Abhayagiri

Abhayagiri, important ancient Theravāda Buddhist monastic centre (vihāra) built by King Vaṭṭagāmaṇi Abhaya (29–17 bc) on the northern side of Anurādhapura, the capital of Ceylon (Sri Lanka) at that time. Its importance lay, in part, in the fact that religious and political power were closely related, so that monastic centres had much influence on the secular history of the nation. But it is also important in the history of Theravāda Buddhism itself. It was originally associated with the nearby Mahāvihāra (“Great Monastery”), which was the traditional centre of religious and civil power built by Devānanpiya-Tissa (307–267 bc). But Abhayagiri seceded from the Great Monastery toward the end of Vaṭṭagāmaṇi’s reign in a dispute over the relations between monks and the lay community and the use of Sanskrit works to augment Pāli texts as scripture.

Although viewed as heretical by the monks at the Great Monastery, the Abhayagiri monastery advanced in prestige and wealth under the patronage of King Gajabāhu I (ad 113–135). Abhayagiri continued to flourish until Anurādhapura was abandoned in the 13th century. Even then, two of its main colleges continued to operate until the 16th century.