The Asokan Missions Home PageXIV. Entry into the City

The Extended Mahāvaṁsa:
The Asokan Missions

XIII. Mahinda's Journey

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Then the Great Elder Mahinda, who had twelve Rains, In the monastic life seniority is counted by the number of Rains Retreats one has completed. At twelve Rains Mahinda would still be quite a young monk.⁰¹ being of great intelligence, when ordered by his preceptor and the Community to bring faith to the Lankan Isle sought the right time and thought: ‘King Muṭasiva is old, he is unable to uphold the Dispensation, if his son Piyatissa were to become King he would be able to uphold the Dispensation of the Teacher, therefore the time has not arrived for me to go to the Island.’

In the meantime Mahinda, having made a resolution to go later, went to the noble Dakkhiṇagiri It was a state (janapada) situated more or less where Madhya Pradesh is now, having Ujjeni (modern Ujjain) as capital.⁰² in order to see his relatives, and after worshipping his preceptor and Community, he asked the King King Asoka, his Father.⁰³ and took with him four Elders, and his sister Saṅghamittā's son, the novice Sumana, who had the six deep knowledges and great power.

To give favour to his relatives he went to Dakkhiṇagiri and while walking from one place to the other six months passed by. Having by and by reached his Mother Devī's city Vedisagiri he saw his Mother, and when Devī had seen her dear son she prepared food for him and his assembly and made the lovely monastery called Vedisagiri, and then announced it to the Elder.

2. Asoka's Children in Avanti (vv. 9-13)

While he was enjoying the country of Avanti, which was given to him by his Father, Prince Asoka, on his journey to the city of Ujjenī arrived at the city of Vedisa and dwelt in that noble city. Receiving there a girl named Devī, a merchant's daughter, he took ahold of that beautiful and handsome girl in the noble city of Vedisa, cohabited with her, and through him she conceived Lit: an embryo took hold.⁰⁴ a child.

In Ujjenī she gave birth to a son, prince Mahinda, and after two years had passed also to a daughter Saṅghamittā, It is clear from this that Devī was more of a courtesan, and not the main Queen (Aggamahesī), who is named elsewhere in the Chronicle (5.85) as Asandhamittā; the latter died quite early and Asoka then raised Tissarakkhā to Queen. ⁰⁵ and fourteen years after his child, he attained his coronation. At that time she Presumably referring to Devī.⁰⁶ was dwelling in the city of Vedisa.

3. Determining the Time (vv. 12-21)

Then the Elder, after residing there, thinking: ‘This is the right time,’ and ‘in the coronation festival which is ordered by my Father the Great King Devānampiyatissa will partake, Although he partook in the coronation, it appears he did so without attending, probably simply by sending tribute and good wishes.⁰⁷ and having heard about the virtues of the Three Objects from the envoy may he understand. May he ascend mount Missa Later called Mahintale, i.e. Mahinda's Plain.⁰⁸ on the fast day That is on the Full Moon day, the fast days are observed on the New Moon and Full Moon days.⁰⁹ in the month of Jeṭṭha, The month after Visakhā, normally falling in June.¹⁰ and we will go on the same day to the noble Isle of Laṅkā.’

Then the god Inda Also called Sakka below.¹¹ came into the presence of the Elder and Sakka said this to the Great and Supreme Elder Mahinda: “Venerable Sir, now the King Muṭasiva has died and his son Devānampiyatissa The name means: Tissa, Beloved of the Gods.¹² is ruling the country, therefore, venerable Sir, this is the right time to go to the Island, go to bring faith to Laṅkā, as predicted by the Sambuddha, and we will provide the support for you there.”

Devī's sister's daughter's son, I.e. Devī's grand-nephew.¹³ Bhaṇḍuka by name, having heard the Dhamma preached by the Elder to Devī and attained the Fruit of Non-Returner, dwelt in the presence of the Elder.

4. Arrival in Laṅkā (vv. 22-29)

After dwelling in the delightful city of Vedisa for thirty nights thinking: ‘This is the right time for the journey’, he said: “We will go now to the supreme Isle,” and having advised them thus on the fast day of the month of Jeṭṭha Normally falling in June.¹⁴ the Elder Mahinda, with the four Elders, Sumana and Bhaṇḍu the householder, by announcing their humanity, The text must be corrupt here, as there is no need to announce their humanity! Vaṁsaṭṭhappakāsinī: manussabhāvajānanāya.¹⁵ having risen in succession from the monastery into the clouds those Elders, shining like kings of geese in the sky, in an instant came here and stood resembling clouds on the mountain there on the top of the delightful mount Missaka.

Standing like geese on the mountain peak were the Community Elder known by the name of Mahinda, then the Elders Iṭṭhiya, Uttiya, Bhaddasāla and Sambala and the novice Sumana, who had the six deep knowledges and great power, and the young man Bhaṇḍuka, these seven who had seen the Truth. Thus these Great Elders lit up the Isle of Laṅkā.

As predicted by the Sage on his last resting place I.e. the Buddha on his death bed in Kusināra.¹⁶ for the benefit of Laṅkā, through the virtue of the faith of Laṅkā, he who, through being of benefit to Laṅkā, was like the Teacher, I.e. Mahinda.¹⁷ through the protective gods of Laṅkā came to reside there.

Written for the Faith and Invigoration of Good People the Thirteenth Chapter in the Great Lineage called Mahinda's Journey

The Asokan Missions Home PageXIV. Entry into the City