| This
article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’,
the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history
King
Lajji-Tissa
- After
the death of King Saddha-Tissa, the country was without a king.
The city of Anuradhapura was still full of funeral decorations.
Though the entire country was engulfed in grief, it was necessary
to appoint a new king soon. The ministers who thought it unwise,
to go without a king, met at Thuparama to come to a decision.
The participants at this conference were only ministers and the
Buddhist monks. The discussion started peacefully.
-
After a lengthy discussion, they arrived at the conclusion that
the younger son of King Saddha-Tissa, Prince Thullatthana by name,
should be appointed the next king. He had an older brother named
Lajji-Tissa, who was then at Dighavapi. The reason why the choice
fell on Thullotthana was that he had lived in Anuradhapura with
the father. He was quite close to the father in his final years
and as such won his love and goodwill.
-
The other sons of King Saddha-Tissa did not maintain connections
with the city of Anuradhapura. They were all residing at Dighavapi.
That area then was a prosperous province. King Saddha-Tissa had
developed that area to such an extent, that there was nothing
his people lacked. As most of his time was spent there, the king
had devoted his time and energy to develop the entire province.
Even when King Dutugemunu was fighting the Tamils, it is the Dighavapi
area that supplied all the food to the entire country.
-
The priests of Anuradhapura too had a special favour for Thullotthana.
He patronized the Sangha, visited them frequently and sought their
guidance and advice when needed. This prince was loyal to the
ministers as well. He respected them and they in turn loved the
prince. As the prince lived with the father, Prince Thullotthana
got a beautiful vihara built and that is Kada-dora-Kandara Vihara.
-
Now there was an uprising in Dighavapi against the appointment
of Thullotthana as king. Prince Lajji-Tissa was highly offended
as the accepted rule of succession was not followed in this instance.
The practice up to then, was to confer kingship on the eldest
son or the most senior of the brothers of the ruling king. On
this occasion, the eldest son was overlooked and a junior son
was appointed king. Prince Lajji-Tissa collected an army and marched
to Anuradhapura.
-
He besieged the city, imprisoned the brother and became king.
No one could raise objections. The period of rule of Thullottana
was just one month and ten days. In 119 BC, Lajji-Tissa ascended
the throne. He had his coronation ceremony on a grand scale. He
did not invite the Buddhist monks to this ceremony. He severed
all connections with the priests. He even humiliated them for
being ignorant of the rule of succession to the throne. The priests
did not show any protest. They too severed all connections with
the royal household.
-
The people did not follow the king. They went to the temple as
before, gave alms to the monks and associated with them closely.
The king did not object but allowed the subjects to do as they
pleased.
This went on for about three years. The king realized his mistake.
He went to see the Buddhist priests. They welcomed him. The king
begged pardon for the wrong he had committed.
-
The priests said, “you did no wrong to us. Moreover, O’
King, we are the disciples of the Buddha. We show love and compassion
to all beings”. The king was surprised. He was highly taken
up with the principles they followed.
As a punishment for humiliating the priests, the king spent a
hundred thousand ‘Kahapanas’ (gold coins) and built
three altars for the Great Stupa and offered it to the Sangha.
By
Halaliya Karunathilake
Edited and translated by Kamala Silva
Illustrated by
Saman Kalubowila
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