The nature of the foreign invasions during the Anuradhapura period.

Sri Lanka has met with foreign invasions in the Anuradhapura  kingdom which either resulted in the death of the native king or causing the ruler to withdraw from the capital seeking for refuge. However, both had equally disastrous outcomes such as the instability of the kingdom and the ill-fated condition of the Buddha Sasana in the face of foreign occupations. Besides the arrival of Vijaya in Sri Lanka, which cannot be entirely assumed to be an invasion but more likely a migration as Vijaya grasped the throne thanks to the aid of the local queen Kuweni which is a feature absent in the cases of later foreign occupations. King Surathissa’s reign was marked by the invasion of the two horse traders named Sena and Guththika who were said to be pious rulers and adopted Buddhism. Sena and Guththika marked an end to the ten year rule of Surathissa. The Mahavamsa mentions them as in possession of a great power whose reign lasted for twenty-two years.

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The history of the annual Dalanda Perahara in Sri Lanka.

The annual Dalanda Perahara (Esala Perahara) held in honor of the tooth relic of lord Buddha traces its origins back to the period of king kithsirimewan who was also known by the name of Kirthi Siri Meghawarna. He succeeded his father Mahasen to the Anuradhapura kingdom and can be fairly given credit to as the one who brought to light the areas kept in darkness by his father. His reign was of much significance especially due to the fact that the sacred tooth relic of the lord Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka during his time. To elaborate, in honor of the sacred tooth relic, an annual procession called a Dalanda Perahara had begun by the king. It is said in the Mahavamsa that in the ninth year from his advancement to the throne, a Brahmin woman brought the tooth relic of the lord Buddha to Sri Lanka from Kalingu rata and king Kithsirimevan, having it handed over to him, made offerings to it with high respect which was afterwards placed by him in a golden reliquary and installed in the house called Damsak built by king Dewanampiyatissa within Rajaramaya. By then onwards, that house was known by the name of Datadathugara. From that time, the king, by spending nine lakhs started the grand Dalanda procession. He ordered to carry the tooth relic to the Abayagiriya every once a year and to continue with such processions.

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"Kalikala Sahitya Sarvagna Pandita", king Parakramabahu II of ancient Dambadeniya.

Literature and education is not something distinctive for professional artists or writers. In this regard, the well-read, king Parakramabahu II of Dambadeniya is the best affirmation, who was bestowed the honorary title of "Kalikala Sahitya Sarvagna Pandita". Inevitably, the term ‘panditha’ implies that king Parakramabahu was well learned while the term ‘sahithya’ bring in to light his inclination to literature.  He succeeded his father Vijayabahu III to Dambadeniya kingdom and was succeeded by his son Vijayabahu IV. The reign of Parakramabahu II lasted from 1234-1269AD. He is a king who was noted both to his determination to fight the Magha invaders who had captured Polonnaruwa and to his devotion to carryon processions in honor of the Sarvagna Dathu. As the Mahavamsa mentions, accompanied by great processions, the Buddha relics were brought to Jambudroni. The king’s high concern and respect for the Buddha relics, prompted him to build a mansion near his palace to house the relics so that he can worship them whenever needed. Once the king arranged a splendor procession and he placed the tooth relic in his hand and in the presence of the Sangha, performed a passive resistance. His yearning was to defeat the Tamil invader Magha who was occupied in destroying Buddha Sasana and after having overthrown the enemy, to nourish the Loka Sasana. Therefore, his priority was given to the protection of Buddha sasana which was followed by his resolution to put an end to the Magha rule.

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King Mahasen, an embodiment of both merit and demerit.

Bad company leads anyone in the wrong path regardless of his or her position, gender, and age. It is common both to an ordinary man and even to a king. If it was a king who was led astray, it endangers a whole community. This is not something peculiar for Sri Lanka, even king Ajasath of India caused patricide following the instructions and guidance of Devadaththa, who despite being a bhikkhu had a growing hostility for king Bimbisara. Similarly, this is what occurred during the reign of king Mahasen of ancient Anuradhapura kingdom, who was preceded by king Detuthis and was succeeded by his son Sirimevan. His name was added to the history as a king who caused an immense demerit to the Mahavihara monastery representing Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka, by following the road shown by a bhikkhu named Sanghamithra. But his specialty lies in the fact that Mahasen was not noted only for his demerits. On the contrary, the Mahavamsa mentions in reference to Mahasen that the intelligence ones eradicate the bad company as a poisonous snake and proceed with what he feels to do. As evident by the above account, Mahasen was a king who did both meritorious and de meritorious actions. Strangely, both king Ajasath of India and Mahasen of ancient Anuradhapura kingdom was provoked to move in the wrong path by a bhikkhu. In the case of Ajasath it was Devadaththa while in the case of Mahasen it was Sanghamithra.

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The invasion of Kalinga Magha and the fall of the Polonnaruwa kingdom.

 It is commonplace that the disunity among the natives inevitably makes a state vulnerable, as it keeps them occupied in their internal struggles which has the result of drawing their attention from possible external conquests. A similar event occurred in ancient Sri Lanka, to be more specific, during the Polonnaruwa kingdom. Sri Lanka was marked by the Kalinga Magha invasion in 1215 AD which led to the fall of the Polonnaruwa kingdom along with several other factors which were equally undesirable to the continuity of the kingdom. However, the other reasons aside, the Magha invasion alone can be looked on as a climax point of Sri Lankan history due to two reasons. Firstly, it operated as the immediate cause among a number of long term causes for the collapse of the Polonnaruwa kingdom. Secondly it marked a striking change of the capital of Sri Lanka which was transferred from Polonnaruwa to Dambadeniya.

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The monarch as the cause for the success or failure of ancient Anuradhapura kingdom.

The respective reigns of king Mahinda IV and Mahinda V who was also known by the name of Mihindu V are the best example as to how being a strong, and a considerate ruler can be resulted in the independence of the state and its prosperity while on the other hand, how being a fragile ruler with a backward conduct can lead the kingdom towards destruction and make an object of subordination to an outside power. In ancient Sri Lanka where the monarchical form of rule prevailed, it was the conduct of the monarch which decided both the progress or the destruction of the whole community. It is important to note that king Mahinda IV was preceded by Sena IV and succeeded by his son Sena V and the last king of Anuradhapura was his remaining son Mahinda V.

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The heroic role of the Buddhist monastic community as the protector of both the monarch and the Buddha Sasana in ancient Sri Lanka.

In ancient Sri Lanka, especially during the Anuradhapura kingdom period Buddhism formed an important portion of the responsibilities of the monarch. This is particularly due to inseparable connection maintained between the ruler and the Buddhist monastic community which has its roots back to the period of king Devanampiyathissa. It was the duty of the monarch to preserve Buddha Sasana under any circumstance. What was characteristic of Sri Lankan culture and society is that the ruler and the Buddhist monastic community operated as the protector of each other without which neither was possible. Further, the monastic community had a substantial part to play in the consolidation of power of the king which was peculiar for the Sri Lankan setting. At first glance it would appear that it is not possible for the bhikkhus to maintain such an influence over the power of the ruler since these two don’t reveal any visible connection on the surface. Therefore, to acquire a better understanding this aspect should be examined along with the cultural and religious influences of the time.

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