Mahinda
1. Mahinda Thera. Son of Asoka and brother of SanghamittÄ. He was fourteen at the time of the coronation of his father and was ordained at the age of twenty, his preceptor being Moggaliputtatissa. The ordination was performed by MahÄdeva, while Majjhantika recited the kammavÄcÄ. Mahinda became an Arahant on the day of his ordination (Mhv.v.204ff.; Dpv.v.24 f ; Sp.i.51). He spent three years in study of the Doctrine under his preceptor, and, later, when the latter retired to AhogangÄ, he left his one thousand disciples for seven years under the care of Mahinda (Mhv.v.233; Sp.i.52). When the Third Council was held, Mahinda had been for twelve years a monk and was charged with the mission of converting Sri Lanka. However, he delayed for six months, until DevÄnampiyatissa became king. He then went to DakkhinÄgiri and from there to his birthplace, Vedisagiri, staying in Vedisagiri vihÄra and visiting his mother, the queen DevÄ«. Still one more month he tarried, teaching the Doctrine to Bhanduka, and then, on the full moon day of Jettha, at the request of Sakka, he went, in company with Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala, BhaddasÄla, SumanasÄmanera and Bhanduka, to Sri Lanka, where he converted DevÄnampiyatissa by teaching him the CÅ«lahatthipadopama Sutta. Later, on the same day, he taught the Samacitta Sutta. The next day, at the request of the king, he visited AnurÄdhapura, travelling through the air and alighting on the site of the (later) Pathamacetiya. After a meal at the palace he taught the Petavatthu, the VimÄnavatthu and the Sacca Samyutta, and AnulÄ and her five hundred companions became sotÄpannas. Later, in the elephant stables, he taught the DevadÅ«ta Sutta to the assembled people, and, in the evening, the BÄlapandita Sutta, in Nandanavana. The night he spent in MahÄmeghavana, and on the next day the king gave the park to Mahinda, on behalf of the Order.
Mahinda pointed out to the king various spots destined to be connected with the growth of the sÄsana in Sri Lanka, offering flowers at the same, and at the site of the (later) MahÄ ThÅ«pa, he described the visits of the Four Buddhas of this world-cycle to Sri Lanka. On the fourth day he taught the Anamatagga Sutta in Nandanavana and helped the king in defining the boundaries of what later became the MahÄvihÄra. On the fifth day he taught the KhajjanÄ«ya Sutta, on the sixth the GomayapindÄ« sutta, and on the seventh the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.
The pÄsÄda first built for the residence of Mahinda was called KÄlapÄsÄda pariveṇa. Other buildings associated with him were the SunhÄtapariveṇa, the DÄ«ghacanka pariveṇa, the Phalagga pariveṇa, the TherÄpassaya pariveṇa, the Marugana-pariveṇa, and the DÄ«ghasandasenÄpati-pariveṇa.
Twenty six days Mahinda stayed in MahÄmeghavana, and on the thirteenth day of the bright half of Ä€sÄlha, after having taught the MahÄppamÄda Sutta, he went to Missakapabbata, to spend the vassa. The king had sixty eight rock cells built in the mountain and gave them to the theras on the full moon day. On the same day Mahinda ordained sixty two monks, who attained Arahantship, at TumbarumÄlaka. After the full moon day of Kattika, at the conclusion of the pavÄrana ceremony, Mahinda held a consultation with DevÄnampiyatissa and sent SumanasÄmanera to PÄtaliputta to bring the relics of the Buddha from DhammÄsoka and other relics from Sakka. These relics were brought and placed on the Missakapabbata, which from then onwards was called Cetiyegiri. The collar bone from among the relics was deposited in the ThÅ«pÄrÄma (q.v.), which was built for the purpose. It was at Mahinda’s suggestion that DevÄnampiyatissa sent an embassy headed by MahÄarittha to Asoka, with a request that SanghamittÄ should come to Sri Lanka with a branch of the Bodhi tree. The request was granted, and SanghamittÄ arrived in Sri Lanka with the branch. DevÄnampiyatissa, during the later part of his reign, acting on the advice of Mahinda, built numerous vihÄras, each one yojana from the other; among them were Issarasamanaka and Vessagiri.
Mahinda is said to have taught the Commentaries to the Tipitaka in, the Singhalese language, after translating them from the PÄli (Cv.xxxvii.228ff).
The SamantapÄsÄdikÄ (pp. 102ff ) mentions a recital held by Mahinda under the presidency of MahÄarittha.
Mahinda continued to live for the first eight years of the reign of Uttiya, who succeeded DevÄnampiyatissa. Then, at the age of sixty, he died on the eighth day of the bright half of Assayuja, in Cetiyagiri, where he was spending the rainy season. His body was brought in procession, with every splendor and honour, to the MahÄvihÄra and placed in the PañhambamÄlaka, where homage was paid to it for a whole week. It was then burnt on a pyre of fragrant wood on the east of the TherÄnambandhamÄlaka, to the left of the site of the MahÄ ThÅ«pa. A cetiya was erected on that spot over half the remains, the other half being distributed in thÅ«pas built on Cetiyagiri and elsewhere. The place of cremation was called IsibhÅ«mangana, and there for many centuries were cremated the remains of holy men who lived within a distance of three yojanas.( For details of Mahinda see Mhv.xiii. xx; Dpv.vii.57f., xii., xiii., iv.: xv.; Sp.i.61, 69ff., 79ff., 83ff., 90ff., 103, etc.)
Later, King Sirimeghavanip had a life size image of Mahinda made of gold; this he took to the Ambatthalacetiya. For eight days a festival was held in its honour; on the ninth day the image was taken from Ambatthala, carried by the king himself at the head of a large and splendid procession, and placed for three days in SotthiyÄkara vihÄra. On the twelfth day it was taken with all splendours to AnurÄdhapura, to the MahÄvihÄra, where it was left for three months in the courtyard of the Bodhi tree. From there it was removed to the inner city and deposited in a magnificent image house to the south east of the palace. An endowment was set up for the annual performance of ceremonies in honour of the image, and this custom was continued for many centuries. The image was brought from the inner town to the (MahÄ)vihÄra on the pavÄrana day, and every year an offering was made on the thirteenth day (Cv.xxxvii.66ff).
DhÄtusena had the image brought to the place where Mahinda’s body was cremated and there held a great festival (Cv.xxxviii.58), while Aggabodhi I. set up the image on the banks of the reservoir called Mahindatata, and ensured that the special task of carrying the image to the dyke of the reservoir was the task of the Taracchas. Cv.xlii.30.
2. Mahinda. See Indra (=Sakka).
3. Mahinda. King, father of Phussa Buddha (AA.i.165; SA.iii.4; DhA.i.84). Elsewhere he is called Jayasena. See Phussa.
4. Mahinda. A king of old, descendant of MahÄsammata, and last of a dynasty which ruled at Rojanagara. Twelve of his sons and grandsons ruled in CampÄ. Dpv.iii.28.
5. Mahinda I. Brother of Kassapa III. and king of Sri Lanka (724 27 A.C.). He refused to be crowned, out of sorrow for the death of his friend NÄ«la, and administered the government as ÄdipÄda. He thus came to be known as AdipÄda 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 MahÄpÄli and would eat nothing without first giving of it to beggars. He built a nunnery for the bhikkhunÄ«s (called Mahindaupassaya) and gave to it the village of Nagaragalla. He also built the Mahindatata vihÄra. Cv.xiviii.26ff.
6. Mahinda. Son of Aggabodhi VII. He was made viceroy, but died young. Cv.xlviii.69, 75.
7. Mahinda. Son of SilÄmegha (Aggabodhi VI.) (Cv.xlviii.42, 76). Aggabodhi made him senÄpati and gave over the government to him. However, when Aggabodhi VI. died and Aggabodhi VII. came to the throne, Mahinda went to MahÄtittha. 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 GÄlhagangÄ as boundary.
Among Mahinda’s benefactions was the erection of the DÄmavihÄra-pariveṇa and the SannÄ«ratittha vihÄra in Pulatthipura, also the costly RatanapÄsÄda, containing a golden image of the Buddha. To the SilÄmegha nunnery Mahinda gave a silver Bodhisatta statue. He had the Abhidhamma recited by the monks of HemasÄli VihÄra, and built many shrines and helped those who were poor or in trouble. To the lame he gave bulls and to the Damiḷas horses. He strengthened the weir of the KÄlavÄpi. He reigned for twenty years (772 92 A.C.) and was succeeded by his son Udaya I. (Cv.xlviii.83ff).
8. Mahinda. Son of the AdipÄda DÄthÄsÄ«va of Rohana. He quarreled with his father, took service under Udaya I. and married his daughter DevÄ. 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. Cv.xlix.10ff.; 66ff.
9. Mahinda. Son of Udaya I.; he was, however, known by the name of DhammikasilÄmegha and was a very pious man. He gave the income from the Getthumba Canal to be used in repairs of the RatanapÄsÄda. He became king as Mahinda III. and reigned for four years (797 801 A.C.). Cv.xlix.38ff.
10. Mahinda. Son of Mahinda III. When Aggabodhi IX. came to the throne, contrary to the laws of succession, Mahinda fled to India (Cv.xlix.84f). He was afterwards slain by Sena I. (Cv.l.4).
11. Mahinda. Younger brother of Sena I. and his viceroy. He quelled the rising of Udaya against the king, his brother. When the Pandu king invaded Sri Lanka, Mahinda led an army against him, and, on the defeat of his forces, he cut his own throat. Cv.l. 6, 10, 21ff.
12. Mahinda. Eldest son of Kittaggabodhi, ruler of Rohana. He was killed by Kittaggabodhi’s sister. Cv.l.51.
13. Mahinda. Son of the AdipÄda Kassapa and brother of Sena II. He married TissÄ 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 SanghÄ 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 saccakiriyÄ, as a result of which the branch of the tree straightened itself during the night, leaving the building free. Mahinda also built the Mahindasena pariveṇa, and died in the twenty third year of Sena’s reign (Cv.l.59; li.7, 13, 15ff., 53ff). AdipÄda Kittaggabodhi was his Son. Ibid., 94.
14. Mahinda. Son of Kassapa V., and brother of Sena II. and SanghÄ. When the AdipÄda 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 MahÄgÄma and ruled over Rohana justly and well. Among his works was the construction of a dam across the MahÄnadÄ« (Cv.li.99ff). 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 AnurÄdhapura at the request of the monks, and, after having married the king’s daughter, went back to Rohana, where, evidently, he died. Cv.lii.4ff.
15. Mahinda. Viceroy of Sena IV. and probably his brother. He afterwards became king as Mahinda IV. (956 72 A.C.). He married a KÄlinga princess. During his reign, the Vallabha king invaded Sri Lanka, but was defeated by the general Sena and entered into a treaty with Mahinda. Mahinda showed great favour to the Pamsukulikas and the LÄbhavÄsins and decreed that the incomes derived from vihÄras should not be taxed. His good acts were many. He had a Commentary to the Abhidhamma written by the Thera Dhammamitta in the SitthagÄma-pariveṇa and the Abhidhamma recited by the Thera DÄthÄnÄga.
He made great offerings at the MahÄ ThÅ«pa and started to build the CandanapÄsÄda, 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 MahÄpÄli. He built the MahÄmallaka for the TheravÄda nuns and completed the ManipÄsÄda. Mahinda’s wife was KittÄ« (q.n), who, herself, engaged in various works. Their son was Sena (Sena V.). Cv.liv.1ff.; Cv. Trs.i.178, n. 2; 179, n. 2; 183, n. 2.
16. Mahinda. Younger brother of Sena V. He succeeded Sena as Mahinda V. and ruled for ten years at AnurÄdhapura 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 SÄ«dupabbatagÄma 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 Sri Lanka, 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 (Cv.iv.1ff). LokitÄ and DevalÄ were his maternal cousins. Cv.lvii.27.
17. Mahinda. Son of MoggallÄna and LokitÄ and brother of Kiti (afterwards VijayabÄhu I.). Cv.lvii.42.
18. Mahinda. Son of VikkamabÄhu II. and brother of Gajabahu. He fought against Deva, general of ParakkamabÄhu I, at HedillakhandagÄma, but was defeated, and fled to BillagÄma. From there he went to Vallitittha, and was again defeated. Later he joined MÄnÄbharana, and was sent by him to MoravÄpi, thence to AnurÄdhapura, where he defeated MahÄlekha Rakkha and BhandÄrapotthakÄ«, who marched against him. From AnurÄdhapura, Mahinda proceeded to KÄlavÄpi where, for three months, he fought against BhandÄrapotthakÄ« BhÅ«ta, and was finally defeated by him. This is the last we hear of him. Cv.lxii.59; lxxii.46, 82, 123ff., 176ff., 191f., 198ff.
19. Mahinda. An officer of Kittisirimegha, sent by him to fetch the young ParakkamabÄhu. Cv.lxvi. 66.
20. Mahinda. A Lambakanna in the Morya district, an officer of ParakkamabÄhu I. He was a Nagaragiri, and was sent by ParakkamabÄhu to MallavÄlÄna, where he conducted a victorious campaign against Uttararattha. Later he took AnurÄdhapura, and was one of those responsible for the capture of GajabÄhu at Pulatthipura. Cv.lxix. 13; lxx. 89, 146ff.; 158, 199ff.
21. Mahinda MahÄlekha. An officer of MÄnÄbharana. He was defeated by the KesadhÄttu Rakkha at SarogÄmatittha and again by the troops of ParakkamabÄhu I. at Janapada. Cv.lxxii.Iff., 166.
22. Mahinda. A minister and kinsman of ParakkamabÄhu I. He lived in the palace and erected at Pulatthipura a pÄsÄda for the Tooth Relic. Cv.lxxiii.124ff.
23. Mahinda. A man of the Kulinga clan, whose wife was a cowherd’s daughter called DÄ«panÄ«. He killed VijayabÄhu II. and reigned for five days, but was slain by Kittinissanka. Cv.lxxx.15ff.
24. Mahinda. Son of SumanadevÄ« and Bodhigutta. He came among the escort of the Bodhi tree. DevÄnampiyatissa conferred on him the rank of CullajayamahÄlekhaka. Mbv.169.
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