Diplomatic ties behind the introduction of Buddhism
By Rajitha Weerakoon
The significance of the arrival of Arahant Mahinda and his meeting with the Lankan monarch – Devanampiya Tissa has not diminished in spite of legends replete with strange and miraculous elements woven around the event. The Arahant’s arrival in Mihintale on a Poson Full Moon Poya Day over 2500 years ago instead was the culmination of high level diplomatic moves and statesmanship and is recognised as the singular event in Lankan history that set off a spiritual revolution in the lives of the indigenous Lankan people. The impact continues to date.
Having arrived in the island, the Arahant found himself preaching to a receptive audience. Many among them opted to take to robes. The success of the mission was such that Buddhism, which swiftly spread across the island, soon emerged as the established religion of the country.
Would this have been possible if there was no patronage of the Lankan monarch? According to K.M. de Silva in “A History of Sri Lanka” “No doubt the conversion of Devanampiya Tissa was decisive in ensuring its success.” He says that at a time when the authority of the Anuradhapura kingdom over other kingdoms in the island was on the increase, the patronage of Buddhism of the Anuradhapura royalty would have hastened the acceptance of the religion by the people at large.
The arrival of the Buddhist Doctrine in Sri Lanka was an implementation of a resolution adopted at the Third Buddhist Council. Eight sets of missionaries had already been sent to regions outside the Mauryan Empire. But although Arahant Mahinda was scheduled to depart to Sri Lanka, Emperor Asoka, who desired fertile soil to plant the seeds of Dhamma, found an aged monarch – King Mutaseeva, ruling in Anuradhapura which caused him to delay the mission by nine years.
Tissa, the second son of Mutaseeva, eventually succeeded his father. Being wise, energetic and far sighted, he, on ascending the throne, learnt of the conquests Emperor Asoka had made in the neighbour- ing subcontinent. Fearing his inabilities to match the military strength of the Mauryan Empire, he proceeded to establish friendly relations with his formidable neighbour. One of his first tasks as the king of Rajarata therefore, was the dispatching of a high-powered embassy to the Mauryan court in Pataliputra headed by Prime Minister Maha Aritta – his nephew and three others with his greetings and gifts consisting of precious gems and pearls.
The Embassy was warmly welcomed by the Mauryan emperor who was awaiting an opportune time to send the mission to Sri Lanka. This diplomatic exercise which opened the dialogue between the two countries on the introduction of the Buddha Dhamma probably explains the decision of the Emperor to subsequently send some of his closest kith and kin to Sri Lanka as missionaries. None of his other missionary groups included relatives of the Emperor.
The delegates in the meantime, stayed five months at the Mauryan court holding no doubt discussions pertaining to the mission. On their return, the Emperor sent with them the regalia to Tissa needed to hold a royal consecration and an exhortation to embrace the teachings of the Buddhist faith. Tissa thus, underwent a consecration for the second time following Mauryan traditions and taking over along with it, the title of Devanampiya – a title which Asoka himself held.
Although vivid explanations have been given for the performance of such an act, history does not show any display of allegiance of the Lankan monarch to the Mauryan Emperor. A month following the Consecration, Arahant Mahinda, 32 years of age at the time, arrived in Sri Lanka devoid of any supernatural powers as legends have it but travelling through South India and setting out from the port of Kaveripattnam and receiving King Devanampiya Tissa’s wholehearted patronage to launch the new religion.
On his first day, Arahant Mahinda admitted to the Bhikkhu Order the first lay follower – Bhanduka, Arahant’s nephew, who accompanied him from India – an act performed as an incentive for others to follow. His objective besides the introduction of the Doctrine, was to establish the Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka.
The following day, on the invitation of the king, the Arahant and his group of missionaries, arrived in Anuradhapura taking up abode in the royal pavilion erected in the Mahamega Park which the king had taken special care to arrange. This later developed as the Mahavihara – the centre of Theravada Buddhism. In the days that followed, the Arahant- the great communicator, preached many sermons committing people of all ranks firmly in the faith. Many with the royalty leading, took to robes with the king granting all those who entered the Sasana, accommodation in the Mahamega Park.
And the sublime teachings of the Buddha, thus disseminated by the Arahant, gained ground.
The introduction of the religion besides, elevated friendly relations between Sri Lanka and the Mauryan Empire with the period marked as the golden era of diplomatic relations. There were frequent visits made of envoys from both sides and gifts exchanged but the most precious gift the Emperor sent to Sri Lanka however, remained the sacred Bo Sapling under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment.
Within Sri Lanka, the acceptance by the provincial leaders of Devanampiya Tissa’s invitation to attend the hallowed planting ceremony of the sacred Bo Sapling in Anuradhapura, which the King undertook as a bid to spread the Doctrine, illustrated the strengthening of the Anuradhapura king’s relations with the provincial leaders and their acceptance of the supremacy of Rajarata kingdom.
There however was an enduring legacy which Emperor Asoka passed on to Sri Lanka through the introduction of the Doctrine - the model he provided for a relationship between Buddhism and the state. He expounded that a Buddhist righteous rule was needed to forge social, economic and cultural development of the people and the state. History shows great importance being attached to the upholding of this model which spells out that the responsibility of the King is to reign following the Dhamma.