NRLF

GIFT

OF

THE MAHAVAMSA
OR

THE GREAT CHRONICLE

OF CEYLON

3Te.tt

THE MAHAVAMSA
OR

THE GREAT CHRONICLE

OF CEYLON
TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH
BY

WILHELM

GEIGER, PH

D.,

PROFESSOR OF INDOGERMANIC PHILOLOGY

AT ERLANGEN UNIVERSITY

ASSISTED BY

MABEL HAYNES BODE,

Pn.D.

LECTURER ON PALI AT
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, LONDON

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF THE GOVERNMENT OF CEYLON

OLonfcon

PUBLISHED FOR THE PALI TEXT SOCIETY

BY

HENRY FROWDE
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS, AMEN CORNER,
1912

E.C.

M3

I'*:

OXFORD
BY
HORACE HART
'..'PRINTED
A* THE UNIVERSITY PRESS

.. :

EDITOR'S PREFACE
A

PEW words

came

are necessary to explain how the present

and one or two points should be

to be written

work
men-

tioned regarding- the aims it is hoped to achieve.

Early in
1908 the Government of Ceylon were contemplating a new

Tumour's translation of the Mahaand reprinted in L. C. Wijesinha's

1837
vamsa,
Mahavamsa published in 1889, and were in correspondence on
the subject with the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic
The Society appointed a numerous and influential
Society.
and revised

edition of

published in

1
Committee, and recommended myself as Editor for Europe.

their

By

letter

of

July 18, 1908, the Government of

I took the
to undertake that post.

Ceylon requested me
opportunity at the Congress of Orientalists held at Copenhagen
in August, and again at the Congress on the History

my

of Religions held in September at Oxford, to consult

colleagues on the best plan for carrying out the proposed
revision.
They agreed that the method most likely to
lead to a satisfactory result within a reasonable time was
to entrust the work to one competent critical scholar who
could, if necessary, consult members of the Ceylon Committee,

but who should be himself responsible for

all

the details of the

Government accordingly, and recomwho had just completed his edition

of the text, should be asked to undertake the task.
The
Government approved the plan, and asked me to make the
work.

reported to

mended that

Prof. Geiger,

Those arrangements have resulted

necessary arrangements.
in the publication of the present volume.
Professor Geiger has made a translation into German of his

own
1

revised critical edition published by the Pali Text Society

See the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society,
pp. 40-42, 70, 86.

vol. xxi, no. 61,

4631^,;

Editors Preface

vi

and added the necessary introduction, appendices,

in 1908
Mrs. Bode has translated the German into
and notes.
Professor Geiger has then revised the English
and
English
;

translation.

The plan has been

to produce a literal translation, as nearly

as possible an absolutely correct reproduction of the statements

recorded in the Chronicle.

It

is

true there

the original poem, and that

literary merit in
"hereafter to attempt a reproduction also, in

it

is

considerable

may be possible

English unrhymed

But a literal ververse, of the literary spirit of the poem.

For
sion would still be indispensable for historical purposes.
similar reasons

it

has been decided to retain in the translation

certain technical terms used in the Buddhist Order.

In a

translation aiming at literary merit some English word more

or less analogous in meaning might be used, regardless of the

word would involve implications not found in

Thus bhikkhu has often been rendered ' priest
But a bhikkhu claims no such priestly powers as
are implied by the former term, and would yield no such
obedience as is implied in the other and to discuss all the
similarities and differences between these three ideas would
fact that such a

'

the original.
or ' monk*.

There are other technical terms of

require a small treatise.
It is sufficient here to explain that when

the same kind.

such terms are

it is

left, in the present translation, untranslated,

because an accurate translation is not considered possible.

of them are, like bhikkhit, already intelligible to those

are likely to use this version.
But they are shortly
in
foot-notes
and
a
list
of
them, with further
explained

Most

who

interpretation, will be found at the

end of the volume.

The Ceylon Government has defrayed the expense

as

it

did of the previously published translations of the

of this,

Maha-

vamsa.
T.

W. RHYS DAVIDS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
PAGE

CHAPTER

I.

II.

III.

INTRODUCTION

ix

Abbreviations

.....10

The Visit
The Race
The

Ixiv

of the Tathagata
of

Mahasammata

14

First Council

IV. The Second Council

19

V. The Third Council

26

VI. The Coming of Vijaya

VII. The Consecrating- of Vijaya

VIII. The Consecrating of Panduvasudeva

IX. The Consecrating of Abhaya

.51
.55

...

X. The Consecrating

of

Pandukabhaya

XI. The Consecrating of Devanampiyatissa

XII. The Converting of Different Countries
XIII. The Coming of Mahinda

....
....
.

62
65

68
77

82

88

91
XIV. The Entry into the Capital
97
XV. The Acceptance of the Mahavihara
XVI. The Acceptance of the Cetiyapabbata-vihara. 114
.116
XVII. The Arrival of the Relics
.

XVIII. The Receiving of the Great Bodhi-tree

XIX. The Coming of the Bodhi-tree

of the

Thera

XXI. The Five Kings

XXII. The Birth of Prince Gamani
XXIII. The Levying of the Warriors
XXIV. The War of the Two Brothers
XXV. The Victory of Dutthagamani
XXVI. The Consecrating of the Maricavatti-vihara
XXVII. The Consecrating of the Lohapasada
.

122

.128

....
....
.

XX. The Nibbana

136

.142
.146
.155
.164
.170

179

182

Table of Contents

viii

PAGB

CHAPTER

XXVIII. The Obtaining of the Wherewithal

the Great Thupa

XXIX. The Beginning

XXX. The Making

of the Great

to build

Thupa

187
.

of the Relic-Chamber

XXXI. The Enshrining of the Relics

XXXII. The Entrance into the Tusita-Heaven
.

191

198

.209
.

XXXV.

220
228

XXXIII. The Ten Kings

XXXIV. The Eleven Kings

238
246

The Twelve Kings

XXXVI. The Thirteen Kings

XXXVII. King Mahasena

256
267

APPENDICES
A. The Dynasty of Mahasaramata
B. The

.273
276

Buddhist Sects

C. Campaigns of Pandukabhaya and Dutthagamani

D. List of Pali Terms occurring in the Translation

288

292

298

299

INDEXES
A. List of Geographical and Topographical Names
B. List of Terms explained in the Notes
.

ADDENDA

300

MAPS

Ancient Ceylon

Anuradhapura

.....

To face page

137

INTRODUCTION
1.

Literary questions concerning Dipavamsa and

Mahavamsa.

THE LITERARY QUESTIONS connected with the Mahavamsa

and the development of the historical tradition in Ceylon
have been thoroughly discussed in my book Dipavamsa and
I believe that I have there demonstrated
Mahdvamsa. 1
that the two Ceylonese Chronicles are based upon older
materials and for this reason should claim our attention as
sources of history.

Now, however, R. O. FRANKE has taken

against

my

inferences.

The

He

a decided stand

disputes the existence of an

work

as foundation of Dip. and Mah.

former appears to him to be only a botched compilation

older historical

from the Jatakas and other canonical

Pali quotations

of

But the author of the Mah. has merely copied the

and
the same applies to Buddhaghosa and his historical
Dip.

works.

introduction

Samanta-Pasadika.

the

to

have however,

I hope, succeeded in combating the doubts and objections

raised

3
by FRANKE.

The defects of the Dip., which naturally neither can nor

should be disputed, concern the outer form, not the contents.
1

Dip.

und Mah. und

die geschichtliche

Vberlieferung

in Ceylon,

Translated into English by E. M. COOMARASWAMY,

Dip. and Mah., Colombo, 1908. Quotations in the following pages
follow the English edition. I may also refer here expressly to OLDENBERG'S remarks, Dtp., ed. Introd., p. 1 foil. (1879), as the startingLeipzig, 1905.

point for
2

Dip.

my

own.

und Mah.

21, pp. 203 foil.

3

p.

in the Wiener Zeitschr. f. d.

317

Noch einmal Dip. und Mah.

540

foil.

13. p. 614,

Kunde

des Morgenl.

foil.

note that

agrees with

Zeitschr. d. D. morgenl. Gesettsch. 63,

OLDENBERG

my

in the Archivf. Religionswissensch.

inferences against FRANKE.

Introduction

But that the author

of the Dip. simply invented the contents

a thing impossible to believe.
our task to trace the sources from which he

of his chronicle

is

Thus it is
drew his material.
e.

vamsa-Tika,
which, under the
i.

This

is

made

possible for us

by the Maha-

the native commentary on our chronicle

Vamsatthappakasini, was composed by

title

an unknown author.
I will then here briefly sum up the principal results of my
confirmation in detail, to my earlier

labours, referring, for

works.

In Ceylon there existed at the close of the fourth

century A.D., that is, at the time in which the Dipavamsa
was composed, an older work, a sort of chronicle, of the
history of the island from its legendary beginnings onwards.
1.

The work constituted part

of the Atthakatha, i. e. the old

the canonical writings of the

commentary-literature on
Buddhists which Buddhaghosa took as a basis for his

illu-

It was, like the Atthakatha, composed in

Old-Sinhalese prose, probably mingled with verse in the Pali

minating works.

language.
2. This Atthakathd-Mahdvamsa existed, as did the Atthakatha generally, in different monasteries of the island, in
various recensions which diverged only slightly from one
Of particular importance for the further develop-

another.

ment of the tradition was the recension of the monks of the

Mahavihara in Anuradhapura, upon which the author of
the Mah. Tika drew for his material.
3. The chronicle must originally have come down only
But it was continued
to the arrival of Mahinda in Ceylon.
later and indeed, to all appearance, down to the reign of
Mahasena (beginning of the fourth century A. D.), with which
Dipavamsa as well as the Mahavamsa comes to an end.
work the DIPAVAMSA presents the first clumsy
The MAHAVAMSA is then a new
redaction in Pali verses. 1
treatment of the same thing, distinguished from the Dip.
reign the
4.

Of

this

So far as language

indicated, for

is

numerous

concerned, the author's sources have been

by FRANKE and herein lies the

verses,

merit of his work, although

cannot consent to his conclusions.

*i

Introduction

by greater skill in the employment of the Pali language, by

more artistic composition and by a more liberal use of the
While the authormaterial contained in the original work.
ship of the Dip.

known

as

5. It

is

not

known

the author of the

Mahavamsa

is

Mahanama. 1
on the Dip. that BUDDHAGHOSA bases his
2
but he
to the Samantapasadika ;

also

is

historical

introduction

completes and adds to its information with statements which

could only have been drawn directly from the Atthakatha.

The MAHAVAMSA-TiKA brings to the contents of the

Dip. and Mah. further additions, taken from the original
6.

work.

1250

It
A. D.

was certainly not composed till between 1000 and

But there can be no doubt that the Atthakatha-

Mahavamsa lay before the

known to his readers and
his statements

as to

author, as he also supposes

accessible to

all.

the original work,

its

For

it

to be

this reason

form and

contents, naturally acquire particular importance.

These conclusions are not in any way altered if I

its

am now

Mah. and Dip.

That the author

inclined to consider the relation between

as

a closer one than in

of

the former

knew

disputed.

But

go much

to

my

first

work.

the latter and used

it

I have naturally never

now

wish, in agreement with FLEET,

further and regard the Mah. as a conscious and
I should

intentional rearrangement of the Dip., as a sort of commentary to this latter. I also think now that the quotation
'
'
of the
Mahavamsa of the ancients in the prooemium of

I have besides already

our Mah. refers precisely to the Dip.
indicated the possibility of this view in my Dip. and Mah.,
FLEET 4 then translates the well-known passage of the
p. 17.
later

Culavamsa

(38. 59)

vamsamsamadisi

datva sahassam dlpetum Dipa-

in very illuminating fashion:

a thousand (pieces of gold)
bestowed
Dhatusena)
orders to write a dipika on the Dipavamsa/

he (king

and gave

See RHYS DAVIDS, Journ. Roy. As. Soc. 1905, p. 391.

Edited by H. OLDENBERG, The Vinaya Pitakam, iii, p. 283 foil.
3
I have indicated in Z.D.M.G. 63, p. 549 foil., passages in the
Mah. T. which undoubtedly bear this out.
1

J.R.A.S. 1909, p.

5, n. 1.

xii

Introduction

The interpretation hitherto given that this is an allusion

to a public recitation of the Dip. must then be abandoned.
:

But

this

dipika, which was composed by order of Dhatusena,

by FLEET with our Mahavamsa. Thus, at the

is identified

same time, the date of its origin is more precisely

Dhatusena reigned, according to calculations which are

fixed.

to be

confirmed further on, at the beginning of the sixth century

after Christ. About this time the Mahavamsa was composed.
2.

The Trustworthiness of the Ceylon Chronicles.

After these preliminary observations the Ceylonese Chronicles

now be judged particularly with respect to their value

should

as HISTORICAL SOURCES,

and the

them should be brought

together.

In their character of

historical data

drawn from

historical sources the Dip.

and Mah.

have been very differently appreciated.

FRANKE goes the

furthest in scepticism.
If he did in the
1
least
at
admit
the
POSSIBILITY
that
the author of
beginning
the Dip. had some document or other before him, he has lately

most positively

said

named work

e.
(i.

*
:

in the absence of

the Dipavamsa)

any sources, the lastmust be considered as

its own tottering feet/ 2 And thereno

to
him
historical value can be conceded to
fore according
the Dip. nor to the Mah. nor finally to the Smp. FRANKE'S

standing unsupported on

which I shall return in discussing the history of

the councils, ceases to be well founded as soon as we accept
the thesis that the Ceylonese Chronicles are based on the
scepticism, to

Atthakatha.

With

this the tradition recedes several centuries,

and the probability that

it

contains historical recollections

and that

thesis must, as I

is

have

correspondingly reinforced,
explained above, be considered as confirmed.
KERN S too expresses himself with great caution on the
He indeed says in
historical value of Dip. and Mah.
Indian
his Manual of
Buddhism, p. 9, ... the chronicles
'

column 1275,

Literarisches Centralblatt, 1906, No. 37,

Journal of the Pali Text Soc. 1908, p. 1.

Buddhismus, German translation by Jacobi,

ii,

1.

p. 283.

2.

xiii

Introduction

Dipavamsa, Mahavamsa, and Sasanavamsa deserve a

special

notice on account of their being so highly important for the

ecclesiastical history of Ceylon.' But here, however, it is only

admitted that the chronicles can be utilized as of value for the

period from Devanampiyatissa onwards or perhaps only for a
For the most ancient times, when the history
yet later time.
of continental India

KERN

A
his

is

also to be

taken into consideration,

hardly inclined to accept them as authentic sources.

very trenchant verdict is pronounced by V. A. SMITH in
is

He says in the plainest

the Asoka) the Ceylonese

Asoka on the Ceylonese Chronicles.

fashion

'
:

in this

work

e.
(i.

in

chronology prior to B.C. 160 is absolutely and completely

rejected, as being not merely of doubtful authority but
positively false in its principal propositions/

Perhaps V. A. SMITH has since modified his judgement.

For he says now: 2 f These Sinhalese stories the value of which
has been sometimes overestimated, demand cautious criticism
at least as much as do other records of popular and eccleless cutting.
The warning
which the excellent historian considers

This sounds

siastical tradition.'

to handle critically,

necessary with regard to the Ceylonese Chronicles, is certainly

It applies to all historical documents, and I have
justified.

no intention at

all

of disputing the justice of

it.

The judgement pronounced by RHYS DAVIDS 3 on Dip. and

Mah. sounds much more favourable. He says ' The Ceylon
:

Chronicles would not suffer in comparison with the best of the

Chronicles, even though so considerably later in date, written

England or in

in

France.'

He

also lays stress

on the fact

no pure history.
But they represent the traditions of their time and permit us

that, as

is

self-evident, those Chronicles contain

draw retrospective conclusions as to earlier

H. C. NORMAN* has defended

to

Lately

Chronicles, with complete justice as

1

it

periods.

the Ceylonese
seems to me, against

Asoka, the Buddhist Emperor of India, p. 57.

Early History of India (2nd ed., 1908), p. 9.

Buddhist India, 1903,

p. 274.

Defense of the Chronicles of the Southern Buddhists, J.R.A.S.

1908, p. 1 foil.

xiv

Introduction

undeserved

distrust

and exaggerated

expressly to this
points of contact with

attention

many
If we

scepticism.

essay because

my own

it

draw

naturally has

researches.

next consider the two chronicles as a whole, without

any prepossessions, it is not easy to understand whence this
The presentation
widespread doubt of their trustworthiness.
of the subject, taken as a whole, may be called modest and
True, there is no lack of fables and
simple, indeed dry.
marvellous tales.
But they appear as outward decoration

which can be easily omitted. Besides, we always meet with

such stories of miracles in connexion with events of a quite
clearly defined category, namely, when it is a question of
celebrating the splendour and majesty of the Buddhist Order.
Mahinda arrives in Ceylon in marvellous fashion, flying

through the air; miraculous phenomena accompany the

'Establishment of the Doctrine', the arrival of the relics,

None of this
the planting of the Bodhi-tree, and so forth.
can appear strange to us. The ornament with which tradition
here decks out the victory of the Order and the true faith
The facts in themselves are extraenfolds a deeper meaning.
ordinarily simple ; but to the pious sentiment of the believer

they seemed great;

and fantasy glorifies them with the

of miracle and legend.

many-coloured lights
I do not conceal from myself that this judgement of the
lays itself open to the reproach that our method
to
eliminate from the tradition all the miraculous
simply
1
stories and consider what is left over as authentic history.
situation
is

But

I think

WINDISCH 2 has shown admirably how,

in fact, in

the Buddhist tradition, around a relative small nucleus all

kinds of additions have collected in time, by which events,
originally simple, are withdrawn gradually into the region
Most writers have been content
V. A. SMITH, Asoka, pp. 45-46
to lop off the miracles and to accept the residuum of the story as
Such a method of interpreting a legend does not
authentic history.
'

be consistent with sound principles of historical criticism.

2
Mara und Buddha (Abhandl.d. phil.-hist. Cl. der K. Sachs. Gesellsch.
Wiss., xv, 4, 1895), Buddha's Geburt (ib., xxvi, 2, 1907), Die Kom-

seem
d.

to

position des

Mahavastu

(ib.,

xxvii, 14, 1909).

*v

Introduction

'But we must not therefore pour away

of the marvellous.

the child with the bath.

Here, too, the task of Science

is

to lay bare the grain of truth; not only this, but she must
seek the meaning and significance of the mythical crown of

rays that has gathered round the nucleus.

l
is often the covering of deep thoughts/

We

shall, of course,

For the mythical

be obliged to begin by removing the

residue as current

But we need by no means take the

coin. Here we are concerned to examine how

far the tradition

is

mythical additions.

external evidence,
If

we pause

established as trustworthy, by internal or

far shaken as being untrustworthy.

and how

first

at internal evidence then the Ceylonese

Chronicles will assuredly at once win approval in that they

at least WISHED to write the truth.
Certainly the writers
could not go beyond the ideas determined by their age and
their social position, and beheld the events of a past time in
the mirror of a one-sided tradition. But they certainly did

not intend to deceive hearers or readers.

This

is

clear

from

the remarkably objective standpoint from which they judge

That certainly
even the mortal foes of the Aryan race.
It is true not only of dominating
deserves to be emphasized.
all
to
as,
appearance, Elara was) but also
personalities (such

two usurpers Sena and Guttika it is said, Dip.

and Mah. 21. 11: raj jam dhammena karayum.
of the

18.

47

make out a systematic

at the outset.
confidence
as
such
to
inspire
chronology
of
consist
the Dip.
Indeed, whole sections
entirely of
synchronistic connexions of the ecclesiastical tradition with
Besides, the obvious endeavour to
is

profane history and

of the history of India with that

of

Ceylon.

External support of the Chronicles.

3.

The above certainly are, in the first place, only general

considerations, the value of which I myself would by no
means estimate too highly.

Meanwhile

it is

more important

that the Ceylonese tradition has after all found support to

a considerable extent from external testimony.
1

WINDISCH, Buddha

s Geburt, p. 4.

xvi

Introduction

INDIAN KINGS BEFORE ASOKA/

the statements concerning Bimbisara and Ajatasattu as conFirst as to the LIST OF

1.

temporaries of the Buddha agree with the canonical writings

and, in respect of the names, with those of the Brahmanic
tradition.

The Jaina-tradition has other names ; this, however, does

not affect the actual agreement. There can be no doubt
that the nine Nandas as well as the two forerunners of
Asoka

Candagutta and Bindusara, were altogether historical

personages. Here also, in the number of years of Candagutta's
:

reign the Ceylonese tradition agrees completely with the

Indian. V. A. SMITH/ too, does not hesitate to accept the

number 24
Besides

as historical.

the

renowned

brahman Canakka

(Skt.

counsellor

Canakya)

is

Candagutta, the
known to the Ceylonese
of

In respect of the length of Bindusara's reign their

statements differ from those of the Puranas by three years,
Chronicles.

The Ceylonese
year.
Indian history since the Buddha is,

Asoka by only one

in respect of that of

tradition concerning

therefore, not unsupported.

2.

The CONVERSION OF CEYLON

Mah., and
country
sister

this

finally, according to the

itself,

the

of Mahinda, a son of Asoka, and his

V. A. SMITH calls the stories relating to

himself

Chronicles

the

mentions

Inscriptions

according to Dip. and

tradition of the

work

Samghamitta.
in

is,

unanimous

'a tissue

he

of

absurdities

3
'.

twice

Asoka

his
explains,
Ceylon,
the
countries
in the Rock-Edict XIII, among

as

in

which he despatched missionaries, and in Rock-Edict

among those in which he provides for distribution
to

medicines. 4

Cf.

II,

of

Since these Edicts belong to the thirteenth year

the tables to

9.

Early History of India, pp. 115-118. Cf. also Asoka, p. 95.

3
Asoka, p. 45. OLDENBERG also (ibid., p. 46) considers the tradition a pure invention.
4
Cf. the translations in V. A. SMITH'S Asoka, pp. 129-133 and
pp. 115-116.

The expression cikisaka( = Skt. cikitsa, p.tikiccha)

which SENART translates remedes,

Z.D.M.G. 48, 1894, p. 50) 'hospitals'.

is

rendered by

BUHLER

(see

Introduction
of Asoka's reign there appears to be an error in the Ceylonese
which puts the conversion of Ceylon as far on as

tradition

the eighteenth year. On the other hand Asoka, in the opinion

of SMITH, would, if he had really handed over his son Mahinda

and his daughter Samghamitta to the Church, and had brought

about the conversion of the king of Ceylon, certainly not have
The name ' Samghamitta
neglected to bring it into notice.
is, he thinks, from its very meaning, suspicious.
I discuss the arguments in the reverse order.
The name
Samghamitta is of course that which she herself assumed
on entering the Order. That, beside this name, under which
she became a renowned saint of the Buddhist Church, the
'

lay-name

fell into

complete oblivion can certainly not cause

any surprise.
That Asoka makes no mention of Mahinda and Samghamitta in his Edicts is an argumentum e silentio. That
there is any cogency in such an argument V. A. SMITH will
surely not maintain. It is indeed very difficult to say in what
connexion the king would be obliged to speak of the matter.
It can be perhaps expected chiefly in the so-called Minor
Rock-Edict I, the Edict of Rupnath, Sahasram and BrahmaBut here the reason would again disappear if with
giri.
FLEET 1 we date this edict in the year 256 A.D. In this case,
the sending of Mahinda would be about twenty years earlier
than the edict, and would belong to past times.
certainly do

FLEET'S theory.

not wish to decide here for or against

it is clear that we are standing on too

But

uncertain ground to allow ourselves to proceed without hesita-

from an argumentum e silentio.

Now, finally, what as to the mention of Missions to Ceylon
in the Asoka Inscriptions earlier than the thirteenth year of

tion

the king's reign ?

I may observe that, at the outset, it is not absolutely
certain whether by the Tambapanni of the Inscriptions

Ceylon
1

<

is

really meant.

Possibly the

The Conversion of Asoka,' J.R.A.S.

Edict of Asoka,'
p. 1301 foil.

16.,

p. 811

foil.

name may

designate the

The Last
1908, p. 486 foil.
'The Last Words of Asoka,' /&., 1910,

'

Introduction
Tinnevelli district at the southern extremity of India, where
the river Tamraparm flows into the sea. 1
But, at the same
time,

Tambapanni

if

mean Ceylon
not affected in the

should be understood to

and Mah.

the authenticity of Dip.

is

ESSENTIAL points.
Let us look at the positive contents of the tradition.
are certain of:

Nor

(1)

name Mahinda

the

We

as the apostle

of

that disputed by V. A. SMITH.

Here the
Ceylon.
Hiuenfinds
from
ese
narrative
Ceylon
gratifying support
2
man
who
mentions
Mahendra
as
the
name
thsang
by
expressly

whom

by

is

the true doctrine was spread abroad in the kingdom

It is certain (2) that this Mahendra was a near

of Simhala.
relative of

The Chinese

king Asoka.

pilgrims call him the

3
younger brother of this latter, the Ceylon Chronicles call him
his son.
Here we have two conflicting reports, and it would

be simply arbitrary to prefer the statement of the Chinese

pilgrims to the Ceylonese tradition.

But

at

what

result do

we

arrive if

we put

together these

established facts and the mention of Ceylon in the earlier

Asoka Inscriptions?

Simply and

solely that

which

is

self-

evident, namely, that before Mahinda relations existed between

continental India and Ceylon and efforts were made to trans-

plant the Buddhist doctrine to Ceylon.

But with Mahinda

We can

comes

this process

understand therefore that

all

to

a successful end.

the interest became con-

centrated in his person, and that tradition wrought together

in dramatic fashion that which was a thing of slow con-

tinuous development. I consider that this would always and

in all circumstances have been the critical judgment on the
1

Imp. Gazetteer of India,

J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 1310, n.

8

ST.

s.v.

Cf.

on

this

subject

HULTSZCH,

4.

JULIEN, Memoires sur

les

contrees occidentales,

par Hiouen-

BEAL, Si-yu-ki, Buddhist Records of the Western

ihsang,
p.
World, transl. from the Chinese of Hiuen-thsang, ii, pp. 246-247
ii,

140

T.

WATTERS, On Yuan Chwang, ii. 93, 230, 234.

a
Besides Hiuen-thsang we have mention by Fa-hian

(see

LEGGE,

Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms by Fd-hitn, p. 77) of a younger

brother of Asoka, who became a monk, without, however, mention of
liis name or allusion to the mission to Ceylon.

*ix

Introduction
reports

The

of

our

Chronicles as to the conversion of Ceylon.

but it is a question

fact, in essential respects, holds good,

it in the
right light.
Besides, a hint that Mahinda's mission was preceded by
similar missions to Ceylon is to be found even in Dip. and Mah.,
when they relate that Asoka, sending to Devanampiyatissa,

of putting

with presents for his second consecration as king, exhorted

1
to adhere to the doctrine of the Buddha.

him

Certainly on chronological grounds this cannot be immediately connected with the notices of the conversion of Ceylon

But it shows us that, even

to be found in the inscriptions.
from the point of view of the Chronicles of Ceylon, Buddhism
was not quite unknown

in that country already before

Mahinda's

time.
3. The HISTORY OF THE MISSIONS as related in Dip. and
Mah. 2 receives most striking confirmation in the inscriptions
discovered. On the inner lid of the relic-urn which was found

Tope no. 2 of the Sanchi group there is this inscription

'
Sapurisa(sa) Majhimasa (relics) of the pious man Maj-

in

jhima'.

On

the outer lid

Sapurisa(sa) Kasapagotasa

is

of the pious man Kassapagotta

of the Kassapa clan), the teacher of the Himalaya '. 3
Majjhima is, in fact, named in the Mah. as the teacher

Hemavatacariyasa' (relics)
(i.

e.

Now

who converted the Himalaya region and Kassapagotto

thero appears as his companion in the Dip. 4
Again in the superscription of a relic-casket from Tope
no. 2 of the Sonari group the same Majjhima is mentioned.
On another urn from the same Tope we again find the name
of Kassapagotta, this time with the epithet Kotiputta and
'
again with the designation Teacher of the whole Himalaya '.
In a third urn-inscription Gotiputta (i. e. Kotiputta Kassapa-

1
2

Dip. 12. 5-6

Dip. 8. 1-13

Mah.
Mah.

11.

34-35

12. 1-54.

5 -8
Smp. 323
Cf. also Smp. 314 17-318 25
.

Bhilsa Topes, p. 287. Cf. RHYS DAVIDS,

Buddhist India, pp. 299-301.
4
Mah. 12. 6, 41 Dip. 8. 10. Cf. Smp. 317 19 Mahabodhivamsa (ed.

See

CUNNINGHAM, The
;

5
STRONG) 115 where also Kassapagotta
Majjhima. Cf. also Mah. Tika, 222
,

b2

is

mentioned together with

xx

Introduction

This is
appears in connexion with Dadabhisara.
of
the
the
Dundubhissara
and
the
MahabodhiDip.
evidently
vamsa who was also among those theras who won the Himalaya
gotta)

countries to the Buddha's doctrine. 1

Finally the name of the thera who, according to tradition,

presided over the third council under Asoka's rule, is also
shown to be authentic by an inscription in a relic-casket from
2
Tope no. 2 of the Sanchi group.

is no doubt that by
meant the Moggaliputta

There

the Sapurisasa Mogaliputasa

Tissa of the Ceylonese Chronicles.

is

4. Moreover, the narrative of the transplanting of a branch

of the sacred Bodhi-tree from Uruvela to Ceylon finds interest-

ing confirmation in the monuments.

At

in an ingenious and, to me, conout

that
the sculptures of the lower and
vincing way, points
of
East
middle architraves
the
Gate of the Sanchi Tope are
least

GRUNWEDEL,
3

representations of that event.

belong to the second century B.

c.

Since the Sanchi-sculptures

the representation is distant

from the event by roughly speaking, only 100 or at most

150 years.

4.

Errors in the Chronology of the Earliest

Historical Period.

I consider that such objective confirmation of the Chronicles

proves at the very least this much that their statements are
:

not absolutely untenable and are at least worthy of being tested.

Naturally they are not infallible and the longer the interval

between the time of the events and the time when they are
related, the greater the possibility of an objective error, and

much the more will the influence of legend be noticeable.

As regards the oldest period from Vijaya to Devanampiyatissa we feel a certain distrust of the tradition and traditional

so

8
3

CUNNINGHAM, 1. 1., pp. 316-317.

CUNNINGHAM, I. Z., p. 289.
GRUNWEDEL, Buddhist. Kunst in

DAVIDS, Buddhist India,

p. 302.

Indien, pp. 72-73.

Cf. also

RHYS

xxi

Introduction

chronology from the very fact that Vijaya' s arrival in Ceylon

1
is dated on the
This seems to be
day of the Buddha's death.
a biassed account.

Besides, there are the round

numbers for

the length of the single reigns which have in themselves the

appearance of a set scheme and involve, moreover, a positive
impossibility in respect of the last

two kings of that

period,

PANDUKABHAYA and MUTASIVA.

2
According to our Chronicles
Pandukabhaya was born
death
of
the
before
Then followed
Panduvasudeva.
shortly

the reign of Abhaya, twenty years, and an interregnum of

Then Pandukabhaya ascends the throne at
seventeen years.

He

the age of thirty-seven years.

That would bring

This, however,
his

is

is

seventy years.

reigns

107 years
age
not enough. Pandukabhaya's successor

his

son Mutasiva.

to

He

is

born of Suvannapali

whom

Pandukabhaya had already married before the beginning of

Mutasiva must then have been past the prime
his reign.
of manhood when he succeeded to the throne.
In spite of
this a reign of sixty years is attributed to

It seems
tradition

to

may

me

him.

that certain names and events in the

indeed be maintained, but that the last reigns

were lengthened in order to make Vijaya and the Buddha

contemporaries.

That in respect of certain facts, the tradition is by no

means without value for that first period of Ceylonese history,
shown, for instance, by the account of Pandukabhaya's
3
which decidedly gives an impression of trust-

is

campaigns,
worthiness.

Also after Devanampiyatissa's reign

doubt. 4

reign of forty years

is

we

find

matter for

attributed to the king

Mali. 6. 47. In the Dip. 9. 21-22 it is stated, in a somewhat more

general way, that at the time of the death of the Buddha (parinibbanasamaye, not precisely on the day of the death) Vijaya landed in
1

Ceylon.
2

Dip.

in Smp. 320 20
Mah.
9. 28; 10.
4;

The same
11. 1,

106.

See previously

Mdhciwanso, Introd., p. li.

3
Mah. 10. 26 foil. See below, Appendix C, p. 288 foil.
4
Cf. also on this subject FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909, p. 340.

TURNOUK,

xxii

Introduction

mentioned, who is said to have been Mutasiva's second son,

although he was no longer young when he ascended the throne.
But to him succeeded three younger brothers, Uttiya, 1 Mahasiva
and Suratissa, each of whom reigned ten (= thirty) years.

Nay, after the intervening rule of the two Damilas, Sena

and Guttika, which lasted twelve years, a fourth brother,
Asela, ascends the throne and also reigns ten years.
The reigns of the sons of Mutasiva, who himself occupied
the throne for sixty years, would then cover a period of
ninety-two years

We see clearly that also

in the period between Devanampiyaand Dutthagamani there were still gaps in the tradition
which were filled in with fictitious construction. For the line

tissa

of Devanampiyatissa

we have again

the remarkable round

numbers 40 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10.
In the later periods we encounter no such
impossibilities.

But even
and

is

credible, the

in that first historical period one fact stands out

distinctly

from the wavering

traditions concerning

the times immediately before and after.

of Devanampiyatissa and the arrival of

And with

difficulties and
numbers appear

and more trustworthy.

less artificial

clearly

The chronology

this

we approach

That

the reign

is

Mahinda

in Ceylon.

the general standpoint from which

we have to judge the historical tradition as to the earliest

earlier times in our Chronicles.
5.

The Year of the Buddha's Death.

have to do with a monkish

fWe
point of

and

tradition.

statements

The

starting-

the year of the

chronological
Buddha's death. For this tradition naturally not every event
its

is

every historical personage is important to an equal degree,

but chiefly in so far as they were of importance for the
development of the Buddhist community. There are isolated

iior

occurrences and personalities connected, even in early times,

1

The name of Uttiya and

his consort is confirmed

in Periya-Puliyankulam (Northern Province).

rey of Ceylon,

Annual Report, 1905

by an inscription

See Archaeological

(xx. 1909), p. 45.

Introduction
with a certain date which announced the time that had passed

Buddha's death.
As for the intervening period
the traditions concerning it were far less well established and
precise, especially from the chronological point of view.
Here fictions were made, building up and completing the
1

since the

tradition

from which subsequently, with those

fixed points as

framework, the chronological system was developed that we

find in the Dip. and Mah., as also in the Introduction to the
Snip., and again in the later historical literature of Ceylon.

In the Dip., the oldest source

accessible to us, this system,

most certainly not a creation

appears already complete.
of the author of the Chronicle but only taken over, in all
probability, from the Atthakatha.
It

One

is

which was established at a specially

which
and
evidently forms the corner-stone of
early period,
the whole system, is the number 218 for the consecration
of the fixed dates,

(abhiseka) of Asoka.

The Dip.

6. 1, says:

dve satani ca vassani attharasa vassani ca

sambuddhe parinibbute abhisitto Piyadassano

*

218 years

after the

Sambuddha had passed

into

II

Nirvana

Piyadassano (Asoka) was consecrated/

And

the

Mah.

5.

21:

Jinanibbanato paccha pura tassabhisekato

Sattharasam vassasatadvayam evam vijaniyam.
Conqueror and before his
consecration there were 218 years; this should be

'After the Nirvana of

(

Asoka' s)

the

known/
In the same way, to date the Mahavira in the Jaina tradition the
is evidently decisive as being the sum total of the years
between his death and the beginning of Candragupta's reign. See
1

number 155

Hemacandra's Parisistaparvan, ed. JACOBI, viii. 339 Pref., p. 6. If

the year 321 B.C. for this last event we have as result
476 B. c. as the year of Mahavira's death. Certainly this is in contradiction with the Buddhist reckoning in so far as, according to Majjh.
Nik. II. 243 18 foil., the Nigantha Nataputta (i.e. the Mahavira) must
have died BEFORE the Buddha. OLDENBERG, Z.D.M.G. 34, p. 749.
;

we accept

'

'

Introduction

THAT

TO SAY, THAT AFTER A LAPSE OF 218 YEARS, i. e.

SOMETIME IN THE YEAR 219 AFTER THE BUDDHA^S DEATH, THE
CONSECRATION OF ASOKA TOOK PLACE. 1
is

Since Asoka had already reigned four years before he per-

formed the abhiseka ceremony

after the Nirvana.

his accession falls

214 years

According to the Ceylonese tradition the

Asoka was preceded by that of Bindusara, lasting

twenty-eight, and that of Candagutta lasting twenty-four
Thus Candagutta would
years (Mah. 5. 18; Dip. 5. 100).
have ascended the throne 214
24 years), i. e. 162 years
+
(28
after the Nirvana. 3
Now this event is one of the few in the
earlier Indian history which we can date with some approach
to certainty.
It falls in the year 321 B.C. or within two
reign of

4
years of this date, allowing for error.
THUS THERE RESULTS AS THE PROBABLE

BUDDHA'S DEATH (321

162)

= 483

age of eighty years the year of

563 B.C.

But we must emphatically

B.C.

YEAS,

As he

his birth should

OF

THE

died at the

be put at

state that this calculation too is

hypothetical, that we are only able to give an approximate

and not a perfectly exact result. Moreover, we shall see

below that, in the Ceylon Chronicles themselves, there is

a contradiction which we can hardly pass by.
First of all the whole calculation, as OLDENBERG 5 has
quite justly insisted, rests on the supposition that the date
20
1
Slightly different in the Smp., p. 299 , which puts the abhiseka
in the year 218 (dvinnam vassasatanam upari attharasarae

vasse).
see

On

the tradition on Asoka's age of the Northern Buddhists

11.

Dip. 6. 21-22; cf. Smp. 1. 1. Moreover, Mah. 5. 22 contains the

same statement. NORMAN, J.R.A.S. 1908, p. 10, is mistaken when
he says that, according to the Mah., accession should be put at the
year 218 A.B. and the abhiseka at 222.
3
With this calculation cf. FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1906, pp. 984-986 and
1909, p. 1 foil., and particularly p. 28 foil. See also WICKREMA-

SINGHE, Epigraphia Zeylanica, i, p. 142, n. 7.

4
V. A. SMITH, J.R.A.S. 1901, pp. 831-834 Early History of India,
;

pp. 38-39.
6
Archiv fftr Religionswissenschaft, 1910, p. 611.

Introduction

218

me

for Asoka's

that

it is

abhiseka

just on

is

authentic.

It really seems to

this very point that scepticism is least

The date is supported by the best testimony and

has nothing in it to call for suspicion. The interval of time
is
certainly not so great that the preserving, within the ecclenecessary.

siastical world, of

a definite tradition as to an event of such

great importance should be improbable or indeed impossible.

On the other hand we must not forget that the date 321
for Candragupta's accession, which forms a point of support
for the hypothesis, is only approximately correct.
little
is
back
or
forward
therefore
shifting
quite possible.

the supposition that the length of Candagutta's reign (twenty-four years) and Bindusara's (twentyNow it seems indeed
eight) is established with certainty.
Finally, there

is

with regard to the former, scepticism is quite out of

Here the northern tradition is in agreement with the
place.
1
southern, which is certainly an important point. On the other
that,

hand there

is

sara's reign.

may

a difference of three years in respect of BinduHere again there is a possibility that the date

be shifted.

Nevertheless

it

does seem that on the much-disputed quesBuddha's death there is a tendency

tion of the year of the

Marked differences of view are disappearing,

the accepted dates are less far removed one from another. 2
The chronology current in Ceylon, Burma, Siam starts

toward unison.

out from the middle of the year 544 B.C. 3 as the date of the
Nirvana. That this date is wrong and contains an error of,
is now, we
may say, generally
Moreover, FLEET* has pointed out that this
reckoning is by no means based on a continuous tradition

roughly speaking, sixty years,

admitted.

below the tables to 9.

For earlier views see FLEET, J.E.A.S. 1909, pp. 4-5; MABEL
DUFF, Chronology of India, p. 7 KERN, Manual of Indian Buddhism,
Cf.

p. 107, n. 6.
3

Not 543

See

WICKREMASINGHE, Epigraphia

Zeylanica, i,
2444, began on May 13, 1900.
*
The Origin of the Buddhavarsha, the Ceylonese Reckoning from
the Death of Buddha,' J.E.A.S. 1909, p. 323 foil., esp. 332.
p. 122, n. 7.

The year of Buddha,

xxvi

Introduction

from early times. It is rather a relatively late fabrication,

which probably does not go back further than the twelfth
1
How the error of sixty years came into the
century A.D.
still needs explanation.
date 477 B.C. as the year of the Buddha's death,
the
Again,

era certainly

which was accepted by

MAX MULLER and CUNNINGHAM,

must

It rests on the erroneous premise that the year

of Candragupta's accession was 315 B.C. 2

be given up.

V. A. SMITH 3 accepts 487 or 486 B.C. as the year of the

Nirvana, GOPALA AIYER,* who starts from 269 as the year of
Asoka's coronation, the year 486 B.C.
Both attach some imit
would
'dotted Record', 5
to
the
so-called
seem,
portance,

which was continued in Canton up to the year 489 A. D. and

marks each year, from the date of the Buddha onwards, with
a dot. In the year 489 A. D. the number of dots amounted to
975, which would bring us to the year 486 B.C. as the startingpoint.
I would not for
this

'

dotted Record

course of time

part attach too

my
'.

it is

It

is

much

importance to

singularly improbable that in the

a question of nearly a thousand years

not a single error or oversight should have occurred. The

essential, to my thinking, is that the difference between the
is already reduced
by now to three or four
from
his
own standpoint, arrives
V.
A.
SMITH,
years.
at a result so closely approaching that to which the corrected
Ceylon-Tradition brings us, he might well have been led to a
somewhat milder judgment as to their trustworthiness and

various reckonings

But

if

their value.

down to this whether,

allow Bindusara a reign of
twenty-five years, or, in agreement with the Mahavamsa, allow
him twenty-eight years. In the former case we come to the
Finally, the whole difference comes

agreeing with the Puranas,

1
2
3

4
3

As

it

now appears

S.B.E., x,

2nd

(see

we

below) in the eleventh century.

ed., 1908,

pp. 43-47.

Early History of India, pp. 41-43.

'The Date of Buddha,' Ind. Ant. xxxvii, 1908, p. 341 foil.
See TAKAKUSU, J.R.A.S. 1896, p. 436 foil. 1897, p. 113; FLEET,
;

ib.,

1909, p.

9.

Introduction
year 486 as the year of the Nirvana, in the latter case to
483 B.C. If we then take the 219th year after the Nirvana
as the year of Asoka's abhiseka, there results in the former
case 268/67 B.C., in the latter 265/64 B.C.
It would be of great importance to us if we might refer the
date 256 at the end of the so-called Minor Rock-Edict I l to
'

'

the years elapsed from the Nirvana to the publication of the

Edict.
This opinion was formerly held, represented particu2
by BUHLEII and FLEET.
But recently the interpretation of that Edict was cleared up
The merit belongs to F. W. THOMAS. 3
to a certain extent.
He was the first to point out that the expressions vivuthena
and vivas a (vivutha), which appear in connexion with the
number 256, should be derived from vi-vas in the sense ' to be
Then in his second
absent from home, to dwell far away '.
article he has ingeniously demonstrated that the number 256
does not denote years but nights, i. e. nights and days. In the
Sahasram. text he first discovered the word lati = ratri in duve

larly

sapamnalatisata

Skt.

dve satpancasaratrisate.

These discoveries were acknowledged both by FLEET and

HuLTZSCH. 4 But now opinions diverge. F. W. THOMAS takes
it

to

mean

journey.

that Asoka published the Edict when on a religious

The number would refer to the 256 changes of

camp in the course of this tour of inspection.

But FLEET interprets vivutha and vivasa in another way.
According to him the allusion is to the renunciation of the
household

life,

takes

mean

to

it

to the

that

life

far from house

Asoka

and family.

He

after a reign of thirty-seven years

had renounced the throne and the world to spend the rest of
His dwelling was the mountain
his life in religious retreat.
1

The Edict

and elsewhere.
2

Cf.

is

to

be found in Rupnath, Sahasram, in Brahmagiri

V. A. SMITH, Asoka, p. 138, n.

BiiHLER, Epigraphia Indica,

of Asoka,' J.R.A.S. 1908, p. 811 foil.

3
Ind. Ant. xxxvii, 1908, pp. 22-23,

and

especially 'Les vivasah

Journal Asiatique, May-June, 1910, p. 507 foil.

FLEET, 'The Last Words of Asoka, J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 1302

d'Asoka
4

3.

138; FLEET, 'The last Edict

iii.

',

HULTZSCH, 'A Third Note on the Rupnath

Edict,'

16.,

p.

1308

foil.

foil.

Introduction
Suvarnagiri near
passage which

in

Girivraja

Magadha.

Hence

in

the

preamble to the Edict in the Mysore versions Suvarnagiri is named, and not the capital Pataliputra,
as the place where the Edict, the 'last word of Asoka', was
is

published.

Moreover, the number 256 has, according to FLEET, a

It was not by chance that Asoka pubspecial significance.
lished the Edict

on the 256th day of

his life in retreat.

At

time the 256th year since the Nirvana came to an

Asoka would thus have spent, for each year elapsed

this very

end.

Buddha's death, one day in religious contemplation

since the

brahmacarl.

as a

This

is

But

a very ingenious idea.

it

would be hazardous

for the present time to base further conclusions on this bold

and seductive combination.

6.

Traces of an era in Ceylon reckoned from 483 B.C.

Recently, however, the date 483 seems to have found further

Here we must take into consideration an important
support.
2

WiCKREMASiNGHE, which completes the proof

adduced by FLEET and discussed above, of the late origin of
the Ceylonese era, that starts from the year 544. Indications
are to be found that in earlier times, and indeed down to the
observation of

beginning of the eleventh century, an era persisted even in

Ceylon which was reckoned from 483 B.C., as the year of the
Buddha's death. From the middle of the eleventh century
the

new

and

this is

era took its rise, being reckoned from the year 544,
still

in use.

In dealing with the question we have to date the immediate

predecessors of king Parakramabahu I, beginning with
3

Udaya III (1507 A.B.).

As to Parakramabahu
1

Cf. also

on

this,

I,

FLEET,

we have information from

'

The Conversion of

inscrip-

Asoka,' J.R.A.S.

1908, p. 486/otf.
2
3

See Epigraphia Zeylanica, i, p. 155 foil.

The names are given in WIJESINHA, The Mahavansa, Part

translated, pp. xxii-xxiii.

II,

Introduction
confirmed and completed by literary data, according to
which he was crowned when 1696 years had elapsed since the
tions,

Buddha's death, that is, in the year 1697 A.B. Eight years
later, 1705 A.B., a second coronation apparently took place.
In the fourth year afterwards, when 1708 years had gone by
since the Nirvana, that
1

is,

in

1709

A. B.,

he held a Buddhist

to the Ceylonese era those are the years

According
Synod.
But this date for Parakramabahu is
1153, 1161, 1165 A. D.
supported by an entirely independent source, namely a SouthIndian inscription at the Temple of Tiruvalisvara in Arpak-

kama.

Thus

for the second half of the twelfth century the

existence of the Ceylon era, reckoned

from 544,

is

established

with certainty.

Now

according to the Culavamsa

(56.

16

foil.)

the six

Pandu
Parakramabahu,
Thus
of
the
accession
the
107
lastonwards, reigned
years.
named prince falls at 1590 A. B. or, according to the Ceylonese
predecessors

from Parakrama

of

1046 A.D. Moreover, this date is confirmed by the

South-Indian Manimahgalam inscription, which is dated in
the same year. 3
era,

According to the latter, Parakrama Pandu was conquered

and killed in this year by the Cola king Kajadhiraja I. It
is true the Culavamsa gives Parakrama Pandu a reign of
two years, but we must rather take the accession and death

and the same year, 1590 A. B.

proved, at the same time, that the

of the king as falling in one

1046

Thus

A. D.

is

it

Ceylon-era also existed in the middle of the eleventh century.

But from a South-Indian inscription we can also fix a date
for

Udaya III among

the predecessors of Parakrama Pandu,

new light on the whole

a date which throws a completely

reckoning of

eras.

See the Galvihara-Insc. of Polonnaruwa, 11. 1-4 (ED. MULLER,

Ancient Inscr. of Ceylon, pp. 87, 120)
Nikaya-sangraha, ed. WICKREMASINGHE, pp. 20 26 22 6 Cf. Epigr. Zeyl. i, p. 123.
2
I designate thus the later continuation of the Mahavamsa from
37. 51 onwards.
;

HULTZSCH, South Indian

Zeyl. pp. 80, 155.

Inscriptions,

iii,

no. 28, p. 53

Epigr.

Introduction
1
Since, according to the Culavamsa, the time between the
and
of
Parakrama
III
that
Pandu amounts
Udaya

accession of

to ninety-three years eight days, and, as we saw above, the

latter ascended the throne in 1590 A. B., we have consequently
for the accession of this former

king the date 1497

this year, according to the Tanjore inscription of

A. B.

But

king Rajendra

Coladeva, must be about the year 1015 A. D.

The inscription 2 gives an account of a military expedition
to Ceylon. This invasion by Cola corresponds as to its details

with one which, according to the Culavamsa 53. 40 foil.,

occurred under Udaya III at the beginning of his reign.
KIELHORN has calculated the time of Coladeva's accession as

between the end of 1011 and the middle of 1012 A. D. ; the

expedition falls between the fourth and sixth year of the
reign, that is, between
coincide with the years

years
times.

1015 and 1018.

These years must

1497 and 1498 A. B. Of the 1497

1015) remain 482, which

In other words

fall

within pre-Christian

THE BUDDHA DIED 483

B.C.

So, with WICKREMASINGHE (1. 1., p. 157) we must state the

matter thus. The author of that part of the Culavamsa
which deals with the kings from Udaya III to Parakrama-

bahu I lived at a time when the present era, reckoned from

544 B. c., was in use. He was acquainted with three wellestablished dates, 1497, 1590, and 1692 A. B., for the accession
of Udaya III, Parakrama Pandu, and Parakramabahu I.
But he did not know that the first of the three dates was
based on quite a different era, reckoned from 483 B.C. The
interval between Udaya III and Parakrama Pandu amounted,
in his view, to ninety-three years, but was in reality only
thirty-one years (1015-1046 A. D.).
Certainly, considering the detail in which the events of the
period from Udaya III to Parakrama Pandu are described by
the Culavamsa, it is difficult to say at what point we should
undertake to strike out the surplus of sixty-two years. The

See WIJESINHA, 1. 1., p. xxii.

HULTZSCH, South Indian Inscr.

Epigraphia Indica,

vii, p.

ii,

no. 9, pp. 90-93;

Epigr. Zeyl.

i,

p. 79.

KlELHORN,

Introduction
of Mahinda V
principal part must perhaps fall within the reign
and the interregnum that followed, for which thirty-six years
and twelve years are set down. But that the tradition regard-

ing the period in question

plained
time.

7.

is

not well established

is

easily ex-

by the unrest and confusion which prevailed

at that

The dates of Devanampiyatissa and Dutthagamani.

The tradition according to which Asoka was consecrated

king 218 years after the Nirvana certainly arose in India.
The first envoys of Buddhism brought it to Ceylon with them,
and here A CHRONOLOGICAL CONNEXION WAS ESTABLISHED
BETWEEN THE REIGN OF ASOKA AND THAT OF DEVANAMPIYATISSA, under whom Buddhism made its entry into Ceylon.
That Devanampiyatissa and Asoka were really contempoOn the one hand the
raries we have no reason to doubt.
Ceylonese tradition concerning the missions is supported by
On the other hand we
the discoveries in the Bhilsa-topes.

know from Asoka's

inscriptions that as a matter of fact

an

eager missionary-activity prevailed in his time.

According to the Dlpavamsa DEVANAMPIYATISSA was consecrated king

236 years

after the Buddha's death, 1

i.

e.

in the

237th year. According to the Mah. 11. 40 the consecrating

of Devanampiyatissa took place on the first day of the bright
half of the ninth month, Maggasira (October-November).

Now since, according to Dip. 11. 14, the consecration of

Tissa was later by a certain number of years
I shall discuss
the passage further on AND six MONTHS later than the
abhisekaof Asoka,
1

Dip. 17. 78

this latter event

must have taken place

dve satani ca vassani chattimsa ca samvacchare

sambuddhe parinibbute abhisitto Devanampiyo.

Observe that the formula used

abhiseka. See above,

p.xxiii.

the same as
The date 236

is

in
is

6. 1

for dating Asoka's

also to be found in the

3
Nikaya-samgraha, ed. WICKREMASINGHE, p. 10 and it results in Dip.
and Mah. as the sum total of the reigns of all the kings from Vijaya
to Devanampiyatissa.
,

Introduction
1
(April May), and in fact, as we
know, in the 219th year after the Nirvana.
2
the
According to the tradition prevailing in Ceylon

month Jettha

in the third

month of
to
our
Vesakha
the year
reckoning
(March- April), according
of the year 483 B. c. Thus on the same day 265 B. c. the year
218 A.B. would have come to an end. A month later, roughly
speaking, Asoka would be consecrated. In the month Vesakha,
247 B.C. the year 236 A.B. came to an end. In the autumn
of the same year the first coronation of Devanampiyatissa
took place. A second coronation 3 of this king was celebrated
in the following Vesakha (March- April), 246 B.C.
But there are certain statements which are not in agreement with this reckoning. In a passage in the Dip. 4 it is
said that Mahinda came to Ceylon 236 years after the

Buddha

died on the full-moon day of the second

And

said expressly that this arrival took place

on the full-moon day of the third month Jettha (April-May). 5

Nirvana.

it is

But a new Buddha-year had begun in the preceding month.

Thus if Tissa's first consecration falls in the 237th year A.B.,
then Mahinda's arrival falls in the 238th, that is, not 236
but 237 years had elapsed since the Nirvana.
This contradiction was discovered by FLEET
ingenious attempt to explain it.
The full-moon day of Vesakha as the

death

is

open to doubt.

in the Buddha's

day of the Buddha's

in the Indian calendar see our transl.,

1. 12.

Mah.

3.

5. 1 foil, for

who made an

This day recurs only too frequently

On the other hand FLEET points out

On the names of the months

note to
8

life.

Buddhaghosa

in

Sum.

I.

6 10

and Smp. 2833,

*.

Cf. Dip.

the same results.

Dip. 11. 39; Mah. 11.42.

Dip. 15. 71
:

dve vassasata honti chattimsa ca vassa tafcha

Mahindo nama namena jotayissati sasanam.
6

Dip. 12. 44; 17. 88 (thirty days after the second consecration !)
At Dip. 11. 40 read tato masam atikkamma. See
13. 18.
;

Mah.

OLDENBERG, note on this passage.

'The Day on which Buddha
particularly

6, 11, 31.

died.

J.E.A.S. 1909,

p.

foil.;

Introduction
that according to a notice in Hiuen-thsang the sect of the
Sarvastivadins puts the date of the Nirvana, contrary to the
usual statement, at the eighth day of the second half of

month of the year, Kattika (Sept. -Oct.). 1 Following this FLEET reckons the day of the Buddha's death as
falling on October 13, 483 B.C.
If we take this day as our point of departure the abovementioned contradiction disappears. The year 218 A.B. came
then to an end on October 13, 265, and Asoka was not
crowned in this year, but in the year 264 B.C. in the third
month. 2 The year 236 A.B. ends on October 13, 247 B.C.,
a month later in the year 237 A.B. Tissa was consecrated
3
in the same year, five months later, there followed
king
the second 4 coronation, and yet one month later the arrival of
Mahinda in Ceylon.

the eighth

We
1.

2.

have then the following dates

October 13, 265, end of the year 218 A.B.

April 25, 264, Asoka's abhiseka.

3.

October 13, 247, end of the year 236 A.B.

4.

November

5.
6.

6, 247, Tissa's first coronation.

April 16, 246, Tissa's second coronation.

May

Mahinda comes to Ceylon.

must point out a difficulty which shows,

16, 246,

But here

to say
the least, that our sources are not always exact in their
calculation of time supposing we do not accept a variation by

even one year.

The death

of Mutasiva,

and therefore

also the

crowning of Devanampiyatissa, we find transferred to the

seventeenth year of Asoka, in Snip. 321 l , and, as it appears,
first

also in Dip. 11. 14. 6

See BEAL, Buddhist Records of the Western World, ii, p. 33

STANISLAS JULIEN, Memoires, i, pp. 334-335.
2
The day, according to FLEET, is April 25. J.R.A.S. 1909, pp. 26
and 31.
s
According to FLEET, L Z., p. 32, on November 6.
4
According to FLEET, 1. L, on April 16.
8
The phrasing in the Smp. Asokadhammarajassa sattarasame vasse idha Mutasivaraja kalam akasi Devanampiyatisso raj jam papuni is not at all ambiguous. The Dip. expresses

Introduction

But now even

we

from April 25, 264 (not 265)

abhiseka, the seventeenth year
is already ended on the same day of 247.
Then Tissa's
and
218
236 have already shown,
coronation, as the dates
B

c.

if

set out

as the date of Asoka's

without any doubt, in the eighteenth (not seventeenth)

year of Asoka.
But that notice in the Smp. is not an isolated example.

falls,

At Mah.
dhapura

is

1 the planting- of the Bodhi-tree in Anuratransferred to the eighteenth year of Asoka. This,

20.

There
too, does not agree with the reckoning elsewhere.
can be no doubt that that event falls in the nineteenth
1
year of Asoka.
Naturally, together with that chronological
dates
based upon it and given by the Mahaother
statement,

vamsa
to

20. 2 foil, are shifted also.

It suffices to point out these discrepancies. They are merely

show that caution is after all not out of place.
2.

Further, there

is

time of VATTAGA.MANI,

an interesting date connected with the

We

have, namely, according to

Mah.

33. 80-81, an interval of 217 years 10 months and 10 days

between the founding of the Mahavihara by Devanampiya-

and that of the Abhayagiri-vihara by Vattagamani. 2

The date of the consecration of the Mahavihara can be

tissa

On the fullexactly ascertained by the Ceylon chronology.

to
of
Mahinda
came
moon day
the month Jettha
Ceylon. This
was, according to FLEET'S calculation/ May 16 (246 B.C.);
day later, on May 17, Mahinda came to the capital and

itself less clearly;

however, by the words tamhi sattarase vasse

I can only understand that there were six

chamase ca anagate

to come to complete the seventeenth year.

can hardly use the passage Dip. 12. 42-43 for chronology.
But it seems to give the correct reckoning, the nineteenth year of
Asoka, for Mahinda's arrival in Ceylon.
2
The same date, possibly taken from the Mah., is to be found in
The Mah. Tika, p. 115 (on Mah. 5. 11-13),
the Nik. Samgr., p. II 16

months
1

still

We

gives as the date of the schism of the Dhammarucika of the Abhayagiri the round number of 217 years after the founding of the faith in

Ceylon.
s
J.R.A.S. 1909, p. 28.
11, 24.

For the following

cf.

Mah.

14.

42

15.

Introduction
This the king
spent the night in the Mahameghavana.
presented to Mahinda and his companions as an arilma on the
This then is the day of
following day, May 18, 246 B.C.

We

the founding of the Mahavihara.

are brought then to the
end of March 28 B. c. for the founding of the Abhayagirivihara.

now

believe that

we ought

to attach special importance

which state generally the interval

between two important events. The date number 218 in
connexion with Vattagamani was also known in later times.

precisely to those dates

It

is

implied in the

number 454

of

in the

Vattagamani

1
Galvihara-Inscription of Polonnaruwa. For this has evidently
of
addition
236 (the date of Devanampiyaarisen from the

tissa) to

218.

Moreover, there can be no doubt as to the statement in

Mah. 33. 78 foil, that the founding of the Abhayagiri-vihara

took place in the second half of the reign of Vattagamani.
Therefore I do not hesitate to place the beginning of this
half of Vattaga manias reign at the end
29
or the beginning of the year 28 B.C.
year

second

Of

course this leads us into certain difficulties

of

the

when we add

up the figures of the individual reigns between Devanampiyatissa and Vattagamani according to the readings accepted in

my

edition.

From

these figures

it

results that

Vattagamani

ascended the throne for the second time in the year 39 B.C.
have then a difference, in round numbers, of about

We

ten years.
This difficulty disappears if we read 2 Mah. 21. 11, with
the Singhalese MSS. (duve) dvavisavassani, not with the
Burmese duve dvadasa vassani, to give thus to the Damilas

Sena and Guttika twenty -two and not twelve years'

reign.

To be

sure the Dip. (18. 47) has dvadasa vassani, which

On the other hand
certainly must be taken into account.

the later Ceylonese literature (Thupavamsa, Pujavaliya, Raja1

ED. MULLER, Ancient Inscriptions of Ceylon, p. 87 (Sara siya

supaenaes hawuruddak). See FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909, p. 330.
2
In my edition I originally accepted the former reading, however
in the

'

Corrections

'

(p.

368)

have given the preference to dvadasa.

c 2

XXXVI

Introduction

1
In any case at the
valiya ) only gives the number 22.
was
time the Thup.
composed, according to it, the date stood

so in the

Mah.

Naturally, to be consequent, we must also read Mah. 27. 6

in the prophecy concerning Dutthagamani, with the Sinhalese

cattalisa satam '146' or cattalisa satam

140 '. From the point of view of textual criticism the latter

MSS. cha
'

reading seems to

me to

be the safer

also I should be inclined

number would be

to believe that in this connexion a round

more appropriate.
I confess that I only brought myself unwillingly to depart

from the reading of the Burmese MSS.

They contain

else-

where, without doubt, the better text.

Perhaps we must
in
and
conclude that,
Guttika, the Burmese
regard to Sena
recension adopted

accordance with
altered

to

the

this,'

reading of the Dip. and that, in

in Mah. 27. 6, also the number was

chattimsasatavassani

mistake thus caused in the addition

to do

away with

the

total.

Taking as a basis the date 483 B. c. we can provisionally

draw up a list of the kings according to Dip. and Mah. 2
8.

No.

List of the Ancient Kings of Ceylon.

Introduction

No.

XXXVll

XXXV11L

Introduction

Introduction

From Devanampiyatissa

to

Mahasena's death 609 years

But this only proves

that the accession of the former should be dated 236 A.B.
1
elapsed, according to the later sources.

(609

+ 236 = 845),

but naturally nothing can be deduced from

this statement to aid us in dating the Nirvana itself.

I will now supplement
list with the names and dates

my

of the immediate successors of

62.

Siri-Meghavanna

63.

Jetthatissa

Mahasena
27 years

oq
W

352-379 A. D.
379-388
388-416
416-458
458-480
,
n ^ AQ

18
17

509-527
527-544

64.

Buddhadasa

65.

Upatissa

42

66.

Mahanama

22

67- Sotthisena to
(

75.
76.
77.

28

jPithiya

Dhatusena
Kassapa

2
:

,,

r,

,,

we now have an interesting Indianwhich

Ceylonese synchronism
appears to confirm the reckonas
of
ing having
point
departure 483 B.C.
SYLVAIN LEVI S has communicated the following passage
from the account of the Chinese Wang Hiuen ts'e. The
For

this later period

e.
(i.
Ceylon), by name Chi-mi-kia-po-mo
Sri-Meghavarman *), sent two bhiksus to India to the
monastery erected by Asoka near the sacred tree of the
Buddha in Bodh Gay a. They found no lodging here and
subsequently told their king. He sent an embassy to the
king then ruling over India, San-meou-to-lo-kiu-to (i. e. Samudragupta), and sought permission to build on the sacred spot
a monastery for Ceylonese pilgrims. Thus the synchronism

king of Cheu-tzeu
e.

(i.

of king Siri-Meghavanna, the successor of Mahasena, with

The latter, according to
Samudragupta is confirmed.
1

See Epigr. Zeyl.

Cf. Culav. 37. 99, 104, 178, 208,

i,

p. 143.

247 (according to the numbering of

the Colombo edition of 1877: Mah. 37. 49, 54, 128, 158, 197); 38. 1,
112 39. 58. As to numbers 62, 64, 77, it is said that they died in the
;

twenty-eighth (or twenty-ninth or eighteenth) year. So

that the dates have again been made later by one year.
3

it is

possible

Journ. As. 1900, pp. 316 foil., 401 foil.

The form of this name, as given by the Chinese narrator, results
from a confusion between varna and varman.
4

xl

Introduction

V.

SMITH,

according

to

reigned from 326 to (about) 375, the former,

our reckoning from 483 as the year of the
1

Nirvana 352-379 A.D.

2
According to Chinese sources another embassy came from
sent
to
China,
by king Kia-che, i. e. Kasyapa, in the
Ceylon

year 527

A. D.

reign, according to
9.

a reference to Kassapa I whose

did in fact begin about 527.

Evidently this

my

list,

is

The Indian Kings from Bimbisara

to Asoka.

In the table on the next page I have brought together

the names of the kings from Bimbisara, the contemporary of
the Buddha, to Asoka, according to the Ceylonese, the
Burmese, the Nepalese, and the Jaina tradition.

On

this I will

make the following observations.

The BURMESE TRADITION 3 is undoubtedly dependent on the
4
CEYLONESE, as represented by Dip. and Mah. Buddhaghosa

first

is also in complete agreement with the Mah.

He certainly
ascribes a reign of eighteen instead of eight years to Anuruddha
and Munda, but the sum total of the reigns of all the kings

reckoned up by him at the conclusion

is

only correct

if

we

alter that eighteen to eight.

