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Obverse : Birth of Bodhisatva where according to the Mahayana
traditional belief, Siddhartha after his birth in Lumbini, took seven
steps under which seven lotus blossoms have bloomed while announcing
the forthcoming Enlightenment within a plain circle.
Siddhartha is selective Gold Gilt.
The anniversary
බුදධ
ජයනති
in Sinhala on top
புத்த
ஜயந்தி
in Thamil on upper left
and BUDDHA JAYANTHI on upper right, and 2550 at bottom,
within annulus with a circle of petals along periphery of raised rim.
Reverse : A lake with lotus below a 24 prong Dharma Chakra (wheel of
doctrine) found on the stone pillar built by the Emperor Ashoka at
Saranath in Varanasi, where Buddha preached his first sermon.
The issue year 2006 above.
Below the large numeral denomination 2000 with
රුපියල් in Sinhala at bottom,
ரூபாய் in Thamil to left
and RUPEES to right.
The country name
ශ්රී ලංකා in Sinhala, centered on top,
இலங்கை in Thamil
on upper left and SRI LANKA on upper right, with lotus flowers on either side,
within annulus with raised rim.
In the Buddha Dharma worldly nature is resembled to a lake of lotus blossoms. Just as there exist in a lake young buds, mature buds and buds about to bloom, in the world of human too there exists men of diverse levels of attainment of conciousness. Disciples like lotus in the lake, bloom by the radiance of the Dharma represented by the Chakra.
Buddhism, as a religion with some mythological beliefs and worship
adopted by a majority in Sri Lanka, is represented on the obverse.
Buddhism, as a philosophy, a pure Dharma practised through meditation
and being adopted by a growing international community, is represented
in abstraction on the reverse.
Like the Ying and the Yang on two sides of the same coin.
The coins were designed by Kelum Gunasekara of Kelaniya.
Dhanesh Wismperuma has pointed out that the flowers of the Sal tree
( Shorea Robusta )
which is native to Indian Subcontinent, has five pointed petals unlike
the flower drawn on the coin which has rounded petals.
See also Real Sal blooms
In Lanka, Thailand and other Buddhist countries the Cannonball Tree
( Couroupita guianensis ),
which is only native to tropical northern South America and to the
southern Caribbean, has been mistakenly adopted as the Sala tree,
probably in the early 20th century.
The flower of this tree has six rounded petals.
When I was a kid I was told of the Buddhist significance of a center
which looks like a dagoba shaded by a cobra's hood and surrounded by
tiny florets which are thought to represent a crowd of worshippers.
The frosted proof coin has been struck with one ounce of sterling
silver to the British crown coin size. Enclosed in a circular coin
capsule it is embedded in crimson velvet inside a crimson velvet
covered 7.5cm square spring hinged Royal Mint presentation box. The
Emblem of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka printed in gold on the white
satin of the inside cover. A locally printed and numbered Certificate
of Authenticity contains the specifications and the text in
Sinhala, Tamil and English.
A few from first 40 were distributed at 2550 Buddha Jayanthi inauguration held at the Presidential Secretariat at 4 PM on Thursday 2006 May 11th. It was sold to public from 2006 May 15th for the issue price was Rs 7000/- (US $69).
Read my article, an edited version of which was published as Coins of tribute in the Sunday Times of 2006 May 21st.
The coin was obtained from CBSL on 2006 May 15th scanned at 600 dpi
and the images are displayed at 254 dpi. Also displayed above are
scans of Artwork sent to Royal Mint.