Mahavihara

Mahavihara was an influential Theravada Buddhist monastery and center of learning in ancient Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Its monastic tradition shaped the transmission and study of Theravada Buddhism.

Anuradhapura: Anuradhapura was an ancient Sri Lankan capital and a major center of Buddhist political and religious life. Mahavihara grew within this capital’s royal and religious world.
Theravada: Theravada is a Buddhist tradition that preserves the Pali Canon and emphasizes the path to awakening taught by the Buddha. Mahavihara became a leading institution of this Buddhist tradition.
Abhayagiri Vihara: Abhayagiri Vihara was a major Buddhist monastery in Anuradhapura and a rival to Mahavihara. Their competition reflected divergent monastic affiliations and approaches to Buddhist learning.
Mahavihara archaeological site: The Mahavihara archaeological site is the excavated remains of the monastery complex in Anuradhapura. Its remains locate the institution within the city’s sacred and residential landscape.
Devanampiya Tissa: Devanampiya Tissa was an early Sri Lankan king traditionally associated with the island’s conversion to Buddhism. Tradition links his reign to the establishment of Mahavihara.
Pali Canon: The Pali Canon is the collection of scriptures preserved by Theravada Buddhists. Mahavihara monks studied and transmitted this scriptural collection.
Jetavana Vihara: Jetavana Vihara was a large Buddhist monastery in Anuradhapura, established as a distinct monastic institution. Its foundation added another major monastic community to Mahavihara’s religious landscape.
Lovamahapaya: Lovamahapaya, or Brazen Palace, was a multi-storied building associated with the Mahavihara in Anuradhapura. The building’s traditional association illustrates the scale of royal support for the monastery.
Mahinda: Mahinda was a Buddhist missionary traditionally credited with bringing Buddhism from India to Sri Lanka. His mission is connected with the early Buddhist community from which Mahavihara developed.
Vinaya: Vinaya is the body of Buddhist monastic rules and procedures governing the sangha. Its interpretation shaped discipline and communal life at Mahavihara.

Linked from 9 pages