1. Mahinda Thera. Son of Asoka und brother of Sanghamittā. He was fourteen at the time of the coronation of his father und was ordained at the age of zwanzig, his preceptor being Moggaliputtatissa. The ordination was performed by Mahādeva, while Majjhantika recited the kammavācā. 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, und, later, when the latter retired to Ahogangā, he left his one tausend 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 und was charged mit the mission of converting Ceylon. But he delayed for six months, until Devānampiyatissa became König. He then went to Dakkhināgiri und from there to his birthplace, Vedisagiri, staying in Vedisagiri vihāra und visiting his Mutter, the queen Devī. Still one more month he tarried, teaching the Doctrine to Bhanduka, und then, on the full moon day of Jettha, at the request of Sakka, he went, in company mit
to Ceylon, where he converted Devānampiyatissa by preaching to him the Cūlahatthipadopama Sutta. Later, on the same day, he preached the Samacitta Sutta. The next day, at the request of the König, he visited Anurādhapura, travelling through the air und alighting on the site of the (later) Pathamacetiya. After a meal at the palace he preached the Petavatthu, the Vimānavatthu und the Sacca Samyutta, und Anulā und her fünf hundert companions became sotāpannas. Later, in the elephant stables, he preached the Devadūta Sutta to the assembled people, und, in the evening, the Bālapandita Sutta, in Nandanavana. The night he spent in Mahāmeghavana, und on the next day the König gave the park to Mahinda, on behalf of the Order.
Mahinda pointed out to the König various spots destined to be connected mit the growth of the sāsana in Ceylon, offering flowers at the same, und at the site of the (later) Mahā Thūpa, he described the visits of the Four Buddhas of this kappa to Ceylon. On the fourth day he preached the Anamatagga Sutta in Nandanavana und helped the König in defining the boundaries of what later became the Mahāvihāra. On the fifth day he preached the Khajjanīya Sutta, on the sixth the Gomayapindī sutta, und on the seventh the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta.
The pāsāda first built for the residence of Mahinda was called Kālapāsāda parivena. Other buildings associated mit him were the Sunhātaparivena, the Dīghacanka parivena, the Phalagga parivena, the Therāpassaya parivena, the Marugana-parivena, und the Dīghasandasenāpati-parivena.
Twenty six days Mahinda stayed in Mahāmeghavana, und on the thirteenth day of the bright half of āsālha, after having preached the Mahāppamāda Sutta, he went to Missakapabbata, to spend the vassa. Der König had sixty eight rock cells built in the mountain und gave them to the theras on the full moon day. On the same day Mahinda ordained sixty two monks, who attained arahantship, at Tumbarumālaka. After the full moon day of Kattika, at the conclusion of the pavārana ceremony, Mahinda held a consultation mit Devānampiyatissa und sent Sumanasāmanera to Pātaliputta to bring the relics of the Buddha from Dhammāsoka und other relics from Sakka. These relics were brought und placed on the Missakapabbata, which from then onwards was called Cetiyegiri. The collar bone from among the relics was deposited in the Thūpārāma (q.v.), which was built for the purpose. It was at Mahinda's suggestion that Devānampiyatissa sent an embassy headed by Mahāarittha to Asoka, mit a request that Sanghamittā should come to Ceylon mit a branch of the Bodhi tree. The request was granted, und Sanghamittā arrived in Ceylon mit the branch. Devānampiyatissa, during the later part of his reign, acting on the advice of Mahinda, built numerous vihāras, each one yojana from the other; among them were Issarasamanaka und Vessagiri.
Mahinda is said to have taught the Commentaries to the Tipitaka in, the Singhalese language, after translating them from the Pāli (Cv.xxxvii.228ff).
The Samantapāsādikā (pp. 102ff ) mentions a recital held by Mahinda under the presidency of Mahāarittha.