Asoka vadana 5 comes perhaps

midway between the Ceylonese and the Jaina tradition. It

The NEPALESE

is

list

of the

specially remarkable that in this too appears the

name

of

1
Early History of India, p. 266 foil. (of. Ind. Ant. 1902, p. 257).
See also FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909, p, 343.
2
SYLVAIN LE.VI, I I., p. 42:3 foil. Cf. now also E. R. AYRTON,

new fact which speaks in favour of the

reckoning from 483 B.C. On the other hand a difficulty presents
itself with respect to the embassy of Mo4io-nan (i. e. Mahanama) to
China in the year 428 A.D. (SYLV. LEVI, pp. 412, 421). At the time
there reigned in Ceylon not Mahanama but his elder brother

J.R.A.S. 1911, p. 1142, on a

Upatissa II. The former did not ascend the throne till 458 A.D.
3
See on this BIGAFDET, The Life or Legend of Gaudama the
Buddha (1866), pp. 347, 361-363, 371-372, 374-375.
22
3
Smp. 32 1 foil. Cf. also Sum. 153
Bimbisara to Nagadasa are enumerated.
4

Cf.

BURNOUF,

pp. 358-359,
missing.

It is

foil.,

Introduction a Vhistoire

noteworthy that the

where the kings from

du Bouddhisme

name

of

Indien,

Candragupta

is

Introduction

xlii

Munda whom
in the

Ahguttara-Nikaya.

in this point confirmed

The JAINA
candra. 2

It

know but who is mentioned

Thus the Ceylonese tradition is

the Jainas do not

by the Northern

tradition.

based on the Parisistaparvan of HemaI think, generally admitted 3 that in this list

list

is,

is

Srenika and Kunika correspond to the Bimbisara and Ajata-

On

sattu of the Pali sources.

the other hand the names from

Anuruddha-Munda downwards to the Nandas are missing-.

But among these names those of both Munda and Kalasoka are
well established by other testimony, as we shall see presently.
The PURANIC list has the series Bimbisara-AjatasatruUdayin ( = Udayabhadda) in common with the Ceylonese.
But the Puranas insert yet another king before the lastnamed, and the Ceylonese Chronicles place those three kings
head of the whole list; the Puranas range the
corresponding four kings in the second half of the list.
Moreover, I cannot say that the Purana list inspires me
The tradition as to individual names
with much confidence.

at the

very unstable in the different Puranas.

is

The same

is

the

case with the dates of the individual reigns, although the

totals agree fairly well. 4

The question then

arises

which

list

merits the

most

confidence, the Ceylonese, the Jaina, or that of the Puranas ?

JACOBI 5 is disposed to give the preference to the Jaina list.

He adheres to the view that Kalasoka, 'the black Asoka/

and Kakavarnin (Kakavarna), 'the crow-coloured/ are one
and the same person. That is certainly correct and is confirmed by the fact that Kalasoka in the Pali sources
A. III. 57 23

foil.

OLDENBERG

is

named

has already, Z.D.M.G. 34 (1880),

p. 752, stated this fact.

2

Ed. JACOBI (Bibl Ind.},

297 foil. IX. 14 foil.

foil.,
8

I.

22

foil.

VI. 22

foil.,

231

foil.

VIII.

JACOBI, The Kalpasutra of Bhadrabdhu (Abhandl. fur die Kunde

vii. 1), Introduction, p. 2.
The combination Srenika
Bimbisara occurs ROCKHILL, Life of Buddha (1907), p. 67.

des Morgenl.

MABEL DUFF, The Chronology of India, Table to p. 322.

Cf.
The Kalpasutra, Introd.
also Z. D. M. G. 34, pp. 185-186.
OLDENBERG, Z. D. M. G. 34, p. 750 foil. and further, JACOBI, Z. D. M. G.
4

See

35, p. 667 foil.

xliii

Introduction
as the successor of

Susunaga and Kakavarna in the Puranas

Here at least the Southern

as the successor of Sisunaga. 1

and the Northern tradition are in agreement.

JACOBI moreover believes Kakavarnin = Kalasoka to be
identical with the Udayin of the Jaina tradition, the Udayabhadda 2 of the Southern Buddhist sources. The ground for
his belief is that it is said of both Udayin and Kalasoka that

they removed the royal residence from Rajagrha to PataliHe believes that the Ceylonese tradition has made
putra.

two kings out of one person, has inserted various new kings
between them and has thus artificially filled up the gap
100 years which, according to the Ceylonese view, had
and the Second Council. The list
by JACOBI is this

of

elapsed between the Nirvana

of kings as finally drawn up

Bimbisara (orenika).
Ajatasatru (Kunika).

Munda

= Darsaka,

Harsaka, &c.).

Udayin (Kalasoka, Kakavarnin).

Nanda

dynasty.

3
agreement with OLDENBERG, I do not
feel convinced by JACOBI'S grounds for identifying Kalasoka
with Udayin. The removal of the residence from Rajagrha
to Pataliputra is attributed to Udayin by the Jainas, 4 and by

I confess that, in

the

Brahmans

Kalasoka in the Burmese

(in the Puranas), to

which, beyond a doubt, comes from Ceylon. Hiuenit to king Asoka whose lifetime he
attributes
thsang
places
a hundred years after the Nirvana.
He does in fact know
tradition

only ONE Asoka

whom

he names Wu-yau,

phonetically, 'O-shu-kia.
1

The

But

to all

or,

as rendered once

appearance he combined

Kakavarna has not been taken

by V. A. SMITH (J.R.A.S. 1901, p. 839 foil.), who com-

identification of Kalasoka with

into account

pletely denies the existence of Kalasoka.

2

The name
MSS.

Sinhalese
3

4
5
6

p.

is

Udayibhadda, Mah.

written

The same

in D.

I.

50 25

4.

1,

2 in

the

foil.

Z.D.M.

.34, p. 751 foil.

Parisistaparvan, VI. 33 foil., 175 foil.
See RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist Suttas (S. B. E.

BEAL, Buddhist Records,

414

foil.

ii,

p.

85

foil.

xi),

Introd., p.

xiii.

ST. JULIEN, Memoires,

i,

Introduction

two

different kings in one person.

For if he attributes the
of
to
an
Pataliputra
founding
Asoka, this cannot possibly fit

Dharmasoka of the third century B.C.

For we know that Pataliputra was already, under Candragupta, the capital of the country. Thus when Hiuen-thsang
in with the historical

l
says that 'O-shu-kia or Wu-yau founded the city of Pataliputra he repeated a tradition which originally referred not to

the Asoka of the third century but to an earlier king,

who

must have

lived before Candragupta.

I shall return once more to this subject.

Here I will only

observe that Hiuen-thsang, in any case with respect to the
removal of the royal residence, is against the tradition of the
Jainas and nearer to the Burmese.
can say then that
the removal is attributed by the Jainas and Brahmans to

We

Udayin, by the Buddhists to Kalasoka.

Is really the only solution to conclude that the

two names

were one and the same person ? May it not be conjectured

with equal or yet more probability that we have here simply
a difference in the tradition among the Jainas and Brahmans

on the one hand and the Buddhists on the other? Besides

even in the Brahmanic tradition Kakavarna = Kalasoka and

Udayin are again two different personages. Here then the

same duplication must have occurred as in the Southern
Buddhist tradition. It becomes therefore the more difficult
It seems greatly preferable to

to accept JACOBI'S hypothesis.

conclude that the Jaina

list is

who seems

defective.

In

this list

Munda

by the
Asokavadana and the mention in the Ariguttara-Nikaya.
If finally the choice lies between the list of the Puranas and
that of the Ceylonese Chronicles, which seems to be more
probable and trustworthy, I do not hesitate to give the
preference wholly and unreservedly to the latter.
In the Puranas, Nandivardhana and Mahanandin 2 must

too

is

missing,

to be sufficiently established

1
The former in BEAL, p. 90, the latter p. 85. Both names are thus
used indifferently in connexion with the same event. This proves
that we ought not to conclude, with OLDENBERG (Vin. Pit. i,
Introd., p. xxxiii, n. 1), that the two names represent a remembrance

of two different Asokas.

2

It

seems that Nandivardhana

is

to represent the ten sons of Kala-

xlv

Introduction

up some gap or other in the chronology. The reigns of

But
two together are put down at eighty-five years

fill

these

no deeds whatever are recorded. 1

Again, in the Puranas yet another king, called Darsaka, &c.,
inserted between Ajatasatru and Udayin. That is certainly
an error. The Pali canon indubitably asserts, 2 that Udayi-

is

bhadda was the son of Ajatasattu and probably also his

successor.
Otherwise the reign of the father and son would
extend over eighty-three years.

Moreover that the two generations of the Nanda, namely

Mahapadma and his eight sons, together reigned for a century
a statement that does not bear the stamp of probability.
The chief difference between the Puranas and the Ceylonese
sources lies in the place taken by Kalasoka (Kakavarna) and

is

In the former they are placed at the head of the

whole dynasty, in the latter they are ranged after Bimbisara
and Ajatasattu and their immediate successors. Thus, before
his father.

the question is which of the two traditions we decide to

accept and whether any reasons can be adduced for our

all,

decision.

Now we

see that the

tradition of Ceylon in its details

Its greater fullness of

from without.

always

finds support

detail,

generally speaking, as

against the Jaina

list

finds

a parallel in the Puranas. 3 In this respect the Southern

Buddhist and Brahmanic traditions support each other.

In

all

lished:

forms the tradition as to the

nineNandas

Candragupta

series is well estab-

Bindusara

Asoka. The

Ajatasattu Udayabhadda is confirmed

and the Asokavadana. Munda, entirely

succession Bimbisara

by the Jaina list

absent from the Jaina

soka.

At

least the

prince of this name

of Nandivardhana.

list

and the Puranas,

is

named

in the

(ed. STRONG, p. 98) includes a

Mahanandin looks like a duplicate

Mahdbodhivamsa

among

them.

Even V. A. SMITH, Early Histot-y of India,

they are mere nominis umbrae

p. 36,

has to admit that

'

'.

In the Sdmannaphala-suUanta, D. I. 50 25 foil. The same according to the Tibetan tradition. ROCKHILL, Life of Buddha (1907), p. 91.
3
Also in Tibetan sources. See note to the Table.
2

xlvi

Introduction

Buddhistic canon and in the Asokavadana.

And

in the

same

way the Asokavadana puts Kakavarnin AFTER Udayin and

Munda as the Ceylon Chronicles place their Kalasoka, not
BEFORE them as the Puranas place their Kakavarna.
Thus the greater probability seems to be in favour of placing
Kakavarna and with him naturally his father Sisunaga in
the second half of the series of kings, not in the first.
I believe then that with respect also to the series of Indian

kings before Asoka, the Ceylonese tradition is more valuable

than that of the Brahmans and Jainas. The last-named is

But as to the Puranas I am compelled

certainly defective.
that
the
when
think
to
dynasty before Candragupta had once
received the name 6aisunaga, then in order to exalt its greateponymos and his immediate successors,
including Bimbisara and his successors, were placed at the
This would end in a
head of the whole series of kings.
reversal in the order of the first and second half.
At the present time greater stress is laid, and with justice,
on the importance of research in Northern Buddhism. 1 It is
ness and antiquity, the

most important for the understanding of the development of

Buddhism. Still I believe that if we wish to learn the origins
of Buddhism, and especially the history of those origins, we
shall have to draw chiefly upon the Pali sources.
dates of the Indian kings according to the Southern
Buddhist tradition are the following

The

B.B

(1)

Bimbisara

2.

Ajatasattu

3.

4.

Udayabhadda
Anuruddha)

5.

Munda

tf.

7.

Nagadasaka
Susunaga

8.

Kalasoka

9.

Ten sons of Kalasoka

Nine Nandas

11.
12.

13.
14.

Candagutta
Bindusara
Asoka (a) before and
(b) after

Cf. e. g.

the

abhiseka

WALLESER, Z.D.M.

DE LA VALLEE POUSSIN'S
*

G. 1910, p. 238, in a discussion of

Bouddhisme.

As to the chronological relation between Bimbisara and the

Introduction

The Acariyaparampara and Indian-Ceylonese

10.

synchronisms.
In the chronological system on which the Dip. and Mah.
are based the succession of the great teachers from Upali

down

Mahinda plays an important

ta

parampara

is

of interest because in

it

part.

there

This acariyaa continuous

is

synchronological connexion between the history of Ceylon

and that of India. Here the system appears carried out in
detail

Of

and completed. 1
course the dates must not
Besides, for the

authentic.

be considered altogether
fall within the

most part they

most uncertain period of Indian-Ceylonese

of

accession

history, before the

They only show how

Devanampiyatissa.

Ceylon the several names and events of tradition were

into the

framework of the few well-established leading

in

fitted

dates.

It seems doubtful too that the theras mentioned, with the

Upali and Moggaliputtatissa, were Vinayaindeed this should be taken to mean one

of

exception

pamokkha

if

having recognized authority in the Church.

Sonaka did not even take part in the Second Council which

The leading personages in this were

Sambhuta
Sanavasi and Yasa. Evidently
Revata, Sabbakami,
of
it was only a question
proving that the Succession of
Teachers' of Mahinda could be traced back to Upali, the
took place in his time.

'

great authority in the Vinaya at the time of the Buddha.

The

list is

Buddha more
Mah.
the

2.

28

foil.

as follows

precise statements are furnished by Dip. 3. 56 foil, and

According to these the two met for the first time when

Buddha was

thirty-five

and Bimbisara thirty years of age,

i.e.

This was the year 15 of Bimbisara's reign. After that Bimbisara reigned yet another thirty-seven years (till 491 B. c.). He was suc528 B.C.

ceeded by Ajatasattu. Eight years after his accession the Buddha died.
1
See NORMAN, J.E.A.S. 1908, pp. 5-6. The list of the patriarchs
according to the Northern tradition is quite different. In this the
succession
(2)

Ananda

is
;

Kasyapa,
Sanakavasa

(1)
(3)

who
;

(4)

presided over the First Council

Upagupta, the president of the

Second Council (5) Daitika or Dhitika (6) Kala, who was principally
concerned in the conversion of Ceylon. See BEAL, 'Succession of
Buddhist Patriarchs (Ind. Ant. ix, 1880, p. 148 foil..).
;

xlviii

Introduction

(a) At the time of the Buddha's death (483 B. c.)

he had completed forty-four years from his upasampada.
So we should have for this last the date 527 B.C. Buddha's
1.

UPALi. 1

death, according to tradition, coincides in time with the coming

of Vijaya to Ceylon and with the 8th year of Ajatasattu.
Vijaya dies in the 14th year of Udayabhadda, i.e. 446 B.C., in

the 16th year of the same king,

is

i.e.

444

B.C.,

Panduvasudeva

crowned king in Ceylon. 2

(b) Upali after the Buddha's death becomes Chief of the

Vinaya and remains

so for thirty years.

The sum

total of

years, reckoned from the upasampada, amounts to

He dies therefore 453 B.C. after, as Dip. 4. 38
seventy-four.
says, Udaya had reigned six years.
3
latter
2. DASAKA.
(a) He is ordained by Upali, when the

his

has completed sixty years of his priesthood, or sixteen years

after the Buddha's death, i.e. 467 B.C.
This agrees with the

statement that it happened in the year 24 of Ajatasattu and in

the year 16 of Vijaya. According to Mah. 5. 106 he was then
twelve years old, thus the year of his birth was 479 B. c.
(3)

Dasaka
e.

is

the
(after Upali) for fifty years Chief of
in
the
to
the
or
B. c.,
Dip.,
according

he dies 403

Vinaya,
year 8 of Susunaga.
i.

In Ceylon meanwhile (Dip. 11. 10)

Panduvasudeva has died in the year 21 of Nagadasaka, i.e.
414 B. c., and Abhaya has been crowned king.
4
Dasaka when
3. SoNAKA.
(a) He is ordained a priest by
the latter has completed forty-five years from his upasam-

pada, therefore 422 B.C. Thus according to Dip. 4. 41.

But according to Dip. 5. 78 Dasaka had only been forty years
a priest when Sonaka was ordained by him. This brings us to
427 B. c. Here therefore the tradition is uncertain. It also
points to the year 10 of Nagadasa or the year 20 of Panduvasudeva as the year of Sonaka's ordination, i. e. 425 or 424 B.C.
1

Dip.

38

4. 34,

5. 76,

95, 103.

Dip. 11. 8. The number of years of Vijaya's reign (38) brings us

The length of the interregnum is
to 445 as the year of his death.

given Dip.
3

Dip.

4.

Dip.

4.

11. 9,

Mah.

8. 5,

as

one year.

27-28, 43; 5. 91, 95, 96, 98, 104.

41 5. 78, 79, 92, 95, 96, 99, 105.
;

Introduction
is Chief of the
Vinaya for forty-four years and a
for
Dasaka died 403 B. c. Sonaka's
Since
priest
sixty-six years.
death would fall in 359 B. c. This would bring us again to 425

(b)

Sonaka

as the year of ordination.

The statement that Sonaka died
in the year 6 of the reign of Asoka's sons points also to

The most probable date of

B.C. as the year of his death.
Sonaka's ordination is, however, 423 or 422 B.C., as we shall

359

from Siggava's chronology. According to Mah. 5. 115

Sonaka was fifteen years old when he met Dasaka. He was
In Ceylon 1 the year 11 of
therefore born in 438 or 437 B.C.
see

the interregnum between Abhaya and Pandukabhaya corresponds to the year 10 of Kalasoka (=383 B.C.) and the year

58 of Pandukabhaya to the year 2 of Candagutta (=319 B.C.).

4. SIGGAVA 2
(a) Sonaka confers ordination on Siggava
At that time
after
his own upasampada.
forty years
.

Kalasoka had reigned ten years and half a month. In Ceylon

eleven and a half years of the interregnum after Abhaya had

Thus we come to the year 383 (or 382) B. c. and to

the year 423 (or 422) as the year of Sonaka's upasampada.
in the
(b) Siggava is a priest for seventy-six years and dies
year 14 of Candagutta. This coincides with the year 307 B. c.
elapsed.

There must be an error in the statement that he was head of

the Church for fifty-five years.
Since Sonaka's death may be
reckoned with all probability as occurring in the year 359,
Siggava, if he died in 307, can only have held this office fifty-

two

years.

The year

of Siggava's birth, since he was eighteen years

old at the time of his meeting with Sonaka (Mah. 5. 120),
falls in
5.

the year 401 B.C.

(a)

MoGGALiPUTTATissA. 3

sixty-four years after the latter's

Dip.

5. 69,

Dip.

4.

81

44-46

5. 73, 95, 96,

He

is

ordained by Siggava
in the year 2

upasampada,

5. 80.

(cf.

with this the note in OLDENBERG'S edition)

106.

Dip. 5. 69, 81, 95, 96, 101, 107. Relics of (Moggaliputta)tissa,

attested by an inscription, have been found in the Sanchi-tope no. 2,

See

CUNNINGHAM,

Bliilsa Topes, p. 289.

Introduction
of Candagutta

therefore

319

and 58 of Pakundaka

(i.

e.

Pandukabhaya),

B.C.

He

is Chief of the Vinaya for sixty-eight

years after
dies
and
after
ordination,
eighty
years
Siggava
twenty-six years
after Asoka's abhiseka ( = 264 B.C.). The first two statements
accord with 239 B.C., the last with 238 B.C.
However, if we

(b)

place the consecration of

which

Asoka

as early as the year 265,

from dating the Buddha's

death on the full-moon day of Vesakha, then even according
results (see above, p. xxxii)

to this reckoning Moggaliputta's death should be placed at

239
6.

B.C.

MAHINDA. 1

(a)

Mo^galiputta ordains Mahinda in the

year 6 of Asoka, (reckoned from the abhiseka) or the year 48

of Mutasiva. This brings us, in both cases, if we take the spring

abhiseka, to the time between the

259 and 258. Mahinda was born 2 204 A.B. i.e.
279 B. c., thus he was ordained at the age of twenty.
Mahinda comes to Ceylon twelve and a half years after his
ordination and eighteen years after Asoka' s abhiseka, 3 as we
have already seen, in the spring 246 B.C.
of 265 as that of Asoka' s

spring of

(I)

He

dies in the year 8 of Uttiya's reign

and on the 8th

4
day of the bright half of the month Assayuja.
his death is therefore 199 B.C.

I.

ACAEIYAPARAMPARA.

The year

of

Introduction

II.

CEYLONESE AND INDIAN SYNCHRONISMS

Year of Ceylon King

\\

Introduction

lii

can only incidentally, where it appears to me to be

absolutely necessary, take up a position with regard to views
I

of other inquirers,

and must avoid many explanations which

suggest themselves, in order not to overstep the space allotted

to me.
First, with regard to the SOUTHERN BUDDHIST SOURCES for
the history of the Councils, the principal, both in age and
importance, are Khandhaka XI and XII of the Cullavagga in

the Vinaya-Pilaka
Council.

which deal with the First and Second

Then follow the Dip. and Mah. with accounts

Councils

and

also the historical

of the three

Introduction to Buddha-

3
ghosa's Samantapasadika.
Moreover, Buddhaghosa treats of
the First Council, frequently with the same wording, in the

Introduction to his Sumahgalavilasinl. 4

we may mention the Mahabodhivamsa

and

also in the Sinhalese

Samgraha.

As secondary
fi

sources

and Sasanavamsa, 6

language principally the Nikaya-

The NORTHERN BUDDHIST ACCOUNTS

will be

mentioned in

treating of the several Councils.

The
The account

in C.V.

First Council.
this

is

Mahakassapa, travelling with his disciples from Pava to

Kusinara, hears of the death of the Buddha. The monks are
profoundly grieved, but Subhadda comforts them with the
frivolous utterance that they can now do what they will, and
that they are freed from an irksome control.

Thereupon Mahakassapa proposes to undertake a samglti

Dhamma and the Vinaya, that the doctrine may thus

of the

OLDENBERG,

Vin. Pit.

ii,

GEIGEB, Dtp. and Mah.

p.

p.

284

108

foil.

foil.

Cf.S.B.E. xx, p. 370 foil.

is a double

In the Dip. there

account of each Council.

See OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. in, p. 283 foil.
Ed. RHYS DAVIDS and CARPENTER, i. (P.T.S. 1886),
Ed. STRONG (P.T.S. 1891), p. 85 foil.

BODE (P.T.S. 1897s p. 3 foil.

WICKREMASINGHE, 1890, pp. 3, 4,

Ed. M.
7

Ed.

8.

p. 2 foil.

l"i

Introduction

be kept pure.
To this end 500 monks are chosen, among
whom, by the wish of the assembly, is Ananda, though he is

not yet an Arahant.

The Council takes place in Rajagaha and passes

manner described

Some points
(1) Ananda
declared the
to do

are to be added from the C.V.

relates that

community

away with the

off in

the

Mah.

in the

of

less

namely

Buddha had, in his

monks empowered after
the

important precepts,

if

presence,
his death

they wished.

Since they are not able to agree in deciding what is to be

understood by this expression, they resolve not to do away with

any precept.
Certain reproaches are cast upon Ananda, Although
not conscious of any fault he acknowledges himself guilty

(2)

he

is

from respect for the Assembly.

(3) The thera Purana enters Rajagaha.
to take part in the work of the Assembly.

He is called upon
He renders due

acknowledgment to this work but prefers to hold by that

which he himself has heard from the Master's lips.

Ananda

(4)

death, had

further relates

also

brahmadanda

how the Buddha, before

monk Channa liable to

pronounced the

his

the

The fulfilling of this duty is enChanna is deeply troubled. With zealous

penance.

trusted to Ananda.

endeavour he attains to arahantship, upon which the penance

is

remitted. 2

As regards
Dip.

1.

24

the time at which the First Council was held, the

4 mentions the fourth month after the Master's

5.

This was the second Vassa-month,

month of the year. 3

death.
fifth

i.e.

Savana, the

This reckoning is based on the tradition according to which

the Buddha died on the full-moon day of the month Vesakha.

Buddhaghosa and the Mah. agree with

The
1

latter certainly

3
4

mentions the bright half of Asalha the

Khuddanukhuddakani sikkhapadani. SeeMahaparinib-

banasutta, D.
2

this statement.

II.

154.

omit the episode of Udena, C.V. XL 13-14.

See M.V. III. 2. 2 (OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. i, p.
32 35
286 34 Sum. 6 10 20 8 14 15 ;'Mah.
Smp. 285
I

137).
3.

14-16.

liv

Introduction

fourth

month

of the year

as the beginning of the Council,

month was spent in preparations, thus

the proceeding did not begin till the month Savana.
It is an obviously later addition which we find in the Sum.,

but adds that the

first

that not only the Vinaya and the Dhamma, in all their
details, but also the Abhidhamma are established at the First
Council.

The same

is

found

in the later tradition.

NORTHERN BUDDHIST SOURCES

dealing with
Council I mention the Mahavastu. 2
Here, in
with
is
the
Southern
tradition
agreement
given as
Kasyapa
the originator of the Council, the number of the bhiksus
the

Among

the

First

taking part in it is stated to be 500 and the place the Saptaparna grotto near Rajagrha.

There

is,

an account in the second volume of the

besides,

3
The
Dulva, the Tibetan Vinaya of the Sarvastivadin sect.
in
of
to
this
the
Canon
took
source,
place, according
fixing

Dharma, by Ananda (2) Vinaya, by

(i.e. Abhidharma) by Mahakasyapa himself.
Upali; (3)
It is worthy of remark that the Dulva puts the accusations
brought against Ananda in the time before the beginning of
the following order

(1)

Matrka

the proceedings, thus before his attainment of arahantship.

Fa-hian and Hiuen-thsang 4 also mention the First Council.

The former gives the number

of the bhiksus as 500, the latter

the former speaks in a general way of a collection of sacred books', the latter expressly mentions also the
redaction of the Abhidharma by Mahakasyapa.
'

as 1,000;

The Second Council.

According to C.V. XII. the Second Council takes place
100 years after the Buddha's death, and is brought about
5
by the das a vatthuni of the Vajji monks of Vesull, which

The full moon of Asalha of the year 483 fell, according to

JACOBI'S reckoning (see FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909, p. 20) on June 24.
2
Ed. SEN ART, i, p. 69 foil.
3
See ROCKHILL, Life of the Buddha (1907), p. 148 foil.
4
BEAL, Buddhist Records, i, pp. Ix-lxi ii, pp. 162-164 LEGGE,
1

Records of Buddhistic Kingdoms, p. 85.

5
On these ten points, according to the Pali-tradition, see below in

lv

Introduction
signified a relaxing of monastic discipline.

In the further

narrative, too, the C.V. agrees with the Mah. and

the rest of the SOUTHERN BUDDHIST SOURCES.
The contrast

course of

its

comes out distinctly between the city-dwelling monks of

Vesalland the Arahants living in solitary retreat (arannaka,
Vin. II. 299 5 ) and of

strict tendencies.

Yasa's speech in presence of the Yesalian upasakas is given

in full extent. The disciple of Revata, whom the
Vajji monks
It
bring over to their side (Mah. 4. 30) is called Uttara.
is also characteristic that the orthodox monks before
they
undertake the refutation of the heresies first assure themselves of the consent of

Sabbakami, the

Samghathera

at

that time. 1

The number

of those taking part in the Council is given

2
as
The Dip. and the Mah. set the time of the
700.
unanimously
Council in the eleventh year of the reign of Kalasoka ( 383382 B.C.), later documents put it in the tenth year. 3 The locality

4
generally considered to be the Valikarama.
Only the Dip,
(5. 29) mentions the Kutagarasala of the Mahavana monastery,

is

we need

I do not think

attach any importance to this dis-

crepancy, which probably takes

its

rise

in

some misunder-

standing.

importance that the Dip.

Still it is of

30

5.

Mahasamglti, and

separate Council, called

the Translation, note to

Vin.

states,

that they here

DE LA

See for further observations L.

4. 9.

VALLEE POUSSIN, Le Museon,

37 (1908), p. 88 foil.
1
C.V. XII. 2. 4-6

foil,

monks held a

to complete the narrative, that the heretical

N.S. vi (1905), p. 276

II,

p.

303 19

307 s5 )

foil.

hid. Ant.

foil.

Mah. 4. 62 Smp.
Dip. 4. 52
2947
But when the Dip. 5. 20 speaks of 1,200,000 who took part in
the Council it does not contradict itself in this. By this naturally
C.V. XII.

2.

(=

Vin.

II.

exaggerated number the Dip. means those who took part in the
General Assembly.
Mah. 4. 60 and Smp. 294 9 give for this the
same number.
3
6
Sasanav. 7 1 3 Nik.
Dip. 4. 44, 47 Mah. 4. 8. Cf. Mahabodhiv. 96
;

Samgr. 4".
4
Mah. 4.
Samgr. 6

4
.

50,

63

15
Smp. 94

Mahabodhiv. 96 20

Sasanav. 6 13

Nik.

Ivi

Introduction

made out a different redaction of the Canonical Scriptures.

With this may be compared the brief notice in Mah. 5. 3-4,
according to which the heretical monks of the Second Council,
under the name Mahasamghika, formed a separate sect, as the
first

branching-off from the orthodox doctrine.

In the NORTHERN TRADITION we have accounts of the

second Council in the Dulva, 1 from the Tibetan historian
Taranatha 2 , from Fa-hian and Hiuen-thsang. 3

As according to the Southern sources so according to these

accounts the ten points of the Vajji monks form the startingpoint of the movement.
As to the date there is great uncertainty. In the same way,
with respect to the place, the tradition wavers between Vaisali
Of the famous theras of the Second
and Pataliputra. 4
mentioned

Council

in

the

Southern

scriptures

we meet

the following
Northern
Sarvakama = Sabbakami,
=
Yasa = Yasa, Salha
Salha, Sambhuta = Sambhuta SanaRevata= Revata, Kuyyasobhita (?) = Khujjasobhita
vasi,
and Ajita = Ajita.
in the

The Third Council.

With

respect to the Third Council

we must,

in the first

place, depend on SOUTHERN BUDDHIST SOURCES since it has up

to this time been accepted that the Northern Buddhist took no

account of this Assembly of the Church. Our oldest source is

7. 34-43, 44-59 ; then comes Smp. 306 27 foil., then

the Dip.

Mah.

5.

228 folk

Respecting the course of events we may

following below, since no essential

refer to the translation

differences exist.

The

president of the Council was Tissa Moggaliputta, the

place Pataliputta^also called Kusumapura the city of flowers '.
*

As

date,

the year 236

A. B.

247

B. c.

is

given, Dip. 7.

37, 44/>
1

See ROCKHILL, Life of the Buddha, pp. 171-180.

Tdran'tthas Geschichte des Buddhismus in Indien, iibersetzt von
SCHIEFNER, p. 41 foil. Cf. WASSILJEW, Der Buddhismus, p. 61 foil.
2

3
4

I. I., i,
ii, pp. 74-75
LEGGE, I. /., p. 75.
p. liv
these wavering traditions see below.
3
Cf. Sasanav. i, p. 8 1
Nik. Samgr. 9<. When Dip. 1. 24, 25 says
;

BEAL,

On

Ivii

Introduction

The Mah. 5. 280 says that the Council was concluded in the
It lasted, accordseventeenth year of the reign of Asoka.
to
both
months.
nine
Thus, according to
ing
chronicles,
FLEET'S l reckoning, the Council began in the middle of January
247

B.C.

and came

to

an end at the end of October in the same

year.

Now with respect to the trustworthiness of the Southern

Buddhist accounts of the Councils I have arrived at the
following conclusion. Here, as elsewhere, a genuine historical
This holds good of all
reminiscence underlies the tradition.

three Councils.

general framework of facts

given with
But within this
is

some few data deeply engraved

memory.
framework, even in the oldest form of the tradition, all kinds
of details were introduced which correspond to the opinions
and circumstances of later times. We must keep to the most
general statements if we would come near the historical truth.
Everything special and particular should be looked upon with
in

a certain scepticism.
For the FIRST COUNCIL

we need not

hesitate to extract as

the historical kernel of the tradition, the fact that, after the
Buddha's death, his nearest disciples assembled in the capital
of the country to establish the most important rules of the
Order as, according to their recollection, the Master himself

had

laid

them down.

This

may

then have formed the ground-

work

That the Buddhist canon was

of the later Vinaya.
established then and there in the form in which we now have
a form that can only be the fruit of centuries of develop2
ment, is naturally out of the question. We see indeed how

it,

that the First Council took place four months after the Nirvana and the
Third Council 118 years later there is here a manifest error, for which
the clumsiness of the author of the Dip. is responsible. The date 118 is
evidently reckoned from the Second Council, mention of which has

dropped out, and

it

refers, as in

Mah.

5. 100,

not to the beginning of

See

the Third Council, but to the birth of Moggaliputta Tissa.

Dip. 5. 55.
1
J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 426.
2
See RHYS DAVIDS, Dialogues,
foil.

OLDENBEEG,

Vin. Pit.

i,

p.

i,

x-xx

foil.

Buddhist India, p. 161

Iviii

Introduction

the tradition

itself

Vinaya and

of

Abhidhamma
In

adds new details.

Dhamma

it

then, in

Speaking at first only

a later form, makes the

also take its rise in the First Council.

interpretation I attach special importance to the

It gives the impression of a
episode of Purana (see p. liii).
genuine historical reminiscence, the more so since it is just of

my

such a nature as to diminish the authority of the theras of the

First Council. There was therefore certainly no reason to invent
this story.

As a statement

of fact, however,

it

has no mean-

ing unless there had really been beforehand some proposal to

establish the teachings of the Buddha.
Certainly not very

much more than

this can be proved to be

historical in the account of the First Council.

The narrator

in

the C.V. adheres in his narrative to the Mahaparinibbana-sutta

D. II, p. 72 foil.). This has been convinc(D. Sutta XVI

l
ingly demonstrated by OLDENBERG and in greater detail by
2
FRANKE. I should not therefore like to attach most importance,

as does L.

DE LA VALLEE PoussiN, 3

precisely to the episode of

Ananda's failings and the punishment of Channa. They

may very well have been incorporated in the account only
because they exist in the Sutta D. XVI. 4 It is not even certain
whether it was just the frivolous words of Subhadda that

brought about the holding of the Council, here too

that the narrator has only followed the Sutta in
fact a motive for the Council.

it

may

making

be

this

In that case OLDENBERG's 5 object ion to the historical character

2

Vin. Pit. i,p. xxvi

Lid. Ant. 1908, pp. 15-16, 18.

FRANKS, I.I., p. 18, foil., observes very aptly that in C.V.

foil.

the precept of D. XVI.

6.

(=

D.

II,

J.P.T.S. 1908, p. 8

foil.

XI and XII

concerning the use of

p. 154)

bhante and avuso,has been

Here, again, the

strictly retained.
narrator's dependence, as to form, on the Mahaparinibbana-sutta is
evident.
Because he found the precept in the sutta, he retains it in

But when FRANKE then goes so far as to argue that the

accounts of the Council in C.V. were only invented to illustrate that
question of etiquette, that they were therefore more or less readings in
"
"
good form for bhikkhus in all events and circumstances ', there are
his account.

assuredly few who will follow him. I am quite unable to do so.

6
L. 1. Cf. also RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist Suttas (S.B.E. xi), General

lix

Introduction

of the First Council disappears.

He is of opinion that, since
Subhadda's words are mentioned, in the Mahaparinibbanasutta, there
if

it

my

really

must also have been some allusion

was brought about by those words.

to the Council

According to

or whatever this assembly of monks in

be called is the established fact (see above).

view the Council

Kajagaha may

If the introduction of the narrative in the C.Y. really should

not be in agreement with the Sutta D. XVI, which I will only

assume but without yielding the point, then the fact of the
Council itself is not put aside.
In that case the narrator,

looking for a motive or means of introducing the Council,

found it in that passage of the Sutta, a connexion which did
not correspond to the reality. 1

The SECOND and THIRD COUNCIL must be

discussed together.
that
I
the first schism
confirmed,
think,
historically
the Church proceeded from Vesall and that the dasa

It
in

is

vatthuniof the Vajji-monks brought it about.

But it is
when this separation resulted, where it took place,

doubtful

and whether after

and at what time.

this

Second Council yet a third took place

According to the Southern Buddhist tradition, as we saw,

held in Vesall itself under king
Kalasoka in the year 383/2 B. c., the third under Dhammasoka

the Second Council was

The first led to the

Pataliputta in the year 247 B.C.
from
the
Theravada. The
of
the
separation
Mahasamghikas
in

second led to the expulsion from the community of certain

elements wrongfully intruded there.
opinion now
separate Councils is

My

is

that

this

distinction

between two

The Northern Budtwo into one as they conKalasoka and Dhammasoka one with
in

fact correct.

dhists have mistakenly fused the

founded the
another.

kings

But

traces of the right tradition are

still

preserved

Introduction, p. xi foil. JACOBI, Z.D.M.G. 34, p. 185, is, however, not

inclined to give such great weight to the argumentum e silentio.
1
RHYS DAVIDS, Dialogues, ii. 76,77, has discussed the value of the

evidence as to the First Council, and arrived at a somewhat similar

conclusion.

Ix

Introduction

in the

wavering uncertain statements as to the time and place of

the Council.
1
According to the Tibetan tradition in the Dulva the
schism occurred 160 years after the death of the Buddha,

first

when king Dharmas'oka reigned

in

But the
Kusumapura.
records an assembly

same source (ROCKHILL, p. 186)

which took place in Pataliputra 137 years after the Nirvana,
under Mahapadma and Nanda.
The
In Chinese sources 2 we find the same uncertainty.
also

Council that led to the

100,

now

116,

first

now 160 years

schism

is

in these placed

now

after the Buddha's death.

the place of the Council Fa-hian and Hiuen-thsang 3

But according to the Dulva (1L, p. 182)
mention Vaisali.
the schism arose in Kusumapura (i.e. Pataliputra).
Taranatha

As

(p.

41) speaks of the ten points taught by the heretical monks

and which gave occasion for a Council that took

of Vaisali

place in

Kusumapura.

The Chinese

sources too (see St. J.,

1.

1.)

mention Pataliputra.
Evidently, as

has been said, the failure

to

distinguish

between the two Asokas was the cause of the whole confusion.
This is plain from the fact that with respect to this king's

we find the same contradictions in the Northern sources.

Hiuen-thsang knows only one Asoka, Dharmasoka, the historical king of the third century B.C.
But he puts him 100

date

years after the Nirvana, that is, he gives him the period of
For hardly any scholar will admit now, I
the earlier Asoka.
in the fourth century B.C.; moreover,
that
Buddha
died
believe,

Hiuen-thsang, as we saw (see above, p. xliv), names also Dharmasoka as the founder of Pataliputra, although we know
beyond dispute that Pataliputra was the capital of the country
before his time.

He has

thus transferred to Dharmasoka, the

son of Candragupta, a tradition which related to an earlier

king.
1

According to Bhavya, in ROCKHILL, Life of the Buddha, p. 182.

ST. JULIEN, Journ. As., V. Serie,
xiv, pp. 343, 333, 336. Cf. below,
Appendix B.
2

fc.

See above,

p. Ivi, n. 3.

Fa-hian, however, does not express himself

so definitely as Hiuen-thsang.

l*i

Introduction

In the Tibetan sources Asoka

sion which, in

him 234 years

is

generally dated 100-160

is beside this an allu-

But there

years after the Nirvana.

agreement with the Southern tradition, places

after the Buddha. 1

Taranatha says 2 that in the Tibetan Vinaya the date

110 A.B. is given for Asoka, but that in the other sources
the dates are 210 and 220.
Lastly, in the Chinese Tripitaka there are, according to
TAKAKUSU, four dates for Asoka 116 A.B., 118 A.B., 130 A.B.,
and 218 A.B. The last-mentioned date, however, is found
:

apparently only in the Chinese Sudarsana-vibhasa Vinaya,

which is a translation of Buddhaghosa's Samantapasadika. 3

But there is something more.

The Northern writings
are very familiar with the ten points raised by the monks
But they
of Vaisali and the schism produced by them.

know

also

of the
five

of another division

associated with

monks Mahadeva and Bhadra.

dogmas which were

which

led to a schism.

These

the

names

latter set

up

aphorisms and
In Vasumitra's account 5 the con-

also expressed in brief

is complete when
he relates that somewhat more
than 100 years after the Nirvana, under king Asoka in
Pataliputra the schism of the Mahasamghikas resulted from

fusion

the five dogmas, which are then described. Here then, finally,
the five dogmas of Mahadeva are confounded with the ten
points of the Vajji-monks.
It is perhaps not too daring to conjecture that in this
division associated with the name of Mahadeva there is a

reminiscence of the proceedings that brought about the Third

But this conjecture is now also confirmed by
Council.

He

an acute observation of L. DE LA VALLEE POUSSIN.

See ROCKHILL,

Transl. by Schiefner, p. 42.

KUSU,
4

/.

L, p. 233.

Record of the Buddhist Religion by I-TSING, transl. by

TAKA-

p. 14, n. 1, p. 217.

See

esp.

Taranatha, p. 51

Bhavya in ROCKHILL, L

WASSILJEW, Der Buddhismus, i, pp.

5
See ROCKHILL, L ?., p. 187, n. 1.

62-63.

L, p.

186

Introduction

Ixii

establishes the fact

that the five

dogmas

of

Mahadeva belong
But the

to those which are combated in the Kathavatthu.

Kathavatthu was composed (see Mah. 5. 278) by Moggaliputta Tissa on the occasion of the Council of Pataliputta.
Thus a new link has been found between the Northern and
Southern tradition of the Third Council. 2 I adhere, therefore,
to the assumption that a second Council took place under
Kalasoka and a third under Dhammasoka.
The course of events at the Second Council may, taken as
a whole, be as the Southern and Northern sources relate.

The '10

points' are historical, and we must also regard as

names of the theras concerned in refuting them. 3

historical the

Moreover, the division of the community, till then united,

two schools is, as I believe, a fact. But we must not

into

exaggerate our notion of the harshness of this separation.

With the toleration peculiar to the Indians the different

have always mutually recognized each other and kept up

I may refer to the beautiful utterrelations with each other.
sects

ance attributed by Vasumitra to the Buddha concerning the

1

Buddhist notes.

The

five

Points of

vatthu, J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 413 foil.

2
V. A. SMITH, J.R.A.S. 1901, p. 827

foil,

Mahadeva and the Kathaand particularly

p.

839

foil.,

argues thus As there are two different traditions concerning the time
of the Second Council the Southern tradition has invented a second
Asoka in addition to the historical one, and out of one Council has
:

made

be seen that my argument follows the exactly

were two Asokas the Northern tradition
has confounded the two Councils which took place in their time.
SMITH'S argument has the defect of not explaining how the different
two.

It will

opposite course:

as there

tradition regarding the Second Council arose.

3
That an extraordinarily great age is attributed of certain theras

need hardly be brought forward as testimony against the general

trustworthiness of the account (KERN, Manual, p. 105). These are the
embellishments by which it was intended to exalt the authority of the
In like manner an age of 150 years is attributed to the first
theras.
Patriarch of the Dhyana Sect in China, Bodhidharma.
(SUZUKI,
J.P.T.S. 1906-7, pp. 11, 13.)
Besides, the Yasa of the Second Council
was certainly not the Yasa who in M.V. I. 7 foil, appears as a contemporary of the Buddha. He is distinguished from this latter by the
epithet Kakandakattajo.

Introduction
'

twelve future schools

These schools will be the repositories

my scriptures without priority or

of the diversified fruits of

just as the taste of sea-water is everywhere the

or as the twelve sons of one man all honest and true,

inferiority

same

so will be the exposition of

schools/

my

doctrine advocated

by these

We

may conjecture that the Second Council contributed to

the completion of the Vinaya and the Dhamma, though
C.V. XII does not expressly speak of it. That may have been
taken as a matter of course.

words (C.V. XII.

2. 9)

Besides, in the concluding

the second Council, like the

first,

is

designated Vinayasamgiti.
At the time of the Third Council the canonical literature
of the

Dhamma

and Vinaya, as we now have it in the Pali

was evidently completed in essentials. This is

recension,

proved by mention of portions of the canon in the inscription

of Bairat.
Here Asoka recommends seven scriptures for par-

more or

Of

these scriptures six can be pointed out with

2
less certainty in the Pali canon.

ticular study.

And now, besides, the literary movement is proceeding which

see this
leads to the compilation of the Abhidhamma.
from the allusion, already mentioned above, in Mah. 5. 278,

We

according to which Moggaliputta Tissa in order to refute the

errors which brought about the Third Council, composed his
But this work belongs to the AbhiKathavatthuppakarana.

dhamma.
The importance

of the Councils, from the standpoint of the

in
the
elimination of tendencies which could no
orthodox, lay
But of
longer be regarded as consistent with the faith.

higher importance was the resolve formed in Pataliputra to

bear Buddhism beyond the borders of its narrower home.

With this Buddhism

entered on

its

victorious progress through

the Eastern World.

1

See DEAL, Ind. Ant.

ix,

1880, p. 300.

OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. i,

MINAYEFP, Recherches surle
Dialogues,

i,

p. xiii.

p. xl

Z.D.M.G.

52, p.

JBouddhisme, pp. 83-92

634
;

foil.,

against

RHYS DAVIDS,

LIST OF ABBEEVIATIONS
=

MORRIS and HARDY, 5 vols., Pali Text

Indexes by Miss HUNT, 1910.
Asl. = Atthasalim (ed. E. MULLER, P.T.S., 1897).
B.R. = Sanskrit-Worterbuch von BOHTLINGK und ROTH, 7 vols., St.
A.

Anguttara-Nikaya

Soc. 1885-1900).

(ed.

Vol.

vi,

Petersburg, 1855-1875.

C.V.
D.

Cullavagga (the Vinaya Pitaka, ed. OLDENBERG,

DTgha-Nikaya

(ed.

vol.

ii,

1880).

RHYS DAVIDS and CARPENTER,

vols.,

P.T.S. 1890-191.1).

= Dipavamsa (ed. andtransl. OLDENBERG, 1879).

= Indian Antiquary.
J.As. = Journal Asiatique.
Jat. = Jataka (ed. FAUSBOLL, 7 vols., 1877-1897).
J. P.T.S. = Journal of the Pali Text Society.
J.R.A.S. = Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society.
Kamb. Mah. = Kambodja Mahavamsa
HARDY, J.P.T.S.
Dip.

LA.

1902-3,

(s.

p. 61 foil.).

M. - Majjhima-Nikaya

(ed.

TRENCKNER and CHALMERS, 3 vols., P.T.S.

1888-1899).

Mah.

ed.

Mahavamsa

(ed.

W. GEIGER,

P.T.S. 1908).

M.Bv. = Mahabodhivamsa (ed. STRONG, P.T.S. 1901).

M.V. = Mahavagga (The Vinaya Pitaka, ed. OLDENBERG,

vol.

i,

1879).

Dictionary of the Pali Language, by CHILDERS, 1875.

Vin. Pit. = The Vinaya Pitaka, ed. OLDENBERG, 5 vols., 1879-1883.
P.D.

S.

Samyutta Nikaya

(ed.

FEER, 5

vols., P.T.S.

1884-1898

vol. 6

Indexes by Mrs. RHYS DAVIDS, 1904).

S.B.B. = Sacred Books of the Buddhists.

= Sacred Books of the East.

= Samanta-Pasadika (Introd. to S. in Vin. Pit. ii, p. 283 foil.).
= Sumangala-Vilasim (ed. RHYS DAVIDS and CARPENTER, vol.

S.B.E.

Smp.
Sum.

i,

P.T.S. 1886).
Z.D.M.G.
Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft.

Map

of

ANCIENT CEYLON
SCALE
10

Ancient

fc>

OF

ENGLISH MlftS

20

Names

30

thus -

Modern Names thus.(gama)

40

PanjaK
Jaffna

Village

pHpabbata)- Mountain
v?'(vapi)-Tank

SO

THE MAHAVAMSA
CHAPTER

THE VISIT OF THE TATHAGATA

HAVING made

obeisance to the

Sambuddha the

pure, sprung
of varied content

and lacking nothing. That (Mahavamsa) which was compiled

by the ancient (sages) was here too long drawn out and there
too closely knit ; and contained many repetitions.
Attend ye

of a pure race, I will recite the

now

Mahavamsa,

(Mahavamsa) that is free from such faults, easy

to understand and remember, arousing serene joy and
emotion and handed down (to us) by tradition, (attend ye to 4
l
it) while that ye call up serene joy and emotion (in you)
at passages that awaken serene joy and emotion.
to this

On

seeing the Sambuddha Dipamkara, in olden times, our 5

Conqueror resolved to become a Buddha, that he might release
the world from

evil.

Sambuddha and

When

he had offered homage to that 6

Kondanna and to the sage

Buddha
Kevata and likewise to
Sumana,
Mangala,
the great sage Sobhita, to the Sambuddha Anomadassi, to
Paduma and to the Conqueror Narada, to the Sambuddha
to

to

likewise

to the

Padumuttara and to the Tathagata Sumedha, and to Sujata, 8

Piyadassi and to the Master Atthadassi, to Dhammadassi and Siddhattha, to Tissa and the Conqueror Phussa, 9
to Vipassi and
the Sambuddha Sikhi, and the Sambuddha Vessabhu, the mighty one, to the Sambuddha
to

in

Read janayanta, referring the participle to the subject implied

sunotha.
The terms pasada serene joy' and samvega
*

'emotion' occur also in the postscripts of the single chapters of

the Mah.
Pasada signifies the feeling of blissfulness, joy and satisfaction in the doctrine of the Buddha,

and recoil from the world and

its

sam vega the

misery.

feeling of horror

See also 23. 62 with note.

Mahdvamsa

2
10

Kakusandha, and likewise

to

1.

10

as also to the

Konagamana,

having offered homage to these twenty-four

Sambuddhas and having received from them the prophecy of
his (future) buddhahood he, the great hero, when he had ful1
and reached the highest enlightenment,
filled all perfections
blessed Kassapa,

1 1

the

sublime

Buddha Gotama,

the

delivered

world

from

suffering.
1

At Uruvela, 2 in

the

Magadha country,

the great sage, sitting

at the foot of the Bodhi-tree, reached the

13

ment on the full-moon day

of the

supreme enlightenSeven

month Vesakha. 3

weeks he tarried
himself

there, mastering his senses/ while that he

the high bliss of deliverance and let (others)
5
Then he went to BaranasI and set rolling
felicity.

knew

14 behold its

the wheel of the law

15

and while he dwelt there through the

6

he

brought sixty (hearers) to arahantship.

he had sent forth these bhikkhus to preach the doctrine,

rain-months,

When

and when he had converted the thirty companions of the

1

The ten parami.

Cf. Jat.

i,

p.

20

foil.

The idea

found in the four Nikayas. See RHYS DAVIDS,

KERN, Manual of Indian Buddhism, p. 66.
p. 177

late

is

and not

Buddhist India,

Buddh Gaya or Bodh Gaya in Gaya district, Bengal.

3
The second month in the ordinary Indian lunar year, answering
in the time of Buddha to part of March and part of April.
The
names of the Indian lunar months are as follows
= February March or March April.
(1) Citta
2

(2)

(3)

(4)
(5)
(6)
(7)

(8)
(9)

(10)
(11)

(12)

= March: April or April: May.

= April: May or May: June.
Jettha
= May: June or June: July.
A sa] ha
= June July or July August.
S a van a
Potthapada = July August or August September.
= August: September or September: October.
Assayuja
= September: October or October: November.
Kattika
Maggasira = October: November or November: December.
= November: December or December: January.
Phussa
= December: January or January February.
Magha
Phagguna = January: February or February March.
Vesakha

See FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909, p. 6.

4
Vasi. A play on this word and vasi 'he tarried
5
With the whole passage cf. Mah. ed., p. iii.
6
Satthim arahatam aka. Arahatam as a gen. plural
Literally he made sixty arahants.
dependent on the numeral.
'.

is

I.

The

24

company

Visit

of the Tathdgata

Bhadda 1 then did the Master dwell

of

at Uruvela 16

the winter through, for the sake

converting the thou2
led by Kassapa, making them ripe (for
sand jatilas
of

deliverance)
since a great sacrifice by Kassapa of Uruvela was near 17
at hand, and since he saw that this latter would fain have him
.

Now

away,

among

the victorious over enemies, went to seek alms 18

4
and when he had eaten his

he,

the Northern Kurus

meal at evening time near the lake Anotatta, 5 the Conqueror, 19

in the ninth month of his buddhahood, at the full moon of
6
Phussa, himself set forth for the isle of Lanka, to win Lanka
For Lanka was known to the Conqueror as 20
for the faith. 7
a place where his doctrine should (thereafter) shine in glory ;
and (he knew that) from Lanka, filled with the yakkhas, the

yakkhas must

(first)

And he knew

be driven forth. 8

also that in the

river bank, in the delightful

midst of Lanka, on the

Mahanaga

fair 21

garden, three yojanas

long and a yojana wide, the (customary) meeting-place for 22

the yakkhas, there was a great gathering of (all) the
yakkhas dwelling in the island. To this great gathering of 23
that yakkhas went the Blessed One, and there, in the midst of
that assembly, hovering in the air over their heads, at the 24
place of the (future)
1

Mahiyangana-thupa,

For the conversion of the

he struck terror

Timsa Bhaddavaggiya

see

M.V.

1.14.
2

I.

J a til a,

15

ascetics

wearing the hair long and matted.

See M.V.

ff.

he had known this

Lit. after

The Uttara Kuru are a half-mythological

latter's

wish that he should not come.

people, dwelling in

the north of India.

5
6
7

One of the seven great lakes, situated in the Himalaya mountains.

The tenth month of the lunar year. See note on 1. 12.
Lit. to purify, to cleanse (visodhetum).
Lanka = Ceylon.

From the nata (N. Si. F.) in the first line another nata
PL M.) must be understood with yakkha nibbasiya (Part.

(N.

Fut. Pass., Skr. nir-vas, Caus.) in the second line of the verse, to
complete the sentence.
9

ii,

According to tradition the Bintenne-dagaba (TENNENT, Ceylon,

pp. 420-421), on the right bank of the Mahawseliganga,which is

called

m ah a gang a

or simply

gang a

B2

in the

Mah.

Mahavamsa

4
25 to their hearts

by

rain, storm,

1.

25

The

darkness and so forth. 1

yakkhas, overwhelmed by fear, besought the fearless Vanquisher to release them from terrors, and the Vanquisher,
I will
26 destroyer of fear, 2 spoke thus to the terrified yakkhas
banish this your fear and your distress,
yakkhas, give ye here
I
with
one
accord
a
where
to
me
27
may sit down/ The
place
'

We all, O Lord,
yakkhas thus answered the Blessed One
Give us release from
give you even the whole of our island.
28 our fear/
Then, when he had destroyed their terror, cold
and darkness, and had spread his rug of skin 3 on the ground
29 that they bestowed on him, the Conqueror, sitting there, made
'

the rug to spread wide, while burning flame surrounded it.

Daunted by the burning heat thereof and terrified, they stood

Then did the Saviour cause the pleasant

come
here
near
to them, and when they had settled
Giridipa
31 there, he made it return to its former place.
Then did the
Saviour fold his rug of skin; the devas assembled, and in
32 their assembly the Master preached them the doctrine.
The
conversion of many kotis of living beings took place, 5 and
countless were those who came unto the (three) refuges and

30 around on the border.

4

to

the precepts of duty. 6

1

he made for them a means of terror, consisting of rain, storm,

Lit.

darkness and so forth.

2

who

Lit.

confers fearlessness (or freedom from peril), a play on the

words a b hay a and bhaya.

3
4

See 37. 30.

Lit. piece of hide.

would be a mistake

It

to look for a clear geographical state-

The underlying notion here expressed

ment.

is

simply that the

yakkhas were driven back to the highlands (giri) in the interior

of the island. They are still to be found in Ceylon in later times.
The meaning of dip a was formerly a wider one a later tradition has
;

it to

brought

mean

'island' in our sense.

Cf.

also

Nagadipa

name of a part of Ceylon itself (1. 47 with note).

8
The term dhammabhisamaya (see CHILDEKS,
means

'

the attainment by an unconverted

'

paths

(of sanctification).

Koti

is

man

P.

Z>.,

as

s. v.)

of one of the four

an indefinite great number, accord-

ing to the Indian system equal to ten millions.

6
Saranesu ca silesu thita is .the expression for the adherence
of the laity. They take their refuge (sarana) in the Buddha, his
doctrine and his community, and undertake to keep certain binding

commandments.

See notes to

1. 62.

I.

The

44

Visit

of the Tathagata

prince of devas, Mahasumana of the Sumanakuta- 33

1
who had attained to the fruit of entering into
the path of salvation, 2 craved of him who should be worshipped,

The

mountain,

something

The Conqueror, the

to worship.

living beings, he

(giver of)

who had pure and blue-black

good

to 34

locks, passing his

his (own) head, bestowed on him a handful of hairs.

he, receiving this in a splendid golden urn, when he had 35
laid the hairs upon a heap of many-coloured gems, seven cubits

hand over

And

round, piled up at the place where the Master had sat, covered 36
them over with a thupa of sapphire and worshipped them.
When the Sambuddha had died, the thera named Sarabhu, 37
disciple of the thera Sariputta,

by

his miraculous

power received,

even from the funeral pyre, the collar-bone of the Conqueror and 38
brought it hither (to Lanka), and, with the bhikkhus all around
him, he there laid

it

in that
3

same

and (then

cetiya, covered it over

with 39

he), the worker of miracles,

golden-coloured stones,
4
having made the thupa twelve cubits high, departed again from
The son of king Devanampiyatissa's brother, named 40
thence.

Uddhaculabhaya, saw the wondrous cetiya and (again) covered 41

The king Dutthagait over and made it thirty cubits high.
mani, dwelling there while he made war upon the Damilas,
Thus was 42
built a mantle cetiya over it eighty cubits high.
When he had thus made 43
the Mahiyangana-thupa completed.
our island a

fit dwelling-place for men, the mighty ruler,

valiant as are great heroes, departed for Uruvela.

Here ends the Visit to Mahiyahgana.

Now

most compassionate

the

Teacher,

rejoicing in the salvation of the whole world,

Sumanakuta

',

who

verted man.

and
3

of

the

Adam's Peak.
'

is

13. 17.

On medavannapasana,

fat, fat-coloured, see

*

Conqueror, 44

when dwelling

the stage of a sotapanna who has entered the

has attained to the first grade of sanctification, a conAs to the second and third grade see the notes to 15. 18

Sotapatti

stream

is

the

See note to

15. 167.

Mah.

stones of the (golden, or cream) colour

ed., p. 355.

Mahavamsa

1.

45

l
in the fifth year of his buddhahood, saw that a
caused
war,
by a gem-set throne, was like to come to pass
46 between the nagas Mahodara and Culodara, uncle and nephew,

45 at Jetavana

and he, the Sambuddha, on the uposathatheir followers

day of the dark half of the month Citta, in the early morning,
took his sacred alms-bowl and his robes, and, from compassion

and
47

2
for the nagas, sought the Nagadlpa.

That same naga Mahodara was then a king, gifted with

miraculous power, in a naga-kingdom in the ocean, that
49 covered half a thousand yojanas.
His younger sister had been
48

given

(in

marriage) to the naga-king on the Karma vaddhamanaHis mothers father had

her son was Culodara.
;

50 mountain

51

given to his mother a splendid throne of jewels, then the naga

had died and therefore this war of nephew with uncle was
threatening ; and also the nagas of the mountains were armed
with miraculous power.

52

The deva named Samiddhisumana took a rajayatana-tree

53 standing in Jetavana, his

own

fair habitation, and,

like a parasol over the Conqueror, he,

holding it
with the Teacher's leave,

him to that spot where he had formerly dwelt. 3 That

very deva had been, in his latest birth, a man in Nagadlpa.

54 attended

On
55

56

57

the spot where thereafter the rajayatana-tree stood, he

saw paccekabuddhas taking their meal. And at the sight his

heart was glad and he offered branches to cleanse the almsbowl.
Therefore he was reborn in that tree in the pleasant
Jetavana-garden, and it (the tree) stood afterwards outside at
the side of the gate-rampart. 4 The God of all gods saw (in
this) an advantage for that deva, and, for the sake of the
good which should spring (therefrom) for our land, he brought
him hither (to Lanka) together with his tree.

58

Hovering there
1

A park

in mid-air

battlefield the

Master,

and monastery near Savatthi

VOGEL, J.R.A.S. 1908,

Jdt.

pindika.

above the

92

i.

p.

971

foil.),

in the Kosala country (see

presented to the Master by Anatha-

foil.

Apparently the north-western part of Ceylon.

See 20. 25, with

the note.
3
4

I. e.

to Nagadlpa.

Kotthaka battlemented dwelling

15. 5

'

C.V. IV.

4.

or gateway

S.B.E. xvii, p. 219, n.

'.

See M.V. VIII.

xx, p. 11, n.

1.

The

69

I.

Visit

of the Tathagata

who drives away (spiritual) darkness, called forth dread darkness

Then comforting those who were distressed 59
over the nagas.
he
terror
once
again spread light abroad. When they
by
saw the Blessed One they joyfully did reverence to the
Master's feet. Then preached the Vanquisher to them the 60
doctrine that begets concord, and both [nagas] gladly gave
1
When the Master, having
up the throne to the Sage.
had
taken
his place on a seat there,
on
the
earth,
alighted
and had been refreshed with celestial food and drink by the

61

2
naga-kings, he, the Lord, established in the (three) refuges 62
3
and in the moral precepts eighty kotis of snake- spirits,
dwellers in the ocean and on the mainland.

The naga-king Maniakkhika of KalyanI, 4 mother's brother 63

naga Mahodara, who had come thither to take part in
the battle, and who, aforetime, at the Buddha's first coming, 64
having heard the true doctrine preached, had become established in the refuges and in the moral duties, prayed now to
to the

the

'

Tathagata:

Great

is

shown us here, O Master

all been consumed to ashes.

the compassion that thou hast 65

Hadst thou not appeared we had

May thy compassion yet light also 66

art rich in loving-kindness, in
on
O
thou
who
me,
especially
that thou shalt come yet again hither to my dwelling-country
,

When

the Lord had consented by his 67

silence to come thither, he planted the rajayatana-tree on that
very spot as a sacred memorial, and the Lord of the Worlds 68
gave over the rajayatana-tree and the precious throne-seat to

thou peerless

one.'

the naga-kiugs to do homage thereto.

In remembrance that 69
1 have used these do homage to them, 5 ye naga-kings
'

I. e.

the Buddha.

buddha, dhamma, samgha'the Buddha, his doctrine and

community'. The Buddhist confession of faith consists in the
words buddham saranam gacchami, dhammam s. g., samI. e.

his

gham
8

s.g. 'I

take

my

refuge in the B. &c.'

The pa iic a silani, which are binding on

abstention from destruction of

life, theft,

all

Buddhists, are

adultery, lying,

and from

the use of intoxicating liquors. Cf. note to 18. 10.

4 Now
Kselani, name of a river which falls into the sea near

Colombo.
5

Lit.

'

Do homage

used by me.'

to

them

as to a

memorial consisting in objects

Mahavamsa

i.

70

and happiness
uttered this and other

This, well beloved, will bring to pass blessing70 for you.'

When

the Blessed

One had

exhortation to the nagas, he, the compassionate saviour of

the world, returned to Jetavana.

all

Here ends the Visit to Nagadipa.

71

In the third year after

this,

the naga-king Maniakkhika

sought out the Sambuddha and invited him, together with the
72 brotherhood.
In the eighth year after he had attained to

buddhahood, when the Vanquisher was dwelling in Jetavana,

by five hundred bhikkhus, on

73 the
Master, set forth surrounded

the second day of the beautiful month of Vesakha, at the fullmoon, and when the hour of the meal was announced the
74 Vanquisher, prince of the wise, forthwith putting on his robe
and taking his alms-bowl went to the Kalyanl country, the
75 habitation of

Maniakkhika.

Under a canopy decked with

upon the spot where (afterwards) the Kalyamgems,

was
built, he took his place, together with the brothercetiya
76 hood of bhikkhus, upon a precious throne-seat.
And, greatly
raised

rejoicing, the

naga-king with his following served celestial

and soft, to the king of truth, the Con-

food, both hard

queror, with his followers.

77

When

the Teacher, compassionate to the whole world, had

the
doctrine there, he rose, the Master, and left the
preached

78 traces of his footsteps plain to sight

on Sumanakuta.

And after

he had spent the day as it pleased him at the foot of this

1
mountain, with the brotherhood, he set forth for Dlghavapi.
79 And there the Master seated himself with the brotherhood at
the place where the cetiya (thereafter) stood, and gave himself
80 up to meditation, to consecrate the spot. Then arose the Great

81

Sage from that place, and knowing well which places were fit
and which unfit he went to the place of the (later) Mahameghavanarama. 2 After he had seated himself with his disciples at
1

The Dlghavapi

is

probably the Kandiya-kattu tank in the Eastern

Province, about 30 miles SSW. from Batticaloa.

Baid to be in the neighbourhood of the tank.

large dagaba

is

PARKER, Ancient

Ceylon, pp. 318, 396.

2

The Mahameghavana was

a park south of the capital Anuradha-

The

84

I.

Visit

of the Tathdgata

the place, where the sacred Bodhi-tree came afterwards to be,

the Master gave himself up to meditation ; and likewise there
where the Great Thupa 1 stood (in later days) and there also 82

where (afterwards) the thupa in the Thuparama 2 stood. Then

when he rose up from meditation he went to the place of the
3

and after the Leader of the assembly (of 83

had
uttered
exhortation to the assembly of devas,
bhikkhus)
(later)

Silacetiya,

who has trodden all the paths of enreturned

thence to Jetavana.
lightenment,
Thus the Master of boundless wisdom, looking to the 84
salvation of Lanka in time to come, and knowing in that time

he, the Enlightened,

the highest good for the hosts of asuras and nagas and so
forth in Lanka, visited this fair island three times,
he, the
therefore this isle,
compassionate Enlightener of the world;
radiant with the light of truth, came to high honour among
faithful believers.

