Padhanaghara as Sacred Space: Ascetic Discipline and Meditative Ideals in Early Sri Lankan Monasticism

This study explores the religious and ascetic dimensions of Padhanaghara architecture in ancient Sri Lanka, with particular emphasis on its function in supporting Dhutanga practices as prescribed in the Theravāda Buddhist tradition. The Padhanaghara, a distinctive form of monastic residence characterized by its seclusion, structural austerity, and emphasis on meditative solitude, is examined not merely as a built environment but as an institutional manifestation of monastic discipline. Drawing upon canonical sources such as the Visuddhimagga, Aṅguttara Nikāya, and Dīgha Nikāya, along with archaeological and historical evidence, this research analyzes how such structures enabled and reflected the vipassanā-dhura orientation of forest-dwelling monks (āraññavāsī bhikkhus). Special attention is given to the roles of Paṃsukūlika, Dhammadhara, and Dhamma Kathika monks who resided in these spaces, and to the socio-religious context that sustained such ascetic ideals during the pre-Christian centuries. The study concludes that the Padhanaghara was not simply a meditative cell, but a vital religious space aligned with the ascetic ethos of early Buddhism in Sri Lanka.