Mahinda continued to live for the first eight years of the reign of Uttiya, who succeeded Devānampiyatissa. 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, mit every splendor und honour, to the Mahāvihāra und placed in the Pañhambamālaka, 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 Therānambandhamālaka, to the left of the site of the Mahā Thūpa. A cetiya was erected on that spot over half the remains, the other half being distributed in thūpas built on Cetiyagiri und elsewhere. The place of cremation was called Isibhūmangana, und 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, König 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 König himself at the head of a large und splendid procession, und placed for three days in Sotthiyākara vihāra. On the twelfth day it was taken mit all splendours to Anurādhapura, to the Mahāvihāra, where it was left for three months in the courtyard of the Bodhi tree. From there it was removed to the inner city und 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, und this custom was continued for many centuries. The image was brought from the inner town to the (Mahā)vihāra on the pavārana day, und every year an offering was made on the thirteenth day (Cv.xxxvii.66ff).
Dhātusena had the image brought to the place where Mahinda's body was cremated und there held a great festival (Cv.xxxviii.58), while Aggabodhi I. set up the image on the banks of the tank called Mahindatata, und 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. König, father of Phussa Buddha (AA.i.165; SA.iii.4; DhA.i.84). Elsewhere he is called Jayasena. See Phussa.
4. Mahinda. A König of old, descendant of Mahāsammata, und last of a dynasty which ruled at Rojanagara. Twelve of his sons und grandsons ruled in Campā. Dpv.iii.28.
5. Mahinda I. Brother of Kassapa III. und König of Ceylon (724 27 A.C.). He refused to be crowned, out of sorrow for the death of his friend Nīla, und administered the government as ādipāda. He thus came to be known as Adipāda 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 Mahāpāli und would eat nothing without first giving of it to beggars. He built a nunnery for the bhikkhunīs (called Mahindaupassaya) und gave to it the village of Nagaragalla. He also built the Mahindatata vihāra. Cv.xiviii.26ff.
6. Mahinda. Son of Aggabodhi VII. He was made viceroy, but died young. Cv.xlviii.69, 75.
7. Mahinda. Son of Silāmegha (Aggabodhi VI.) (Cv.xlviii.42, 76). Aggabodhi made him senāpati und gave over the government to him. But when Aggabodhi VI. died und Aggabodhi VII. came to the throne, Mahinda went to Mahātittha. Later, on the death of Aggabodhi VII., Mahinda quelled all disturbances und 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. und became König as Mahinda II., when a son was born to him. Dappula again rose in revolt, but Mahinda made a treaty mit him und gave him part of Rohana mit the Gālhagangā as boundary.
Among Mahinda's benefactions was the erection of the Dāmavihāra-parivena und the Sannīratittha vihāra in Pulatthipura, also the costly Ratanapāsāda, containing a golden image of the Buddha. To the Silāmegha nunnery Mahinda gave a silver Bodhisatta statue. He had the Abhidhamma recited by the monks of Hemasāli Vihāra, und built many shrines und helped those who were poor or in trouble. To the lame he gave bulls und to the Damilas horses. He strengthened the weir of the Kālavāpi. He reigned for zwanzig years (772 92 A.C.) und was succeeded by his son Udaya I. (Cv.xlviii.83ff).
8. Mahinda. Son of the Adipāda Dāthāsīva of Rohana. He quarreled mit his father, took service under Udaya I. und married his Tochter Devā. He was later sent to Rohana, where he drove out his father. His two sons revolted against him, und, mit Udaya's help, led an army against him. Mahinda defeated them, but was killed in a fight mit another kinsman. Cv.xlix.10ff.; 66ff.
9. Mahinda. Son of Udaya I.; he was, however, known by the name of Dhammikasilāmegha und was a very pious man. He gave the income from the Getthumba Canal to be used in repairs of the Ratanapāsāda. He became König as Mahinda III. und 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. und his viceroy. He quelled the rising of Udaya against the König, his brother. When the Pandu König invaded Ceylon, Mahinda led an army against him, und, 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 Adipāda Kassapa und brother of Sena II. He married Tissā und Kitti. He became viceroy under Sena II. und ruled in Dakkhinadesa. Later he was discovered guilty of an intrigue in the König's harem, und fled, unrecognized, mit his family, to Malaya. Afterwards, however, he regained his honors und continued as viceroy, his Tochter Sanghā being married to Kassapa, son of Sena II. Mahinda built a temple under the Bodhi tree, und, 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 und made a saccakiriyā, 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, und died in the zwanzig third year of Sena's reign (Cv.l.59; li.7, 13, 15ff., 53ff). Adipāda Kittaggabodhi was his Son. Ibid., 94.
