King Mahasen

Mahasen 

(275 AD – 301 AD) 

After Mahasen was consecrated, his mentor Mahayana bhikku Sanghamittha came back to the city. 

Bhikku Sanghamittha convinced King Mahasen that Mahavihara bhikkus were not teaching real 

Vinaya (Disciplinary Code of Buddhism). 

Penalty for People Who Provided Food to Mahavihara Bhikkus: 

King Mahasen established a fine for anyone who provided food to Mahavihara bhikkus. Due to this 

reason, Mahavihara bhikkus were unable to survive in the capital city. They abandoned Mahavihara 

and went to Rohana. (Southern part of the country). 

Destruction of Mahavihara and Lowa Maha Paaya: 

Bhikku Sanghamittha advised the King, that since Mahavihara is abandoned by bhikkus, the land now 

belongs to the King himself. King gave permission to destroy Mahavihara. Bhikku Sanghamittha sent 

soldiers and destroyed Mahavihara and Lowa Maha Paaya. The building materials obtained from two 

buildings were used to build more buildings in Abhayagiri Vihara. 

(Author’s Note: Original Mahavihara was built by King Devanam Piya Tissa for the use of 

Mahinda Thera. Now almost six hundred years later it was destroyed during the time of King 

Mahasen). 

Rebellion by Minister Maghavannabaya: 

King Mahasen’s destruction of Mahavihara and Lowa Maha Paaya distressed many people in the 

country. One minister (who was a good friend of the King) named Meghavannabaya went to Rohana 

and gathered an army. King Mahasen came with the state army to fight the minister. Two armies 

camped on either side of Duratissa reservoir. During the night, minister thought I should have dinner 

with my good friend, King Mahasen, who is camped on other side of the reservoir. (Two were about 

to fight with each other next morning). The minister went to King’s camp and introduced himself and 

the King let him come to the camp. Two had dinner together. King asked why, he (the minister) 

became a rebel. The minister stated that destruction of Mahavihara by the King made him a rebel. 

King apologized for the deed and promised to reconstruct Mahavihara. 

Death of Sanghamitta: 

After destroying Mahavihara, bhikku Sanghamittha came with men to destroy Thuparama. At that 

time one of King’s wives provided money to workers to kill Sanghamittha. The workers killed 

Sanghamittha and saved Thuparama from destruction. 

As promised, King built the Mahavihara. Bhikkus who left Mahavihara came back to dwell there. 

Construction of the Jethavana Vihara:

A friend of Sanghamitta, Thera Tissa was the Mahathera or the chief monk of Dakkinarama. He 

convinced the King to build a huge Thupa in the land belonging to Mahavihara. Mahavihara bhikkus 

tried to stop this action but was unable to do so. Jethavana Vihara was built on the land belonging to 

Mahavihara. 

King Mahasen built Manihira (Minneriya) reservoir and fifteen other reservoirs and the Pabbathantha

canal. 

Sixteen reservoirs built by King Mahasen are; (Manihira, Mahagama, Challura, Khanu, Mahamani, 

Kokavata, Dhammarama, Kumbalaka, Vahana, Ratmalakandaka, Tissavadamanaka, Velangavitthi, 

Mahagallaka, Cira, Mahadaragallaka, Kalapasana). 

As per Mahavamsa, he gathered much merit and much sin. 

Author’s Note: Ratmalakandaka is identified to be Padawiya reservoir, Tissavadamanaka as 

Kaudulla reservoir, Mahadaragallaka as Nachchaduwa reservoir. 

Author’s Note: King Mahasen’s time period was a golden era in Lanka but not for Buddhism. 

King Mahasen was the first to destroy Mahavihara yet after his death, people made him a god. Even 

today, almost two thousand years later people in Sri Lanka call him Mahasen Deviyo or Minneri 

Deviyo). 

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