1. Mahinda Thera. Son of Asoka and brother of Sanghamittá. He was fourteen at the time of the coronation of his father and was ordained at the age of twenty, his preceptor being Moggaliputtatissa. The ordination was performed by Mahádeva, while Majjhantika recited the kammavácá. Mahinda became an arahant on the day of his ordination (Mhv.v.204ff.; Dpv.v.24 f ; Sp.i.51). He spent three years in study of the Doctrine under his preceptor, and, later, when the latter retired to Ahogangá, he left his one thousand disciples for seven years under the care of Mahinda (Mhv.v.233; Sp.i.52). When the Third Council was held, Mahinda had been for twelve years a monk and was charged with the mission of converting Ceylon. But he delayed for six months, until Devánampiyatissa became king. He then went to Dakkhinágiri and from there to his birthplace, Vedisagiri, staying in Vedisagiri vihára and visiting his mother, the queen Deví. Still one more month he tarried, teaching the Doctrine to Bhanduka, and then, on the full moon day of Jettha, at the request of Sakka, he went, in company with
to Ceylon, where he converted Devánampiyatissa by preaching to him the Cúlahatthipadopama Sutta. Later, on the same day, he preached the Samacitta Sutta. The next day, at the request of the king, he visited Anurádhapura, travelling through the air and alighting on the site of the (later) Pathamacetiya. After a meal at the palace he preached the Petavatthu, the Vimánavatthu and the Sacca Samyutta, and Anulá and her five hundred companions became sotápannas. Later, in the elephant stables, he preached the Devadúta Sutta to the assembled people, and, in the evening, the Bálapandita Sutta, in Nandanavana. The night he spent in Mahámeghavana, and on the next day the king gave the park to Mahinda, on behalf of the Order.
Mahinda pointed out to the king various spots destined to be connected with the growth of the sásana in Ceylon, offering flowers at the same, and at the site of the (later) Mahá Thúpa, he described the visits of the Four Buddhas of this kappa to Ceylon. On the fourth day he preached the Anamatagga Sutta in Nandanavana and helped the king in defining the boundaries of what later became the Mahávihára. On the fifth day he preached the Khajjaníya Sutta, on the sixth the Gomayapindí sutta, and on the seventh the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.
The pásáda first built for the residence of Mahinda was called Kálapásáda parivena. Other buildings associated with him were the Sunhátaparivena, the Díghacanka parivena, the Phalagga parivena, the Therápassaya parivena, the Marugana-parivena, and the Díghasandasenápati-parivena.
Twenty six days Mahinda stayed in Mahámeghavana, and on the thirteenth day of the bright half of Ásálha, after having preached the Maháppamáda Sutta, he went to Missakapabbata, to spend the vassa. The king had sixty eight rock cells built in the mountain and gave them to the theras on the full moon day. On the same day Mahinda ordained sixty two monks, who attained arahantship, at Tumbarumálaka. After the full moon day of Kattika, at the conclusion of the pavárana ceremony, Mahinda held a consultation with Devánampiyatissa and sent Sumanasámanera to Pátaliputta to bring the relics of the Buddha from Dhammásoka and other relics from Sakka. These relics were brought and placed on the Missakapabbata, which from then onwards was called Cetiyegiri. The collar bone from among the relics was deposited in the Thúpáráma (q.v.), which was built for the purpose. It was at Mahinda's suggestion that Devánampiyatissa sent an embassy headed by Maháarittha to Asoka, with a request that Sanghamittá should come to Ceylon with a branch of the Bodhi tree. The request was granted, and Sanghamittá arrived in Ceylon with the branch. Devánampiyatissa, during the later part of his reign, acting on the advice of Mahinda, built numerous viháras, each one yojana from the other; among them were Issarasamanaka and Vessagiri.
Mahinda is said to have taught the Commentaries to the Tipitaka in, the Singhalese language, after translating them from the Páli (Cv.xxxvii.228ff).