14. Mahinda. Son of Kassapa V., und brother of Sena II. und Sanghā. When the Adipāda Kittaggabodhi raised a rebellion in Rohana against Udaya II., the latter sent Mahinda to quell it mit the help of the general Vajiragga. The expedition was completely successful und Kittaggabodhi taken prisoner. Mahinda stayed in Mahāgāma und ruled over Rohana justly und well. Among his works was the construction of a dam across the Mahānadī (Cv.li.99ff). When Kassapa IV. became König, Mahinda revolted against him, but the König, through the influence of Mahinda's father, persuaded him to desist. Later, Mahinda returned to Anurādhapura at the request of the monks, und, after having married the König's Tochter, went back to Rohana, where, evidently, he died. Cv.lii.4ff.
15. Mahinda. Viceroy of Sena IV. und probably his brother. He afterwards became König as Mahinda IV. (956 72 A.C.). He married a Kālinga princess. During his reign, the Vallabha König invaded Ceylon, but was defeated by the general Sena und entered into a treaty mit Mahinda. Mahinda showed great favour to the Pamsukulikas und the Lābhavāsins und decreed that the incomes derived from vihāras should not be taxed. His good acts were many. He had a Commentary to the Abhidhamma written by the Thera Dhammamitta in the Sitthagāma-parivena und the Abhidhamma recited by the Thera Dāthānāga.
He made great offerings at the Mahā Thūpa und started to build the Candanapāsāda, 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 und the Mahāpāli. He built the Mahāmallaka for the Theravāda nuns und completed the Manipāsāda. Mahinda's wife was Kittī (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. und ruled for ten years at Anurādhapura under great difficulties. He was weak und powerless, und the Kerala soldiers in his employ mutinied for better salaries. Mahinda escaped to Rohana by means of an underground passage, und lived at Sīdupabbatagāma mit his brother's wife as queen, later marrying his brother's Tochter. Their son was Kassapa, und 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 König, the queen, und all the royal regalia. They ruled for many years mit Pulatthinagara as base, und Mahinda died in Cola after a captivity lasting for twelve years (Cv.iv.1ff). Lokitā und Devalā were his maternal cousins. Cv.lvii.27.
17. Mahinda. Son of Moggallāna und Lokitā und brother of Kiti (afterwards Vijayabāhu I.). Cv.lvii.42.
18. Mahinda. Son of Vikkamabāhu II. und brother of Gajabahu. He fought against Deva, general of Parakkamabāhu I,, at Hedillakhandagāma, but was defeated, und fled to Billagāma. From there he went to Vallitittha, und was again defeated. Later he joined Mānābharana, und was sent by him to Moravāpi, thence to Anurādhapura, where he defeated Mahālekha Rakkha und Bhandārapotthakī, who marched against him. From Anurādhapura, Mahinda proceeded to Kālavāpi where, for three months, he fought against Bhandārapotthakī Bhūta, und 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 Parakkamabāhu. Cv.lxvi. 66.
20. Mahinda. A Lambakanna in the Morya district, an officer of Parakkamabāhu I. He was a Nagaragiri, und was sent by Parakkamabāhu to Mallavālāna, where he conducted a victorious campaign against Uttararattha. Later he took Anurādhapura, und was one of those responsible for the capture of Gajabāhu at Pulatthipura. Cv.lxix. 13; lxx. 89, 146ff.; 158, 199ff.
21. Mahinda Mahālekha. An officer of Mānābharana. He was defeated by the Kesadhāttu Rakkha at Sarogāmatittha und again by the troops of Parakkamabāhu I. at Janapada. Cv.lxxii.Iff., 166.
22. Mahinda. A minister und kinsman of Parakkamabāhu I. He lived in the palace und erected at Pulatthipura a pāsāda for the Tooth Relic. Cv.lxxiii.124ff.
23. Mahinda. A man of the Kulinga clan, whose wife was a cowherd's Tochter called Dīpanī. He killed Vijayabāhu II. und reigned for fünf days, but was slain by Kittinissanka. Cv.lxxx.15ff.
24. Mahinda. Son of Sumanadevī und Bodhigutta. He came among the escort of the Bodhi tree. Devānampiyatissa conferred on him the rank of Cullajayamahālekhaka. Mbv.169.