Bhuvanekabāhu

1. Bhuvanekabāhu. A Singhalese ruler (ādipāda) who founded a town at Govindamala in Rohana and dwelt there after Māgha's forces had devastated Ceylon. Cv.lxxxi.6.

2. Bhuvanekabāhu. The younger son of Vijayabāhu III. When Parakkamabāhu II. came to the throne, Bhuvanekabāhu was made Yuvarāja. By the king's orders he learnt the Tipitaka, in which he became well versed, and later instructed the Theras therein. Cv.lxxxi.68; lxxxii.4; lxxxiv.29. See also Bhuvanekabāhu-parivena.

3. Bhuvanekabāhu. The second of the five sons of Parakkamabāhu II. He was entrusted (by Vijayabāhu IV.) with the defence of the north of Ceylon with his headquarters at Sundarapabbata. He later built a town there where he settled. When Vijayabāhu died and Mitta usurped the throne, Bhuvanekabāhu fled from the capital (Jambuddoni) and narrowly escaped death on the way. But soon after, the Ariya soldiers revolted against Mitta and restored Bhuvanekabāhu to the throne, where he ruled for eleven years (1237-84 A.C.) as Bhuvanekabāhu I.

Among other acts of piety, he appointed scribes to copy the whole of the Tipitaka, and gave copies to the chief vihāras of Ceylon. Cv.lxxxvii.16; lxxxviii.24, 79; xc.4, 28ff.

4. Bhuvanekabāhu. Son of Bhuvanekabāhu I. He succeeded Parakkamabāhu III. and had his capital at Hatthiselapura. Every year, in the month of Jetthamūla, he held a great festival to celebrate his coronation and to admit new members into the Order. He ruled for eleven years (1291 1302 A.C.).  Cv.xc.59ff.

5. Bhuvanekabāhu III. Also called Vanni Bhuvanekabāhu. He succeeded Parakkamabāhu IV. Cv.xc.105.

6. Bhuvanekabāhu IV. He succeeded Vijayabāhu V. and ruled at Gangāsiripura (c. 1346 53 A.C.). Cv.xc.107ff.

7. Bhuvanekabāhu V. (1360 91 A.C.). He reigned at Jayavaddhanakotta. Among other pious acts, he made a very costly casket for the Tooth Relic. Cv.xci.9ff.

8. Bhuvanekabāhu VI. He came to the throne by murdering Jayabāhu II. and ruled for seven years (1473 80 A.C.). Cv.xcii.1f.

9. Bhuvanekabāhu VII. (1521 50 A.C.). He succeeded Vijayabāhu VI. Cv.xcii.4f.

10. Bhuvanekabāhu Thera. An eminent monk of Ceylon in the fifteenth century. He was the teacher of the author of the Anāpattidīpanī. P.L.C.247, 254.

Dictionary of Pali Proper Names, G P Malalasekera (1899-1973), which is available as printed version from

Bhuvanekabāhu

King of Sri Lanka from 1237 to 1284 renowned for his piety and for having appointed scribes to copy the whole of the Pāli Canon, which he then had distributed to the main monasteries of the island. Second of the five sons of Parakkhamabāhu II, he had been entrusted with the defence of the north of the island. Upon King Vijayabāhu III's death a usurper took the throne which, however, was soon after restored to Bhuvanekabāhu. His son by the same name, who succeeded Parakkamabāhu III, held a great yearly festival to celebrate his coronation and to admit new members into the Saṃgha.

A Dictionary of Buddhism, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2004 (which is available in electronic version from answer.com)