King Gothabhaya I [253-266 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Siri Sangha Bodhi I [251-253 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-	King Gothabhaya I [253-266 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-	King Jettha Tissa I [266-276 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

About King Gothabhaya I

King Gothabhaya I ascended the throne in 253 CE after forcing King Siri Sangabodhi I into exile from the capital city of Anuradhapura. He was one of the three close companions of King Siri Naga II (244–246 CE), originally hailing from the Mahiyangana region. Gothabhaya ruled the country for 13 years and was succeeded on the throne by his son, Jettha Tissa.

The chronicles do not explicitly mention Gothabhaya‘s lineage. However, based on inscriptions that have been unearthed, historian Senarath Paranavitana suggests that Gothabhaya is possibly a son of King Siri Naga II (244-246 CE).

Gothabaya’s Entry into Politics

Shortly after the coronation of king Vijaya-Kumaraka [246-247 CE], he invited three of his kinsmen from the Lambakanna clan—Sangha Tissa, Sangha Bodhi, and Gothakabhaya—who were residing in Mahiyanganaya, to join him at the royal court.

As they journeyed past the Tissa Wewa reservoir, a blind man sitting at its edge overheard their footsteps and loudly proclaimed, “The ground bears here three Rulers of the Earth!” Gothakabhaya, who was walking at the rear, paused and approached the old man to ask about his statement. The blind man repeated his prophecy. When asked who among them would endure as ruler, the man cryptically replied, “That of the last.”

Gothakabhaya, choosing to keep the prophecy to himself, rejoined his companions without mentioning the incident. Upon their arrival at the palace, the three were granted prominent positions in the king’s court. Sangha Tissa, the eldest, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Army. Over time, the three became trusted advisors to the king, gaining significant influence within both the court and the broader kingdom.

Treachery of Gotabhaya

After ruling for one year, King Vijaya-Kumaraka was overthrown and killed by the three friends from the Lambakanna clan. The eldest of the trio, Sangha Tissa, ascended the throne but ruled for only four years before being killed by the inhabitants of Pacinadipaka Island (East Island), who poisoned the Jambu (rose apple) fruits he came to eat. Following Sangha Tissa’s death, Sangha Bodhi was crowned king, and Gotabhaya assumed the position of Royal Treasurer.

Gotabhaya, who had long awaited his turn to ascend the throne, grew increasingly impatient as he recalled the blind man’s prophecy. Siri Sangha Bodhi’s overly righteous rule was threatening to destabilise the country, Gotabhaya decided the time had come to claim the throne.

Raising an armed force, Gotabhaya rebelled and advanced toward Anuradhapura to attack the army of King Siri Sangha Bodhi. Upon hearing of the impending attack, the king true to his principle of nonviolence, chose to abdicate rather than shed blood in resistance. Taking only his water strainer, a symbol of his asceticism, he fled the city alone via the southern gate to avoid endangering anyone who might attempt to accompany him.

Gotabhaya entered the capital unopposed and promptly crowned himself as King Gothabhaya, marking the start of his reign.

Exile and Death of King Siri Sangha Bodhi I (Siri Sangabo)

Fleeing south, Siri Sangha Bodhi found refuge among a rocky outcrop of Attanagalla, traditionally thought to be in the Gampaha District but now believed to be the Hatthikuchchi Monastic Complex in Rajanganaya, Anuradhapura District. This shift in location belief stems from archaeological findings and historical analysis linking Hatthikuchchi to ancient monastic settlements associated with Siri Sangha Bodhi.

Meanwhile, Gothabhaya became increasingly paranoid, perceiving his rule as unstable while Siri Sangha Bodhi remained at large. In an attempt to secure his reign, Gothabhaya announced a reward for Sangha Bodhi’s head. The magnitude of the reward incited chaos, as opportunists began killing innocent individuals and presenting their heads in hopes of claiming the prize.

Upon learning of the reward for his head and the senseless deaths caused by the pursuit of it, King Siri Sangabo made the ultimate sacrifice. He severed his own head and gave it to a poor villager to claim the reward. When King Gothabhaya learned of Siri Sangabo‘s selfless act, he was filled with profound remorse.

King Gothabhaya travelled to Attanagalla and discovered the headless body of the former king alongside the lifeless body of the queen, who had also died nearby in a pond. Gothabhaya ensured that both bodies were cremated with royal honours, and ceremonies befitting their status were performed.

