Introducing Buddhism to Lanka

Beingthe day that Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka, Poson Poya is an important day for Buddhists in Sri Lanka. This year the Poson Poya day is on Thursday, June 24.

Looking back, it was during the time kings ruled Sri Lanka. King Pandukabhaya had ascended the throne in 437 B.C. (Before Christ) and 70 years later the city of Anuradhapura had been established as the ruling city. King Devanampiyatissa ascended the throne in 307 B.C.

According to the Mahavamsa – the Sinhalese chronicle, the Buddha had paid three visits to Sri Lanka – rst to Sri Pada (popularly known as Adam’s Peak), next to Mahiyangana in the Uva Province, and then to Kelaniya, the holy place near Colombo.

Thus Buddhism was not strange to Sri Lanka.

While ruling the country, the kings were used to visiting various parts of their kingdom and also to get about in merriment, along with the palace assistants. They usually went about carrying their weapons which were used for their safety or to aim at a jungle animal purely for the fun of it.

During such a visit by King Devanampiyatissa, he heard someone calling him ‘Tissa Tissa’. He was taken aback since no one would dare call him by name, being the ruling king.

As he looked towards the side from where he heard his name, he saw someone in yellow robes appearing on the huge rock at Mihintale, a few miles away from Anuradhapura. The king immediately threw his weapons aside and greeted Arahat Mahinda, inviting him to come down and select a suitable spot to stay.

Once a spot was selected in the Mahamevuna Uyana – the quiet park with trees all around, the king got his assistants to prepare suitable facilities for Arahat Mahinda to meditate and to introduce the religion to the people.