King Gotabhaya - House of Lambakarna I | Anuradhapura - (253 - 266) - Sri Lankan History - Kings - Governors - Prisidents

King Gotabhaya

House of Lambakarna I | Anuradhapura - (253 - 266)

The two brothers who came from Lambakanna descent. In this section, we have clarified that Prince Sirisangabo possessed the legitimate claim to the throne, and that Prince Gotabhaya opposed him; consequently, Sirisangabo renounced his kingship, went into the forest, and gave his head as an offering to a wayfarer. The third of the Lambakanna princes who came together was the youngest among them — Prince Gotabhaya. After King Sirisangabo fled, abandoning the throne unwilling to engage in war, Gotabhaya ascended to the throne. According to the Mahavamsa, he obtained kingship by acting treacherously against King Sirisangabo. Prince Gotabhaya had previously served as the royal treasurer. Gaining popularity among the people, he eventually realized that his youth would pass away while serving under another and therefore left for the northern region, where he became a rebel (dāmarika) and later came towards the capital. Since King Sirisangabo had fled without resistance, the empty throne fell to Gotabhaya. It appears that the dynasty founded by Gotabhaya continued to hold the throne of Lanka unbroken for more than one and a half centuries. When we speak of him, we can see that, almost by chance, a daring individual who came from Mahiyangana without any royal inheritance attained the kingship. However, as with the two kings before him, inscriptions clearly show that Prince Gotabhaya too had a legitimate hereditary claim to the throne. The Mahavamsa and the Dipavamsa mention that his name was also “Abhaya” and “Meghavanna.” Four inscriptions belonging to the reign of King Gotabhaya have been discovered. Among these, Professor Senarath Paranavitana provides detailed information regarding the inscription at Timbirivava. There are two inscriptions there. The first states that during the third regnal year of King Mēkavaṇa Abhaya, son of the great king Sirinaḳa, a minister named Mathula Siyara made certain religious offerings to a vihara. The second inscription records that Anula, the daughter of the minister Mithaya, son of Siyara, made offerings to a monastery in the second regnal year of King Mēkavaṇa Abhaya, son of the great king Sirinaḳa. The Sirināka Mahārāja mentioned in these inscriptions must have been one of the two kings called Siri Nāga mentioned in the Mahavamsa. The first Siri Nāga reigned between 191–210 A.D., while the second reigned between 240–242 A.D. The Mēkavaṇa Abhaya mentioned in the inscriptions can be identified as King Gotabhaya. Some scholars interpret Mēkavaṇa Abhaya as the king known in the Mahavamsa as Siri Meghavanna, but that is incorrect, because the records clearly establish that Siri Meghavanna was a son of King Mahasena. Therefore, identifying the ruler mentioned in these inscriptions as King Siri Nāga II is correct. The Dematamal Vihara inscription states that a king named Gotaka Abhaya offered fields to the Hayagiri Vihara. The Mandagala Vihara inscription records that during the first regnal year of a king named Mēkavaṇa Abhaya, a certain minister made religious offerings to a monastery called Kaḍanakapavata Vihara. Both Dematamal and Mandagala are situated in the Rohana region. Hence, it has been firmly established that King Gotaka Abhaya and King Mēkavaṇa Abhaya were one and the same — namely, King Gotabhaya described here. From this information, an important fact not mentioned in the chronicles is revealed: Gotabhaya was not only the brother of King Vijayinda but also possessed a legitimate hereditary right to the throne. From these clarifications, it becomes evident that all three princes who came from the Lambakanna lineage were firmly established within the Sinhala royal dynasty, not as outsiders as some have believed. The Mahavamsa states that after King Gotabhaya ascended the throne, he performed many religious works. First, he built a great park (Mahā Uyana), and at its gate constructed a hall where he held a grand almsgiving for monks, lasting twenty days. During this time, for some reason, the columns of the Lohapāsāda (Brazen Palace) had collapsed, and the king had them repaired. Around the sacred Bodhi Tree, he constructed stone terraces, four arches, four corner dharmachakras, and three stone gateways with images — many such monastic features are described as works completed under this king. The circular relic house at Mihintale is also attributed to him. To the west of the Mahavihara, he built a row of principal monastic residences (Padhanaghara) and restored all ruined monasteries throughout the island. In addition, King Gotabhaya established a new monastery named Meghavannabhaya Vihara. From the inscriptions mentioned earlier, not only can we see the religious activities of the king, but we also learn about his historical identity, the names of regions, and details concerning the administration of the