• Gothakābhaya

1. Gothakābhaya, Gothābhaya. A king of the Rohana dynasty; son of Yatthālayakatissa and father of Kākavannatissa (Mhv.Xv.170; xxii.11). He is sometimes called Abhaya. E.g., Mhv.xxiii.10, 56.

2. Gothakābhaya. King of Ceylon (302-15 A.C.). He was a Lambakanna of Mahiyangana, and having gone to Anurādhapura with Sanghatissa and Sanghabodhi, he, with their help, slew the reigning king, Vijaya, and they reigned in succession (Mhv.Xxxvi.58). Gothakābhaya became Sanghabodhi's treasurer but, seeing the king's weakness, he led a rebellion against him and captured the throne (vv.91, 98-117; for details see Sanghabodhi). In addition to other religious works, he built the Meghavannābhaya-Vihāra. He banished from Abhayagiri sixty monks who had accepted the Vetulla heresy, but a Cola monk, Sanghamitta, defeated in discussion the thera Gothābhaya, the king's uncle, and became the king's favourite, obtaining the position of tutor to the king's two sons, Jetthatissa and Mahāsena. The king was also known as Meghavannābhaya (v.98).