1. Mahinda Thera. Son of Asoka and
brother of Sanghamittā. 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 Mahādeva, while
Majjhantika recited the kammavācā. 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
Ahogangā, 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 Ceylon.
But he delayed for six months, until Devānampiyatissa became king. He then went
to Dakkhināgiri and from there to his birthplace, Vedisagiri, staying in
Vedisagiri vihāra and visiting his mother, the queen Devī. 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,
- Bhaddasāla,
- Sumanasāmanera and
- Bhanduka,
to Ceylon, where he converted Devānampiyatissa by preaching to him the
Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta. Later, on the same day, he preached the Samacitta
Sutta. The next day, at the request of the king, he visited Anurādhapura,
travelling through the air and alighting on the site of the (later)
Pathamacetiya. After a meal at the palace he preached the Petavatthu, the
Vimānavatthu and the Sacca Samyutta, and Anulā and her five hundred companions
became sotāpannas. Later, in the elephant stables, he preached the Devadūta
Sutta to the assembled people, and, in the evening, the Bālapandita Sutta, in
Nandanavana. The night he spent in Mahāmeghavana, 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 sāsana in Ceylon, offering flowers at the same, and at the
site of the (later) Mahā Thūpa, he described the visits of the Four Buddhas of
this kappa to Ceylon. On the fourth day he preached the Anamatagga Sutta in
Nandanavana and helped the king in defining the boundaries of what later became
the Mahāvihāra. On the fifth day he preached the Khajjanīya Sutta, on the sixth
the Gomayapindī sutta, and on the seventh the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.

Mahinda Stupa today.
The pāsāda first built for the residence of Mahinda was called Kālapāsāda
parivena. Other buildings associated with him were the Sunhātaparivena, the
Dīghacanka parivena, the Phalagga parivena, the Therāpassaya parivena, the
Marugana-parivena, and the Dīghasandasenāpati-parivena.
Twenty six days Mahinda stayed in Mahāmeghavana, and on the thirteenth day of
the bright half of Āsālha, after having preached the Mahāppamāda 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 Tumbarumālaka.
After the full moon day of Kattika, at the conclusion of the pavārana ceremony,
Mahinda held a consultation with Devānampiyatissa and sent Sumanasāmanera to
Pātaliputta to bring the relics of the Buddha from Dhammāsoka 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 Thūpārāma (q.v.), which was built for the purpose. It was
at Mahinda's suggestion that Devānampiyatissa sent an embassy headed by
Mahāarittha to Asoka, with a request that Sanghamittā should come to Ceylon with
a branch of the Bodhi tree. The request was granted, and Sanghamittā arrived in
Ceylon with the branch. Devānampiyatissa, during the later part of his reign,
acting on the advice of Mahinda, built numerous vihāras, 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 Pāli (Cv.xxxvii.228ff).
The Samantapāsādikā (pp. 102ff ) mentions a recital held by Mahinda under the
presidency of Mahāarittha.
Mahinda continued to live for the first eight years of the reign of Uttiya,
who succeeded Devānampiyatissa. 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 Mahāvihāra and placed in the Pañhambamālaka, 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 Therānambandhamālaka, to the left of the site of the Mahā Thūpa. A
cetiya was erected on that spot over half the remains, the other half being
distributed in thūpas built on Cetiyagiri and elsewhere. The place of cremation
was called Isibhūmangana, 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 Sotthiyākara vihāra. On the twelfth day it was taken with all
splendours to Anurādhapura, to the Mahāvihāra, 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 (Mahā)vihāra on the pavārana day, and
every year an offering was made on the thirteenth day (Cv.xxxvii.66ff).
Dhātusena 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 tank called Mahindatata, and ensured that the
special task of carrying the image to the dyke of the tank 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 Mahāsammata, and last of a
dynasty which ruled at Rojanagara. Twelve of his sons and grandsons ruled in
Campā. Dpv. iii.28.
5. Mahinda I. Brother of Kassapa III. and king of Ceylon (724 27 A.C.).
He refused to be crowned, out of sorrow for the death of his friend Nīla, and
administered the government as Ādipāda. He thus came to be known as Adipāda
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 Mahāpāli and would eat nothing without
first giving of it to beggars. He built a nunnery for the bhikkhunīs (called
Mahindaupassaya) and gave to it the village of Nagaragalla. He also built the
Mahindatata vihāra. Cv.xiviii.26ff.
6. Mahinda. Son of Aggabodhi VII. He was made viceroy, but died young.
Cv.xlviii.69, 75.
