King Jettha Tissa I [253-266 CE]

Predecessor		Successor
King Gothabhaya I [253-266 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-	King Jettha Tissa I [266-276 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-	King Mahasena [276-303 CE] -House of Lambakanna I-
COMPLETE LIST OF RULERS OF SRI LANKA

About King Jettha Tissa I

King Gothabhaya ruled Sri Lanka for 13 years before being succeeded by his elder son, Jettha Tissa I, in 266 CE. Jettha Tissa, originally named Prince Tissa, earned the moniker “Jettha” (meaning “cruel”) due to his drastic action of assassinating 60 ministers who declined to participate in his father’s funeral procession. Known by several titles, including Detatis, Kalakandetu Tissa, and Makalan Detu Tissa Jetta Tissa, he ruled for a decade. After his death, the throne passed to his younger brother, Prince Mahasena.

Childhood of Jettha Tissa I

Both Prince Jettha Tissa and Prince Mahasena were mentored by a monk named Sanghamitta, who adhered to the heretical teachings of Vaitulyavada. This doctrine, previously outlawed by their father, King Gothabhaya I, had resurfaced with Sanghamitta’s influence.

Sanghamitta was part of a group of monks exiled by Gothabhaya for promoting Vaitulyavada. They had dispatched Sanghamitta back to Sri Lanka with a mission to either convert the orthodox Maha Viharaya monks to Vaitulyavada or, if unsuccessful, to dismantle the Maha Viharaya institution.

Betrayal of the Ministers of King Jettha Tissa’s Father

During King Gothabhaya’s funeral, sixty ministers abstained from organising the procession, likely due to their allegiance to the priests following the heretical Vaitulyavada teachings. In response, King Jettha Tissa I compelled their attendance. The procession was organized with Prince Maha Sena leading, followed by the king’s coffin, the ministers, and Jetta Tissa himself at the rear.

Once the procession exited the city gates, Jettha Tissa ordered the gates to be shut and executed all sixty ministers who had defied him. Their bodies were impaled on stakes surrounding his father’s funeral pyre as a grim warning to others. This ruthless act solidified Jettha Tissa’s reputation for cruelty, earning him the moniker “Cruel Tissa.”

A few days after Jettha Tissa‘s coronation celebrations, Sanghamitta left Lanka and returned to India. He resettled in Kavira, where the exiled Dharmarûcian monks had established their refuge. Sanghamitta spent the following years there, patiently awaiting the ascension of his friend and disciple, Prince Maha Sena, to the throne of Lanka.

During his reign, Jettha Tissa displayed little of the harshness that characterized his initial actions as king. Instead, he emerged as a benefactor of the Maha Vihara Monastery, supporting it generously. He continued the tradition of charitable works and almsgiving, a practice regularly undertaken by his predecessors.

Works of King Jettha Tissa I

Pacinatissa Pabbatha Viharaya: Jettha Tissa constructed an entirely new Viharaya, which he dedicated to the monks of the five major monasteries: Maha Vihara, Cetiya Vihara, Thuparama, Issarasamanarama, and Vessagiri Vihara, all representing the Theriya Nikaya. During the consecration festival of this new Vihara, the king gave a lavish almsgiving. Additionally, the magnificent stone image of Buddha, originally placed in Thuparama by King Devanampiya Tissa, was relocated and enshrined in the new Viharaya.
Three new gateways to Sri Maha Bodhi
Badulu Vehera
Elagal Vehera (Elugal)
Mulgiri Vehera (Mulgirigala)
Munnam Vehera
Pedela Pirivena (Pelangiriya Viharaya)
Alambagama Wewa Reservoir
Bamunugamuva Wewa Reservoir
Demateva Wewa Reservoir
Heluggamuva Wewa Reservoir
Mahatombuva Wewa Reservoir
Pisannava Wewa Reservoir
Vadugamuva Wewa Reservoir
Lovamahapaya: completed the work started by his father Gothabhaya and raised the building to seven stories. Moreover, he made an offering of a jewel estimated to be worth 60,000 pieces of money and named it Manipasada.
Bestowed the Kalamattika Wewa for the benefit of the resident monks of Cetiyapabbata 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.