A building at Anurádhapura, forming the uposatha hall of the Mahávihára. It was originally built by Devánampiyatissa (see Mhv.xv.205), but it was then a small building erected only to round off the form of Mahá vihára (viháraparipunnamattasádhakam) (MT. 364). Later, Dutthagámani pulled it down and erected on its site a nine storey building, one hundred cubits square and high, with one hundred rooms on each storey. The building was planned according to a sketch of the Ambalatthikapásáda (the actual Ambalatthiká (q.v.) of the Lohapásáda was to the east of the building, DA.ii.635) in Bíraní's palace which eight arahants obtained from the deva world. The building was roofed with copper plates, hence its name. The nine storeys were occupied by monks, according to their various attainments, the last four storeys being reserved for arahants. In the centre of the hall was a seat made in the shape of Vessavana’s Náríváhana chariot (for details see Mhv.xxvii.1ff). The building was visible out at sea to a distance of one league (MT. 505). Once Dutthagámani attempted to preach in the assembly hall of the Lohapásáda, but he was too nervous to proceed. Realizing then how difficult was the task of preachers, he endowed largesse for them in every vihára (Mhv.xxxii.42ff). Dutthagámani had always a great fondness for the Lohapásáda, and as he lay dying he managed to have a last view of it (Mhv.xxxii.9). Thirty crores were spent on its construction; in Saddhátissa's day it caught fire from a lamp, and he rebuilt it in seven storeys at a cost of nine millions.
Khallátanága built thirty two other pásádas round the Lohapásáda for its ornamentation (Mhv.xxxiii.6), while Bhátikábhaya carried out various repairs to the building (Mhv.xxxiv.39), and Amandagámaní added an inner courtyard and a verandah (ájira) (Mhv.xxxv.3). Sirinága I. rebuilt it in five storeys (Mhv.xxxvi.25,52), Abhayanága built a pavilion in the courtyard and Gothábhaya had the pillars renewed (Mhv.xxxvi.102).
He evidently started to rebuild the structure, because we are told (Mhv.xxxvi.124) that, after his death, his son Jetthatissa completecd up to seven storeys the Lohapásáda which had been left unfinished (vippakata) by his father.
The building was worth one crore, and Jetthatissa offered to it a jewel worth sixty thousand, after which he renamed it Manipásáda. Afterwards Sona, a minister of his brother, the renegade king Mahánáma, acting on the advice of heretical monks led by Sanghamitta, destroyed the pásáda and carried away its wealth to enrich Abhayagiri vihára (Mhv.xxxvii.10f,59).
Mahánáma's son, Sirimeghavanna, had the pásáda restored to its original form (Mhv.xxxvii.62), and, later, Dhátusena renovated it (Mhv.xxxviii.54), as did Aggabodhi I., who distributed the three garments to thirty six thousand monks at the festival of dedication and assigned a village to provide for its protection (Mhv.xlii.20). His successor, Aggabodhi II., deposited in the pásáda the Buddha's right collar bone, which relic was later transferred to the Thúpáráma (Mhv.xlii.53,59). In the reign of Aggabodhi IV., the ruler of Malaya repaired the central pinnacle (Mhv.xlvi.30), while Mánavamma provided a new roof (Mhv.xlvii.65). Sena II. completely restored the pásáda and placed in it an image of the Buddha in gold mosaic. The building was evidently not in use at the time, but he provided for its upkeep and assigned villages for its protection, and decreed that thirty two monks should be in constant residence (Mhv.li.69f). Sena IV. was in the habit of preaching in the Lohapásáda periodical sermons to the monks (Mhv.liv.4) which were based on the suttas, but, after his death, the place again fell into disrepair and was destroyed by the Colas. Parakkamabáhu I. restored it once again (Mhv.lxxviii.102), but it was soon after pillaged again and fell into ruin, in which state it remains to this day. There are now sixteen hundred monolithic stone columns (the same number as in the time of Parakkamabáhu I.), which evidently formed the framework of the lowest storey.
Frequent mention is made in the books of sermons preached in the lowest storey of the Lohapásáda, at which very large numbers were present. Once, when Ambapásánavásí Cittagutta preached the Rathaviníta Sutta, there were twelve thousand monks and one thousand nuns (MT.552f). On another occasion, Bhátikábhaya described the contents of the Relic chamber of the Mahá Thúpa to all the monks of the Mahávihára assembled in the Lohapásáda (MT.555).
Buddhaghosa says (DA.ii.581) that, up to his day, it was customary for all the monks of Ceylon, who lived to the north of the Maháválukanadí, to assemble in the Lohapásáda twice a year, on the first and last days of the vassa, while those to the south of the river assembled at the Tissamahávihára. When disputes arose as to the interpretation of various rules or teachings, the decision was often announced by a teacher of repute from the lowest storey of the Lohapásáda (DA.ii.442, 514).
The hood of the Nága king Mucalinda was of the same size as the storehouse (bhandágáragabbha) of the Lohapásáda (UdA.101). A mass of rock, as big as the seventh storey of the Lohapásáda, if dropped from the Brahmaworld, would take four months to reach the earth. DA.ii.678.