The Anuradhapura Maha Viharaya was an important mahavihara or large Buddhist monastery for Theravada Buddhism in Sri Lanka. King Devanampiya Tissa of Anuradhapura (247âÂÂ207 BCE) founded it in his capital city of Anuradhapura. Monks such as Buddhaghosa (4th to 5th century CE) and Dhammapala, who wrote commentaries on the Tipitaka and texts such as the Visuddhimagga, which are central to Theravada Buddhist doctrine, established Theravada MahÃÂvihÃÂra of the Tambapaá¹Âá¹Âiya (Pali; Sanskrit: TÃÂmrapará¹Âëya or TÃÂmraà ÂÃÂá¹Âëya) orthodoxy here. The monks residing at the MahÃÂvihÃÂra came to be known as the MahÃÂvihÃÂravÃÂsins.
In the 5th century, the MahÃÂvihÃÂra was likely the most advanced center of learning in southern or eastern Asia. It attracted numerous international scholars, who studied a wide range of disciplines under a highly structured system of instruction.
During much of the early history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, three major subdivisions developed: the MahÃÂvihÃÂra, the Abhayagiri VihÃÂra, and Jetavana VihÃÂra. The MahÃÂvihÃÂra was the earliest tradition, while the Abhayagiri and Jetavana traditions were later established by monks who separated from it. According to A.K. Warder, the Indian Mahëà ÂÃÂsaka sect also took root in Sri Lanka alongside TheravÃÂda, before eventually being absorbed into it. At various points, the northern regions of the island appear to have been ceded to sects originating from India.
According to Mahavamsa, the Anuradhapura MahÃÂvihÃÂra was destroyed in the 4th century during sectarian conflicts with the monks of the Abhayagiri VihÃÂra. These Mahayana-oriented monks are said to have incited King Mahasena of Anuradhapura to demolish the MahÃÂvihÃÂra. In response, a later ruler expelled the MahÃÂyÃÂnists from Sri Lanka..
The traditional Theravadin account provided by the Mahavamsa stands in contrast to the writings of the Chinese Buddhist monk Faxian, who journeyed to India and Sri Lanka in the early 5th century (between 399 and 414 CE). He first entered Sri Lanka around 406 CE and began writing about his experiences in detail. He recorded that the MahÃÂvihÃÂra was not only intact, but housed 3000 monks. He also provides an account of a cremation at MahÃÂvihÃÂra that he personally attended of a highly respected à Âramaá¹Âa who attained the arhatship. Faxian also recorded the concurrent existence of the Abhayagiri VihÃÂra, and that this monastery housed 5000 monks. In the 7th century CE, Xuanzang also describes the concurrent existence of both monasteries in Sri Lanka. Xuanzang wrote of two major divisions of TheravÃÂda in Sri Lanka, referring to the Abhayagiri tradition as the "MahÃÂyÃÂna Sthaviras," and the MahÃÂvihÃÂra tradition as the "HënayÃÂna Sthaviras". Xuanzang further writes, "The MahÃÂvihÃÂravÃÂsins reject the MahÃÂyÃÂna and practice the HënayÃÂna, while the AbhayagirivihÃÂravÃÂsins study both HënayÃÂna and MahÃÂyÃÂna teachings and propagate the Tripiá¹Âaka."
Some scholars have held that the rulers of Sri Lanka ensured that TheravÃÂda remained traditional, and that this characteristic contrasts with Indian Buddhism. However, before the 12th century CE, more rulers of Sri Lanka gave support and patronage to the Abhayagiri TheravÃÂdins, and travelers such as Faxian saw the Abhayagiri TheravÃÂdins as the main Buddhist tradition in Sri Lanka.
The trend of Abhayagiri Vihara being the dominant TheravÃÂda sect changed in the 12th century CE, when the MahÃÂvihÃÂra gained the political support of King ParakramabÃÂhu I (1153-1186 CE), and completely abolished the Abhayagiri and Jetavana TheravÃÂda traditions. The TheravÃÂda monks of these two traditions were subsequently derobed and faced the choice of either returning permanently to lay life or seeking re-ordination within the MahÃÂvihÃÂra tradition, but only at the level of novices (). Richard Gombrich writes that many monks from the MahÃÂvihÃÂra were also derobed: