Mahinda
http://Buddhism.2be.net/Mahinda
From Buddhist Encyclopedia
- Born in Malaysia, he is the abbot of Aloka Meditation Centre.
- Son of Emperor Ashoka.
- Father of Phussa Buddha.
- A king of old, descendant of Mahasammata, and last of a dynasty which ruled at Rojanagara. Twelve of his sons and grandsons ruled in Campa.
- Brother of Kassapa III and king of Ceylon (724 27 AC). He refused to be crowned, out of sorrow for the death of his friend Nila, and administered the government as ādipāda. He thus came to be known as Adipāda Mahinda. His brother's son, Aggabodhi, was his viceroy, while his own son was made ruler of Dakkhinadesa. He gave ten cartloads of food to the Mahāpāli and would eat nothing without first giving of it to beggars. He built a nunnery for the bhikkhunīs (called Mahindaupassaya) and gave to it the village of Nagaragalla. He also built the Mahindatata vihāra.
- He was made viceroy, but died young.
- Siamegha (Aggabodhi VI) made him senāpati and gave over the government to him. But when Aggabodhi VI. died and Aggabodhi VII. came to the throne, Mahinda went to Mahātittha. Later, on the death of Aggabodhi VII., Mahinda quelled all disturbances and put the queen in chains because she conspired to kill him. His cousin Dappula rose against him, but was defeated after much fighting. Mahinda then married the queen of Aggabodhi VI. and became king as Mahinda II., when a son was born to him. Dappula again rose in revolt, but Mahinda made a treaty with him and gave him part of Rohana with the Gālhagangā as boundary. Among Mahinda's benefactions was the erection of the Dāmavihāra-parivena and the Sannīratittha vihāra in Pulatthipura, also the costly Ratanapāsāda, containing a golden image of the Buddha. To the Silāmegha nunnery Mahinda gave a silver Bodhisatta statue. He had the Abhidharma recited by the monks of Hemasāli Vihāra, and built many shrines and helped those who were poor or in trouble. To the lame he gave bulls and to the Damilas horses. He strengthened the weir of the Kālavāpi. He reigned for twenty years (772 92 A.C.) and was succeeded by his son Udaya I.
- He quarreled with his father, Adipada Dathasiva of Rohana, took service under Udaya I. and married his daughter Devā. He was later sent to Rohana, where he drove out his father. His two sons revolted against him, and, with Udaya's help, led an army against him. Mahinda defeated them, but was killed in a fight with another kinsman.
- He was, however, known by the name of Dhammikasilāmegha and was a very pious man. He gave the income from the Getthumba Canal to be used in repairs of the Ratanapāsāda. He became king as Mahinda III. and reigned for four years (797 801 AC).
- When Aggabodhi IX. came to the throne, contrary to the laws of succession, Mahinda fled to India. He was afterwards slain by Sena I.
- Younger brother of Sena I and his viceroy. He quelled the rising of Udaya against the king, his brother. When the Pandu king invaded Ceylon, Mahinda led an army against him, and, on the defeat of his forces, he cut his own throat.
- Eldest son of Kittaggabodhi, ruler of Rohana. He was killed by Kittaggabodhi's sister.
- Son of the Adipāda Kassapa and brother of Sena II. He married Tissā and Kitti. He became viceroy under Sena II. and ruled in Dakkhinadesa. Later he was discovered guilty of an intrigue in the king's harem, and fled, unrecognized, with his family, to Malaya. Afterwards, however, he regained his honors and continued as viceroy, his daughter Sanghā being married to Kassapa, son of Sena II. Mahinda built a temple under the Bodhi tree, and, in the course of its construction, a workman discovered that one of the beams would harm a branch of the tree. Mahinda, on being informed of this, came and made a saccakiriyā, as a result of which the branch of the tree straightened itself during the night, leaving the building free. Mahinda also built the Mahindasena parivena, and died in the twenty third year of Sena's reign. Adipāda Kittaggabodhi was his Son.
- Son of Kassapa V., and brother of Sena II. and Sanghā. When the Adipāda Kittaggabodhi raised a rebellion in Rohana against Udaya II., the latter sent Mahinda to quell it with the help of the general Vajiragga. The expedition was completely successful and Kittaggabodhi taken prisoner. Mahinda stayed in Mahāgāma and ruled over Rohana justly and well. Among his works was the construction of a dam across the Mahānadī. When Kassapa IV. became king, Mahinda revolted against him, but the king, through the influence of Mahinda's father, persuaded him to desist. Later, Mahinda returned to Anurādhapura at the request of the monks, and, after having married the king's daughter, went back to Rohana, where, evidently, he died.
- Viceroy of Sena IV. and probably his brother. He afterwards became king as Mahinda IV. (956 72 A.C.). He married a Kālinga princess. During his reign, the Vallabha king invaded Ceylon, but was defeated by the general Sena and entered into a treaty with Mahinda. Mahinda showed great favour to the Pamsukulikas and the Lābhavāsins and decreed that the incomes derived from vihāras should not be taxed. His good acts were many. He had a Commentary to the Abhidhamma written by the Thera Dhammamitta in the Sitthagāma-parivena and the Abhidharma recited by the Thera Dāthānāga. He made great offerings at the Mahā Thūpa and started to build the Candanapāsāda, where he had preserved the Hair Relic of the Buddha. He restored the temple of the four cetiyas in Padalañchana as well as the Temple of the Tooth, the Dhammasanganigeha and the Mahāpāli. He built the Mahāmallaka for the Theravāda nuns and completed the Manipāsāda. Mahinda's wife was Kittī (q.n), who, herself, engaged in various works. Their son was Sena (Sena V)
- Younger brother of Sena V. He succeeded Sena as Mahinda V. and ruled for ten years at Anurādhapura under great difficulties. He was weak and powerless, and the Kerala soldiers in his employ mutinied for better salaries. Mahinda escaped to Rohana by means of an underground passage, and lived at Sīdupabbatagāma with his brother's wife as queen, later marrying his brother's daughter. Their son was Kassapa, and afterwards they lived in Kappagallaka. In the thirty sixth year of Mahinda's reign, the Colas, taking advantage of the discontent in Ceylon, invaded the country, capturing the king, the queen, and all the royal regalia. They ruled for many years with Pulatthinagara as base, and Mahinda died in Cola after a captivity lasting for twelve years. Lokitā and Devalā were his maternal cousins.
- Son of Moggallāna and Lokitā and brother of Kiti (afterwards Vijayabāhu I)
- Son of Vikkamabāhu II. and brother of Gajabahu. He fought against Deva, general of Parakkamabāhu I,, at Hedillakhandagāma, but was defeated, and fled to Billagāma. From there he went to Vallitittha, and was again defeated. Later he joined Mānābharana, and was sent by him to Moravāpi, thence to Anurādhapura, where he defeated Mahālekha Rakkha and Bhandārapotthakī, who marched against him. From Anurādhapura, Mahinda proceeded to Kālavāpi where, for three months, he fought against Bhandārapotthakī Bhūta, and was finally defeated by him. This is the last we hear of him.
- An officer of Kittisirimegha, sent by him to fetch the young Parakkamabāhu.
- A Lambakanna in the Morya district, an officer of Parakkamabāhu I. He was a Nagaragiri, and was sent by Parakkamabāhu to Mallavālāna, where he conducted a victorious campaign against Uttararattha. Later he took Anurādhapura, and was one of those responsible for the capture of Gajabāhu at Pulatthipura.
- An officer of Mānābharana. He was defeated by the Kesadhāttu Rakkha at Sarogāmatittha and again by the troops of Parakkamabāhu I at Janapada.
- A minister and kinsman of Parakkamabāhu I. He lived in the palace and erected at Pulatthipura a pāsāda for the Tooth Relic.
- A man of the Kulinga clan, whose wife was a cowherd's daughter called Dīpanī. He killed Vijayabāhu II and reigned for five days, but was slain by Kittinissanka.
- Son of Sumanadevī and Bodhigutta. He came among the escort of the Bodhi tree. Devānampiyatissa conferred on him the rank of Cullajayamahālekhaka.