Here ends the Visit to Kalyani.

Here ends the

first

chapter,

called

'

The

Visit

of

the

Tathagata \ in the Mabavamsa, compiled for the serene joy

and emotion of the pious.
pura and was presented to the priesthood as an arama or monastery
by the king Devanampiyatissa. See 15. 8 foil, and note to 11. 2.
1
The Ruwanwseli-dagaba of Anuradhapura. SMITHER, Architectural Remains,

279

p.

c.,
3

p.

p.

23

A monastery in Anuradhapura.

1.

Anurddhapura,

p.

1. e.

55

foil.;

PARKER, Ancient

Ceylon,

foil.

263
'

foil.

Cf.

SMITHER,

1. c.,

p. 1 foil.

Stone-cetiya,' now Selacaitya in Anuradhapura.

I c., p. 297 foil.

PARKER,

PARKER,

note to 17. 30.

SMITHER,

I.

c.,

CHAPTER

II

THE RACE OF MAHASAMMATA

1

SPRUNG

of the race of king Mahilsammata was the Great

For
in the beginning of this age of the world there
Sage.
was a king named Mahasammata, and (the kings) Roja and
1
Vararoja, and the two Kalyanakas, Uposatha and Mandhatar
and the two, Caraka and Upacara, and Cetiya and Mucala and

he

who

bore the

who

name Mahamucala, Mucalinda and Sagara

the name Sagaradeva; Bharata and

and he

Anglrasa and Ruci and also Suruci, Patapa and Mahapatapa

and the two Panadas likewise, Sudassana and Neru, two
and two 2 also Accima. His sons and grandsons, these

bore

twenty-eight princes whose lifetime was immeasurably (long),

dwelt in Kusavatl, Rajagaha, and Mithila. 3 Then followed
a hundred kings, 4 and (then)
1

fifty-six,

and

(then)

sixty,

Kalyana and Varakalyana. Dip. 3. 6.

Panada and Mahapanada, Sudassana and Mahasudassana, Neru
I. e.

and Mahaneru.
8

Kusavatl

is

See note on

the later Kusinara.

now

Rajgir, was the capital of Magadha, and

the Bengal district Tirhut, that of Videha.
4

The dynasties from Accima

to

3. 2.

Rajagaha,

Mithila, situated in

Kalarajanaka are dealt with in

number of the princes sprung

of each dynasty, the (ii) capital cities of each period, and (iii) the
last king of each line are mentioned.
The numbers and names are
detail in Dip. 3. 14-37.

these

Besides

(i)

the

100 at Pakula

56
60
84,COO

(?)

Ayujjha
Baranasi

the last being Arimdana.

Duppasaha.

Ajitajana.

Brahmadatta.
Kambalavasabha.
Purindadadeva.

Kapilanagara
Hatthipura

36
32

Ekacakkhu

28

Vajira

22

Madhura

Sadhina.
,,

Dhammagutta.

II.

15

TJie

Eace of Mahasammata

11

eighty-four thousand, and then further thirty-six, thirty-two, 8

twenty-eight, then further twenty-eight, eighteen, seventeen,
fifteen, fourteen

nine, seven, twelve, then further twenty- 9

and (again) twenty-five, twelve and (again) twelve, and

;
yet again nine and eighty-four thousand with Makhadeva 10
coming at the head, and (once more) eighty-four thousand
with Kalarajanaka at the head ; and sixteen even unto 1 1
five

Okkaka;

these descendants (of

Mahasammata) reigned

groups in their due order, each one in his

in

capital.

The prince Okkamukha was Okkaka's eldest son; Nipuna, 12

Candima, Candamukha and Sivisamjaya, the great king 13
Vessantara, Jali, and Sihavahana and Sihassara: these were
his sons and grandsons.
Eighty-two thousand in number were 1 4
the royal sons and grandsons of king Sihassara; Jayasena
was the last of them. They are known as the Sakya kings 15
of Kapilavatthu. 1

The great king Slhahanu was Jayasena's

18 at Aritthapura

the last being Sitthi.

Mahavamsa

12

11.

16

In
Jayasena's daughter was named Yasodhara.
Devadaha there was a prince named Devadahasakka, Anjana
and Kaccana were his two children. Kaccana was the first
18 consort of Slhahanu, but the Sakka Anjana's queen was
Yasodhara. Anjana had two daughters, Maya and Pajapatl,
19 and also two sons, Dandapani and the Sakiya Suppa20 buddha. But Slhahanu had five sons and two daughters:
1
Suddhodana, Dhotodana, Sakka-, Sukka-, and Amitodana,
and Amita and Pamita ; these were the five sons and two
16 son, and
1

daughters.

The

21

Sakka Suppabuddha was Amita;

Bhaddakaccana and Devadatta. Maya

royal consort of the

22 she had two children

and Pajapatl were Suddhodana's queens, and the son of the

great king Suddhodana and of Maya was our Conqueror.
Of this race of Mahasammata, thus succeeding, was born,
23
in unbroken line, the Great Sage, he who stands at the head
24 of

all

men

of

lordly

birth.

The

consort

of

Siddhattha, the Bodhisatta, was Bhaddakaccana

Rahula.

25

the prince
her son was

Bimbisara and the prince Siddhattha were friends, and

The Bodhisatta

26 friends likewise were the fathers of both.

was five years older than Bimbisara; twenty-nine years old

When he had
27 was he when he left (his father's) house.
had
striven six years and thereafter
attained to wisdom, he,
28 being thirty-five years old, visited Bimbisara. The virtuous
Bimbisara was fifteen years old when he was anointed king
29 by his own father, and when sixteen years had gone by since
his coming to the throne, the Master preached his doctrine.
30 Two and fifty years he reigned; fifteen years of his reign
passed before the meeting with the Conqueror, and yet thirtyseven years (of his reign) followed in the lifetime of the

Tathagata.
Bimbisara's son, the foolish Ajatasattu, reigned thirty-two
32 years after he, the traitor, had slain (his father). In the

31

eighth year of Ajatasattu the Sage entered into nibbana and

thereafter did he, Ajatasattu, reign yet twenty-four years.

I. e.

Sakkodana and Sukkodana.

II.

TJie

33

Eace of Mahasammata

The Tathagata, who has reached the summit

13
of all virtue, 33

yielded himself up, albeit free, into the power of impermanence. He who shall contemplate this (same) dread-begetting
impermanence shall attain unto the end of suffering.

Here ends the second chapter, called The Race of Mahasammata in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and
e

',

emotion of the pious.

CHAPTER

III

THE FIRST COUNCIL

1

WHEN

the Conqueror the incomparable, he

who

has the

eyes/ had lived eighty-four years and had fulfilled all his
2 duties in the world, in all ways, then at Kusinara 2 in the
five

3
holy place between the two sala-trees, on the full-moon day
of the month Vesakha, was the light of the world ex-

tinguished.
3

Beyond all reckoning in numbers, did bhikkhus assemble

and khattiyas and brahmans, vessas and suddas, and

there
4

gods likewise. Seven hundred thousand leading bhikkhus

were among them, the thera Mahakassapa was at that time
the samghatthera.

When

he had performed

all rites

due to the (dead) body of

the Master and the bodily relics, the great thera, desiring that
6 the doctrine of the Master
might long endure, did, seven days
after the Lord of the World, gifted with the ten powers, 4 had
7

passed into nibbana, bethinking him of the evil words of the

5
aged Subhadda and also bethinking him that he (the Master)
1

The

five

eyes possessed by the Buddha ara the bodily eyes

the heavenly eye (dibba ) by which he sees every-

(mamsacakkhu),

thing that comes to pass in the universe, the eye of understanding

(knowledge), the eye of omniscience, and finally the Buddha-eye by

means of which he beholds the saving

2
A town of the clan of the Mallas,

truth.

in the territory of the present

Nepal.
3
Shorea Robusta.
4
On the dasa balani, ten kinds of knowledge, peculiar to
a Buddha, see KERN, Manual of Indian Buddhism, p. 62 CHILDERS,
;

P./)., s.v.

balam.

Vuddha = vuddhapabbajita
till

he was old

PH.

ii.

284.

On

'who had not become a monk

the speech of Subhadda, see C.V.

KERN, I I, pp. 101-102.
'.

XL

1. 1

= Vin.

The First Council

in. 15

had given him

his

15

garment/ and had (thereby) made him equal

with himself, and (bethinking him) that the Sage had commanded the establishing of the holy truth, and (lastly) that 8
the Sambuddha's consent existed to

dhamma 2

holy

appointed to this

make a

end

five

compilation of the

hundred eminent 9

the asavas, 3 repeaters of the ninefold doctrine and versed in all its separate parts ; but there was

bhikkhus, who had overcome

4
(than five hundred) because of the thera Ananda.
the thera Ananda also, again and again entreated by 10
the bhikkhus, resolved to (join with them in) that compilation

one

less

And

of the

dhamma,

for

it

was not

possible without him.

When

these theras, pitiful toward the whole world, had 11

passed half a month seven days in the funeral ceremonies
and seven in homage of the relics and had resolved thus 1 2
:

Spending the rainy season in Rajagaha, we will make a compilation of the dhamma, no other (monks) must be permitted
'

'

and when they had made their pilgrimage 1 3

;
over Jambudlpa, 5 consoling here and there the sorrowing
people, they, moved with desire that the good might long 14

to dwell there

endure,

betook them in the bright half of the month Asalha

to Rajagaha, (the city) richly provided with the four things

needful. 7

in

After the theras, with Mahakassapa at the head, unwavering

virtue, familiar with the thought of the Sambuddha,

garment to Kassapa. On the second saram

'the giving of the robe', and samatte
thapanam 'putting on a footing of equality ', and then further
anuggaham katam and anumatim satim (Ace. Si. F. of Part.
Pres. of atthi).
Cf. Mah. ed., pp. xxx and li.
2
Katum saddhammasamgitim. Cf. the note on 3. 17.
1

The Buddha gave

depend

Khinasava

'one in

epithet of an arahant.

Buddha,
4

his

civaradanam

i.

92

ii.

whom

the four asavas are extinct'

On asava, see RHYS DAVIDS, Dialogues

is

the

of the

28.

place must be kept for Ananda.

The continent of India.

6
A play upon the word sukkapakkha, used in the sense, 'bright
half of the month,' and also pure, holy side or party '.
7
The four pace ay a of a bhikkhu are clothing, food given as alms,
'

a dwelling-place, and medicines.

Mahavamsa

16
1

I IT.

16

had arrived at that place to spend the rainy season there, they
busied themselves during the first of the rain-months with
repairing all the dwellings, when they had announced this to

Ajatasattu.
When the repair of the vihara was finished they said to the
f
1 8
Now we will hold the council/ l To the question,
king
1

'

What should be done ?

'

they answered

'

place (should be pro'

for
the
When
the
Where
meetings/
vided)
king had asked
to
were
?
and
had
the
been
out
(these
place
pointed
be)
by them,
19 he with all
speed had a splendid hall built by the side of the
:

'

Vebhara Rock by the entrance

20
21

of the Sattapanni grotto, (and

was) like to the assembly-hall of the gods. When it was
adorned in every way he caused precious mats to be spread
according to the number of the bhikkhus. Placed on the south
it

side and facing the north a lofty and noble seat was prepared
22 for the thera, and in the middle of the hall a high seat was
2
prepared for the preacher, facing the east and worthy of the

blessed (Buddha) himself.

23

So the king bade them tell the theras c My work is finished,'

and the theras addressed the thera Ananda, the joy-bringer

24

To-morrow, Ananda, the assembly (comes together) ;

hoves thee not to take part in it since thou art still preparing
thee (for the highest state), 3 therefore strive thou, unwearied
it

25 in
good/
1

Thus spurred

Dhammasamgiti

council.

The

original

is

on, the thera

put forth due

be-

effort

the term for assembly of the church,

is general recitation of the canonical

meaning

takes place in an assembly of the church

and in the following manner an eminent thera recites the texts
sentence by sentence and the assembly repeats them after him in

texts which, indeed,

way dhammasamgiti is connected with dhammasamgaha, by which we understand a settling or redaction of the
chorus. In this

canonical texts, which also can only be carried out in the

Comp. J.P.T.S. 1909, pp. 31, 32.

manner

stated.
2

Thera sana

assembly;

word uttama
3

the

seat for the president,

the same for the monk

is

who
who

directs the
recites,

the

to be taken literally.

a sekha, i.e. not an arahant, who has reached the highest

This is preceded by seven grades of preparation he who is
See J.P.T.S. 1909, p. 217.
at one of these is sekha 'a learner'.

Still

degree.
still

is

dhammasana

17

The First Council

in. 36

and reached the state of an arahant without being confined

to

1
any one of the four postures.

On

the second day of the second month of the rainy season 26

met together in that splendid hall. Leaving a 27
vacant
for Ananda, the arahants seated themselves
fitting place

the bhikkhus

on chairs, according to their rank. The thera Ananda, to make 28

known to them that he had reached the state of an arahant,

went not with them

But when some asked

thither.

Where

the thera Ananda ? he took the seat prepared for him, 29

2
rising out of the ground or passing through the air.
3
Together the theras chose the thera Upali to speak for the 30

is

4
vinaya, for the rest of the dhamma
they chose Ananda.
The great thera (Mahakassapa) laid on himself (the task) of 3 1

asking questions touching the vinaya and the thera Upali

(was ready) to explain it.
Sitting in the thera's chair, the former asked the latter the 32

touching the vinaya

questions

and Upali, seated

preacher's chair, expounded (the matter).

And

in the

as this best 33

master of the vinaya expounded each (clause) in turn

all

(the

bhikkhus) knowing the custom, repeated the vinaya after him.

Then the thera (Mahakassapa) taking (the task) upon himself 34

5
the chief of those
questioned concerning the dhamma, him
who had most often heard (the word), him the treasurekeeper

the Great Seer (the

of

Buddha); and the thera 35

Ananda, taking (the task) upon himself, taking his seat in

And 36
the preacher's chair, expounded the whole dhamma.
1

Lit. fiee

from the iriyapatha; the four postures of an ascetic

understood here.

They are described as: standing, sitting,

walking, lying down. Ananda became an arahant at the moment
when he was on the point of lying down.

are

'

Lit.

the path of the

Ananda shows

light.'

that he can use

the miraculous powers particular to an arahant.

3
Lit. 'as burden bearer for.'
Cf. B.R., Skt. Wib., s.v.

dhara
4

dhuram-

(4).

The vinaya

contains the rules of

monastic

discipline,

the

dhamma the
5
6

I. e.

dogmatic teaching.
Ananda.

Kosarakkha,

garika,

i.e.

according

to

the

Tika

= dhammabhanda-

treasurer of the truth or the true doctrine.

Mahavam sa

18
all

the (theras)

trine

37

knowing

repeated the

all

dhamma

I II.

37

that was contained in the docin 'turn after the sage of the

Videha country.
Thus in seven months was that compiling of the dhamma
to save the whole world completed by those (theras) bent on

'The thera Mahakassapa has

38 the whole world's salvation.

made the

blessed Buddha's message to endure five hundred

39 years/ rejoicing in this thought, at the end of the council,
40 the earth encircled by the ocean trembled six times and many

Now

wondrous signs were shown in the world in many ways.

since the canon was compiled by the theras it was called the
Thera tradition. 1 The theras who had held the First Council

and had (thereby) brought great blessing to the world, having

lived their allotted span of
42

life,

entered,

all,

into nibbana.

Also the theras who have overcome darkness with the light of
insight, those great shining lights in the conquest of the world's
darkness, have been extinguished by the dread tempest of
death.
Therefore will the wise man renounce the joy of life.
(

Here ends the third chapter, called The First Council

the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion

',

in

of

the pious.
1

The

oldest account of the First Council

(OLDENBERG,
xx), p.

370

foil.

the Vin. Pit.

ii,

p.

284

foil.)

is
;

contained in the C.V. XI

Vinaya

Texts,

iii

(S.B.E.

CHAPTEE IV
THE SECOND COUNCIL
WHEN Ajatasattu's

son Udayabhaddaka

had

slain

him

he,

reigned sixteen years.

Udayabhaddaka's son 2
Anuruddhaka slew (his father) and Anuruddha's son named

the

traitor,

Munda did likewise. Traitors and fools, these (sons) reigned 3

over the kingdom; in the reign of these two (kings) eight
years elapsed.
Hun-la's son

Nagadasaka slew

his father

and then did the 4

evildoer reign twenty-four years.

Then were the citizens wroth, saying
This is a dynasty 5
of parricides/ and when they had banished the king Nagada'

saka they met together and (since) the minister known by the 6
name Susunaga was proved to be worthy, they anointed him
king, mindful of the good of all. He reigned as king eighteen 7
years.

His son Kalasoka reigned twenty-eight years. At the 8

end of the tenth year of Kalasoka's reign a century had gone

since the parinibbana of the

by

At

Sambuddha.
2

that time in Vesall

many bhikkhus of the Vajji-clan

teach
that
the Ten Points 3 were lawful,
shamelessly
'
'
in
Salt
the
horn', Two fingers' breadth', 'Visiting 10
namely
did

In the Sinhalese MSS. this name appears in the form Udayi25

Cf. D. 1. 50
Udayibh or Udayabh (E. MULLER,
c

bhaddaka

p. 14). The Dip. 4. 38, 5. 97, 11. 8 has Uda-ya(bhadda).

the confederacy of the Vajjis see RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist
On Vesali, ibid., p. 40. According to V. SMITH
India, pp. 25-26.
(Early History of India, p. 27, n. 1 J.R.A.S. 1902, p. 267 foil.) its

J.P.T.S. 1888,
2

On

the modern Basar (N. lat. 25 58' 20", E. long. 85

the District Muzaffarpur, north of Patna.
site is

11' 30") in

5
The history of the Second Council is also given in the C.V. XII.
Cf. Vinaya Texts, iii (S.B.E. xx\ pp. 386 foil.
Here C.V. XII. 1. 9
;

the single points are explained:

(i) Sihgilonakappa, the custom of putting salt in a horn vessel,
in order to season unsalted foods, when received.

2. 8)

(ii)

Dvangulakappa,

the custom of taking the midday meal,

c 2

20

Malidvamsa

1 1

'

'

Dwelling ', Consent ',

milk ',
Unfermented palm-wine ',
<
Gold and so forth '.
the village

'

',

'

When

IV. 11

this

came

'

'

Example', Unchurned
Seat without fringe ',

to the ears of the thera Yasa, the son of

brahman Kakandaka, gifted with the six supernormal

1
powers, who was wandering about in the Vajji country, he
betook himself to the Mahavana (vihara) 2 with the resolve to

12 the

In the upo?atha-hall those (monks) had

a
vessel
of metal and filled with water and had
made
placed
'
said to the lay-folk
Bestow on the brotherhood kahapanas 3

13 settle the matter.

14 and so

The

on.'

unlawful

'
;

them with the words 'This is

Then did they threaten the thera

thera forbade

give nothing

even after the prescribed time, as long as the sun's shadow had not
passed the meridian by more than two-fingers' breadth.
(iii) Gamantarakappa, the custom of going into the village,
after the meal,

and there eating again,

if invited.

the custom of holding the nposatha-feast separately by bhikkhus dwelling in the same district.
(v) Anumatikappa, the carrying out of official acts by an in(iv)

Avasakappa,

complete chapter, on the supposition that the consent of absent

bhikkhus was obtained afterwards.
(vi) Acinnakappa, the custom of doing something because of the
preceptor's practice.

Amathitakappa,

(vii)

taking unchurned milk, even after the

mealtime.

Jalogikappa, drinking unfermented palm-wine.

Adas.akam nisidanam, the use of mats to sit on which

(viii)

(ix)

were not of the prescribed

size, if

they were without fringe.

Jataruparajatam, accepting gold and silver.

Chalabhinna. The six abhinna are (i) the power

(x)
1

of iddhi,

the
i. e. supranormal power of hearing, (iii)
(ii) the heavenly ear,
power to read the thoughts of others, (iv) the knowledge of former
existences, (v) the heavenly eye. i. e. supranormal power of seeing,
asavas.
The last of these abhinna
(vi) the abandonment of the

one of the signs of an arahant. See RHYS DAVIDS, Dialogues of

Buddha, i. 62; AUNG, Compendium of Philosophy, pp. 60-63;
224 foil.
2
The Mahavana-monastery is mentioned by Fa-Hian. See BEAL,
is

the

Buddhist Records of the Western World, i, p. 52.

3
Kahapana(Skr. karsapana) is a square copper coin, weighing
1464 grains = 948 grams. See RAPSON, Indian Coins, p. 2 RHYS
;

DAVIDS, Buddhist

India, p. 100.

Craving of pardon from layasked for one to bear him company and went 15

Yasa with the penance

folk.

21

The Second Council

iv. 25

He

called the

with him into the city proclaiming to the citizens, that his
1

teaching was according to the dhamma.

When the bhikkhus heard what (Yasa's) companion had to 16
tell, they came to thrust him out and surrounded the thera's

The thera left it, rising up and passing through the 17

and
air,
halting at Kosambl, he forthwith sent messengers to
the bhikkhus of Pava and Avanti; 2 he himself went to the 18
Ahogahga-mountain and related all to the thera Sambhuta
house.

Sanavasi. 3

Sixty great theras from Pava and eighty from Avanti, all 19
The
free from the asavas, 4 came together on the Ahogahga.
bhikkhus who met together here from this and that region 20

were in all ninety thousand. When they had all conferred

together they, knowing that the deeply learned thera Revata 21
of Soreyya 5 who was free from the asavas, was the chief
at that time, went thence to seek him out.
the thera heard this resolution (by his divine ear) he 22

among them

When

set out at once,

wishing to travel

easily,

upon the way to

Arriving day by day in the evening at the spot 23

whence the sage had departed in the morning (the theras)
met him (at last) at Sahajati.

Vesall.

Yasa, as the thera Sambhuta had 24

charged him to do, at the end of the recital of the sacred
word, addressing himself to the great thera Revata, ques-

There the

tioned
1
2

thera

him on the Ten

Points.

Patisaraniyakamina,

Kosambi on

see

The thera

KERN, Manual,

rejected them,
p. 87,

note

and 25

8.

Yamuna was

the capital of the Vatsas or

Vamsas. Pava that of the Mallas Avanti was the region of Ujjeni
RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist India, pp. 36, 26, 28. Instead of Paveyyaka
the

some of the Sinhalese MSS. read Patheyyaka. But also at M.V. VII.
5
1. 1 ( = Ftn. Pit. i. 253 ) the Burmese MSS. have Paveyyaka.
3

See Fin. Texts,

Anasava,

iii,
6

Not

iii (S.B.E. xx), p. 394, note 2.

see p. 15, n. 3.
far from Takkasila in W. India, see Parajika,

p. 11)

KERN, Manual,

Cf. for the detailed description, C.V. XII. 1. 9

(S.B.E. xx), p. 396.

1.

4 (Fm.

Pit.

p. 36.

Fm.

Texts,

iii

MaMvamsa

22
when he had heard
26

the matter, he said

IV. 26
'
:

Let us make an end

(of this dispute)/

The heretical bhikkhus, too, in order to

win support, sought

the thera Revata.
abundance the things needful
27 for ascetics/ they took ship with all speed and went to Saha2
jati, bestowing food sumptuously when the mealtime came.
28
The thera Salha, free from the asavas, who lived at Sahajati,
'
Those of Pavii
having thought on the matter, perceived
Preparing in

near to

30

him and

said

(
:

And

the great god Brahma drew

Stand thou firm in the doctrine/ and

29 hold the true doctrine/

he replied that he would ever stand firm in the doctrine.

3
They took those needful things (that they had brought as
gifts)

and sought the thera Revata, but the thera did not take
and dismissed (the pupil) who took their part. 4

their part

They went thence to Vesali, shameless they went from there

(
32 to Pupphapura, 5 and told king Kalasoka
Guarding our
Master's perfumed chamber we dwell in the Mahavana-vihara

31

33 in the Vajji territory; but bhikkhus dwelling in the country

are coming, great king, with the thought
We will take
:

the vihara for ourselves.

Forbid them

'
!

When

they had thus misled the king they went (back) to

Here in Sahajati eleven hundred and ninety thou35 sand bhikkhus were come together under the thera Revata,
36 to bring the dispute to a peaceful end. And the thera would

34

Vesali.

not end the dispute save in the presence of those with

1

Samanaka parikkhara

monk

Cf.
2

whom

is

allowed to

call his

(as a gift to Revata) is that which

own, such as robes, the alms-bowl, &c.

CHILDERS, s.v. parikkharo.

The underlying meaning is that they indulged

in riotous living

on their journey. Vissagga has the implied sense of something rich

and luxuriant. The Tika paraphrases bhattavissaggam with

bhattaparivesanam, bhattaparibhogam.
3

I. e.

the Vajjian monks.

Mah. ed., pp. xxv-xxvi. However, I now

prefer the reading pakkhagahim, since the passage evidently refers
to Revata's disciple Uttara (C.V. XII. 2. 3), who allowed himself to be
4

won

On

this passage see

over by the Vajjian monks.

the City of Flowers, a

name of Pataliputta (now

Patna), capital at that time of the kingdom of Magadha.
5

Pupphapura,

had begun

it

23

The Second Council

iv. 48
l
;

therefore all the bhikkhus

went thence

to

Vesall.

The misguided king

likewise sent his ministers thither, but 37

by the design of the devas they went elsewhere.

the monarch, when he had sent them, saw himself 38

led astray

And

dream, that night, hurled into the hell called Loha-

in

The king was

kumbhi.
his sister,

Nanda,

sorely terrified and, to calm his fears, 39

the theii free from the asavas, came to

him, passing through the air.

'
An ill deed is this that thou hast done!

Reconcile thee 40

with these venerable bhikkhus, the true believers. Placing

If thou dost 41
thyself on their side, protect thou their faith.
so, blessed art

thou

'
!

she said, and thereon vanished.

And

forthwith in the morning the king set out to go to Vesali.

He went to the Mahavana (monastery), assembled the con- 42

bhikkhus there, and when he had heard what

was said by both of the (opposing) sides, and had decided,
himself, for the true faith, when moreover this prince was 43
reconciled with all the rightly believing bhikkhus and had
'
Do what 44
declared that he was for the right belief, he said
ye think well to further the doctrine/ and when he had proof the
aTeo-ation
O

">

mised to be their protector, he returned to his capital.

Thereafter the brotherhood came together to decide upon 45
2

then, in the congregation (of monks), aimless

words were spent. Then the thera Revata, who went into the 46

those points

midst of the brotherhood, resolved to settle the matter by

an ubbahika. 3 He appointed four bhikkhus from 47

the East, and four from Pava, for the ubbahika to set the
Sabbakami and Salha, one named Khujjaso- 48
dispute to rest.
bhita, and Vasabhagamika, these were the theras from the

means

of

Mulatthehi vina, lit. without those who were at the root.'

Anaggani bhassani 'aimless' or 'inexact' speeches. The
reading anaggani bhassani (Ed. Col. nantani bh) is confirmed
'

by C.V. IV.
5

pute being laid

rule
p.

and XII. 2. 7.
'by means of a Eeferat\ the settlement of a disFor the
in the hands of certain chosen brethren.

14. 19

Ubbahikaya

49

on
ff.

this,

see

C.V. IV. 14. 19

ff.

Vin.

Texts,

iii

(S.B.E. xx),

Mahavamsa

24

IV. 49

49 East; Revata, Sanasambhuta, Yasa, the son of Kakandaka,

and Sumana, these were the four theras from Pava.
50

Now

on those points the eight theras who were

free from the asavas betook them to the quiet and solitary
to decide

There, in the beautiful spot prepared for them by

1
the young Ajita, the great theras took up their abode, they who
52 knew the thoughts of the Greatest of Sages. And the great

5 1 Valikarama.

thera Revata, skilled in questioning, questioned the thera

53 Sabbakami successively on each one of those points. Questioned
'
All
by him the great thera Sabbakami thus gave judgment
:

54 these points are unlawful, according to tradition/ And when,

in due order, they had ended (their task) in this place, they
did all again, in like manner, with question and answer, in the

55 presence of the brotherhood. And thus did the great theras

refute the teaching of those ten thousand heretical bhikkhus
the Ten Points.
Sabbakami was then the samghatthera on the earth, one
hundred and twenty years did he number since his upasam-

who maintained
56

pada.

Sabbakami and Salha, Revata, Khujjasobhita, Yasa, the

son of Kakandaka, and Sambhuta Sanavasika, the six theras,
58 were pupils of the thera Ananda; but Vasabhagamika and

57

59 Sumana, the two theras, were pupils of the thera Anuruddha.

These eight fortunate theras had beheld the Tathagata in
60 time past. One hundred and twelve thousand bhikkhus had

come together, and

then was the chief.

of all these

bhikkhus the thera Revata

At that time the thera Revata, in order to hold a council,

that the true faith might long endure, chose seven hundred
62 out of all that troop of bhikkhus ; (those chosen were)

61

arahants

endowed with the four special sciences, under2

meanings and so forth, knowing the tipitaka.

standing of
1

2.

The reading daharenajitenettha

7:

is

confirmed by C.V. XII.

atha kho samgho ayasinantam pi Ajitam sammanni

theranam bhikkhunam asanapannapakam (Vin. Pit. ii. 305 34 ).

8
Pabhinnatthadinananam is explained in the Tika as
atthapatisambhidadipabhedagatanananam; atthadippabhedagatehi patisambhidananehi samannagatanam ti

TV. 66

TJie

25

Second Council

All these (theras met) in the Valikarama protected by 63

Kalasoka, under the leadership of the thera Revata, (and)
1
Since they accepted the dhamma 64
compiled the dhamma.
in
time past and proclaimed afterward,
already established
they completed their work in eight months.

When

these theras of high renown had held the Second 65

all evil had perished, attained in

Council, they, since in them

course of time unto nibbana.

When we

bethink us of the death of the sons of the 66

Universal Teacher, who were gifted with perfect insight, who

had attained all that is to attain, who had conferred blessings
the three forms of existence, 2 then may
3
lay to heart the entire vanity of all that comes into being

on (the beings

we

and vigilantly

of)

strive (after deliverance).

Here ends the fourth chapter, called The Second Council

the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion
'

',

in

of the pious.

attho; adiggahanenettha dhammapatisambhidadini nanani gahitani. The compound means therefore literally, 'who
possess the specialized knowledge of the attha and so forth, that is,
1

the four

patisambhida.

By this term is understood

'a transcendent

in
faculty in grasping the meaning of a text or subject (attha)
grasping the Law of all things as taught by the Buddha (dhamma) ;
in exegesis (nirutti);
readiness in expounding and discussion
;

(patibhana)

'.

See Patisambhida-magga 1. 88.

See note to

Akarum dhammasamgaham.

The three forms of existence are kamabhava, rupabhava,

arupabhava
1

3. 17.

'sensual existence, corporeal existence, formless exists. vv.), that is, existences in the three worlds

ence (CHILDERS, P.D.

named, which together form that part of the universe called the
sattaloka, 'world of beings.' In this the kamaloka includes
the eleven lowest worlds, the rupaloka the sixteen higher, and the

so

arupaloka

the four highest, celestial worlds.

Samkhatasarakattam

samkhata is a synonym of samkhara, and means in the widest sense the material and transitory
world. See CHILDERS, s. v. samkharo.
3

CHAPTER V
THE THIRD COUNCIL
THAT

redaction of the true

dhamma, which was arranged

at

the beginning by the great theras Mahakassapa and others,

2 is called that of the theras.
One and united was the school
of

the theras in the

first

hundred

years.

But afterwards

The heretical bhikkhus,

schools of doctrine.
subdued by the theras who had held the Second Council, 2 in
4 all ten thousand, founded the school which bears the name
1

3 arose other

Mahasamghika.
5

From this arose the Gokulika and Ekavyoharika (schools).

From the Gokulika arose the Pannatti sect and the Bahulika,
from these the Cetiya sect. (Thus) there are six, with
Mahasamghika, and yet two more (groups) parted from
the followers of the Thera-doctrine
the Mahimsasaka and

G the

And there parted from them

and the Bhadrayanika bhikkhus,
the Chandagarika, the SammitI and the Vaj jiputtiya bhikkhus.
8 From the Mahimsasaka bhikkhus two (groups) parted, the
bhikkhus who held by the Sabbattha-school and the Dhamma7 the Vajjiputtaka bhikkhus.
likewise the Dhammuttariya

9 guttika bhikkhus.
From the Sabbattha sect arose the Kassaarose
the Samkantika bhikkhus, from these
from
these
piya,

10 last the Sutta sect.

These are twelve together with (those

thereto are added the six schools

of) the Thera-doctrine;

11

12

named and these together are eighteen.

Thus in the second century arose seventeen schools, and
The Hemavata and the
other schools arose afterwards.
1

Aoariyavada

stands in contrast to theravada.

This latter

the true and orthodox church community, the other expresses

collectively the various sects which arose in the course of time.

is

Tehi samgitikarehi therehi dutiyehi,

second council-holding theras '.

8
I. e. the
Great Community '.
'

lit.

'by those the

27

Hie Third Council

v. 21

Rajagiriya and likewise the Siddhatthaka, the first Seliya

these six 13
bhikkhus, the other Seliya, and the Vajiriya
and
in
the
the
DhammarucI
separated (from
Jambudipa,
rest)
:

the Sagaliya separated (from the rest) in the island of Lanka. 1

Here ends the Story of the Acariya-schools.

The

sons of Kalasoka were ten brothers, twenty-two years 14

2
Afterwards, the nine Nandas were kings in 15

did they reign.

succession

they too reigned twenty-two years.

Then did the brahman Canakka 3 anoint a glorious youth,

known by the name Candagutta, as king over all Jambudipa,

born of a noble clan, the Moriyas, when, filled with bitter hate,
he had slain the ninth (Nanda) Dhanananda.

Twenty-four years he reigned, and his son Bindusara reigned 18

A hundred glorious sons and one had Bindu-

twenty- eight.
4

Asoka 5 stood high above them all in valour, splendour, 19

He, when he had slain his 20
might, and wondrous powers.

sara;

ninety-nine brothers born of different mothers, won the

undivided sovereignty over all Jambudlpa. Be it known, 21
that two hundred and eighteen years had passed from the

nibbana of the Master unto Asoka's consecration.

1

13

The Nikaya-samgraha (ed. WICKREMASINGHE, pp. II 32 and

the Theraj informs us that the DhammarucI branched off from

vTiclins

454 years A.

B.,

and the Sagaliya from the former 795 years

The former event took place under Vala-gam-ba (Vattagamani

Abhaya, see Mah. 33. 95 ff.), and the latter under Gothabhaya (see
Mah. 36. 110 if.).
2
The Mah. Tika, pp. 117-119, gives a detailed account of the Nanda
dynasty; also Kamb. Mah. V. 953-994.
3
On the Moriya dynasty and on Canakka and Candagutta see
Mah. Tfka, pp. 119-123; Kamb. Mah. V. 995-1090. Candragupta's
minister, Canakya, is also known to play an important part in the
Mudraraksasa.
See SYLVAIN LEVI, Le Theatre Indien, pp. 226 ff.
A work on politics, ascribed to him, the Kautiliyasastra, still exists.
HILLEBRANDT, Uber das Kautiliyasastra und Verwandtes. Cp. also
LA. 38, 1909, pp. 257 ff.
4
On Bindusara and on Candagutta's death see Mah. Tika, pp. 124,
125; Kamb. Mah. V. 1092-1128.
5
On Asoka's birth and early youth, see Mah. Tika, pp. 125-128
Kamb. Mah. V. 1129-1198.
A. B.

28

MaJiavamsa

V. 22

Four years after the famous (Asoka) had won for himself
the undivided sovereignty he consecrated himself as king in
23 the city Pataliputta. Straightway after his consecration his
22

command
downward
24

spread so far as a yojana (upward) into the air and

into the (depths of the) earth. 1

Day by day

did the devas bring eight men's loads of water

the king dealt it out to his people.
;

of (the lake) Anotatta

25 From the Himalaya did the devas bring for cleansing the
teeth twigs of naga-creeper, enough for many thousands,
26 healthful fruits, myrobalan and terminalia and mango-

from the same

fruits

27

The

taste.

colours,

of

spirits

and yellow

place,

the

perfect

air

smell,

and

garments of

five

in colour,

brought
and also

stuff for napkins,

28 from the Chaddanta-lake. 3

Out

celestial

drink

naga-kingdom the
nagas (brought) stuff, coloured like the jasmine-blossom and
without a seam, and celestial lotus-flowers and colly rium and
29 unguents; parrots brought daily from the Chaddanta-lake
30 ninety thousand waggon-loads of rice. 4 Mice converted this
without husk or powder, and
rice, unbroken, into grains
3 1 therewith was meal provided for the royal family.
Perpetually
of the

did honey-bees prepare honey for him, and in the forges bears
Karavika-birds, graceful and sweet
swung the hammers.
33 of voice, came and made delightful music for the king. And

32

being consecrated king, Asoka raised his youngest brother

Tissa, son of his own mother, to the office of vice-regent.
Here ends the Consecration of the pious Asoka.

34

(
1

Asoka' s) father had shown hospitality to sixty thousand

The

time,

is

sense of this passage, not rightly understood up to the present

not only men upon the earth but also the
evidently this
:

spirits of the air

and the earth heard and obeyed Asoka's command.

The marii

Hera follow two spurious

On

(Skt.

marut)

in contrast to the

deva

in 24.

'To die(?) in this city there

came gazelles, boars, birds into the kitchens and willingly perished.
Leopards were used to take the herds to pasture and lead them to
their stalls, gazelles and boars were used to watch over fields, plots,
and ponds and so forth.'
verses,

parrots furnishing hill paddy, see Jdt.

MORRIS, J.P.T.S. 1884, p. 107.

i,

1
pp. 325

-3

327 6

foil.

Hie

V. 46

29

Tliird Council

brahmans, versed in the Brahma-doctrine, and in like manner

But when he 35
he himself nourished them for three years.

saw

want of

their

commanded

self-control at the distribution of food

his ministers saying

'
:

he

(Hereafter) I will give

36
(king) bade (them)
bring the followers of the different schools into his presence,
tested them in an assembly, and gave them to eat, and sent
to

according-

my

The shrewd

choice.'

them thence when he had entertained them.

As he once, standing at the window, saw a peaceful

ascetic,

37

the samanera Nigrodha, passing along the street, he felt

The youth was the son of prince 38
kindly toward him.

Sumana, the

When

eldest brother of all the sons of Bindusara.

Bindusara had fallen sick Asoka

left

the govern- 39

of Ujjeni conferred on him by his father, and came

1
Pupphapura, and when he had made himself master of 40

ment
to

the city, after his father's death, he caused his eldest brother
to be slain and took on himself the sovereignty in the
splendid city.
The consort of prince

Sumana, who bore the same name 41

(Sumanfi), being with child, fled straightway by the east

42
gate and went to a candala village, and there the guardian
2
a
hut
built
called
her
her
of
a
name,
nigrodha-tree
by
god

And

that very day, she bore a 43

beautiful boy, she gave to her son the name Nigrodha,
44
enjoying the protection of the guardian god. When the
headman of the candalas saw (the mother), he looked on her

and gave

as his

own

it

to her.

wife,

as,

and kept her seven years with honour.

Then, 45

Mahavaruna saw that the boy bore the signs of

his destiny, 3 the arahant questioned his mother and ordained 46
4
he
him, and even in the room where they shaved him
as the thcra

1
See note to 4. 31. UJJENI, Skr. Ujjayini, now Ujjain in the
Gwalior State, Central India, was the old capital of Avanti. RHYS
DAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 3 foil.

Nigrodha = Ficus Indica,

Upanissaya includes all

banyan-tree.
those qualities, aptitudes

an individual, which show that he

of

is

qualified

to

and marks
attain ara-

hantship.
4

The shaving of the hair

of a novice into the order.

is

one of the ceremonies at the reception

Mahavamsa

30

v. 47

Going thence

attained to the state of arahant.

to visit his

47 royal mother, he entered the splendid city by the south gate,

and following the road that led to that village, he passed

Well pleased was the king by

48 (on his way) the king's court.
his grave bearing, but kindly feeling arose in him also by
reason of a former life lived together.
49
Now once, in time
there were three brothers, traders
past,

sell the honey, two to get the

50 honey.
certain paccekabuddha was sick of a wound; and
another paccekabuddha, who, for his sake, wished for honey,
51 came even then to the city on his usual way for seeking alms.

in

honey

one was used to

maiden, who was going for water to the river-bank, saw

52 him. When she knew, from questioning him, that he wished
for honey, she pointed with hand outstretched and said
:

'

Yonder

a honey-store, sir, go thither.

The trader, with believing heart, gave to the buddha

53

is

who

came there a bowlful of honey, so that it ran over the edge.

54 As he saw the honey filling (the bowl) and flowing over the
edge, and streaming down to the ground, he, full of faith,
55 wished: 'May I, for this gift, come by the undivided sovereignty of Jambudipa, and may my command reach forth
a yojana (upward) into the air and (downward) under the earth.

56 To his brothers as they came, he said: ' To a man of such

and such a kind have I given honey ; agree thereto since the
57
honey is yours also/ The eldest brother said grudgingly
(
It was surely a candala, for the candalas ever clothe them:

58 selves in yellow garments.' The second said: 'Away with

But when they heard his
thy paccekabuddha over the sea
of
the
to
let
them
reward, they gave their
promise
participate
'

Then the (maid who) had pointed out the store

wished that she might become the royal spouse of the (first),
and (desired) a lovely form with limbs of perfect outline. 1

59 sanction.

60

Asoka was he who gave the honey, the queen Asamdhimitta was the maid, Nigrodha he who uttered the word
2
candala', Tissa he who had wished him away over the sea.
'

61

He who had

uttered the word

Adissamanasamdhi means

Paravadi,

'

lit.

'

candfila' lived (in expiation

'

literally

who had spoken

with invisible joints '.

of the further shore.'

31

The Third Council

v. 69

a candala village, but because he had desired

unto
deliverance, he also, even in the seventh year, attained
in

thereof)

deliverance. 1

The king,

in

whom

kindly feelings had arisen towards that 62

in all haste into his presence;

same (Nigrodha), summoned him

but he came staidly and calmly

And

thither.

the king said 63

Since he saw no
him
Sit, my dear, upon a fitting seat.'
other bhikkhu there he approached the royal throne.
Then, 64
'

to

toward the throne, the king thought ' To-day,

'
this sfimanera will be lord in my house
Leaning on the 65
as he stepped

king's hand he (the monk) mounted the throne and took his
And seeing 66
seat on the royal throne under the white canopy.

him seated there king Asoka rejoiced greatly that he had

honoured him according to his rank. 2 "When he had refreshed 67
him with hard and soft foods prepared for himself he questioned
the samanera concerning the doctrine taught by the Sambuddha.
Then the samanera preached to him the 'Appamadavagga'. 3 68

And when

the lord of the earth had heard

to the doctrine of the Conqueror,

'

My

And
1

as

him he was won

and he said to (Nigrodha)

dear, I bestow on thee eight perpetual supplies of food/

he answered
These will I bestow on my master.' 4
'

The stop should be put

madh u van

ij

a.

after a si.

Pa tthesi refers to the

existence

When the eldest b rother had transferred the p a 1 1

('reward') to his younger brothers each one of them uttered a

patthana, that of the third was mokkha, i.e. the attainment of
arahantship.
2

Sambhavetvana gunato

is

an allusion to

63.

The king

leaves

to Nigrodha to choose his own place since he does not know his
rank. From the fact of Nigrodha's seating himself on the throne

it

Asoka perceives that a monk of the highest rank is before him, and
he rejoices that he did not assign a lower place to him.
3
I. e. the section entitled
There are eleven
unwearying zeal
minor vaggas in the Samyutta-Nikaya, bearing this title, and nine
'

'.

Appamadasuttas.
4

Upajjhayassa. Every novice on his entrance into the order

upajjhaya a master', and an acariya 'teacher'. It
'

chooses an

appears from M.V. 1. 25. 6 ff., 32.

between the functions of the two.
to M.V.

jhaya.

I.

32. 1,

to

1 if.,

that there

is

no difference

The acariya seems, according

be only the deputy or substitute of the upaj-

69

32
70

Mahdvamsa

v. 70

When

again eight (supplies) were bestowed on him he allotted

these to his teacher ; and when yet eight more were bestowed

71 he gave

them

to the

community

of bhikkhus.

And when

yet again eight were bestowed, he, full of understanding,

consented to accept them.
Together with thirty-two bhik72 khus, he went on the
following day, and when he had been
served by the king with his own hands, and had preached the
doctrine to the ruler, he confirmed him with many of his

and precepts of duty. 1

train in the refuges

Here ends the Visit of the samanera Nigrodha.

73

Thereon the king, with glad faith, doubled day by day

(the number) of bhikkhus (receiving bounty), till they were
Putting aside the sixty thousand teachers of
he bestowed alms perpetually on sixty thousand

74 sixty thousand.
false doctrine,

bhikkhus in his house.

75

Having commanded

costly

foods,

hard and

soft,

to

be

prepared speedily, in order to feast the sixty thousand bhik76 khus, and having caused the town to be gaily decked, he
went to the brotherhood and bade them to his house ; and

had brought them thither, had bestowed hospitality

on them and largely provided them with the things needful
'
How great is (the
77 for ascetics, 3 he questioned them thus:
'
And the
content of) the dhamma taught by the Master ?
after he

thera Moggaliputta-Tissa answered him upon this matter.

There are eighty-four (thousand) sections of
78 When he heard
*

the

the king said

dhamma/

'
:

Each one

of

them

will I

honour

with a vihara.'

Then bestowing ninety-six kotis (of money) in eighty-four

79
80 thousand towns, the ruler bade the kings all over the earth
1

See note to

1.

32.

Titthiyanam.

whom his father (according to v. 34) had

whom Asoka did in fact entertain, with certain

Those

already supported and

changes. He now gradually substituted Buddhist monks. Verses

73 and 74 are suspicious, since the Tlka does not comment on them.
3
Sam a naka, see note to 4. 26.

The

v. 92

begin

(to build) viharas

33

Tliird Council

and he himself began to build the

Asokarama. 1

With the grant for the three gems, 2 for Nigrodha and for 81
the sick, he bestowed in (support of) the faith for each of
them a hundred thousand (pieces of money) each day. With the 82
treasure spent for the Buddha the (priests) held thupa-offerings 3
of many kinds continually in many viharas.
With the treasure 83

spent for the dhamma the people continually prepared the

four things needful for the use of bhikkhus who were learned

Of

the doctrine.

in

the loads

of

water borne from the 84

Anotatta-lake he bestowed four on the brotherhood, one every

day to sixty theras who knew the tipitaka but one he had 85
;

commanded
the king

to be given to the queen Asamdhimitta, while

himself had but two for his own use.
To the sixty 86

thousand bhikkhus and to sixteen thousand

palace),

women

(of the

he gave day by day those tooth-sticks called naga-

lata. 4

day, the monarch heard of the naga-king 87

wondrous might, who had beheld four Buddhas,
who had lived through one age of the world, he sent for him 88

When, one

Mahakala
to be

of

brought (into his presence) fettered with a chain of

and when he had brought him and made him sit upon

gold ;
the throne under the white canopy, when he had done homage 89
to him with (gifts of) various flowers, and had bidden the
sixteen thousand

women

surround him, he
Let us behold the (bodily) form of the 90
omniscient Great Sage, of Him who hath boundless knowledge, who hath set rolling the wheel of the true doctrine.'
(the king) spoke thus

The naga-king

(of the palace) to

created a beauteous figure of the Buddha, 91

endowed with the

thirty-two greater signs and brilliant

(of a Buddha), surrounded by the 92

with the eighty lesser signs

1

The Asoka monastery in the capital Pataliputta.

Ratanattayam. The three gems are Buddha, dhamma, samgha:
Buddha, his doctrine and community, see note on 1. 32.
5
Thupapuja. The tope (thupa) is never missing from a Buddhist
monastery. Festivals of which a tope is the centre are frequently
mentioned in the Mahavamsa.
*
The naga-creeper. See 5. 25.
D
2

Mahavamsa

34

v. 93

fathom-long rays of glory and adorned with the crown of

flames. 1

At

the sight thereof the king was filled with joy and amazef
Even such is the image created by this

93 ment and thought

then,

(Mahakala), nay
Tathagata have been

'
!

what (must) the (real) form of the

And he was more and more uplifted

94 with joy, and for seven days without ceasing did he, the great
king of wondrous power, keep the great festival called the
'

Feast of the eyes

2
'.

Here ends the Entrance

(of

Asoka) into the doctrine.

Now the mighty and believing king and thera Moggaliputta

had already in former times been seen by the holy ones. 3
At the time of the Second Council, the theras, looking into
96
the future, saw the downfall of the faith in the time of that
95

97 king. Looking around in the whole world for one who should
be able to stay that downfall, they saw the Brahma Tissa 4
98 who had not long to

live (in

the

Brahma

heaven).

To him

they went and prayed him, the mighty in wisdom, to bring

this downfall to nought by being reborn himself among men.
99 And he granted their prayer, desiring that the doctrine should
shine forth in brightness.
But to the youthful Siggava and
100 Candavajji the sages spoke thus: 'When a hundred and
eighteen years are passed the downfall of the religion will

101 begin.
1

p.

On

142
2

iii.

We

shall not live to see that (time).

You, bhikkhus,

the signs of a Buddha, see the Lakkhana Suttanta in D. Ill,

and GRUNWEDEL, Buddhistische Kunst in Indien, p. 138 foil.

foil.,

Akkhipuja.

It

corresponds to our 'consecration'.

See Vin.

300.

3
In the
Vaslhi = by those who have the senses under control
Kamb. Mahav. follows here (vv. 1276-1338) an episode relating to
'

'.

Asamdhiinitta. Asoka puts his consort to the test, she having boasted
of merit acquired. He requires of her that she shall provide, between

monks. With the help of

the kindness shown by her to the
paccekabuddha (see above, vv. 51 foil.), she accomplishes what the
king demands of her.

one day and another, robes

the god Kubera,

for the 60,000

who remembers

Tissa, a dweller in the

Brahma

heaven.

The

V. 112

35

TJiird Council

have had no part in this matter x therefore you merit punishment, and your punishment shall be this: that the doctrine 102

may

shine forth in brightness, the

Brahma

Tissa,

mighty in

wisdom, will be reborn in the house of the brahman Moggali.

As time passes on one of you shall receive the boy into the 103

him in the word of the

Sambuddha.
There was a thera Dasaka disciple of the thera Upali. 104
Sonaka was his (Dasaka's) disciple, and both those theras
were disciples of Sonaka.
In former times there lived in Vesall a learned brahman 105
named Dasaka. As the eldest of three hundred disciples he 106
dwelt with his teacher, and at the end of twelve years having
come to the end of (studying) the vedas, he, going about

order, another shall carefully instruct

with the (other) disciples, met the thera Upali, dwelling

at the Valika-monastery, after he had established the sacred 107
(in council), and sitting down near him he questioned
him concerning hard passages in the vedas, and the other
A doctrine is come after all the 108
expounded them to him.

word

'

doctrines,

brahman, yet all doctrines

is that one?'

end in the one

doctrine; which

Thus spoke the thera concerning the name (of the true 109
He asked
doctrine), but the young brahman knew it not.
What manta is this ? and when the answer was given ' The
manta of the Buddha,' he said: ' Impart it to me,' and the 110
:

'

other answered

'
:

We

impart

it

(only) unto one

who wears

our robe.'

And he (Dasaka) asked his teacher and also his father and
mother on behalf of that manta. 2 When he with three 111
hundred young brahmans had received from the thera the
pabbajja the brahman in time received the upasampada.
Then to a thousand (disciples) who had overcome the asavas, 3 112
1

Imam adhikaranam,

that

is,

in the

work of the Second

Council.
2

That

is,

he asked

if

he might be permitted to learn

it

under the

condition mentioned.
3

By khinasava

in

arahants; by ariya in

v.
v.

112 (see note on 3. 9) are understood the

113, all the Buddha's hearers (Vibhanga

D 2

Mahdvamsa

36

among whom was

v.

1 1

the thera Dasaka, did the thera Upali teach

Past reckoning is the number of the

113 the whole tipitaka.

other Ariyas, and of those who yet stood outside (the religion),
by whom the pitakas were learned from the thera.

In the land of the Kasi

114

named Sonaka.

With

115 trading, to Giribbaja.

lived the son of a caravan-guide,

his father

He

and mother he had come

went, youth as he was, fifteen

years old, into the Veluvana

(monastery)

young

fifty-five

brahmans, his companions, came with him.

When he saw the thera Dasaka there with his disciples
116
around him, faith came to him and he asked him for the

Ask thy teacher.'

pabbajja- ordination.
(The thera) said:
117 Afterwards, the young Sonaka, having fasted three meal-times
f

and won

his parents' leave to enter the order,

came again,

118 and then, when he had received from the thera Dasaka
the pabbajja and the upasanipada, together with those other
119 youths, he learned the three pitakas.
the thousand disciples of the thera,
asavas,

who were

Amid the company of

who had overcome the

versed in the pitakas, the ascetic Sonaka

was the foremost.

In the city that bears the name of the
120

patali flower

there

lived the wise Siggava, son of a minister.

He, when eighteen
121 years old and dwelling in three palaces fitted for the three

seasons of the year, went, in company with his friend

122 Candavajji, a minister's son, and surrounded by five hundred
5
followers, to the Kukkutarama, and visited the thera Sonaka.

123

And when

he perceived that (the thera) sat sunk in a trance

by puthujjana the remaining multitude who

372),

outside the

still

stand

to perfection.
1
The Kasis (Skr. kasi) are one of the sixteen tribes of northern
Kasi is also the old
India, settled in the district round Benares.

name
2

RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 24.

old capital of Magadha, Skr. girivraja 'Mountain StrongIt was situated on the top of a hill, at the foot of which

of Benares.

The

hold

way leading

'.

afterwards Rajagaha was built.

8
4

I. e.

RHYS DAVIDS,

c.,

p. 37.

Bamboo-grove.

I.e. Pataliputta.

See note to

4.

31.

Patali Bignonia

suave-

olens.
6

A monastery in Pataliputta.

V. A. SMITH, Asoka, pp. 183, 193, 194.

37

The Third Council

v. 135

with senses restrained

and did not answer

asked the brotherhood about this matter.

his greeting,

said

They

'
:

he

Those 124

are deep in a trance give no reply.'

(So he asked) How
And the bhikkhus said :
come they forth from (the trance) ?

who

'

At a call from the master, or a call from the brotherhood, or 125

when the allotted time is ended, or at the approach of death

they come forth (from the trance).'

As they

126

speaking thus, that these (youths) were

destined for holiness, 2 they caused the call from the brothersaw,

hood to be given ; and (the thera) awoke from the trance and
went to them. The youth asked 'Wherefore didst thou not 127
The (thera) answered ' We
speak to me, venerable one ?
:

'

were enjoying that which is for us to enjoy.' The (young

man) said: Let us also enjoy this.' He answered: 'Those 128
only can we cause to enjoy it who are like unto us.'
'

Then, with their parents' leave, the young Siggava and 129
Candavajji and their five hundred followers likewise received
the pabbajja and (afterwards) the upasampada-ordination from
the thera Sonaka.
With him as their master the two eagerly 130
studied the three pitakas and attained to the six supernormal
3

powers.
Thereafter

when Siggava knew that

Tissa had been born 131

into this world, the thera, from that time, frequented his
house for seven years. And not for seven years did it befall 132
'

But in
(said to him).
the eighth year did he hear those words t Go further on ', in
that house. As he went forth the brahman Moggali, who was 133
him

to hear the

words

'

Go

further on

saw him and asked him ' Hast thou

And he answered ' Yes.'
received aught in our house ?
When (Moggali) went into his house he heard (what had 134
befallen) and when the thera came to the house again, on the
second day afterwards, he reproached him with the lie. And 135
even then coming

in,

'

Samapattisamapannam.

'There are eight samapattis,

attainments or endowments, which are eight successive states induced

by the ecstatic meditation,' CHILDERS, P.D. s.v. See SPENCE HARDY,

Manual of Buddhism,
a

See note to

On

p. 170,

and

J.P.T.S., 1909, p. 61.

5. 45.

the six abhinna, see note to

4. 12.

Mahdvamsa

38
when he had heard

v. 136

the thera's words the brahman, full of

136 faith, gave him continual alms of his own food, and little by
little did all of his household become believers, and the

brahman continually offered

him a seat in his house.
137

hospitality (to the thera), giving

So as time passed the young- Tissa gradually came to the

age of sixteen years and reached the further shore of the

The thera, thinking that he might

have speech with him in this way, made all the seats in his
139 house to vanish, save the seat of the young brahman. Being
come from the Brahma-world (this latter) loved cleanliness,
138 ocean of the three vedas.

and therefore were they used to keep

his chair

hung up

for

better care thereof. 1

Then the people in the house, finding no other seat, full of

confusion, since the thera had to stand, prepared the seat
141 of the young Tissa for him. When the young brahman re140

turned from his teacher's house and saw (the thera) sitting
there he fell into anger and spoke to him in unfriendly wise.

142 The thera said to him: 'Young man, dost thou know the
manta ? And the young brahman (for answer) asked him the
'

I know it/ he
143 same question again. Since the thera replied
asked him concerning hard passages in the vedas. The thera
144 expounded them to him; for, when leading the lay life, he
had already studied the vedas even to the end. How should
'

he not be able to expound them since he had mastered the

four special sciences ?

145

'

For him whose thought arises and does not perish, thought
and not arise (again) but for him whose thought
shall perish and not arise, thought shall arise (again) and not

shall perish

perish/
1

This verse

is

suspicious

the Tika makes no

Pabhinnapatisambhida,

see note to

comment on

it.

4. 62.

A play on the double meaning of cittam and nirujjhati.

Whosoever thinks aright and whose thought does not go astray,
i. e. whosoever knows the truth, his intellect
comes unto nibbana
never to return again. But on the other hand, he who does not think
aright and does not follow the true doctrine will enter into a new
existence and will not reach deliverance.
3

39

The Third Council

v. 155

this question from the (chapter called) 146

was
as the (darkness of) night to the
Cittayamaka.
and
he
'What kind of manta is that, 147
said
to
him:
other,
O bhikkhu ? ' The manta of the Buddha/ answered (the
and when the other said ' Impart it to me/ he said
thera)

The wise thera asked

And

it

<

'

2
impart
(only) to one who wears our robe.'
So with the leave of his father and mother (the

it

young man) 148

received the pabbajja-ordination, for the sake of the manta,

and the thera, when he had ordained him, imparted to him
3
By practice of 149
duly the (method of the) kammatthanas.
meditation this highly gifted man soon won the fruit of sota4

and when the thera was aware

patti,

of this

he sent him to 150

the thera Candavajji that he might learn the suttapitaka

and abhidhammapitaka of him. And this he learned (from
Candavajji).
And thereafter the

monk

Siggava, having conferred on him 151

the upasampada, taught him the vinaya and again instructed

him in the two other (pitakas). When, afterwards, the young 152
Tissa had gained the true insight, 5 he attained in time to the
mastery of the six supernormal powers and reached the rank

Far and wide shone

of a thera.

moon.
of the

The world paid heed

Sambuddha.

his

to his

Here ends the Story of the thera

renown like the sun and 153

word even as to the word

Tissa, the son of Moggali.

the prince 6 (Tissa) when hunting saw gazelles 154

sporting joyously in the wild. And at this sight he thought
Even the gazelles sport thus joyously, who feed on grass in 155

One day

'

I. e.

The double thought/ The reference

of the abhidhamma.

is

to the

Yama-

kappakarana
2

Cf. 5. 109, 110.

Kammatthana 'The foundations of (right) acting'. By this

meant the right method for the practice of meditation. See
CHILDERS, P.D. s. v.
s

is

4
5

I. e.

the

first

stage of sanctification. See note to 1. 33.

is one of the signs of the arahant.
It

The vipassana

See the details in

6

U p a r a j a,

AUNG, Compendium of Philosophy,

viceregent.

pp. 65

is

tenfold.

foil.,

180.

MaMvamsa

40

V. 156

Wherefore are not the bhikkhus joyous and gay,

who have their food and dwelling in comfort ?
Returned home he told the king his thought. To teach
156
him the king handed over to him the government of the
the wild.

'

157 kingdom for one week, saying 'Enjoy, prince, for one week,
my royal state then will I put thee to death.' Thus said the
:

ruler.

And when

158

the week was gone by he asked

thou thus wasted away

And when

'

'
:

Wherefore

art

'

By

(Tissa) answered

reason of the fear of death/ the king spoke again to him

159 and said: 'Thinking that thou must die when the week was

gone by, thou wast no longer joyous and gay; how then
can ascetics be joyous and gay, my dear, who think ever

upon death
160

'

And (Tissa) when his brother spoke thus, was turned toward
And afterwards when
faith in the doctrine (of the Buddha).

161 he once went forth hunting, he saw the thera Mahadhammarakkhita, the self-controlled, sitting at the foot of a tree,

162 and fanned by a cobra with a branch of a

sala-tree.

And

that

wise (prince) thought: 'When shall I, like this thera, be

ordained in the religion of the Conqueror, and live in the
forest-wilderness ?

'

When the thera, to convert him, had come thither flying

through the air, standing on the water of the pond in the
164 Asokarama, he, leaving his goodly garments behind him in the
165 air, plunged into the water and bathed his limbs. And when
the prince saw this marvel he was filled with joyful faith, and

163

the wise

man made

respectfully

'This very day will

this wise resolve:

He went

166 I receive the pabbajja-ordination.'

besought him

to let

Since the king could not turn

him

to the

king and

receive the pabbajja.

him from

(his resolve)

he took

167 him with him and went with a great retinue to the vihara.
There (the prince) received the pabbajja from the thera

168 Mahadhammarakkhita and with him four hundred thousand

persons, but the number of those who afterwards were ordained

169

not known. A nephew

name Aggibrahma was the

is

170 Samghamitta

and

the

of the

monarch known by the

consort of the king's daughter

son of these two (was) named

41

The Third Council

V. 182

Sumana. 1 He (Aggibrahma) also craved the king's leave and

was ordained together with the prince.

The prince's ordination, whence flowed blessing to many 171

folk, was in the fourth year of (the reign of) king Asoka. In 172
the same year he received the upasampada-ordination, and
since his destiny was holiness 2 the prince, zealously striv-

became an arahant, gifted with the

ing,

six

supernormal

powers.
All those beautiful viharas (then) begun they duly finished 173
in all the cities within three years; but. by the miraculous 174

power of the thera Indagutta, who watched over the work,

the arama named after Asoka was likewise quickly brought

On those spots which the Conqueror himself

monarch built beautiful cetiyas here and there.
On every side from the eighty-four thousand cities came letters
on one day with the news
The viharas are completed.'
When the great king, great in majesty, in wondrous power
and valour, received the letters, he, desiring to hold high
festival in all the aramas at once, proclaimed in the town
to completion.

had

175

visited the

176

with beat of drum

a festival of

all

'

177
178

On

the seventh day from this day shall

the aramas be kept, in every way, in all the
:

Yojana by yojana on the earth shall great largess 179

be given ; the aramas in the villages and the streets shall be
adorned. In all the viharas let lavish gifts of every kind be 180
bestowed upon the brotherhood, according to the time and the
provinces.

means (of givers), and adornments, such as garlands of lamps 181

and garlands of flowers, here and there, and all that is meet
for festivals, 3 with music of every kind, in manifold ways.

And

take upon themselves the duties of the 182

uposatha-day and hear religious discourse, and offerings of
1

In

all

my

are

to

edition of the text the stop should be deleted after

after namato.
So pi in v. 170 refers to Aggi-

samiko and put

brahma.
2
He was sampannaupanissayo. Cf. note to 5. 45.
3
Upahara. The Tika explains this word thus: sabbe gan-

dhabba sakasakaturiy abhandam gahetva tattha tattha

viharesu gandhabbam va karontu ti attho 'Let all the
minstrels

taking each his

viharas everywhere'.

own

instrument of music play in the

42
183

Mahavamsa

V. 183

kinds must they make on the same day.'

And all the
everywhere held religious festivals of every kind,
1
glorious as the world of gods, even as had been commanded

many

people

and
184

(did) yet

more.

On

that day the great king wearing all his adornments

with the women of his household, with his ministers and sur-

185 rounded by the multitude of his troops, went to his own arama,
as if cleaving the earth.
In the midst of the brotherhood he
186 stood, bowing down to the venerable brotherhood. In the
assembly were eighty kotis of bhikkhus, and among these
187 were a hundred thousand ascetics who had overcome the
asavas.
Moreover there were ninety times one hundred thou188 sand bhikkhums, and among these a thousand had overcome
the asavas.
These (monks and nuns) wrought the miracle
'
'
called the unveiling of the world to the end that the king

Dhammasoka might

be converted.
Candasoka (the wicked
was
in
he
called
earlier
Asoka)
times, by reason of his evil
deeds ; he was known as Dhammasoka (the pious Asoka) after190 wards because of his pious deeds. He looked around over the
(whole) Jambudipa bounded by the ocean and over all the

189

191 viharas adorned with the manifold (beauties of) the festival
and with exceeding joy, as he saw them, he asked the brethren,
while taking his seat f Whose generosity toward the doctrine
of the Blessed One was ever (so) great (as mine), venerable
:

sirs?'

192
'

The
Even

thera Moggaliputta answered the king's question

One there was no generous
:

in the lifetime of the Blessed

giver like to thee.'

When the king heard this he rejoiced yet more and asked
193
2
'Nay then, is there a kinsman of Buddha's religion like
:

unto

194

me ?

