Funday Times

This article is part of a continuing series on the ‘Mahavamsa’, the recorded chronicle of Sri Lankan history
King Detutissa

1. Rev. Sanghamitta visited the palace regularly to teach the princes. Prince Detutissa did not like to be tutored by him - especially where lessons on religion were concerned. His interpretations were quite different from what he had learned from his granduncle, Rev. Sanghapala. As he did not like to question the teacher, he kept quiet. Prince Mahasen did not notice this. He did as he was instructed. Rev. Sanghamitta wanted these two princes to develop faith in the ‘Vaithulya’ sect. He tried his best to do so.

2. The monk understood the resentment of Prince Detutissa. However, he was careful not to show that he noticed it. He did not want to tell the king. Instead he tried to win the heart of Prince Mahasen. He succeeded in this mission as Mahasen turned out to be his best pupil. By this time, King Gothabhaya had appointed Rev. Sanghamitta as his religious advisor. On many an occasion, the king solicited his advice and guidance.

3. With the passage of time, the two princes grew up to be youths. Rev. Sanghamitta lived in Abhayagiri and met the king very often. The year 262 AD dawned. After the lapse of a few months, King Gothabhaya passed away. Detutissa became the king of the country. Unlike his father, he was rather a stern ruler. He wanted to inquire and find out why certain ministers did not attend King Gothabhaya’s funeral.

4. The new king treated those ministers as traitors. He planned to punish them. He arranged for his brother, Prince Mahasen and the other ministers to march in the funeral procession, while he went to look for the ministers who did not participate in the funeral arrangements. He got all of them killed and put their bodies on stake, where King Gothabhaya’s body was cremated.

5. This incident earned him the name ‘Karkas’, which means ‘cruel’ and thereafter he was called Karkas-Detutissa. Rev. Sanghamitta who witnessed this became so frightened that he went back to India. According to the Mahavamsa, he had a discussion with Prince Mahasen, before leaving the country. According to Rajavaliya he has gone along with Prince Mahasen. However that may be, Rev. Sanghamitta left for the Chola country and did not stay in the island when King Detutissa ruled.

6. However strict King Detutissa was, he patronized Buddhism. He carried on the system of administration that his father followed. Whatever reconstruction work begun at the Brazen Palace, by his father, was completed by King Detutissa. He has donated a jewelled lamp to this temple. He had erected three arched gateways to the Great Bodhi.

7. King Detutissa has got a temple built in the rock named Prachinatissa and offered it to the priests of Panchavasa. The income of the tank, ‘Kalu-masi’ was donated to Chetiyagiri temple. He had organised grand celebrations for Vesak. Thousands of monks were offered robes. There is mention of a tank, Ambalagan by name, which was built by him.

8. King Detutissa had patronised Mahavihara, Abhayagiri and Thuparama. He had taken part in the religious observances of all these three temples. Generous contributions were made to all these temples. He had contributed his share to the development of agriculture too. He ruled for ten years and passed away in 273 Ad.

By Halaliye Karunathilake
Edited and translated by
Kamala Silva
Illustrated by
Saman Kalubowila

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