1. Vijayabáhu. King of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu I., 1059-1114 A.C.). His earlier name was Kitti; his parents were Moggallána and Lokitá (Cv.lvii.42f.; but see Cv.Trs.i.201, n.1), and from his thirtieth year he lived in Múlasálá. Later, without the knowledge of his parents, he left home, defeated the general Loka, and became Adipáda of Malaya after bringing this province under his power. At the age of sixteen he defeated Kassapa, chief of the Kesadhátus, and became ruler of Rohana as well, assuming the title of Yuvarája and the name of Vijayabáhu. At this time the Colas were in possession of the government at Pulatthipura, and they made efforts to stem the advance of Vijayabáhu. They were at first successful, owing to the disunion among the Singhalese themselves, but Vijayabáhu conquered the Cola armies near Palutthapabbata and marched to Pulatthipura. He was helped by forces sent by the king of Rámańńa, to whom he sent an embassy with various presents. He had, however, to bide his time, and retreated to Vátagiri. From there he went, in due course, to Mahánágahula, his officers having, in the meantime, crushed all opposition in Dakkhinadesa and captured the province of Anurádhapura and the district round Mahátittha. When he felt the right moment had arrived, Vijayabáhu marched once more to Pulatthipura and captured it after a siege of one and a half months. From there he advanced to Anurádhapura, spent three months in the city and returned to Pulatthipura. This was fifteen years after he became Yuvarája. In the eighteenth year he crowned himself king, under the title of Sirisanghabodhi, making his younger brother Vírabáhu Yuvarája and governor of Dakkhinadesa, and his other brother, Jayabáhu, Adipáda and governor of Rohana. The king had several queens, among whom was Lílávatí, a Cola princess and daughter of Jagatípála; by her he had a daughter Yasodhará. Another of his queens was a Kálinga princess, Tilokasundarí, by whom he had five daughters Subhaddá, Sumittá, Lokanáthá, Ratanávalí and Rúpavatí and a son called Vikkamabáhu. Vijayabáhu gave his younger sister, Mittá, in marriage to the king of Pandu, refusing an offer of marriage made by the Cola king.
When peace had been established, Vijayabáhu sent messengers to Anuruddha, king of Rámańńa, and fetched monks from that country to help in the reformation of the Sangha in Ceylon. He gave over the whole district of Alisára for the use of the monks and built many viháras. He translated the Dhammasangani and held an annual Dandissara offering. He also had the Tipitaka copied, and presented the copies to various monks. Because the Singhalese envoys sent to Kannáta were insulted and maimed, the king prepared to send a punitive expedition to Cola, but the Velakkára troops revolted, captured Mittá and her children, and burned the king's palace. The king was forced to retreat to Dakkhinadesa but, with the help of Vírabáhu, he defeated the rebels. In the forty fifth year of his reign he took an army to Cola and stopped at a seaport in that country; but as the Cola king refused to accept his challenge to fight, he returned to his own country. He repaired many tanks and restored many viháras in various parts of the country. He provided facilities for pilgrims journeying to Samantakúta, and patronized the Lábhavásí and the Vantajívaka monks. He ruled for fifty five years. Vírabáhu died before him, and he made Jayabáhu Uparája in his place. For details of Vijayabáhu's reign, see Cv. chaps. lviii lx.
2. Vijayabáhu. Sister's son of Parakkamabáhu I. and king of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu II., 1186-87 A.C.). He succeeded his uncle. Among his acts was the grant of an amnesty to all those imprisoned by Parakkamabáhu I., and the dispatch of an embassy to the king of Arimaddana with a letter in Páli, composed by himself. He was a good king, but was slain at the end of one year's reign by Mahinda (afterwards Mahinda VI.). His viceroy was Kittinissanka. Cv.lxxx.1-18.
3. Vijayabáhu. King of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu III., 1232-36 A.C.). He claimed descent from King Sirisanghabodhi I. and was lord of the Vanní. He found the government of Ceylon in the hands of the Damilas, and, after defeating them, he established the seat of government in Jambuddoni. He sent for the monks, who, with Vácissara at their head, had left Ceylon during the preceding disturbed period and had deposited the Buddha's Alms bowl and Tooth Relic in the rock fortress at Billasela. The king did much for the reform of the priesthood and built various monasteries, chief of which was the Vijayasundaráráma and the Vijayabáhu vihára. He had two sons, Parakkamabáhu and Bhuvanekabáhu. He appointed the Elder Sangharakkhita as head of the Order in Ceylon. Cv.lxxxi.10ff.
4. Vijayabáhu. King of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu IV., 1271-72 A.C.). He was the eldest of the five sons of Parakkamabáhu II., his brothers being Bhuvanekabáhu, Tibhuvanamalla, Parakkamabáhu and Jayabáhu. With the consent of the monks, Parakkamabáhu II. handed over the government, before his death, to Vijayabáhu, who was evidently very popular, and was known among his subjects as a Bodhisatta. (See, e.g., Cv.lxxxviii.35). He restored Pulatthipura and built and renovated numerous monasteries, among them the vihára at Titthagáma. During his reign, Candabhánu invaded Ceylon, but was defeated by the king with the help of his Adipáda, Vírabáhu. Vijayabáhu built a city near Subhagiri and made it his seat of government. He restored the Ratnávalí cetiya and gave Anurádhapura into the charge of the Vanni chiefs. Later, when Vírabáhu had completely restored Pulatthipura, the king was consecrated there in the presence of his father, who came over from Jambuddoni. Then, at the desire of his father, he held, on the Maháválukagangá, at Sahassatittha, a festival for admission into the Order. The celebrations lasted a fortnight, and the king conferred on the monks various ranks, such as mahásámipáda, múlatherapáda, parivenathera, etc. Two years after the death of Parakkamabáhu, Vijayabáhu was slain by a treacherous general, named Mitta. For details regarding Vijayabáhu, see Cv.lxxxvii.14 xc.1.
Vijayabáhu's son was Parakkamabáhu III . Cv.xc.48.
5. Vijayabáhu. King of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu V.). He succeeded Vannibhuvanekabáhu, and was himself succeeded by Bhuvanekabáhu IV. Cv.xc.105; he was among the successors of Parakkamabáhu IV., and reigned somewhere between 1302 and 1346 A.C.
6. Vijayabáhu. King of Ceylon (Vijayabáhu VI.). He was one of the successors of Parakkamabáhu VI. His immediate predecessor was Víraparakkamabáhu. Cv.xcii.4; his reign was somewhere between 1405 and 1411 A.C.