Buddhist spectrum

Arhant Mahinda and the Sinhala Culture

Dr Keerthi Jayasekera

Popular belief based on legend has it that Arhant Mahinda came on an aerial flight from India and landed on the Mihintale Rock. Given the possibility of Arhath Mahinda, as an Arhath who was endowed with Psycho-kinetic power to over come the Force of earth's gravity could have resorted to arial locomotion, how does one explain Sumana Samanera a Novice monk and Banuka a lay person could have got air borne for arial locomotion?

Dr E W Adikaram in his PhD (London) Thesis “Early history of Buddhism in Ceylon” states: after the third Buddhist council at Pataliputra, Mahinda was requested by his preceptor and Sangha to visit Ceylon and establish the sasana in that island. After consideration Mahinda concluded that is was not yet the proper time to go there.

Mutasiva (307-241 BC) then reigning monarch of Ceylon was advanced in years and it was not possible to establish the sasana under of his patronage, awaiting the accession of Mutasiva's son Devanampiyatissa to the throne, Mahinda set out from Asokarama with Theras Ittiya, Uttiya, Sambala, Bhaddasala, the novice Sumana and the lay disciple Bhanduka to pay a visit to his relatives. Mahinda in due course, arrived at and lived for one month at Vedisagiri, the residential quarters of his mother. It was in 252 BC. That Mahinda visited his mother and he was by then Twelve years as a monk.

The 3rd Buddhist council was held in 253 BC. Was held under the patronage of Emperor Asoka and was presided ower by Arhath Moggaliputta Tissa at Pataliputhra to purify the Sangha of the Heretis, and purify and arrange the Buddha's preachings in its pure form, since by this time there were 18 schools of Buddhist thought. At the council the question was asked. What is Buddhism? It is the doctrine of analytical reasoning or ‘Vibhajja-Vada’, Psychology at its best. In this connection it is interesting to remember that Arhath Mahinda came fresh from the third council.

Hence Mahinda was interested in the logical analytical mind of the person to whom he preached the Dhamma. When Arhath Mahinda met Devanampiyatissa he wanted to know the intellectual capacity to reason and kind analyze of the king and it is that which made Mahinda to subject Devanampiyatissa to an IQ-Test through a process of questions and answers. Having thus fully satisfied himself about Devanampiyatissa ability to comprehend such a profound Dhamma that he preached to him Chulla Padopama Sutta.

Chula Hatthipadopama discourse is called the minor discourse of the simile of the Elephant's foot print which was first preached by the Buddha to the Brahmin Janussoni at Jetevana monastry at Savatti (in the majjima nikaya). It was Brahmin Janussani who first paid homage to the Buddha with the words “Namothassa baghawatho arahatho samma sambuddhassa.”

Ven Walpola Rahula in his PhD. Thesis “History of Buddhism in Ceylon” says the selection of this sutta by Mahinda for his first sermon was very appropriate. The Sutta gives a clear idea of the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha and it desorbs how one is converted to Buddhism and becomes a Bhikku. It also describes in detail the simple and holy life of a Bhikkhu, the sublime qualities he practices and possesses the things from which he abstains, the various stages of development of his life and his attainment of Arhathship which is the final fruit of Buddhism.”

The Sutta contains also almost all the principal teachings of the Buddha such as four noble truths.

Apart from a general knowledge of Buddhism, it was necessary for Mahinda to convey to his host who knew nothing about Buddhist practices, an idea of the Sangha and their mode of life, so that the king might learn how to treat his new guests, at the end of the sermon Devanmpiyatissa and his retinue expressed their willingness to embrace the new faith.”

Ven Rahula says, “if we compare the language of Asoka's inscriptions and the inscriptions of Ceylon in the 3rd century BC, we can see that the two languages were almost similar. There were slight differences between the two, but it was possible for the speaker in one language to follow without much difficulty the ideas expressed in the other.”

The next discourse was Patavattu and the Vimanavattu, two pali texts which deal with the spirits of the dead in the Peta world and in the Deva-loka (heavenly world) according to their past Karma. This must have appealed to the audience already possessing faith in the spirits of the dead ad would have made Buddhism agreeable and acceptable to them. This was followed by Devaduta, which deals with the results of good and bad action.

Then Balapanditha sutta which teaches how through folly men commit evil suffer therefore both here and hereafter with this Mahinda introduced the moral side of religion as a requisite for a happy life. Then Aggikkhandhopama sutta which teaches a Bhikkhu should be virtuous and fire a holy life, so that those who provide him the necessities of life may be benefited and that he himself may attain Nibbana the ultimate goal. On the 7th day the Thera preached the Maha Appamada Sutta.