The Samantapásádiká (pp. 102ff ) mentions a recital held by Mahinda under the presidency of Maháarittha.
Mahinda continued to live for the first eight years of the reign of Uttiya, who succeeded Devánampiyatissa. Then, at the age of sixty, he died on the eighth day of the bright half of Assayuja, in Cetiyagiri, where he was spending the rainy season. His body was brought in procession, with every splendor and honour, to the Mahávihára and placed in the Pañhambamálaka, where homage was paid to it for a whole week. It was then burnt on a pyre of fragrant wood on the east of the Theránambandhamálaka, to the left of the site of the Mahá Thúpa. A cetiya was erected on that spot over half the remains, the other half being distributed in thúpas built on Cetiyagiri and elsewhere. The place of cremation was called Isibhúmangana, and there for many centuries were cremated the remains of holy men who lived within a distance of three yojanas.( For details of Mahinda see Mhv.xiii. xx; Dpv.vii.57f., xii., xiii., iv.: xv.; Sp.i.61, 69ff., 79ff., 83ff., 90ff., 103, etc.)
Later, King Sirimeghavanip had a life size image of Mahinda made of gold; this he took to the Ambatthalacetiya. For eight days a festival was held in its honour; on the ninth day the image was taken from Ambatthala, carried by the king himself at the head of a large and splendid procession, and placed for three days in Sotthiyákara vihára. On the twelfth day it was taken with all splendours to Anurádhapura, to the Mahávihára, where it was left for three months in the courtyard of the Bodhi tree. From there it was removed to the inner city and deposited in a magnificent image house to the south east of the palace. An endowment was set up for the annual performance of ceremonies in honour of the image, and this custom was continued for many centuries. The image was brought from the inner town to the (Mahá)vihára on the pavárana day, and every year an offering was made on the thirteenth day (Cv.xxxvii.66ff).
Dhátusena had the image brought to the place where Mahinda's body was cremated and there held a great festival (Cv.xxxviii.58), while Aggabodhi I. set up the image on the banks of the tank called Mahindatata, and ensured that the special task of carrying the image to the dyke of the tank was the task of the Taracchas. Cv.xlii.30.
2. Mahinda. See Indra (=Sakka).
3. Mahinda. King, father of Phussa Buddha (AA.i.165; SA.iii.4; DhA.i.84). Elsewhere he is called Jayasena. See Phussa.
4. Mahinda. A king of old, descendant of Mahásammata, and last of a dynasty which ruled at Rojanagara. Twelve of his sons and grandsons ruled in Campá. Dpv.iii.28.
5. Mahinda I. Brother of Kassapa III. and king of Ceylon (724 27 A.C.). He refused to be crowned, out of sorrow for the death of his friend Níla, and administered the government as ádipáda. He thus came to be known as Adipáda Mahinda. His brother's son, Aggabodhi, was his viceroy, while his own son was made ruler of Dakkhinadesa.
He gave ten cartloads of food to the Mahápáli and would eat nothing without first giving of it to beggars. He built a nunnery for the bhikkhunís (called Mahindaupassaya) and gave to it the village of Nagaragalla. He also built the Mahindatata vihára. Cv.xiviii.26ff.
6. Mahinda. Son of Aggabodhi VII. He was made viceroy, but died young. Cv.xlviii.69, 75.
7. Mahinda. Son of Silámegha (Aggabodhi VI.) (Cv.xlviii.42, 76). Aggabodhi made him senápati and gave over the government to him. But when Aggabodhi VI. died and Aggabodhi VII. came to the throne, Mahinda went to Mahátittha. Later, on the death of Aggabodhi VII., Mahinda quelled all disturbances and put the queen in chains because she conspired to kill him. His cousin Dappula rose against him, but was defeated after much fighting. Mahinda then married the queen of Aggabodhi VI. and became king as Mahinda II., when a son was born to him. Dappula again rose in revolt, but Mahinda made a treaty with him and gave him part of Rohana with the Gálhagangá as boundary.
Among Mahinda's benefactions was the erection of the Dámavihára-parivena and the Sanníratittha vihára in Pulatthipura, also the costly Ratanapásáda, containing a golden image of the Buddha. To the Silámegha nunnery Mahinda gave a silver Bodhisatta statue. He had the Abhidhamma recited by the monks of Hemasáli Vihára, and built many shrines and helped those who were poor or in trouble. To the lame he gave bulls and to the Damilas horses. He strengthened the weir of the Kálavápi. He reigned for twenty years (772 92 A.C.) and was succeeded by his son Udaya I. (Cv.xlviii.83ff).
8. Mahinda. Son of the Adipáda Dáthásíva of Rohana. He quarreled with his father, took service under Udaya I. and married his daughter Devá. He was later sent to Rohana, where he drove out his father. His two sons revolted against him, and, with Udaya's help, led an army against him. Mahinda defeated them, but was killed in a fight with another kinsman. Cv.xlix.10ff.; 66ff.
9. Mahinda. Son of Udaya I.; he was, however, known by the name of Dhammikasilámegha and was a very pious man. He gave the income from the Getthumba Canal to be used in repairs of the Ratanapásáda. He became king as Mahinda III. and reigned for four years (797 801 A.C.). Cv.xlix.38ff.
10. Mahinda. Son of Mahinda III. When Aggabodhi IX. came to the throne, contrary to the laws of succession, Mahinda fled to India (Cv.xlix.84f). He was afterwards slain by Sena I. (Cv.l.4).
11. Mahinda. Younger brother of Sena I. and his viceroy. He quelled the rising of Udaya against the king, his brother. When the Pandu king invaded Ceylon, Mahinda led an army against him, and, on the defeat of his forces, he cut his own throat. Cv.l. 6, 10, 21ff.
12. Mahinda. Eldest son of Kittaggabodhi, ruler of Rohana. He was killed by Kittaggabodhi's sister. Cv.l.51.
13. Mahinda. Son of the Adipáda Kassapa and brother of Sena II. He married Tissá and Kitti. He became viceroy under Sena II. and ruled in Dakkhinadesa. Later he was discovered guilty of an intrigue in the king's harem, and fled, unrecognized, with his family, to Malaya. Afterwards, however, he regained his honors and continued as viceroy, his daughter Sanghá being married to Kassapa, son of Sena II. Mahinda built a temple under the Bodhi tree, and, in the course of its construction, a workman discovered that one of the beams would harm a branch of the tree. Mahinda, on being informed of this, came and made a saccakiriyá, as a result of which the branch of the tree straightened itself during the night, leaving the building free. Mahinda also built the Mahindasena parivena, and died in the twenty third year of Sena's reign (Cv.l.59; li.7, 13, 15ff., 53ff). Adipáda Kittaggabodhi was his Son. Ibid., 94.
14. Mahinda. Son of Kassapa V., and brother of Sena II. and Sanghá. When the Adipáda Kittaggabodhi raised a rebellion in Rohana against Udaya II., the latter sent Mahinda to quell it with the help of the general Vajiragga. The expedition was completely successful and Kittaggabodhi taken prisoner. Mahinda stayed in Mahágáma and ruled over Rohana justly and well. Among his works was the construction of a dam across the Mahánadí (Cv.li.99ff). When Kassapa IV. became king, Mahinda revolted against him, but the king, through the influence of Mahinda's father, persuaded him to desist. Later, Mahinda returned to Anurádhapura at the request of the monks, and, after having married the king's daughter, went back to Rohana, where, evidently, he died. Cv.lii.4ff.
15. Mahinda. Viceroy of Sena IV. and probably his brother. He afterwards became king as Mahinda IV. (956 72 A.C.). He married a Kálinga princess. During his reign, the Vallabha king invaded Ceylon, but was defeated by the general Sena and entered into a treaty with Mahinda. Mahinda showed great favour to the Pamsukulikas and the Lábhavásins and decreed that the incomes derived from viháras should not be taxed. His good acts were many. He had a Commentary to the Abhidhamma written by the Thera Dhammamitta in the Sitthagáma-parivena and the Abhidhamma recited by the Thera Dáthánága.
