A monastery built by Uttiya, a general of Vattagámaní-Abhaya, to the south of Anurádhapura (Mhv.xxxiii.88; Dpv.xix.19). It was originally inhabited by monks from the Abhayagiri-vihára, but later there was a schism by the Dakkhinaviháraká, as the monks of the Dakkhina-vihára were called (Mhv.xxxiii.98).
Amandagamaní-Abhaya built for the monastery the Mahágámenditank (Mhv.xxxv.5), while Kanitthatissaka added a mantling to the thúpa and built a refectory on some land on the boundary of the Mahámeghavana; he also constructed a road to the vihára, and moved on to one side the wall of the Mahávihára in order to do this (Mhv.xxxvi.12f). Voháraka-Tissa erected a wall round the monastery (Mhv.vs.35) and Gothábhaya restored the uposatha hall (Mhv.vs.107). The thera Tissa, for whom Mahásena built the Jetavana-vihára, was an incumbent of Dakkhina-vihára, in this context called Dakkhináráma (Mhv.xxxvii.32). Aggabodhi I. erected a splendid pásáda in the vihára (Cv.xlii.14).
The vihára is generally identified with what is now known as Elára's tomb (But see Cv.Trs.i.66, n.3).