By Rohan L. jayetilleke
Arahant Mahinda having discoursed the Dhamma to King Devanampiyatissa and the members of the royal court and marking specific locations of Buddhist strictures in the Mahameghavanna Park gifted to him by the King, was asked by the King, whether Buddhism had now taken root. His reply was, ‘When a son of Sri Lanka enters the Order, studies the Dhamma and preaches it Buddhism would take root in Sri Lanka only then. Accordingly, Arahant Mahinda proceeded to set up the Mahavihara, the Buddhist educational institute, at Anuradhapura. Thus it was the first Buddhist University in the world, while Buddhist Universities like Nalanda, Taxila, Odantapuri etc. were only of the 5th century AD, whereas Mahavihara was of the 3rd century BC.
Mahavihara had three grades of studies, each covering a period of five years and those qualifying became ‘bhanakas’ or reciters of specific sections of the Tripitaka. There were allowances paid to each such ‘bhanaka’ and highest was paid to Abhidharma Bhanaka. However, this Buddhist university was nursed by Arahant Mahinda during the 48 years of his stay in the island.
In the following centuries the university faced certain states of decline due to the actions of the Kings. The university flourished right through the reign of Devanampiya Tissa (307-267 BC). During the reign of Dutthagamani (161-137 BC), the Chola invaders where expelled after a 76-year rulership and the capital of Anuradhapura was restored, the independence of the country was again established. Magavihara became functional again.
Mahavihara again produced great scholar monks. The reign of Vattagamani (104-88 BC) saw his reign interrupted after five months by rebellion of Brahaman Tissa, famine, invasion and King’s exile. The bhikkhus of Mahavihara sought refuge in Rohana (South Sri Lanka) and South Indian places like Kanchipuram and Amravati in Andhra Pradesh. The King regained power after 14 years and Bhikkhus returned to Anuradhapura. The King founded Abhayagiri a Monastery and Abhayagiri Monastery broke away from the Mahavihara and became schismatic.
The bhikkhus of Mahavihara, committed the Tripitaka in writing away from the capital Anuradhapura and also in a place beyond the King’s rule, namely, ‘Alulena in Mathulu Danavoya.’ Herein ‘Alu’ does not mean ashes but ‘aloka’ or light, in Sinhala ‘Alu-yama’ bright sector of the day (morning). Alulena, is not at Aluvihara Matale, which was in the kingdom of Anuradhapura, but at Mawanella, which was an independent principality called ‘Satara-korale.’ This recording of the Tripitaka in writing the Third Council to be held was under a local chieftain’s patronage, as King Vattagamani was a patron of Abhayagiri the rival institution to Mahavihara. Abhayagiri was founded by this King. Abhayagiri Monastery adopted the Dhammaruci Nikaya of the Vajjiputtaka Sect of India, who held the Second Buddhist Council at Vaishali, under the patronage of Kalasoka, 100 years after the demise of the Buddha. This council resulted in the Buddhist Order breaking up to 18 sects and finally dichotomizing into (Theravadi and Mahayana). The later adopted Sanskrit and Theravada continued with Pali, the original language in which the first Buddhist Council was held at Sattaparni caves, Gajagaha (Bihar State).
In the reign of Bhatikhabhaya (20 BC-09 AD) a dispute arose between Mahavihara and Abhayagiri over Vinaya (Bhikkhu Discipline) and Brahaman Dighakaryana adjudged in favour of Mahavihara. King Khanirajanu (AD 30-33) punished 60 bhikkhus over treason. Thereafter, King Cajabahu 1, (113-135 AD) supported the Abhayagiri and it was enlarged by him. In the period of six years (135-215 AD) six kings supported both the main monasteries.
