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Tissa, later Devanampiyatissa, c. 247 BC - 207 BC, was one of the earliest rulers of Sri Lanka based at the ancient capital of Anuradhapura. His reign was notable for the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka under the aegis of Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. The primary source for his reign is the Mahavamsa, which in turn is based on the more ancient Dipavamsa. Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 252 BC 251 BC 250 BC 249 BC 248 BC - 247 BC - 246 BC 245 BC...
Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 212 BC 211 BC 210 BC 209 BC 208 BC - 207 BC - 206 BC 205 BC...
Buddhism (also known as Buddha Dharma, the teachings of the awakened one) is a religion, a practical philosophy, and arguably a psychology, focusing on the teachings of Gautama Buddha (Pali: Gotama Buddha), who lived on the Indian subcontinent most likely from the mid-6th to the early 5th century BCE...
Emperor Ashoka (a possible depiction) Ashoka the Great (Devanagari: अशोक; IAST transliteration: ) (304 BC–232 BC) was the emperor of the Maurya Empire from 273 BC to 232 BC. After a number of military conquests, Ashoka reigned over most of South Asia and beyond, from present-day Afghanistan and parts of...
The Mahavamsa, also Mahawamsa, (PÄli: great chronicle) is a historical record, written in the PÄli language, of the Buddhist kings of Sri Lanka. ...
The Dipavamsa (Island Chronicle in Pali) is the oldest historical record of Sri Lanka, believed to be compiled in the 4th century. ...
Reign
Tissa was the second son of Mutasiva, king of Anuradhapura. The Mahavamsa describes him as being 'foremost among all his brothers in virtue and intelligence'[1]. He ascended to the throne of the northern kingdom based at Anuradhapura sometime around 247 BCE. The majority of his subjects were Hindu, as they had been since the arrival of the first Sinhala colonists on the island around 300 years previously. The Mahavamsa, also Mahawamsa, (PÄli: great chronicle) is a historical record, written in the PÄli language, of the Buddhist kings of Sri Lanka. ...
Anuradhapura, (අනුරà·à¶°à¶´à·”ර in Sinhala), is one of the ancient capitals of Sri Lanka, world famous for its well preserved ruins of the Great Sri Lankan Civilization. ...
The Mahavamsa mentions an early friendship with Mauryan Emperor Ashoka. Chapter IX of the chronicle mentions that '...the two monarchs, Devanampiyatissa and Dhammasoka, already had been friends a long time, though they had never seen each other', 'Dhammasoka' being an alternate way of saying '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 moniker 'Devanam' ('Beloved of the God') 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.
Conversion to Buddhism Emperor Ashoka took a keen interest in the propagation of Buddhism across the known world, and 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 Sinhala history. Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. ...
According to the Mahavamsa king Devanapiyatissa was out enjoying a hunt with some 40,000 of his soldiers near a mountain called Missaka. The date for this is traditionally associated with the full moon day of the month of Poson.
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); amusingly 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. Thera Mahinda went on to preach to the king's company and preside over the king's conversion to Buddhism. According to Puranic cosmography, the earth is divided into seven concentric island continents (sapta-dvipa vasumati) separated by the seven encircling seas, each double the size of the preceding one. ...
Notable locations Given the extremely early date of Devanampiyatissa's reign, the dearth of sources, and the impossibility of archeological inquiry due to current political instability, it is difficult to discern what impact this conversion had, in practical terms, on Devanampiyatissa's reign. For example whislt 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 precint features the Ambasthala, or 'Mango tree stupa', where the Thera Mahinda asked Mahinda a series of riddles to check his capacity for learning[2], 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 Sri Maha Bodhi in Anuradhapura. The tree was yet another of Emperor Ashoka's gifts to the island and was planted within the precints of Anuradhapura, and is regarded as one of the oldest trees in the world. Sri Maha Bodhi, Anuradhapura. ...
Significance Devanampiyatissa remains one of early Sri Lanka's most significant monarchs, given that his conversion to Buddhism set the kingdoms of the island down a religious and cultural route quite distinct from that of the subcontinent to the north. Later monarchs were to refer back to Devanampiyatissa's conversion as one of the cornerstones of the Anuradhapuran polity. The city itself was to remain capital of a powerful kingdom until the early middle ages, when it was eventually subsumed under a Chola invasion and then superseded by Polonnaruwa. The earliest chronicles The Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa say that, before the migration of the Indo-Aryans, tribes of naga, yaksha, deva & raksha inhabited the island. ...
Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 290s BC 280s BC 270s BC 260s BC 250s BC - 240s BC - 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC 200s BC 190s BC Years: 252 BC 251 BC 250 BC 249 BC 248 BC - 247 BC - 246 BC 245 BC...
Centuries: 4th century BC - 3rd century BC - 2nd century BC Decades: 250s BC 240s BC 230s BC 220s BC 210s BC - 200s BC - 190s BC 180s BC 170s BC 160s BC 150s BC Years: 212 BC 211 BC 210 BC 209 BC 208 BC - 207 BC - 206 BC 205 BC...
See also Sri Lanka is the oldest continually Buddhist country, Theravada Buddhism being the major religion in the island since its official introduction in the 2nd century BC by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka of India during the reign of King Devanampiya. ...
Mahinda was the son of Emperor Ashoka. ...
This article is about Ashoka, the emperor. ...
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