7. Mahinda. Son of Silāmegha (Aggabodhi VI.) (Cv.xlviii.42, 76).
Aggabodhi made him senāpati and gave over the government to him. But when
Aggabodhi VI. died and Aggabodhi VII. came to the throne, Mahinda went to
Mahātittha. 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 Gālhagangā as boundary.
Among Mahinda's benefactions was the erection of the Dāmavihāra-parivena and
the Sannīratittha vihāra in Pulatthipura, also the costly Ratanapāsāda,
containing a golden image of the Buddha. To the Silāmegha nunnery Mahinda gave a
silver Bodhisatta statue. He had the Abhidhamma recited by the monks of Hemasāli
Vihāra, and built many shrines and helped those who were poor or in trouble. To
the lame he gave bulls and to the Tamils horses. He strengthened the weir of
the Kālavāpi. 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 Adipāda Dāthāsīva of Rohana. He quarreled with
his father, took service under Udaya I. and married his daughter Devā. 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
Dhammikasilāmegha and was a very pious man. He gave the income from the
Getthumba Canal to be used in repairs of the Ratanapāsāda. 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
Ceylon, 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 Adipāda Kassapa and brother of Sena II. He
married Tissā 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 Sanghā 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
saccakiriyā, as a result of which the branch of the tree straightened itself
during the night, leaving the building free. Mahinda also built the Mahindasena
parivena, and died in the twenty third year of Sena's reign (Cv.l.59; li.7, 13,
15ff., 53ff). Adipāda Kittaggabodhi was his Son. Ibid., 94.
14. Mahinda. Son of Kassapa V., and brother of Sena II. and Sanghā.
When the Adipāda 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 Mahāgāma and ruled over Rohana justly and well. Among his works was
the construction of a dam across the Mahānadī (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
Anurādhapura 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 Kālinga
princess. During his reign, the Vallabha king invaded Ceylon, but was defeated
by the general Sena and entered into a treaty with Mahinda. Mahinda showed great
favour to the Pamsukulikas and the Lābhavāsins and decreed that the incomes
derived from vihāras should not be taxed. His good acts were many. He had a
Commentary to the Abhidhamma written by the Thera Dhammamitta in the
Sitthagāma-parivena and the Abhidhamma recited by the Thera Dāthānāga.
He made great offerings at the Mahā Thūpa and started to build the
Candanapāsāda, 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 Mahāpāli. He built the Mahāmallaka for the
Theravāda nuns and completed the Manipāsāda. Mahinda's wife was Kittī (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 Anurādhapura 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 Sīdupabbatagāma 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 Ceylon, 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). Lokitā and Devalā were his maternal cousins.
Cv.lvii.27.
17. Mahinda. Son of Moggallāna and Lokitā and brother of Kiti
(afterwards Vijayabāhu I.). Cv.lvii.42.
18. Mahinda. Son of Vikkamabāhu II. and brother of Gajabahu. He fought
against Deva, general of Parakkamabāhu I,, at Hedillakhandagāma, but was
defeated, and fled to Billagāma. From there he went to Vallitittha, and was
again defeated. Later he joined Mānābharana, and was sent by him to Moravāpi,
thence to Anurādhapura, where he defeated Mahālekha Rakkha and Bhandārapotthakī,
who marched against him. From Anurādhapura, Mahinda proceeded to Kālavāpi where,
for three months, he fought against Bhandārapotthakī Bhūta, 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 Parakkamabāhu. Cv.lxvi. 66.
20. Mahinda. A Lambakanna in the Morya district, an officer of
Parakkamabāhu I. He was a Nagaragiri, and was sent by Parakkamabāhu to
Mallavālāna, where he conducted a victorious campaign against Uttararattha.
Later he took Anurādhapura, and was one of those responsible for the capture of
Gajabāhu at Pulatthipura. Cv.lxix. 13; lxx. 89, 146ff.; 158, 199ff.
21. Mahinda Mahālekha. An officer of Mānābharana. He was defeated by
the Kesadhāttu Rakkha at Sarogāmatittha and again by the troops of Parakkamabāhu
I. at Janapada. Cv.lxxii.Iff., 166.
22. Mahinda. A minister and kinsman of Parakkamabāhu I. He lived in
the palace and erected at Pulatthipura a pāsāda for the Tooth Relic.
Cv.lxxiii.124ff.
23. Mahinda. A man of the Kulinga clan, whose wife was a cowherd's
daughter called Dīpanī. He killed Vijayabāhu II. and reigned for five days, but
was slain by Kittinissanka. Cv.lxxx.15ff.
24. Mahinda. Son of Sumanadevī and Bodhigutta. He came among the
escort of the Bodhi tree. Devānampiyatissa conferred on him the rank of
Cullajayamahālekhaka. Mbv.169.

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