'

But the thera perceived the

destiny of

the

king's

son

The Tika understands the word devalokamanorama thus,

and adds: nakkhattaghutthe devanagare devagana viya
1

manussa manorama mahapuja patiyadesum

the multitudes of gods in the celestial

where

ti

attho 'As

festival

has been

men arrange splendid offerings'.

Sasanadayada: evidently the term is a title of honour.

proclaimed, so did
2

city,

43

The Third Council

V. 206

Mahinda 1 and

and foresaw the 195

from (them), and

of his daughter Samghamitta,

progress of the doctrine that

was

to arise

on whom lay the charge of the doctrine, replied thus to

the king ' Even a lavish giver of gifts like to thee is not 1 96
a kinsman of the religion; giver of wealth 2 is he called,
197
he,

But he who

men.

ruler of

religious order

is

lets

son or daughter enter the

a kinsman of the religion and withal a giver

of gifts/

Since the monarch would fain become a kinsman of the 198

religion he asked Mahinda and Samghamita, who stood near:
'
Do you wish to receive the pabbajja, dear ones? The 199

pabbajja is held to be a great (good).' Then, when they heard

'
their father's words, they said to him
This very day we
would fain enter the order, if thou,
king, dost wish it ; for
:

200

even as for thee, will blessing come of our pabbajja/

us,

For already since the time of the prince's (Tissa's) pabbajja 201
had he resolved to enter the order, and she since (the ordina3
tion) of Aggibrahma.
Although the monarch wished to confer 202
on Mahinda the dignity of prince-regent, yet did he consent
with the thought
This (last) is the greater
So he permitted his dear son Mahinda, distin- 203

to his ordination

dignity/

by intelligence, beauty and strength,

daughter Samghamitta, to be ordained with all

guished (above

and

his

'

all

others)

solemnity.
At that time Mahinda, the king's son,
old, and the king's daughter Samghamitta

was twenty years 204

was then eighteen
years old. On the very same day did he receive the pabbajja- 205
and also the upasampada-ordination, and for her the pabbajjaordination and the placing under a teacher 5 took place on the
same day.
The prince's master 6 was the thera named after Moggali; 7 206
1

See note to

5. 45.

Paccayadayaka.

Cf. 5. 167, 170.

The Tlka explains

This was necessary as Samghamitta was not of the prescribed age.

Upajjhaya, see note to 5. 69.

6
7

That

On paccaya

samaham

'

is,

Moggaliputtatissa,

see note to 3. 14.

by sapujasakkaram.

Tissa, the son of Moggali.

44

Mahavamsa

V. 207

the pabbajja-ordination was conferred on him by the thera

207 Mahadeva, but Majjhantika pronounced the ceremonial words, 1
and even in the very place where he (received) the upasampada-ordination this great man reached the state of an arahant
2
together with the special kinds of knowledge.
The directress of Samghamitta was the renowned
208

Dhamma-

pala, and her teacher was Ayu,pala ; in time she became free
209 from the asavas.
Those two lights of the doctrine, who

brought great blessing to the island of Lanka, received the

pabbajja in the sixth year of king Dhammasoka. The great
210 Mahinda, the converter of the island (of Lanka), learned the
three pitakas with his master in three years. This bhikkhum,
211 even like the new moon, and the bhikkhu Mahinda, like the

212

sun, illumined always the slcy, the doctrine of the Sambuddha.

Once in time past, a dweller in the forest, who went forth

from Pataliputta, loved a wood-nymph named

Owing to the union with him she bore two sons, the
Afterelder was Tissa and the younger was named Sumitta.
214 wards both received the pabbajja-ordination from the thera
Mahavaruna and attained to arahantship and the possession
into the forest

213 Kunti.

215

of the six supernormal powers.

(Once) the elder suffered pains in the foot from the poison
of a venomous insect, and when his younger brother asked

(what he needed) he told him that a handful of ghee was the

216 remedy. But the thera set himself against pointing out to
the king what things needful in sickness, 3 and against going
'
If on thy
217 in search of the ghee after the midday meal. 4
said the
thou
it
to
receivest
me/
ghee, bring
begging-round,
218 thera Tissa to the excellent thera Sumitta. When he went
,

1
Kammavacam aka: i.e. he was president of the chapter
when Mahinda was ordained. Kammavaca 'is the name of the
proceedings at a ka mm a or ecclesiastical act, by which some question

is

decided by vote'. CHILDERS, P.D.

2
See note to 5. 144.
3

s.

v.

is a
locative of aim ', which concurs with the
(SPEYER, Ved. and Skr. Syntax, para. 81 b), and refers
tonivedanam 'informing, announcement'.
4
The begging-round of the mendicants must be carried out in the
'

Gilanapaccaye

final dative

'

'

forenoon, according to the rules of the order.

v.

TJie

228

45

Third Council

forth on his begging-round he received not one handful of

ghee, and (in the meanwhile) the pain had come to such a pass
that even a hundred vessels of ghee could not have cured it.

And because of that malady the thera was near to death, 219
and when he had exhorted (the other) to strive unceasingly he
formed the resolve to pass into nibbana.
Lifted up in the air as he sat, and winning mastery of his 220
own body by the fire-meditation, 1 according to his own free
resolve,

from

his

Flantes that broke forth 221

he passed into nibbana.

body consumed the

flesh

and skin of the

thera's

whole

body, the bones they did not consume.

When the monarch heard that the thera had died in this 222

own arama surrounded by the multitude

of his troops.
Mounted on an elephant the king brought 223
down the bones, 3 and when he had caused due honour to be
wise he went to his

paid to the
thera's)

he questioned the brotherhood as to (the

Hearing about it he was greatly moved, 224

relics,

illness.

and had tanks made at the city gates and filled them with
remedies for the sick, and day by day he had remedies be- 225
stowed on the congregation of the bhikkhus, thinking might
:

the bhikkhus never find remedies hard to obtain.

The thera Sumitta passed

when he was 226

into nibbana even

4

walking (in meditation) in the cahkama-hall, and by this

was a great multitude of people converted to the doctrine

also

Both these theras, the sons of Kunti, who 227

(of the Buddha).
had wrought a great good in the world, passed into nibbana
in the eighth year of

From
1

Asoka.

that time onwards the revenues of the brotherhood 228

Tejojhanavasena.

his thoughts

kasinani

The meditating

on the concept

or divisions

concentrates

ascetic

which

kammatthana

of

kasino, and note to 5. 148)

body which consumes him.

'fire' (tejo)

is

(see

all

one of the ten

CHILDERS,

s.v.

fire arises

within his

Nimmamsaccharikam dahi sakalam kayam,

literally,

the effect

is

that a

burned the whole body into a fleshless and skinless one.'

3
Which were still floating in the air.
4
A cankama belongs to each vihara. It is 'a straight piece of
ground cleared and levelled for the purpose of walking up and down
upon for exercise and meditation '. See S.B.E. xx, p. 103, n. 1.

'

46

229

Mahavartisa

V. 229

were exceeding great, and since those who were converted

who had (thereby)

later caused the revenues to increase, heretics

lost revenue and honour took likewise the yellow robe, for the
230 sake of revenue, and dwelt together with thebhikkhus. They

own

proclaimed their

doctrines as the doctrine of the

Buddha

and carried out their own practices even as they wished.

And when the thera Moggaliputta, great in firmness of
231
soul, saw the coming-out of this exceedingly evil plague-boil
232 on the doctrine, he, far-seeing, deliberated upon the right time
to do away with it.
And when he had committed his great

company

of

233 he took up

bhikkhus to (the direction

the thera Mahinda,

up the Ganges on the
seven years he gave himself up
of)

his abode, all alone, further

Ahogahga-mountain, and for

to solitary retreat.

234

reason of the great number of the heretics and their

unruliness, the bhikkhus could not restrain them by the law ;

23,5

and therefore the bhikkhus in Jambudlpa for seven years held

no uposatha-ceremony nor the ceremony of pavarana in all

By

the aramas.

When the great king, the famed Dhammasoka, was aware

of this, he sent a minister to the splendid Asokarama, laying
237 on him this command: ' Go, settle this matter and let the
236

uposatha-festival be carried out

by the community of bhikkhus

This fool went thither, and when he had

my
called the community of bhikkhus together he announced the

238 in

arama.'

king's

239

command

'
:

Carry out the uposatha-festival/

'We

hold not the uposatha-festival with heretics,'' the

community of bhikkhus replied to that misguided minister.

240 The minister struck off the head of several theras, one by one,
with his sword, saying, ' I will force you to hold the uposatha-

When

the king's brother, Tissa, saw that crime he

sat on the seat nearest to the minister.
and
speedily
242 When the minister saw the thera he went to the king and told
him (the whole matter).
243
When the monarch heard it he was troubled and went with

241 festival/

came

all speed and asked the community of bhikkhus, greatly

disturbed in mind ' Who, in truth, is guilty of this deed that
has been done ?
:

'

And certain

of

them answered

thine/ and others said

who were wise answered
is

in their ignorance

Both of you are guilty

'

Thou

'
:

'

The guilt 244

but those

art not guilty/

When

the king heard this he said ' Is there a bhikkhu who 245
my doubts to rest and to befriend religion?'
is
There
the thera Tissa, the son of Moggali, O king/ 24G
:

able to set

is
'

47

The Third Council

V. 256

answered the brethren to the king.

with zeal.

Then was the king

filled

He sent four theras, each attended by a thousand bhikkhus 247

and four ministers, each with a thousand followers, that same 248
day, with the charge laid on them by (the king) himself to
bring the thera thither; but though they prayed him he

came

not.

When

the king heard this he sent again eight theras and 249
ministers
each with a thousand followers, but even as
eight
before he came not.
'

The king asked

Nay then, how shall the thera come? 250
The bhikkhus told him how the thera could be moved to
come: f O great king, if they shall say to him, "be our helper, 251
'

venerable

sir,

to

befriend

religion/'

then will the thera

come/
sent (messengers) sixteen theras and sixteen 252
a thousand followers, laying that (same)
each
with
ministers,
he said to them c Aged as he is, the 253
and
charge upon them,

Again the king

thera will not enter any wheeled vehicle

ship on the Ganges.'

So they went

to

him and

bring the thera by

and hardly had he heard 254

they brought the thera
meet him. Going down even 255

told him,

(their message) but he rose up.

in a ship and the king went to

And

knee-deep into the water the king respectfully gave his right
hand to the thera, as he came down from the ship. 1 The 256
1

According to Smp. 310, 12

foil,

the king had dreamed a dream,

the night before, which the soothsayers interpreted thus, that a

samananaga, a great ascetic, would touch his right hand. As the
thera
kill

now

him.

death.

laid hold of the king's hand the attendants were about to

For to touch the king's hand was a crime punishable by

However, the king restrained them. But the thera laid hold
hand as a sign that he accepted him as his pupil.

of the king's

Mahavamsa

48

v. 257

venerable thera took the king's right hand l from compassion

toward him, and came down from the ship.

The king led the thera to the pleasure-garden called Rativaddhana, and when he had washed and anointed his feet and
258 had seated himself the monarch spoke thus, to test the thera's
257

'
259 faculty
Sir, I would fain see a miracle/
tion which (miracle he desired) he answered
:

And

And

to the ques-

An

earthquake/

*
:

'Which wouldst thou see,

of
a single region ?' Then
only

again the other said to him:

260 of the whole (earth shaken) or

when he had asked ' Which is the more
:

difficult ?'

The shaking of a single region is the

(the reply)
cult/ he declared that he desired to see this last.
'

and heard
more diffi-

Then within the boundary of a yojana (in extent) did the

thera place a waggon, a horse and a man, and a vessel full of
262 water at the four cardinal points, and over this yojana by
261

his miraculous

power he caused the earth to tremble, together

let the king

with the half of (each of) these (things) and

2
seated there behold this.

Then the monarch asked the thera whether or not he himself shared the guilt of the murder of the bhikkhus by the
There is no resulting
264 minister. The thera taught the king
263

'

guilt

without

evil intent/

and he

recited the Tittira-jataka.

Abiding a week there in the pleasant royal park he in266 structed the ruler in the lovely religion of the Sambuddha. In
265

is a play on the words d a k k h i n a

'venerable*.

Here there

neyya

'

'

right

and d a k k h i-

The expressions are difficult to render but the sense is clear. On

the boundaries of a space measuring a mile in diameter, there were
placed at N., S., E., and W. a waggon, a horse, a man, and a vessel full
2

of water.

The earthquake was

so strictly limited in its action that

these objects were affected by the quaking only as to the half on the
inner side, the other half remained unmoved.
3

In

paticcakamma

the term

kamma

is

employed

the

in

of all good and evil deeds that bring of

if not balanced
necessity reward or punishment as their result, and
lead inevitably to a new existence after death. Paticca means folon something, conditioned by something '. The formation of the

technical sense as the

sum

lowing

compound is the same as in paticcasamuppada, paccayakara.

4
FAUSBOLL, Jdtaka III. 64 foil. The Kamboclian Mah. inserts
here a metrical version of the story.

Tlie

V. 278
this

49

Third Council

same week the monarch sent out two yakkhas and

assembled together all the bhikkhus on the earth. On the 267

seventh day he went to his own splendid arama and arranged an
assembly of the community of bhikkhus in its full numbers.

Then seated with the thera on one side behind a curtain the 268
him in turn the bhikkhus of the several confessions and asked them
Sir, what did the Blessed One 269
ruler called to

teach

'

And

they each expounded their wrong doctrine, the

And all these adherents of 270

Sassata-doctrine and so forth. 1

king cause to be expelled from the order ;

expelled were in all sixty thousand. And now 271
'
he asked the rightly-believing bhikkhus
What does the
false doctrine did the

those

who were

One

Blessed

teach

'

And

they answered

(
:

He teaches

the

Vibhajja-doctrine/
And the monarch asked the thera:

'

Sir, does

the

Sam- 272

'

The thera
(really) teach the Vibhajja-doctrine ?
'
answered
Yes/ And when the king knew this he was glad

buddha

at heart
fied, sir,

and

Since the community is (henceforth) puri- 273

therefore should the brotherhood hold the uposathasaid

festival/ and he made the thera guardian of the order and 274
returned to his fair capital ; the brotherhood held thenceforth
the uposatha-festival in concord.

Out of the great number of the brotherhood of bhikkhus 275

the thera chose a thousand learned bhikkhus, endowed with
the six supernormal powers, knowing the three pitakas and
versed in the special sciences, 3 to make a compilation of the 276
true doctrine.
Together with them did he, in the Asokarama,

a compilation of the true dhamma. 4 Even as the thera 277

Mahakassapa and the thera Yasa had held a council so did the

make

thera Tissa.

The

In the midst of

this council the thera Tissa set

ditthiyo or heretical doctrines, reckoned as sixtyare frequently mentioned in the canonical books, thus in
the Brahmajalasuttanta of the Dighanikaya (D. 1, 13 foil.).
2
CHILDERS (P. D. s. v. vibhajati) renders the sense appropriately
two in

different

all,

with 'religion of Logic or Reason'. Vibhajjavada

with theravada. KERN, Manual, p. 110.
3
See the notes to 4. 62 and 4. 12.
4

Katum saddhammasamgaham.
E

See note to

is

3. 17.

identical

278

MaMvamsa

50

v. 279

the Kathavatthuppakarana, 1 refuting the other doc279 trines. Thus was this council under the protection of king
forth

280

Asoka ended by the thousand bhikkhus in nine months.

In the seventeenth year of the king's reign the wise (thera)
who was seventy-two years old, closed the council with a great

281 pavarana-ceremony. 2 And, as if to shout applause to the reestablishment of doctrine, the great earth shook at the close
of the council.

282

Nay, abandoning the high, the glorious Brahma-heaven and

coming down for the sake of the doctrine to the loathsome
world of men, he, who had fulfilled his own duty, fulfilled the
duties toward the doctrine.

Who

else

verily

may

neglect

duties toward the doctrine?

Here ends the

the

fifth chapter, called

Mahavamsa,

'

The Third Council ',

compiled for the serene

in

joy and emotion

of the pious.
1

vol.
8

A work
i, ii,

of the

Abhidhamma. Kathavatthu,

P.T.S. 1894, 1897.

See note to 12.

2.

ed.

by A.

C.

TAYLOR,

CHAPTEE VI
THE COMING OF VIJAYA
IN the country of the Vangas l in the Vanga capital there
The daughter of the king
lived once a king of the Vangas.
of the Kalingas was that king's consort.
By his spouse the
king had a daughter, the soothsayers prophesied her union
with the king of beasts. Very fair was she and very amorous
and for shame the king and queen could not suffer her.

Alone she went forth from the house, desiring the joy of 4
independent life ; unrecognized she joined a caravan travelling

Magadha country. In the Lala country a lion attacked 5

the caravan in the forest, the other folk fled this way and that,
to the

but she

along the

fled

way by which

the lion had come.

When

the lion had taken his prey and was leaving the spot 6
he beheld her from afar, love (for her) laid hold on him, and

he came towards her with waving

tail

and

ears laid back.

Seeing him she bethought her of that prophecy of the soothsayers which she had heard, and without fear she caressed him

stroking his limbs.

The lion, roused to fiercest passion by her touch, took her 8
upon his back and bore her with all speed to his cave, and
there he was united with her, and from this union with 9

him the

princess in time bore twin-children, a son

and a

daughter.

The

hands and feet were formed

son's

fore she

like a lion's

and there-

Slhaslvali.

When

the daughter (she named)

he was sixteen years old the son questioned

mother on the doubt (that had arisen in him) ' Where'

fore are you and our father so different, dear mother ?
She
his

told

named him Sihabahu, but

him
'

here)

all.

Then he asked

And

she answered

up with a rock/

Then

Why do we not go forth (from

Thy father has closed the cave

'
:

'
:

he took that barrier before the great 13

1

I.e.

E 2

Mahavamsa

52

VI. 14

cave upon his shoulder and went (a distance of)

going and coming in one day.

Then

14

(once),

when the

fifty

yojanas

had gone forth in search of prey,

lion

(Slhabahu) took his mother on his right shoulder and his

15

young

sister

on

his left,

and went away with

speed.

They

clothed themselves with branches of trees, and so came to a

border- village and there, even at that time, was a son of the
1

6 princess's uncle, a

commander

in the army of the Vaiiga king,

the
the border-country ; and he
rule
over
given
was just then sitting under a banyan-tree overseeing the work
that was done.

whom was

to

17

When

he saw them he asked them (who they were) and

'We are forest-folk ' the commander bade (his

they said:

them clothing; and

He had food offered

this turned into splendid

to them on leaves and by
(garments).
reason of their merit these were turned into dishes of gold.

18 people) give

commander asked them, ' Who are you ? '

20 The princess told him her family and clan. Then the commander took his uncle's daughter with him and went to the
1

9 Then, amazed, the

capital of the

Vangas and married

her.

When

the lion, returning in haste to his cave, missed

those three (persons), he was sorrowful, and grieving after his
22 son he neither ate nor drank.
Seeking for his children he

21

23

went to the border-village, and every village where he came

was deserted by the dwellers therein.
And the border-folk came to the king and told him this:
f
A lion ravages thy country ward off (this danger) O king '
Since he found none who could ward off (this danger) he
had a thousand (pieces of money) led about the city on
an elephant's back and this proclamation made: 'Let him
who brings the lion receive these ' And in like manner the
monarch (offered) two thousand and three thousand. Twice
did Slhabahu's 1 mother restrain him. The third time without
asking his mother's leave, Slhabahu took the three thousand
!

24

25
26

27

gold-pieces (as reward) for slaying his own father.

They presented the youth to the king, and the king spoke
1

Sihabhuja in the text

Slhabahu 'Lion-arm'.

(metri causa!)

which means the same as

TJie

VI. 43

thus to him

'

53

Coming of Vijaya

thou shalt take the lion I will give thee

If

And he went to the opening of the 28

at once the kingdom.'
saw from afar the lion who came
as
and
as
soon
he
cave,
for

forward,

love

toward his

he shot an

son,

arrow to

slay him.

The arrow struck the

lion's

forehead but because of his 29

tenderness (toward his son) it rebounded and fell on the

earth at the youth's feet. And so it fell out three times, then 30

did the king of beasts grow wrathful and the arrow sent at
struck him and pierced his body.

him

(Slhabahu) took the head of the lion with the mane and 31
returned to his city. And just seven days had passed then
Since the king 32
since the death of the king of the Vangas.
had no son the ministers, who rejoiced over his deed on
hearing that he was the king's grandson and on recognizing 33
his mother, met all together and said of one accord to the
prince Slhabahu

'

Be thou

(our)

king '.

And

he accepted the kingship but handed it over then to 34

his mother's husband and he himself went with SlhasTvall to

There he built a city, and they called 35

in
and
the
forest stretching a hundred yojanas
Slhapura,
around he founded villages. In the kingdom of Lala, in that 36
city did Slhabahu, ruler of men, hold sway when he had made
the land of his birth.

it

As time passed on his consort bore twin 3 7

the
eldest was named Vijaya, the second 38
sons sixteen times,
there
were thirty-two sons. In time the
Sumitta ; together
Slhaslvall his queen.

king consecrated Vijaya as prince-regent.

Vijaya was of evil conduct and his followers were even (like 39
himself), and many intolerable deeds of violence were done by
them.

Angered by
the king,

king;
blamed his son.

this the people told the matter to the 40

speaking persuasively to them, severely

all fell out again as before, the second 41

But

and yet the third time ; and the angered people said to the
king

'
:

Kill thy son.'

Then did the king cause Vijaya and

his followers, seven 42

hundred men, to be shaven over half the head

1
The shaving of the hair signifies loss
midi (= Skr. mundita shaven ') means
'

and put them 43

of freedom.
'

slave

'.

In Sinhalese

Mahavamsa

54

on a ship and sent them forth upon the

The men, women,
also.

44 and children

forth separately landed separately,

VI. 44

and their wives

and children sent
each (company) upon an
sea,

45 island, and they dwelt even there.

The island where the
l
was
called
landed
children
Naggadipa and the island where

women

landed Mahiladlpaka. 2 But Vijaya landed at the

haven called Supparaka, 3 but being there in danger by reason

46 the

of the violence of his followers he

47

The

embarked again.

named VIJAYA, the valiant, landed in Lanka, in

the region called Tambapanni on the day that the Tathagata
lay down between the two twinlike sala-trees to pass into
prince

nibbana.

Here ends the sixth chapter, called The Coming of Vijaya \

Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion
*

in the

of the pious.
1

That
That

'

is,
'

is,

Island of children, from

Island of women.'

Thana District, north

'.

on the west coast of India, now Sopara

of Bombay. See Imp. Gazetteer of India, s.v.

Skt. $urparaka, situated

in the

'

nagga naked

CHAPTER

VII

THE CONSECRATING OF VIJAYA

WHEN

the Guide of the World, having accomplished the

salvation of the whole world and having reached the utmost

stage of blissful rest, was lying on the bed of his nibbana,
in the midst of the great assembly of gods, he, the great sage, 2
the greatest of those who have speech, spoke to Sakka x who

stood there near

him

'
:

Vijaya, son of king Sihabahu,

is

come

Lanka from the country

to

hundred

followers.

In

of Lala, together with seven

lord of gods, will
4
Lanka,

my

religion be established, therefore carefully protect

his followers and Lanka/

him with

When the lord of gods heard the words of the Tathagata 5

he from respect handed over the guardianship of Lanka to
the god

who

is

in colour like the lotus. 2

And no sooner had the god received the charge from

Sakka than he came speedily to Lanka and sat down at the

And all
What

foot of a tree in the guise of a wandering ascetic.

the followers of Vijaya came to him and asked him

'

'The island of Lanka/ he answered.

There are no men here, and here no dangers will arise.' 8
And when he had spoken so and sprinkled water on them from
his water- vessel, and had wound a thread about their hands 3 9
he vanished through the air. And there appeared, in the form
of a bitch, a yakkhim who was an attendant (of Kuvanna). 4

island is this, sir?'

1

A name

Devass' uppalavannassa, that

of Indra, king of the gods.

the colour of the

3

is

Visnu.

The

allusion

is

to

BLUE

As a paritta,

lotus (uppala).
that is as a protecting

charm against the

influence

of demons.
4

The Tika says: Kuvannaya Slsapati-namika paricariThe Kambodian Mah. also gives the same name

kayakkhini.
Sisapatika.

Mahavamsa

56
10

1 1

vii. 10

One (of Vijaya's men) went after her, although he was

f
forbidden by the prince (for he thought), Only where there
Her mistress, a yakkhim
is a village are dogs to be found.'
named Kuvanna,

sat there

at the foot of a tree spinning, as

a woman-hermit might.
When the man saw the pond and the woman-hermit sitting
2
there, he bathed there and drank and taking young shoots of

3 lotuses

and water

she said to
1

him

in lotus-leaves

f
:

Stay

he came forth again.

And

Then the man

prey
But because of the power of

thou art

4 stood there as if fast bound.

'

my

the magic thread she could not devour him, and though he
was entreated by the yakkhim, the man would not yield up
15 the thread. Then the yakkhim seized him, and hurled him

who

And

cried aloud into a chasm.

there in like

manner she

the seven hundred one by one after him.

(all)
when
And
1 6
they all did not return fear came on Vijaya ;
armed with the five weapons 2 he set out, and when he beheld
hurled

17 the beautiful pond, where he saw no footstep of any man

coming forth, but saw that woman-hermit there, he thought
f
1 8
Surely my men have been seized by this woman/ And he
:

'
'
What
Lady, hast thou not seen my men ?
dost thou want with thy people, prince ?' she answered.
'
Drink thou and bathe/

said to her,

'

'

This is
Then was it clear to him
knows my rank/ and swiftly, uttering
:

surely a
his

yakkhim, she
name, he came at

20 her drawing his bow. He caught the yakkhim in the noose

about the neck, and seizing her hair with his left hand he
f
Slave
2 1 lifted his sword in the right and cried
give me
!

back

my

men, or I slay thee

'
!

Then, tormented with fear

Spare my life, sir,

yakkhim prayed him for her life.
I will give thee a kingdom and do thee a woman's service and
'

22 the

other service as thou wilt.'

23

And that he might not be betrayed he made the yakkhim

swear an oath, and so soon as the charge was laid on her,
'
Bring hither my men with all speed,' she brought them to
where Vijaya's man followed the bitch.
The five weapons are, according to
CLOUGH, sword, bow, battle-axe, spear, and shield.
1

There, that

Naddhapancayudho.

is

57

The Consecrating of Vijaya

VII. 35

that place.

When

he

said,

'These

men

are

hungry,' she 24

showed them rice and other (foods) and goods of every kind
that had been in the ships of those traders whom she had
devoured.
(Vijaya's)

men

when they had

prepared the rice and the condiments, and 25

first

set

them before the prince they

all

ate

of them.
1

When

the

yakkhim had taken the

first

portions (of the 26

meal) that Vijaya handed to her, she was well pleased, and
assuming the lovely form of a sixteen-year-old maiden she 27

approached the prince adorned with all the ornaments. At

the foot of a tree she made a splendid bed, well-covered 28
around with a tent, and adorned with a canopy. And seeing
the king's son, looking forward to the time to come,
took her to him as his spouse and lay (with her) blissfully on 29
that bed ; and all his men encamped around the tent.
this,

As

the night went on he heard the sounds of music and 30

singing, and asked the yakkhim, who was lying near him
1
What means this noise?' And the yakkhim thought: 'I 31
:

will bestow kingship on

lord and all the yakkhas
for
the
slain,
(else)
yakkhas will slay me, for it was

my

must be
through

me that men have taken up their dwelling (in Lanka).' 2

And she said to the prince
Here there is a yakkha-city
'

called Sirisavatthu

the daughter of the chief of the yakkhas

32
33

who

dwells in the city of Lanka has been brought hither,

and her mother too is come. 4 And for the wedding there is 34
lasting seven days ; therefore there is this
for
a
noise,
great multitude is gathered together. Even to-day 35

high

festival,

Instead of verses 26-84 the later (Sinhalese) recension has a some-

what divergent reading, the text of which is printed in my edition,

p. 326 foil.
Appendix A. Cf. ibid., Introd., p. xxxiv.
2
To manussavasakarana 'because of (my) bringing about
a settlement of men', the Tika adds the words imasmim dipe 'in
this island
3

Lit.

The

'.

'

of the eldest yakkha.'

Tika calls the bride's father Mahakalasena, the bride Pola-

mitta, the mother Gonda.

also in the Kamb. Mah.

The names Kalasena and Polamitta occur

58

Mahavamsa

vil. 36

do thou destroy the yakkhas, for afterwards

be possible.'

He

my

'

replied
?

'

'

'

magic power

shall

thy weapon

fall

upon

Since he listened to her and did even

37

no longer

How can I slay the yakkhas who are inWheresoever they may be/ she said, I will utter
and where thou shalt hear that sound, strike and by

36 visible
cries,

it will

(as

their bodies/

she said) he slew

the yakkhas, and when he had fought victoriously he

38 himself put on the garments of the yakkha-king and bestowed
the other raiment on one and another of his followers.
all

When he had spent some days at that spot he went to

39 Tambapanni. There Vijaya founded the city of Tambapanni
and dwelt there, together with the yakkhim, surrounded by
his ministers.

40

When

those

who were commanded by Vijaya landed from

down wearied, resting their hands upon the

their ship, they sat

41 ground and since their hands were reddened by touching the

dust of the red earth l that region and also the island were

42 (named) Tambapanni. 2 But the king Sihabahu, since he had

slain the lion (was called) Sihala and, by reason of the ties

between him and them,

all

those (followers of Vijaya) were

also (called) Sihala.

Here and there did Vijaya's ministers found villages.

Anuradhagama was built by a man of that name near the
44 Kadamba river 3 the chaplain Upatissa built Upatissagama 4
on the bank of the Gambhira river, to the north of Anu43

45 radhagama.

Three other ministers

Ujjem, Uruvela, and the city

1

The

soil of

Ceylon

is

built,

of Vijita.

each for himself,

composed of latent which crumbles into

a red dust.
2

A play

Now

on the word tambapani, red hand.

Malwatte-oya which flows by the ruins of Anuradhapura.
4
This is probably to be sought on one of the right-bank tributaries
of the lower Malwatte-oya. According to Mah. 28. 7 the Gambhira-nadi
flows 1 yojana (i. e. 7-8 miles) north of Anuradhapura.
B
According to tradition the remains of the city of Vijita exist as
those ruins which lie not far from the Kalu-waewa (Kalavapi) about
24 miles south of Anuradhapura in the jungle. TENNENT, Ceylon,
I think the tradition is right, although PARKER,
ii, p. 602 foil.

59

The Consecrating of Vijaya

vii. 58

When

they had founded settlements in the land the ministers

came together and spoke thus to the prince ( Sire, consent
to be consecrated as king/
But, in spite of their demand,
the prince refused the consecration, unless a maiden of a noble
house were consecrated as queen (at the same time).
But the ministers, whose minds were eagerly bent upon the
consecrating of their lord, and who, although the means
were difficult, had overcome all anxious fears about the matter,
all

46

sent people, entrusted with

and so forth, to the city of

woo the daughter

of the

many

47

48
49

precious gifts, jewels, pearls,

Madhura l
Pandu king

in southern (India), to 50
for their lord, devoted

(as they were) to their ruler ; and they also (sent to woo)
the daughters of others for the ministers and retainers.
When the messengers were quickly come by ship to the 51

Madhura they laid the gifts and letter before the king.
The king took counsel with his ministers, and since he was 52

city of

minded

to send his daughter

first
(to Lanka) he, having
received also daughters of others for the ministers (of Vijaya), 53
nigh upon a hundred maidens, proclaimed with beat of drum
:

'

Those men here who are willing to

a daughter depart for

Lanka shall provide their daughters with a double store of 54
clothing and place them at the doors of their houses.
By this
shall
we
that
we
to
ourselves/
them
take
sign
(know
may)

When

he had thus obtained

let

many maidens and had given

55

he sent his daughter, bedecked

compensation
with all her ornaments, and all that was needful for the
2
journey, and all the maidens whom he had fitted out, accord- 56
to their families,

ing to their rank, elephants withal and horses and waggons,

worthy of a king, and craftsmen and a thousand families of 57
the eighteen guilds, entrusted with a letter to the conqueror Vijaya.

All this multitude of

men disembarked

Ancient Ceylon,

at 58

p. 237 foil., identifies Vijitapura with a suburb of

Polannaruwa mentioned in the twelfth century A. D. As to the site
of Uruvela see 28. 36 and note.
1
Now Madura, in the south of the Madras Presidency.
2
The Tika explains saparicchadam by paribhogabhandikam

samakutappasadhanikam

va.

Cf. Skt.

paricchada.

60

Mahavamsa

Mahatittha

VII. 59

for that very reason is that

landing-place

known

as Mahatittha. 1

Vijaya had one son and one daughter by the yakkhim;

when he now heard that the princess had arrived he said to
'
Go thou now, dear one, leaving the two
60 the yakkhim
59

children behind

men

are ever in fear of

But when she heard

61

she was

this

superhuman beings/

seized

with fear of

the yakkhas ; then he said (again) to the yakkhim ' Delay

I will bestow on thee an offering 2
not
by (spending)
:

62 a thousand (pieces of money)/ When she had again and

again besought him (in vain) she took her two children and
departed for Lankapura, though fearing that evil should come
of

it.

down outside and went, herself, into

the yakkhas in the city recognized the
64 yakkhim, in their terror they took her for a spy and there
was great stir among them ; but one who was violent killed
the yakkhim with a single blow of his fist.

63

She

set the children

that city.

When

But her uncle, on the mother's side, a yakkha, went forth

from the city and when he saw the children he asked them
66 ( Whose children are you?' and hearing that they were
Kuvanna/s he said ' Here has your mother been slain, and
65

they

will

slay

you

also

if

they see you:

(therefore)

flee

'

swiftly

67

Fleeing with speed they went from thence to the SumanaThe brother, the elder of the two, when he grew up
68 took his sister, the younger, for his wife, and multiplying
kuta. 3

with sons and daughters, they dwelt, with the king's leave,
there in Malaya. 4
1

'

I. c.

From

these are sprung the Pulinda. 5

the great landing-place

'
;

now Mantota

opposite the island

Manaar.
2
Since Kuvanna is a yakkhim, she must receive like the devatas
a bali or religious offering, oblation.
3
I. e. Adam's Peak.
*

The central mountain-region in the interior of Ceylon.

Pulinda, a designation of barbarous tribes, is here evidently
a name of the Wseddas. The tract of countiy inland between Colombo,
Kalutara, Galle and the mountains is now called Sabaragamuwa from
6

Skt. s*abara; p. savara, a

synonym

of

pulinda.

61

The Consecrating of Vijaya

vii. 74

The envoys

of the

Pandu king

delivered

up to the prince 69

Vijaya the gifts and the (maidens) with the king's daughter at
their head. When Vijaya had offered hospitality and bestowed 70
honours on the envoys he bestowed the maidens, according to

upon his ministers and retainers. According to 71

custom the ministers in full assembly consecrated Vijaya king
and appointed a great festival.
their rank,

Then king Vijaya consecrated the daughter

of the

Pandu 72

king with solemn ceremony as his queen; he bestowed wealth 73

on his ministers, and every year he sent to his wife's father a
shell-pearl

When

worth twice a hundred thousand

he had forsaken his former

evil

way

Lanka
the lord of men, ruling over
eousness reigned, as is known, in the city
all

(pieces of

of

life,

money).
Vijaya, 74

and rightof Tambapanni,

in peace

thirty-eight years.

Here ends the seventh chapter, called ' The Consecrating of

Vijaya', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.

CHAPTEE

VIII

THE CONSECRATING OF PANDUVASUDEVA

1

THE

great king Vijaya, being in the last year (of his life),
'
I am old and there lives no son of mine.
bethought him
:

The kingdom peopled with

(such great) difficulty may come

naught after my death therefore would I fain have my
brother Sumitta brought here (that I may give) the govern3 ment (into his hands).' When he had taken counsel with his
ministers he sent a letter to him, and within a short time
after Vijaya had sent the letter he passed away to the
2

to

celestial world.

When he was dead the ministers ruled,

dwelling in Upatissawhile
awaited
the
of
the prince. After
5 gama
they
coming
the death of king Vijaya and before the coming of the prince
4

was oar

island of

Lanka

kingless for a year.

In Slhapura, after the death of king Slhabahu, his son

7 Sumitta was king ; he had three sons by the daughter of the
Madda 1 king. The messengers coming to Slhapura handed

When he had heard the letter the king

8 the letter to the king.
'
thus
to
his
sons
I am old, dear ones ; one
three
spoke
:

you must depart for the greatly favoured and beauteous

Lanka belonging to my brother, and there, after his death,
assume (the sovereignty of) that fair kingdom.'
10
The king's youngest son, the prince Panduvasudeva,
'
I will go thither/ And when he had assured himself
thought
2
1 1 of the success of his
journey and empowered by his father, he
took with him thirty-two sons of ministers and embarked
9 of

2 (with

them) in the disguise of mendicant monks. They landed

Madda = Skt. Madra, now Madras.

Natva sotthim gatimhi ca (by asking the soothsayers).
nemittikavacaneneva janitva 'knowing from the word
1

soothsayers

'.

Tika:
of the

The Consecrating of Panduvasudeva

viii. 22

63

Mahakandara l river ; when the people saw

these mendicant monks they received them with due respect.
at the

mouth

When

of the

they had inquired about the capital, they arrived 13

gradually approaching (the city), at Upatissagama, protected

by the devatas. Now a minister there, charged by the 14
(other) ministers,

had questioned a soothsayer concerning the

and he had furthermore 2 foretold him

of the prince,

coming

'Just on the seventh day will the prince come and one who 15
shall spring of his house shall establish (here) the religion of the

Now when the

Buddha/

ministers

saw the mendicant monks 16

on the seventh day, and inquiring into the

matter recognized them, they entrusted Panduvasudeva with
the sovereignty of Lanka ; but since he lacked a consort he
arrive there, just

did not yet receive the solemn consecration.

son of the Sakka Amitodana was the

Sakka Pandu. 18

Since he heard that the Sakyas would (shortly) be destroyed 3

he took his followers with him and went to another tract of

land on the further side of the Ganges and founded a city

there and ruled there as king.
He had seven sons.

His youngest daughter was called Bhaddakaccana. She 20

was (even as) a woman made of gold, 4 fair of form and eagerly
For

kings send precious gifts 2 1

but
for
of
fear
the kings, and since he
king (Pandu),
was told (by soothsayers) that an auspicious journey would 22

wooed.

(love of) her did seven

to the

Not

identified.

Probably one of the rivers falling into the sea

north of Manaar.
2

That

is,

besides the fact of Panduvasudeva's

coming he had

fore-

told the details that follow.

3

The Sakyas were annihilated

in

war by the Kosala king Vidu-

dabha, shortly before the death of the Buddha see RHYS DAVIDS,
Buddhist India, p. 11. This catastrophe is foretold to Pandu by
;

Tika: Vidudhabhayuddhato puretaram eva

nemittikavacaneneva Sakyanam bhavitabbam vinasam

soothsayers.

ti attho 'Since he knew, even before the war with

Vidudabha, by the word of the soothsayers the future destruction of
the Sakyas '.

janitva

The golden colour of the skin always, in Sinhalese poems, counts

mark of particular beauty. Kusajat. 172: ran-ruwak kara-

for a

gena.
creeper'

As a designation of beautiful women ran-liya 'golden

is employed at Sselalihinisandesa 55
Kusajat. 557.
;

64
come

Maliavamsa
to pass, nay, one

VIII. 23

with the result of royal consecration,

he placed his daughter speedily upon a ship, together with

23 thirty-two women-friends, and launched the ship upon the

And

'

Whosoever can, let him take my daughter/

they could not overtake her, but the ship fared swiftly

Ganges, saying:
thence.

24

Already on the second day they reached the haven called

25 Gonagamaka J and there they landed robed like nuns.
When
had
about
the
arrived
they
inquired
capital, they
gradually
approaching (the city), at Upatissagama, protected by the
devatas. 2

One

26

ministers who had heard the saying of a

saw the women come, and inquiring into the
27 matter recognized them and brought them to the
So
king.
of

the

soothsayer,

his ministers, full of pious understanding, consecrated as their

28

king PANDUVASUDEVA, whose every wish was fulfilled.

When he had consecrated Subhaddakaccana, of noble stature,
as his own queen, and had given those
(maidens) who had
arrived with her to the followers

monarch

who had come with him,

the

lived happily.

Here ends the eighth chapter, called ' The Consecrating of

Panduvasudeva', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene
joy and emotion of the pious.
1

At the mouth of the Mahakandara-nadi. Cf. 8. 12.

The wording is exactly like v. 13, in order to lay stress on the
In the same way v. 26 is based on
parallel in the proceedings.
vv. 14 and 16.
2

CHAPTER IX
THE CONSECRATING OF ABHAYA
THE queen

the eldest of
bore ten sons and one daughter
was named Abhaya, the youngest (child, the) daughter was

all

named

Citta.

When

her they foretold

slay his uncles/

young

sister/

'
:

the brahmans skilled in sacred texts saw 2

For the sake of sovereignty

When the

Abhaya

brothers resolved

(
:

will her son

let

us

kill

our 3

restrained them.

In due time they lodged her in a chamber having but

one pillar, and the entry thereto they made through the 4
king's sleeping-chamber ; and within they placed a serving-

But since she

woman, and a hundred soldiers without.
mad
of
drove
men
the
mere
her
sight
by
beauty, the
(Citta)
f
to
her
was
an
Ummaname given
lengthened by
epithet
l
dacitta \
When they heard of the coming of the princess Bhaddakaccana to Lanka her brothers also, 2 except one, urged by

their mother, departed thither.

When on arriving they had visited the ruler of Lanka, 7

Panduvasudeva and their youngest sister too and had lamented
with her, 3 they, hospitably received by the king and having 8
the king's leave, went about the island of Lanka and took up
their

abode wheresoever

it

4
pleased them.

place where Rama settled is called Ramagona, the 9

settlements of Uruvela and Anuradha (are called) by their
names, and the settlements of Vijita, Dighayu, and Rohana 10

The

are
1

named Vrjitagama, Dighayu, and Rohana. 5

Anuradha 11

The allusion is to ummadeti makes mad '.

Putt a, literally
the sons,' that is, of the Sakya Pandu.
Probably over the fate of Ummadacitta.
Carimsu belongs to carikam and nivasam both.
Of. 7. 43 foil, where the names Anuradha, Uruvela, and Vijita
'

'

5
*

also

appear. Evidently we have to do with a different tradition as to the

foundation of the same cities.

Mahavamsa

66

and when he had

built a tank

IX. 12

built a palace to the south of

he took up his abode there. Afterwards the great king

Panduvasudeva consecrated his eldest son Abhaya as vice-

2 this,

regent.

When the son of prince Dlghayu, Dighagamani, heard of

Ummadacitta he went, driven by longing for her. to Upatissagama, and there sought out the ruler of the land. And this
him together with the vice-regent, to
(latter) appointed
service at the royal court.

Now (once) Citta saw Gamani in the place where he stood

opposite her window, and, her heart on fire with love, she
6 asked her serving-woman '
is that ?'
When she heard

15

'

He

ladder to the

window and
18

Who

the son of thy uncle/ she trusted the matter to her

7 attendant and he, being in league with her, fastened a hookis

so

window in the
came in.

night,

climbed up, broke the

So he had intercourse with her and did not go forth till

break of day. And he returned there constantly, nor was he
discovered, for there was no entry (to the chamber).

And she became with child by him, and when the fruit of
womb was ripe the serving-woman told her mother, and

her

20 the mother, having questioned her daughter, told the king.

The king took counsel with his sons and said ' He too 2 must
:

among us; let us give her (in marriage) to him/

And saying ( If it is a son we will slay him ' ; they gave
her to him.
be received

But

she,

when the time

was come

of her delivery

near,

22 went to the lying-in-chamber. And thinking: ' These were

accomplices in the matter/ the princes, from fear, did to death

23 the herdsman Citta and the slave Kalavela, attendants on

3
They were
Gamani, since they would make no promise.
1
Gavakkhamhi dasapetva rattim kakkatayantakam, lit.
For explanation
making a crab-machine to bite on to the window
of this passage see Mah. ed., Iiitrod., p. xxvi.
2
So pi, namely, Dighagamani.
'

'.

Patinnamadente, that is, they would not fall in with the

design of the brothers to kill the boy who might perhaps come i
the world. Cf. Mah. ed., Introd., p. xvi.

The Consecrating of Abhaya

ix. 29

67

reborn as yakkhas and both kept guard over the child in the
mother's womb. And Citta made her attendant find another 24

woman who was near her delivery. And Citta bore a son but
woman bore a daughter. Citta caused a thousand (pieces

this

25

money) to be handed over to (the other) together with her

own son, and the latter's daughter to be then brought to her
and laid beside her. When the king's sons heard a daughter 26
is born ',
they were well pleased ; but the two, mother and
grandmother, joining the names of the grandfather and the 27
of

gave the boy the name Pandukabhaya.

Lanka, Panduvasudeva, reigned thirty years. 28
Pandukabhaya was born, he died.

eldest uncle

The

ruler of

When
When

the ruler was dead, the king's sons all assembled 29

and
held the great festival of consecration of their
together
1
brother, the safety-giving ABHAYA.

Here ends the ninth chapter, called ' The Consecrating of

Abhaya ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.

A play on the word abhaya 'the fearless', and

bestowing fearlessness, freedom from danger, or security
1

'

F 2

abhayada
'.

CHAPTER X
THE CONSECRATING OF PANDUKABHAYA
1

(As) commanded by Ummadacitta the serving-woman took

the boy, laid him in a basket and went with him to Dvara-

mandalaka.1

When

the princes, who had gone a-hunting in the Tumbara

saw the serving- woman they asked her ' Where art
3 thou
She answered ' I am going
going ? What is that ?
to Dvaramandaiaka ; that is a sweet cake for my daughter.'
4 The princes said to her
Take it out.'
Then Citta and
Kalavela who had come forth to protect (the boy) caused a
5 great boar to appear at that moment.
The princes pursued
him but she took (the boy) and went thither and gave the
boy and a thousand (pieces of money) secretly to a certain
6 man who was entrusted (with the matter).
On that very day
'
his wife bore a son, and he, declaring
My wife has borne

forest

'

'

twin sons/ reared that boy (with his own).

The (boy) was already seven years old when his uncles found
out (where he was) arid charged followers of theirs to kill (with
8 him) the boys playing in a certain pond.
Now the boy was

used to hide, by diving, in a certain hollow tree standing in

the water and having the mouth of the hollow hidden under

by the hollow, and when he had stayed long

within he would come forth in the same way, and being again

9 water, entering

the other boys, however much they questioned him, he

would mislead them with evasive words.
10
On the day the (princes') people came 2 the boy with
his clothes on dived into the water and stayed hidden in
1 1 the hollow tree. When those men had counted the clothes and

among

1
According to Mah. 23. 23 the village is situated near the Cetiyamountain (Mihintale), east of Anuradhapura.
8
See Mah. ed., Introd., p. liii.

69

The Consecrating of Pandukalhaya

x. 25

The boys
boys they went away and declared
been killed
When they were gone that (boy) went 12
to his foster-father's l house, and comforted by him he lived
'

killed the other

have

'

all

on there to the age of twelve years.

When his uncles again heard that the boy was alive they 1 3
charged (their followers) to kill all the herdsmen. Just on 14
that day the herdsmen had taken a deer and sent the boy into
the village to bring fire.
father's son out saying

He went home, but sent his fosteram footsore, take thou fire for the

'

herdsmen

then thou too wilt have some of the roast to eat/

Hearing those words he took fire to the herdsmen: and at 17

that moment those (men) despatched to do it surrounded the
herdsmen and

killed

them

all,

and when they had

killed

them

they (went and) told (the boy's) uncles.

Then, when he was sixteen years old, his uncles discovered 18

him
a

his

mother sent him a thousand

command

father told
slave
dula.

to bring

him

him

all his

(pieces of

to (a place of) safety. 2

money) and
His foster- 19

him a

mother's message, and giving

money) he sent him to PanThe brahman named Pandula, a rich man and learned 20

and the thousand

(pieces of

in the vedas, dwelt in the southern district in (the village)

The prince went

Pandulagamaka.
thou

When this
Pandukabhaya, my dear?'

paid

him honour

brahman Pandula.

and

(as

thither and sought out the 2 1

had asked him ( Art

and was answered ' Yes', he 22
a guest) and said { Thou wilt be king,
latter

full seventy years wilt

thou rule ; learn the

art,

my dear

'
!

23

and he instructed him, and by his son Canda also that art
was mastered in a short time.
He gave him a hundred thousand (pieces of money) to enrol 24
soldiers and when five hundred men had been enrolled by him
'

(he said)
1

The (woman)

at

whose touch leaves turn to gold 25

Ayuttaorayuttaka* the man entrusted (with the bringing-up)

Tassa rakkham cadis lit. 'and disposed (or commanded) his
'.

i,

protection
3

'.

Sippam ugganha,

in this case 'the art'

is

the knowledge

needed by a reigning prince.

Candena cassa puttena

sippam samapitam.
4

belongs, according to the Tika, to

Mahavamsa

70
26

make thou thy

queen, and

he had thus said

my son Canda

x. 26

thy chaplain/

and given him money he

sent

him

When

forth from

Proclaiming his name he, the

27 virtuous prince, fared forth and when in the city of Pana near
the Rasa-mountain l he had gathered together seven hundred
thence

with his

soldiers.

28 followers and provision for all, he went thence, followed by

one thousand two hundred men to the mountain called Girikanda.

29

An uncle of Pandukabhaya, named Girikandasiva, drew his

revenues from this district that Panduvasudeva had handed

This prince was even then on the point of reaping (a field) measuring a hundred karlsas ; his daughter was
And she, with a great
31 the beautiful princess named Pall.
30 over to him.

retinue, had mounted her splendid waggon, and came bring32 ing food for her father and for the reapers. The prince's
men, who saw the princess there, told the prince (about
33 her) ; the prince coming thither in haste and dividing her

And

two bands, drove his own waggon, followed

'
near
her and asked ' Where art thou going ?
men,
when she had told him all the prince, whose heart was

fired

with love, asked for a share of the food.

followers into
his

by
34

35

She stepped down from the waggon and, at the foot of a

banyan-tree, she offered the prince food in a golden bowl.

36 Then she took banyan-leaves to entertain the rest of the people
(with food) and in an instant the leaves were changed into

37 golden vessels. When the prince saw this and remembered the
I have found the
brahman's words he was glad (thinking)
*

38 maiden

who

is

worthy to be made queen/

So she entertained

them

all, but yet the food became not less ; it seemed that but
Thus from that
one
man's
39
portion had been taken away.
time onward that youthful princess who was so rich in virtues

and merit was called by the name Suvannapall.

And the prince took the maiden and mounted his waggon
40
and fared onward, fearless and surrounded by a mighty army.
1

Probably near the modern Kahagalagama 'village of the

about 18 miles SE. from Anuradhapura, and
',
10 miles WNW. from the mountain Ritigala. See also 25. 50, and
the Appendix C on Pandukabhaya's campaigns.

Kaha mountain

When

her father heard this he despatched

they came and gave

others

71

The Consecrating of Pandukalhaya

x. 53

all his soldiers,

and 41

and returned, defeated by the 42

at that place (afterwards) a village was built called

Kalahanagara.
departed to

make

battle

When her five brothers heard this they (also)

And all those did Canda the son of
war.

Lohitavahakhanda

the further shore of the

Gahga

43

was their battle-field.

With a great host Pandukabhaya marched from thence

Pandula slay

to 44

toward the Dola-mountain.

hen his uncles heard that he 45

Here he sojourned four years.
was there they marched thither, leaving the king behind, to
do battle with him. When they had made a fortified camp 46
near the Dhumarakkha-mountain they fought a battle with
But the nephew pursued the uncles to this side 47

their nephew.

and having defeated them in flight he held their

camp for two years.
they went to Upatissagama and told all this to the 48

of the river,
fortified

And

And

the king sent the prince a letter together with a

thousand (pieces of money) saying
Keep thou possession of 49
king.

'

the land on the further shore, but come not over to this shore/

When

the nine brothers heard of this they were wroth with

the king and said
Long hast thou been, in truth, a helper 50
'

him

to

Now dost

thou give him the kingdom.

For that we

He

yielded up the government to 51

with
one
accord
and
them,
they appointed their brother named
Tissa to be regent.
will put thee to death/

This safety-giving Abhaya 4 had reigned as king in Upatis- 52

sagama twenty

Now
1

I. e.

years.

a yakkhinl named Cetiya,

Battle-town.

Kalahagala

who dwelt on

lies to

the

Dhuma-

the south of Mineri-Tank

(Manihira), not far from the left bank of the Ambanganga, Which
Hows into the Mahawseliganga lower down. Census of Ceylon, 1901,
iv,
2

pp. 468-469.
'

Field of the stream of blood

Lit.

perhaps

I. e.

Mahagangl, now Mahawaeliganga. Paraganga means, from

'.

the

right,

of the Mahawseliganga.
the Dolapabbata (now Dolagal-wela), see Appendix C.
4
See note to 9. 29.

As to

the

standpoint

oraganga

of

the

'this side

',

narrator

the

left

(at

bank

Anuradhapura),

53

MaMvanisa

72
rakkha-mountain

X. 54

near the pond (called) Tumbariyangana,

used to wander about in the form of a mare.

54

And

once a certain

man saw

this beautiful (mare)

white body and red feet and told the prince

'
whose appearance is thus and so

'
:

Here

with her
is

a mare

The prince took a noose and came to capture her. When she
saw him coming up behind her she fled for fear of his majestic
She fled without rendering herself invisible and he
56 aspect.
her
Seven times in her flight she
pursued
swiftly as she fled.
and
57 circled round the pond,
plunging into the Mahaganga and
55

climbing forth again to the shore she fled seven times around
58 the Dhumarakkha-mountain ; and yet three times more she
circled round the pond and plunged yet again in the Ganga,
2
59 near the Kacchaka-ford, but there he seized her by the mane
and (grasped) a palm-leaf that was floating down the stream ;

60 by the

effect of his

merit this turned into a great sword.

thrust at her with the sword, crying

'
I will conquer the
she said to him

'

61 thee, lord

Slay

and boring her

me

not

nostrils

'
!

Then he

I will slay thee.'

He
And

kingdom and give it to

seized her by the neck

with the point of his sword he secured

her thus with a rope; but she followed wheresoever he would.

62
When the mighty (hero) had gone to the Dhumarakkha-

mountain, bestriding the mare, he dwelt there on the Dhuma63 rakkha-mountain four years. And having marched thence

with his force and come to the Arittha-mountain

he sojourned

there seven years awaiting a fit time to make war.

4
64
Eight of his uncles, leaving two behind, drew near to the

65 Arittha-mountain in battle array, and when they had laid out

a fortified camp near a small city and had placed a commander
at the head they surrounded the Arittha-mountain on every
side.

According to v. 62 foil, not far from the Kacchakatittha (see note

The Dhumaon the left bank of the Mahawaeliganga.
rakkhapabbata is also mentioned, Mah. 37.203 (= 163 of the Colombo
1

to v. 58),

edition

ii).

and 25. 12. Now Mahagantota, a ford below the place

where Ambanganga and Mahawseliganga join. See note to 35. 58.
3
Now Ritigala, North-Central Province, north of Habarana.
4
Namely, Abhaya and Girikandasiva.
2

Cf. 23. 17

73

The Consecrating of Pandukabhaya

x. 79

After speech with the yakkhim, the prince, according to 66

her cunning counsel, sent in advance a company of his soldiers
taking with them kingly apparel and weapons as presents and
the message: 'Take

But
him

all this

I will

make peace with you/

as they were lulled to security thinking:

prisoner

if

went forth to

(the camp)
killed all

We

(>7

will take 68

he comes/ he mounted the yakkha-mare and

The 69
battle at the head of a great host.

yakkhinl neighed
l

'

full loudly

raised a

and

mighty

his

army, inside and outside

battle-cry.

the soldiers of the enemy's

The

prince's

men 70

army and the eight

uncles with them, and they raised a pyramid of skulls.

The 71
commander escaped and fled (for safety) to a thicket ; that
is

(same thicket)

When

therefore called Senapatigumbaka.

72

the prince saw the pyramid of skulls, where the skulls of his
'
(
uncles lay uppermost, he said
'Tis like a heap of gourds ;
:

and therefore they named (the place) Labugamaka. 2

When he was thus left victor in battle, Pandukabhaya 73
went thence to the dwelling-place of his great-uncle Anuradha.

The great-uncle handed over his palace to him and built 74

himself a dwelling elsewhere; but he dwelt in his house.
When he had inquired of a soothsayer who was versed in the 7o
knowledge of

(fitting) sites,

he founded the capital, even near

had served as dwelling to two Anuradhas, 76

it was called
Anuradhapura, and also because it was founded
under the constellation Anuradha. When he had caused the 77
(state) parasol of his uncles to be brought and purified in
that village.

Since

it

a natural pond that is here, 3 PANDUKABHAYA kept it for

himself and with the water of that same pond he solemnized 78
his

own

consecration

On

secrated queen.

I. e.

and Suvannapali, his spouse, he conyoung Canda, even as he had agreed, 79

the

the soldiers he had sent in advance into the enemy's

camp and

the army approaching now with him.

2
I. e. 'Village of Gourds/
Even now

we find on the map, to the

north-west of the Ritigala, a place called Labunoruwa = p. labunagaraka. Cf. Return of Architectural and Archaeological Remains
.

existing in

Ceylon, 1890, p. 76

Census of Ceylon, 1901,

vol. iv,

p. 464.
3

dh a,

i.e. in

Anuradhapura, the residence of the chronicler.

Mahdvamsa

74

x. 80

office of his chaplain and other appointments

on his other followers according to their merits.
Because his mother and he himself had been befriended by
80
him, he did not slay the king Abhaya, his eldest uncle, but

he conferred the

81 handed over the government to him for the night-time: he

became the 'Nagaraguttika' (Guardian of the City). From that

82 time onward there were nagaraguttikas in the capital. His

father-in-law also, Girikandasiva, he did not slay but handed

83 over to this uncle the district of Girikanda.

He had

the

l
pond deepened and abundantly filled with water, and since
he had taken water therefrom, when victorious (for his

2
consecration), they called it Jayavapi.
84
He settled the yakkha Kalavela on the east side of the

city,

the yakkha Cittaraja at the lower end of the AbhayaThe slave- woman who had helped him in time past

85 tank. 3

and was re-born of a yakkhim, the thankful (king)

settled at

86 the south gate of the City. Within the royal precincts he

housed the yakkhinl in the form of a mare. Year by year he
87 had

sacrificial offerings

made

to

them and

to other (yakkhas);

but on festival-days he sat with Cittaraja beside him on a

seat of equal height, and having gods and men to dance before
88 him, the king took his pleasure, in joyous and merry wise.
He laid out also four suburbs as well as the Abhaya-tank,

common

cemetery, the place of execution, and the chapel

Queens of the West, the banyan-tree of Vessavana 4 and
90 the Palmyra-palm of the Demon of Maladies, 6 the ground set
apart for the Yonas and the house of the Great Sacrifice all

89 the

of the

these he laid out near the west gate. 6

1

old
2

I. e.

the pond in Anuradhapura, mentioned in

name has been changed,

I. e.

it is

v. 77.

Since the

impossible to identify the JayavSpi.

the tank of victory.

v. 88.
The Abhaya-vapi which was laid out by the king
Pandukabhaya himself, is the tank now called Basawak-kulam.
PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, p. 360 foil.
4
I. e. of Kubera,
god of wealth (Skt. Vaisravana), who perhaps
is

See

here considered as a chthonian god.

Or the God of the Huntsmen, according to the reading

vyadha-

devassa.
6

On

the various buildings and foundations mentioned in 89 and 90,

He

75

The Consecrating of Pandukabhaya

x. 104

hundred candalas to the work of cleaning the 91

(streets of the) town, two hundred candalas to the work of
cleaning the sewers, one hundred and fifty candalas he em- 92
set five

ployed to bear the dead and as many candalas to be watchers

in the
cemetery. For these he built a village north-west 93
of the cemetery and they continually carried out their duty
as it

was appointed.

Toward the

north-east of the candala-village he made the 94

Lower Cemetery, for the candala folk.

cemetery, called the

North of this cemetery, between (it and) the Pasana-mountain, 95

the line of huts for the huntsmen were built thenceforth.

Northward from thence, as

mitage was made for many

far as the Gamani-tank, 1 a her- 96

ascetics; eastward of that

same 97

2
cemetery the ruler built a house for the nigantha Jotiya.
In that same region dwelt the nigantha named Giri and 98

many

ascetics of various heretical sects.

And

there the lord 99

of the land built also a chapel for the nigantha

it

was named after him.

eastward of the street of

Kumbhanda

Toward the west from thence and 100

the huntsmen lived five hundred

families of heretical beliefs.

On

the further side of Jotiya's 101

house and on this side of the Gamani-tank he likewise built

a monastery for wandering mendicant monks, and a dwelling 102
for the ajivakas and a residence for the brahmans, and in

and that he built a lying-in

those recovering from sickness.
this place

shelter

and a

hall

for

Ten

years after his consecration did Pandukabhaya the 103

ruler of Lanka establish the village-boundaries over the
whole of the island of Lanka. With Kalavela and Cittaraja, 104
Since the Tika leaves us in the lurch
add anything further.
1
The Gamanivapi is perhaps the Karambawa-tank which lies
somewhat more than a mile north from the Bulan-kulam. PARKER,
see
it

Mah.

ed., Introd., p. liv.

will be difficult to

however, identifies

it

with the Peramiyan-kulam.

Ancient Ceylon,

p. 364.

Name of a sect of ascetics (the Jaina) who went about naked.

According to the Tika we have to take sivikasotthisalam as
sivikasalam ca sotthisalam ca. The former word is explained
2

by vijayanaghara 'house of delivery', the

'hall for the sick'.

latter

by gilanasala

Mahdvamsa

76

x. 105

who were visible (in bodily form) the prince enjoyed his good
105 fortune, he who had yakkhas and bhutas J for friends. Between the king Pandukabhaya and Abhaya were seventeen
106

years without a king.

When the ruler of the earth, Pandukabhaya, the intelligent,
being thirty-seven years oLd, had assumed the rule over the

kingdom, he reigned

full

2
seventy years in fair and wealthy

Anuradhapura.

Here ends the tenth chapter, called ' The Consecrating of

Pandukabhaya' in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene
joy and emotion of the pious.
1

That

is,

ghosts

mean he who had

*

and
2

but the expression is ambiguous. It could also

those that had become yakkhas (namely Kalavela

Citta) for friends

Tika:

'.

samiddhe

ti,

with prosperity or wealthy

sampattiya purite addhe va

'.

'filled

CHAPTEE XI
THE CONSECRATING OF DEVANAMPIYATISSA
AFTEE

known by the name of MUTASIVA,

Suvannapali, succeeded him in the government,

his death his son,

the son of

which was (then) in a peaceful state. The king laid out the 2
Mahameghavana-garden, rich in all the good
l
and provided with fruitthat
its name promises
qualities
beautiful

trees

and

flowering-trees.

At the time

that the place

was

chosen for the garden, a great cloud, gathering at an unwonted

season, poured forth rain ; therefore they called the garden

Mahameghavana.
Sixty years king Mutasiva reigned in splendid Anuradha- 4
He had ten sons, 5
pura, the fair face of the land of Lanka.

each thoughtful of the other's welfare, and two daughters

2
The second son, 6
equal (in beauty), worthy of their family.

known by
all his

the

name Devanampiyatissa, was foremost among

brothers in virtue and intelligence.

This DEVANAMPIYATISSA became king after his father's 7

Even at the time of his consecration many wonders

death.

came
1

In the whole

to pass.

isle

of

Lanka

treasures

and 8

Following the reading of the Burmese MSS. and the Tika namain the qualities corresponding to the

nugagunodito 'eminent

means 'grove of the great cloud'. The

possesses are such as accompany abundant rainfall:
streams, trees with thick foliage, shade, coolness and so forth. Cf.
name'.

Mahameghavana

qualities

which

it

the explanation of the Tika, Mah. ed., note on this passage. The
Mahameghavana was situated south of the city of Anuradhapura,

where now the Mahavihara stands. Between it and the southern

wall of the city was another park, called Nandana or Jotivana.
See 15. 1, 8; PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, pp. 272-274.
2
Tika: anukula ti, samanavanna; ayam

surupa ayam

vacanapacchinditum anaraha samanarupa

annamanna-anukularupasampattiya samannagata ti avirupa

ti

dhippayo.

The sense

is

they were of equal beauty.

Mahavamsa

78

XI. 9

jewels that had been buried deep rose up to the surface of the
Jewels which had been in ships wrecked near Lanka and

9 earth.

those which were naturally formed there (in the ocean) issued
10 forth upon the land. At the foot of the Chata-mountain
there grew up three bamboo-stems, in girth even as a waggon11 pole. 1
One of them, ' the creeper-stem/ shone like silver; on
this

might be seen delightful creepers gleaming with a golden

But one was the flower-stem ', on this again might

12 colour.

'

be seen flowers of
1

And

3 bloom.

last,

many

kinds, of manifold colours, in full

one was the

'

many

colours, as if living.

horse-pearl,

elephant -pearl,

bracelet-pearl, ring-pearl,
1

5 (pearls)

came forth out

'

whereon might be
many (kinds) and of

bird-stem

seen numbers of birds and beasts of

Pearls of the eight kinds, namely

waggon-pearl, my robalan -pearl,

kakudha

and common
and lay upon the shore

fruit-pearl,

of the ocean

in heaps.

16

All this was the effect of Devanampiyatissa's merit.

Sapphire, beryl, ruby, these gems and many jewels and those

17 pearls and those bamboo-stems they brought,

week, to the king.