kingdom. Although the inscriptions refer to him as Gotabhaya, Mēkavaṇa Abhaya, or Abhaya, the Dematamal inscription calls him “Gotaka Abhaya.” The term Gota has been interpreted to mean “short” or “stout.” The chronicles state that Abhaya, son of Prince Mahānāga, was called Gotaka Abhaya because he was of short stature. However, it appears that this word has a deeper meaning. In Sanskrit, the word goshti (meaning clan or group) could have evolved into “Gota” in Sinhala. Since in other inscriptions erected by others he is referred to as Mēkavaṇa Abhaya, while in the one erected by himself he uses Gotaka Abhaya, the information in the chronicles is confirmed. It has been mentioned earlier that King Gotabhaya came from the northern part of Lanka to seize the throne through rebellion. From this, we can infer that even before his kingship, the northern region had been favorable to him. According to his inscriptions, the Rohana region also accepted his authority. Thus, it is clear that King Gotabhaya’s power extended throughout the entire island. The smooth administration of the country without conflict or disorder must have allowed agriculture to flourish. This stability likely enabled the king to undertake many religious activities. However, when we examine events during the reign of his successor, it appears that some of King Gotabhaya’s ministers had become estranged from him and were conspiring. During this king’s reign, there was religious turmoil. At that time, the Dhammaruchi sect resided in the Abhayagiri Monastery. A separated faction of them, known as the Sāgalika, spread to the Dakunugiri (Southern) Monastery. According to the Nikāya Sangrahaya, this division occurred during King Gotabhaya’s reign. Although these texts provide few details, it is evident that significant events took place among the Dhammaruchi monks of Abhayagiri — particularly the rise of the Vaitulya doctrine. About sixty monks are said to have strongly supported this view. King Gotabhaya assembled the monks of the Five Great Monasteries (Panchamahāvāsas) to inquire into this matter. Having understood that the Vaitulya doctrine was not the word of the Buddha, the king took firm action: he had sixty Dhammaruchi monks of Abhayagiri, who adhered to this false doctrine, branded on their backs and exiled them from the kingdom. It is possible that some of these monks had won the favor of many of the king’s ministers, and those ministers, unable to resist openly, may have later fallen out of favor. Nevertheless, the general public approved of the king’s actions, and no further conflict arose during his lifetime. Some of the exiled Dhammaruchi monks are said to have gone to Kāveri in South India, where among the monks of Pattungama lived a learned monk named Saṅghamitta, who was well versed in the Vaitulya doctrine. Hearing about the branded monks who had come from Lanka, he inquired into the matter and, seeking revenge against the Mahāvihāra monks, came to Lanka. He went to Thūpārāma and stayed secretly among the community, waiting for an opportunity to win royal favor. In that monastery was a monk named Saṅghapāla, a relative of the king. When the king once visited, Saṅghapāla addressed him by name. Saṅghamitta used this moment to endear himself to the king, remarking that although Saṅghapāla was his kinsman, it was not proper to address the monarch by name. Pleased by his speech, the king trusted Saṅghamitta deeply and even entrusted to him the education of his two sons, Princes Jeṭṭhatissa and Mahāsena. Since Saṅghamitta was a foreign monk, the king likely regarded him as more learned. While Prince Mahāsena was fond of Saṅghamitta’s conduct, the elder prince Jeṭṭhatissa disagreed. The effects of these events on the monastic order of the island will be explained in later chapters. This shows how the destruction of the Buddhist Order was attempted from within, through strategy and deception. It may also be described as a lamentable episode in which some monks, deceived by false doctrines, sought to advance their own views by manipulating royal patronage. King Gotabhaya, though he gained the throne by expelling the righteous and popular ruler King Sirisangabo, became himself a ruler loved by the people and the Sangha. It is possible that he engaged in many religious activities to free himself from this early disgrace. Although Professor Paranavitana notes that divisions arose among the Sangha during his time, what actually occurred was the opposition of the Theravāda monks to the attempts of the Abhayagiri monks to spread Mahāyāna doctrines. In this matter, the king took stern measures. The reason for branding and expelling sixty monks from the country may not have been only the propagation of the Vaitulya doctrine, but also certain improper acts associated with it. It should also be remembered that the lay patrons of Abhayagiri themselves erected records reminding monks to observe discipline and monastic regulations. King Gotabhaya reigned for thirteen years.