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Devanampiya Tissa - Wikipedia Jump to content

Devanampiya Tissa

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Devanampiya Tissa
දේවානම්පිය තිස්ස
King of Anuradhapura
Mihintale Stone Statue of King Tissa
Reign307 BC – 267 BC or 247 BC – 207 BC
PredecessorMutasiva
SuccessorUttiya
Died267 BC or 207 BC
ConsortRamadattha
HouseHouse of Vijaya
FatherMutasiva
ReligionTheravāda Buddhism

Tissa, later Devanampiya Tissa (Sinhala: දේවානම්පිය තිස්ස, lit. 'Loved by Gods', [ˈdeːʋaːnampijə t̪issə]), also known as Devanape Tis (Sinhala: දෙවනපෑ තිස්, [ˈdeʋənəpǣ t̪is]), was one of the earliest kings of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura. According to the traditional chronology, he ruled from 307 BC to 267 BC, but the modified chronology adopted by modern scholars such as Wilhelm Geiger assigns his reign to 247 BC to 207 BC.[1]His reign was notable for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the aegis of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka the Great. The primary source for his reign is the Mahavamsa, which in turn is based on the more ancient Dipavamsa.[2]

Reign

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The Sinhalese Royal Family of King Devanampiya Tissa and Prince Uththiya

Tissa was the second son of Mutasiva of Anuradhapura. The Mahavamsa describes him as being "foremost among all his brothers in virtue and intelligence".[3]

The Mahavamsa mentions an early friendship with Ashoka. Chapter IX of the chronicle mentions that "the two monarchs, Devanampiyatissa and Dharmasoka, already had been friends a long time, though they had never seen each other", Dharmasoka being an alternate name for Ashoka. The chronicle also mentions Tissa sending gifts to the mighty emperor of the Maurya; in reply, Ashoka sent not only gifts but also the news that he had converted to Buddhism, and a plea to Tissa to adopt the faith as well. The king does not appear to have done this at the time, instead adopting the name Devānaṃpiya "Beloved of the Gods"[4] [2]and having himself consecrated King of Lanka in a lavish celebration.

Devanampiyatissa is traditionally said to have been succeeded by his younger brothers Uttiya and Mahasiva. His other brother Mahanaga, Prince of Ruhuna was the founder of the Principality of Ruhuna.[2]

Second Coronation

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In 306 BC, King Devanampiya Tissa was coronated at the Royal Mandapa for the second time at the request of Emperor Ashoka.[2]

Conversion to Buddhism

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Mihintale, the traditional location of Devanampiya Tissa's conversion

Emperor Ashoka took an interest in the propagation of Buddhism across the known world. According to Sri Lankan tradition, it was decided that his son, Mahinda, would travel to Sri Lanka and attempt to convert the people there. The events surrounding Mahinda's arrival and meeting with the king form one of the most important legends of Sri Lankan history.

According to the Mahavamsa King Devanampiyatissa was out enjoying a hunt with some 40,000 of his soldiers near a mountain called Mihintale. The date for this is traditionally associated with the full moon day of the month of Poson.[5]

Having come to the foot of Missaka, Devanampiyatissa chased a stag into the thicket, and came across Mahinda (referred to with the honorific title Thera); the Mahavamsa has the great king 'terrified' and convinced that the Thera was in fact a 'yakka', or demon. However, Thera Mahinda declared that 'Recluses we are, O great King, disciples of the King of Dhamma (Buddha) Out of compassion for you alone have we come here from Jambudipa'. Devanampiyatissa recalled the news from his friend Ashoka and realised that these are missionaries sent from India. Mahinda wanted to test the intelligence of the king so he asked him these questions:

" What name does this tree bear. O king?" he asked.

"This tree is called a mango," replied Devanampiya Tissa.

"Is there yet another mango besides this?"

"There are many mango-trees."

And are there yet other trees besides this mango and the other mangoes”

"There are many trees, Sir. but those are trees that are not mangoes."

"And are there, beside the other mangoes and those trees which are not mangoes, yet other trees?"

"There is this mango tree, Sir."

" Thou hast a shrewd wit, O ruler of men," said Mahinda.

Again Mahinda questioned him.

"Hast thou kinsfolk, O king?"

"They are many, Sir."

"And are there also some, O king, who are not kinsfolk of thine?"

"There are yet more of those than of my kin."

" Is there yet any one besides the kinsfolk and the others ?"

"There is yet myself, Sir."

