Funday Times

This article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’, the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history
The Mahavihara is ruined
1. King Detutissa was succeeded by his brother, Prince Mahasen. Rev. Sanghamitta, who got to know this, came back to Lanka immediately. King Mahasen welcomed him very warmly. In fact, he was the chief guest at the coronation ceremony of King Mahasen. From then onwards he became the chief counsellor to the king and the king ruled the country according to his advice.

2. This was a very dangerous turn of events. The law-abiding and well disciplined monks of the Mahavihara were the ones who suffered most. Rev. Sanghamitta’s one aim was to bring about the ruin of the Mahavihara gradually. He posed as a very pious monk and persuaded the king to do what he recommended.

3. Once, when he was engaged in a conversation with the king and noticing that the king was in a good mood, he thought of taking up the topic about Mahavihara. He spoke at length about the faults of the monks at Mahavihara and told the king that they did not respect the proper ‘Vinaya’ rules. This was a great lie.

4. King Mahasen was deceived. He trusted Rev. Sanghamitta and asked him what should be done, regarding the matter. Rev. Sanghamitta said that those monks could not be corrected. Instead the people who still have faith in them should be put on the correct path. As the people still respected the monks of Mahvihara and followed their advice, something had to be done - by introducing laws.

5. King Mahasen, who listened to these words became very thoughtful. Noticing this, the monk told the king that it was nothing serious for the king to be thinking like that. He requested the king to pass a law. When the king inquired what the law should be about, he suggested thus. “Let us pass a law, ordering the people not to offer alms to the monks of Mahavihara. If anyone were to offer alms, he will be asked to pay a penalty of a thousand gold pieces. We can announce this proclamation by the beat of drums.

6. King Mahasen accepted this suggestion and put it into operation. Tom-tom beaters were sent all over, the city of Anuradhapura to make the announcement. The religious activities at Mahavihara came to a halt. The monks there did not receive any alms and so they had to starve. The people were very sorry about this. The pious ministers were disgusted with the king. There were others who were in favour of all this. The minister Sona was one such person. He joined Rev. Sanghamitta for his own gain.

7. Realising the gravity of the situation, the monks of Mahavihara migrated to other parts of the country. Some went to Malaya Rata and others went to the Ruhuna. The Mahavihara was abandoned. The ‘Pirivena’, which housed monks of all ages, drawn from all parts of the country, who gathered there for their education, was closed down. Dining halls and image chambers were locked. The entire area was deserted. Through fear, the people respected the law. But they cursed Rev. Sanghamitta and blamed him for all this destruction.

8. Nine years passed in this way. The Abhayagiri Vihara, gradually came into the limelight. Rev. Sanghamitta who knew the value of the Buddhist items at Mahavihara, conspired to get them to Abhayagiri. He spoke to Minister sona, regarding this. Later both of them went to meet the king.

By Halaliye Karunathilake
Edited and translated by
Kamala Silva
Illustrated by
Saman Kalubowila

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