Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c6.54

c6.54

The last great kings were Kirti Śrī Rāja Siṃha (A.D. 1747-1780) and his brother Śrī Rājadhi Rāja Siṃha (A.D. 1780-1798). Although of Tamil blood (Narēndra Siṃha was the last Sinhalese king; Kirti Śrī was his brother-in-law) they were worthy followers of the great men who had preceded them. Kirti Śrī was an eager patron of religion and art. At the beginning of his reign he found the priesthood decayed and religion neglected—“there was not even one priest in this beautiful island of Laṅkā.” When in response to a second mission, the Siamese king sent a chapter of ten priests with books and presents, he established them in a “beautiful monastery with a tiled roof . . . at Pupphārāma (Malvatte Paṇsala, most or all of the buildings of which date from Kirti Śrī; but Rājadhi Rāja Siṃha built the Pohoya-gē) . . . and from that time the king was wont to send for such of the novitiates and others as were skilled in the science of language and the knowledge of the law, and had ordination conferred on them.” Of these the greatest was Veḷiviṭa Saraṇaṅkara, who was made Saṅgha Rāja or head of the priesthood. The king also persuaded many persons of good family to enter the priesthood. Thus Rāja Siṃha restored the priesthood and encouraged learning.