King of Ceylon (377-307 B.C.). He was the son of Dighagámaní and Ummáda Cittá and was protected from death in infancy by Citta and Kálavela, who afterwards became Yakkhas. He was brought up by a man in Dváramandalaka, but several times his uncles, discovering his whereabouts, tried to kill him, for it had been foretold that he would slay his uncles in order to obtain possession of the kingdom. At the age of sixteen he was apprenticed to the brahmin Pandula, who taught him various arts and provided him later with the necessary money for an army. Pandula's son, Canda, was given as friend and counsellor to Pandukábhaya. Pandukábhaya married, by force, a maiden named Suvannapálí, and declared war upon his uncles, all of whom, except the eldest, Abhaya, had determined to slay him. With the help of the Yakkhiní Cetiyá, who dwelt in Dhúmarakkhapabbata, Pandukábhaya made all preparations for a final campaign against his uncles. For four years he lived in Dhúmarakkha, and then for seven in Aritthapabbata. Following the counsel of Cetiyá, he enticed his uncles into a trap, and slew them and their followers at Lábugámaka. He then proceeded to Anurádhagáma, where he set up his capital, which, thenceforward, came to be called Anurádhapura. His uncle, Abhaya, was made Nagaraguttika, and to him was given over the government of the city by night.
After establishing peace in the land, Pandukábhaya proceeded to lay out his capital as a city, and among the buildings which he erected were hermitages for the Niganthas Jotiya, Giri and Kumbhanda, and dwellings for the Ájívakas, the brahmins, etc. He also marked out the boundaries of the villages throughout the island. He ruled for seventy years, and died at the age of 107. He was succeeded by his son Mutasíva. Mhv.ix.28; x.1ff.; xi.1; Dpv.v.69, 81; x.9; xi.1 12.