This discourse was first preached by the Buddha to Pasenadi of Kosala, Diligence is the one quality that aquires and keeps welfare both in this life and in the next; just as the Elephant's foot it chief among all feet so is diligence the best of qualities. After preaching this sutta to the king the Thera returned to Cetiyagiri.

It is generally not known that Buddhism flourished in South India. Dipawansa and Mahawansa are silent on the subject, however most scholars accept the view that Buddhism was introduced to South India by Arhath Mahinda himself. Ven Hisselle Dhammaratana Thera, that great Tamil scholar monk, in his book “Buddhism in South India” a Weel publication No 124/125, gives a fascinating account on this subject.

Ven Rahula says “There is very good reason to believe that what later came to be called the holy city of Anuradhapura was originally planned and laid out by Mahinda. There was no one at the time in Ceylon better educated, cultured and refined, more widely travelled and better informed than Mahinda himself. He had lived in large cities, like Pataliputra, about which Megasthenes the Greek Ambassador to the Imperial court of Chandragupta (great grandfather of Arhath Mahinda) gives a fascinating account of the splendour and beauty of Pataliputhra city, capital of the Magadam empire; he had seen great monasteries like Asokarama built by his father and, Cetiyagiri (modern Sanchi) in Vidisa built by his mother. Here was no one therefore. Who could plan an arama, a monastery, better.”

Mahinda was responsible for bringing down his sister Theri Sanghamitta along with the southern branch of the Bodhi tree.

Ven Rahula states further “Sumana Samanera who acted as deputy on behalf of Mahinda and Devanampiyatissa was able to obtain for Ceylon from grandfather Asoka the right collar bone, and a large quantity of other bone relics together with the alms-bowl of the Buddha.

These relics were kept at the Missaka Pabbata for the time being, and henceforth the mountain was named cetiya-pabbata. The collar bone of the Buddha was enshrined in the Thuparama Dagaba which thus became the first Cetiya to be built in Ceylon. The patra-dhatu (the almsbowl of the Buddha) was kept within the king's house, and it became a national “palladium” of the Sinhalese, just as happened later in the case of the tooth relic.”

Non of Asoka's edicts refer to Mahinda's mission to Ceylon. However, a Fresco on a wall in one of the caves in Ajanta is supposed to depict the event. Ceylon is mentioned as Tambapanni in rock edict II and VIII, as a country already included by Asoka in the list of countries to which he dispatched his Dutas or messengers to propagate his message of Dhamma-Vijaya or moral conquest.

Ven Rahula states “Mahinda's arrival in Ceylon can be regarded as the beginning of Sinhalese culture. He brought to Lanka not only a new religion but also a whole civilization then at the height of its glory.

He introduced art and architecture to the Island along with Sangharamas and Cetiyas. He can be regarded as the father of the Sinhala literature.

Buddhaghosa says that Mahinda brought to the Island of the Sinhalese the commentaries of the Tripitaka and put then into Sinhalese for the benefit of the people of the Island. He thus made Sinhalese a literary language and inaugurated its literature.”

Dr S Paranavithana in his book “Sinhalayo” says; “when saint Mahinda preached Buddhism for the first time in Ceylon, he gave the explanations, as he had received them from his teachers, of certain words and expressions in the Pali sermons. These were handed out orally with great care in the Monasteries and later teachers continued to add to this exegetical literature.”

Mihintale – the nation’s pride

Mihintale, the serene spot
Where once religion and culture met
On the misty heights
Of Lanka's ancient fame
In king Devanampiya's reign
Under the benevolent eyes
Of grant Mahinda Thera
Today lay with sacred frescoes
Daubed on rugged rock ..... walls
With ruins that whisper
Of Mahinda Thera and his compassionate mission.
Our eyes have seen thee and sparkled
And our ears have caught thy melodious name.
You are truly Lanka's foremost divine spot
Where once king Tissa and Mahinda Thera met
With honoured glow and pride
When, casting away his savage bow and arrow
The king and country embraced the noble path of Buddhism.
Today in silent splendour lay
This gem of our hallowed past
When Mahinda Thera alighted on misty Misaaka hill
On that memorable Poson Poya day.
Mihintale, Lanka's pride of all time,
Mahinda Thera's dream so dear and true
Where scenes of religious grandeur
Ancient sculptors cast
Now rests in silent depths
Beneath our Aryan skies.
Ever admired beauty of art
You calmly stand as inspiration's glow.
Who lent thee the magic brain
To convert this rugged rock
Into a religious edifice of such renown
Where wearied pilgrims daily stamp
Their dusty feet on thy ample granite steps.
Hearts have marvelled at thy ruins
And monks and monarchs have adored thee
On this and on every Poson Poya day.

Andrew Scott