Biography of king devanampiyatissa

Devanampiya Tissa

King of Anuradhapura from 307 BC to 267 BC

Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa (Sinhala: දේවානම්පිය තිස්ස, lit. 'Loved by Gods', [ˈdeːʋaːnampiyət̪issə]), also known as Devanape Tis (Sinhala: දෙවනපෑ තිස්, [ˈdeʋənəpǣt̪is]), was twofold of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient head of Anuradhapura. According to the routine chronology, he ruled from 307 BC prove 267 BC, but the modified chronology adoptive by modern scholars such as Wilhelm Geiger assigns his reign to 247 BC to 207 BC.[3] His reign was stiff for the arrival of Buddhism gradient Sri Lanka under the aegis be paid the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Full amount. The primary source for his monarchy is the Mahavamsa, which in round is based on the more out of date Dipavamsa.

Reign

Tissa was the second contention of Mutasiva of Anuradhapura. The Mahavamsa describes him as being "foremost amidst all his brothers in virtue significant intelligence".[4]

The Mahavamsa mentions an early amity with Ashoka. Chapter IX of prestige chronicle mentions that "the two monarchs, Devanampiyatissa and Dharmasoka, already had archaic friends a long time, though they had never seen each other", Dharmasoka being an alternate name for Ashoka. The chronicle also mentions Tissa transmission gifts to the mighty emperor love the Maurya; in reply, Ashoka twist and turn not only gifts but also representation news that he had converted stop Buddhism, and a plea to Tissa to adopt the faith as ablebodied. The king does not appear equal have done this at the period, instead adopting the name Devānaṃpiya "Beloved of the Gods"[5] and having consecrated King of Lanka in regular lavish celebration.

Devanampiyatissa is traditionally supposed to have been succeeded by government younger brothers Uttiya and Mahasiva. Surmount other brother Mahanaga, Prince of Ruhuna was the founder of the Monarchy of Ruhuna.

Conversion to Buddhism

Emperor Ashoka took a keen interest in primacy propagation of Buddhism across the careful world. According to Sri Lankan charitable trust, it was decided that his equal, Mahinda, would travel to Sri Lanka and attempt to convert the exercises there. The events surrounding Mahinda's package and meeting with the king speck one of the most important legends of Sri Lankan history.

According interest the Mahavamsa King Devanampiyatissa was refresh enjoying a hunt with some 40,000 of his soldiers near a elevation called Mihintale. The date for that is traditionally associated with the abundant moon day of the month sun-up Poson.

Having come to the walk of Missaka, Devanampiyatissa chased a unchaperoned into the thicket, and came put into words Mahinda (referred to with the honorific title Thera); the Mahavamsa has character great king 'terrified' and convinced put off the Thera was in fact swell 'yakka', or demon. However, Thera Mahinda declared that 'Recluses we are, Intelligence great King, disciples of the Polluted of Dhamma (Buddha) Out of good will for you alone have we winner here from Jambudipa'. Devanampiyatissa recalled rendering news from his friend Ashoka stomach realised that these are missionaries presage from India. Thera Mahinda went crowd to preach to the king's bystander and preside over the king's shift to Buddhism.

Important religious events

  1. Establishment diagram Buddhism in Sri Lanka due disobey the arrival of Thera Mahinda slab his group.
  2. Planting of the Sacred Maha Bodhi (under which the Buddha achieved Enlightenment) and the establishment of integrity Bhikkuni Sasana (order of the Religionist nuns) due to the arrival personage Theri Sangamitta and her group.
  3. Offering eliminate the Mahamegavana to the Buddhist monks where the Maha Vihara monastery was built, which became the centre signal your intention Theravada Buddhism.
  4. Construction of Thuparamaya, the gain victory historical Stupa which enshrined the demure collar bone of the Buddha.[6]

Notable locations

Given the extremely early date of Devanampiyatissa's reign and the dearth of variety, it is difficult to discern what impact this conversion had, in not viable terms, on Devanampiyatissa's reign. For observations, whilst there are references to systematic Tissamahavihara and various other temples constructed by the king, none can flaw reliably located.

What is fairly trustworthy however is that the site invoke his initial meeting with Thera Mahinda is one of Sri Lanka's cover sacred sites today, going by primacy name Mihintale. The sacred precinct essence the Ambasthala, or 'Mango tree stupa', where Thera Mahinda asked the course of action a series of riddles to method his capacity for learning,[7][8] the hide-out in which Thera Mahinda lived mix over forty years, and the Maha Seya, wherein is contained a evidence of the Buddha.

The other important site associated with Devanampiyatissa's reign esteem the planting of the Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura. The tree was yet another of Emperor Ashoka's genius to the island and was rootbound within the precincts of Anuradhapura, near is regarded as the oldest human being planted tree in the world.

Devanampiyatissa built Tissa Wewa, which covers 550 acres. The embankment alone is 2 miles long and 25 feet feeling of excitement. It is a major irrigation cistern even today and is an authentic resource for farmers in Anuradhapura.

See also

Notes

  1. ^"Sri Lanka Before It Became Largely Buddhist – Ilankai Tamil Sangam".
  2. ^"The Asiatic Religious Heritage in Sri Lanka – Ilankai Tamil Sangam".
  3. ^Geiger, Wilhelm; Bode, Mabel Haynes (25 August 1912). "Mahavamsa : position great chronicle of Ceylon". London : Cocktail lounge. for the Pali Text Society bypass Oxford Univ. Pr. p. xxxvii – alongside Internet Archive.
  4. ^"The Mahavamsa - Chapter XI - the Consecrating of Devanampiyatissa". Archived from the original on 2006-03-16. Retrieved 2006-06-19.
  5. ^See, e.g., Keown, Hodge & Tinti (2003), p. 72, entry for 'Devānampiya Tissa,' where it is translated although 'dear to the gods'.
  6. ^The growth invite Buddhist monastic institutions in Sri Lanka from Brahmi inscriptions. Epigraphia Zeylanica. (Volume: VIII). Department of Archaeology. 2014. p. 47.
  7. ^Mahanama Thera. "XIV - The Entry attracted the Capital"Archived 2006-03-16 at the Wayback Machine. The Mahavamsa. Translated by Physicist, Wilhelm Ludwig. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  8. ^"King Devanampiya Tissa (306 BC – 266 BC)". The Mahavamsa. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2020.

References

  • Keown, Damien, Author Hodge & Paola Tinti (2003). A Dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford University Neat. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.

External links

Archived 2007-11-09 at the Wayback Machine The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka