Funday Times

The king who personally attended on his mother

1. King Udaya was a righteous king. He did a lot for the development of the country. He passed away in 801 AD. He was succeeded by his son, Prince Mahinda. He was crowned as Mahinda 111. He had the highest regard for Buddhism and ruled the country in the way the righteous kings of the past did. Because of the pious conduct of this king, he was named 'Dharmika Silamegha'.

2. The period of his rule was only about three years. He died in 804AD. He was succeeded by his brother, Prince Aggabodhi. He was crowned as Aggabodhi V111. He was also a very religious king. He got a Pirivena erected in the name of his father and brother. He was engaged in a lot of meritorious deeds. He prohibited the bringing of fish, meat and liquor into the inner city on Poya days.

3. King Aggabodhi loved his mother so much, that he himself wanted to attend on her. He had the habit of giving her a bath, early in the morning. He applied oil on her head, puts fresh clothes on her and even adorned her with flowers. It was he who fed the mother too. Then he worshipped the mother three times. After the mother had eaten, it is the left-over food, the king used to partake of.

4. The king gave every comfort to his mother. As long as his mother lived, he treated her in this manner. He did everything with his own hands and he was very happy about it.

5. This king had strange ways. One day, he had addressed one of his workers as 'servant' and was sorry for using that word on him. So he called him and begged pardon from him. He did not stop at that. He wanted the man to address the king as 'servant', and humiliate him. This man did not like to do so. How could he address the king like that? But when the king went on pressuring him to say so, he did, shivering in fear. Once the king heard these words he was satisfied.

6. The king thought, it was an evil act on his part, to have called that worker a 'servant'. To make amends for what he did, he wanted his mother to offer him (the king ) to the Sangha. The mother refused to do it. When he went on and on, asking her to do so, she had to offer him to the Sangha, as a servant. Later on, the king offered a lot of wealth to the Sangha and got himself redeemed.

7. This pious king ruled for 11 years. He passed away in 815 AD. He was succeeded by his younger brother, Prince Dappula. He was crowned as Dappula 11. He is said to have repaired a number of Buddhist viharas. He has offered a Buddha statue, made of gold to the Jetavana temple.

8. During this time, the ruler of the South, was King Dappula 11's brother-in-law, Prince Mahinda by name. He is said to have been a very strict person. When he found his sons turning out to be rude and obstinate, he chased them away. They then sought refuge in the uncle, Dappula 11. He welcomed them very warmly.

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