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KPI Congress 15 th

The king, who was known by the name of Sirisa ghabodhi, reigned two
years in Anurãdhapura, keeping the five precepts (Mahãnãma Thera 1950:
260-261, ch. 36: 58-73).

In the history of Buddhism and kingship in Sri Lanka, the life of King Sirisangabo
epitomizes the functioning notion of ahi sã (non-violence) in real political world. In
ancient Ceylon, ahi sã was valued and some ethically inspired rulers such as King
Sirisangabo attempted to follow the Buddhist principles of non-harming and went out
of their way to practice Buddhist precepts on non-violence to the letter.

Existing narratives both in Sinhala and Pãli languages show that King Sirisangabo
sacrificed his life for a good cause that he believed in. When his subjects were
suffering from seasonal and environmental impact, the king himself took the initiative
to remedy it. The Mahãva sa mentions his generosity towards the monastic
community:

In the Mahãvihãra he set up a beautiful salãkã-house. When the king
heard that the people of the island were come to want by reason of a drought
he himself, his heart shaken with pity, lay down on the ground in the courtyard
of the Great Thupa, forming the resolve: ‘Unless I be raised up by the water
that the god shall rain down I will nevermore rise up from hence, even though
I die here.’ As the ruler of the earth lay there thus the god poured down rain
forthwith on the whole island of Lank?, reviving the wide earth. And even then
he did not yet rise up because he was not swimming in the water. Then his
counsellors closed up the pipes by which the water flowed away. And as he
now swam in the water the pious king rose up. By his compassion did he in
this way avert the fear of a famine in the island (Mahãnãma Thera 1950: 261-
262, ch. 36: 74-79).

In his life King Sirisangabo imitated and followed the ideal lifestyle of a person
who aspires to become a Buddha, bodhisattva, driven by virtues such as compassion
as can be seen in the Mahãyãna Buddhist narrative of the mahãsatttva (great being)
who gave away his life to feed the hungry cubs (Conze 1959: 24-26).

A yakka known as Ratakkhi, who had come hither, made red the eyes of
the people here and there. If the people did but see one another and did but
speak of the redness of the eyes they died forthwith, and the yakkha devoured
them without fear.

When the king heard of their distress he lay down with sorrowful heart International panel discussion
alone in the chamber of fasting, keeping the eight uposatha vows (and said):
‘Till I have seen the yakkha I will not rise up.’ By the (magic) power of his
piety the yakkha came to him. To the king’s (question): ‘Who art thou?’ he
answered: ‘It is I, (the yakkha).’ ‘Why dost thou devour my subjects? Swallow
them not!’ ‘Give up to me then only the people of one region,’ said the other.
And being answered: ‘That is impossible,’ he came gradually (demanding ever