ORIGIN OF BUDDHISM IN SRI LANKA

Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka in 236 b.e. and became the national religion of the Sinhalese from that date.

Buddhism was introduced by Venerable Mahindra, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiya Tissa.

During this time, a sapling of the Bodhi tree was brought to Sri Lanka and the first monasteries and Buddhist monuments were established.

He is also credited with the construction of the Pathamaka-cetiya, the Jambukola-vihāra and the Hatthālhaka-vihāra, and the refectory

IMPACT OF BUDDHISM IN

SRI LANKA

It became the national religion of the SinhaleseAmong the Sinhalese there was no caste divisionsWomen had a very high status in society. Practically in every strata of society the position of women showed no distinction from that of men.

A new constitution stipulated that the state shall protect and foster Buddhism.All these measures coming after one another gradually increased the feeling of alienation among the sri lankan tamils.The connection between religion, culture, language, and education and their combined influence on national identity have been an age-old pervasive force for the Sinhalese Buddhists.

 Buddhism was positioned to evolve as the highest ethical and philosophical expression of Sinhalese culture and civilization.Buddhism appealed directly to the masses, leading to the growth of a collective Sinhalese cultural consciousness.Buddhism also had a great effect on the literary development of the island.

EXPANSION OF BUDDHISM IN

SRI LANKA

•During the third century BCE, Buddhism was spread by Ashoka(BCE 270 - BCE 232), the third and the most powerful Mauryan emperor, who created the first pan-Indian empire

Ashoka’s most successful missions were headed by his son Mahindra, who travelled to Sri Lanka along with four other monks and a novice.This mission turned out to be so successful that the king of Sri Lanka himself became a Buddhist, and Mahindra then supervised the translation of the Theravada canon (written in the Pali language) into Sinhala, the Sri Lankan script.

He also helped in finding a monastery named Mahavihara, which became the main supporter of the Theravadin orthodoxy in Sri Lanka for over 1,000 years.