

 

1. King Devanampiyatissa (247-207bce) – first king to embrace Buddhism, constructed the Maha vihara (Great Monastery) in Anuradhapura & his reign marks the beginning of state-sponsored Buddhism in Sri Lanka. He governed by the Dhamma, showed compassion to all living being even wildlife. He created wildlife sanctuaries (first in the world) & established religious institutions, education & culture.

 

2. King Dutugemunu (161-137 bce) – unified Sri Lanka under one flag with intent of protecting the Buddha Sasana. Defeated Elara but also honored Elara with a monument with a decree to pay respect demonstrating Kingu Dutugemunu’s magnanimity in victory. He built the Ruwanweliseya stupa & restored many temples. He remains one of the most beloved kings in Sri Lankan history.

 

3. King Valagamba (103-89-77 bce) – lost his throne to South Indian invaders, lived in exile for 14years & regained the kingdom ruling righteously. He was responsible for the preservation of Buddhist scriptures (Tripitaka) in written form to preserve the oral tradition. He sponsored the writing of the Pali Canon at the Aluvihara Rock Cave Temple. He is revered as the king who saved the Dhamma for future generations.

 

4. King Parakramabahu (1153-1186 ce) – He is known for his motto “not even a drop of water that comes from the rain must be allowed to go to the sea without being made useful to man” – He promoted agriculture, irrigation & Buddha Sasana. His famed Parakrama Samudra, temples & restoring ancient stupas, economic development & good governance is part of his legacy.

 

5. King Vijayabahu 1 (1055-1110ce) – He rescued the island from Chola invasion & restored Buddhism, brought theros from Myanmar to revive the monastic order, rebuilt Buddhist monastic community, temples & schools, established strong foreign relations especially with Buddhist nations.

 

6. King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747-1782 ce) – He led a religious revival by inviting theros from Thailan (Siam) & helped re-establish the higher ordination (Upasampada) lineage of Buddhist theros. He restored temples, promoted Buddhist education & helped compile Buddhist texts. He strengthened the Siam Nikaya and actively participated in Buddhst rituals & festivals especially those involving the Sacred Tooth Relic.

 

7. King Sri Vickrama Rajasingha (1798-1815) – the last King of Sri Lanka.

 

Thus, the Righteous Rulers followed

 

1. Adherence to Dhamma – ruling according to the Principles of “Dana” (generosity) “Sila” (morality) & Karuna “(compassion)
2. Protecting the Buddha Sasana – Contributing to the preservation, protection & propagation of Buddhism including the Sacred Tooth Relic
3. High Moral Governance – ruling with justice & compassion to improve lives of the people
4. National Unity & Cultural Identity – based on Buddhist values

 

As part of his royal duty & claim to legitimacy he did protect & venerate the Sacred Tooth Relic however towards the later part of his reign, his rule was marked with controversy & misrule, having become intoxicated & derelicting his duties to the Buddha Sasana. Though he belonged to the Nayakkara dynasty, he had royal lineage & he ruled as a protector of Buddhism in line with Sinhala-Buddhist traditions. He did not attempt to replace Buddhism with Hinduism. He performed the traditional rituals & participated in the Dalada Perahera & restored Dalada Maligawa but his style of leadership began to change & departed from Buddhist principles. As a result he lost the support of the Buddhist theros & even neglected duties of the Dalada Traditions which made his lose his legitimacy. This turned him into a tyrant, his own chiefs began to betray him, the Kandyan chieftans lost faith in him until the British took over & ruled Sri Lanka. Thus, ended 2300 years of Sinhalese Buddhist monarchy.

 

In terms of post-independence Sri Lankan leaders, given that the Sacred Tooth Relic is symbolic of Righteous Rule, every post-independence leader has to be judged based on their adhered to the following Dalada Sirith

 

1. Personal & Public veneration of the Sacred Tooth Relic
2. Protecting & Promoting the Buddha Sasana
3. Participating in Sacred Rituals of the Buddha Sasana
4. Ruling justly & in line with the Dhamma & Buddhist Jurisprudence
5. Upholding the unity & moral order of the Nation
6. Avoiding corruption, abuse & cruelty to even sentient beings.

 

Thus, the Dalada Exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic to be held from 18 April to 28 April is directly connected to the righteous governance in Sri Lanka & cannot & should not be regarded as merely a ceremonial parade to please Buddhists or as a cultural festival.

That it is sacred reaffirms the covenant between the Rule, the People & the Dhamma. It reflects the ancient rule that sovereignty is not granted solely by the people, but sanctified through righteous rule, with the Sacred Tooth Relic as a living symbol of divine authority & moral duty.

 

To revere the Sri Dalada outwardly, violating the Dhamma inwardly is to break this trust of not only the citizens but also of the divine beings (devas), the protectors of the Buddha Sasana who are silently observing whether leaders uphold the virtues of generosity, truth, compassion & justice expected of them.

 

If a ruler or government uses the Dalada merely for pageantry, while engaging in corruption, injustice, revenge or oppression they are not only misleading the peope, they risk inviting karmic consequences foretold in our chronicles.

As history shows, leaders who fail to honor the sacred duty entrusted by the Dalada Sirith not only fall but take the nation down with them.

 

Therefore, this Dalada Exposition should be a sacred reminder to the State, to the People that rightful rule arises from moral integrity & not from military power or political manipulation.

 

In the eyes of the devas & generations to come, a leader is measured not by grandeur, not by his words but how deeply he/she embodies the Dhamma.

How far have present day rulers lived up to the Dharshmista leadership expected of them?

 

Thus, every step of the Perahera echoes not only through the streets of Kandy, but through the hearts of those in power as a call to return to righteous, compassionate & selfless governance – this is the true legacy of the Dalada.

The exposition of the Sacred Tooth Relic took place historically during times of disaster & strife. People participated alongside the Ruler to seek refuge in the Buddha. In times of disaster People of the Nation took salvage in the Buddha, just as the daily social contract by Buddhists in the morning & evening by reciting pansil. That the Dalada exposition is taking place in 2025 reconfirms the decision to again take refuge in the Buddha. This categorically re-establishes the grundnorm that Article 9 of Sri Lanka’s Constitution cannot be changed.

 

 

 

Shenali D Waduge