diighavaapi

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Dīghavāpi

A reservoir and a district in Sri Lanka. When the Buddha went to Sri Lanka he visited the village, and on the spot where he sat in meditation a cetiya was later erected (Mhv.i.78; Dpv.ii.60; Sp.i.89). It seems to have been the central post in the country lying between the Tamil kingdom and the province of Rohaṇa. Thus we find Duṭṭhagāmaṇi’s brother, Tissa, occupying it by the order of his father. Later, on the death of his father, he retired to Dīghavāpi with his mother and the elephant Kaṇḍula (Mhv.xxiv.2, 14f, 48). When he made peace with his brother, he was again sent there to look after the district.

After the conquest of the Tamils, Tissa was again in charge of Dīghavāpi, for we find him being sent for from there at the time of Duṭṭhagāmaṇi’s death (Mhv.xxxii.2). Tissa (afterwards called Saddhātissa) founded the Dīghavāpi-vihāra, in connection with which he built a cetiya, to which he made valuable offerings (Mhv.xxxiii.9, 14). We hear of Dīghavāpi in connection with the campaigns of Parakkamabāhu I (Cv.lxxiv.89; 98, 110, 180; lxxv.1, 10). Many years later Rājasīha II gave the district round Dīghavāpi to the settlers who came from Holland (Cv.xcvi.25, 28; for its identification see Cv.Trs.ii.30, n.1). The village of Mahāmuṇi, residence of Sumanā, wife of Lakuntaka Atimbara, was in Dīghavāpi (DhA.iv.50). Dīghavāpi was nine leagues from Tissamahārāma (AA.i.386).

For a story connected with the cetiya see Dhajagga Paritta.

Dictionary of Pāli Proper Names • G.P. Malalasekera