When the king

1

'

My friend

all in

the same

saw them he was glad at heart and thought:

else is worthy to have

Dhammasoka and nobody

these priceless treasures

I will send

them

to

19 For the two monarchs, Devanampiyatissa and

him

as a gift/

Dhammasoka

already had been friends a long time, though they had never
seen each other.

20

The king sent four persons appointed as his envoys his

nephew Maharittha, who was the chief of his ministers, then
:

21 his chaplain, a minister and his treasurer, 2 attended by a body

of retainers, and he bade them take with them those priceless

22 jewels, the three kinds of precious stones, and the three stems
(like) waggon-poles, and a spiral shell winding to the right, and
1

This must be the meaning of rathapatoda, although

properly means
2

patoda

'

goad, whip '.

Tika also tells us the

The
names of Arittha's three companions,
namely Talipabbata (in Kamb. Mah. Hali), Tela and Tissa. These
names are, we may conjecture, taken from the original source of the
Mah., the old Atthakatha.

79

The Consecrating of Devanampiyatissa

XT. 30

the eight kinds of pearls. When they had embarked at Jambu- 23

kola 1 and in seven days had reached the haven 2 in safety,

and from thence

in seven days

more had come

to Pataliputta, 24

they gave those gifts into the hands of king

Dhammasoka.

When

he saw them he rejoiced greatly. Thinking: ' Here 25

I have no such precious things/ the monarch, in his joy,

bestowed on Arittha the rank of a commander in his army,

on the brahman the dignity of chaplain, to the minister he 26

gave the rank of staff-bearer, and to the treasurer that of

a guild-lord. 3

When

he had allotted to the (envoys) abundance of

(all)

27

things for their entertainment and dwelling-houses, he took

counsel with his ministers considering (what should be sent
4

a fan, 5 a diadem, a sword, 28

a parasol, shoes, a turban, ear-ornaments, 6 chains, 7 a pitcher,
yellow sandal wood, a set of garments that had no need of 29
as)

a return-gift

and he took

cleansing, a costly napkin,

red-coloured earth, water

water from the Ganges, a

also

unguent brought by the nagas,

from the lake Anotatta and 30

(spiral)

landing-place in northern Ceylon.

shell

See chiefly

winding in

19. 25.

The haven of Tamalitti. See note to 11. 38.

8
Very characteristic, and throwing light on court-life in India,
The complimentary bestowing of
chiefly in the fifth century A. D.
titles and dignities was then the custom, just as at the present day.
4
The accusatives in the text are all dependent on v. 33. From
enumerated are merely either the insignia of
a royal prince or such as are used for the ceremony of consecrating
a king.
this point the things

Valavijani

a yak's
6

a fly-whisk (Skt.

is

camara) made

of the hair of

tail.

The Tika explains vatamsa

landhana.
Thupav.,

p.

See Vinaya Texts,

17 23

ii,

(Skt.

avatamsa) by kannapi-

p. 347,

pupphavatamsaka

note on C.V.

is

rendered

I.

in

13. 1.

In

Sinhalese

malkada.
7

That

pamanga
~

must be a band or chain

is

clear from the simile

in Thupav. 3 17 19 . The Buddha Dlpamkara winds the girdle round

his red garment as one might wind a golden pamanga about a bunch

of flowers. The same simile occurs Mahabodhiv., ed. STRONG, p. 62 10

Sum. Vil. I. 80 12 on D. 1. 1. 10. (To be read thus,
also C.V. 5. 2. 1
;

cf.

Mah.

ed., p. 355, line 29.)

Mahavamsa

80
3

XI. 31

1
auspicious wise, a maiden in the flower of her youth, utensils
as golden platters, a costly litter, yellow and emblic myro-

32 balans and precious ambrosial healing herbs, sixty times one

hundred waggon loads of mountain-rice brought thither by
1

parrots, nay, all that was needful for consecrating a king,

33 marvellous in splendour; and sending these (things) in due
time as a gift to his friend the lord of men sent envoys also
34 with the gift of the true doctrine, saying ' I have taken
:

refuge in the Buddha, his Doctrine and his Order, I have

declared myself a lay-disciple in the religion of the Sakya son; 2

35 seek then even thou, O best of men converting thy mind with
and saying
36 believing heart refuge in these best of gems
'

moreover

Consecrate my friend yet again as king,' he

dismissed his friend's ministers, with many marks of honour.
When the ministers had stayed five months, highly honoured
37
they set forth with the envoys, on the first day of the bright
:

38 half of the

month Vesakha. 3

Having embarked

at Tamalitti 4

and landed at Jambukola they sought out the king, when

39 they arrived here on the twelfth day. The envoys handed the
gifts to the ruler of Lanka ; the ruler of Lanka made them
40

welcome with great hospitality.

But the envoys most faithful to their king consecrated the
ruler of Lanka, whose (first) consecration had been held in the

41

month Maggasira 5 on the day when the moon first shows

itself, fulfilling the charge of Dhammasoka, yet again as king,
they rejoicing in the salvation of their king (consecrated) him

who
1

2.

good fortune of Lanka.

Winding towards the

I.e.

15
3

rejoiced in the

right,

dakkhinavatto

cf. v.

of Buddha, sprung from the tribe of the

22.

Sakyas.

See

foil.

See note to

1.

12.

Tamralipti, a harbour in the region at the mouth of the

now Tamluk. At Tamralipti the Chinese pilgrim Fa-hien
embarked for Ceylon in the beginning of the fifth century A. D. See
4

Skt.

Ganges,

LEGGE, Record of Buddhistic Kingdoms, p. 100.

8
According to the Dip. 11. 14 and 38, the first coronation of D.
was held in the second winter month under the Nakkhatta Asalha,
iind the second coronation on the twelfth day of the bright half of
the Vesakha month. Cf. Introduction, para. 7.

xi. 42

TJie Consecrating

of Devanampiyatissa

81

Thus on the full-moon day of the month Vesakha the ruler

name was contained the words ' friend of

of men, in whose

the gods', 1 bestowing good upon his people, held his consecration (as king) in Lanka, where in every place they held
1

high

festival.

Here ends the eleventh chapter, called f The Consecrating of

Devanampiyatissa' in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
1

Devanampiyatissa means

'Tissa, friend of the gods'.

42

CHAPTER

XII

THE CONVERTING OF DIFFERENT COUNTRIES

WHEN

the thera Moggaliputta, the illuminator of the rehad brought the (third) council to an

ligion of the Conqueror,

2 end

and when, looking into the

future, he

had beheld the

founding of the religion in adjacent countries, (then) in the

3 month Kattika l he sent forth theras, one here and one there.

The thera Majjhantika he sent to Kasmira and Gandhara, the

Mahadeva he sent to Mahisamandala. To Vanavasa he
sent the thera named Rakkhita, and to A.parantaka the Yona
named Dharnmarakkhita to Maharattha (he sent) the thera
named Mahadhammarakkhita, but the thera Maharakkhita he

4 thera

He sent the thera Maj jhima

Suvannabhumi
and
to
he sent the
Himalaya country,
The great thera Mahinda,
two theras Sona and Uttara.
the theras Itthiya, Uttiya, Sambala and Bhaddasala his dis-

6 sent into the country of the Yona.

to the

f
8 ciples, these five theras he sent forth with the charge
Ye
shall found in the lovely island of Lanka the lovely religion
:

of the Conqueror/
At that time in

Kasmira and Gandhara 2 did the naga-king

wondrous power, Aravala, cause the rain called ' Hail ' to
pour down upon the ripe crops, and cruelly did he overwhelm
everything with a flood. The thera Majjhantika went thither
with all speed, passing through the air, and wrought (miracles
of

1 1

such as) walking on the surface of the water in Aravala's lake

and so forth. When the nagas beheld it they told their king
12

with fury about this thing.

Then full of fury the naga-king brought divers terrors to
1

See note to

1.

12.

As to the time of the third council,

cf.

the

Introduction.
8

Gandhara

comprises the districts of Peshawar and Rawal Pingli

Kasmira is the modern Kashmir.

in the northern Punjab.

Tlie Converting

xii. 25

of Different Countries

83

pass; fierce winds blew, a cloud gave forth thunder and rain,
thunder strokes crashed, and lightning- flashed here and there, 1 3
trees and mountain-tops were hurled down.
Nagas in grisly 14
forms terrified (beholders) on every side, he himself spat forth

smoke and

fire threatening in different

ways.
the thera by his wondrous power had brought all 15
these terrors to naught, he said to the naga-king, showing his

When

the world together with the gods 16

came seeking to terrify me, they would not be equal to me (in
strength) whatever fears and dread (they may arouse) in this

eminent might: 'Even

place.

Nay,

if

if

thou shouldst

raise the

whole earth with the 17

ocean and the mountains, thou mighty naga, and shouldst

hurl them upon me, thou couldst in no wise arouse fear and 18
dread in me.

It were surely but thy

own

destruction, thou

lord of serpents.'

Then to him, humbled by these words the thera preached 19

the doctrine, and thereupon the naga-king came unto the
2
(three) refuges and the precepts of duty, and this likewise 20
did eighty-four thousand serpents and many gandhabbas,
3
yakkhas and kumbhandakas in the Himalaya. But a yakkha named Pandaka with (his wife) the yakkhim Harita and his
4
five hundred sons obtained the first fruit
(of sanctification).

'Henceforth

let

no anger

arise as of old;

work no more 22

harm

to the harvest, for living beings love their happiness

cherish love for beings, let men live in happiness.'
Thus 23
;

were they taught by him and they did according to

(this

Then

the lord of serpents made the thera sit upon 24

a jewel-throne and he stood near, fanning him.
But the 25
dwellers in Kasmira and Gandhara who had come to worship
teaching).

The right reading appears to be yam ettha bhayabheravam.

The construction of the sentence is, however, very difficult. For the
explanation of the Tlka see Mah. ed., note on the passage.
2
See note to 1. 32 and 62.
3
Skt. kumbhanda, name of a class of supernatural beings under
the rule of Virulhaka. The gandhabbas (= Skr. gandharva) are
a class of demigods who are the attendants of Dhatarattha. Virulhaka, and Dhatarattha are two of the four great kings of the world

(lokapala), the regents of the south and north.

4

I. e.

the sotapattiphala.

Cf.

G 2

note to

1.

33.

Mahavamsa

84

XII. 26

the naga-king acknowledged the thera as the mightier in

26 working wonders, 1 and when they had paid the thera reverence
they seated themselves on one side near him. The thera
the Asivisupama. 2
The conversion of eighty thousand persons took place 3 and
a hundred thousand persons received the pabbajja from the

expounded

27

to

them the dhamma, (namely)

28 thera.

Since then Kasmira and Gandhara shine with yellow

robes and prize above all the three things. 4

Mahisamandala 5
the midst of the people the Devaduta-

The thera Mahadeva who had gone

29

to the

country preached in
30 suttanta. 6 Forty thousand (persons) made pure (in themselves)
the eye of the truth and yet forty thousand received from
3

him the pabbajja-ordination.

The thera Rakkhita, who had gone

to Vanavasa, 7 preached,

floating in the air in the midst of the people, the AnamataggaThe conversion of sixty thousand persons took

32 samyutta. 8

place, thirty-seven

33 from him.
1

thousand in number received the pabbajja

were founded in the

Five hundred viharas

note on this passage, also 14. 20 with note. The

stands for the comparative.
The asivisa-sutta of S. IV, pp. 172-175, or the aslvisopama
Cf.

Mah.

ed.,

mahiddhika

positive

'simile of the serpent' of A. II, pp. 110-111.

3
See note to 1. 32.
4

Namely buddha, dhamma, samgha, the Buddha,

and his
5

order.

See note to

his doctrine

1. 62.

Mahisamandala is generally taken as the modern

FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1910,

p.

429

foil.,

Mysore. But
has shown that this identification

hardly correct. He himself takes Mahisamandala as territory of

the Mahisha of which the capital was Mahishmati. Agreeing with
PAROITER he places this capital on the island of the Narbada river,
'

is

'

now

called

mandala
6

A.

'

I. e.

I,

Mandhata.

See Imperial Gazetteer of India,

s.

v.

Mahisa-

therefore, a district south of the Vindhyan mountains.

Discourse on the Messengers of God.' See M. Ill, pp. 178-187
is,

pp. 138-142.

as messengers of

deals with old age, disease, and death

the god of death.
or Vanavasin are mentioned in the Maha-

The suttanta

Yama

The Vanavasaka
bharata, 6. 366, and Harivamsa, 5232,
7

a people dwelling in
There is also a modern
town Banavasi in North Kanara which seems to have preserved the
old name. Imp. Gaz. of India, s.v.
southern India.

S. II,

See B.R.,

pp. 178-193.

Skt.

Wtb.

as

s.vv.

85

The Converting of Different Countries

xii. 41

Thus did the thera establish there the religion of

country.
the Conqueror.

The thera Dhammarakkhita the Yona, being

gone to
and having preached in the midst of the people
the Aggikkhandhopama-sutta, 2 gave to drink of the nectar of
truth to thirty-seven thousand living beings who had come
together there, he who perfectly understood truth and untruth.
A thousand men and yet more women went forth from noble
families and received the pabbajja.
The wise Mahadhammarakkhita, who had gone to Maha-

Aparantaka

34

35

36

37

rattha/ related there the jataka called

Mahanaradakassapa.
Eighty-four thousand persons attained to the reward of the 38
path (of salvation), thirteen thousand received from him the
pabbajja.
The wise Maharakkhita

who went

to the

country of the 39

Yona 5

delivered in the midst of the people the Kalakaramasuttanta. 6

hundred and seventy thousand living beings 40
attained to the reward of the path (of salvation) ; ten thousand

received the pabbajja.

The wise Majjhima 7 preached in the

Himalaya region whither

1
Skr. Aparanta'the western ends', comprising the territory of
northern Gujarat, Kathiawar, Kachchh, and Sind. FLEET, J.R.A.S.

1910, p. 427.
2

The discourse on the parable of the flames of

pp. 128-135.
3
Skr. Maharastra, the country of the Marathi.
'

I. e.

fire.'

A. IV,

FAUSBOLL, Jat. vi, pp. 219-255.

The Yonas (Skt. Yavana) are also mentioned, together with the
Kambojas, in the Rock Edicts V and XIII of Asoka. They must
5

'

mean

the clans of foreign race (not necessarily Greek) on the northwestern frontier, included in the empire (of Asoka) '. V. A. SMITH,

Asoka, p. 132, n. 2. It is remarkable that just at that time (246 B.C.)

the Greco-Bactrian kingdom was founded by Diodotos. See SPIEGEL,
Eran. Alterthumsk., Ill, p. 49 foil.
6

Probably by this title is meant the suttanta 24 of the Catukkanipata in A. II, pp. 24-26. The Kalakaraina is supposed to be the place

where Buddha delivered this discourse.

7
The companions of Majjhima, according to Dip. 8. 10, Snip. 317",
MBv. 115 s and Tlka 222 5 were the theras Kassapagotta, Muladeva
(Alakadeva), Sahadeva, and Dundubhissara. See the Introduction.
,

MaMvamsa

86

xn. 42

he had gone with four theras, the DhammacakkappavattanaEighty kotis of living beings attained to the reward

42 suttanta. 1

The

of the path (of salvation).

43 verted

five

kingdoms

five theras separately

con-

from each of them a hundred thousand

persons received the pabbajja, believing in the doctrine of

the Sammasarpbuddha.

Together with the thera Uttara the thera Sona of wondrous

45 might went to Suvannabhumi. 2 Now at this time, whenever a boy was born in the king's palace, a fearsome female
44

demon who came

forth out of the sea, was wont to devour (the

46 child) and vanish again. And at that very moment a prince

was born in the king's palace. When the people saw the
'
theras they thought
These are companions of the demons/
47 and they came armed to kill them.
And the theras
:

asked

*
:

What

does this

mean ?

'

and said

to

them

'
:

We

no wise companions of the demon/

Then the demon came forth from the ocean with her follow49 ing, and when the people saw them they raised a great outcry.
50 But the thera created twice as many terrifying demons and
48 are pious

ascetics, in

therewith surrounded the

She thought

'

demon and her following on every

is come into possession

of these (people)/ and, panic-stricken, she took to flight.
51
When the thera had made a bulwark round the country he

side.

This (country)

3
pronounced in the assembly the Brahmajala(suttanta).
52
Many were the people who came unto the (three) refuges
and the precepts of duty ; sixty thousand were converted to

'

I. e.

doctrine.'

The discourse of the

See M.V.

pp. 420-431
a

S.B.E.

I.

xi, p.

foil.

146

foil.

The general opinion was,

'the gold-land'

is

lower

setting in motion the wheel of the

(= Vin. Pit. i, p. 10 foil.); S.V,

17

6.

until recently, that

Burma with adjacent

Suvannabhumi

districts.

But

this

very doubtful, since it is a fact that Buddhism reached Burma from

China in the Mahayana-form and not before the fourth century A. D.
FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 428, suggests that Suvannabhumi might be

is

'

'

the country in Bengal called by Hiuen-tsang Ka-lo-na-su-fa-la-na

= Karnasuvarna, or else the country along the river Son, a river in
Central India, and tributary of the Ganges on its right bank, which
is

also called
3

I. e.

'

'

Hiranyavaha

the gold-bearer

The Net of the Religious/ D.

I,

'.

p. 1 foil.

The Converting of Different Countries

xii. 55

Three thousand

the true faith.

five

87

hundred sons of noble 53

families received the pabbajja and one thousand five hundred

daughters of noble families received it likewise. Thenceforth 54

when a

prince

such the

was born

in the royal palace the kings

gave to

name Sonuttara.

Since they did even forbear to enter into the bliss already 55
won (such was) also the renunciation of the all-compassionate

Conqueror

and

there.

1
they bestowed blessing on the world, (going) here
Who should grow weary in (striving for) the

salvation of the world ?

Here ends the twelfth chapter, called The Converting of

in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
Different Countries
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
'

',

The sense

is

this

The

theras

had already attained

to arahant-

ship and were in possession of nibbana. Nevertheless they forebore

to pass into nibbana, in order that they might first show the way
salvation to the world.

Buddha who had

See M.V.

I. 5.

They thus followed the example of the

(kaddhana).

practised the same renunciation

2 foil. (= Yin. Pit, i, p. 4 foil.).

CHAPTEE

XIII

THE COMING OF MAHINDA

THE great thera Mahinda, of lofty wisdom, who at that
time had been twelve years (a monk), charged by his teacher
2 and by the brotherhood to convert the island of Lanka, pon1

dered on the fitting time (for this) and thought

king Mutasiva ; his son must become king/
3

When

he had resolved to

visit in

Old

is

the

the meantime his kinsfolk,

he bade farewell to his teacher and the brotherhood and

having asked the leave of the king he took with him the four
theras 1 and also Samghamitta/s son, the miraculously gifted
5 samanera Sumana, 2 mighty in the six supernormal powers; and
he went to Dakkhinagiri 3 to confer on his kinsfolk (the) grace

While he was

(of his preaching).

so doing six

months passed

away.
6

When

7 Devi,

she

he came in time to Vedisagiri

the city of his mother

he visited his mother and when Devi saw her dear son

made him welcome, and

his

companions likewise, with

foods prepared by herself, and she led the thera up to the

lovely vihara Vedisagiri.

When

the prince Asoka, while ruling over the realm of

Avanti, that his father had bestowed on him, halted in the
9 town of Vedisa, before he came to UjjenI, and met there a

named Devi, the daughter of a merchant, he

made her his wife and she was (afterwards) with child by
him and bore in UjjenI a beautiful boy, Mahinda, and when

lovely maiden

1 1

two years had passed (she bore) a daughter, Samghamitta. At

1

See

12. 7.

See

5. 170.

vihara in UjjenI, Skr. Uj jay in I. See note to 5. 39.

Vedisa is the modern Bhilsa in Gwalior State, situated 26 miles

north-east of Bhopal. See Imp. Gazetteer of India, s. v. E. MULLER,

J.P.T.S. 1888, p. 87 ; RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 288.
;

The Coming of Mahinda

XIIL 20

89

she lived in the city of Vedisa. The thera who then

sojourned there, perceiving (that) the time (was come), thought
thus ' In that great festival of consecration commanded by
that time

my father shall the great king Devanampiyatissa take part,

and he shall know the splendour of the three things 2 when he
has heard it from the envoys.
He shall climb the Missaka- 14
mountain

on the uposatha-day of the month Jettha. 4

that same day

we

On

go to the beauteous isle of Lanka.'

The great Indra 5 sought out the excellent thera Mahinda 15
and said to him ' Set forth to convert Lanka ; by the Sambuddha also hast thou been foretold (for this) and we will be 16
will

who

those

aid thee there.'

The son

of a daughter of Devi's sister, (a youth) named

had heard the doctrine preached by the thera
who
Bhanduka,
to Devi, and who had obtained the reward of one who shall

return no more unto

life

remained with the thera.

When he had stayed there a month the thera, on the upo- 18

satha-day of the month Jettha, with the four theras and
7
Sumana, and the lay-disciple Bhanduka also, to the end that 19
8
they might be known for human beings, rose up in the air
(and departed) from that vihara ; and he, the (thera) of wondrous powers, coming hither with his following alighted on 20

2
3

A.

Namely,
Cf.

at the time of

note to

Mahinda's

visit.

12. 28.

Now the mountain

GUNASEKARA),

See note to

A play

1.

Mihintale (= 'plain of Mahinda', according to

8 miles to the east of Anuradhapura.

12.

upon the name Mahinda.

6
The stage of anagaml is the third and last stage but one, on
the path of salvation leading to nibbana. Such an one will not be
re-born, either in the world of gods or of men, but only in a Brahma-

world, where he will attain nibbana. See CHILDERS, s. v.

7
If we
It seems almost as if v. 18 were an interpolated verse.
remained with the
omit it 19 follows perfectly well on 17 ' . .
:

with this lay-disciple ... he rose up, &c.' That, besides,

the four theras and Sumana were Mahinda's fellow-travellers is
thera

known from 12. 7 and 13. 4.

With this cf. 14. 31, also Mah. ed., note

already
8

Kern 205-206.

to 13. 19 b

and Album

Mahavamsa

90

xiii. 21

the pleasant Missaka-mountain, on the Sila-peak on the open

and

Ambatthala. 1

fair

He who was

21

bringing

Lanka,
Master,

he,
3

by the Sage, in the hour of death, as

by his merit in converting
Lanka's salvation had become like to the

foretold

salvation to Lafika, 2

who

for

alighted there, extolled by the gods of Lanka.

Here ends the thirteenth chapter, called The Coming of

Mahinda', in the Mahavamsa, compile;! for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.
'

Cf. TENNENT, Ceylon, ii, p. 605 foil. The Silakuta is the northern
peak of the Mihintale-mountain. Immediately below it lies the little
tableland on which the Ambatthala-dagaba stands.
2
Lit. For the blessing of L.'
3
The allusion probably is to the Buddha's legendary visit to the
1

'

island.

CHAPTER XIV
THE ENTRY INTO THE CAPITAL
THE king Devanampiyatissa who had

arranged a water-

festival for the dwellers in the capital, set forth to enjoy the
Attended by forty thousand of his 2
pleasures of the chase.

men he went on foot to the Missaka-mountain.

the mountain who desired to show the theras to

The deva

of 3

him, appeared

form of an elk-stag browsing in the thicket.

When the king saw him, he thought ' It is unseemly to kill
an unheeding (creature) ' and he struck out a sound from his
The king
bowstring; the stag fled towards the mountain.
there in the

pursued, but the stag in his flight drew near to the thera.
When the thera came into the prince's view the (deva) himself
vanished.

Thinking

'
:

If he sees too

many

(people)

he will be too 6

When
afraid/ the thera let (the king) see him alone.
the king beheld him he stood still terrified.
The thera said to 7
much
him
his

Come

Then, from the calling him by

'
name, Tissa, the king thought forthwith
(That is) a
'

yakkha/

King

hither, Tissa/

Samanas

of Truth.

hither from

From

Jambudlpa/ thus

heard this fear

left

great king, disciples of the 8

compassion toward thee are we come

are we,

him.

said the thera.

And remembering

When

the king 9

the message of

and persuaded that these were samanas, he laid bow

and arrow aside and approaching the sage he exchanged greethis friend,

ing with the thera and sat down near him.

Then came his people and surrounded him and the great thera
caused the others who had come with him to become visible.

1 1

When the king beheld' these too he said

hither

'

The thera answered

'
:

(
:

When did

these

(They came) with me/

come 12

And

MaMvamsa

92

XI V.

'

Are there in Jambudipa other ascetics

The other said ' Jambudipa is gleaming with
14 yellow robes; and great is the number there of arahants

he asked moreover

like to these

'

learned in the three vedas, gifted with miraculous powers,

in reading the thoughts of others, possessing the

skilled

Buddha/
what
By
way are you come ?
Neither by land nor by waterAnd since the answer was
are we come,' he understood that they had come through

heavenly ear:
1

the disciples of the

(The king) then asked

'

'

'

the
1

air.

tion,

questions severally.
'
What name does this tree bear,

'

king ?

'

This tree

'

Is there yet another mango beside this ?

There are many mango-trees/

'

test him that most wise (thera) now asked a subtle quesand even as he was questioned the monarch answered the

To

is

called a

mango/
'

And are there yet other trees besides this mango and the
other mangoes ?
'
There are many trees, sir ; but those are trees that are not
'

'

mangoes.'
19

'And are there, beside the other mangoes and those

'
which are not mangoes, yet other trees ?
'
There is this mango-tree, sir/
Thou hast a shrewd wit, O ruler of men

trees

'

'

20

<

'

Hast thou
are

They

And

thine

kinsfolk,

many,

'

king ?

sir/

are there also some,

king,

who

are not kinsfolk of

'

There are yet more 2 of those than of my kin/

'Is there yet any one besides the kinsfolk and the others

'

21

22

'

There

'

Good

When
1

six
2

'

yet myself, sir/

thou hast a shrewd wit, O ruler of men '
he had known that he was a keen-witted man, the
is

Iddhi, cetopariyanana and dibbasota are three of the

abhinna. See note on 4. 12 (No. I, III, II).
The positive bahu, with the abl. natito, stands instead of the

comparative.

See

12.

25 (with note) also Mah.

ed., Introd., p. liv.

xiv. 32

Tlie

Entry

93

into the Capital

wise thera preached to the monarch the CulahatthipadupamaAt the end of the discourse he, with the forty 23

suttanta. 1

thousand men, came unto the (three) refuges. 2

In the evening they brought the king's meal to him. 24
Although the king knew that these (bhikkhus) would not eat
1

then he invited the sages to the meal, with the thought ' It 25
were seemly at least to ask them/ When they told him:
:

'

We

do not eat now/ he asked concerning the time. And 26

'
told the time, he said
We will go into the

when he was

city/
1

'

Go

thou, great king, we will stay here/

If that be so, then must this young man

come with us/

27

one who has attained the goal, 4 has grasped

the doctrine and waits for the pabbajja, (therefore) must he 28
'

This (youth)

abide near us.

is

We

wish to bestow on him the pabbajja now;

king/ Then, when he had taken leave of the 29

depart then,
theras with the words

(
:

To-morrow I

will send a

waggon,

do you enter it and come into the city,' he took Bhandu aside
and asked him what the theras intended (to do). And he 30
told the

king

all.

When

(the king) heard the thera's

name

and thought ' This is blessing for me/

And now the king, whose fear had left him because Bhandu 31
was a layman, knew that these were human beings. 5 Saying
'Let us bestow on him the pabbajja/ the thera bestowed on 32
young Bhanduka, within the boundaries of that village and
he was

full of joy

within that group (of bhikkhus), 6 both the pabbajja and the
1

'The lesser discourse on the simile of the elephant's footM. I, pp. 175-184.
2
8
See notes to 1. 32 and 62.
Namely Bhandu.
4
is
a
of
Agataphala
synonym
anagamiphala. See 13. 17.
8
See the note to 13. 19. The king's remaining fears that he was
in the presence of supernatural beings, were only overcome by the
details communicated by Bhandu.
6
Every monastery has its parish, the bounds of which (sima) are
strictly fixed according to M.V. II. 11 foil., and within these the
ecclesiastical proceedings take place.
Since there were as yet no
monasteries in Ceylon the boundaries of the village situated on Missaka served as a parish. But the chapter (gana) which carried out
the ordination was formed by Mahinda and his companions.
I.e.

print.'

94

Mahavamsa

xiv. 33

33 upasampada-ordination, and even in the same

attained to the state of arahant.

moment he

Then the thera ordered the samanera Sumana: 'Announce ye

34

the time of preaching the dhamma/ He asked f How far, sir,

35 shall I make the time to be heard when I announce it?' When
:

'

Over all Tambapanni,' he announced the

time of (preaching- the) dhamma, making it to be heard, by
his miraculous power, over the whole of Lanka.
the thera answered

When

who was seated by the rock-basin at the

and
was taking his repast, heard the loud
Nagacatukka
37 summons, he sent a message to the thera asking: 'Has any
misfortune come to pass ?
He answered ' No misfortune has
come to pass ; the time was proclaimed for hearing the word
36

the king,
1

'

Sambuddha.'

of the

When

38

the earth-gods heard the

summons

of the samanera

they echoed it and so the call rose up gradually to Brahma's

39 heaven.
Because of the summons there came together a great

assembly of devas

and the thera preached before

this gather-

2
ing the Samaeitta-sutta.

40

Devas without number were converted to the doctrine

3
many nagas and supannas came unto the (three)

and

41 refuges.
Even as when the thera Sariputta uttered this
discourse so did the devas gather together to hear it from

Mahinda.

On

42

the

and said
43

'We

morrow the king

'

Mount

mount

will not

follow thee.'

into the

Saying

into

The driver came

to the city/
we
will
drive
waggon,
the waggon; go thou, we will

sent a waggon.

this they, full of holy desires, 4 sent the

44 driver away; and they rose into the air and by their miraculous
power they descended to the east of the city in the place
1

By

this

is

probably meant the Nagapokuna situated some distance

See GEIGER, Ceylon, p. 204.

below the Ambatthala.

2

By Samacitta-sutta we have to understand Sutta 5-6 of the

Samacitta-vagga in the Dukanipata of A. I, pp. 63-65. The subject is
spiritual calm.
8

See note to 19. 20.

In

sumanoratha

sarathi

'driver'

pious feeling

'.

is

a play on the words ratha 'waggon' and

intended. The ratha of the theras is sum anas

The Entry

xiv. 58

95

into the Capital

thupa (afterwards stood). And thenceforward 45

the
day
cetiya that was built on the spot where the
theras first alighted * is called the Pathamacetiya. 2

where the

first

to this

women

of the royal household, hearing from the 4(i

king of the virtues of the theras, desired to see them, the
monarch had a lovely pavilion built for them within the royal 4 7

Since the

precincts, covered with

white stuffs and with flowers and

beautifully adorned.

And

since he

had heard from the thera that they would not 48

Will the thera

upon raised seats, he pondered doubtfully
In the meantime the driver 49
indeed sit upon a raised seat ?
'

sit

'

saw the theras standing there 3 putting on their robes and in

wonderment he came and told the king. Hearing all (this) it 50
became clear to the king that they would not sit on chairs.
And commanding ' Let the finest carpets be spread upon the 5 1
ground/ he went to meet the theras, greeted them reverently,
took the almsbowl from the great thera Mahinda's hand and 52
:

led the thera into

the city, as

is

the custom in hospitable

welcome and homage.

And

the soothsayers, when they saw the seats prepared, 53

f
The earth is occupied by these (bhikkhus) ; they
will be lords upon the island.'
Showing them honour the king 54
led the theras into the palace.
There, according to their rank,

foretold

they took their seat on chairs covered with stuffs. The king 55
himself served them with rice-soup and with foods hard and
soft.

And when

the meal was finished, he himself sat

down

at their feet and sent for Anula, the consort of his younger 56
brother, the sub-king Mahanaga, who dwelt in the royal
palace.

When

the queen Anula had come with five hundred 57

offerings to the theras,

women and had bowed down and made

The thera preached the Petavatthu, 58

she stepped to one side.

1

p.

Cf.

the same construction in 10. 10.

See also Mah.

ed., Introd.,

liii.

2
The Pathamacetiya the First cetiya' has not been found in
the ruins of Anuradhapura. It stood, no doubt, outside the eastern
gate of the city. PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, p. 275.
'

3
Namely at the spot where they had alighted from the
where the driver only arrived after them.

air,

and

Mahuvamsa

96
l

the Vimanavatthu
attained to the

first

xiv. 59

and the Sacca-samyutta. 2

The women

3
stage of sanctification.

And many people from the city, hearing- from persons who
had seen them the day before, of the virtues of the theras,
60 came together desirous to see the theras and made a great stir
59

When

at the palace-gates.

on asking, (why

61 welfare
let

the king heard that and had been

was

so,) he said, thoughtful for their

not enough space for all these men
them cleanse the hall of the state-elephant, there shall

told,

'

Here there

it

is

62 the townspeople be able to look upon the theras. When

they had cleansed the elephant's hall, and had adorned
it
speedily with canopies and so forth, they prepared seats
63 there (for the theras), according to their rank. The
great
thera went thither with the (other) theras and when he had

taken his

seat, he,

together, heard

persons

65

the eminent preacher, preached the Devathe townspeople, who were come

When

64 duta-suttanta. 4
it,

they were

among them

When

filled

with faith and a thousand

attained to the

thus in the

isle

of

first

Lanka the

stage of salvation.
peerless thera, like

unto the Master in the protection of Lanka, had preached the

true doctrine in two places, in the speech of the island, he,
the light of the island, thus brought to pass the descent of the
true faith.

Here ends the fourteenth chapter, called ' The Entry into
the Capital ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.
1

The Petavatthu and the Vimanavatthu are books of the

Khuddaka-nikaya in the Sutta-pitaka. The former contains stories
of ghosts that dwell in the ghost-world, as a punishment for sins
committed, the latter contains descriptions of the marvellous palaces
that serve as dwellings for happy ghosts. Both texts have been edited

by EDM. HARDY, P.T.S. 1889, 1886.

2

3
4

See

V, pp. 414-478.
the sotapatti. Cf. note to
See note to 12. 29.

I. e.

S.

1.

33.

CHAPTER XV
THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE MAHAVIHABA
WHEN

they saw that the elephant's hall was also too small,
the people who had assembled there, full of pious zeal, prepared

seats for the theras outside the southern gate, in the pleasant 2

Nandana-garden

in the royal park, thickly shaded, cool

and

The thera went forth by the south gate

himself there. Numbers of women of noble families

who came thither sat at the thera' s feet filling the garden.
And to them the thera preached the Balapandita-suttanta. 2 A
thousand of the women attained to the first stage of salvation.

covered with verdure.

and seated

So, there in the grove, evening fell.

Then the theras set forth saying

'

We

go hence to 6
the mountain.'
And they told the king, and the king came
with all speed. Approaching the thera he said to him ' It is 7
evening-time, and the mountain is far away but here in the
:

will

is a pleasant place to rest/

When they 8
It is not fitting (for us) being too near the city/
'
The Mahamegha-park is neither too far nor

Nandana-garden
answered

'
:

(he said)
too near ; pleasant
:

may

it

please

you

(is

it),

and water and shade abound there

Thou must turn back, lord

to rest there

Then the thera turned back.

The cetiya (afterwards) built on the
back, near the Kadamba-river,

'

is

spot where he turned

called therefore Nivatta-

cetiya.

Southwards from Nandana the lord of chariots himself led

1 1

When

12

the thera to the Mahamegha-park, at the east gate.

1
2

See note to 11.2.

'

I. e.

the discourse of the fool and the wise man.'

suttanta S.
3

I.e.

II,

pp. 23-25, or perhaps A.

I,

Probably the

101-105.

the turning-back cetiya.

The thupa was probably not far
See note to 14. 45.

from the Pathamacetiya.

Mahavamsa

98

XV. 13

the king had bidden them prepare fine beds and chairs in
fitting wise, in the pleasant royal dwelling, and had taken
'
Dwell here in comfort/ he
13 leave of the theras, saying:
returned to the city, surrounded by his ministers ; but the

14

theras sojourned there that night.

As soon as the morning came, the ruler of the land took

and

flowers
1

pleasant
'
Pleasant was our rest,
fitting for ascetics.'

And

'
:

Is the garden fitting (for you)

greeting them and offering

visited the theras,

homage, and he asked them

5 flowers in

he asked (moreover)
'

Was

rest

(your)

'

great king, and the garden

{

Is

is

an arama allowed to the

It is allowed/ replied the thera, who had

brotherhood, sir ?
that
which
of
is allowed and that which is not
knowledge

And he

17 allowed.

When

'

related the accepting of the

the other heard

it,

Veluvanarama. 1

he rejoiced greatly and

people were pleased and joyful.

1 8
But the queen Anula, who had come with

five

(all)

the

hundred women

to greet the theras, attained to the second stage of salvation. 2

19

And

the queen Anula with her five hundred women said to

'
would fain receive the pabbajja-ordination,

the king

We

'

The king said to the thera, Bestow ye on

them the pabbajja ' But the thera made answer to the

20 your Majesty/

king

(
:

It is not allowed (to us),

great king, to bestow the

But in Pataliputta there lives a nun,

known by the name Samghamitta. She,

21 pabbajja on women.

my

younger

who

sister,

come hither bringing with her

the southern branch of the great Bodhi-tree of the king of
samanas, O king of men, and (bringing) also bhikkhums
23 renowned (for holiness) ; to this end send a message to the
22

king

is

ripe in experience, shall

my

father.

When

pabbajja upon these

1

this

then

is

here she will confer the

women/

The Veluvana 'Bamboo-grove' near Rajagaha was a present

of the Magadha-king Bimbisara to the Buddha. M.V.

(= Vin. Pit. i, p. 39, S.B.E. xiii, p. 143) Jat. i, p. 85, 1
;

I.e.

the

sakadagamiphala.

A sakadagami

will only once be reborn in the world of

nibbana.

men

I.

22.

17-18

foil.
is

one who

before attaining to

xv. 34

TJie

99

Acceptance of the MaJiavihdra

well/ said the king , and taking a splendid vase he 24

water
poured
(in token) of giving over the hand of the thera
Mahinda with the words
This Mahamegha-park do I give 25
to the brotherhood.'
1

It

is

'

As

the water fell on the ground, the great earth quaked.

the protector of the earth asked the (thera) ' Wherefore 26
'
does the earth quake ?
And he replied ' Because the

And

(from henceforth) founded in the island/

1
offered jasmine-blossoms to the thera, 27
(king)
and the thera went to the royal dwelling and scattered eight
doctrine

is

The noble

handfuls of blossoms about the picula-tree 2 standing 3 on the 28

south side of it. And then again the earth "quaked and when

he was questioned he gave this reason l Already in the life- 29

time of three Buddhas there has been here a malaka 4 for
:

carrying out the duties of the brotherhood,

will it be so once more/

king, and

now

Northward he went from the royal dwelling to the beautiful 30

bathing-tank, and there also the thera scattered as many
blossoms.
And then again did the earth quake, and being 31
asked (the thera) gave this reason f This, O ruler of the earth,
:

will be the

tank with the room for

warm

baths.'

Then the wise

(thera) went to the gateway of the same 32

and
did homage to the spot with (the offering
king's dwelling
as
flowers.
And here again the earth quaked; and 33
of)
many
with
quivering
joy the king asked the reason, and the thera

him the reason:

told

'

Here the south branch of the Bodhi- 34

1
A play on the words jatimant 'of high birth' (jati), and jati
the great flowered jasmine '.

Tamarix Indica.
would prefer the reading thite agreeing with picule instead
of thito. Certainly B2 is the only one in the collated MSS. that
9

has this reading, but it is supported by the Tlka.

4
Malaka is a space marked off and usually terraced, within which
sacred functions were carried out. In the Mahavihara (Tissarama)
at Anuradhapura there were 32 malakas. Dip. 14. 78; Mah. 15. 192.
The sacred Bodhi-tree for instance was surrounded by a malaka.
6

On

S.B.E.
VIII.

the
xiii,

jantaghara

('a bathing-place for hot sitting-baths',

p. 157, n. 2) see

M.V.

I.

8. 1 foil.

25.

12-13; C.V. V.

14. 3 foil.;

Mahdvamsa

100

Buddhas

xv

35

of our age was planted, when

35 they had brought it hither, O king, and the south branch of
the Bodhi-tree of our Tathagata will likewise have its place on
tree of the three

same spot, lord of the earth.'

Then the great thera went to the Mahamucalamalaka and

this

36

37 scattered on that spot as

many

flowers.

And

then again the

earth quaked, and being questioned he told (the king) the

reason: 'The uposatha-hall of the brotherhood will be here,
lord of the earth/

O
38

Afterwards the wise thera went to the place of the Panhambamalaka.

A ripe mango- tree, excellent in colour, fragrance and taste

and
of large size, did the gardener offer to the king, and the
39
40 king offered the splendid (fruit) to the thera. The thera,
bringer of good to mankind, let the king know that he would
fain rest seated and forthwith the king had a fine carpet
41 spread. When the thera was seated the king gave him the
mango-fruit. When the thera had eaten it he gave the kernel
42 to the king to plant.

The king himself planted

it

there and

might grow, the thera washed his hands. In

that same moment a shoot sprouted forth from the kernel and

43 over

it,

grew

that

little

When

it

by

little

to a tall tree bearing leaves

and

fruit.

who were

44
present with the king beheld this
stood
there
miracle, they
doing homage to the thera, their hair
those

raising on end (with amazement).

45
the thera scattered there eight handfuls of flowers

Now

and

then again the earth quaked. And being asked he gave the
46 reason ' This place will be the place where many gifts shall
:

be distributed, which shall be given to the brotherhood, (the

bhikkhus) being assembled together, O ruler of men/

47

And
sala

he went up to the place where (afterwards) the Catuswas, and there he scattered as many flowers, and then

The three Buddhas who preceded the historical Buddha in the

present age of the world (kappa, lasting many millions of years),
are named Kakusandha, Konagamana and Kassapa. According to
the legend they all, like Gotama, visited Ceylon and the events
always followed the same course. GEIGER, Dlpavamsa and Mahavamsa,
p. 8 foil., and Hah. 15. 57 foil.
2
I. e. a quadrangular hall which served as a refectory for the monks.
1

The Acceptance of the MahaviJifiva

xv. 60

l 0'i

again did the earth quake. And when the king asked the 48
'
On the
reason of the earthquake the thera made answer
occasion of the receipt of a royal park by the three former 49
:

1
Buddhas, on

this spot the gifts brought from all parts by

the dwellers in the island being laid down, the three Blessed

Ones and their communities accepted them. And now again 50

the Catussala will stand here and here will be the refectory of
the brotherhood, O lord of men/
the great thera Mahinda, the friend 2 of the 5 1
island, knowing what was a fitting place, and what unfitting,
went to the spot where the Great thupa 3 (afterwards) stood.

From thence

At

that time there was within the enclosure of the royal 52

park a little pond called the Kakudha-pond ; at its upper end,

on the brink of the water, was a level spot fitting for the 53
thupa.

When

the thera went thither they brought the king eight

cam paka- flowers. 4 The king offered the campaka- 54

baskets of

and the thera did homage to the spot with

the campaka-flowers. And then again the earth quaked, the 55
king asked the reason of the earthquake and the thera gave
flowers to the thera

in due order the reasons for the earthquake.

(

Buddhas

is

great king, which has been visited by four 56

worthy of a thupa, to be a blessing and happiness

This place,

to beings.

In our age of the world there lived first 5 the Conqueror 57

Kakusandha, a teacher versed in all truth, compassionate
toward all the world. At that time this Mahamegha-grove 58
was known as Mahatittha ; the capital called Abhaya lay east'

ward on the other side of the Kadamba-river, 6 there Abhaya 59

was king. This island then bore the name Ojadlpa.
By (the power of) the demons pestilence arose here among 60
'

2
3
4

See note to 15. 34.

Dlpavaddhana,

lit.

furtherer, increaser of the island.

the Ruwanwseli-dagaba = pali Hemamali, see 15. 167.

Michelia Champaka, Lin., belonging to the Magnoliaceae.
I. e.

Cf. 15. 91 foil.,

now

and 125

foil.

prefer to refer Kadambanadiya pare to the preceding

phrase, therefore Mah. ed. the comma after ahu (58 d.) should be
deleted and placed after pare (59 a).

Maliavamsa

xv. 61

the people. When Kakusandha, who was gifted with the ten
1
G 1 powers, knew of this misery, then, to bring- it to an end and
to achieve the converting of beings and progress of the doctrine in this island, he,

urged on by the might of his compas-

62 sion, came through the air surrounded by forty thousand

2
63 (disciples) like to him, and stood on the Devakuta-mountain.

By the power of the Satnbuddha, O great king, the pestilence

ceased then here over the whole island.
Standing there, O king of men, the King of the Wise, the
Great Sage, proclaimed his will " All men in Ojadlpa shall
65 see me this day, and if they only desire to come (to me) all

64

'

men
66

draw near

shall

to

me

without trouble and

speedily/''

When

the king and the townsfolk saw the Prince of the

Wise, shining and making the mountain to shine, they came
swiftly thither.

07

'

The

people,

who were going

devatas, believed the

68 to be (such) devatas.

Guide

thither to bring offerings to the

World with the brotherhood

of the

And when

the king, greatly rejoicing

had greeted the King of the Wise, had invited him to a repast
09 and had brought him into the city, the monarch then thinking
" This
stately and pleasant place is fitting for the resting-place
:

of the Prince of the Wise, with the brotherhood, and not too

70 small/'

made

the

Sambuddha and

the brotherhood

sit

here on

beautiful seats in a fine pavilion raised (by him).

71
'When the people in the island saw the Guide of the world

with the brotherhood sitting here they brought gifts hither

72 from every side. And the king served the Guide of the World
together with the brotherhood with his own food, both hard

and

soft,

and with such

(foods) as

were brought by sundry

other folk.
<

73

While the Conqueror was seated, after the meal, on this very
3
the king offered him the Mahatitthaka-garden as a
spot,
74 precious gift.
When the Mahatitthaka-grove, gay with
1

See note to

3. 6.

him, blessed like (the Buddha) himself; by exa

tension,
synonym of araha. Cf. Therag. 62, 205, 206; Suttanip.
86, 957, &c.
3

Tadi,

i.e. like

Idheva, that

'

is,

here, just

where we now

are.'

The Acceptance of tine Maliavihara

XV. 87

103

blossoms at an unwonted season, was accepted by the Buddha

the great earth quaked.
And sitting even here, the Master 75
to the
the
doctrine
;
preached
forty thousand persons attained
fruit of the path
(of salvation).

When

the Conqueror had stayed the day through in the 76

Mahatittha-grove he went in the evening to that plot of ground
'

which was fitting f o r the place of the Bodhi-tree, and after he, sit- 7 7
ting there, had sunk in deep meditation the Sambuddha, rising
from thence again, thought, mindful of the salvation of the
"
Bringing the south branch of my Bodhi-tree, 78
island-people
1
the sirlsa, with her, the bhikkhunl Rucananda shall come
:

hither with (other) bhikkhunls."

'

When

king

when

the then

knew

his

thought

she forthwith took the 79

Then 80
of that country with her and went to the tree.
the then of wondrous power had drawn a line with a
3

pencil of red arsenic around the south branch she took the
Bodhi-tree thus separated and set it in a golden vase, and this, 8 1

by her miraculous power she brought

hither,

great king,

hundred bhikkhunis, surrounded by

the devatas, and she placed it, with its golden vase, in the out- 82
The Tathagata
stretched right hand of the Sambuddha.

with (company of her)

live

received the Bodhi-branch and gave it to the king Abhaya to 83

plant; the lord of the earth planted it in the Mahatittha-

garden.
'

Then the Sambuddha went northwards from

sitting in the beautiful Sirlsamalaka the

this place,

and 84

Tathagata preached 85

Then, O prince, the conversion

the true doctrine to the people.

of twenty thousand living beings took place. 4

Thereupon the 86
of
that
ground where
plot
Conqueror went yet further north to
5
(afterwards) the Thuparama stood, and after he, sitting there,

had sunk into meditation, the Sambuddha rising from thence 87

again preached the doctrine to those around him, and even at
that place did ten thousand living beings attain to the fruit of
the path (of salvation).
1
3

Acacia

Sirissa.

According

to the

Tika king

By means of her
Khema of Khemavati

omniscience.
(in

Jambudipa).

See Buddhavamsa (ed. MORRIS, P.T.S. 1882) XXIII. 8.

4
5
See note to 1. 32.
See below, note to 17. 30.

Mahavamsa

104

XV. 88

Giving his own holy drinking- vessel for the homage of the
people and leaving the bhikkhuni here with her following and
89 also his disciple Mahadeva with a thousand bhikkhus, the
(

88

90 Sambuddha went eastward from thence, and standing on the

place of the Ratanamala, he delivered exhortations to the people
;

91

92

then rising in the air with the brotherhood the Conqueror

returned to Jambudlpa.
t
Second l in our age of the world was the Lord Konagamana,
the all-knowing Teacher, compassionate toward all the world.
<
At that time this Mahamegha-grove was known as Maha-

noma, the capital called Vaddhamana, lay to the south.

93 Samiddha was the name of the king of that
region then. This
island then bore the name Varadipa.
f

94

At

dipa.

that time the misery of drought prevailed here in Vara-

When the Conqueror Konagamana knew of

95 then, to bring

to an end,

it

and afterwards

this misery,

to achieve the con-

verting of beings and progress of the doctrine in this island,

96 he, urged on by the might of his compassion, came through

the air, surrounded by thirty thousand (disciples) like to him97

and stood upon the Sumanakutaka-mountain. By the

power of the Sambuddha the drought came to an end, and
from the time that the decline of the doctrine ceased rainfall
self,

in

98

due season now began.

And standing there, O king of men, the King of the Wise,

" All men in
the Great Sage, proclaimed his will
Varadipa
'

99 shall see

me

and

they only desire to come (to me)

draw near to me without trouble and speedily/'
(
100
When the king and the townsfolk saw the Prince of the
Wise, shining and making the mountain to shine, they came

men

all

this day,

if

shall

swiftly thither.

101

'The people who were going thither to bring offerings to

devatas believed the Guide of the World with the

the

And when the king,

greatly rejoicing, had greeted the King of the Wise, had
103 invited him to a repast, and had brought him to the city, the

102 brotherhood to be (such) devatas.

monarch then thinking

1

Cf. 15.

57

" This
stately and pleasant place

foil.,

and

15.

125

foil.

is

xv. 117

105

Acceptance of the Mahavihara

Tlie

fitting for the resting-place of the Prince of the

Wise with

the brotherhood and not too small," made the Sambuddha and 104
the brotherhood sit here on beautiful seats in a fine pavilion
raised (by him).

'When

the people of the island saw the Guide of the

World 105

with the brotherhood sitting here, they brought gifts hither

And

the king served the Guide of the 106

World together with the brotherhood with his own food, both
hard and soft, and with such (foods) as were brought by

from every

side.

sundry other

folk.

'While the Conqueror was sitting, after the meal on this 107
very spot, the king offered him the Mahanoma-garden as
a precious gift. And when the Mahanoma-grove, gay with 108
blossoms at an unwonted season, was accepted by the Buddha
the great earth quaked.
And sitting even here, the Master 109
preached the doctrine ;
to the fruit of the

then thirty thousand persons attained

path (of salvation).

'When

the Conqueror had stayed the day through in the 110

Mahanoma-grove, he went in the evening to that plot of

ground where the former Bodhi-tree had stood, and after 111
he, sitting there, had sunk in deep meditation, the Sambuddha,
from thence again, thought, mindful of the salvation of
the island-people " Bringing the south branch of my Bodhi- 112
1
with her, the bhikkhuni Kantakananda
tree, the udumbara

rising

come hither with (other) bhikkhums."

the then knew his thought she forthwith took the 113
2
of
Then 114
that
king
region with her and went to the tree.
when the then of wondrous power had drawn a line with
shall
(

When

a pencil of red arsenic around the south branch, she took the
Bodhi-tree thus separated, and set it in a golden vase, and 115

by her miraculous power, she brought hither, O great

with (her company of) five hundred bhikkhums,
surrounded by the devatas, and she placed it, with its golden 116
The
vase, in the outstretched right hand of the Sambuddha.
it
Samiddha
to 1 1 7
received
and
it
the
to
Tathagata
gave
king

this,

king,

Ficus glomerata.
to the Tika king Sobhana (Buddhavamsa
Sobha) in the city Sobhavatl.
2

According

XXIV. 16

Mahavamsa

106
plant

the lord of the earth planted

it

xv. 118
there in the

Mahanoma

garden.

118

'

Then the Sambuddha went northward from the Sirisamala

and preached the doctrine

to the people, sitting in the

Naga-

119 malaka.
they heard the preaching of the doctrine, O
king, the conversion of twenty thousand living beings took

When

When he had gone yet further northward to the place

where the former Buddha had sat, and after he, sitting there,
121 had sunk into meditation, the Sambuddha, rising from thence
again, preached the doctrine to those around him, and even at
120 place.

that place did ten thousand living beings attain to the fruit
of the path (of salvation).

122

'

Giving

his girdle as a relic for the

homage

of the people,

123 and leaving the bhikkhum here with her following and also
his disciple Mahasumba with a thousand bhikkhus, the Sam-

124 buddha, standing on this side of the Ratanamala in the

Sudassanamala, delivered exhortations to the people; then
rising with the brotherhood into the air, the Conqueror
125

returned to Jambudipa.
*
Third l in our age of the world was the Conqueror of the
Kassapa clan, the all-knowing Teacher, compassionate toward
the whole world.
called (at that time)

Mahasa-

127 gara; the capital, named Visala, lay toward the West.

Jayanta

126

'The Mahamegha-grove was

was the name

of the king of that region then,

bore then the name of Mandadipa.

128

'

At

and

this isle

that time a hideous and life-destroying war had broken

129 out between king Jayanta and his younger royal brother. When
2
Kassapa, gifted with the ten powers, the Sage, full of com-

knew how

was the wretchedness caused to

it to an end and afterwards
to achieve the converting of beings and progress of the doctrine
131 in this island, he, urged on by the might of his compassion,
came through the air surrounded by twenty thousand (disciples)
like to himself, and he stood on the Subhakuta-mountain.
passion,

great

130 beings by this war, then, to bring

132

Standing there, O king of men, the King of the Wise, the

Great Sage, proclaimed his will: "All men in MandadTpa
'

Cf. 15. 57 foil.,

and 91

foil.

See note to

3. 6.

The Acceptance of the MaMvihara

xv. 147

107

me this day; and if they only desire to come (to me) 133
men shall draw near to me without trouble and speedily."
'When the king- and the townsfolk saw the Prince of the 134

shall see
all

Wise, shining and making the mountain to shine, they came

The many people who were coming to the 135
swiftly thither.

mountain bringing offerings to the devatas, that their own

might win the victory, believed the Guide of the World 136
with the brotherhood to be (such) devatas ; and the king and
side

the prince amazed, halted in their battle.

When the king, 137
the
had
of
the Wise, had
greeted
King
greatly rejoicing,

him to a repast and had brought him to the city, the

monarch then thinking: l( This stately and pleasant place is 138
fitting for the resting-place of the King of the Wise with the
brotherhood and not too small," made the Sambuddha and 139
invited

the brotherhood

sit

here on beautiful seats in a fine pavilion

raised (by him).

'

When

the people of the island saw the Guide of the

World 140

with the brotherhood sitting here, they brought gifts hither

from every side. And the king served the Guide of the 141
World together with the brotherhood with his own food, both
hard and

soft,

and with such

(foods) as

were brought by sundry

other folk.
'

While the Conqueror was sitting, after the meal, on this 142
very spot, the king offered him the Mahasagara-garden as
a precious gift.
And when the Mahasagara-grove, gay with 143
blossoms at an unwonted season, was accepted by the Buddha,
the great earth quaked.
And sitting even here, the Master 144
preached the doctrine ; then twenty thousand persons attained
to the fruit of the path (of salvation).

When

One had stayed the day through in the 145

he
went in the evening to that plot of
Mahasagara-grove,
where
the
former
Bodhi-trees had stood, and after he, 146
ground
'

the Blessed

had sunk into deep meditation, the Sambuddha,

rising from thence again, thought, mindful of the salvation of
the island-people " Bringing the south branch of my Bodhi- 147
sitting there,

tree, the

nigrodha,

come now with

with her, the bhikkhum

(other) bhikkhums."
1

Ficus Indica, the banyan-tree.

Sudhamma

shall

MaMvamsa

108
148

'When

149 king

the then

knew

his

XV. 148

thought she forthwith took the

of that region with her and went to the tree.

Then
the therl of wondrous power had drawn a line with

when

a pencil of red arsenic around the south branch, she took the
150 Bodhi-branch thus separated and set it in a golden vase, and

by her miraculous power, she brought hither, O great king,

five hundred bhikkhums, surrounded by
151 the devatas ; and she placed it with its golden vase, in the
out-stretched right hand of the Sambuddha
the Tathagata
152 received it and gave it to the king Jayanta to plant; the
this,

with (her company of)

lord of the earth planted

153

'

it

there in the Mahasagara-garden.

Then the Buddha went northward from the Nagamalaka

and preached the doctrine

154 malaka.

to the people seated in the Asoka-

When

they heard the preaching of the doctrine,

O ruler of men, even there the conversion of four thousand
155 living beings took place. When he had then gone yet further

northward to the place where the former Buddhas had sat,

and after he, sitting there, had sunk into meditation, the
156 Sambuddha, rising from thence again, preached the doctrine
to those around him ; and even in that place did ten thousand
157

living beings attain to the fruit of the path (of salvation).

Giving his rain-cloak as a relic for the homage of the people,
'

158 and leaving the bhikkhuni here with her following, and also
his disciple Sabbananda with a thousand bhikkhus, he, stand159 ing on this side of the river (and) of the Sudassanamala in
the Somanassamalaka, delivered exhortations to the people;
then rising with the brotherhood into the air, the Conqueror
160

returned to Jambudlpa.
'
Fourth in our age of the world lived the Conqueror
Gotama, the teacher, knowing the whole truth, compassionate

161 toward the whole world.

When

he came hither the

first

time

he drove forth the yakkhas, when he came hither again the

162 second time he subdued the nagas. When, besought by the

naga Maniakkhi in Kalyam, he returned the third time, he took

163 his meal there with the brotherhood and when he had taken
;

According to the Tlka king Kiki in the city of Baranasi (Benares).

SeeBuddhavamsaXXV.33 Therigatha,Comm.(Paramatthadipani V),

;

p. 17

27
,

&c.

his ease

and

in

109

Hie Acceptance of the Mahavihara

xv. 173

where the former Bodhi-trees had stood

the place here appointed for the thupa and (also) in
l

in the place

the place (appointed for the guarding) of those (things) used

by him (and

and when he had gone to this 164

where the former Buddhas had stood, the
great Sage, the Light of the World, since there were then no
left as) relics,

side of the place

human

beings in Lahkadipa, uttered exhortations to the host 165

of devatas, dwelling in the island, and to the nagas ; then rising

into the air with the brotherhood the Conqueror returned to

Jambudlpa.
'

Thus was

this place,

O king,

visited

by four Buddhas

on 166

great king, will the thupa stand hereafter, with 167

the relic-chamber for a dona 3 of the relics of the Buddha's
this spot,

hundred and twenty cubits

be) known by the name Hemamall.'

body;
(will

(it

Then

Tor

will be) a

said the ruler of the earth:

thee,

king, are

many

'

high and

I myself will build

other tasks to

fulfil here.

it.'

168

Do

169

thou carry them out; but one descended from thee shall
build this (thupa).

Mahanama, one named

son of thy brother 6 the vice-regent

Yatthalayakatissa, will hereafter be 170

king, his son will be the king

named Gothabhaya;

his son 171

will be (the king) named Kakavannatissa ; this king's son,

king, will be the great king named Abhaya, renowned under 172

title Dutthagamani
he, great in glory, wondrous power
and prowess, will build the thupa here.'
Thus spoke the thera, and because of the thera's words the 173

the

Lit.

'

when he had enjoyed by

sitting

down

(in meditation) the

place, &c.'
2

Cf. 15, 88. 122,

157.

Paribhogadhatu

is

relic consisting of

something used by the dead Saint, in opposition to sariradhatu

body-relic ', i. e. remains of his body.
3
A certain measure of capacity. See CHILDEKS, P.D., s. v.
'

According to the Abhidhanappadipika a ratana or hattha

is

equal to 2 vidatthi (=8|-9 inches). See RHYS DAVIDS, Ancient

Coins and Measures of Ceylon, p. 15. The total height of the thupa
would accordingly be nearly 180 feet. This is exactly the height of

the main body of the Ruwanwseli-dagaba without the tee '. SMITHER,
Architectural Remains, Anuradhapura, p. 27 and Plate XXIV.
'

Cf. 22. 1 foil.

MaMvamsa

110
monarch

up here a

set

these saying's.
174
And as the great

XV. 174

pillar of stone,

whereon he inscribed

and most wise thera, Mahinda

wondrous

of

power, accepted the pleasant Mahamegha-grove, the Tissarama,

175 he, the unshakeable caused the earth to quake in eight places; 1

and when going his round for alms he had entered the city
176 like unto the ocean and had taken his meal in the king's
palace, and when, sitting there in the
had preached to the people the sutta
he
Nandana-grove,
177 Aggikkhandhopama 2 and had made a thousand persons par-

house, he left the

takers in the fruit of the path (of sanctification) he rested

(again) in the Mahamegha-grove.

When

178

the thera had eaten on the third day in the king's

sitting in the Nandana-grove had preached the

house, and

179 Aslvisupama, 3 and had thereby led a thousand persons to

went thence to the Tissarama.

180
But the king, who had heard the preaching, seated himself
at the thera' s feet and asked: 'Does the doctrine of the
conversion, the thera

Conqueror stand, sir?'

181

lord of nations,

when

"Not

for the uposatha-ceremony

according

to

the

yet,

ruler of

men, only,

the boundaries are established

and the other

command

of

the

here

acts (of religion),

Conqueror, shall

the

doctrine stand.'

182

and the king answered thus:

abide under the Buddha's command, thou Giver of

Thus spoke the great

'I will

183 light!

thera,

Therefore establish the boundaries with

all

speed,

taking in the city/ Thus spoke the great king and the thera
184 answered thus
If it be so, then do thou thyself, lord of the
'

earth,
'

185 it/

king

mark

out the course of the boundary

It is well/ said the lord of the earth,

of the gods leaving the

forth from the

186

Nandana 5

Mahameghavanarama

we

will establish

and even

like the

(garden) he went

into his palace.

When

the thera on the fourth day had eaten in the king's

Anahe
house,
preached, sitting in the Nandana-grove, the
1

Cf. 15. 25, 28, 31, 33, 37, 45, 47, 55.

See the note to

Nandana

or

12. 26.

Nanda

in Indra's heaven.

(see 31. 44) is the

Of. note to 12. 34.

Cf.

name

note to 14. 32.

of a pleasure-garden

The Acceptance of the Mahavihara

xv. 196

111

1
187
matagga-discourse, and when he had given there a thousand
the
of
to
drink
the
of
great
immortality,
persons
draught
But having com- 188
thera went to the Mahameghavanarama.

morning to beat the drum and to adorn the

and
the road leading to the vihara and all around
splendid city
the vihara, the lord of chariots came upon his car to his arama, 189

manded

in the

and the women

ornaments, together with his ministers

of the harem, with chariots, troops and beasts 190

for riders, 2 in a

mighty

adorned with

all his

train.

When

he had here sought out the theras and paid his

these to whom respect was due, he ploughed a 191
to
respects
furrow in a circle, making it to begin near the ford on the

Kadamba-river, and ended

it

when he

(again)

reached the

river.

When

he had assigned boundary-marks on the furrow that 192

the king had ploughed and had assigned the boundaries for
thirty-two malakas and for the Thuparama, the great thera 193
of lofty wisdom, then fixed the inner boundary-marks likewise according to custom; and thus the ruler (of his senses) 194

did on one and the same day establish all the boundaries.
The great earth quaked when the fixing of the boundaries

was completed.
When on the

fifth

day the thera had eaten in the king's 195

house he preached, sitting in the Nandana-grove, the Khajja4

nlya-suttanta, to a great multitude of people, and when he 196

ti
Cf.
3

Note to 12. 31.

The Tika explains sayoggabalavahano so: ettha yoggam
rathasakatadi, balam ti sena, vahane ti hatthiassadi.
2.->.

On

1.

Mah. ed., p. xxxvi. The ford of the Kadambawhich the boundary line starts and to which it returns is
called in the Tika Gangalatittha. Instead of the one verse 191 the
Sinhalese MSS. have, in all, twenty verses which describe how the
king himself guides the plough and in which the different areas
this verse cf.

river from

marked off are designated. The passage is a later interpolation,

drawn chiefly from a Slmakatha of the Mahavihara.
4 The
Khajjaniyavagga from S. Ill, pp. 81-104. Specially, perhaps,
the Sihasuttanta (XXII. 79) on pp. 86-91.

MaMvamsa

112
had given

x v.

97

to drink of the ambrosial

draught to a thousand
he
rested
in
the
persons there,
(again)
Mahamegha-grove.
197
When also on the sixth day the thera had eaten in the
king's house he preached, sitting in the Nandana -grove, the
198 Gomayapindl-sutta, 1 and after the wise preacher had thus
brought a thousand persons to conversion he rested (again)
in the

Mahamegha-grove.
on the seventh day the thera had eaten in the
king's house he preached, sitting in the Nandana-garden, the
200 Dhammacakkappavattana-suttanta, 2 and having brought a

When

199

thousand persons to
201

conversion he rested

(again)

the

in

Mahamegha-grove, when

he, the light-giver, had in this

wise brought eight thousand five hundred persons to conversion in the space of only seven days.

202

The Nandana-grove being the place where the holy one had
made the true doctrine to shine forth, is called the Jotivana. 3
203 And in the very first days the king commanded that a pasada

be built for the thera in the Tissarama, and he had the bricks
204 of clay dried speedily with fire. The dwelling-house was
dark-coloured and therefore they named it the Kalapasada4

parivena.
205
Then did he set

up a building

for the great Bodhi-tree, the

206 Lohapasada, 5 a salaka-house, 6 and a seemly refectory. He

built many parivenas in an excellent manner, and bathingtanks and buildings for repose, by night and by day, and so

I.e.

Cf.

'

the discourse on the clod of cow-dung.'

S. Ill, p.

143

foil.

note to 12. 41.

'

I. e.

Grove of

I.e. 'Cell of

We

light.'

the black house.'

On pasada

see note to 27. 14.

have here apparently a tradition according to which the

Lohapasada was built by Devanampiyatissa and not first erected
by Dutthagamani. The Tika explains the passage in this way that
Dutthagamani built his House of Bronze when the old one had
been removed.
6
Food, given as a present to the monastery collectively, is dis'

monks by tickets or orders called salaka ('slip' of

The building where the distribution takes place,
the salakagga salaka-house.' GUILDERS, P.D., s. v. salaka.

tributed to the

wood, bark, &c.).

is

The Acceptance of the Mahdviham

XV. 214

The parivena on the brink

forth.

was

113

of the bathing-tank (which

allotted) to the blameless (thera)

is

207

Sunhata-

called the

1
The parivena on the spot where the excellent 208
parivena.
Light of the Island used to walk up and down is called Dlgha-

cahkamana. 2 But the parivena which was built where he had 209
sat sunk in the meditation 3 that brings the highest bliss is called
from this the Phalagga-parivena. 4 The (parivena built there) 210
where the thera had seated himself leaning against a support
5
The (parivena
called from this the Therapassaya-parivena.
had
him
out and sat
of
hosts
where
sought
gods
built)
many

is

at his feet

1 1

The 212
therefore called the Marugana-parivena. 6
of the king's troops, Dlghasandana, built a

is

commander
little

pasada for the thera with eight great

famed parivena, the home

of

pillars.

renowned men, 7

is

This 213

called the

Dlghasandasenapati-parivena.
The wise king, whose name contains the words 'beloved of 214
the gods

mind,

',

first

patronizing the great thera Mahinda, of spotless

built here in

Here ends the

Lanka

this

Mahavihara. 8

fifteenth chapter, called

'

The Acceptance

of

the Mahavihara ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene

joy and emotion of the pious.
I. e. the cell of him who is well-bathed or
purified. The nahatapapo who has washed away the evil is Mahinda, as also is the
dipadipo in 208.
1

'

'

I. e.

the long walk or the long hall for walking. See note to 5. 226.
trance reached by

On the eight samapatti, i.e. the states of

samadhi meditation', see KERN, Manual, p. 57.
3

'

5
6

I. e.
I. e.

I. e.

On

cell of the highest reward.

the thera's support.

of the hosts of gods.
this allusion to the author of the Mahavamsa,
cell of

cell

GEIGER, Dip. and Mah. (English

8

the

Mahavihara, 'the great monastery,'

Mahameghavanarama.

Mahanama,

see

name

for

ed.), p. 41.
is

henceforth the

CHAPTER XVI
THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CETIYAPABB AT A- VIHARA
GOING

alms and showing favour to the

eating in the king's house and showing

into the city for

people (by preaching)

2 favour to the

king (by preaching) the thera dwelt twenty-six

the Mahamegha-grove.
But when, on the thirteenth

days in

1
day of the bright half of the month Asalha, the lofty-souled
had eaten in the great king's house and had preached

3 (thera)

2
him) the Mahappamada-suttanta, he went thence, for
he would fain have a vihara founded on the Cetiya-mountain, 3

4 (to

departing by the east gate (he went) to the Cetiya-mountain.

When the king heard that the thera had gone thither he

mounted

and taking the two queens with him he

When the theras had bathed in

his car,

6 followed hard after the thera.

the Nagacatukka-tank
7 up to the mountain-top.

they stood in their due order to go

Then the king stepped down from the

car and stood there respectfully greeting the theras. ' Wherefore, O king, art thou come wearied by the heat ? they said
and on the reply ' Troubled by your departure am I come/
the theras answered
We are come to spend the rain -season
even here,' and he who was versed in the rules 5 (of the
'

'

See note to 1. 12.

There are several suttas in
I.e. 'Great discourse on vigilance.'
See note to 5. 68.
S., bearing the title appamadasutta.
3
The later name of the Missaka-mountain, given on account of the
many shrines built there. See note to 13. 14.
4
See note to 14. 36
2

who was versed

Lit.

(CHILDERS,

Mahavagga
p.

298

den

s.v.

III

Manual

p.

e.

the sections of the vinaya

Vin. Pit.

i,

p.

137

khandhaka
foil.

S.B.E.

is

xiii,

During the rainy season the bhikkhus were forbidused to live together in a vihara. See KERN,
80 foil., on the vassavasa.

travel, but
,

i.

The vassupanayika

(OLDENBERG, the

foil.).

to

in the khandhas,

vinayo).

The Acceptance of the Cetiyapabbata-vihara 115

XVI. 1 8
order),
vassa.

expounded

to

the king the chapter concerning the

When

the king's nephew, the chief minister Maharittha, 10

stood near the king with his fifty-five elder and younger
brothers, heard this, after seeking the king's leave, they ll

who

received the pabbajja that very day from the thera, and all
men attained to arahantship even in the shaving-

these wise
hall. 1

When the king, on that same day, had made a beginning 12

with the work of building sixty-eight rock-cells about (the
place where) the Kantaka-cetiya (afterwards stood), he 13
returned to the city ; but the theras remained in that spot,
going at the appointed time, full of compassion (for the people)
to the city to

beg alms

there.

When
moon

the work on the rock-cells was finished, on the full- 14

day of the month Asalha, the king came and gave the

vihara to the theras as a consecrated offering.

When the thera, who had passed beyond the boundaries (of 15
the boundaries for the thirty-two
evil) had established

malakas

and the vihara, then did he on the very same day

in

the Tumbaru-malaka, which was marked out as the first of all, 16

confer the upasampada on all those who were weary of the
3

And

these sixty-two arahants, taking up their 17

abode during the rain-season all together on the Cetiyamountain, showed favour to the king (by their teaching).
And, in that the hosts of gods and men drew near with 18

pabbajja.

reverence to him, the leader of the host (of his disciples), and
to his company that had attained to wide renown for virtue,

they heaped up great merit.

Her

ends the sixteenth chapter, called ' The Acceptance

of the Cetiyapabbata- vihara ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for
the serene joy and emotion of the pious.
1

Where,

shaved
3

off.

as

is

the rule at the admission of bhikkhus, their hair was

2
See note to 15. 29.

Pabbajjapekkhanam

stands for

pabbajja-upekkhanam.

Maharittha and his brothers have only received the pabbajja or first
ordination a few days before (see 11), but they already long for the
higher ordination, the upasampada.
'

CHAPTER XVII
THE ARRIVAL OF THE RELICS
1

WHEN

the great thera of lofty wisdom, after spending- the

rain-season (thus), had held the pavarana-ceremony, 1 on the
full-moon day of the month Kattika, 2 he spoke thus to the
'
king
Long is the time, O lord of men, since we have seen
the Sambuddha. We lived a life without a master. There is
'
Yet
nothing here for us to worship.' And to the question
:

hast thou not told rne,

nibbana ?

'

sir,

he answered

'
:

that the

If

we

Sambuddha

behold the

relics

is

passed into

we behold the

a thupa is known to you.

and do you discover the relics.' The
thera replied to the king ' Take counsel with Sumana '; and
the king said to the samanera ' Whence shall we have the
'

4 Conqueror.'

My intention to build

5 I will build the thupa,

'

'

6 relics ?

lord of

men, when thou

hast

commanded

the

and the road and hast taken the uposathavows upon thyself 3 together with thy company, go thou, in
the evening, mounted on thy state-elephant, bearing the white
4
parasol and attended by musicians, to the Mahanaga-park.

adorning of the city

7

8 There,

king, wilt thou receive relics of

him who knew how

to destroy the elements of existence/ 5 so said the

Sumana to the (king), glad of heart.
1

Pavaretva.

vassa see

S.B.E.
2

as

On

Mahavagga

xiii, p.

325

samanera

the pavarana-ceremony at the conclusion of

Vin. Pit., ed. OLDENBERG, i, p. 157 foil.

IV.

foil.

See note to

1.

12.

Uposathi

is

a synonym of uposathika. The uposatha-vows

fasting and abstinence from sensual

kept by laymen consist in

*

pleasures

(see

CHILDERS,

s.v.

'

uposatho).

4
The Tika explains talavacarasamhito by sabbehi talavacarehi sahito bherimudingadituriyahatthapurisehi pa-

rivarito.
6

play on the word dhatu, meaning 'element' (see KERN,

Manual,

p. 51, n. 2),

and dhatu

'

relic

'.

117

The Arrival of the Eelics

xvii. 21

And now

the tliera went forth from the king's house to the 9

Cetiya-mountain and summoned the samanera Sumana, bent

on holy thoughts. 1
Go, friend Sumana, and when thou art
come to the fair Pupphapura, 2 deliver to the mighty king,, thy
"
grandfather, this charge from us
Thy friend, O great king,
(

1 1

the great king, the friend of the gods/ desires, being converted
to the doctrine of the Buddha, to build a thupa; do thou give 12
him the relics of the Sage and the alms-bowl that the Master

many relics of the (Buddha's) body are with thee."

thou hast received the alms-bowl full (of relics) go to 13
the fair city of the gods and declare to Sakka, king of the
" The
relic, the right eye-tooth of 1 4
gods, this charge from us
used, for

When

the (Buddha), worthy of the adoration of the three worlds, is

with thee, O king of the gods, and the relic of the right
Honour thou the tooth the collar-bone of the
collar-bone.
;

Master do thou give away. Grow not weary of thy duty

"
toward the isle of Lanka, O lord of the gods
And the samanera of wondrous power, replying: ' So be it, 16
sir,' went, that very moment, to the king Dhammasoka and 17
found him even as he stood at the foot of a sala-tree and
honoured the beautiful and sacred Bodhi-tree with the offerings
!

of the Kattika-festival.

When he had delivered the thera's charge and had accepted

the alms-bowl full of relics received from the king he went to
the Himalaya.
When, on the Himalaya, he had set down that
most sacred bowl with the relics, he went to the king
the gods and delivered the thera's charge.

of

4
Sakka^ the lord of the gods, took from the Culamani-cetiya 20

the right collar-bone (of the Buddha) and gave it to the

samanera.
Thereupon the ascetic Sumana took the relic and 21
the bowl with the

relics likewise

and returning to the Cetiya-

mountain he handed them to the thera.

1

name Sumana and su-manogati. Wijesinha

whose mind was well-disposed to the work
be confided to him
For the rendering in the Tlka see

Play on the

translates the

that was to

Mah.
2
3

surname

'

'.

note on this passage.

See note to 4. 31.
ed.,

Maruppiya, a synonym of Devanampiya.

A sacred shrine supposed to be erected in the heaven

of gods.

Mahavamsa

118

XVII. 22

In the evening the king, at the head of the royal troops,

22

went

to the

Mahanaga-park, in the manner (already)

23 The thera put

therefore the

told.

down

there on the mountain, and

Missaka-mountain was called the Cetiya-

all

the

relics

mountain.

24

When the thera had put the vessel with the relics on the
Cetiy a- mountain, he took the collar-bone relic and went with
his company of disciples to the appointed place.

25

'If this

is

down, of itself,

the Sage then shall my parasol bow

elephant shall sink upon its knees, this

relic of

my

26 relic-urn, coming (toward me) with the

upon
27

my

he

set it

And

as

if

Then did the elephant trumpet

28

so

sprinkled with ambrosia the

of joy, and taking (the urn) from his head
on the back of the elephant.

came to pass.
monarch was full
it

descend

relic shall

So thought the king, and as he thought

head.'

joyfully and the earth

quaked. And the elephant turned about and having entered

29 the fair city by the east gate, together with the theras and
the troops and vehicles, and having left it again by the south

30 gate he went to the building of the Great Sacrifice set up 1

to the west of the spot where (afterwards) the cetiya of the

Thuparama was ; and when he had turned around on the place

31 of the Bodhi-tree he remained standing, his head turned toward
the east.
2

But

was covered with

at that time the place of the thiipa

flowering kadamba-plants and adari-creepers.

When the god among men had caused this holy place, pro32
tected by the gods, to be cleared and adorned, he began forth-

33 with, in seemly wise, to take the

1

Evidently the

down from the

relic

mahejjaghara mentioned

in 10. 90.

There, as

here, the Sinhalese MSS. have pabheda instead of mahejja.

2
The thupa of the Thuparama, the erection of which is described
in our passage, is situated

Nandana-garden.
3

This creeper

near the southern wall of the city in the

Cf. note to 1. 82.

is

mentioned in the Mahavamsa

in

five

places,

besides the above passage: 19. 73, 33. 85, 35. 104:

phagumba;

25. 48: kadambapupphavalli

bapupphathana. For adari I would refer to
plants, adara and adaribinibi.
;

kadambapup35. 116: kadam-

the Skt. names of

119

The Arrival of the Relics

XVTI. 44

But this the elephant would not suffer, and

elephant's back.
And the other 34
the king asked the thera what he wished.
answered
equal (in

He

would fain have (them) put in a place that is

suffer
height) to his back; therefore will he not
'

them to be taken down.'

Then with lumps of dry clay that he had commanded to be 35
2
brought straightway from the dried Abhaya-tank he raised
a pile even as (high as the elephant), and when the king had 36
T

caused this high-standing place to be adorned in manifold

ways and had caused the relic to be taken down from the

back of the elephant, he placed

it

there.

(Then) having entrusted the elephant with the guarding of 37

the relic and having left him there, the king, whose heart was
set

relic, and who speedily com- 38

make bricks, went back with his minis-

on building a thupa for the

manded many people

to

ters to the city meditating (to hold) a

relic.

solemn festival for the

But the great thera Mahinda went with

disciples

his

company

to the beautiful Mahamegha-grove and rested

of 39

there.

During the night the elephant paced around the place with 40
the relic; through the day he stood with the relic in the
When the 41
hall on the spot (destined) for the Bodhi-tree.
3
monarch, obedient to the thera's wish, had built up the thupa
knee-high above that (brick-)work and had caused the (festival 42

down of the relic to be proclaimed in that same

thither and from this region and that, from
went
he
place,
assembled there.
a
multitude
every side
of the) laying

this assembly the relic rose up in the air from the 43

at the
elephant's back, and floating in the air plain to view,
of seven talas, throwing the people into amazement, 44

Amid

height
1

Read anapetva,

See note to

as in good MSS., instead of

anapetva.

10. 84.

According to the MSS. ci nape tva should be read, not khanapetva (TURNOUR). The sense is as follows The original brickwork,
3

remains standing. Its surface forms the base

Round about and from this the building of
for the relic-chamber.
the thupa is continued knee-high (janghamatta) so as to be
as described in

v.

35,

finished in the shape of a hemisphere, after the placing of the relic in

the chamber thus formed.

Mahavamsa

120
it

xvii. 45

1
wrought that miracle of the double appearances, that

caused the hair (of the beholders) to stand on end, even as (did)

45 the Buddha under the Gandamba-tree. By the rays of light

and streams of water pouring down therefrom was the whole
land of Lanka illumined and flooded again and again.

46

When

the Conqueror lay stretched upon the couch of the

the five great resolutions were formed by him,
nibbana
great
who was endowed with the five eyes. 2

'The south branch

of the great Bodhi-tree, grasped by

of itself, shall place itself in a vase.
detached
Asoka, being
it
is
so
the
48 When
branch, illumining all the regions of
placed
the world, shall put forth lovely rays of six colours from its

47

Then, rising up with the golden vase, this

delightful (tree) shall abide invisible for seven days in the
50 region of snow.
right collar-bone, if it be laid in the
in
rise
the air and perform the miracle of
shall
Thuparama,

49 fruits and leaves.

My

If my pure relics, filling a dona51 the double appearances.

in
laid
the
are
measure,
Hemamalika-cetiya, that ornament of

52 Lanka, they shall take the form of the Buddha, and rising and
floating in the air, they shall take their place after having
wrought the miracle of the double appearances.'

Thus did the Tathagata form five resolutions and therefore

54 was the miracle then wrought by the relic. Coming down
from the air it rested on the head of the monarch, and full of
53

So soon as the relic was

55 joy the king laid it in the cetiya.
laid in the cetiya a wondrous great earthquake came to pass,
Thus are the Buddhas incompre56 causing a thrill (of awe).
and incomprehensible is the nature of the Buddhas,
and incomprehensible is the reward of those who have faith in
hensible,

the incomprehensible.
1
This yamakam patihariyam is mentioned again
(ambamule patihiram) and 31. 99. The reference is

30.

82

to the

miracle performed by the Buddha in Savatthi, to refute the heretical

teachers (cf. Samanta-pasadika, OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. iii, p. 332 16 ).
It consisted in the appearance of phenomena of opposite character
pairs, as for example, streaming forth of fire and water.
This same miracle was performed by the Buddha repeatedly.

in

(FAUSBOLL, Jataka,
2

Cf.

note to

3. 1.

i,

p. 77

22
,

88 20 .)

121

The Arrival of the Eelics

xvii. 65

When

the people saw the miracle they had faith in the 57

Conqueror. But the prince Mattabhaya, the king's younger

who had faith in the King of Sages, begged leave of 58

the king of men and received the pabbajja of the doctrine
with a thousand of his followers.
brother,

And from Cetavigama and also from Dvaramandala 1 and also

59

from Viharablja, even as from Gallakapltha and from Upatis- 60

2
sagama, from each of these there received gladly the pabbajja
five

hundred young men in

whom

faith in the Tathagata

had

been awakened.

So all these who, (coming) from within the city and with- 61
out (the city), had received the pabbajja of the Conqueror's
doctrine now numbered thirty thousand bhikkhus.

When

the ruler of the earth had completed the beautiful 62

Thuparama he caused it to be worshipped per-

in the

thupa

The women 63
petually with gifts of many jewels and so forth.
of the royal household, the nobles, ministers, townspeople, and
also all the country-folk

brought each their offerings.

And

here the king founded a vihara, the thupa of which 64

had been built before ; for that reason this vihara was known

by the name Thuparama.

Thus by these relics of

body the Master of the World, 65

being already passed into nibbana, truly bestowed salvation
and bliss in abundance on mankind. How can there be discourse (of this, as

it

his

was) when the Conqueror yet lived ?

Here ends the seventeenth chapter, called c The Arrival of

the Relics ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.
1

See note to 10.

1.

See note to

7.

44.

CHAPTER

XVIII

THE RECEIVING OF THE GREAT BODHI-TREE

THE monarch remembered

the word spoken by the thera,

that he should send for the great Bodhi-tree and the then,
2 and when, on a certain day during the rain-season, he was
1

sitting- in his

own

city with the thera

with his ministers he entrusted his

and had taken counsel

own nephew,

his minister

named

Arittha, with this business.

When he had pondered (on the matter) and had sum4 moned him he spoke to him in these words
Canst thou per'

my dear, go

chance,

to

Dhammasoka

to bring hither the great

'

'

5 Bodhi-tree and the therl

Samghamitta

if

I be allowed,

when

hither,

your majesty,

I can bring them

I am come back,

'

most exalted
'
6
So be it,' answered the king and sent him thence. When
he had received the command of the thera and the king and
to receive the pabbajja,

had taken

his leave

bright half of the

he set forth on the second day of the

month Assayuja, 1 and having embarked,

8 filled with zeal

(for his mission) at the

haven Jambukola and

having passed over the great ocean he came, by the power of

the thera's will, to the pleasant Pupphapura 2 even on the day
of his departure.

The queen Anula, who, with

hundred maidens and

five

women

10 hundred
3

precepts,

five

of the royal harem had accepted the ten

did (meanwhile) pious as she was, (wearing) the

See note to

1.

See note to

4. 31.

12.

Dasasilam. These are the precepts: (1) not to kill any living
being, (2) to refrain from taking the property of others, (3) not to
commit adultery, (4) to avoid lying, (5) to drink no intoxicating drink,
(6)

only to take food at certain prescribed hours,

(7)

to avoid worldly

amusements, (8) to use neither unguents nor ornaments, (9) not to

sleep on a high or decorated bed, (10) not to accept any gold or silver.
There are also frequent references to the five or eight pledges which

The Eeceiving of tine Great Bodhi-tree

XVIIL 22

123

yellow robe, waiting for the pabbajja, in discipline, looking for

the coming of the theii, take up her abode, leading a holy life,
1

1 1

in the pleasant nunnery built by the king in a certain part of

the city.
Since the nunnery was inhabited by these lay- 12
sisters it became known in Lanka by the name Upasika-

vihara. 1

When

the nephew Maharittha had delivered the king's 13

king Dhammasoka he gave him (also) the thera's

to the

message

The spouse

message

of the brother of

thy friend, of the

thou elephant

among kings, lives,

king (Devanampiya),
longing for the pabbajja, constantly in stern discipline. To be- 15
stow on her the pabbajja do thou send the bhikkhum Samghamitta and with her the south branch of the great Bodhi-tree.'
And the same matter, even as the thera had charged him, 16

he told the then

the then went to her father (Asoka) and

him the thera's purpose.

The king said
How shall

told

I, when I no longer behold thee,

dear one, master the grief aroused by the parting with son and
'

'

grandson ?
She answered: 'Weighty

is

the word of

my

brother,

18

must receive the pabbajja ;

'The great Bodhi-trees 19
must not be injured with a knife, how then can I have a
branch
mused the king. Then when he, following the 20
counsel of his minister Mahadeva, had invited the community
of bhikkhus and had shown them hospitality the monarch
great king
therefore

many

are they that

must I depart

thither.'

'

asked

'

'

Shall the great Bodhi-tree be sent to Lanka, sirs ?

21
The thera Moggaliptttta answered: ' It shall be sent thither,'
and he related to the king the five great resolutions that the 22
:

(Buddha) gifted with the

one

five eyes

take on oneself.

had formed. 3

These are the first five or eight respectively

For members of the order the third precept is
more rigorous, since sexual intercourse must be avoided altogether.
See note on 1. 62.
I. e.
Vihara of the lay -sisters.'
2
That is, from Mahinda and Sumana, the son of Samghamitta and

may

of the above series.

'

Aggibrahma
3

See

17.

(5.

46

170

foil.

13. 4, &c.).

124
23

MaJiavamsa

When

xvill. 23

the ruler of the earth heard this he was glad, and

the road, seven yojanas long-, leading to

when he had caused

the great Bodhi-tree to be carefully cleaned he adorned it in

24 manifold ways, and gold he caused to be brought to make ready
a vase. Vissakamma, 1 who appeared in the semblance of

25 a goldsmith, asked: '

Then being answered

How
'

26

make

it/

large shall I

make

the vase?'

Thyself deciding the size do thou

he took the gold, and having moulded it with his

in that very moment and departed

hand he made a vase

thence.

27

When

the king had received the beautiful vase measuring

2
around and five cubits in depth and three cubits

nine cubits

28 across, being eight finger-breadths thick, having the upper

edge of the size of a young elephant's trunk, being in radiancy
29 equal to the young (morning) sun; when, with his army of
four divisions 3 stretching to a length of seven yojanas and
a width of three yojanas, and with a great company of
30 bhikkhus, he had gone to the great Bodhi-tree, decked with
manifold ornaments, gleaming with various jewels and gar31 landed with many coloured flags; 4 when he, moreover, had

ranged his troops about (the

and resounding with

flowers

tree),

bestrewn with manifold

many

kinds of music and had

round with a tent; when in seemly wise he had

surrounded himself and the great Bodhi-tree with a thousand

32 covered

it

great theras at the head of a great company (of bhikkhus)

and with more than a thousand princes who had been

33 anointed as king, he gazed up with folded hands at the great

Bodhi-tree.

Then from

34

its

south bough the branches vanished, leaving

a stump four cubits long.

1

The God of skill;

See note to

Skt.

VUvakarman.

15. 16.

8
Caturangini sena, consisting of foot-soldiers, cavalry, combatants in chariots, and elephants.
4
On the world-wide custom of decking out sacred trees with gay
strips of stuff see ANDREE, Ethnogr. Paralhlen und Vergleiche, p. 58

Concerning such a Lappenbaum on the Terrace of the Ruwanwaeli-dagaba in Anuradhapura, see GEIUER, Ceylon, p. 181.
foil.

'

'

The Eeceiving of the Great Bodhi-tree

xviii. 46

When

125

the ruler of the earth saw the miracle he cried out, 35

'

great Bodhi-tree by bestowing

and
the
monarch consecrated the great 36
kingship (thereon),'
When he had worBodhi-tree as king of his great realm.
the
Bodhi-tree
with
shipped
great
gifts of flowers and so

rejoicing

I worship the

and had passed round it three times turning to the

and had done reverence to it at eight points 2 with 37
folded hands, he had the golden vase placed upon a seat
inlaid with gold, adorned with various gems and easy to 38
mount, reaching to the height of the bough and when, in
order to receive the sacred branch, he had mounted upon it,
grasping a pencil of red arsenic with a golden handle he drew 39
(with this) a line about the bough and uttered the solemn

forth,
left

declaration

3
:

'So truly as the great Bodhi-tree shall go hence to the 40

of Lanka, and so truly as I shall stand unalterably firm
in the doctrine of the Buddha, shall this fair south branch of 41
isle

the great Bodhi-tree, severed of

this golden vase/

Then the great Bodhi-tree

where the
earth.

line was, floating

Above the

itself,

take

place here in

severed, of itself, at the place 42

above the vase

line first

its

filled

with fragrant

(drawn) the ruler of

men

drew, 43

finger-breadths, round about ten

And
ten strong roots springing from 44
(further) pencil-strokes.
the first and ten slender from each of the other (lines) dropped
(a distance of)

at

down, forming a

three

net.

When

the king saw this miracle he uttered even there, 45

greatly gladdened, a cry of joy, and with him his followers
all around and the community of bhikkhus raised, with glad 46
1

Tipadakkhinam katva,

manner that the thing

i.e.

had walked round

or person worshipped

is

it in such a
kept on the right

hand.
2

I.e. at

the four cardinal points, E., N., &c., as well as the inter-

mediate points, NE., NW., &c.

3

The conception of the saccakiriya,

'

effect of the truth,' is

hardly to be rendered in a translation. Beside the declaration it
includes a wish. The saccakiriya is always given in this form if
or so truly as such and such is the case shall such and such a thing
come to pass. See CHILDEKS, P. D., s.v.
lit.

Mahavamsa

126

hearts, cries of salutation

xvill. 47

and round about was a thousandfold

of stuffs.

47

waving
Thus with a hundred

roots the great Bodhi-tree set itself

in the fragrant earth, converting the people to the

Ten cubits long was the stem five lovely branches
48 faith.

there

(were thereon), each four cubits long and (each) adorned with
five
49
fruits, and on these branches were a thousand twigs.

Such was the ravishing and auspicious great Bodhi-tree.

At the moment that the great Bodhi-tree set itself in the

vase the earth quaked and wonders of many kinds came to
51 pass. By the resounding of the instruments of music (which
50

gave out sound) of .themselves among gods and men, by the

ringing-out of the shout of salutation from the hosts of devas
52 and brahmas, 1 by the crash of the clouds, (the voices) of
beasts and birds, of the yakkhas and so forth and by the crash

53 of the quaking of the earth

all

was

in one tumult.

Beautiful

rays of six colours going forth from the fruits and leaves of
54 the Bodhi-tree made the whole universe to shine. Then
rising in the air with the vase the great Bodhi-tree stayed
for seven days invisible in the region of the snow.

55

The king came down from

his seat

and sojourning there

for seven days he continually brought offerings in many ways

56 to the great Bodhi-tree. When the week was gone by all

the snow-clouds and

all

the rays likewise entered into the

57 great Bodhi-tree, and in the clear atmosphere the glorious

great Bodhi-tree was displayed to the whole people, planted
58 in the golden vase. Whilst wonders of many kinds came to
pass the great Bodhi-tree, plunging mankind into amazement,
descended on the earth.
59

Rejoiced by the many wonders the great king worshipped

again the great Bodhi-tree by (bestowing on it) his great

60 kingdom, and, when he had consecrated the great Bodhi-tree

unto great kingship he abode, worshipping it with divers
offerings, yet another

61

week

in that

same

place.

In the bright half of the month Assayuja on the fifteenth

uposatha-day he received the great Bodhi-tree; two weeks
1

I. e.

Cf.

gods of lower and higher rank.

on 53-54 the prophecy in 17. 48,

49.

xvin. 68

The Receiving

oftlie Great JBodhi-tree

after in the dark half of the

month Assayuja on the

127
four- 62

teenth-uposatha day the lord of chariots brought the great

Bodhi-tree, having placed it on a beautiful car on the same 63
day, amid offerings, to his capital ; and when he had built
a beautiful hall (for it) adorned in manifold ways, and there 64
first day of the bright half of the month Kattika had
caused the great Bodhi-tree to be placed on the east side of
the foot of a beautiful and great sala-tree, he allotted to it 65

on the

day by day many

But on the seventeenth day

offerings.

after the receiving (of the tree) new shoots appeared on it all 66
at once ; therefore, rejoicing, the lord of men once more wor-

shipped the great Bodhi-tree by bestowing kingship upon it.

the great ruler had consecrated the great Bodhi- 67
tree unto kingship he appointed a festival of offerings in
divers forms for the great Bodhi-tree.

When

So

it

came

to pass that the festival of adoration of the

great Bodhi-tree, vivid with gay and lovely flags, great,

brilliant and splendid, in the city of flowers, opened the hearts
of gods and men (to the faith) (even as) in the lake the sun
1
(opens the lotuses).

Here ends the eighteenth chapter, called The Receiving of

the Great Bodhi-tree', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
'

The

festival of

the Bodhi-tree

is

compared to the sun (saramsa),

the city of flowers, i.e. Pataliputta, to the lake (saras), and the
hearts of gods and men to the lotus-flowers, growing in the lake.

68

CHAPTER XIX
THE COMING OF THE BODHI-TREE
WHEN the lord of chariots had appointed to watch over the
Bodhi-tree eighteen persons 1 from royal families and eight
2 from families of ministers, and moreover eight persons from
1

brahman
3

families

and eight from families of traders and

persons from the cowherds likewise, and from the hyena

and sparrowhawk-clans, 2 (from each one man), and also from

the weavers and potters and from all the handicrafts, from
and the yakkhas; when then the most exalted

4 the nagas

prince had given

them eight

vessels of gold

and eight of

and had brought the great Bodhi-tree to a ship on the

5 Ganges, and likewise the theri Samghamitta with eleven
bhikkhums, and when he had caused those among whom
6 Arittha was first to embark on that same ship, he fared forth
from the city, and passing over the Vinjha- mountains the
silver,

4
prince arrived, in just one week, at Tamalittl.
The gods also and the nagas and men who were worshipping
7
the great Bodhi-tree with the most splendid offerings, arrived

8 in just

one week.

The

ruler of the earth,

who had

caused

the great Bodhi-tree to be placed on the shore of the great

1
In devakula the word deva is evidently to be taken in the
sense of 'king', and merely as a synonym of khattiya. Kula
means here, as below in 30 and 31, the individual belonging to a

class or craft.

Taraccha (= Skt. taraksa) 'hyena', and kulinga (=Skt.

kulinga), the name of a bird of prey, the 'fork-tailed shrike', seem
here to designate certain clans or crafts. Perhaps the names have
a totemistic origin. FRAZER, Totemism, p. 3 foil.
3
To water the tree during the journey.
2

The king

the Ganges.

and

Vindhya range to the mouth of

Here he again meets the ship carrying the Bodhi-tree

travels by land over the

its escort.

On

Tamalittl, see note to 11. 38.

129

The Coming of the Bodhi-tree

xix. 20

ocean, worshipped it once

more by (bestowing upon

it)

the

great kingship.
When the wish-fulfiller had consecrated the great Bodhi- 9
tree as a great monarch, he then, on the first day of the
1
bright half of the month Maggasira, commanded that the
same noble persons, eight of each (of the families) appointed 10
at the foot of the great sala-tree to escort 2 the great Bodhi-

tree,

should raise up the great Bodhi-tree

and, descending
till it reached his neck, he caused it to
;

1 1

there into the water

down

be set

in seemly wise on the

When

ship.

he had 12

brought the great then with the (other) theris on to the

ship he spoke these words to the chief minister Maharittha
:

'

Three times have I worshipped the great Bodhi-tree by

(bestowing) kingship (upon

friend also worship

Even

it).

so shall the

king

my

it

by (bestowing) kingship (upon it)/

When the great king had spoken thus he stood with folded 14
hands on the shore, and as he gazed after the vanishing great
'

Sending forth a net like rays of 15

sunshine the great Bodhi-tree of the (Buddha) gifted with the
'
ten powers 3 departs, alas from hence
Bodhi-tree he shed tears.

from the great Bodhi-tree 16

Dhammasoka returned weeping and lamenting to his capital.
Filled with sorrow at parting

The

ship, laden

stilled.

with the great Bodhi-tree, fared forth into 17

waves of the great ocean were

A yojana around the

the sea.

Lotus-flowers of the five colours blossomed

and manifold instruments of music resounded

By many

devatas

many

all

around

in the air.

offerings were provided,

and the 19

nagas practised their magic to win the great Bodhi-tree.

The great

theri

Samghamitta, who had reached the last goal 20

form of a griffin 4 terrified

of supernormal powers, taking the

1

See note to

Uccaretum mahabodhim

passage

is

1. 12.

related directly to 19.

is
1,

dependent on dinnehi.

Tho

Mahabodhirakkhanattham

datvana.
3

Of.

The supanna

note to

3. 6.

(Skt.

suparna) or garula

(Skt.

garuda) are

mythical creatures who are imagined as winged and are always considered as the sworn foes of the nagas. See GRUNWEDEL, Buddhist.
Kunst in Indien, p. 47 foil,

Mahavamsa

130

XIX. 2 1

21 the great snakes.

Terrified, the great snakes betook them to
the great theii with entreaties, and when they had escorted

the great Bodhi-tree from thence to the realm of the serpents

22 and had worshipped it for a week by (bestowing on it) the

kingship of the nagas and by manifold offerings they brought
23 it again and set it upon the ship. And on that same day
the great Bodhi-tree arrived here

at Jambukola.

King Devanampiyatissa, thoughtful

for the welfare of the

24 world, having heard before from the samanera Sumana of its

arrival, did, from the first day of the month Maggasira on25 wards, being always full of zeal, cause the whole of the highroad from the north gate even to Jambukola to be made

26 ready, awaiting the arrival of the great Bodhi-tree, and

abiding on the sea-shore, in the place where the Samudda2
pannasala (afterwards) was, he, by the wondrous power of
the then, saw the great Bodhi-tree coming.

built upon that spot to make known this

here by the name Samuddapannasala.
28
By the power of the great thera and together with the
(other) theras the king came, with his retinue, on that same

The

27

hall that

miracle was

was

known

day to Jambukola.
4
29
Then, uttering an exulting cry moved by joyous agitation
at the coming of the great Bodhi-tree, he, the splendid (king),
30 descended even neck-deep into the water; and when together
with sixteen persons 5 (of noble families) he had taken the
great Bodhi-tree upon his head, had lifted it down upon the
1
2

I.e. in

I.e.

Ceylon.
the sea-hut.

In the reading of the text accepted by the Colombo Editors

the verb is missing from the sentence.
Only the text of the Burmese MSS. tadahe vagama raja yields a

tadahe va maharaja,
correct construction.

Udanayam. By udana is understood an utterance, mostly in

metrical form, inspired by a particularly intense emotion, whether
it be joyous or sorrowful.
The udana of Devanampiyatissa in the
4

circumstances described was according to the Tlka: agato vata re

dasabalassa saramsijalavisajjanako bodhirukkho, an exact
parallel to
8

v. 15.

Kulehi.

Cf.

on

this note to 19.

1.

131

The Coming of the Bodhi-tree

xix. 43

shore and caused

it

to be set in a beautiful pavilion, the king 31

Lanka worshipped

it by (bestowing on it) the kingship

he had then entrusted his own government to the sixteen persons and he himself had taken the 32

of

When

of Lanka.

duties

a doorkeeper, the lord

of

manded solemn ceremonies

of

of

many

men

forthwith com-

kinds to be carried out

for three days.

On the tenth day he placed the great Bodhi-tree upon 33

a beautiful car and he, the king of men, accompanying this,
the king of trees, he who had knowledge of the (right) places 34
where the Eastern Monastery
(afterwards) was and commanded a morning meal for the
Here the great thera 35
people together with the brotherhood.
caused

it

Mahinda

to be placed on the spot

related fully to the

1
king the subduing of the nagas

which had been achieved by the (Buddha) gifted with the

ten powers.
When the monarch heard this from the thera he caused 36

monuments

to be raised here

and there

in such places as

had

been frequented by the Master by resting there or in other

And, moreover, when he had caused the great Bodhi- 37
ways.

down at the entrance to the village of the

brahman Tivakka and in this and that place besides, he,
tree to be set

(escorting

it)

on the road, sprinkled with white eand, bestrewn 38

with various flowers, and adorned with planted pennons and

festoons of blossoms, bringing thereto offerings unweariedly, 39

day and night, brought the great Bodhi-tree on the fourteenth

day to the neighbourhood of the city of Anuradhapura, and 40
after, at the time when the shadows increase, he had entered
the city worthily adorned by the north gate amid offerings,
and (when he then), leaving the city again by the south gate, 41
had entered the Mahameghavanarama consecrated by four
2
Buddhas, and here had brought (the tree) to the spot worthily 42
prepared by Sumana's command, to the lovely place where

the former Bodhi-trees had stood, he, with those sixteen noble 43
1

The reference

is

to the second visit of the

the events related in Mah.

2

The comma

after

out and placed after

I.

Buddha

to Ceylon,

and

44-70.

pavesiya in Mah. ed. v. 41 b should be

catubuddhanisevitam.

struck

132

Maliavamsa

xix. 44

who were

wearing- royal ornaments, lifted down the

great Bodhi-tree and loosed his hold to set it down.
44
Hardly had he let it leave his hands but it rose up eighty
cubits into the air, and floating thus it sent forth glorious
persons,

45 rays of six colours.

Spreading over the island, reaching to
46 the Brahma- world, these lovely rays lasted till sunset. Ten
thousand persons, who were filled with faith by reason of
this miracle, gaining the spiritual insight

arahantship, received here the pabbajja.

When the great Bodhi-tree at sunset was
47
in the air)
(its place
48 constellation Rohim.

it

and attaining

to

come down from

stood firm on the earth under the

Then did the earth quake.

The

roots

growing over the brim of the vase struck down into the earth,
49 closing in the vase. When the great Bodhi-tree had taken
its place all the people who had come together from (the
country) round, worshipped it with offerings of perfumes,
tremendous cloud poured forth rain,
50 flowers and so forth.

and cool and dense mists from the snow-region surrounded

Seven days did the
51 the great Bodhi-tree on every side.
great Bodhi-tree abide there, awaking faith among the people
52 invisible in the region of the snow. At the end of the week

the clouds vanished and

all

visible

53

and the rays of

the great Bodhi-tree became

six colours.

The great thera Mahinda and the bhikkhun! Samghamitta

went thither with

54 following.
55

The

their following and the king also with his

nobles of Kajaragama 1 and the nobles of

Candanagama and the Brahman Tivakka and the people

who dwelt in the island came thither also by the power of

too

the

gods, (with minds) eagerly set upon a festival of the great

Amid this great assembly, plunged into amazeBodhi-tree.
56 ment by this miracle, there grew out of the east branch, even
as they gazed, a faultless fruit.
This having fallen off the thera took

it

57 to the king to plant. In a golden vase

mingled with perfumes, placed on the
1

Now Kataragama on
foil.

spot

it

with earth

where

the

the Menik-ganga, about ten miles north

See PARKER, Ancient

of Tissamaharama in the province of Rohana.

Ceylon, p. 114

up and gave
filled

The Coming of the Bodhi-tree

xix. 68

133

(afterwards) was, the ruler planted it. And while 58

yet gazed, there grew, springing from it, eight
and they stood there, young Bodhi-trees four cubits

Mahaasana
they
shoots

all
;

high.

When

the king saw the young Bodhi-trees he, with senses 59

l
amazed, worshipped them by the gift of a white parasol
and bestowed royal consecration on them.

all

Of

the eight Bodhi-saplings one was planted at the landing- 60

place Jambukola on the spot where the great Bodhi-tree had
stood, after leaving the ship, one in the village of the 61

Brahman Tivakka, one moreover

in the

Thuparama, one

in

the Issarasamanarama, 2 one in the Court of the First thupa, 3

one in the arama of the Cetiya-mountain, one in Kajara- 62

Candanagama. But the other thirty-two 63

4
Bodhi-saplings which sprang from four (later) fruits (were
planted) in a circle, at a distance of a yojana, here and there

gama and one

in

in the viharas.

When

thus, for the salvation of the people dwelling in the 64

island, by the majesty of the Sammasambuddha, the king of

the great Bodhi-tree was planted, Anula with her 65

following having received the pabbajja from the then Sam-

trees,

ghamitta, attained to arahantship. The prince Arittha also, 66

with a retinue of five hundred men, having received the
pabbajja from the thera, attained to arahantship. The eight 67
(persons from the) merchant-guilds who had brought the
'
great Bodhi-tree hither were named therefrom the Guild of
the Bodhi-bearers '.

In the nunnery, which

is

known

as the Upasikavihara

Setacchatta, as symbol of royal rank.

According to the Rasavahim (ed. Saranatissatthera, Colombo, 1901,
32 situated on the dam
of the Tissavapi, now Issurumu1899), ii. 88
about
a mile south of the Mahavihara in Anuradhapura.
nagala,
2

Pathamacetiya.

This

See note to

to be taken as

14. 45.

meaning that on four other branches of

the tree the same miracle was accomplished as already described.
Thus the Tika also says: pacinasakhato avasesasu ca catusu
sakhasu gahitehi itarehi pakkaphalehi jata, sambhuta
is

uppanna
6

ti

Cf. 18. 12.

attho.

68

Mahavamsa

134

XIX

69

the great then Samghamitta dwelt with her company (of

69 nuns). She caused twelve buildings to be erected there, of

which three buildings were important before others ; in one

70 of these great buildings she caused the mast of the ship that
had come with the great Bodhi-tree to be set up, in one the
1
rudder, and in one the helm, from these they were named.

when

71 Also

other sects

arose these twelve

buildings were

always used by the Hatthalhaka-bhikkhums.

The king's state- elephant that was used to wander about at
72
3

liked to stay on one side of the city in a cool grotto, on

the border of a Kadamba-flower-thicket, when he went to feed.
Since they knew that this place was pleasing to the elephant

73 will

One day the elephant

74 they put up a post 4 in the same spot.
to
fodder
would not take the
(offered
him) and the king
questioned the thera who had converted the island as to the
The elephant would fain have a thupa built in the
76 Kadamba-flower-thicket/ the great thera told the great king.
Swiftly did the king, who was ever intent on the welfare of

75 reason.

'

his people, build a thupa,

a house for the thupa. 5

with a

relic, in

that very place and

The great then Samghamitta, who longed

for a quiet
of
too
because
the
great crowding of the
dwelling-place,
who
mindful
for the progress
she
was
she
where
78 vihara
dwelt,
of
the bhikkhums, the wise one
of the doctrine and the good

77

79

who

desired another abode for the

the fair cetiya-house, pleasant by

bhikkhums went (once) to

remoteness, and there she

its

Kupayatthi, piya, aritta. According to the Tika the three

agarani bore the names Culaganagara, Mahaganagara and Siriva1

ddhagara. They were afterwards designated Kupayatthithapitaghara

(Piyathapitaghara, Arittathapitaghara), House where the mast and
'

so forth is set up.'

2

The Tika names

as

an example the

sect of the

Dhammarucikas.

Cf. 5. 13.'

The episode is to explain how the dwellers in the Upasikavihara

came by the name Hatthalhaka (i.e. 'elephant-post-nuns ), mentioned by the poet in v. 71.
4
Alhaka, to tether the elephant during the night.
8

v.

Thupassa gharam, thupagharam,

79, 82.

See Appendix,

s.v.

thupa.

or

cetiyagharam,

as in

The Coming of'the Bodhi-tree

xix. 85

135

the skilled (in choice) of dwelling-places, the blameless, stayed

the day through.
When the king

came

to the convent for bhikkhunls to 80

salute the then, he, hearing that she had gone thither, went
also and when he had greeted her there and talked with her gl

and had heard the wish that was the cause of her going
thither, then did he, who was skilled in (perceiving) the
desires (of others), the wise, the great monarch Devanampiya- 82
order to be erected a pleasing convent for the bhikkhunls round about the thupa-house.
Since the convent for 83
tissa,

the bhikkhunls was built near to the elephant-post therefore

was it known by the name Hatthalhaka-vihara.

The well-beloved, the great

wisdom now took up her abode

Samghamitta of lofty 34
in this pleasing convent for

therl

bhikkhunls.

Bringing about in such wise the good of the dwellers in 85

Lanka, the progress of the doctrine, the king of trees, the
great Bodhi-tree, lasted long time on the island of Lanka,
in

the

pleasant

Mahamegha-grove,

endowed with many

wondrous powers.

Here ends the nineteenth chapter, called e The Coming of

the Bodhi-tree', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene
joy and emotion of the pious.

CHAPTEE XX
THE NIBBANA OF THE THERA
IN the eighteenth year (of the reign) of king Dhammasoka,
the great Bodhi-tree was planted in the Mahameghavanarama.
2 In the twelfth year afterwards died the dear consort of the
1

king, Asamdhimitta, the faithful (believer) in the Sambuddha.

In the fourth year after this the ruler of the earth Dhamma-

soka raised the treacherous Tissarakkha to the rank of queen.

4 In the third year thereafter this fool, in the pride of her
c
Forsooth, the king worships
beauty, with the thought
5 the great Bodhi-tree to my cost
drawn into the power of
:

'

hate and working her

own harm, caused

the great Bodhi-tree

6 to perish by means of a mandu- thorn. 1

In the fourth year
after did Dhammasoka of high renown fall into the power of

These make up thirty-seven years.

But when king Devanampiyatissa, whose delight was

mortality.
7

in

the blessing of the true doctrine, had brought to completion

8 in seemly wise his undertakings in the Mahavihara, on the
Cetiya-mountain and also in the Thuparama, he asked this
question of the thera who had converted the island, who was
9 skilled in (answering) questions
'Sir, I would fain found
:

many

viharas here; whence shall I get

in the thupas ?
'

he

There are the

filled

me

the relics to place

'

relics

brought hither by Sumana, with which

Sambuddha and which were placed

the bowl of the

here on the Cetiya-mountain,

king. Have these relics placed
on the back of an elephant and brought hither/ Thus addressed
12 by the thera he brought thus the relics hither.
Founding

1 1

viharas a yojana distant from one another he caused the relics

1

In the Dadhivahana-jataka (FAUSBOLL, Jcitaka, ii, p. 105 1 ) is

how the kernel of a mango-fruit is deprived of its germinating

related

power by being pierced with a mandu-thorn.

MAP

OF

ANURADHAPURA
Kolambahalaka

Manisomarama

Abhayagiri-vihara
Jetavana-Dag.

iern

IV a //

nSilasqbbhakandaka
Lafikarama-Ddg.

^uthern W*
OThuparama
or

vana
Mahathu r .
Rutvanwceli-Dag

^adLohapasada
hMahavihara

Maricavattivihara

^ Sacred Bodhi

Mirisw&ti-Dag.

vana

ODakkhina-vih
f/jro

Issarasamana
vihara

TbmA

Ancient Names=

Mahathupa

Modern Names =

Ruwan woeli

The Nibbana of the Them

XX. 22

137
But the bowl 13

to be placed there in the thupas, in due order.

Sambuddha had used the king kept

that the

in his beautiful

and worshipped continually with manifold offerings.

(vihara that was built) in the place where the five 14
hundred nobles dwelt when they had received the pabbajja
from the great thera, 1 was (named) Issarasamanaka. 2 That 15
3
dwelt,
(vihara that was built) where five hundred vessas
when they had received the pabbajja from the great thera,
was (called) in like manner Vessagiri. But as for the grotto 16
palace

The

by the great thera Mahinda, in the vihara built

'
4
the
it was called the Mahinda-grotto '.
mountain,
upon
5
First the Mahavihara, then the (monastery) named Cetiya- 17

inhabited

vihara, third the

beautiful

Thuparama,

which the thupa

18
(itself) preceded, fourth the planting of the great Bodhi-tree,
then fifth the (setting up) in seemly wise (of the) beautiful
stone pillar which was intended to point to the place of the
thupa, on the place where the Great cetiya (afterwards) was, 19

and

also
7

the enshrining of the Sambuddha's collar-bone

the Issarasamana (vihara), seventh the Tissa- 20

sixth

relic,

tank, eighth the Pathamathupa, ninth the (vihara) called

21
Vessa(giri), then that pleasant (nunnery) which was known
as the Upasika(vihara) and the (vihara) called the Hatthal-

haka, those two convents as goodly dwellings for the bhikkhums; and (furthermore) for the accepting of food by the 22
1
3

is

Cf. for this, 19. 66.

See note to 19. 61.

people of the third caste (Skt. vaisya). The Vessagiri-vihara

situated near Anuradhapura, south of Issarasamanaka- vihara, Arch.
I.e.

Surv. of Ceylon, Annual Rep. 1906 (xx. 1910), pp. 8-10; E. MULLER,
Ancient Inscriptions of Ceylon, pp. 32, 33 WICKREMASINGHE, EpigrapTiia Zeylanica, i, p. 10 foil.
;

I. e. in
Cetiyapabbata-vihara on Mihintale. I would now prefer to
take the words sapabbate vihare ('in the monastery, which, or
the name of which was connected with the mountain ') as belonging

to the relative clause

of after
5

Cf.

See

On

see
8

y a ya

&c.,

and

to place the

here instead

On

givadhatu

note to 15. 214.

17.

62-64.

cf. Mah. ed., pp. xxix, xxx.

on the silayupa 15. 173.
See note on 14. 45.

1.

comma

guha.

this passage

37

foil.,

the

138

Maliavamsa

XX. 23

when they were

brotherhood of bhikkhus
23 ing of the bhikkhums

the dwell-

visiting-

(called)

Hatthalhaka(vihara),

the

refectory called Mahapali, easy of approach, beautiful, stored

24 with
gifts,

all

provisions
consisting of

and provided with

the

service

then lavish

needful utensils for a

thousand

bhikkhus, (which things he gave) on the pavarana-day, every

25 year; in Nagadipa the Jambukolavihara at this landing
these
26 place, 2 the Tissamahavihara 3 and the Pacmarama 4
:

works, caring for the

salvation

of

the people of Lanka,

Devanampiyatissa, king of Lafika, rich in merit and insight,

27 caused to be carried out, even in his first year, as a friend to
virtue, and his whole life through he heaped up works of

Our

28 merit.

island flourished under the lordship of this king;

sway as king.

forty years did he hold

29

After his death, his younger brother since there was no

son, the prince known by the name UTTIYA, held sway piously

But the great

30 as king.

thera,

Mahinda, who had taught the

peerless doctrine of the Master, the sacred writings, the

6
31 precepts of righteousness and the higher perfection, full

1
The instrumental bhikkhusamghena belongs to the verbal
noun gahanam. Subordinate to this noun are the parallel gerunds
osaritva and gantvana, the last being almost a pleonasm. On
this subject the Tika remarks that at that time the monks in order to
receive food went in order of seniority to the Hatthalhaka-convent.
The new hall was built by Devanampiyatissa for this purpose, i. e. as

refectory for the bhikkhus, separate from the nunnery.

2
On Nagadipa (note to 1. 47) as the name of a district of Ceylon
On Jambukola, 11. 23, 38; 18. 7, &c.
see 35. 124; 36. 9.
3
*

In south Ceylon, situated NE. of Hambantota.

I.e. East Monastery in Anuradhapura.'
Cf. 19. 34.
'

Pariyattim patipattim pativedham

ca.

According to

the Tika pariyatti is a synonym of tipitaka, while patipatti

represents the contents of the doctrines of the sacred scripture,

namely, the way leading to deliverance as pointed out by the

precepts of morality (Tika: pariyattisasanassa atthabhuto sila-

dikhandhattayasahito nibbanagamirnaggo). By pa^ivedha

'

(literally

(the

attainment

')

are

meant the nine transcendental conditions

lokuttaradhamma) which

result

from the observance of the

patipatti (Tika: patipattisasanassa phalabhuto navavidhalokuttaradhammo). Those nine conditions of perfection are the

The Nilbdna of the

XX. 42

Them

39

excellently in the island of Lanka, (Mahinda) the light of

Lanka, the teacher of many disciples, he who, like unto the

Master, had wrought great blessing for the people, did, in 32

the eighth year of king Uttiya, while he, being sixty years
1
old, was spending the rain season on the Cetiya- mountain,
pass, victorious over his senses, into nibbana, on the eighth 33

day of the bright half of the month Assayuja. Therefore

this day received his name.
When king Uttiya heard this he went thither, stricken by 34
the dart of sorrow, and when he had paid homage to the
thera and oft and greatly had lamented (over him) he caused the 35
dead body of the thera to be laid forthwith in a golden chest
sprinkled with fragrant oil, and the well closed
laid upon a golden, adorned bier ; and when he

chest to be 36

had caused

it

upon the bier, commanding solemn cereit to be escorted by a great multitude of 37

he
caused
monies,
3
had
that
come
together from this place and that, and
people,

then to be

lifted

commanding due offerings (he 38

to be escorted) on the adorned street to the variously
adorned capital and brought through the city in procession by

by a great levy
caused

of troops;

it

39
the royal highway to the Mahavihara.
When the monarch had caused the bier to be placed here
with triumphal arches, 40
for a week in the Panhambamalaka
pennons, and flowers, and with vases filled with perfumes the
vihara was adorned and a circle of three yojanas around, by 41
the king's decree, but the whole island was adorned in like
manner
the decree of the devas and when the monarch 42

by
had commanded divers offerings throughout the week he

built

'paths' or stages of holiness, with the corresponding

It is,
results, effects ', besides nibbana as the ninth.

four

magga

four

phalani

'

therefore, said that Mahinda had proclaimed the Buddha's doctrine

and the holiness resulting therefrom.
1
Reckoned from upasampada-ordination onwards. Notice the
play on words in vassam satthivasso vasam vasl.
2
Sadhu phussitam. Cf. Jat. vi. 51 10 nivase phussi:

taggale

'in a safe-bolted dwelling

'.

janoghena and baloghena to anayitvana in 38 c,

karento pujanavidhim. This should rather stand quite
independently, as does karento sadhukllanam in 36 d.
3

I refer

not to

140

Mahavamsa

XX. 43

up, turned toward the east in the Theranambandhamalaka,

43 a funeral pyre of sweet smelling wood, leaving the (place of

the later) Great thupa on the right, and when he had brought

44 the beautiful bier thither and caused

it

to be set

upon the

1
pyre he carried out the rites of the dead.
And here did he build a cetiya when he had caused the

45

relics to be gathered together.

Taking the half of the relics
the monarch caused thupas to be built on the Cetiya-mountain
46 and in all the viharas. The place where the burial of this

body had taken place is called, to do him honour,

2
Isibhumahgana.
47
From that time onwards they used to bring the dead
bodies of holy men from three yojanas around to this spot
and there to burn them.
48
When the great then Samghamitta, gifted with the great
supernormal powers and with great wisdom had fulfilled the
duties of the doctrine and had brought much blessing to the
sage's

49 people, she, being fifty-nine years old, in the ninth year of

this same king Uttiya, while she dwelt in the peaceful
50 Hatthalhaka-convent, passed into nibbana. And for her also,

king commanded supreme honours of

week through, and the whole of Lanka was adorned

as for the thera, the

5 1 burial a

as for the thera.

The body

of the

then

laid

upon a

bier did

he cause to be

52 brought when the week was gone by, out of the city; and to
the east of the Thuparama, near the Cittasala 3 (of later
53 times) in sight of the great Bodhi-tree, on the spot pointed
out by the then (herself), he caused the burning to take
And the most wise Uttiya also had a thupa built
place.
there.

The

54

five great theras also, 4

and those theras too of

whom

Arittha was the leader, and many thousand bhikkhus who

55 were freed from the asavas, and also the twelve theris among

whom Samghamitta
1

cf.

stood highest, and

Sakkaram antimam

many thousand

bhik-

'the last honours'.

'Courtyard of the sage.'

'

Many-coloured hall.'
Those who had come to Ceylon with Mahinda. For the following
19. 66 and 19. 5.
I.e.

I.e.

xx. 58

The Nibbana of the

Them

141

khums who were

freed from the asavas, who, endowed with 56

and
great learningdeep insight had expounded the holy
scripture of the Conqueror, the vinaya and the rest, fell, in

time, into the power of mortality.

Ten years did king Uttiya reign;
destroyer of the whole world.

thus

is

mortality the 57

A man

who, although he knows this overmastering, over- 58

whelming, irresistible mortality, yet is not discontented with
the world of existence and does not

feel, in this discontent,

resentment at wrong nor joy in virtue that is the strength

of the fetters of his evil delusion
such an one is knowingly
!

fooled. 1

Here ends the twentieth chapter, called The Nibbana of

', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy
and emotion of the pious.
(

the Thera

1
Wijesinha gives a wrong sense to the clause in taking it as a
question. The verbs nibbindate and kurute belong to the relative sentence. The governing clause is janam pi (so) sammuyhati.

The words t asses a atimohajalabalata are only

parenthesis.

intelligible as a

CHAPTER XXI
THE FIVE KINGS
UTTIYA'S younger brother, MAHASIVA, reigned after his
Being devoted to the

2 death ten years, protecting the pious.

thera Bhaddasala, he huilt the noble vihara, Nagarahgana, in

the eastern quarter (of the city).

Mahasiva's younger brother, SURATISSA, reigned after his

4 death ten years, zealously mindful of meritorious works.
In

the southern quarter (of the city) he founded 1 the Nagarahgana-vihara, in the eastern quarter the vihara (called) Hat5 thikkhandha and the Gonnagirika(vihara) ; on the Vangut6

tara -mountain

the (vihara)

Raheraka the

(vihara)

named Pacinapabbata and near

Kolambahalaka ;

at the

foot

of

the Arittha(mountain) the Makulaka(vihara), to the east 3

the Acchagallaka(vihara), but the Girinelavahanaka(vihara)
these and other pleasing
did
the lord of the earth
hundred,
build on this and the further bank of the river, 4 here and

7 to

the north of Kandanagara;

viharas, in

number

five

8 there in the island of

Lanka, before and while he reigned,

5
during the period of sixty years, piously and justly, devoted
6
before
name
9 to the three gems.
Suvannapindatissa was his
his reign, but he was named Suratissa after the beginning

of the reign.

Two

10

Damilas,

SENA and GUTTAKA,

The verb on which the

See note to 25. 80.

According to

the

accusatives in

Tika

to

v.

sons of a freighter

foil,

the east

depend is kare si

of Anuradhapura

who
in

8.

near

Dahegallaka.
4
I. e. the Mahawseliganga.
6

Sadhukam,

i.e.

according to pious aims,

oppressing the people.

See notes to 1. 62; 12.28.

dhammena

without

143

The Five Kings

xxi. 20

brought horses hither/ conquered the king Suratissa, at the 11

head of a great army and reigned both (together) twenty-two 2

But when ASELA had overpowered them, the

years justly.
son of Mutasiva, the ninth among his brothers, born of the 12
same mother, 3 he ruled

for ten years

onward from that time

in

Anuradhapura.
Damila of noble descent, named ELARA, who came hither 1 3
from the Cola-country 4 to seize on the kingdom, ruled when
he had overpowered king Asela, forty-four years, with even 14

justice

toward

friend

and

on occasions of

foe,

disputes

at law.

At

the head of his bed he had a bell

who

hung up with a long 15

judgement at law mig-ht

The king had only one son and one daughter.
ring it.
When once the son of the ruler was going in a car to the
Tissa-tank, he killed unintentionally a young calf lying on
the road with the mother cow, by driving the wheel over its
The cow came and dragged at the bell in bitterness
neck.
of heart 5 and the king caused his son's head to be severed
(from his body) with that same wheel.
A snake had devoured the young of a bird upon a palmtree.
The hen-bird, mother of the young one, came and
rang the bell. The king caused the snake to be brought to
him, and when its body had been cut open and the young
rope so that those

desired a

16

17

18

bird taken out of

it

he caused

it

to be

hung up upon the

tree.

This is perhaps the meaning of assanavika (lit. 'horse-seafarer*).

The Sinh. Thupavamsa has as-nceviyakuge putvu; the Pujavaliya
Lak-diva-ta asun gena asvacari-de-bae-kenek; the Rajavaliya:
Lak-diva-ta asun gena asuru-de-bie-kenek.
2
Following the reading duve dvavisavassani. See the Intro:

8.
duction,
3
Asela's eight brothers are enumerated in the Tika.

named Abhaya, Devanampiyatissa,

Uttiya, Mahasiva,

Mattabhaya, Suratissa, and Kira.

4
Southern India.
5
Lit.
'With embittered heart.'

Note

They are
Mahanaga,

the play on words

ghattesi ghattitasaya. The Tika paraphrases the

puttasokena kupitacitta.

last

in

word:

19

20

144

Mahavamsa

When

21

the king,

who was

xxi. 2 1

a protector of tradition, albeit

he knew not the peerless virtues of the most precious of the

22 three gems, 1 was going (once) to the Cetiya-mountain to
invite the brotherhood of bhikkhus, he caused, as he arrived
23 upon a car, with the point of the yoke on the waggon, an
The
injury to the thupa of the Conqueror at a (certain) spot.

him

'

King, the thupa has been injured by

had come to pass without his intending
it, yet the king leaped from his car and flung himself down
'
Sever my head also (from
upon the road with the words
25 the trunk) with the wheel/ They answered him ' Injury to
another does our Master in no wise allow ; make thy peace
26 (with the bhikkhus) by restoring the thupa ' and in order to
place (anew) the fifteen stones that had been broken off he
ministers said to

24 thee/

Though

this

2
spent just fifteen thousand kahapanas.
27
An old woman had spread out some rice to dry it in the
sun. The heavens, pouring down rain at an unwonted season,

28 made her rice damp. She took the rice and went and dragged
at the bell.
When he heard about the rain at an unwonted

29 season he dismissed the woman, and in order to decide her

'
A king who observes
cause he underwent a fast, thinking
30 justice surely obtains rain in due season.' The guardian
:

genius who received offerings from him, overpowered by the

fiery heat of (the penances of) the king, went and told the
31 four great kings 3 of this (matter).
They took him with

them and went and told Sakka. Sakka summoned Paj junna 4
The guardian
32 and charged him (to send) rain in due season.
genius who received his offerings told the king. From thenceforth the heavens rained no more during the day throughout

33 his realm

Cf. the

with
2

whom

Cf.

only by night did the heavens give rain once every

note to 21.

8.

By ratanaggassa

the doctrine of the

note to

ratanattaya

is

meant the Buddha,

originates.

4. 13.

These are the four guardians of the world, the lokapala who
usually appear near Indra in the brahmanic pantheon Dhatarattha,
Virulhaka, Virupakkha, and Vessavana, rulers, in the above order, of
the east, south, west, and north.
3

Skt.

Parjanya, the god of

rain.

xxi. 34

Tlie,

145

Five Kings

week, in the middle watch of the night ; and even the little
cisterns everywhere were full (of
water).
Only because he freed himself from the guilt of walking 34
in the path of evil did this
(monarch), though he had not

put aside false beliefs, gain such miraculous power; how

should not then an understanding man, established in pure
belief, renounce here the guilt of walking in the path of
evil ?

Here ends the twenty-first chapter, called The Five Kings',

the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion
'

in

of the pious.

CHAPTEE XXII
THE BIRTH OF PRINCE GAMANI
WHEN

To show

he had slain Elara, DUTTHAGAMANI became king.

clearly how this came to pass the story in due order

(of events) is this

2
3

l
:

King Devanampiyatissa's second brother, the vice-regent

named Mahanaga, was dear to his brother. The king's consort,
that foolish woman, coveted the kingship for her own son and
ever nursed the wish to slay the vice-regent, and while he
was making the tank called Taraccha she sent him a mangofruit

which she had poisoned and

5 (other) mango-fruits.

vice-regent,

ate

Her

little

laid

uppermost among
who had gone with the
when the dish was un-

son

the mango-fruit,

and died therefrom. Upon this the vice-regent, with

his wives, men and horses, went, to save his life, to Rohana. 2
In the Yatthalaya-vihara 3 his wife, who was with child,

6 covered,

8 bore a son.

he came to
9 wealthy

He

4
Afterwards
gave him his brother's name.
Rohana and as ruler over the whole of Rohana the

prince

reigned in

Mahagama.

He

founded the

On the insertion of the Dutthagamani epic see Dip. and Mah.,

20 (English ed.). In the Nidanakatha (Jat. i. 50 3 ) the story of
the dream of Maya before the birth of the Buddha is inserted with
almost the same introducing words. See WINDISCH, Buddha's Geburt
1

p.

und
2

die Lehre von der Seelemcanderung, p. 156.

The south and

south-east part of the island.

