[XX. The Complete Emancipation of the Elders]
[The Passing of King Devānampiyatissa]
14-42 ≠ Mhv 7-28
But the King Devānampiyatissa, who delighted in the virtue of the Dhamma, built the Great Monastery, and another one near the Cetiya mountain. Now known as Mihintale.
After completing the building of the Sanctuary monastery he asked the Elder who brought faith to the Island, who was skilled in answering questions: “Venerable Sir, I will build here many monasteries and after completing all the rest of the Shrines, where will I find the relics to place inside them?”
“Sumana filled the Perfectly Awakened One’s bowl and brought it to the Cetiya mountain, King, and placed many relics there. Put those relics on the back of an elephant and bring them here.”
Hearing this statement the King was uplifted and decorated the great elephant, the appointed state elephant, and made them give worship, respect and honour in various ways, and going there with the Elder, he brought the relics back.
After buildings monasteries league by league, I.e at every place. in every monastery, and inside every Shrine, he deposited the relics, with lovely celebrations.
After placing the bowl the Perfectly Awakened One had eaten from in the lovely Royal Palace, he worshipped it with various offerings everyday.
The five hundred noble sons, having discarded great wealth and fame, went forth in the presence of the Elder of great spiritual wealth. He built a dwelling place with the five-hundred nobles, and in reference to that it was called the Noble Ascetics monastery.
Five hundred people from the farmer class having renounced great wealth and fame, went forth in the presence of the Elder in Mountain Village, and he built a dwelling place there called Farmers’ Mountain monastery.
Whatever caves were lived in by the Great Elder Mahinda on the mountain dwellings, those became known as Mahinda’s caves.
First the Great Monastery, second the lovely Cetiya monastery, the Sanctuary monastery was third, preceding the lovely Sanctuary itself, but fourth he had the Great Bodhi Tree planted.
The beautiful stone pillar marking the place of the Great Shrine and inside the relic of the Perfectly Awakened One’s neck bone, he established fifth.
The Nobles Ascetics’ monastery was sixth, the Tissa tank seventh, eighth was the First Sanctuary, ninth the monastery called Farmers’ Mountain.
The Lay-Womens’ Monastery, and then the one called the Elephant’s Measure: it seems the Community of nuns, after entering the Elephant’s Measure, which was made for the comfort of the nuns, lived in this home for the nuns.
After leaving the Elephant’s Measure, the pollutant-free Saṅghamittā went with the Community of nuns for the reception of food.
Having made a reception hall called the Great Range, for each of the honoured assemblies separately, the King furnished it with all utensils, and gave clothes, food, drinks and so on for both Communities. In the same way he donated to a thousand monks at the Invitation a donation of the very best requisites annually.
In the port of Jambukola in the Nāgadīpa Now known as Jaffna, it is not an island, but a peninsular. he built the monasteries known as Tissa’s Great monastery, Not the monastery of the same name in the south as Geiger suggests. and the Eastern monastery, and in all these monasteries he continually and respectfully had great donations prepared day by day.
Thus these deeds were done by the one who sought the kingdom of Laṅkā’s benefit, King Devānampiyatissa, to whom virtue was dear, and throughout his life he accumulated countless meritorious deeds.
After attaining sovereignty in the first year, subsequently he did all meritorious deeds, beginning with donations, virtue and so on.
After attaining sovereignty, accumulating merit day by day, sharing what has been called an immeasurable amount, the Island of Laṅkā became prosperous and was protected by the strength of Righteousness.
Devānampiyatissa, who was devoted to the Three Treasures, ruled over the Isle for forty years and then, being oppressed by disease, he fell into the mouth of Death.