Hard times of a monarch
Even King Dutugemunu did not build Ruwanweliseya in one day for he
could not witness the glamour of the giant creation he initiated with
unsurpassed piety. As the famous legend has it Prince Tissa had covered
up the Ruvanveliseya for his dying brother king. It was a sight for sore
eyes, but King Dutugemunu's mind was occupied elsewhere.
Dutugemunu statue |
The king maintained a book of merits where he recorded all his
virtuous activities. It contained luxurious times when he initiated the
Ruvanveliseya project as well as hard times when he braved the odds.
Dutugemunu was fleeing back from Chulanganiyapatti losing the battle
for his brother Tissa. He was journeying to Mahagama with two close
associates: minister Tissa (not his brother) and mare Dighathunika. They
were starving over the noon, and the minister offered food for
Dutugemunu first. Dutugemunu placed food in a golden vessel. He needed
to give the first portion to an Arhath. He was determined to see an
Arhath to share his portion with the Sangha order.
Arhath Thera Gothama sensed the king's determination through his
divine faculties. He approached the king to partake the meal. When the
King put the first portion into the Thera's bowl, the minister did not
want to have his portion. Neither did the beast. They both gave up food.
The Arhath shared the whole meal with the Sangha order in chunks. For an
ordinary person this may look stupid but the threesome were happy and
felt fulfilled.
Dutugemunu did not let his virtue slip, even at hard times. His
virtue is such. Read Mahawamsa's chapter 25 to take a glimpse of the
monarch's inner beauty.
"When he [king] had bidden them farewell and had given them leave to
depart he lay down again and thought: `Without the brotherhood you shall
never take a meal,' thus our mother and father have caused to swear us
in our boyhood at the meal. Have I ever eaten anything whatsoever
without giving to the brotherhood of bhikkhus?' Then he saw that he had,
all unthinkingly, eaten pepper in the pod, at the morning meal, leaving
none for the brotherhood; and he thought: `For this I must do penance.'"
The Chulangani story wraps up the complex yet sensitive relationship
of Dutugemunu-Tissa siblings. Soon after King Kavantissa's death,
Dutugemunu and Tissa were on the warpath for the throne. The war that
took place at Chulanganiyapatti killed a good number of Dutugemunu's
troops. Dutugemunu had to flee to Mahagama where he mustered enough
support for another battle which made things worse for his brother.
However the brothers were reunited later on with Tissa becoming part and
parcel of King Dutugemunu's entourage.
Dutugemunu as a monarch deserves respect historically although some
may not agree so. Some look down on Dutugemunu primarily for his brutal
military activities against the Tamils. But his intention was to regain
the invaded territories and unite the country. He identified Elara, his
Tamil counterpart in North, as a virtuous ruler and made a tomb for
everybody to pay homage.
Mahawamsa's chapter 25 goes on to say:
"Should a man think on the hosts of human beings murdered for greed
in countless myriads, and should he carefully keep in mind the evil
(arising from that), and should he also very carefully keep in mind the
mortality as being the murderer of all, then will he, in this way,
shortly win freedom from suffering and a happy condition."
We shall rediscover King Dutugemunu, the monarch behind Ruvanweliseya!
- Sachitra
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