Merchandising groups in the past had the custom of taking the sacred relics of the Buddha as their heritage, for their protection, righteousness and meritorious deeds and for the protection of the sight of God.There was a highway station that had fallen through the area to the inner colonies.It was called Rathna welimangodella.Merchants used to worship their sacred relics keeping under a kirihadu tree on that place.
After a few days of trading in the area a group of merchants set out on a commercial tour and looked at the sacred relics and the sacred tree. It is revealed that all sacred things and the tree have gone down into the earth shinning few branches like a silver tree.
They were so impressed by this miraculous event that they reported to king Mahananga the king of the province.Then this was informed to his brother king Devanampiyatissa (A.D 247-207) on the advice of king Mahanaga.
The king, delighted with the enlightenment of the Buddha and examined the matter and made a large stupa around the place where the sacred relics had sunk.
Later he built the Buddha shrine and the monastery to the Maha Sangha with a large field of Organization for the maintence of its resident monks and stupa.
The area become known as Bingiriya due to this sacred site which was sunk in the sacred area (sacrifices sank to the ground) Because of the easy of pronunciation of Bimgiliya, Bingiriya has come to be used.
This temple complex has to be known as the Devagiri Vihara since king Devanampiyatissa built it on the top of the land called Welimangodella.
Accounding to another folklore a mountain called “Devagiri” becauce it is a mountain peak which is submerged by the power of God.Since then this temple has been the center of varied achievments and developments of kings,ministers and other local dignitaries.
The Mahavansha states that the temple was renovated during the reign of king Agbo I st (563 A.D-597 A.D) This temple was given state patronage after king Agbo, during the reign of king Parakramabahu, the son of king Virabahu (A 1153 A.D- 1186 A.D)
About five hundred years after the reign of king Agbo, the prosperity of his development activities no doubt spread through the temple.
Then came the invasion of king Jayawaka by the name of Chandrabhahu during the reign of king Parakramabahu of Dambadeniya, Invasion of the Mithra Sovereign during the reign of king vijayaba IV st of Dambadeniya and relalition against him. The frist invasion of Arya Chakravarthi Minister of king Kulasekara in the Pandya Deshaya of the Buwanekabahu. By the time of king Buwanekabahu Iv st Gampala the pressure of the tamil jurisdication extended from Matale in the North to Panadura in the coastal area.As a result of the unstable government rule in the area, the bright age of temple has gradually sunk into the abyss.
A period of independence and prosperity began in the area of Parakramabahu the VI th in Kotte, which united the whole island with the reunification of the Tamil powers, due to the involvement of prime minister Jayapala. Pararajasekarm, who was establishsed in Jaffna after the Vijayaba Kollaya, had wreaked havoc in the area by the Tamil king’s forces.
During the reign of king Sri Keerthi Rajasinghe[A.D.1748-1882] this Vihara has become a center of Buddhist revival of the Buddhist revivalist of the Weliwita Saranankara Sangaraja Thero.
Under the patronage of king Rajasinghe and with the guidance of the Sangharaja Thero, the Bingiriya Vihara was Placed under the chief incumbent of the Ginigathpitiye Sangarakkitha Thero in Sathkorala maha disawa.
Subsequently the work of this temple was put under the name of Meenawe Sumana Thero, a student of Ginigathpitiye Sangarakkitha Thero. During this period a historic monument as well as a sacred shrine the Temple on pillars (Tampita Viharaya) was erected.
There after the temple was held under the patronage of the late chief incumbent of Malagane Aththdassi Thero and viharaya has been renovated by a group of Buddhist devotees led by Sri Brahaman Arachchi Mudiyanselage “Lekam Mahaththmaya”
Sranankara Thero, led by the chief incumbent of the Bingiriya Viharaya, rebuilt the stupa by 1959 when he saw the threat of the tree growing.
Malagane Aththadassi Thero who is a relative as well as a chief pupil of late ven. Malagane Saranankara Thero is the chief incumbent of this temple now.