Y at thai ay a.
an appropriate meaning to the name:
'dwelling or temple of the sacrificer'. (Skt. yastar, p. yatthar and
Skt. P. alaya.)
Tradition seems to identify the monastery with the
Yatagala-vihara to the NE. of Point de Galle. The Ceylon National
3

There

However

Review,
4

is

certainly better authority for the form

Y at thai ay a gives

iii,

p. 110.

He was named (after his birthplace and Devanampiyatissa) Yattha-

layakatissa.
6

NE. of Hambantota near the place where the ruins of the

xxir. 22

147

The Birth of Prince Gamani

Nagamahavihara

that bore his

(other) vih&raSj as the

name

Uddhakandaraka

he founded also
(vihara)

many

and so forth.

His son Yatthalayakatissa reigned after his death in that 10

place, and in like manner also Abhaya, son of this

same

(last).

Gothabhaya's son, known by the name Kakavannatissa, 11

the prince, reigned there after his death.
Viharadevi was 12
the consort of this believing king, firm in the faith (was she),
the daughter of the king of Kalyam. 2

Now in Kalyam the ruler was the king named Tissa. His 13
younger brother named Ayya-Uttika, who had roused the
wrath (of Tissa) in that he was the guilty lover of the queen,
fled

thence from fear and took up his abode elsewhere.

The 14
was named after him. He sent a man wearing the 15

district

disguise of a bhikkhu, with a secret letter to the queen. This

man went thither, took his stand at the king's door and 16
entered the king's house with an arahant who always used to

take his meal at the palace, unnoticed by that thera.

When

17

he had eaten in company with the thera, as the king was

3
going forth, he let the letter fall to the ground when the

queen was looking.

The king turned at the (rustling) sound, and when he 18
looked down and discovered the written message he raged,
unthinking, against the thera, and in his fury he caused the
thera and the man to be slain and thrown into the sea.

Wroth

at this the sea-gods

made the

sea overflow the land; 20

his
caused
speed
pious and beautiful
Devi to be placed in a golden vessel, whereon 2 1

but the king with

all

daughter named
was written 'a king's daughter', and to be launched upon
that same sea.
When she had landed near to (the) Lanka 22
Tissamaharama lie on the left bank of the Magama-river. The village
ut the mouth of the river still bears the name Magama.
1
The Mahanaga-dagaba still exists in the ruins of Mahagama.
See PARKER, Ancient Ceylon,
*
See note to i. 63.

p. 324.

'as she (i.e. the queen) was going forth with the king\
.* Or
accoiding to the reading ranna saha viniggame of the Burmese
MSS. the Tika seems also to agree with this.
;

L2

148

Maliavamsa
king Kakavanna consecrated

the

(vihara)

XXII. 23

Therefore she received the epithet Vihara.

When he had founded the Tissamaha vihara
23
lapabbata (vihara)

and

also the

her
l

as

queen.

and the Citta-

Gamitthavali and Kutali

24 (vihara) and so forth, devoutly believing in the three gems,

he provided the brotherhood continually with the four needful
3

things.

25

In the monastery named Kotapabbata there lived at that

time a samanera, pious in his way of life, who was ever busied
with various works of merit.

To mount the more easily to the courtyard of the Akasa27 cetiya 4 he fixed three slabs of stone as steps. He gave (the
bhikkhus) to drink and did services to the brotherhood. Since
26

his body was continually wearied a grievous sickness came

The grateful bhikkhus, who brought him in
28 upon him.
a litter, tended him at the Tissarama, in the Silapassaya-

parivena.
self-controlled Viharadevi had given
brotherhood in the beautifully prepared
30 royal palace, before the mid-day meal, she was used to take,
after the meal, sweet perfumes, flowers, medicines and clothing

29

Always when the

lavish gifts to the

and go

to the

arama and

offer these (to

the bhikkhus) according

to their dignity.

31

Now

doing thus, at that time, she took her seat near the

chief thera of the

community

(in the vihara)

and when ex-

32 pounding the true doctrine the thera spoke thus to her

above the note to

Cf.

'
:

Thy

v. 8.

The ruins of the Cittalapabbata, or, in the later form, Situlpawvihara lie 15 miles NE. of the Tissamaharama near Katagamuwa.
See A.

JAYAWARDANA

in The Ceylon National Review, ii, p. 23 ; ED.

Inscriptions in Ceylon, p. 29. The monastery is
once again in 35. 81, and in the Culavamsa 45. 59 under

MULLER, Ancient
mentioned

king Dathopatissa
8
See note to 3.
4

I.e.

the

II,

the

first

half of the seventh century A.D.

14.

'

Air-cetiya

',

which

is

still

shown, not far from the

Cittalapabbata-monasteiy. It is so named because it is situated on

the summit of a rock. Cf. Ceylon National Review, ii p. 24. See
also note to 33. 68.
;

The Birth of Prince Gdmani

XXIT. 44

149

great happiness thou hast attained by works of merit

now must thou not grow weary

merit.'

But

even

of performing works

she, being thus exhorted, replied

happiness here, since we have no children

'
is therefore barren

'What

is

of

our 33

Lo, our happiness

The

who, being gifted with the six (supernormal) 34

'
Seek
powers, foresaw that she would have children, said
She went thence and said 35
out the sick samanera, O queen.'
thera,

'
Utter the wish
samanera, who was near unto death
to become my son ; for that would be great happiness for us.'
And when she perceived that he would not the keen-witted 36

to the

woman commanded,

to this end, great and beautiful offerings

and renewed her pleading.
When he was yet unwilling, she, knowing the right means,
gave to the brotherhood for his sake all manner of medicines
and garments and again pleaded with him. Then did he
desire (rebirth for himself in) the king's family, and she
caused the place to be richly adorned and taking her leave
she mounted the car and went her way.
Hereupon the
samanera passed away, and he returned to a new life in the
womb of the queen while she was yet upon her journey;
when she perceived this she halted. She sent that message
When they two
to the king and returned with the king.
had both fulfilled the funeral rites for the samanera they,
dwelling with collected minds in that very parivena, ap-

of flowers,

pointed continually
bhikkhus.

lavish

gifts

for

the

And there came on the virtuous queen

woman with child. (This) did she crave
:

brotherhood

37

38

39

40

41

of

these longings of 42
that while making

a pillow for her head of a honeycomb one usabha long l and 43

resting on her left side in her beautiful bed, she should eat

when

she had given twelve thousand

and
then
she longed to drink (the 44
it;
the
sword with which the
that
had
served
to
cleanse
water)

the honey that remained

bhikkhus to eat of

A certain measure.

('staves') each 7

According to Abhidhanappadipika =20 yatt hi

ratana

and Measures of Ceylon,

('cubits').

p. 15.

RHYS DAVIDS,

Ancient Coins

Mahavamsa

150
head of the
45 been struck

first

off,

warrior

among king

XXII. 45
Elara's warriors had

(and she longed to drink

it)

standing on this

very head, and moreover (she longed) to adorn herself with

46 garlands of unfaded lotus-blossoms brought from the lotus-

marshes of Anuradhapura.

The queen told this to the king, and the king asked the
47 soothsayers. When the soothsayers heard it they said 'The
queen's son, when he has vanquished the Damilas and built
:

up a united kingdom,

make

will

the doctrine to shine forth

brightly.'

'Whosoever shall point out such a honeycomb, on him the

king will bestow a grace in accordance (with this service)/
49 thus did the king proclaim. A countryman who found, 1 on
48

the shore of the Gotha-sea

50 down,

a boat, which was turned upside

with honey, showed this to the king. The king

the
brought
queen thither and, in a beautifully prepared
caused
her to eat the honey as she had wished.
pavilion,
filled

And

51

that her other longings might also be satisfied the

king entrusted his warrior named Velusumana with the
52 matter.
He went to Anuradhapura and became the friend
of the keeper of the king's state-horse and continually did
53 him services. When he saw that this man trusted him he,

the fearless one, laid lotus-flowers and his sword down on the
54 shore of the Kadamba-river early in the morning; 3 and
when he had led the horse out and had mounted it and had

The Tlka here contains a

the Kamb.

narrative, taken

from the Atthakatha.

Dip. and Mah., p. 37. The author of

Mah. has versified and adopted it in his text.

of the finding of the boat

cf.

2
Gothasamudda (cf. 22. 85) is a designation of the sea near Ceylon.
In Sinhalese the corresponding word is golumuhudu 'the sea not
far from the land, the shallow sea (CLOUQH, Sirih.-Engl. Diet., s. v.).
'

The Tika explains the passage thus Anuradhapurassa uppalakkhettato gahitam uppalamalam ca attano khaggaratanam ca gahetva pato va Kadambanadiya tiram netvil
kassaci asankito tattha thapesi 'When he had taken lotusflowers gathered from the lotus-marshes of Anuradhapura, and his
own precious sword, he brought it early in the morning to the shore
:

of the Kadamba-river and laid

anybody

'.

it

there down, without being afraid of

The Birth of Prince Gamani

XXII. 63

151

grasped the lotus-blossoms and the sword, he made himself

known l and rode thence as swiftly as the horse could (go). 2

When

the king- heard that he sent forth his

This man mounted the horse that

to catch him.

first

warrior 55

came second

He (Velusuthe state-horse) and pursued the other. 3

in
the jungle,
himself
hid
on
the
horse's
back,
mana), sitting
(to

5(>

drew the sword and stretched it toward his pursuer. 4 Thereby 57

was his head, as he came on, so swiftly as the horse could,
severed (from the trunk). The other took both beasts and the
head
ing.

But

(of Elara's warrior)

and reached Mahagama

in the even-

the queen satisfied her longings even as she would. 58

the king conferred on his warrior such honours as were

And

in accordance (with this service).

In time the queen bore a noble son, endowed with all 59

5
auspicious signs, and great was the rejoicing in the house of
the great monarch.
By the effect of his merit there arrived 60
that very day, from this place and that, seven ships laden
with manifold gems. And in like manner, by the power of 6 1

an elephant of the six-tusked race 6 brought his

young one thither and left him here and went his way.
his merit,

When

a fisherman named Kandula saw it standing in the 62

jungle on the shore opposite the watering-place, he straightway told the king. The king sent his (elephant)-trainers to 63

bring the young elephant and he reared him.

Kandula as he had been found by Kandula.
1

Attanam nivedayitva

as elsewhere

He was named

namam

savayitvana

(10.26; 33.65;.
2
Lit. with the swiftness of the horse.'
'

According to the Tika Elara's man-at-arnis was named Nandasawas called Sirigutta, the horse stolen by Velusumana
called Vaha.
*
Lit. To him who was coming at his back or after him.'

rathi, his horse

is

'

The Tika explains dhannam by paripake gabbhe mahapunnasampannam punnatejussadam ti va attho.

6

The chaddanta are supposed to be a particularly noble breed of

elephants. Chaddanta is also a sacred lake in the Himalaya named
after these elephants. Mah. 5. 27, 29. SUBHUTI, Abhidhdnappadipikd6

Suci, p. 130:

Chaddanto, nagaraja, tassa nivasatthanasaml-

patta Chaddanto saro.

Mahavamsa

152
'

64

ship

filled

xxil. 64

with vessels of gold and so forth has arrived/

And he bade them bring
king-.

This they announced to the

(the precious things) to him.

As the king had invited the brotherhood of the bhikkhus,

numbering twelve thousand, for the name-giving festival of his
66 son, he thought thus ' If my son, when he has won the kingship over the whole realm of Lanka, shall make the doctrine of
65

67 the Sambuddha to shine forth

then shall

(in clear brightness)

just one thousand and eight bhikkhus come hither and they
shall wear the robe in such wise that the alms-bowl shall

68 be uppermost. 1
threshold

They shall put the right foot first inside the

and they shall lay aside the prescribed waterpot

69 together with the umbrella (made

named Gotama

of)

one

(piece).

thera

son and impart to him the

confession of faith and the precepts of morality/ 4
All fell

my

shall receive

out in this manner.

1

I.e.

garment.

the alms-bowl shall not be covered by the folds of the

The twice repeated ca is striking. The author of the

Kamb. Mahavamsa also feels this he alters ca to sa.

2
The contrary would be an unlucky omen. This superstition still
prevails among the modern Sinhalese. PARKER, Village Folk-tales of
;

Ceylon, p. 14.
3

Ekacchattayutam dhammakarakam niharantu

translation

is

based on

SUBHUTI'S interpretation

ca.

(letter

My
dated

Colombo 2. 1. 1911). The dhammakaraka is a pot into which the

water is strained before drinking; the strainer being called parissavana. See C.V. V. 13. 1; VI. 21. 3). 'The waterpot and the
umbrella (chatta) are two principal articles used by the monks
when going out.' Ekacchatta or single umbrella' is 'an umbrella
made of leaf, having its own handle
According to SILANANDA
H.
T.
21. I. 1911) ekacfrom
de
Colombo
received
Silva,
(letter
chattayutam must be taken as 'provided with one handle' as an
'

'.

adjective belonging to dhammakarakam. The waterpots are made

In this case the neck of the
without or with a handle or neck.

waterpot would be compared toachattaon the top of a building.

4
WIJESINHA, Mah., p. 87, n. 1, refers the words not to the boy but
to the assembly present. He says
It must here be borne in mind
'

customary with the priesthood to administer the confession

of faith (sarana) and the five precepts (pancasila)To THE ASSEMBLY
But Mah. 24. 24
before the commencement of any ceremony.'
Gotama (cf. v. 28) is expressly designated ran no (i.e. of Duttha-

that

it is

TJie Birth

xxii. 84

When

he saw

of Prince Gamani

these

all

omens the king, glad

and to

bestowed rice-milk on the brotherhood

153
at heart, 70
his

son,

71
bringing together in one both the lordship over Mahagama
and the name of his father, he gave the name Gamani-

Abhaya.
the ninth day after this, he had entered

When, on

Maha- 72

She became
g-ama, he had intercourse with the queen.
with
in
son
born
did
The
due
time
the king 73
child.
thereby
name Tissa. And both boys grew up in the midst of a great
body of

retainers.

When,

at the festival time of the presenting of the

(first)

74

rice-foods to both (children), the king, full of pious zeal, set

rice-milk before five hundred bhikkhus, he, when the half 75

had been eaten by them,

a

words

did, together with the queen, take

a golden spoon and give it to them with the 76
If you, my sons, abandon the doctrine of the Sam-

in

little

(
:

buddha then
princes,

shall this

not be digested in your belly/ Both 77

the meaning of these words, ate the

who understood

rice- milk

When

rejoicing as

if it

were ambrosia.

they were ten and twelve years old the king, who 78

would fain put them to the test, offered hospitality in the

same way to the bhikkhus, and when he had the rice that 79
was left by them taken and placed in a dish and set before the
'
Never, 80
boys he divided it into three portions and spoke thus
will
we
turn
from
dear ones,
the bhikkhus, the guardianaway
:

spirits of

our house

with such thoughts as these eat ye this

And furthermore: 'We two brothers will for 81

portion here/
ever be without enmity one toward the other; with such
thoughts as these eat ye this portion here/ And as if it 82
were ambrosia they both ate the two portions. But when
it

was

said to

them

(
:

Never

will

we

fight with the

Damilas ;

with such thoughts eat ye this portion here/ Tissa dashed 83

the food away with his hand, but Gamani who had (in like
manner) flung away the morsel of rice, went to his bed, and 84
gamani) sikkhaya dayako, with distinct reference to 22. 69. We
take it then to mean that Gotama, from the very fact that he
'receives' the

boy (patiganhati), expresses his willingness

his teacher in the future.

to

become

154

Maliavamsa

drawing

XXII. 85

hands and feet he lay upon his bed.

in his

The

85 queen came, and caiessing Gamani spoke thus: ' Why dost
thou not lie easily upon thy bed with limbs stretched out, my
son?' 'Over there beyond the Gariga l are the Damilas,
86 here on this side
stretched limbs

is
'

the Gotha-ocean, 2 how can I lie with outhe answered. When the king heard his

thoughts he remained
87

silent.

Growing duly Gamani came

and a hero

88

to

sixteen years, vigorous,

renowned, intelligent
majesty and might.
In this changing existence do beings indeed (only) by
works of merit come to such rebirth as they desire ; pondering
thus the wise

man

in

will be ever filled

with zeal in the heaping

up of meritorious works.

Here ends the twenty-second chapter, called

Prince Gamani', in the MahEvamsa, compiled
joy and emotion of the pious.
1

See note to

10. 44.

The Birth

of

for the serene

See note to 22. 49.

CHAPTER

XXIII

THE LEVYING OF THE WARRIORS

FOREMOST
courage and

in strength, beauty, shape and the qualities of

swiftness and of mighty size of body was the

Kandula.

elephant

Nandhimitta,

Suranimila,

Mahasona,

Gothaimbara, Theraputtabhaya, Bharana, and also Vejusumana, Khanjadeva, Phussadeva and Labhiyavasabha these 3
1
ten were his mighty and great warriors.
King Ejara had a general named Mitta ; and he had, in 4
:

the village that he governed, 2 in the eastern district 3 near 5

the Citta-mountain, a (nephew, his) sister's son, named after

In
his uncle, whose secret parts were hidden (in his body).
4
the years of his childhood, since he loved to creep far, they
were used to bind the boy fast with a rope slung about his

f>

body, to a great mill-stone. And since, creeping about on 7

the ground, he dragged the stone after him and in crossing
over the threshold the rope broke asunder, they called him 8
Nandhimitta. He had the strength of ten elephants. When

he was grown up he went into the city and served his uncle.
Damilas, who desecrated at that time thupas and other 9
(sacred memorials), this strong man used to tear asunder,
treading one leg down with his foot while he grasped the 10
other with his hand, and then (he would) cast them out (over
1

The

story of the ten paladins of

the Rasavahini

II, p.

78

foil.

Dutthagamani

(Ed. by

is

treated also in

SARANATISSATHERA, Colombo,

1901 and 1899.)

2

Kammantagama,

i.e. 'Village of labour' or 'activity'.

'I
equivalent to the nindagamaof the present day.
a village the tenants of which are liable to render services to the

think the word

It is

landlords.'
8

is

WIJESINHA, Mah., p. 88,

name of the village

Possibly the

seems to bear this out.

4

That

is

the boy's parents.

no. 4.
is

Khandaraji.

Rasav.

II.

80 28

xxm. n

Mahavamsa

156

But the devas caused those dead bodies that he

the walls).

cast out to vanish.

1 1

When

they observed the diminution of the Damilas they

' l
told the king ; but the command ' Take him with his prey
!

2
Nandhimitta thought ' And if
they could not carry out.
I do thus, it is but the destruction of men and brings not the
:

In Rohana 3 there are still princes

13 glory to the doctrine.
who have faith in the three gems. There will I serve the
14 king, and when I have overcome all the Damilas and have
conferred the overlordship on the princes, I shall
doctrine of the Buddha to shine forth brightly/
1

went and

told this to prince

Gamani.

When

make the
Then he

this latter

had

taken counsel with his mother he received him with honour,

and with high honours the warrior Nandhimitta continued to
dwell with him.
1

King Kakavannatissa caused a guard

to hold the

Damilas

in check to be kept continually at all the fords of the

Now

17 gahga.

Dighabhaya;
1

8 ford

Maha-

the king had, by another wife, a son named

and he gave the guard near the Kacchaka-

into his charge.

And

to

form the guard

commanded each noble family within a

this (prince)

distance

of

two

19 yojanas round (to send) one son thither.

Within the district
of Kotthivala, in the village of Khandakavitthika, lived the

headman named Samgha who had seven

a messenger demanding
a son.
His seventh son named Nimila 5 had the strength of
His six brothers who were angered at his
ten elephants.
chief of a clan the

20 sons.
21

To him,

too, the prince sent

The reading should be, without doubt, sahodham ganhathenam, cf. J.R.A.S. 1910, p. 860; J.P.T.S. 1910, p. 137. Skt,
sahodha. The Tika has hit the meaning with the paraphrase
sabhandakam. The Rasavah. II, p. 80 15 makes the characteristic
alteration to sahasa ganhathenam, a proof that the phrase was no
1

longer understood in

typed
2
3
5

use.

its

original sense but

had

fallen into a stereo-

Cf. also Jdt. in. 59 10 .

Since they did not succeed in finding out the doer of the deed.
4
See note to 22. 6.
See note to 10. 58.

Rasavahim: Nimmala or Suranimmala. The first part of the

name is derived from sura 'spirituous liquor', and must

latter

(according to

II, p.

84 1 ' 2 ) refer to the drinking prowess of the hero.

157

The Levying of the Warriors

xxiii. 33

bent toward idleness, wished that he might go, but not so his
mother and his father. Wroth with his other brothers he 22

went, in the early morning, a distance of three yojanas, and

sought out the prince even at sunrise. And he, to put him 23
to the

test,

entrusted him with

a far errand

'
:

Near the

Cetiya-mountain in the village of Dvaramandala is a brahman 24

named Kundali, my friend. In his possession is merchandise

Go thou

from over-seas. 1

to

him and bring

hither

the 25

When

he had thus spoken

to him and had offered him a meal he sent him forth with a
merchandise that he gives

He

letter.

from 26
toward Anuradhapura and sought out the
f
When thou hast bathed in the tank, my dear, 27
travelled, yet in the forenoon, nine yojanas

that place hither

brahman.

come

thee.'

As he had never yet come

to me,' said the brahman.
3
he bathed in the Tissa-tank, and when he had 28

to this place

done reverence to the great Bodhi-tree and the cetiya in

the Thuparama he went into the city; when he had (then)
seen the whole city and had bought perfumes in the bazaar, 29
had gone forth again by the north gate and had brought
lotus-blossoms from the lotus-field he sought out the brahman, 30
and questioned by him he told him of his wayfaring. When

march * and of his march

hither he thought, full of amazement: "This is a man of 31
if Elara hears of him he will get him into his
noble race
power. Therefore must he not dwell near the Damilas, he must 32

the brahman heard of his

first

rather take

up

his abode with the prince's father.'

When

he had written in the same sense he gave the written message

into his hands,

and giving him Punnavaddhana-garments 8

The reading samuddaparabhandani, in a Sinhalese MS., is

only a conjecture, but is probably the correct reading.
2
Here, as frequently, taking the standpoint of the author, who
1

lives in
8

Anuradhapura.
Anuradhapura.

I.e. to

4
I. e. the distance covered in the
morning from Kacchakatittha to
Dvaramandala.
6
That is, to Anuradhapura and from there back to Dvaramandala.
6
Tika
anagghani evamnamikani vatthayuganiti 'pre:

cious pairs of garments bearing that

name

'.

33

158
34 and

Mahavamsa
many gifts

him

xxin. 34

take with him), and having- fed him he sent

He came to the prince at the time

(to

(back) to his friend.

35 that the shadows grow longer and delivered up to the king's

son the letter and the gifts.
Then rejoicing (the prince)

Honour this man with a thousand (pieces of money).'

The other servitors of the prince grew envious, then ordered
said

36

'

37 he to honour the youth with ten thousand (pieces). And

when (according to his charge) they had cut his hair and
bathed him in the river, and had put on him a pair of

Punnavaddhana-garments and a beautiful fragrant wreath,

wound a silken turban about his head, they brought

to the prince, 1 and the latter commanded that food from
39 his own stores be given him. Moreover, the prince bade them
38 and had

him

give his own bed worth ten thousand (pieces of money) to the
40 warrior as a couch. He gathered all these together and took
them to his mother and father and gave the ten thousand
(pieces of

41

money) to

his

mother and the bed

The same night he came and appeared

to his father.

at the place of the

guard. When the prince heard this in the morning he was

42 glad at heart. When he had given him provision for the
journey and an escort and had bestowed on him (as a gift) ten

43 thousand (pieces of money) he sent him to his father. The

warrior brought the ten thousand to his mother and father,

them and went into the presence of king

The king gave him (into the service of) the
prince Gamani, and with high honours the warrior Suranimila
took up his abode with him.
gave

it

to

44 Kakavannatissa.

45

In the Kulumbari-district

in the village Hundarivapi

46 lived Tissa's eighth son named Sona. At the time when he
was seven years old he tore up young palms; at the time

when he was ten

1

years old the strong (boy) tore up great

Vethayitva, a

accusative,

verb

common

must be supplied

to

to

both

and governing the

punnavaddhanayugam and

gandhamalam.
2
cf.
Kulumbarikannikaya
Nakulanagakannikayain,
Mah. 23. 77; Kalayanakannikamhi, Mah. 34. 89; and Huva;

cakannike, Mah.
kannikaya.

34.

90.

Rasav.

II.

86 19 reads

Kadalumbari-

xxin.

Tlie

61

159

Levying of the Warriors

In time Mahasona became as strong as ten 47

the king- heard that he was such a man he
elephants.
from
his
him
father and gave him into the service o 48
took
1

palm-trees.

When

Gamani that he might maintain him. Receiving

honourable guerdon from him, the warrior took up his abode
with him.

the prince

In the region named Giri, in the village Nitthulavitthika, 49

there lived a son of Mahanaga strong as ten elephants.
By 50
reason of his dwarfish stature he was

named Gothaka

his six

made a merry

Once when they 51

jest of him.
had gone forth and were clearing the forest to lay out a beanfield they left his share and came back and told him.
Then 52

elder brothers

when he had torn up the trees

imbara and had levelled the ground he came and told
His brothers went and when they had seen his 53
(them).

forthwith he started out, and

called

amazing work they returned

him praising his work. 1

Because of this he bore the name Gothaimbara, and him 54
too, in like manner, the king commanded to stay with
to

Gamani.

named Rohana, who was headman

householder

in the 55

village of Kitti near the Kota-mountain, gave to the son who

was born to him the name of the king Gothabhaya. 2 At the 56

age of ten to twelve years the boy was so strong that in his 57
play he threw like balls for playing stones that could not be

When

men.

he was sixteen years old 58

his father made him a club thirty-eight inches round and

lifted

by four or

five

sixteen cubits long.

When, with this, he smote the stems 59
palmyra or coco-palms, he felled them. Therefore was

of

known

he

as a warrior.

And him,

too, did the king in like 60

Gamani. But his father was
a supporter of the thera Mahasumma. Once when this house- 61
holder was hearing a discourse of Mahasumma in the Kota-

manner command

to stay with

pabbata-vihara he attained to the fruition of (the

1

The Rasav.

II.

88

foil, tells

first

stage of

yet another story of Gothaimbara,

yakkha named Jayasena and then went among the

The 'dwellers in the Uttaravihara are mentioned as the

that he subdued a

monks.

'

source of this story.

2

Samananamam

k are si,

lit.

'made

of

him

of like

name with

160

Mahavamsa

XXIIL 62

62 salvation called) sotapatti. With heart strongly moved l he

told this to the king, and when he had
given over (the headship
of) his house to his son he received the pabbajja from the
63 thera. Given up to the practice of meditation he attained
to the state of an arahant.
Therefore his son was called
2

Theraputtabhaya.
In the village of Kappakandara 3 a son of Kumara 4 lived
64
named Bharana. In time, when he was ten to twelve years
65 old, he went with the boys into the forest and chased

many

hares;

he struck at them with his foot and dashed them,

66 (smitten) in twain, to the ground. Then when he, at the age

of sixteen years, went with the village-folk into the forest
he
67
killed antelopes, elks, and boars in like manner. Therefore

was Bharana known as a great

warrior.

And him

did the

king in like manner command to stay with Gamani.

68
In the district called Giri, in the village of Kutumbiyan-

gana there dwelt, held in honour (by the people) there, a houseHis fellow-countrymen Vela and
of
came when a son was born to their
Giri,
Sumana, governor
and
both gave their name to the boy.
friend, bringing gifts,
When he was grown up the governor of Giri had him to dwell
in his house. He had a Sindhu-horse 5 that would let no man
mount him. When he saw Velusumana he thought ' Here
is a rider
worthy of me/ and he neighed joyfully. When the
'
Mount the horse/
governor perceived this he said to him
Then he mounted the horse and made him gallop in a circle;
and the animal appeared even as one single horse around the
whole circle, and he sat on the back of the courser seeming

69 holder named Vasabha.

70
71

72
*

73

74

Jatasamvego,

the conception of

samvega

is

the negative side

pasada. See note to 1. 4.

2
I.e. Abhaya, the son of the thera.
The Rasav. II. 94 7 foil,
states that the son was already a samanera, then relates a story
from which it appears that in strength he was even superior to
to the positive

Gothaimbara.
3

river of this

name

besides a monastery, Rasav.

Rohana

II.

is

88 11 , 94 12

also mentioned,

Mah.

Thus Rasav.
Skt.

II.

96 28

24. 22,

Kumaro nameko kutumbiko.

saindhava 'horse from the Indus countryman
much prized in Indian literature.

breed

in

excellent

161

The Levying of flie Warriors

xxin. 87

to be a chain of

men 1 and he

loosed his mantle and girt

it

about him again and again fearlessly. When

saw this they broke into applauding shouts. The governor
of Giri gave him ten thousand (pieces of money) and thinking
'
he is fit for the king/ he gave him joyfully into the king's 76
the bystanders 75

The king made Velusumana dwell near him, giving 77

him honourable guerdon and favouring him greatly.
In the district of Nakulanaga in the village of Mahisadonika there lived Abhaya's last son, named Deva, endowed 78
with great strength. Since he limped a little they called him
Khanjadeva. When he went a-hunting with the village-folk, 79

service.

he chased at those times great buffaloes, as many as rose up,

and grasped them by the leg with his hand, and when he had 80
whirled them round his head the young man dashed them to
When the king heard this 81
the ground breaking their bones.
matter, having sent for Khanjadeva, he

commanded him

stay with Gamani.

Near the Cittalapabbata (vihara) 2 in the village
Gavita there lived Uppala's son named Phussadeva.

to

named 82

When

83

he went once as a boy to the vihara with the (other) boys

he took one of the shells offered to the bodhi-tree and blew it
mightily. Powerful even as the roar at the bursting asunder 84
of a thunderbolt was his tone, and all the other boys, terrified,
were as if stunned. Therefore he was known by the name 85

His father made him learn the archer's

in
the
down
art handed
family, and he was one of those who 86
hit their mark (guided) by sound, who hit by (the light of
A waggon laden with
the) lightning, and who hit a hair.

Ummadaphussadeva.

sand and a hundred skins bound one upon another, a slab of 87

asana or udumbara-wood 3 eight or sixteen inches thick, or
1

The Tika

Mah. ed. note on this passage) explains vassaan unbroken row of men holding together
Vassa presupposes a Skt. varsan related to Skt. vrsan. The neuter
gender in bar a 'string of pearls ', is striking. Cf. the Greek legend
(see

haram va by

'like

of Alexander's horse Bukephalos.

2

See Mah. 22. 23 (with note) Rasav. II. 101 2

asana, Terminalia tomentosa and
;

Skt.

glomerata.

udumbara,

Ficus

Mahavamsa

162

xxm.

88

88 one of iron or copper two or four inches thick he shot

through with the arrow; an arrow shot forth by him flew
89 eight usabhas

over the land but one usabha through the

"When the great king heard this thing he had him

taken away from his father and commanded him to stay
with Gamani.
Near the Tuladhara-mountain in the village of Viharavapi
90
water.

91 lived a son of the householder Matta,

named Vasabha.

Since

body was nobly formed they called him Labhiyavasabha.

At the age of twenty years he was gifted with great bodily
92 strength. Taking some men with him he began, since he
would fain have some fields, (to make) a tank. Making it he,
his

93 being endowed with great strength, flung away masses of earth

such as only ten or twelve men had moved else, and thus in
94 a short time he finished the tank. And thereby he gained
renown, and him too did the king summon and, allotting him
honourable guerdon, he appointed him to (the service of)
95 Gamani. That field was known as Vasabha's Dam. 2
So

Labhiyavasabha abode near Gamani.

96

On these ten great warriors did the king henceforth confer

97 honours like to the honours conferred on his own son. Then
summoning the ten great warriors the king charged them
98 'Each one find ten warriors/ They brought thither warriors
:

in this way and again the king commanded these hundred

99 warriors to levy (others) in like manner. They too brought
thither warriors in this way and these thousand warriors did

the king again

100

command

to levy (others) in like manner.

And they, reckoned
warriors
thither.
They
brought
one
hundred and ten
thousand
were
then
eleven
altogether,
also

warriors.

!01

They

all

continually received honourable guerdon from the

and abode surrounding the prince Gamani.

ruler of the land

102

Thus when a wise man, mindful

1

of his salvation, hears of

See note to 22. 42.

TheRasav. 11. 103 135 says: Kakavannatissamaharaja tarn

anapetva mahantam sakkaratn katva udakavaragamaip
tass' eva dapesi; tato patthaya so Vasabhodakavaro ti
pakato ahosi.

xxill. 102

The Levying of

the

the marvels wrought by the pious

Warriors
life,

163

he should surely,

turning aside from the evil path, evermore find pleasure in

the path of piety.

Here ends the twenty-third chapter, called ' The Levying

of the Warriors', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.

CHAPTEE XXIV
THE WAR OF THE TWO BROTHERS
SKILLED in (guiding) elephants and horses, and in (bearing)
the sword and versed in archery x did the prince Gamani dwell
2 thenceforth in
Mahagama. The prince Tissa, equipped with
1

and chariots did the king cause to be stationed in

2
Dlghavapi in order to guard the open country. Afterwards
prince Gamani, reviewing his host, sent to announce to his
f
4 father the king
I will make war upon the Damilas.'
The
to
'The
forbade
him, saying:
king,
protect him,
region on
troops

this side of the river

5 sent to

is

announce the same

he would not speak thus

6

And

therewith

Gamani

Even

enough/
e

(reply).
:

sent

If

my

to three times

father were a

he

man

therefore shall he put this on/

And

him a woman's ornament.

'
Make a golden chain with
enraged at him the king said
that will I bind him, for else he cannot be protected.'
7
Then the other fled and went, angered at his father, to
:

Malaya,
8

and because he was wroth with

named him Dutthagamani. 5

Then the king began to

build the

his father they

Mahanuggala-cetiya.

When

the cetiya was finished the monarch summoned the

9 brotherhood. Twelve thousand bhikkhus from the Cittalapab-

in katupasana must be taken in the

borne out by Abhidh. 390. The Tika, it
true, explains katupasano, in a general way, by katasikkho,
I believe that

upasana

sense of 'archery', which

is

is

dassitasippo.
2

See note to

Cf. the note to 10. 44.

1.

78.

The Mahaganga

is

considered the border

between the region occupied by the Damilas and the provinces ruled
over by the Mahagama dynasty.
4

Cf. note to 7. 68.

I.e.

the angry Gamani.

Cf. Dip.

and Mah.

p. 21, n. 1.

War

The

xxiv. 22

of the Two Brothers

165

bata (vihara) gathered together here, and from divers (other)

places twelve thousand also.

When

the king had celebrated the solemn festival of the 10

he
cetiya
brought all the (ten) warriors together and made
them take an oath in the presence of the brotherhood. They 1 1

took the oath

all

(
:

We

will not

therefore did they also not

come

go

to (thy) sons' battlefield

to the

'
;

war

(afterwards).
When the king had built sixty-four viharas and had lived 12
1
The 13
just as many years he died then in that same place.
2
queen took the king's body, brought it to the Tissamaharama
in a covered car and told this to the brotherhood.
When the 14

prince Tissa heard this he came from Dighavapi, and when

he himself had carried out with (due) care the funeral rites
for his father, the powerful (prince) toofc: his mother and the 15

elephant Kandula with him and for fear of his brother went
thence with all speed back to Dighavapi. To acquaint him 16
with these matters the whole of the ministers, who had met
together, sent a letter to Dutthagamani.

He

repaired to 17

Guttahala 3 and when he had placed outposts there he came

to Mahagama and caused himself to be consecrated king. He 18
sent a letter to his brother (asking) for his mother and the
But when after the third time he did not receive
elephant.

them he set forth to make war upon him. And between 19

those two there came to pass a great battle in Culahganiyaand there fell many thousands of the king's men. 4
pitthi
The king and his minister Tissa and the mare Dighathunika, 20
:

those three, took flight; the prince (Tissa) pursued them.

The bhikkhus created a mountain between the two (brothers). 21

When he (Tissa) saw it he turned about, thinking

the work of the brotherhood of the bhikkhus/

When

he came to the Javamala ford

In Mahagama.

Now

Cf.

'
:

of the river

note to 22.

This

is

Kappa- 22

8.

Buttala, situated thirty to thirty-five miles to the north of

Mahagama, where the high-road crosses the Menik-ganga. The road

from Mahagama to Mahiyangana led through Guttahalaka (cf. 25. 6).
The outposts were stationed there by Dutthagamani as a security
against a surprise from Tissa, residing at Dighavapi.
4
I. e. of Dutthagamani.
5

think that the battle took place at some distance from Gutta-

Mahavamsa

166

XXIV. 23

kandara the king said to his minister Tissa ' I am spent 1

23 with hunger.' He offered him food that was placed in a
golden vessel. When he had set aside of the food for the
24 brotherhood and had divided it into four portions he said
:

'

Proclaim the meal-time/ Tissa proclaimed the time. When,

2
by means of his heavenly ear, he who had taught the king
25 the holy precepts, 3 the thera (Gotama), dwelling in Piyan4
gudlpa, heard this he sent the thera Tissa the son of a house-

26 holder, thither, and he went there through the air. Tissa (the
minister) took his almsbowl from his hand and offered it to the
king.

27 and his

The king commanded the

own portion to be poured

portion for the brotherhood

into the bowl.
And Tissa

poured his portion in likewise, and the mare also would not
have her portion. Therefore did Tissa pour her share too into
the bowl.

The king handed to the thera the bowl filled with food;
and hastening away through the air he brought it to the thera
29 Gotama. When the thera had offered their share in mor5
to five hundred bhikkhus, who partook of the food,
sels
30 and had (again) filled the bowl with the fragments that he
received from them, he caused it to fly through the air to the
king.
(The minister) Tissa who saw it coming received it
When he himself then had eaten he fed
31 and served the king.
the mare also ; then the king sent the almsbowl away, making

28

'

of his

own

field-cloak a cushion to bear it upon. 6

halaka in the direction of Dighavapi. The site of Culanganiyapitthi

may, therefore, be near Muppana, about ten miles to the north-east
from Guttahalaka. On his flight the king had to cross the Kumbukkan-oya. This may be the Kappukandara-nadi. Then the Javamala
ford was near the village Kurnbukkan.
29
1
Chatajjhatto, in this sense also Jdt. i. 345
2
See note to 4. 12.
3
See note to 22. 69 and below, v. 28.
.

'

I. e.

Panicum, or Saffron

Island.'

The monks
Cf. Mah.

enjoyed a reputation for particular holiness.

8

living

there

25. 104 foil.

On alopa see CHILDERS, P.D., s. v. literally translated it would

when he had given (of it) in morsel-portions.'
By cum bat a is meant a cloth rolled into a circular shape
;

be

'

which serves

as the support for a vessel

when

carried

upon the head.

War

The

xxiv. 45

of the Two Brothers

67

Mahagama he assembled again a host of sixty

men and marching into the field began the war with

Arrived in

thousand

32

riding on his mare and Tissa on the 33

did the two brothers now come at
thus
elephant Kandula,
once together, opposing each other in battle.
Taking the 34

The king

his brother.

elephant in the middle the king made the mare circle round
him. When he, notwithstanding, found no unguarded place

he resolved to leap over him. 1 Leaping with the mare over 35

the elephant he shot his dart over his brother, so that he

wounded only the skin on the back

Many

thousands of the prince's

and

battle,

his great host

weakness of

my
3

was

(of the elephant).

men

fighting in 36
reason of the 37

fell there,

scattered.

'

By

rider one of the female sex has used

me

con-

thought the elephant, and in wrath he

temptuously';
rushed upon a tree in order to throw him (Tissa). The prince 38
so

climbed upon the tree; the elephant went to his master

(Dutthagamani). And he mounted him and pursued the

The prince came

fleeing prince.

to a vihara

and

fleeing to the 39

the chief thera, he lay down,

The chief thera spread a cloak over the bed, 40
and the king, who followed immediately, asked ' Where is
in fear of his brother,

cell of

under the bed.

Tissa

'

thera.

'

He

'

answered the 4 1
not in the bed, great king
Then the king perceived that he was under the bed,
is

and when he had gone forth he placed sentinels round about 42

but they laid the prince upon the bed and covered
;
him over with a garment and four young ascetics, grasping 43
the bed-posts, bore him out as if (they were carrying) a dead
bhikkhu. But the king, who perceived that he was being 44
the vihara

upon the head of the guardian genii

of our house art thou carried forth ; to tear away anything 45
with violence from the guardian genii of our house is not my

carried forth, said

'

Tissa,

see whether he could perhaps attack him from above.

This passage was corrupt at an early period. The Tika, too,
mentions varying readings. The sense appears to me to be that Dutthagamani only wishes to show his superiority without wounding either
1

To

Cf. Mah. ed., Introd., p.

But the word 'langhayi'

his brother or the elephant seriously.

3

Lit.

'Has leaped over me.'

dently to be taken also metaphorically here.

xxii.
is evi-

Mahdvamsa

168

xxiv. 46

Mayst thou evermore remember the

custom.

virtue of the

Hereupon the king went to

and thither did he bring his mother, whom he

46 guardian genii of our house !'

Mahagama,

47 greatly reverenced.

Sixty-eight years did the king live, whose

heart stood firm in the faith, and he built sixty-eight viharas.

48

But the

prince Tissa, carried forth

49 thence unrecognized
said to the thera

and came

by the bhikkhus, went

The prince

to Dlghavapi.

Godhagatta Tissa

2
:

'

have done

ill,

sir

50 will make

my peace with my brother '. The thera took Tissa,

in the habit of a servitor, and five hundred bhikkhus with him

51 and sought the king out.

Leaving the prince above on the
stairs the thera entered with the brotherhood.
The monarch

52 invited them

all to

be seated and had rice-milk and other

(food) brought (to them). The thera covered his almsbowl, and
on the question f Wherefore this '? he answered: ' We have
:

To the question: ( Where is

53 come bringing Tissa with us.'
the traitor ? he pointed out the place where he stood. The
'

Viharadevi hurried thither and stood sheltering her young son.

known to you that we are

had
but sent a samanera of
you
had not taken place (and all had ended)

54 The king said to the thera

now

also

your servants.

55 seven years our strife

without loss of men/

It

is

If

O king, this
the brotherhood will do penance/

56

'

You

arriving.

will

(first)

'

have

(to

Take the rice-milk

is

the brotherhood's guilt,

what
and the

do)

is

due to (guests)

rest.'

words he offered the

57 had called his
1

(food) to the brotherhood ;

brother hither he took his seat

According to the conjectural reading anatako.

With these
and when he

Cf.

with his
Mah.

ed.,

Introd., p. xlvii.
2

We have here

a surname given to the thera because of his spotted

Tika:
evamnamikassa. TURNOUR translates, concomplexion,
Who
cerning the explanation of the name given in the Tika, thus
was afflicted with a cutaneous complaint which made his skin scaly
'

WIJESINHA of an iguana.)
godha.'
Nato vo dasabhavo idani no, i.e. even after I have become
king; no is honorific plur.
4
Hessat' agatakiccam vo stands briefly for agatanam kic-

like that of the

cam

hessati vo kiccam. With these words the king returns

shown to the bhikkhus.

the hospitality

to

xxiv. 59

The

War

of the Two Brothers

160

brother even there in the midst of the brotherhood

and when

he had eaten tog-ether with him he gave the brotherhood leave

to depart.
And thither too 1 he sent his brother to direct the 58

work

of harvest

and he

too,

when he had made

it

known by

beat of drum, directed the work of harvest.

men wont to appease an enmity, though 59

2
from
heaped up
many causes, even if it be great; what wise
man, pondering this, shall not be of peace-loving mind toward
Thus

others

are pious

Here ends the twenty-fourth chapter, called ( The War of

the two Brothers ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
That is, there, where he had sent the bhikkhus, i.e. to Dighavapi.
The sassakamraani are preparations for the campaign against the
1

Damilas.
2

The Tika explains anekavikappacitam by anekadha upa-

citam,

punappunanusaranavasena raslkatam

ti

attho.

CHAPTER XXV
THE VICTORY OF DUTTHAGAMANI
WHEN the king Dutthagamani had provided for his people
and had had a relic put into his spear 1 he marched, with
2 chariots, troops and beasts for riders, 2 to Tissamaharama, and
when he had shown favour to the brotherhood he said ' I will
3
go on to the land on the further side of the river to bring
1

3 glory to the doctrine.

honour, bhikkhus

Give

us, that

we may

treat

them with

who

shall go on with us, since the sight of

and protection for us/ As a penance 4
the brotherhood allowed him five hundred ascetics taking this
5 company of bhikkhus with him the king marched forth, and
when he had caused the read in Malaya leading hither 5 to be
made ready he mounted the elephant Kandula and, surrounded

4 bhikkhus

is

blessing

by

his warriors, he took the field with a

the one end yet in

to Guttahalaka.
7

Mahagama

host.

With

army

reached

mighty

the train of the

Arrived at Mahiyangana 7 he overpowered the Damila

When he had slain the Damilas in that very place

Chatta.

he came then to Ambatitthaka, 8 which had a trench leading

8 from the river, and (conquered) the Damila Titthamba
;

fighting the crafty

and powerful foe for four months he

The spear serves as a royal standard, which is always carried

before the prince.
'
2
See note to 24. 4.
See note to 15. 189-190.
1

Cf. 24. 55.

That

is

to the north of the island, towards Anuradhapura.

On Malaya see note to 7. 68.

Mahagamena sambaddha, lit. 'connected

Note

to 10. 77.
6
7
8
9

with Mahagama.'

Bintenne (Alut-nuwara). See Appendix C.

A ford of the Mahawaeliganga, not far from Bintenne.
Katahattha = Skt. krtahasta, and must be taken in the same

Mahiyangana

sense.

The Victory of Dutthagamani

xxv. 22

171

overcame him by cunning, 1 since he placed his mother 9

(finally)

in his view.

When the mighty man marching thence down (the river)

had conquered seven mighty Damila princes in one day and 10
had established peace, he gave over the booty to his troops.
Therefore

is

(the place) called

Khemarama.

In Antarasobbha he subdued Mahakottha, in Dona Gavara,

in Halakola Issariya, in Nalisobbha Nalika.
In Dlghabhaya-

1 1

gallaka he subdued, in like manner, Dlghabhaya ; in KacchaIn Kotana- 13

tittha, within four months, he subdued Kapislsa.

gara he subdued Kota, then Halavahanaka, in Vahittha the

Damila Vahittha and in Gamani (he subdued) Gamani, in Kum-

Nandigama Nandika, Khanu in Khanugama

but in Tamba and Unnama the two, uncle and nephew, named
Tamba and Unnama. Jambu also did he subdue, and each
village was named after (its commander.)
When the monarch heard (that it was said:) Not knowing
he made this
their own army they slay their own people
solemn declaration 2 Not for the joy of sovereignty is this toil

bagama Kumba, in

'

15

16

',

'

my striving (has been) ever to establish the doctrine

of the Sambuddha. And even as this is truth may the armour 18
of mine,

on the body of
it

came

my

soldiers take the colour of fire/

And now

to pass even thus.

All the Damilas on the bank of the river

who had

escaped

death threw themselves for protection into the city named

3
In a favourable open country he pitched a 20
Vijitanagara.

camp, and this became known by the name Khandhavarapitthi.

Since the king, in order to take Vijitanagara, would fain 21

put Nandhimitta to the test, he let loose Kandula upon him
(once)

when he saw him coming towards him.

When

the 22

The allusion is too terse for us to make any safe conjecture as to

the cunning mentioned. According to the Tika (vivahakaranalesena) the reference is to Gamani's promising to his adversary
marriage with his mother, and with it the expectation of government.
2
On saccakiriya see note to 18. 39.
1

Near the northern bank of the Kalavapi (Kaluwsewa), about 24

miles SSE. from Anuradhapura.

Mahavamsa

172

xxv. 23

elephant came to overpower him, Nandhimitta seized with

his hands his two tusks and forced him on his haunches.

23 Since Nandhimitta fought with the elephant the village

built on the spot where (it came to pass) is therefore named
Hatthipora.
When the king had (thus) put them both to the test he
marched to Vijitanagara. Near the south gate befell a
25 fearful battle between the warriors. But near the east gate

24

did Velusumana, sitting on his horse, slay Damilas in great

numbers.

The Damilas shut the gate and the king sent thither his
Kandula and Nandhimitta and Suranimila, at the
27 south gate, and the three, Mahasona, Gotha and Theraputta,
28 at the three other gates did their (great) deeds. The city
had three trenches, was guarded by a high wall, furnished
26

men.

with gates of wrought iron, difficult for enemies to destroy.

29 Placing himself upon his knees and battering stones, mortar
and bricks with his tusks did the elephant attack the gate of
30 iron. But the Damilas who stood upon the gate- tower hurled

down weapons
31 pitch.

of every kind, balls of red-hot iron

When the

smoking pitch poured on

and molten

back Kandula,
tormented with pains, betook him to a pool of water and
his

dived there.
'

Here

no sura-draught 1 for thee, go forth to the destroy'

thus said Gothaimbara
ing of the iron gate, destroy the gate
33 to him. Then did the best of elephants again proudly take

32

is

and trumpeting he reared himself out of the water and

stood defiantly on firm land.

heart,

34

The

elephants' physician washed the pitch away and put

the king mounted the elephant and, stroking
temples with his hand, he cheered him on with the

on balm;
35 his

words: 'To thee I give, dear Kandula, the lordship over

And when he had had choice

the whole island of Lanka/

36 fodder given to him, had covered him with a cloth and had
put his armour on him and had bound upon his skin a seven

Sura

is

an intoxicating drink.

pleasure's sake that thou hast

The meaning
come here.

is: it is

not for

xxv.

times folded buffalo-hide and above

in oil

he

173

The Victory of Dutthagamani

51

set

him

free.

Roaring

it

like

had

laid

a hide steeped 37

thunder he came, daring-

danger, and with his tusks pierced the panels of the gate and 38
trampled the threshold with his feet; and with uproar the
gate crashed to the ground together with the arches of the

The crumbling mass from the gate- tower that fell 39

the
upon
elephant's back did Nandhimitta dash aside, striking
it with his arms.
When Kandula saw his deed, in contentment 40

gate.

of heart he ceased

from the former wrath he had nursed since

he (Nandhimitta) had seized him by the tusks.

That he might enter the town close behind him Kandula 41
the best of elephants turned (to Nandhimitta) and looked at
I will not enter 42
But Nandhimitta thought
that warrior.
'
and with his
the
the
elephant
way
opened
by
by
(the town)
'

did he break down the wall.

Eighteen cubits high 43
and eight usabhas long it crashed together. The (elephant)
looked on Suranimila, but he too would not (follow in) the
track but dashed forward, leaping the wall into the town. 44
Gotha also and Sona pressed forward, each one breaking down
a gate. The elephant seized a cart-wheel, Mitta a waggon- 45

arm

frame, Gotha a cocos-palm, Nimila his good sword, Mahasona 46

a palmyra-palm, Theraputta his great club, 1 and thus, rushing

each by himself into the streets, they shattered the Damilas

there.

When the king in four months had destroyed Vijitanagara 47

he went thence to Girilaka and slew the Damila Giriya.
Thence he marched to Mahelanagara that had a triple trench 48
and was surrounded by an undergrowth of kadamba flowers,
possessed but one gate and was hard to come at; and staying 49
there four months the king subdued the commander of Mahela
2

Then n earing Anuradhapura 50

of
the Kasa-mountain. 3 When
south
the king
camp
in
the
month Jetthamula he held 5 1
tank
there
he had made a
by a cunningly planned

battle.

pitched his

Cf. 23. 58.

Mantayuddhena.

TURNOUR

translates:

'By

diplomatic

stratagem.'
3

On parato

see note to 36. 56

on Kasapabbata, note to

10. 27.

Mahavamsa

174
a water-festival.

There

is

to

XXV. 52

be found the village

named

Pajjotanagara.
When the king Elara heard that king Dutthagamani was
52
come to do battle he called together his ministers and said
:

53

'

This king

is

himself a warrior and in truth

many

warriors

What think the ministers, what should we

(follow him).
'
f
ToElara's
?
warriors, led by Dlghajantu, resolved
King

54 do

55 morrow will we give battle/ The king Dutthagamani also took

counsel with his mother and by her counsel formed thirty-two

56 bodies of troops. In these the king placed parasol-bearers

and figures of a king ; l the monarch himself took his place

57

in the innermost body of troops.

When Elara in full armour had

mounted

Mahapabbata he came thither with chariots,

58 beasts for

riders.

When

his

elephant

soldiers

and

the battle began the mighty and

Dlghajantu seized his sword and shield for battle,

59 and leaping eighteen cubits up into the air and cleaving the
effigy of the king with his sword, he scattered the first body
60 of troops. When the mighty (warrior) had in this manner
terrible

scattered also the other bodies of troops, he charged at the

61 body of troops with which king Gamani stood.
But when
he began to attack the king, the mighty warrior Suranimila
62 insulted him, proclaiming his own name. 2 Dlghajantu thought
:

'

him/ and leaped into the air full of rage. But

Suranimila held the. shield toward him as he alighted (in
I will slay

63 leaping).

But Dlghajantu thought:

l will cleave

him

in

'

twain, together with the shield, and struck the shield with
64 the sword. Then Suranimila 3 let go the shield. And as he
clove (only) the shield thus released Dlghajantu fell there,
and Suranimila, springing up, slew the fallen (man) with his

65 spear. Phussadeva blew his conch shell, the army of the

Damilas was scattered nay, Elara turned to flee and they
;

Tika: ranno patirupakam katthamayarupakam

wooden figures to represent the king.
2
The usual form of challenge to single combat.
8

ti,

i.e.

In the original text of vv. 62, 63 there are only the pronouns
itaro, itaro, so, itaro, instead of the names Dlghajantu, Suranimila,
Dlghajantu, Siiraniraila.

The Victory of Dutthagamani

xxv. 79
slew

many

Damilas.

The water

tank there was dyed 66

in the

red with the blood of the slain, therefore

it

was known by the

name Kulantavapi. 1
King Dutthagamani proclaimed with beat
but myself shall slay Elara/

175

of

drum

'
:

None 67

When

he himself, armed, had 68

mounted the armed elephant Kandula he pursued Elara and

came to the south gate (of Anuradhapura).

Near the south gate of the city the two kings fought; 69
Elara hurled his dart, Gamani evaded it ; he made his own 70
elephant pierce (Elara's) elephant with his tusks and he
hurled his dart at Elara and this (latter) fell there, with his
;

elephant.

When

he had thus been victorious in battle and had united 71

Lanka under one

rule

he marched, with chariots, troops and

In the city he caused the 72
had summoned the people

beasts for riders, into the capital.

drum to be beaten, and when he

from a yojana around he celebrated the funeral rites for king

On the spot where his body had fallen he burned it 73
Elara.
with the catafalque, and there did he build a monument and
ordain worship.

And

when they draw near

even to this day the princes of Lanka, 74

to this place, are

wont

to silence their

music because of this worship.

When he had thus overpowered thirty-two Damila kings 75

DUTTHAGAMANI

ruled over

Lanka

in single sovereignty.

When

Vijitanagara was destroyed the hero Dighajantuka 76

had told Elara of the valour of his nephew, and to this 77

nephew named Bhalluka he had sent a message to come

hither. When Bhalluka had received (the message) 3 from him 78
he landed here, on the seventh day after the day of the burning
of Elara, with sixty thousand men.

Although he heard

of the king's death after

he had landed 79

1
I would now like to adopt the form of this name as
given in the
Burmese MSS., as it gives good sense
End of the tribe.' The Tika
'

ed. has

Kulatthavapi. This, however, is no guarantee for the reading of the MSS.

2
Ekatapattaka, lit. 'Being under one parasol (atapatta).'
Cf.

ekachattena

in

v. 75.

The Tika adds

to

tassa the

subst.

lekhasamdesam.

MaMvamsa

176

from shame, with the purpose

80 pressed on from Mahatittha hither. 1
near the village Kolambahalaka. 2
yet,

xxv. 80
'
:

will

He

do battle/ he

pitched his

camp

When

the king- heard of his coming he marched forth to

full panoply of war, mounted on the
elephant
with
warriors mounted on elephants, horses and
Kandula,

81 battle

in

chariots,

82

and with

foot-soldiers in great numbers.

Ummadaphussadeva, who was the

best archer

in all the

island (followed) armed with the five weapons, 3 and the rest
of
the heroes followed him (also).
While the raging battle
83

went forward Bhalluka in

his armour came at the king

but Kandula, the king of elephants, to weaken his
onslaught, yielded his ground quite slowly and the army with

84 there

85 him drew also back quite slowly. The king said

Aforetime
in twenty-eight battles he has never retreated, what
may this
'

And

86 be, Phussadeva?'

he answered:

'

Victory

lies

behind

king ; looking to the field of victory the elephant draws

87 back, and at the place of victory he will halt/ And when
us,

the elephant had retreated he stood firm beside (the shrine of)
the guardian god of the city within the precincts of the

Mahavihara.
88

When

the king of elephants had halted here the Damila

Bhalluka came toward the king in that place and mocked at

Covering his mouth with his sword the

'
I will send (an arrow 4 ) into
king returned insult for insult.
90 the king's mouth/ thought the other, and he let fly an arrow.
The arrow struck on the sword-blade and fell to the ground.
89 the ruler of the land.

And

'
He is struck in the mouth/
Bhalluka, who thought
But the mighty Phussadeva sitting
91 uttered a shout for joy.
behind the king, let fly an arrow into his mouth wherewith (as
:

92 the arrow passed) he lightly touched the king's ear-ring. And

since he made him thus to fall with his feet toward the king,
he let fly yet another arrow at the falling man and struck
1

To Anuradhapura.

Cf.

note to

7. 58.

Kolambalaka in 33. 42, and was situated (cf. note

that passage) not far from the north gate of Anuradhapura.
It is called

See note to

After

to

7. 16.

pa te mi

'

I let fly

understand 'k an dam', as in the Tika.

The Victory of Dutthagdmam

xxv. 105

177

him in the knee; and making him (now) to turn with his 93
head toward the king, thus with swift hand he brought him
down. 1 When Bhalluka had fallen a shout of victory went up.
To make known

his fault Phussadeva himself forthwith cut 94

own

off the lobe of his

mean

'

ear

and showed the king the blood

When the king saw this he asked 'What does

streaming down.

95

'

I have carried out the royal justice upon myAnd to the 9G

self/ he said (in answer) to the ruler of the land.
this

question

'What
'

ear-ring.'

'

thy guilt ? he answered

Striking thy
hast thou done this, my brother, taking as

is

Why

'

guilt that which was no guilt?' replied the great king, and 97
in gratitude he said moreover
Great shall be thy honourable
'

guerdon, even as thy arrow.'

When the king, after winning the victory, had slain all 98
the Damilas he went up on the terrace of the palace, and
when, in the royal chamber there in the midst of the dancers 99
and ministers, he had sent for Phussadeva's arrow and had
set it in the ground with the feathered end uppermost, he 100
covered the dart over and over with kahapanas 2 poured forth
upon it, and these he forthwith caused to be given to Phussadeva.

Sitting then on the terrace of the royal palace, adorned, 101

lighted with fragrant lamps and filled with many a perfume, 102

magnificent with

nymphs

in the guise of dancing-girls, while he

on his soft and fair couch, covered with costly draperies, 103
he, looking back upon his glorious victory, great though it
was, knew no joy, remembering that thereby was wrought
rested

the destruction of millions (of beings).

When the arahants in Piyahgudipa

knew

thought 104
And they, 105

his

they sent eight arahants to comfort the king.

in the middle watch of the night, alighted at the

coming
1

Padato katva and sisato katva,

wise

'

or

padato

'

headwise

(sisato).

'.

lit.

he made him

'

foot-

(Dutthagamanim) is dependent on
shot Bhalluka fell backwards, so that

Rajanam

On

the

first

he would have lain with his feet towards Duttbagamani. To prevent

this Phussadeva then shot a second arrow at him, which struck

Bhalluka in the knee, even as he fell, so that he now fell forward on

From that moment he lay in the posture of one conquered
and overthrown, or of a slave before the king.
2
8
See note to 24 25.
See note to 4. 13.

his face.

178

MaJiavamsa

xxv. 106

Making known

that they were come thither

mounted to the terrace of the palace.
106 The great king greeted them, and when he had invited them
to be seated and had done them reverence in many ways he
asked
the reason of their coming. 'We are sent by the
107
palace-gate.

through the air they

brotherhood at Piyafigudipa to comfort thee, O lord of men/

108 And thereon the king said again to them: 'How shall there

be any comfort for me,

venerable

since

sirs,

by me was
'

caused the slaughter of a great host numbering millions ?

'From this deed arises no hindrance in thy way to heaven.
109

Only one and a

110 thee,

half

human beings have been slain here by

The one had come unto the (three)

lord of men.

refuges, the other

five precepts. 1

had taken on himself the

men

more to be
But as for thee, thou wilt bring glory to
the Buddha in manifold ways therefore cast

Unbelievers and

of evil life were the rest, not

111 esteemed than beasts.

the doctrine of

away

care from thy heart,

ruler of

men

'
!

Thus exhorted by them the great king took comfort. When

he had bidden them farewell and had given them leave to
113 depart he lay down again and thought
Without the brotherhood you shall never take a meal,' thus our mother and father
112

114 have caused to swear us in our boyhood at the meal. Have

I ever eaten anything whatsoever without giving to the
brotherhood of bhikkhus

'

Then he saw that he had,

all

115 unthinkingly, eaten pepper in the pod, at the morning meal,

'
For this
leaving none for the brotherhood ; and he thought
I must do penance.'
:

116

Should a man think on the hosts of human beings murdered

for greed in countless myriads, and should he carefully keep
in mind the evil (arising from that), and should he also very
carefully keep in mind the mortality as being the murderer
of all, then will he, in this way, shortly win freedom from

suffering

and a happy

condition.

Here ends the twenty-fifth chapter, called ( The Victory of

DutthagHmani \ in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene
joy and emotion of the pious.
1

See notes to

1.

32 and 62.

CHAPTEE XXVI
THE CONSECRATING OF THE MARICAVATTIVIHARA
WHEN
kingdom

that king of high renown had united Lanka in one

he distributed places of honour to his warriors

according to their rank. The warrior Theraputtabhaya would 2

not have that which was allotted to him, and being asked
'
Wherefore?' he answered: 'It is war.' And questioned 3
:

When

a single realm is created what war is

e
I will do battle with those rebels,
there ?
he answered
the passions, (battle) wherein victory is hard to win.' Thus 4
(yet again)

'

and again and again the king sought to restrain him.

he had entreated again and again he took the pabbajja
with the king's consent. After taking the pabbajja he attained 5
in time to arahantship, and he lived in the midst of five
said he,

When

hundred (bhikkhus) who had overcome the asavas.

When

the week

of

the festival of kingship was gone 6

who had carried out the conse-

1
by the fearless king Abhaya,

cration with great

pomp, went

to the Tissa-tank, that

was 7

adorned according to the festival custom, to hold festival

plays there and to observe the tradition of crowned kings.
All that had been made ready for the king and hundreds 8

on the spot where the MaricavattiThere in the very place where 9

(afterwards stood).
the thupa (afterwards) stood the king's people who carried
the spear planted the splendid spear with the relic. 3 When 10
of offerings did they place

vihara

the king had disported himself in the water the whole day
1

A play

upon the words abhayo and gatabhayo.

Now Miriswseti

in the south-west part of Anuradhapura, north

of Tissawaewa. SMITHER, Architectural Remains, Anurddhapura, p. 19
foil.
3

PARKER, Ancient

Cf. 25. 1,

Ceylon, p. 294 foil.

with note.

Mahdvamsa

180

xxvi.

11

through, together with the women of the harem, he said, in

will go hence ; carry the spear before us.'
the evening
And the people entrusted with (this duty) could not move
11
'

We

its place ; and the king's soldiers came toand brought offerings of perfumes and flowers. When
the king saw this great miracle, glad at heart he appointed
sentinels there, and after he had returned forthwith into

the spear from

1

2 gether

13 the city he built a cetiya in such wise that it enclosed the

spear and founded a vihara that enclosed the thupa.
14
In three years the vihara was finished and the ruler of

men

called the brotherhood together to hold the festival (on

monastery. A hundred thousand bhikkhus and ninety thoiisand bhikkhtinls were gathered together
16 there. Then in this assembly the kittg spoke thus to the
brotherhood ' Without a thought of the brotherhood, vener1

5 the consecration) of the

7 able sirs, I ate pepper in the pod-.

Thinking

This shall be

my act of expiation, I have built the pleasant Maricavatti18 vihara, together with the eetiya.
May the brotherhood
'

With these words he poured forth the (ceremonial)

water of a gift and piously gave the monastery to the brother1 9 hood.
When he had set up a great and beautiful hall in the
accept

it

vihara and round about

it,

he commanded that lavish gifts

20 should be given there to the brotherhood. The hall was so

planned that stakes were set even in the water of the Abhayatank,

what need

of further words to speak of the remaining

21

space (covered)
When the ruler of

men had

for a week, he offered

22 necessaries for samanas. 2

given food, drink and so forth,

as a gift the whole of the costly
These necessaries began with a cost

of a hundred thousand (kahapanas) and ended with a cost of

23 a thousand. All this did the brotherhood receive. The

money

that was spent there in gratitude by the wise king,

See note to 10. 84.

The most costly parikkhara (see note to 4. 26) was allotted to
the most distinguished monks (TL samghattheranam) the value
was then graduated according to the rank of the recipient. The
2

literal translation

runs thus: the

beginning) the value of

.,

parikkhara had

at the end the value of

at first (at the

.

..

