Saman (deity)

Saman (also called Sumana, Sumana Saman, සුමන සමන් දෙවි) is a deity, subject to local and indigenous belief and worship in Sri Lanka. The name Saman means "good minded". His character is of historical significance for the Sinhalese people and veneration especially to all the Buddhists. Maha Sumana Saman Deviraja (Greater Lord of Gods Sumana Saman) is depicted crowned and bejeweled, holding a lotus flower in his right or left hand and accompanied by a white elephant. According to Mahavamsa, the early chronicle of Sri Lanka, Saman is considered one of the guardian deities of the island and Buddhism in the country. Natha, Upulvan, Vibhishana and Kataragama are the other guardian deities. Nayakkar dynasty from South India introduced the goddess Pattini replacing god Saman, during the period of Kandyan Kingdom. Saman is the guardian (patron deity) or the presiding deity of Sabaragamuwa and the Sri Pada mountain. Accordingly, his main shrine (devalaya) is at Ratnapura, where an annual festival is held in his honor. Another major shrine dedicated to god Saman is situated at Mahiyangana in Uva Province of Sri Lanka. Saman is known as Samantabhadra Bodhisattva in East Asia under the names Pǔxián Púsà in Chinese, Fugen Bosatsu in Japanese, Bohyun Bosal in Korean, Kun-tu bzang-po in Tibetan and Phổ Hiền Bồ Tát in Vietnamese. According to common belief, Saman may have been a king or a provincial ruler (Maha Sumana) of Sabaragamuwa from the Dewa (people) of Sri Lanka, one of the four main clans in ancient Sri Lanka. According to the tradition of Sammuti Deva (considered a deity by common acceptance), he is revered as a deity. Following his death, Prince Sumana Saman became a god, by the name of God Maha Sumana Saman. He is also thought to have been born as a Dewa of the heavens following his death due to his great past merit, who also became the presiding deity of Sri Pada. According to legendary history, Sumana Saman deviyo (god) invited Buddha to the Samanala Kanda and on request Gautama Buddha visited and left his foot print on the rock at the top of the mountain as a token of symbolic worship, in the absence of the Buddha.