King Asoka and Buddhism - Urban Dharma

missionaries to propagate the Buddha Sāsana in the island.Aśoka must have given Sri Lanka a special place in his missionaryactivities because of the guilt he felt for his crimescommitted at Kalinga, particularly in recognition of the historicalties between Sri Lanka and Kalinga.6. Aśoka and TissaAccording to the Pali chronicles Tissa was the second son ofMuṭasīva. As suggested by the same sources this dynasty ofkings also had connections with the Buddha’s Sakya clan. TheMahāvaṃsa relates that Vijaya, just before his death, sent wordto his brother Sumitta to come and rule this island. But asSumitta was already ruling Sinhapura at Kalinga, he sent hisson Paṇḍuvāsudeva to Sri Lanka. The latter married Bhaddakaccānā,the daughter of Paṇḍusakka of the Sakya clan, andthey were consecrated king and queen of the island. Pandukabhaya,one of the sons, later succeeded him to the throne.Mutasiva was his son and Tissa his grandson. In this way thechroniclers have depicted the Sakya relationship with the earlySinhala kings, thus bringing about an ethnic union of the Sinhalarace with Buddhism.On the death of his father Tissa ascended the throne withthe usual consecration (abhiseka), and this event is said to havebeen accompanied by the miraculous appearance of pricelessitems in his dominion. One such was a veḷuyaṭṭhi, a bamboostaff which served as the royal insignia. 37 It is also assertedthat Tissa had been an unseen friend of Aśoka even beforehe become king, implying that there were political and culturalconnections between his father and Aśoka even beforehis accession to the throne.However, after becoming king, Tissa decided to send125