This support was continued by King Voharika Tissa (215-237 AD). Abhayagiri during this period adopted Vetulya doctrine (Mahayana). The King being enraged suppressed the Vetulya doctrines, their books were burnt and heretic monks were disgraced in public. Mahavihara was supported by King Gothabhaya (254-267 AD). Sixty bhikkhus in Abhayagiri were banished by the King for upholding Vetulya doctrine. There was also a secession from Abhayagiri, and a new sect was formed. The Indian bhikkhu Sanghamitta supported Abhayagiri. However, King Jettha-Tissa (267-277 AD), favoured Mahavihara and Sanghamitta fled to India. During the reign of Mahasena (277-304 AD) Sanghamitta returned and was protected by the King. The King persecuted bhikkhus of Mahavihara and they were driven away from the capital Anuradhapura for 9 years and bhikkhus sought refuge in Rohana which was an independent kingdom. Sanghamitta was assassinated. The Mahavihara was restored and Vetulya and books were burnt again. A dispute arose as regards the boundaries of Mahavihara in relation to Abhayagiri and bhikkhus went elsewhere over this dispute for 9 months.
The reign of Siri Meghavana (304-332 AD) was a golden age in the annals of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Since the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka in the 3rd century BC, and the planting of the southern branch of the Sri Maha Bodhi at Anuradhapura by Theri Sanghamitta and the planting of saplings of the Bodhi tree, first in the ashram of Brahaman Tivanka in Jaffna Peninsula, and in 38 places in the island as recorded in the Bodhivamsa, both monks, nuns and lay devotees of the island were inspired to visit and venerate the original Sri Maha Bodhi tree at Buddha Gaya.
According to Rasavahini the route taken by Sri Lankans to Buddha Gaya was as follows: from Anuradhapura to Kottapattana (Sadharmalankara calls it Mavatu-patungama) namely Jambukolapattana, in Jaffna peninsula, now called Sambalthurai, the main port of entry to Sri Lanka from India 4 months from Kottapattana to the Indian shore (paratira by sea 2 months), 2 months from there to Buddha Gaya by land walking 4 months, as there were no public transport systems and only caravans loaded with merchandise of Vaishya - Setti (wealthy merchants and bankers) who moved about on the roads that connected all cities in the Gangetic plains, to central and western and southern sectors of India.
During the reign of Siri Meghavanna, as recorded in a Chinese report and in Culavagga, a group of bhikkhus, had proceeded, through this arduous route taking nearly 10 to 11 months of travel to venerate the Sri Maha Bodhi at Buddha Gaya. On their arrival, they were refused accommodation in existing Sangharamas at Buddha Gaya. On their return, having complained to the King Siri Meghavanna, the King sent a mission of envoys with gifts of gems and jewellery to the Emperor Samudragupta of India and sought permission to build a Sangharama especially for the Sinhala devotees including bhikkhus. This was granted and Siri Meghavanna had a four-storeyed Sangharama built at Buddha Gaya.
The building of this Sinhala Sangharamaya, is recorded in a fairly long inscription on the stone railing of Buddha Gaya, in Brahmi script of the Gupta period, which inscription concludes with - ‘Srimat maha Bauddho Sinhala Sanyas Sadaye setaan - meaning built for the Sinhala Maha Sangha. Further, there are four more inscriptions on the same surface, in the same script giving the names of Sinhala devotees or bhikkhus who visited Buddha Gaya, viz., ‘Siha deepejanminava’; ‘Sinhala deepaya Rudradeva’; ‘Sirimata Gangadeva Sihala Deepa Janmina’; ‘Guttena Siihala deepa Janminaa.’
Herein Sri Lanka is called Sihadeepa or Siihala Deepa and not Sri Lanka. (In fact, there is a village in Benares called Lanka, still existing called Lanka, where Ravana is supposed to have ruled and another village in Nepal, in the neighbourhood of Lumbini called ‘Lankapur.’ Thus ‘Lanka’ in Indian languages meaning ‘beautiful’, was given to the island, replacing the old name of Sihaladeepaya or Heladeepaya, the latter name in Tamil of South India came to be pronounced as Helam, and later ‘Eelam’ which means a corrupted form of the earlier name Sihala or Sinhala deepa. The second notable event in the reign of King Sri Meghavanna was the bringing of the left Sacred Tooth Relic of the Buddha from Kalinga (Modern Orissa) Dantapura built by King Brahamadatta who was brought and given the Sacred Tooth Relic from Kusinara, funeral pyre of Lord Buddha in the 6th century by one Khema and the King naming his new capital Dantapura. Kalinga was devastated by King Asoka in his eighth regnal year and thereafter too there were bitter feuds between regional Kings to take over the entire Kalinga land.
To be continued Part 02
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