"Good I thou hast a shrewd wit, O ruler of men," said Mahinda


Thera Mahinda went on to preach to the king's company and preside over the king's conversion to Buddhism.[2]

Coming of Sanghamitta

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Mahinda requested the king to write to Asoka, asking him to send his sister Sanghamitta together with other nuns to visit Lanka and to bring with her a branch of the great Bo tree of the Buddha. Sanghamitta arrived on Sri Lanka with the Bo tree and it was planted in Mahamegha park.[2][6]

Important religious events

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  1. Establishment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka due to the arrival of Thera Mahinda and his group.
  2. Planting of the Sacred Maha Bodhi (under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment) and the establishment of the Bhikkuni Sasana (order of the Buddhist nuns) due to the arrival of Theri Sangamitta and her group.
  3. Offering of the Mahamegavana to the Buddhist monks where the Maha Vihara monastery was built, which became the centre of Theravada Buddhism.

Notable locations

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Thuparama in Anuradhapura, believed to have been constructed in Devanampiya Tissa's reign

Given the extremely early date of Devanampiyatissa's reign and the dearth of sources, it is difficult to discern what impact this conversion had, in practical terms, on Devanampiyatissa's reign. For example, whilst there are references to a Tissamahavihara and various other temples constructed by the king, none can be reliably located.

What is fairly certain however is that the site of his initial meeting with Thera Mahinda is one of Sri Lanka's most sacred sites today, going by the name Mihintale. The sacred precinct features the Ambasthala, or 'Mango tree stupa', where Thera Mahinda asked the king a series of riddles to check his capacity for learning,[7][8] the cave in which Thera Mahinda lived for over forty years, and the Maha Seya, wherein is contained a relic of the Buddha.

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

Devanampiyatissa built Tissa Wewa, which covers 550 acres. The embankment alone is 2 miles long and 25 feet high. It is a major irrigation tank even today and is an essential resource for farmers in Anuradhapura.[2]

Works by the King

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Name Date of construction Description
Thuparamaya 307 BC – 267 BC or 247 BC – 207 BC First historical Stupa which enshrined the right collar bone of the Buddha.[2]
Maha viharaya First and large magnitude of viharaya built.[2]
Cetiya Viharaya Mahinda Thera and the other monks use the premise during rainy weather.[2]
Hatthalhaka Viharaya For the use of nuns when other temples exceed.[2]
Isurumuniya Viharaya Location which the regent prince Maharitta and 500 more aristocrats were ordained.[2]
Jambukola Viharaya Constructed in historical region of Rajarata.[2]
Kala pasada parivena Building was used by monk Mahinda.[2]
Loha pasada After the destruction of the building the brazen palace was built as a replacement.[2]
Mahinda’s cave Mahinda used this place to rest.[2]
Pacinarama Location where the Bo tree was kept before returning to Anuradhapura.[2]
Pathama cetiya First Buddhist structure built on the island on the location where Mahinda landed.[2][9]
Tissamaharama Maha Vihara One of the largest stupas in Sri Lanka.[10]
Tissa wewa Reservoir.[2]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Geiger, Wilhelm; Bode, Mabel Haynes (1912). Mahavamsa : the great chronicle of Ceylon. University of California Libraries. London : Pub. for the Pali Text Society by Oxford Univ. Pr.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Senaveratna, John M. (1997). The Story of the Sinhalese from the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of "the Mahavansa" Or Great Dynasty: Vijaya to Maha Sena, B.C. 543 to A.D.302. Asian Educational Services. pp. 46–74. ISBN 978-81-206-1271-6.
  3. ^ "The Mahavamsa - Chapter XI - the Consecrating of Devanampiyatissa". Archived from the original on 2006-03-16. Retrieved 2006-06-19.
  4. ^ See, e.g., Keown, Hodge & Tinti (2003), p. 72, entry for 'Devānampiya Tissa,' where it is translated as 'dear to the gods'.
  5. ^ Nicholas, Cyril Wace; Paranavitana, Senarat (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon: From the Earliest Times to the Arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. Ceylon University Press. pp. 48–53.
  6. ^ Obeyesekere, Donald (1911). Outlines of Ceylon history. University of California Libraries. Colombo, Ceylon : The Times of Ceylon. pp. 17–18.
  7. ^ Mahanama Thera. "XIV - The Entry into the Capital" Archived 2006-03-16 at the Wayback Machine. The Mahavamsa. Translated by Geiger, Wilhelm Ludwig. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  8. ^ "King Devanampiya Tissa (306 BC – 266 BC)". The Mahavamsa. 18 March 2010. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  9. ^ www.wisdomlib.org (2009-04-12). "Pathamacetiya, Pathama-cetiya, Paṭhamacetiya: 3 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2025-09-21.
  10. ^ Wikkramatileke, Rudolph; geography, University of Chicago Department of. ...Southeast Ceylon: trends and problems in agricultural settlement. University of Chicago, Department of geography.

References

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  • Keown, Damien, Stephen Hodge & Paola Tinti (2003). A Dictionary of Buddhism. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-860560-9.
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Archived 2007-11-09 at the Wayback Machine The Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka

Devanampiya Tissa
Born: ? ? Died: ? ?
Regnal titles
Preceded by King of Anuradhapura
307 BC–267 BC 		Succeeded by
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