Mahinda (;
Mahindra) (born 3rd century BCE in
Magadha, now in
Bihar,
India) was a
Buddhist monk depicted in Buddhist sources as bringing
Buddhism to
Sri Lanka. He was the son of the
Mauryan Emperor Ashoka.
Historical Sources
The
Dipavamsa and the
Mahavamsa, Sri Lanka's two great religious chronicles, contain accounts of Mahinda travelling to Sri Lanka and converting King
Devanampiyatissa.
These are the primary sources for accounts of his life and deeds. Inscriptions and literary references also establish that Buddhism became prevalent in Sri Lanka around the 3rd century BCE, the period when Mahinda lived.
Biography
Mahinda grew up at
Vidisha, the residence of his mother and became a monk at the age of 20 with
Moggaliputta-Tissa, his father's spiritual teacher, guiding him and was well-versed with the
Tripitaka. Mahinda together with fellow monks
Itthiya,
Uttiya,
Sambala and
Bhaddasala (who was the son of
Sanghamitta) were sent to
Sri Lanka to spread
Buddhism, following the
Third Buddhist Council, upon the recommendation of Moggaliputta-Tissa. He was also accompanied by a lay disciple
Bhankuka, who was a maternal grandson of his aunt. The party left from Vedasagiri
vihara, believed to be modern day
Sanchi.
Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa, the chronicles of Sri Lanka, record the arrival of the party on the full moon of
Jettha, a national festival at the time. At the time, King
Devanampiyatissa was partaking in a hunting expedition in the
Mihintale hills. It is said that Asoka and Devanampiyatissa were previously acquainted and on good terms, having exchanged royal gifts upon their respective ascensions to the throne. Upon meeting the shaven-headed monks Devanampiyatissa was taken aback by their appearance and inquired as to who they were. After exchanging greetings, Mahinda preached the
Chulahatthipadopama Sutra, and the royal hunting party converted to Buddhism. The party was subsequently invited to
Anuradhapura, the seat of the throne for a royal reception and to give further
dharma talks. Mahinda subsequently gave two public talks sanctioned by
Devanampiyatissa, in the Royal Hall and in the Nandana garden in the Royal Park, leading to the start of the public embrace of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. The royal park
Mahamegha was then set aside as the residence for Mahinda's party, and in later times became the
Mahavihara, the earliest centre of Buddhist culture and scholarship Sri Lanka. The
Chetiyagirivihara monastery was then established in
Mihintale.
Mahinda then sent for his sister
Sanghamitta from Magadha, who was a
nun, to start a female Buddhist order after local women had expressed a desire to join the
Sangha. Mahinda also arrainged for a
bodhi sapling from the original tree in
Bodh Gaya to be sent to Sri Lanka, where it was planted in the grounds of the Mahavihara and is still visible today.
After a month spent delivering discourses to Sri Lankans who had ventured to the capital, Mahinda retreated to
Mihintale to spend the
vassa during the monsoon season. As a result, a second royal funded monastery was built there. Later, Mahinda organised for a stupa to be constructed, and a part of the bodily relics of
Gautama Buddha were transferred from the Maurya Empire to Sri Lanka. Mahinda then had
Arittha, Devanampiyatissa's nephew, a
bhikkhu, to expound the
Vinaya monastic code of discipline to further Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
Mahinda outlived Devanampiyatissa, and died at the age of 80 in
Sri Lanka. King
Uttiya, who succeeded his brother, organized a state funeral for Mahinda and constructed a
stupa to house his relics at
Mihintale.
Significance and Legacy
The 20th century Sri Lankan monk
Walpola Rahula described Mahinda as
"the father of Sinhalese literature" as he had translated and written commentary for the Tripitaka in Sinhalese, turning it into a literary language. He was also credited with introducing the culture of the
Mauryan empire to the island, along with its architecture.
Mihintale, the mountain where Mahinda supposedly first encountered King Devanampiyatissa and the site of his funerary
stupa, is an important pilgrimage site in Sri Lanka.
Pilgrimages are traditionally undertaken in the month of June (Poson in the old Sinhala calendar), when Mahinda is believed to have arrived in Sri Lanka on the full-moon night of the month, a
traditional time for religious observances in Theravada Buddhism.
See also
