A locality in the old Mahánága garden, on the banks of the Maháválukagangá. It was there that the Buddha hovered in the air on his first visit to Ceylon, in order to frighten the Yakkhas. Later, Mahásumana built there a shrine seven cubits in diameter, all of sapphire, and containing the hair given to him by the Buddha. After the Buddha's death, Sarabhú, a disciple of Sáriputta, brought there the collar bone of the Buddha, which he deposited in the thúpa, increasing the height of the thúpa to twelve cubits. Uddhacúlábhaya raised it to thirty cubits, while Dutthagámaní, dwelling there during his campaign against the Damila Chatta, increased it to eighty cubits (Mhv.i.24, 33ff.; xxv.7; Cv. Trs.i.154, n.3). Vohárika Tissa erected a parasol over the thúpa (Mhv.xxxvi.34). Attached to the thúpa was a vihára, near which lived the three Lambakannas, Sanghatissa, Sanghabodhi and Gothábhaya (Mhv.xxxvi.58).
In later times, Sena II. gave maintenance villages to the vihára (Cv.li.74), as did also Kassapa IV. (Cv.lii.14). Vijayabáhu I. found the vihára in a bad state of decay and had it restored, (Cv.lx.59) while Parakkamabáhu VI. carried out repairs to the thúpa (Cv.xci.29). King Víravikamma went from his capital to Mahiyangana, a distance of seven gávutas on foot, and held a great festival in honour of the thúpa (Cv.xcii.17). King Narindasíha is mentioned as having visited Mahiyangana three times once alone and twice with his army and as having held magnificent festivals in its honour (Cv.xcvii.27ff). Vijayarájasíha held a festival there (Cv.xcviii.85), as did Kittisirirájasíha, who made a pilgrimage to the spot (Cv.xcix.38); he also made arrangements for travelers from Siam to Ceylon to visit the spot and hold celebrations there (Cv.c.125ff). Rájasíha II. was born in Mahiyangana, while his parents were staying there for protection from their enemies. Cv.xcv.12.