Funday Times

This article is part of continuing series on the 'Mahavamsa', the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history.

Arhat Mahinda visits his mother
Arhat Mahinda visited Vidisa in the 12th year of his 'Upasampada' - Higher Ordination. Being a devoted Buddhist, the mother was very pleased to see the son. Though she tried to pretend to be undisturbed, she was worried about his intended tour. She asked Arhat mahinda, whether that was his last visit to see her. When Arhat Mahinda said "Yes", she couldn't hide the tears that rolled down her cheeks.

The Arhat kept on looking at his mother. She suppressed her grief and greeted him with a smile. "My dear mother, you are a wonderful lady. A real heroine. You denied yourself the luxuries of the royal household, by choosing to stay on in your home town. You allowed your only son to , enter the Order of the Bikkhus. I shall live to honour you, dear mother. I will fulfill your wishes. I can help all our relations to attain 'Nibbana', the Supreme Bliss. I am now entrusted with the task of spreading the sublime doctrine of the Buddha in Lanka", said Mahinda Thera.

The mother blessed him and wished him well. Taking leave of her, he next went to see his sister, Sangamitta. 'Samanera' (novice) Sumana, Sangamitta's son had come to see her at the time. When Arhat Mahinda informed his sister about his intended visit to Lanka, she began to cry. She thought she was going to lose both her son and her brother. Great was her pain. It was unbearable.

Arhat Mahinda preached the Dhamma to console her, and both Sumana and the Arhat left Vidisa. There were four other Buddhist monks to accompany him to Lanka. They were Ittiya, Uttiya, Sambasala and Bhadrasala by name. The other two, who joined them were the novice Sumana and the lay disciple Bhanduka. They came to the mountain Missaka on a Poson full moon day.

Poson full-moon day, then, was a day of festivities. King Devanampiya Tissa too had made all arrangements to celebrate on a grand scale. Water festival and hunting took pride of place on that day. The city dwellers were engaged in the water festival. The king, attended by forty-thousand of his men, went on foot, to the Missaka mountain. As the men were combing the area, the animals hid in fear. The king was exhausted after walking all over the forest but he decided not to return, without hunting at least one animal.

Devanampiya Tissa moved away from his men, looking for a prey. Then he saw a deer feeding on the grass. As the king got his bow and arrows ready, the deer ran away. The king gave chase. The deer ran as far as the rock Ambasthala, with the king following close behind him. Suddenly, the king heard a voice calling, "Come here Tissa". He was frightened. He looked around to see who this powerful person was, who could call him by his name.

The king saw Arhat Mahinda on top of the Ambasthala. The Thera realized that the king was shaken. To calm him down, Arhat Mahinda said. "Oh, Great King. Do not be afraid. We are monks, disciples of the King of Truth, the Lord Buddha. We have come here from Jambudipa (India), through sheer compassion for you". When the king heard all this, fear left him. He at once thought of his friend, Dharmasoka. He remembered his message that he had embraced Buddhism, by seeking refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha.

The king put aside his bow and arrows. He approached the Thera and sat down beside him. By this time, the king's men, who followed him, had arrived there. They too, sat behind the king. When the king looked up, he noticed the other monks who had accompanied Arhat Mahinda. To clarify matters, he asked the Thera, "With whom did these monks come?" "They came with me", replied Arhat Maahinda.

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