After the death of King Asiggāhaka Sanghatissa, the obstacles that had stood in the way of Prince Moggallāna were removed, and therefore, he ascended the throne. He was the third king to bear this name, and in the Mahāvaṃsa, he is referred to as Dāḷha Moggallāna. Prince Moggallāna had rebelled against King Sanghatissa because the latter had obtained power without a rightful claim to the throne. As mentioned earlier, if Prince Moggallāna had not bribed the commander, it is possible that the commander himself had aspired to seize kingship. However, in the struggle among King Sanghatissa, Prince Moggallāna, and the commander, it was Prince Moggallāna who emerged victorious.

After Moggallāna became king, a deeply emotional event took place. According to the Mahāvaṃsa, this incident is described in a moving manner. The king came to know that a young son of King Sanghatissa was still in Anurādhapura. He ordered his royal executioners to capture the prince and cut off his hands and feet. The executioners seized the child and prepared to sever his limbs. The little prince cried, saying, “How will I eat when my right hand is cut off?” Moved by this, the executioner cut off the prince’s left hand and left foot instead. This sorrowful story, recorded in the Mahāvaṃsa, is of deep significance.

King Moggallāna, having given the kingdom of Malaya to the treacherous commander, appointed the latter’s son as Commander-in-Chief (Asiggāhaka). This appears to have been a reward granted by the king for the help given in betraying his former lord. After this, the king began to perform his duties in accordance with royal tradition. First, the Great Stupa (Mahā Thūpa) was covered with new robes. The meaning of this offering is unclear; it seems that the Stupa was wrapped with a robe-like covering made of cloth. Ceremonies were also conducted at all the stupas in the island. By this time, the Kesa Dhātu (Hair Relic), Dāṭhā Dhātu (Tooth Relic), and the Mahā Bodhi (Sacred Bo Tree) had become the chief objects of veneration. The king offered great reverence to these sacred relics. He also conducted the Vesak festival and organized recitations of the Tripiṭaka. Furthermore, he constructed the Moggallāna Vihāra named after himself, as well as the Piṭṭhigāma, Sagāma, and Vaṭagāma monasteries. The Mahāvaṃsa also records that the king carried out a reform of the monastic order, though the exact nature of this reform is not clearly known. Another notable act of merit was the dedication of the income from the salt tax to the maintenance of temples.

An inscription believed by some to belong to the reign of King Moggallāna was found at Nilagama, an ancient sacred site. This location is near Galewela in the Matale District. The inscription records a Vaharala Pūjā (Vaharala offering) made to the Tissārāma Royal Monastery. The meaning of Vaharala Pūjā has been debated. Some interpret it as referring to the offering of timber for the construction of the monastery. Professor Senarath Paranavitana, however, interprets it as the granting of slave labor to the temple, while Ven. Meda Uyangoda Wimalakitti Thera interprets it as referring to the donation of monastery halls. This remains a matter of scholarly discussion.

According to the Nilagama inscription, the Vaharala was granted by several royal officials during the eighth regnal year of King Moggallāna. In the inscription, the king is named Dali Moggallāna Abhaya. He is also described with the epithets Puvia (Lord of the Earth), Mapuruma (Great Chief), and Buddhasa (Devotee of the Buddha), and is referred to as Abhaya (Ahaya). In an earlier chapter, I have identified the king mentioned in the Nilagama inscription as Moggallāna II. In Sinhala chronicles, this king’s name appears in several forms such as Moggallāna, Lamani-Bona, and Medi-Bona Moggallāna.

The latter part of King Moggallāna’s reign was not prosperous. The traitorous commander who had been granted the Malaya kingdom seems to have caused some disturbance. The king grew displeased with him—perhaps recalling the commander’s earlier betrayal of King Sanghatissa. To weaken him, King Moggallāna cunningly had him captured and ordered his hands and feet to be cut off. However, this act seems to have backfired. The commander’s son, who held the position of Asiggāhaka, fled to Rohana in rebellion against the king and gained control over the region. Thereafter, he entered into an alliance with Prince Dēṭutissa, the son of the slain King Sanghatissa, who had been hiding in the Malaya country. Considering it a wise move, they joined forces, seized control of the kingdom, and encamped at Dolhapabbata.

This place has been identified by some as Dolagal Kanda, located to the south of the Ma Oya River, or possibly as Dolukanda in the present-day Kurunegala District—the latter seems the more reasonable identification.

As the regions of Rohana and Malaya slipped from King Moggallāna’s control, he advanced with his army to secure his power. However, his army fell victim to an outbreak of fever, and many soldiers perished. Learning that the king’s army had become weak, the rebel Asiggāhaka launched an attack. The weakened royal troops fled, leaving the king helpless. He too fled. The king’s fortune changed in a most tragic way.

While fleeing with only a few attendants, King Moggallāna was captured near Sigiriya by the army of Prince Asiggāhaka—an event that seems destined by fate. In accordance with the law of Ditta-Dhamma-Vedaniya Kamma (immediate karmic retribution) taught by the Buddha, King Moggallāna’s life came to an end at Sigiriya, slain by Prince Asiggāhaka—the same place where King Moggallāna had once killed King Sanghatissa, his son, and the commander. There is no evidence that Prince Dēṭutissa participated in this battle; at that time, he was still on his way.

Prince Asiggāhaka, realizing that Dēṭutissa might become a future threat, devised a plot to eliminate him by sending a false message inviting him to come and be crowned king. But the prince, being wise, saw through the deceit. He escaped to the Malaya country and thus saved his life.

Although peace prevailed in the early years of King Moggallāna’s reign, his final years were marked by misfortune, brought about by conflicts among rival princes who were driven by ambition to seize power. The uncertainty surrounding the legitimate royal succession was the root cause of this instability. With no rightful heir to the throne, the country fell prey to civil strife among rival claimants. The result was national decline.

No sources mention any significant development or contribution to the progress of the country made by King Moggallāna. Although the chronicles state that he reigned for six years, this conflicts with the Nilagama inscription, which refers to his eighth regnal year. Therefore, the inscription cannot belong to his reign. Nonetheless, both the Vamsa Kathā, Pūjāvaliya, and Rājāvaliya record that this king reigned for six years.