Dhammaruci
1. Dhammaruci.- One of the heterodox sects of Sri Lanka which branched off from the TheravÄda (Mhv.v.13).
According to the NikÄya Sangraha (p.11) this secession took place four hundred and fifty-four years after the death of the Buddha, and in the fifteenth year of the reign of Vaá¹á¹agÄmaṇī Abhaya. The NikÄya Sangraha gives an account of the origin of this sect. A monk called MahÄ-Tissa, incumbent of Abhayagiri, was convicted of living in domestic intercourse and expelled by the MahÄvihÄra fraternity. He thereupon left with his followers and lived apart at Abhayagiri. They were strengthened by the arrival of some monks from PallarÄrÄma in South India, descendants of the Vajjiputtakas. Their teacher was Dhammaruci, and when they joined the Abhayagiri monks, MahÄ-Tissa himself took the name of Dhammaruci and his followers became known as Dhammarucikas.
The MahÄvamsa TÄ«kÄ (p.176) says that Dhammarucika was the name given to the monks of Abhayagiri when they seceded from the MahÄvihÄra, and gives elsewhere (p.676f) the points on which they differed from the TheravÄdins. These points concerned minor teachings of the Vinaya. The Dhammarucikas became active in the time of MeghavannÄbhaya, and the king, after an enquiry into the matter, sent sixty of them into exile. They again became powerful in the time of MahÄsena, through the influence of Sanghamitta, and almost succeeded in destroying the MahÄvihÄra. However, this disaster was averted by the intervention of the king’s friend and counsellor, MeghavannÄbhaya, and Sanghamitta was killed by one of the queens (Mhv.xxxvii.17ff).
In spite of Sanghamitta’s untimely end, the Dhammarucikas seem to have enjoyed favour in Sri Lanka during a long period. DhÄtusena gave over to them the Ambatthala-vihÄra, which he built on Cetiyapabbata (Cv.xxxviii.75), and Kassapa I, bestowed on them the vihÄra he built in the Niyyanti garden, and made all provisions for their comfort (Cv.xxxix.17). MoggallÄna I, gave over to them the Dalha-vihÄra (Cv.xxxix.41) and Aggabodhi V. the RÄjinÄdÄ«pika-vihÄra (Cv.xlviii.1). Sena Ilanga, general of Kassapa IV., built for them the DhammÄrÄma and the Hadayunha-pariveṇa (Cv.lii.17, 18).
The SÄgaliyas were an offshoot of the Dhammarucikas.
2. Dhammaruci Thera.- An Arahant. In the time of Dipankara Buddha he was a young man named Megha, and on hearing the Buddha’s declaration regarding Sumedha, he entered the Order under the latter. However, owing to wrong association, he left the Order and murdered his mother. For this he suffered in AvÄ«ci and was later born as a fish. One day he heard some shipwrecked sailors calling on the name of Gotama Buddha for protection, and, remembering Dipankara’s prophecy, the fish died. He was then born in SÄvatthi, and hearing the Buddha teach at Jetavana, he entered the Order and became an Arahant. Ap.ii.429f.
3. Dhammaruci.- A NÄga king who gave grass to AtthadassÄ« Buddha for his seat. BuA.178.
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