Rising of Vaitulyavada for the Second Time

In the fourth year of King Gothabhaya‘s reign, the Vaitulyavada doctrine resurfaced among the Dhammaruci Nikaya monks at the Jethavanaramaya Monastery. Decades earlier, during King Voharika Tissa’s rule (214-236 CE), a similar emergence of Vaitulyavada was suppressed, with its manuscripts destroyed in favor of the orthodox teachings of the Maha Vihara.

This time, however, a prominent monk, Ussiliya Tissa, refused to align with the Vaitulyavada ideology. Along with 300 like-minded monks, he left the Dhammaruci Nikaya and settled at Dakunugiri Viharaya, where a Maha Thera named Sagala resided. Recognizing Sagala‘s leadership, the group adopted the name “Sagaliyas.”

Upon learning of the ongoing disputes and alleged heresies, King Gothabhaya convened a council of senior monks from the major temples. Once again, the investigation determined that the Vaitulyavada doctrines were heretical. Consequently, all associated texts were collected and burned. Furthermore, 60 leading monks from Jethavanaramaya who supported the Vaitulyavada were branded and exiled from the kingdom, effectively curbing the influence of the sect.

The priests found refuge in the city of Kavira in India, where they thrived for several years. Among them, a new monk named Sanghamitta, recently joined from India, noticed the distinctive branding marks on the older monks and questioned them about their origin.

The senior monks recounted their story and revealed that their only path back to Sri Lanka lay in either converting the Maha Viharians to Vaitulyavada or completely uprooting the Maha Viharaya. Motivated by this mission, Sanghamitta set sail for Sri Lanka and took up residence at the Jethavanaramaya.

Over time, Sanghamitta developed a close relationship with King Gothabhaya, frequently visiting the royal palace. Eventually, he was entrusted with the education of the king’s two sons, Princes Jetta Tissa and Maha Sena. While the elder prince, Jetta Tissa, remained indifferent to Sanghamitta‘s radical teachings, the younger prince, Maha Sena, proved more susceptible to his influence. This manipulation would later have significant consequences for the orthodox Maha Viharians.

Works of King Gothabhaya I

Meghavannabhaya Monastery
A palace for the king
At Maha Viharaya
- A stone pavilion
- Set a tract of land strip “padhanabhumi” for meditation of the monks
Repairs to the Lovamahapaya: Replacing of stone pillars of Lovamahapaya
At Sri Maha Bodhi
- A ledge of stone
- An arched gateway at the Northern Entrance
- Placed three statues of stone at the north, east, west gates
- A throne of stone at the south gate
- Pillars with dhammachakra at the four corners of the courtyard
Repaired Upostaghara buildings in
- Ambastala Chetiya: Also known as Sela Chetiya
- Manisoma Aramaya
- Mirisaveti Viharaya
- Dakkina Viharaya

Ancient Manuscripts Detailing the Sovereigns of Sri Lanka

Sovereigns of Sri Lanka are chronicled in several ancient manuscripts. These texts not only record the lineages of kings but also the significant events and developments of their reigns. Some of the most significant ancient sources are:

Dipavamsa: compiled between the 3rd and 4th centuries CE, and the earliest known historical chronicle
Mahavamsa: Initially compiled by Mahanama Thero in the 5th or 6th century CE, this chronicle was later expanded upon by other authors who added additional chapters. Covers events up until the reign of King Mahasena of Anuradhapura
Culavamsa: Starts where the Mahavamsa stops and records the history of Sri Lankan rulers from the 4th century to 1815. Mahavamsa and Culavamsa are often seen as one extended chronicle, commonly referred to simply as the Mahavamsa.
Pujavaliya: Written by a monk in or around 1266 during the reign of King Panditha Parakrama Bahu of Dambadeniya Kingdom
Rajavaliya: A 17th-century historical chronicle of Sri Lanka, covering the history of the island from its beginnings up to the accession of King Vimaladharmasurya II in 1687.

References

Mahanama, Geiger, W., & Bode, M. H. (1912). The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon. Translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger. For the Pali Text Society by Henry Frowde.
Oldenberg, H. (2001). The Dipavamsa : An Ancient Buddhist Historical Record. Asian Educational Services. (Original work published 1879)
Nicholas, C. W., & Paranavitana, S. (1961). A Concise History of Ceylon : From the Earliest Times to the Arrival of the Portuguese in 1505. University of Ceylon.
Paranavitana, S. (1959). History of Ceylon (University of Ceylon): Vol. 1 (part 1)–3. Ceylon University Press.
Senaveratne, J. M. (1930). The Story of the Sinhalese : From the Most Ancient Times Up to the End of “The Mahavansa” or Great Dynasty. W. M. A. Wahid & Brothers.