He made great offerings at the Mahá Thúpa and started to build the Candanapásáda, where he had preserved the Hair Relic of the Buddha. He restored the temple of the four cetiyas in Padalañchana as well as the Temple of the Tooth, the Dhammasanganigeha and the Mahápáli. He built the Mahámallaka for the Theraváda nuns and completed the Manipásáda. Mahinda's wife was Kittí (q.n), who, herself, engaged in various works. Their son was Sena (Sena V.). Cv.liv.1ff.; Cv. Trs.i.178, n. 2; 179, n. 2; 183, n. 2.
16. Mahinda. Younger brother of Sena V. He succeeded Sena as Mahinda V. and ruled for ten years at Anurádhapura under great difficulties. He was weak and powerless, and the Kerala soldiers in his employ mutinied for better salaries. Mahinda escaped to Rohana by means of an underground passage, and lived at Sídupabbatagáma with his brother's wife as queen, later marrying his brother's daughter. Their son was Kassapa, and afterwards they lived in Kappagallaka. In the thirty sixth year of Mahinda's reign, the Colas, taking advantage of the discontent in Ceylon, invaded the country, capturing the king, the queen, and all the royal regalia. They ruled for many years with Pulatthinagara as base, and Mahinda died in Cola after a captivity lasting for twelve years (Cv.iv.1ff). Lokitá and Devalá were his maternal cousins. Cv.lvii.27.
17. Mahinda. Son of Moggallána and Lokitá and brother of Kiti (afterwards Vijayabáhu I.). Cv.lvii.42.
18. Mahinda. Son of Vikkamabáhu II. and brother of Gajabahu. He fought against Deva, general of Parakkamabáhu I,, at Hedillakhandagáma, but was defeated, and fled to Billagáma. From there he went to Vallitittha, and was again defeated. Later he joined Mánábharana, and was sent by him to Moravápi, thence to Anurádhapura, where he defeated Mahálekha Rakkha and Bhandárapotthakí, who marched against him. From Anurádhapura, Mahinda proceeded to Kálavápi where, for three months, he fought against Bhandárapotthakí Bhúta, and was finally defeated by him. This is the last we hear of him. Cv.lxii.59; lxxii.46, 82, 123ff., 176ff., 191f., 198ff.
19. Mahinda. An officer of Kittisirimegha, sent by him to fetch the young Parakkamabáhu. Cv.lxvi. 66.
20. Mahinda. A Lambakanna in the Morya district, an officer of Parakkamabáhu I. He was a Nagaragiri, and was sent by Parakkamabáhu to Mallaválána, where he conducted a victorious campaign against Uttararattha. Later he took Anurádhapura, and was one of those responsible for the capture of Gajabáhu at Pulatthipura. Cv.lxix. 13; lxx. 89, 146ff.; 158, 199ff.
21. Mahinda Mahálekha. An officer of Mánábharana. He was defeated by the Kesadháttu Rakkha at Sarogámatittha and again by the troops of Parakkamabáhu I. at Janapada. Cv.lxxii.Iff., 166.
22. Mahinda. A minister and kinsman of Parakkamabáhu I. He lived in the palace and erected at Pulatthipura a pásáda for the Tooth Relic. Cv.lxxiii.124ff.
23. Mahinda. A man of the Kulinga clan, whose wife was a cowherd's daughter called Dípaní. He killed Vijayabáhu II. and reigned for five days, but was slain by Kittinissanka. Cv.lxxx.15ff.
24. Mahinda. Son of Sumanadeví and Bodhigutta. He came among the escort of the Bodhi tree. Devánampiyatissa conferred on him the rank of Cullajayamahálekhaka. Mbv.169.