181

Consecrating of the Maricavatti-vihara

xxvi. 26

a hero in battle as in largess, whose pure heart was

with faith in the Three Gems, who desired to raise the
(Buddha's) doctrine to glory, (that was spent) to honour the 24

who was
filled

Three Gems, beginning with the building of the thupa and

ending with the festival of the vihara, (all this money), leaving 25
aside the rest of the priceless (gifts),

reckoned as but one

is

than twenty kotis. 1

Treasures which, in truth, bear on them the blot of the five 26
2
faults
become, if they be acquired by people who are gifted
less

with special wisdom, possessed of the five advantages

fore let the wise man strive to have them thus.

Here ends the

of the

secrating

3
;

there-

twenty-sixth chapter, called 'The Conin the Mahavamsa,

Maricavatti-vihara',

compiled for the serene joy and emotion of the pious.

1
The construction of the sentence in vv. 23-25 is thus: dhanani
tena katanriuna ranna pariccattani, ratanattayam pujetum sesani anagghani (danani) vimuiiciya honti ekaya
unavisatikotiyo. The instrumental cases yuddhe dane ca surena, surina, ratanattaye pasannamalacittena, sasanujjotanatthina are attributes of ranna, and the plural neuter
thupakarapanadito viharamahanantani attribute of dha-

nani.
2

are

According

meant

to the

loss

by

Tlka the
fire,

brigandage.
3
The construction is:

five

dangers which threaten the wealth

water,

bhoga

living creatures,

honti

according to the Tika

confiscation or

gahitasara.

The

popularity among men,

high esteem among pious men, fame, fidelity in fulfilment of layThese advantages are
duties, and attainment of heaven after death.
five

benefits are,

possessed by a

kingdom when well governed.

CHAPTER XXVII
THE CONSECRATING OF THE LOHAPASADA
1

HEREUPON
all,

the king called

and duly handed down

intent

mind the
The thera

to
(

tradition

known

to

rich in merit, ever

on meritorious works, who formed his resolves in

who converted the island did, as is known, speak

thus to the king, my ancestor " Thy descendant, the king
3 Dutthagamani, the wise, will hereafter found the Great

2 wisdom,

*
Thupa, the splendid Sonnamali a hundred and twenty cubits
4 in height, and an uposat ha- house, moreover, adorned with

manifold gems, making

it

nine stories high, namely the

Lohapasada.""
5

Thus thought the ruler of the land, and finding, when he

made search, a gold plate kept in a chest and laid by in the
palace with such a written record thereon, he commanded that

When one hundred and

run
their
have
course, in future time will
thirty-six years
Kakavanna's son, the ruler of men, Dutthagamani, build
8 this and that in such and such wise/
When the king had
the inscription

be read aloud

'

heard this read he uttered a cry of joy and clapped his hands. 2
Then early in the morning he went to the beautiful Maha9 megha-park, and when he had arranged a gathering together
of the brotherhood of the bhikkhus he said to them ' I will
:

10 build for you a pasada 3 like to a palace of the gods.

1

Send

'provided with golden garlands, now Ruwanwaeli. The usual

designation in Mah. is Mahathupa.
2
For the sense of apphoteti ( = Skt. a-sphotayati) cf. Thupa9 - 10
vamahattham abhujitva dakkhinahatthena
vamsa, 33
I.e.

apphotesi.
3

See note to

v.

of the bhikkhus.

14.

The building was destined

to contain the cells

xxvii. 20

The Consecrating of the Lohapasada

to a celestial palace

and make me a drawing of

183
it/

brotherhood of the bhikkhus sent thither eight (theras)

had overcome the asavas.

The
who

In the time of the sage Kassapa 2 a brahman named Asoka,

who had set out eight ticket-meals 3 (to be apportioned) to

commanded his serving-woman named Biram

Give of this continually/ When she had given these gifts
faithfully her whole life long she left this (world) and was
reborn as a lovely maiden in a gleaming palace, floating in
the brethren,

1 1

the

air,

(and she was)

continually served by a thousand

Her gem-palace was twelve yojanas high 4 and 14

nymphs.
measured forty-eight yojanas round about; it was adorned 15
with a thousand jutting window-chambers, nine-storied and
provided with a thousand chambers, gleaming with light,
four-sided, with a thousand shell-garlands and with windows 16
as eyes and provided with a vedika (adorned) with a
In the middle of the (building)
of little bells.

network
was the 17

beautiful Ambalatthika-pasada, visible from every side, bright

When the theras, going to the 18
with pennons hung out.

heaven of the thirty-three (gods), saw that (palace) they

made a drawing of it with red arsenic upon a linen cloth,

and they returned, and being arrived they showed the linen 19
The brotherhood took the linen and
brotherhood.
r
sent it to the king. W hen the king full of joy saw it he went 20

to the

By vimana

and happy
2

are

spirits.

meant the palaces serving

Cf. the

as abodes for the

Vimanavatthu, note to

The last Buddha before Gotama see 1. 10 15. 125.

Salakabhatta. See note to 15. 205.
Here then we have a construction of several stories, diminishing
;

3
4

gods

14. 58.

in size towards the top

(navabhumika!)

after the style of the

Assyro-Babylonian ziggarat (RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 70

PERROT et CHIPIEZ, Histoire de VArt dans Vantiquite, ii, p. 390
foil.
Such a building is the Sat-mahal-prasada at Polannaruwa,
foil.);

although belonging to a later time.

BURROWS,

See TENNENT, Ceylon,

Archaeological Report, x, 1886, p. 8

of Indian and Eastern Architecture, 1910,

i,

p.

ii,

p.

588

FERGUSSON, History

245; Arch. Survey of

Ceylon, Annual Report, 1903 (Ixv, 1908), p. 14 foil. The word pa sad a
serves now to designate the graduated galleries which form the base

of

hup as.

See SMITHER, Anurddhapura, p. 20, &c.

MaMvamsa

184

xxvil. 21

to the splendid arama and caused the noble

built after the drawing.

21

Lohapasada to be

At the time that the work was begun the generous (king)
commanded that eight hundred thousand gold pieces should be

22 placed at each of the four gates ; moreover, at each gate he commanded them to lay a thousand bundles of garments and many
23 pitchers filled with ball-sugar, oil, sugar-dust, and honey, and
'
proclaiming, No work is to be done here without reward/ he
had the work done (by the people), appraised, and their wage

given to them.

The pasada was four-sided, (measuring) on each side a

25 hundred cubits, and even so much in height. In this most

24

beautiful of palaces there were nine stories, and in each story

All the chambers were overlaid

26 a hundred window-chambers.

with

silver

and

their coral vedikas

were adorned with mani-

27 fold precious stones, gay with various gems were the lotusflowers 2 on the (vedikas) and they (the vedikas) were surrounded with rows of little silver bells.
28

thousand well-arranged chambers were in the pasada,

29 overlaid with various gems and adorned with windows. And

since he heard of Vessavana's 3 chariot which served as a car
for the women, he had a gem-pavilion set up in the middle
30 (of the palace) fashioned in like manner. It was adorned
with pillars consisting of precious stones, on which were
figures of lions, tigers, and so forth, and shapes of devatas;
31 a bordering of pearl network ran round the edge of the
pavilion and thereon was a coral vedika of the kind that has

been described above.

32

Within the

pavilion, gaily adorned with the seven gems,

a shining beauteous throne of ivory with a seat of
33 mountain-crystal, and in the ivory back (was fashioned) a sun

stood

On

the balustrades of the projecting windows,

cf.

the descrip-

FOUCHER, VArt Grfco-Bouddhique du Gandhdra, fig. 100

GRUNWEDEL, Buddhist. Kunst, fig. 27. See Appendix D, no. 30.
2
For lotus-blossoms as a frequent ornament: FOUCHER, in the

tions in

same work, fig. 97, 98 GRUNWEDEL, fig. 3

ornaments on cornices FOUCHER, fig. 99.
;

See note to 10. 89.

balustrade with leaf-

The Consecrating of the Lohapasada

xxvii. 45
in gold, a

made

moon

in silver,

and

stars in pearls,

185

and lotus-blossoms 34

fitly placed here and there and

Jataka-tales in the same place 1 within a festoon of gold.

On

of various

gems were

the exceedingly beautiful throne covered with costly 35

was placed a beautiful fan of ivory, gleaming

cushions

(magnificently), and a white parasol with a coral foot, resting 36

on mountain-crystal and having a silver staff, shone forth
over the throne.
On it, depicted in the seven gems, were 37

the eight auspicious figures

and rows of

figures of beasts

with jewels and pearls in between ; and rows of little silver 38

bells were hung upon the edge of the parasol.
Palace,
parasol, throne,

and pavilion were beyond

price.

Costly beds and chairs, according to rank, and carpets and 39

coverlets of great price did he command them to spread about.

The

rinsing- vessel and the ladle (belonging thereto) were even 40

of gold ; 3 what need then to speak of the other utensils in
the palace? Surrounded by a beautiful enclosure and provided 41

with four gateways the pasada gleamed in its magnificence

heaven of the thirty-three (gods). The 42

like the hall in the

pasada was covered over with plates of copper, and thence

came its name ' Brazen palace '.

When

the Lohapasada was ready the king assembled the 43

brotherhood, and the brotherhood came together as at the
consecration-festival of the Maricavatti (vihara).
Those 44

bhikkhus who were yet simple folk stood on the first story,
those learned in the tipitaka on the second, but those who
had entered on the path of salvation and the others (stood) 45

On

events in the former existences of the

Buddha

as a

motive for

decorative scenes see particularly FOUCHER, 1. L, p. 270 foil. For

arrangements in the manner described here, see CUNNINGHAM,
Btiarhut, plate xl
2

foil.

WIJESINHA enumerates

the attha

mangalikani:

lion, bull,

elephant, water-pitcher, fan, standard, conch-shell, lamp. The Thu25

mentions sirivaccha as the first (cf. 30. 65).
pavamsa, 64
,

54 2

Acamakumbhi

or

acamanakumbhi

thus the Thupavamsa

a vessel to hold water for washing the feet and hands, and is
placed at the entrance of the temple (WIJESINHA). See M.V. I. 25.
19 C.V. V. 35. 4.
;

is

Mahavamsa

186

XXVII. 46

1
each on one of the third and higher stories, but the arahants
stood on those four stories that were highest of all.
When the king had bestowed the pasada on the brother46
hood, after pouring forth the (ceremonial) water of presenta-

tion,

he commanded, as before, a lavish gift of alms for

That which was spent by the generous king for

the pasada, leaving aside all that which was beyond price, is
reckoned at thirty kotis.
48
The wise who consider how marvellously precious is the
giving of alms, while the gathering together of treasures (for

47 a week.

alms lavishly, with a mind freed

mindful of the good of beings.

oneself) is worthless, give

from the

fetters (of lust),

'
Here ends the twenty-seventh chapter, called the Consecrating of the Lohapasada ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled
for the serene joy and emotion of the pious.

That

is,

on the 3rd, 4th, and 5th

stories stood those

who had

three stages of the path: the so tap anna, the

the anagamino. See notes to 1. 33, 15. 18
and
sakadagamino,
and 13. 17. 'Simple folk' in verse 44 is puthujjana, the unattained to the

first

converted, those

who had

not even entered on the path.

CHAPTER XXVIII
THE OBTAINING OF THE WHEREWITHAL TO
BUILD THE GREAT THUPA
SPENDING a hundred thousand (pieces of money) the king
hereupon commanded a great and splendid ceremony of gifts

As he then, when entering the 2

for the great Bodhi-tree.
of
stone
raised
the
saw
upon the place of the (future)
pillar
city,
and
the
old
remembered
tradition, he became glad,
thupa
(

thinking

Thupa/ Then he mounted

when he had taken his
down he thought thus ( At the conquer-

I will build the Great

the high terrace (of his palace), and

repast and had lain

ing of the Damilas this people was oppressed by me. It is

not possible to levy a tax
yet if without a tax I build the 5
;

'
Great Thupa how shall I be able to have bricks duly made ?
As he thus reflected the devata of the parasol observed his 6

thought, and thereupon arose a tumult

among the gods

when Sakka was aware of this he said to Vissakamma l
King Gamani has been pondering over the bricks for the

Go thou a yojana from the city near the

cetiya
river and prepare the bricks there/ 2

'

Thus commanded by Sakka, Vissakamma came

Gambhlrahither

and

prepared the bricks in that very place.

In the morning a huntsman there went into the forest with 9
his dogs ; the devata of the place appeared to the huntsman
in the

form of an iguana.

The hunter pursued

and 10

it,

when he came

(to the place) and saw the bricks, and when

the iguana vanished there, he thought
Our king intends to
'
build the Great Thupa ; 4 here is an aid thereto
Thereupon
'

1 1

he went and told (this thing).

1

See note to 18. 24.

To Lanka

or to Anuradhapura.

When
2

the king, to

See note to
4

7.

whom

44.

Or a great thupa
'

'.

his 12

Mahavamsa

188

xxvill. 13

was dear, heard his welcome words he, glad at

on him a rich guerdon.
bestowed
heart,
In a north-easterly direction from the city, at a distance
13
of three yojanas and near Acaravitthigama, on a plain covering
people's good

14 sixteen kaiisas (of land) there appeared nuggets of gold of

different sizes; the greatest measured a span, the least were
a finger's measure. When the dwellers in the village saw
of
15

the earth full of gold, they put some of it into a gold vessel
and went and told the king of this matter.

On

16

the east side of the city, at a distance of seven yojanas,

river and near Tambapittha, copper

on the further bank of the

And the dwellers in the village there put the

17 appeared.
of
nuggets
copper into a vessel, and when they had sought
the king they told him this matter.
In a south-easterly direction from the

18

city, four yojanas

near
the
of
distant,
village
Sumanavapi many precious stones
19 appeared.
The dwellers in the village put them, mingled
with sapphires and rubies, into a vessel and went and showed

them

to the king.

In a southerly direction from the

20

city, at

a distance of
1

yojanas, silver appeared in the Ambatthakola-cave.

merchant from the city, taking many waggons with him,

eight
21

in order to bring ginger and so forth from

22 out for Malaya. Not far from the cave

waggons

to a halt

Malaya, had set

he brought the

and since he had need of wood for whips

23 he went up that mountain. As he saw here a branch of

a bread-fruit-tree, bearing one single fruit as large as a waterpitcher, and dragged down by the weight of the fruit, he cut
24 the (fruit) which was lying on a stone away from the
stalk with his knife,
as

(produce
And
time.

and thinking

'
:

I will give the first

he announced the (meal)

alms)/
there came thither four (theras) who were free
with faith

Where the Rajatalena-vihara (Mah. 35. 4) was afterwards built,

now the Ridi-vihara (Silver Monastery), to the north-east of Kurunsegala,
cf. E. MULLER, Ancient Inscriptions in Ceylon, p. 39
TURNOUR, Mah.
1

Ambatthakola RHYS DAVIDS, Ancient Coins, &c., p. 17.

The distance between Anuradhapura and Ridi-vihara is 55 miles
= 95 km. as the crow flies.
Index, s.v.

xxvin

39

Wherewithal

build the Great

to

Thupa

189

from the asavas. When he had greeted them gladly and 25

had invited them with all reverence to be seated, he cut away
the rind around the stalk with his knife and tore out the 26
(of the fruit), and pouring the juice which filled the
hollow forth into their bowls he offered them the four bowls

bottom
filled

with

fruit- juice.

Then he yet again

They accepted them and went their way.

announced the (meal) time.

27

Four other

from the asavas, appeared before him. He took their

alms-bowls and when he had filled them with the kernels of

theras, free

28

Three went their way,

the bread-fruit he gave them back.
but one did not depart. In order to show him the silver he 29

went further down and seating himself near the cave he ate
When the merchant also had eaten as he wished 30
of the kernels that were left, and had put the rest in a bundle, he
went on, following the track of the thera, and when he saw the 31
thera he showed him the (usual) attentions. The thera opened

the kernels.

a path for him to the mouth of the cavern f Go thou now 32

'
When he had done reverence
also on this path, lay brother
:

went that way and saw the cave. Standing 33

by the mouth of the cave and seeing the silver he struck upon
it with his axe, and when he knew it to be silver he took 34
a lump of the silver and went to his freight-waggons. Then
leaving the waggons behind and taking the lump of silver
with him the excellent merchant went in haste to Anuradha- 35
pura and told the king of this matter, showing him the
to the thera he

silver.

In a westerly direction from the

city, at a distance o five 36

2
near
the
yojanas,
landing-place Uruvela, pearls in size like
to great myrobalan fruits, mingled with coral, six waggon- 37
Fishermen who saw them
loads, came forth to the dry land.

them together in a heap, and taking the pearls together 38

with coral in a vessel they went to the king and told him of

piled

this matter.

In a northerly direction from the

city, at

a distance of 39

Pan a should probably be altered to puna.

According to our passage the site of Uruvela seems to be near the
mouth of the Kala-oya, which is distant about 40 miles, as the crow
flies, from Anuradhapura.
1

MaMvamsa

190

xxvm.

40

seven yojanas, in a cave opening on the Pelivapikagama- 1

40 tank, above on the sand, four splendid gems had formed in
size like to a small mill-stone, in colour like flax-flowers,

When a hunter with his dogs saw

41 (radiantly) beautiful.
the
I have seen
these he came to
king and told him
precious stones of such and such a kind/
*

42

The lord of the land, rich in merit, heard, on one and the
same day, that the bricks and the other (treasures) had

Glad at heart he bestowed

43 appeared for the Great Thupa.
due reward upon those people, and appointing them forthwith
as watchers he

44

had the treasures

all

brought to him.

man

has thus heaped up with believing heart,

careless of insupportable ills of the body, brings to pass
hundreds of results which are a mine of happiness ; therefore
Merit, that a

one must do works of merit with believing heart.

Here ends the twenty-eighth chapter,

'

called the Obtaining

to
build
the
Great
wherewithal
of the
Thupa ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion of the
pious.
1
The Pelivapi is the present Vavunik-kulam, a little over 50 miles
north of Anuradhapura. The river, of which the damming-up has
formed the tank, is called Pali-am.
PARKER, Ancient Ceylon,
pp. 256, 365-366.

CHAPTEE XXIX
THE BEGINNING OF THE GREAT THUPA
WHEN

the wherewithal to build was thus brought together

he began the work of the Great Thupa on the full-moon day
of the month Vesakha, 1 when the Visakha-constellation had

appeared. When he had ordered to take away the stone pillar 2

the lord of the land had the place for the thupa dug out to

a depth of seven cubits 2 to make it firm in every way.

Round stones that he commanded his soldiers to bring hither 3
did he cause to be broken with hammers, and then did he,

having knowledge of the right and the wrong ways, command 4

that the crushed stone, to make the ground firmer, be stamped
down by great elephants whose feet were bound with leather.
The fine clay that is to be found on the spot, for ever
3
moist, where the heavenly Ganga falls down (upon the earth )
(on a space) thirty yojanas around,

is

called because of its fine- 6

butter-clay/ Samaneras who had overcome the asavas,

brought the clay hither from that place. The king commanded 7
(

ness,

that the clay be spread over the layer of stones and that bricks
then be laid over the clay, over these a rough cement and over 8
this cinnabar,4 and over this a network of iron, and over this
sweet-scented
1

See note to

marumba 5
1.

that was brought by the samaneras 9

12.

The reading sattahatthe is undoubtedly the correct ont.

WIJESINHA. (note to this passage) says: the Tika has sata. That,
however,
3

is

not the case.

The idea

that the

is

It also reads

Ganga

satta.

flows through the atmosphere, the

earth and underworld.

Kuruvinda

Marumba

is

'

'

ruby or cinnabar '.

used (C.V.V.14.5; 35.4; VI.

is

3. 8)

for besprinkling

At Pacittiya X. 2 (Vin. Pit. iv,

pasana, sakkhara, kathala, marumba, valika follow one

damp parivena

p. 33)

'

upon another.

(living-cell).

Mahdvamsa

192
from the Himalaya.
10

mand them

Over

this did the lord of the land

Over the layer

to lay mountain-crystal.

of

com-

moun-

had stones spread everywhere throughout the

work did the clay called butter-clay serve (as cement). With

tain-crystal he
1 1

xxix. 10

the kapittha-tree, 1 dissolved in sweetened water, 2

12 the lord of chariots laid over the stones a sheet of copper
eight inches thick, and over this, with arsenic dissolved in
resin of

sesamum-oil, (he laid) a sheet of silver seven inches thick.

When the king, glad at heart, had thus had preparation
13
made upon the spot where the Great Thupa was to be built,
14 he arranged, on the fourteenth day of the bright half of the
month Asalha, an assembly of the brotherhood of the

15 bhikkhus, and spoke thus: To-morrow, venerable sirs, I shall

Then let our
lay the foundation-stone of the Great Cetiya.
*

16 whole brotherhood assemble here, to the end that a festival

may be held for the Buddha, mindful of the weal of the people ;
and let the people in festal array, with fragrant flowers and
1

7 so forth,

come to-morrow

to the place

where the Great Thupa

will be built/

He

entrusted ministers

Commanded

18 the cetiya.

with the adorning of the place of

by the lord of men, they, filled

with deep reverence for the Sage (Buddha), adorned the

The whole city also and the streets
1 9 place in manifold ways.
did
the
thither
king command to be adorned in
leading
20 manifold ways. On the following morning he placed at the
four gates of the city many barbers and servants for the
21 bath and for cutting the hair, clothes likewise and fragrant
flowers and sweet foods (did) the king (place there) for his

ho rejoiced in the people's welfare. Taking,

according to their wish, the things thus put before them,
townsfolk and country-people went to the place of the thupa.

22 people's good, he

v\

23
The king supported, in order of their rank, by many
24 ministers, richly clothed as befitted their office, surrounded
1

Feronia Elephantum.

Rasodaka

cocoanut
3

and

'.

is translated by TURNOUR 'water of the small red

The Tika gives no explanation.

The Tika, following the Atthakatha,

Sirideva.

gives their names, Visakha

193

The Beginning of the Great Thitpa

xxix. 36

by many dancers

richly clothed like to celestial nymphs,

himself) being- clad in his state-raiment, attended by 25

(he
forty thousand men, while around him crashed the music
(he being) glorious as the king of the gods; in the evening 26

he who had knowledge of fit and unfit places went to the

1
place of the Great Thupa, delighting the people (with the

A thousand

and eight waggon-loads of clothes rolled 27

in bundles did the king place in the midst, and on the four
sides he had clothes heaped up in abundance; and moreover 28
he had honey, clarified butter, sugar and so forth set (there)

sight).

for the festival.

From

many bhikkhus 29

various (foreign) countries also did

what need to speak of the

come hither;

coming of the

brotherhood living here upon the island ? With eighty thou- 30

sand bhikkhus from the region of Rajagaha 2 came the thera
Indagutta, the head of a great school.
came the great thera Dhammasena with
bhikkhus to the place of the cetiya.

From

Isipatana 31
twelve thousand

With sixty thousand bhikkhus came hither the great thera 32

4
From the Mahavana 33
Piyadassi from the Jetarama-vihara.
5
in
Vesall
came
the
thera
Urubuddharakkhita 6
(monastery)

From

with eighteen thousand bhikkhus.

the Ghositarama in 34

KosambI 7 came the thera Urudhammarakkhita with

From

thousand bhikkhus.

the Dakkhinagiri in UjjenI

thirty
8

came 35

the thera Urusamgharakkhita with forty thousand ascetics.

With a hundred and sixty thousand bhikkhus came the 36
1

We

should rather expect Mahathupapatitthanatthanam

'he went to the place where the Great Thupa

thanavicakkhano:

should be built, having knowledge of

2
Cf. note to 2. 6.

(fitting) places.'

3
A park and afterwards a monastery near BarSnasi (Benares)
where the Buddha had preached his first sermon. M.V. I. 6. 6 foil.
*
5

I. e.

Jetavana.

See note to

See note to

1.

44.

Also M.V. VI. 30. 6

4. 9.

C.V. V. 13.

3,

and in many

other places.
6

I. e.

Mahabuddharakkhita.
4. 17
M.V. X.

See note to

See note to

5.

39

13.

5.

1. 1

C.V.

I.

25. 1,

and

often.

Notice that the names of the three

theras in 33, 34, 35, contain the words

buddha, dhamma, samgha.

Mahdvamsa

194

xxix. 37

named Mittinna from the Asokarama in Pupphapura. 1

37 From the Kasmira country came the thera Uttinna brin^m""
O O
38 with him two hundred and eighty thousand bhikkhus. The
wise Mahadeva came from Pallavabhogga 2 with four hundred
thera

39 and sixty thousand bhikkhus, and from Alasanda 3 the city

of the Yonas came the thera Yonamahadhammarakkhita with

40 thirty thousand bhikkhus.

From

his dwelling-

by the road

through the Viiijha forest mountains/ came the thera Uttara

with sixty thousand bhikkhus.

The great thera Cittagutta came hither from the Bodhi42 manda-vihara 5 with thirty thousand bhikkhus. The great
41

thera Candagutta came hither from the Vanavasa 6 country

43 with eighty thousand ascetics.
The great thera Suriyagutta
came from the great Kelasa-vihara with ninety-six thousand

As for the number of the bhikkhus dwelling in

who met together from every side, no strict account
45 has been handed down by the ancients. Among all these
bhikkhus who were met in that assembly those alone who had
44 bhikkhus.
the island

46

overcome the asavas, as it is told, were ninety-six kotis.

These bhikkhus stood according to their rank around the
place of the Great Thupa, leaving in the midst an open space
As the king stepped into this (space) and saw 7

47 for the king.

1

Pataliputta see note to 4. 31. For Asokarama, cf. 5. 80.

Pallava is the name of the Persians = Skt. Pallava or Pahlava.

I.e.

Bhoggam

is

perhaps 'fief;

cf.

rajabhoggam

in D.I. 87 9

and

often elsewhere.
3

Alexandria in the land of the Yonas,

i.

e.

the Greeks, probably the

town founded by the Macedonian king in the country of the

Paropanisadae near Kabul. See ARRIAN, Anabasis iii. 28, iv. 22.
4

Vindhya. See 19. 6 with note.

monastery built near the bodhimanda at Bodhgaya, the
place where Gotama attained to Buddhaship.
6
See note to 12. 31.
7
The Tika gives here (from the Atthakatha) the following peculiar
explanation: 'As the king steps into the middle of the circle he
expresses the following wish if his work is to come to a happy issue
then, as a sign thereof, may theras who bear the name of the Buddha,
his doctrine and his order, take their places on the east, south, and
5

I. e.

west sides but on the north side a thera with the name of Ananda,
thd Buddha's beloved disciple. Each bhikkhu shall be surrounded by
;

Uie Beginning of the Great TJmpa

xxix. 58

195

the brotherhood of bhikkhus standing thus he greeted them

joyfully, with believing heart; when he had then duly offered 48
them fragrant flowers and had passed round them three times,
1
turning to the left, he went into the midst, to the consecrated

place of the

'

Then forthwith

filled pitcher'.

uplifted

by the 49

power
gladness he, devoted to the welfare of the
commanded
that the pure turning staff (for tracing
beings,
the circular boundary), made of silver and secured (by means 50
of pure

of a rope)

to a post of gold, be grasped by a minister of

noble birth, well attired and in festival array, 2 and, being 51
resolved to allot a great space for the cetiya, he ordered him

walk round (with the turning

to

staff in his

hands) along the

3
But the great thera of wondrous 52
ground already prepared.
named
the
power
Siddhattha,
far-seeing, prevented the king

as he did this.
so great a

finished

'

If our king shall begin to build 53

death
will
come
upon him, ere the thupa be
thupa
a
so
moreover,
great
thupa will be hard to repair/ 54

Reflecting

prevented (the measuring of) that

In agreement with the brotherhood and 55

he, looking to the future,

great dimension.
from reverence toward the thera, the king, though he would
fain have made (the thupa) great, hearkened to the thera's

word and did, according to the thera's instruction, allot a 56

moderate space for the cetiya, that the (foundation) stones
might be laid.
and eight (vases) of gold did he, with 57
the midst, and in a circle around these he 58
placed a thousand and eight new vases, and likewise (around
Eight vases of

silver

tireless zeal, place in

a troop of companions of the same name. The king's wish is fulfilled.'

The theras in question and their companions are called (cf. Tika,
pp. 383-384

and above

v.

33

foil.)

Mahabuddharakkhita, Mahadhainma-

rakkhita, Mahasamgharakkhita, and

Mahananda.

Katvana tipadakkhinam. See note to 18. 36.

2
Tika: Abhimarigalabhutena ti, janehi pinitatta abhimangalasammatehi ahatavatthadihi alamkarehi patimanditatta ca samangaliko ti 'he was samangalika because he
1

was liked by the people and because he was adorned with ornaments that were believed to be festival, as new garments (not washed
before) and so forth
'.

And

to draw, in this way, the circular outline of the thupa.

o 2

MaMvamsa

196

xxix. 59

59 each of these) a hundred and eight garments. 1 Eight splendid

2
When he then had
bricks did he lay, each one apart by itself.

60 commanded an

official

to take one of them,

chosen for this and adorned in every way

laid on the east side, which had been

he

3
ceremonies, the first foundation stone,
the
sweet-smelling clay.
solemnly, upon
When jasmine-flowers 4 had been offered on that spot an

61 prepared with

many

62 earthquake came to pass. And he caused the other seven

(stones) to be laid by seven (other) ministers and ceremonies (of

63 consecration) to be carried out. Thus he caused the stones

to be laid on the day appointed, the fifteenth uposatha day

month Asalha.

in the bright half of the

When

64

who

he had reverentially greeted the four great theras

were free from the asavas, who stood there at the

four heavenly quarters, and

when he had honoured them

65 with gifts he came in due course, greatly rejoicing, to the

north-east side, and when he (here) had greeted the great
thera Piyadassi,

who was

free

from the asavas, he took his

66 place near him.

Exalting the festival ceremony there this

thera preached the true doctrine to him ; the preaching of the

67 thera was rich in blessing for the people. The conversion of

forty thousand to the true doctrine took place, and (yet) forty

thousand (more) became partakers in the fruit of entering

68 into the path of salvation. 5 A thousand lay-folk became even
According to the Tika from atthuttare atthuttare to visum
is to be read as ONE sentence, so that the stop after pan a (in
58 d) in the edition should be deleted. In this case we must add in
58c,d a second parivariya with the meaning: Maying around
(them),' and the translation would be 'and in a circle around these he
1

visum

placed a thousand and eight

he

lay,

each one apart by

new

itself,

and eight splendid bricks did

(laying in a circle around) each of

vases,

them a hundred and

eight garments '.

East, NE., N., and so forth. The stones are called
pavara as they were of gold.
8
According to the Tika the thera Mittasena had mixed the clay
2

Namely

(gandhapinda), the thera Jayasena had poured the water on it.

4
Jati and sumana are both names for Jasminum grandiflorum.
5

to

They attained
32 and 33.

1.

to the

first

stage of sanctification.

See notes

xxix. 70

The Beginning of the Great Ttmpa,

197

such as have but one (earthly) existence before them, a thousand became such as have no other (earthly) existence (to
1
Eighteen 69
come), and a thousand also became arahants.
thousand bhikkhus and fourteen thousand bhikkhums attained
to arahantship.

Even so may every one whose heart is inclined to (faith in) 70

the Three Gems, knowing that by a benefactor of mankind,
whose heart is set on generous giving, the highest blessing is
brought to pass for the world, strive toward the attainment
many virtues, as faith and so forth.

of

Here ends the twenty-ninth chapter, called ' The beginning

of the Great Thupa', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
1

They attained to the second and

stage of sanctification.

third,

See notes to

and to the last and highest

and 13. 17.

15. 18

CHAPTER XXX
THE MAKING OF THE RELIC-CHAMBER
WHEN the great king had reverentially greeted the whole
brotherhood he invited them, saying ' Even till the cetiya is
2 finished accept ye alms from me/
The brotherhood would
1

when he then by degrees prayed (them to

week he won acceptance, for one week, by the
half of the bhikkhus.
When he had obtained this from them
he, satisfied, had pavilions set up in eighteen places around
the place of the thupa and commanded there, for one week,
lavish gifts to the brotherhood. Then he gave the brotherhood
not consent

3 accept) for a

leave to depart.
5

Thereupon commanding that the drums be beaten he called

the master-builders together with all speed ; in number they

6 were five hundred.
And one of them answered the king, on
'
his asking
How wilt thou make (the thupa) ? ' ( Taking a
:

hundred workmen I will use one waggon -load of sand in

one day/

2
Thereon they offered (to work
rejected him.
with) one half less and yet one half less again, and (at last
8 with) two ammanas 3 of sand. These four master-builders also

The king

did the king reject. Then an experienced and shrewd master'

I shall pound (the sand) in a
to the king
mortar, and then, when it is sifted, have it crushed in the

9 builder said

mill
1

and (thus

ammana

(only) of

sand/

limiting his invitation more and more.

use of too much sand would tell against the durability of the
Therefore the Tika makes the king say to the master-

I.e.

The

thupa.
builder

will use) one

Shouldst thou do so the cetiya would be like a heap of pure

sand and would be covered with grass and bushes.'
3
As a measure of capacity. The Abhidhanappadipika 484 defines

the
Cf.

ammana

as 11

RHYS DAVIDS,

dona.

The dona

is

64 pasata,

i.e.

handfuls.

Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon, pp. 17-18.

The Making of the Relic-Chamber

xxx. 23

And on
was

199

these words the lord of the land, whose courage 10

with the thought ' There will

like to Indra's, consented,

be no grass nor any such thing on our cetiya/ and

he 11

questioned
cetiya ?'

him saying: ln what form wilt thou make the

At that moment Vissakamma 1 entered into (and

When the master-builder had had a golden 12

with water, he took water in his hand and let
it fall on the surface of the water.
A great bubble rose up 1 3
like unto a half -globe of crystal.
He said: 'Thus will
possessed) him.

bowl

filled

I make it.'
And well-pleased the king bestowed on him 14
a pair of garments worth a thousand (pieces of money) and
ornamented shoes and twelve thousand kahapanas.

How shall I have the bricks transported without laying

burdens on the people ?' Thus pondered the king in the
night-time ; when the gods were aware of this they brought
night after night bricks to the four gates of the cetiya and
'

them down

there, always as many as sufficed for one day.

the king heard this, glad at heart, he began work on 17
And he made it known ( Work shall not be done
the thupa.

laid

When

At

wage/
every gate he commanded to place 18
sixteen hundred thousand kahapanas, very many garments,
different ornaments, solid and liquid foods and drink withal, 19
here without

fragrant flowers, sugar and

perfumes for the mouth.
'

so

forth,

Let them take of these as they

as well

will

as the five

when they have 20

Observing this command the king's

work-people allotted (the wages).
A bhikkhu who wished to take part in the building of the 2 1

laboured as they will/

2
thupa took a lump of clay which he himself had prepared,
went to the place of the cetiya, and deceiving the king's 22

work-people, he gave

he knew what

it

it

it

to a

was/

workman. So soon

as he received

perceiving the bhikkhu's design. 23

Thus it is the god who acts and speaks

Cf. the note to 18. 24.
through the medium of the master-builder.
2
As he received no wage for this he
I.e. had kneaded and mixed.
in
meritorious
a
share
the
work of building the thupa.
have
to
hoped
1

He

recognized the brick by the difference in the composition.

200

Mahavamsa

When

dispute arose there.

xxx. 24

the king afterwards heard this

he came and questioned the workman.

'
24
Sire, with flowers in the one hand the bhikkhus are used
25 to give

know

me

a piece of clay with the other; but I can only

much) whether he be a bhikkhu from another

(just so

land or of this country, Sire/ l

When the king heard this word he appointed an overseer
26
to show him the ascetic who had offered the lump of clay.
27

The other showed him to the overseer and he told the king.
The king had three pitchers with jasmine-blossoms placed in the

courtyard of the sacred Bodhi-tree and bade the overseer give

28 them to the bhikkhu. 2 When the bhikkhu, observing nothing,

had offered them, the overseer told him

there.

29

Then

this while

he yet stood

did the ascetic understand.

thera living in Piyahgalla in the Kotthivala district, who

work of building the cetiya

also wished to take part in the

30 and who was a kinsman of that brick- worker, came hither and
when he had made a brick in the size (such as was used there)
31 after having learned (the exact measure) he, deceiving the
This man laid it on
work-people, gave it to the workman.
its

32

place (in the thupa),

When

the

and a quarrel arose (on

king knew

he asked

this

*
:

Is

this matter).

it

possible

to

'

Although the workman knew it, he

recognize the brick ?
'
33 answered the king
To the question :
It is impossible/
'
Dost thou know the thera ? he answered ( Yes/ So that
:

'

he might bs made known the king placed an overseer near

34 him. When the overseer had thereby come to know him he
went, with the king's consent, and visited the thera in the
35 Katthahala-parivena and spoke with him ; and when he had
learned the day of the thera's departure and the place whither
1

more exact description of the

The conjectural reading of the
instead of devati is unnecessary. The

The workman means by

this that a

personage was impossible to him.

Colombo edition neva

ti

35

ayam pana agantuko ayam

Thupavamsa has also (p. 61 ;
nevasiko ti ettakam janami. See Mah. ed., note to this
:

passage.
2
So that the bhikkhu might be rewarded in this
on the thupa.

way

for his

work

The Making of the

xxx. 45

Eelic-Clianiber

201

he was going, and had said to him c I am going with thee to

thy village/ he told the king all. The king commanded that 36
a pair of garments, worth a thousand (pieces of money), and a
:

costly red coverlet he given to him, and when he had (also) 3 7

to give him many things used by samanas, and

commanded

l
sugar and a nail of fragrant
upon him.

He went
s

oil

withal, he laid his

command

with the thera, and when Piyafigallaka was in 38

sit down in a cool shady place where
when he had given him sugar- water and 39

ght he made the thera

there was water, and

his feet with fragrant oil and put sandals upon

For the thera 40
he
them,
gave him the necessaries (saying)
who visits my house 2 have I brought these with me, but the
two garments for my son. All this do I give to thee now/

had rubbed

'

When

with these words he had given those (necessaries) 3 to 41

the thera who, after receiving them, set out again upon his
journey, he, taking leave of (the thera}, told him, in the king's
words, the king's command.

great numbers 42
who laboured for wages, being converted to the faith, went to
wise man who perceives that only by inner faith 43
heaven.

While the Great Thupa was

built, people in

in the

Holy One

is

the

to heaven found, will therefore

way

4
bring offerings to the thupa.

Two women, who

were re-born

when

in the

since they had also laboured here for hire, 44

heaven of the thirty-three (gods), pondered

the thupa was finished, upon what they had formerly 45

A measure of capacity (Abhidh. 1057), Sinh. nseliya, according

CLOUGH 'about three pints wine-measure
2
Kulupaka or -aga is the name given in a family to a bhikkhu
who continually frequents the house to receive alms, and enters thus
1

to

'.

into confidential relations with the family.

3

After te must be understood

It

parikkhare.

significant that in the Tika there

is no explanation of
These have indeed the look of a monastic legend (cf.
particularly the practical application in verse 43), which may have
been interpolated at a later period. In any case the interpolation
must be old. It is found in all the groups of MSS. and also in the

is

verses 42-50.

Kambodian Mahavamsa, and the

vamsa.

story appears again in the Thupa-

Mahavamsa

202
done, and

when they both became aware

deeds, they took fragrant flowers

46 reverence to the thupa with offerings.
their

xxx. 46
of the reward of

and came

When

do
had
they
to

offered the fragrant flowers they did homage to the cetiya.

At this moment came the thera Mahasiva who dwelt in

47 Bhativanka (with the thought): 'I will pay homage by

night to the Great Thupa/ As he, leaning against a great

48 sattapanna-tree, 1 saw those women and without letting himself be seen stood there gazing at their marvellous splenhe, when their adoration was ended asked them
Here the whole island shines with the brightness of your
bodies
what works have ye done that ye have passed from
50 this world into the world of gods ?
The devatas told him of
the work done by them in the (building of the) Great Thupa

dour,

49

'

'

thus does faith in the Tathagata bring a rich reward.

51
The three terraces for the flower-offerings to the thupa 2
did the theras of miraculous power cause to sink down so soon
as they were laid with bricks, making them equal to the
52 surface of the soil. Nine times did they cause them to sink
down when they were laid. Then the king called together an

53 assembly of the brotherhood of bhikkhus.

Eighty thousand
bhikkhus assembled there. The king sought out the brotherhood, and when he had paid homage to them with gifts and had
54 reverentially greeted them he asked the reason of the sinking
down of the bricks. The brotherhood answered: 'In order
that the thupa may not sink down of itself was this thing
55 done by the bhikkhus of miraculous power, O great king*;
they will do it no more, make no alteration and finish the
Great Thupa/

56

When the king heard this, glad at heart he caused the work
on the thupa to be continued. For the ten flower-terraces 3
1

Skt.

Itseems

saptaparna,

Alstonia scholaris.

thatpupphadhana means the three concentric galleries

(the so-called

pasada) which form the base

of the thupa proper.

Architectural Remains, Anurddhapura, p. 27

Ancient Ceylon, p. 286.

SMITHER,
3

I.e. for

the nine

pupphadhanattayani which had

the tenth that remained on the surface.

PARKER,
sunk a,nd

xxx.

TJie

71

of

kotis

ten

Making of the

bricks

(were

Relic-Cliamler

used).

203

The brotherhood

of 57

bhikkhus charged the two samaneras, Uttara and Sumana,

'

Bring- hither, to (make) the relic-chamber in the

fat-coloured
And they set out for (the land 58
stones/ 1
cetiya,
2
the
Northern
Kurus
and
of)
brought from thence six massive
1

saying

measuring eighty cubits in length and 59

fat-coloured stones

breadth, bright as the sun, eight inches thick and like to

3
ganthi blossoms.
they had laid one on the flower- 60

When

and had disposed four (others) on the

four sides, in the fashion of a chest, the (theras) of wondrous 61
might placed the sixth, to serve (afterwards) as a lid, upon the
terrace in the middle

east side,

making

it invisible.

In the midst of the relic-chamber the king placed a bodhi- 62

It had a stem 63
tree made of jewels, splendid in every way.
the root, made of
The stem made of perfectly pure 64
was adorned with leaves made of gems, had withered
and fruits of gold and young shoots made of coral.

eighteen cubits high and five branches

coral, rested on sapphire.

silver

leaves

4
were on the stem and festoons 65
auspicious figures
of flowers and beautiful rows of fourfooted beasts and rows of

The eight

Over it, on the border of a beautiful canopy, was 66

geese.
a network of pearl bells and chains of little golden bells and
bands here and there. From the four corners of the canopy 67

hung bundles

of

stars

and

different

each

strings

pearl

nine hundred

worth

figures of sun, moon and 68

lotus-flowers, made of jewels, were

thousand (pieces of money).

The

thousand and eight pieces of 69

divers stuffs, precious and of varied colours, were hung to the
canopy. Around the bodhi-tree ran a vedika made of all manner 70

fastened to

the canopy.

of jewels; the

pavement within was made of great myrobalan-

pearls.

Rows
1

of vases (some)

-See note to

The

puppha.

Tika

1.

39.

explains

See note to

ganthipuppha

Cf. B.R., Skt.-Wtb., s.v.

nicea (hat eine schone rote

4
Cf. note to 27. 37.
5

empty and (some)

See 11.14;

cf. 28. 36.

Blume

filled

1.

18.

by

bandhujiva:
.

.).

with flowers 71

bandhujlvakaPentapetes phoe-

204

Mahavamsa

made

of all kinds

of jewels

and

xxx. 72

filled

with four kinds of

fragrant water were placed at the foot of the bodhi-tree.

72 On a throne, the cost whereof was one koti, erected to the
east of the bodhi-tree, he placed a shining golden BuddhaThe body and members of this image were duly 1

73 image seated.

made of jewels of different colours, beautifully shining. Maha74 brahma stood there holding a silver parasol and Sakka carry75 ing out the consecration with the Vijayuttara shell, Paricasikha
with his lute in his hand, 2 and Kalanaga with the dancing-girls,

and the thousand-handed Mara with

Even

76 of followers.

his elephants

and train

like the throne to the east (other) thrones

were erected, the cost of each being a koti, facing the other
77 seven regions of the heavens. And even thus, so that the
bodhi-tree was at the head, a couch 3 was placed, also worth
one koti, adorned with jewels of every kind.

The events 4 during the seven weeks 5 he commanded them

78

to depict duly here and there in the relic chamber, and also the
79 prayer of Brahma, 6 the setting in motion the wheel of the
1
According to the Tika the finger-nails and the whites of the eyes
were made of mountain-crystal, the palms of the hands, soles of the
feet, and the lips of red coral, the eyebrows and pupils of sapphire,

the teeth of diamonds, &c.

2

is

Pancasikho gandhabbaputto

12
(D. II. 265

foil.

1
Jat. IV. 69 )

the poet and minstrel of the gods. He appears in attendance on

10
Jat. III. 222 ,&c.; IV. 63 7 &c., and often. Thegandhabba

Sakka in

are the heavenly musicians.

8
To represent the death-bed of the Buddha, the
maiica, and intended as a receptacle for the relics.
(Skt.

gandharva)

par i nib ban a-

life, from the s a m b o d h i

and obsequies, are enumerated. Cf. for this especially
M.V. I. 1-23 (OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. i, p. 1 foil.); the Jatakanidana
d
(FAUSBOLL, Jatakas, i, p. 77 foil.); and for 84 foil, the Mahaparinibbanasutta (D. II. p. 106 foil. RHYS DAVIDS, S.B.E. xi, p. 44 foil.,
and S.B.B. iii, p. 71 foil.). KERN, Manual of Indian Buddhism,
4

In the vv. 78-87 scenes from the Buddha's

to his death

p.

21

foil.

monuments

On

such scenes as the subject of bas-reliefs in buddhistic

Art Greco- Bouddkique, i, p. 414 foil.
FOUCHER,

see

GRUNWEDEL, Buddk
5

Kunst, pp. 61 foil., 118 foil.

The time immediately after the sambodhi which the

Buddha

spent near the bodhi-tree.

6
Brahma and the other gods entreat the Buddha to preach the
discovered truth to the world.

The Making of the Relic-Chamber

xxx. 84

205

doctrine, the admission of Yasa into the order, the pabbajja of

the Bhaddavaggiyas and the subduing of the jatilas ; the visit 80
of Bimbisara and the entry into Rajagaha, the accepting of the
1

Veluvana, the eighty

disciples,

the journey to Kapilavatthu 81

and the (miracle of the) jewelled path in that place, 2 the pab3
bajja of Rahula and Nanda, the accepting of the Jetavana, the 82
miracle at the foot of the mango-tree, the preaching in the*
heaven of the gods, the miracle of the descent of the gods, 4 and

the assembly with the questioning of the thera, 5 the Mahasa- 83

6
7
mayasuttanta, and the exhortation to Rahula, the Mahamah9
8
with
the
encounter
and
(the elephant) Dhanapala ;
galasutta,

the subduing of the (yakkha) Alavaka, of the (robber) Anguli- 84

1
The smaller circle of the disciples after the admission of Sariputta
and Moggallana.
2
The miracle of the ratanacankama consisted in this that the
Buddha created a path of gems in the air, pacing upon which he

preached to the Sakyas. According to Jat. i, p. 88, the Buddha

performed in Kapilavatthu the yamakapatihariya (also called in
Cf. note to 17. 44.
v. 82 ambamule patihira).
3
Mah. ed. read Rahuiananda instead of Rahulan
.

On

these legends see

pp. 295

537

foil.,

298

foil.,

301.

SPENCE HARDY, Manual of Buddhism,

Cf. TOUCHER, 1. 1., pp. 473 foil., 483 foil.,

foil.

5
The allusion is to the assembly before the gates of Sankapura,
where the Buddha appears, after his return from the heaven of the
gods, and Sariputta's intellectual superiority to the other disciples is

demonstrated.

SPENCE HARDY,

1.

1, p. 302.

Sutta 20 of the Dighanikaya (D.

Kapilavatthu.
7
In Majjhima-Nik.

I.

p.

414

foil,

is

II. p.

253

foil.)

preached in

an Ambalatthika-Rahulova-

and at III. p. 277 foil,

dasutta preached in Veluvana near Rajagaha
a Cula-Rahulovadasutta preached at Jetavana. Cf. also Samyutta;

Nik.
8
9

III.

135-136

IV. 105-107.

= Sutta-nipata II.

(ed.

FATJSBOLL,

p. 45).

A later name

of the elephant which Devadatta lets loose upon

the Buddha to crush him and whom the Buddha subdues by the
power of his gentleness. SPENCE HARDY (1. 1., p. 320 foil.) mentions
Nalagiri or Malagiri as his original name.
25
has Dhanapalaka.
TRENCKNER), p. 207
,

sources Vasupala also occurs.

p.

251

FOUCHER,

1. 1.,

p.

542

The Milindapanha

(ed.

In Sanskrit Buddhist

KERN, Buddhismus, transl. by Jacobi,

foil.

i,

Mahdvamsa

206

xxx. 85

mala and the (naga-king) Apalala, 1 the meeting with the

85 Parayanakas, 2 the giving-up of

life,

the accepting of the dish

5
of pork, and of the two gold-coloured garments, the drinking
86 of the pure water, 6 and the Parinibbana itself ; the lamentation

of gods

and men, the revering of the

feet

by the

thera,

the

the quenching of the fire, the funeral

87-rites in that very place and the distributing of the relics by
Dona. 10 Jatakas n also which are fitted to awaken faith did the

burning

(of the

body

),

88 noble (king) place here in abundance. The Vessantarajataka

1

SPENCE HARDY,

l.L, pp.

261

foil.,

249

a rhistoiredu Bouddhisme Indien, p. 377

544 foil.
2

TURNOUR

12

BURNOUF, Introduction
FOUCHER, I. L, pp. 507 foil.,

foil.

the Parayana brahman tribe (at Rajagaha).'

Three months before his death the Buddha resolves to enter into
the nibbana at the end of that appointed time. An earthquake
'

accompanies his
4

The

resolve.

dish set before the

Buddha by the smith Cunda

the suka-

ram add ava brought on

5

the illness which finally caused his death.

were presented to the Buddha by the Malla

The garments
As Ananda put them on him

Pukkusa.

his

body radiated unearthly

brightness, as a sign of approaching death.

6
The turgid waters of the Kakuttha-river

become clear by a miracle

when Ananda takes from it a draught for the Master.
7
None can succeed in setting light to the funeral pyre on which
the body of the Buddha is lying, for the thera Mahakassapa is still
on his way from Pava to pay the last honours to the dead Master.
8
After Mahakassapa has passed round the funeral pyre three times,
and has then uncovered the master's feet and done homage to them,
the pyre breaks into flame of itself.
9
Streams of water fall from heaven and extinguish the fire.
10
In order to settle the dispute that threatens to burn fiercely over
the remains of the

Buddha the brahman Dona

divides

them

into

eight parts.

On pictorial representations of the Buddha's former existences

(jataka-stories) see FOUCHER, 1. 1., p. 270 foil.
12
The Jataka, ed. FAUSBOLL, vi, p. 479 foil. The existence as
11

Vessantara
this

is

the Buddha's last earthly existence.

into the Tusita- heaven.

Hence

He

passes from

this jataka has a particular

significance. See FOUCHER, L I., pp. 283-285. On a fresco representing

this jataka in a series of detached single scenes, in the Degaldoruwa

monastery in Ceylon, see

COOMARASWAMY, Open Letter to the Kandyan

Chiefs, p. 6 foil, (reprinted

from Ceylon

Observer, Feb. 17, 1905).

xxx. 97

TJie

207

Making of the Relic-Chamber

he commanded them to depict

fully,

and in

like

manner

(that which befell beginning at the descent) from the Tusitaheaven even to the Bodhi-throne. 1

At the four quarters of the heaven stood the (figures of) 89

the four Great kings/ and the thirty-three gods and the
thirty-two (celestial) maidens and the twenty-eight chiefs of 90
the yakkhas; but above these 3 devas raising their folded
hands, vases filled with flowers likewise, dancing devatas and 91

devatas playing instruments of music, devas with mirrors in

their hands, and devas also bearing flowers and branches,
devas with lotus-blossoms and so forth in their hands and 92
other devas of

many

kinds, rows of arches

dhammacakkas

made

of

gems and

rows of sword-bearing devas and 93

Above their heads were pitchers
also devas bearing pitchers.
five cubits high, filled with fragrant oil, with wicks made of 94
(rows) of

dukula

was

fibres continually alight.

In an arch of crystal there

in each of the four corners a great

in the four corners four

gem and

(moreover) 95

glimmering heaps of gold, precious

On the wall 96
placed.
fat-coloured stones sparkling zig-zag lines 5 were
traced, serving as adornment for the relic-chamber. The king 97
commanded them to make all the figures here in the en-

stones

and pearls and of diamonds were

made

of

6
chanting relic-chamber of massive wrought gold.

FOUCHER,

I.

Z.,-pp.

285-289, 290

foil.

The tusita are a

gods, Skt. tusita.

2
The four guardians of the world
N.,

Virulha in the

S.,

class of

(lokapala) Dhatarattha in the

Virupakkha in the W., and Vessavana in the E.
:

According to the Tika's interpretation this tatopari belongs to

arijalipaggaha deva. The comma in Mah. ed. should then be
moved accordingly.
4
The whet 1 of the doctrine a sacred symbol of the Buddhists.
See SEWELL, J.R.A.S. 1886, p. 392.
Originally perhaps a sun-symbol.
5
The Tika explains vijjuVijjulata, literally 'lightnings'.
'

',

meghalata nama vijj ukumariyo, and quotes from the

Porana (cf. GEIGER, Dip. and Mah., p. 45) the following verse:
meghalata vijjukumari medapindikabhittiya samanta
caturo passe dhatugabbhe parikkhipi.
6
The Tika goes into fuller details, to refute those who may perhaps

lata by

doubt the truth of the description.

GEIGER,

I.

L, p. 35.

Mahavamsa

208
98

XXX. 98

The great thera Indagutta, who was

gifted with the six

supernormal faculties, the most wise, directed here all this,

99 being set over the work. All this was completed without
hindrance by reason of the wondrous power of the king, the

wondrous power of the devatas, and the wondrous power of

100

the holy (theras).

If the wise man

who

is

adorned with the good gifts of

has done homage to the blessed (Buddha) the supremely

venerable, the highest of the world, who is freed from darkness, while he was yet living, and then to his relics, that were
faith,

dispersed abroad

kind

and

if

by him who had

then indeed will he reverence the

blessed

in view the salvation of

he then understands

(Buddha himself)

relics

man-

equal merit
of the Sage even as the

herein

is

in his lifetime.

Here ends the thirtieth chapter, called ' The Making of the
Relic-Chamber ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene
joy and emotion of the pious.

CHAPTEK XXXI
THE ENSHRINING OF THE RELICS
WHEX

the subduer of foes had completed the work on the

relic-chamber he brought about an assembly of the brotherhood

and spoke thus

The work on the relic-chamber has been completed by me; to-morrow I will enshrine the relics; do you,
venerable sirs, take thought for the relics/ When the great
king had spoken thus he went thence into the city ; but the
assembly of bhikkhus sought out a bhikkhu who should bring

and they charged the ascetic named Sonuttara, 4

with
six supernormal faculties, who dwelt in the
the
gifted
with
the task of bringing the relics.
Puja-parivena,
hither

relics

Now

once,

when the Master was wandering about

for the salvation of the world^

earth)

(on the 5

on the shore of the

Ganges a brahman named Nanduttara invited the Sambuddha and offered him hospitality together with the
brotherhood.
Near the landing-place Payaga 1 the Master,
with the brotherhood, embarked on a ship.
As then the
thera Bhaddaji of wondrous might, endowed with the six
supernormal faculties, saw there a place where the water
'
The golden
whirled in eddies, he said to the bhikkhus
:

palace measuring twenty-five yojanas wherein I dwelt, when

2
Mahapanada, is sunk here. When the 9
water of the Ganges comes to it here it whirls in eddies/

was

(the king)

The bhikkhus, who did not believe him, told this to the
Master.
The Master said: ' Banish the doubts of the 10
bhikkhus/ Then to show his power to command even in
the Brahma- world he rose, by his wondrous might, into the 11
1

Skt.
Of.

Mah.

Prayaga, the holy

Mah.

37.

2.

Dip.

3. 7.

place where

There

is

62 (= Culavamsa 37. 12, ed.

p. 239).

Ganga and Yamuna

also

unite.

mention of M.'s palace,

Col., p. 7

TUKNOUK, Mah.,

210

Maliavamsci

xxxi. 12

air and when he, floating at a height even of seven talas,

had taken the Dussa-thupa l in the Brahma-world upon his
12 outstretched hand, and had brought it hither and shown it to

the people, he put it again in the place to which it belonged.

13 Thereon he dived,
by his wondrous power, into the Ganges,
and seizing the palace by its spire 2 with his toe he raised it

high up, and when he had shown it to the people he let it

When the brahman Nand14 fall again there (to its place).
uttara saw this wonder he uttered the wish: 'May I (at

some time) have the power

15 hold

in

their

possession.'

to procure relics that others

Therefore did the brotherhood

3
lay this charge upon the ascetic Sonuttara
although he
I
old.
shall
but
sixteen
'Whence
was
16
bring a relic ?'
years
he asked the brotherhood, and thereupon the brotherhood

described the relics thus

'

Lying on

his

deathbed the Master of the world, that with

8 spoke thus to (Sakka) the

his relics he

might bring

to

pass salvation for the world,

O king of the

king of the gods

4
gods, of the eight donas of my bodily relics one dona., adored
19 (first) by the Koliyas in Ramagama, 5 shall be borne thence

kingdom of the nagas and when it will be adored

even there by the nagas it (at the last) shall come to be
20 enshrined in the Great Thupa on the island of Lanka. The
into the

6
far-seeing and most wise thera Mahakassapa then, mindful
of the (coming) division of the relics by king Dhammasoka,
1

Dathavamsa 35

For the meaning of thupika see Attanagaluvamsa,

(J.P.T.S. 1884, p. 113).

ed. ALWIS, IX.

cetiyasise kiritam viya kanakamayam thupikam
ca y ojetva 'having fastened a golden thupika on the summit of the
cetiya like a diadem
3
Who had in fact been that same Nanduttara in a former

7 (p. 32 24 ):

'.

existence.
4

certain measure of capacity.

cf. D. II. pp. 165-168.

See 17. 51.

For the passage

following

The Koliyas were a tribe related to the Sakyas. The Rohini was
the boundary river between them. In the Sumangala-Vilasini (ed.
RHYS DAVIDS and CARPENTER, i, p. 262) the capital of the Koliyas
8

is

called Vyagghapajja.
The samghathera after the Buddha's death

Council.

and head of the

First

The Enshrining of the

xxxi. 32

211

Eelics

had a great and well-guarded treasure of relics placed 1 near 21

Rajagaha (the capital) of king- Ajatasattu as he brought 22
thither the seven donas of relics
but the dona in Ramagama
he did not take, knowing the Master's intention. When the 23
;

king Dhammasoka saw the great treasure of relics he thought

have the eighth dona also brought thither. But, bethinking 24

to

them that

it was destined by the Conqueror to be enshrined

Great Thupa, the ascetics 2 of that time who had
overcome the asavas prevented Dhammasoka from (doing)
this.
The thupa in Rajagama, that was built on the shore 25
of the Ganges, was destroyed by the overflowing of the
Ganges, but the urn with the relics reached the ocean and 26

in the

3
stayed there in the twofold divided waters on a throne made
of many-coloured gems surrounded by rays of light.
When 27
the nagas saw the urn they went to the naga palace

Manjerika of the king Kalanaga and told him. And he went 28

with ten thousand kotis of nagas, and when he

thither

had brought the relics to his palace, (adoring them) with

offerings meanwhile, and had built over them a thupa made 29
of all kinds of jewels and a temple above the (thupa) also,
he, filled with zeal, brought offerings continually, together

with the (other) nagas.

and bring the

There a strong guard

relics hither.

To-morrow

is

set;

go thou 30

will the lord of the

land set about enshrining the relics.'

When he had heard these words of the brotherhood he, 31
t
answering Yes (I shall do so) ', withdrew to his cell pondering
over the time

when he must

set forth.

To-morrow the 32

enshrining of the relics shall take place/ thus proclaimed

the king by beat of drums in the city, by which all that
1

Karapento at21c

seems to be employed pleonastically. The

may be explained, as I have indicated

construction of the sentence

edition, thus

by the punctuation in the

mahadhatunidhanam

Mahakassapathero

karayi, Rajagahassa ran no Ajata-

sattuno samante (tarn nidhanam) karapento.

2
tattha khinasava yati ti tasmim DhammasoTika
kakale khinasava bhikkhu.
3
The waters of the sea divide to receive the urn. TURNOUR'S
translation
Where the stream of the Ganges spreads in two opposite
:

directions,' certainly does not give the right sense.

P 2

Mahavamsa

212
33 must be done
city

is

set forth.

xxxi. 33

He commanded

and the road leading hither

that the whole

be carefully adorned and

34 that the burghers be clad in festal garments.

Sakka, the king

of the gods, summoning Vissakamma (for this task), caused

the whole island of Lanka to be adorned in manifold ways.

At the four gates of the city the ruler of men had garments, food and so forth placed for the use of the people.
On the fifteenth uposatha-day in the evening, (the king)
36
glad at heart, well versed in the duties of kings, arrayed in all
35

37 his ornaments, surrounded on every side by

women and

his warriors in complete armour,

all his

dancing-

by a great body

38 of troops, as well as by variously adorned elephants, horses

and chariots, mounted his car of state 2 that was drawn by

39 four pure white Sindhu-horses 3 and stood there, making the

(sumptuously) adorned and beautiful elephant Kandula pace
before him, holding a golden casket 4 under the white parasol.
thousand and eight beautiful women from the city, with
40

the adornment of well-filled pitchers, surrounded the car and,

many women bearing baskets (filled) with various

41 even as

many again bearing lamps on staves. A thousand and eight boys in festal array surrounded him, bearing
43 beautiful many-coloured flags. While the earth seemed as it

4 2 flowers, and as

were rent 5 asunder by

all

manner

of

sounds from various

instruments of music, by the (thundering) noise of elephants,

44 horses and chariots, the renowned king shone forth, as he
went to the Mahameghavana, in glory like to the king of
the gods

When

45

noise
1

of

I.e. to

when he goes

to

Nandavana. 6

the ascetic Sonuttara, sitting in his cell, heard the

the music in the city 7 as the king began to
the Mahavihara.

Suratha, according

to the Tika,

is

used here as

mangalaratha

elsewhere.

See note to 23. 71.

To receive the relics.

The loc. absol. bhijjante viy a bhutale does not belong to the
whole sentence but especially to the pres. part, yanto.*
See note to 15. 185.
Pure is not 'for the
(Tika).

first

time

'

(TURKOUR) but

= nagaramhi

set out,

213

The Enshrining of the Eelics

xxxi. 56

he went, plunging into the earth to the palace of the 46

in a short time before the nagaWhen the king of the nagas had risen up and had 47

nagas and appeared there

king.

greeted

him and

invited

him

to be seated

on a throne, he

paid him the honours due to a guest and questioned him as

to the country whence he had come.
When this was told he 48

asked the reason of the thera's coming. And he told him

the whole matter and gave him the message of the brother-

The relics that are here in thy hands are appointed

Buddha to be enshrined in the Great Thupa ; do thou
then give them to me/ When the naga-king heard this, he
was sorely troubled and thought
This samana might have
the power to take them from me by force therefore must the
relics be carried elsewhere/ and he made this known by a sign
to his nephew, who was present there.
And he, who was
named Vasuladatta, understanding the hint, went to the
temple of the cetiya, and when he had swallowed the urn
1
(with the relics) he went to the foot of Mount Sineru and
hood

'

49

by the

50

'

51

52

53

Three hundred yojanas long

lay there coiled in a circle.
was the ring and one yojana was his measure around. 2 When 54
the (naga) of wondrous might had created many thousand
(heads with puffed-up)
there,

smoke and

fire.

hoods he belched forth, as he lay

he (then) had created many 55

When

thousand snakes like to himself, he made them

in a circle.

Many nagas and

'

We
1

lie

about him

devas came thither then with the thought

combat of the two nagas/ 3

will behold the

Name

of the mythical mountain

Meru which

is

the central point

of the universe.
2

That

is,

the naga's body was a yojana in circumference. The Tika

gives another sense to the passage. According to it bhogo is equal

to bhogava, i.e. snake, and yojanavattava equal to yojanasata-

vattava, sata being understood from what precedes. That is

certainly too artificial. TURNOUR translates, 'with a hood forty
WIJESINHA
one yojana broad.' But none of this
yojanas broad
'

'

appears in the text.

3

'

A double

Read one way naga 'snake-demon', refers

the other way, referring to the thera, it means,
hero, great or mighty man.'

to

meaning.

Vasuladatta

56

Mahavamsa

214

xxxi. 57

When the uncle perceived that the relics had been taken
f
There are no
thence by his nephew, he said to the thera
58 relics with me/ The thera told him the story of the coming
57

of the relics
'

king
59

And

from the beginning, and

Give thou the

said then to the naga-

relics/

him by some other means the serpent-king

him and went to the temple with the
and described it to him
See, O bhikkhu, this cetiya
to content

took the thera with

60 cetiya
adorned with

'

many gems

in

many ways and

the nobly built

61 temple for the cetiya.

Nay, but all the jewels in the whole
island of Lanka are not of so great worth as the stone-slab 1 at
the foot of the steps ; what shall be said of the other (treasures) ?

62 Truly it beseems thee not, O bhikkhu, to bear away the

from a place of high honour to a place of lesser honour/

63

relics

2
Verily, there is no understanding of the truth
among
you nagas. It were fitting indeed to bear away the relics to
'

64 a place where there is understanding of the truth.

The
born
for
deliverance from the samsara, and
Tathagatas are
thereon is the Buddha intent, therefore I will bear away the
65

This very day the king will set about enshrining

relics.
the relics ; swiftly then give me the relics without delay/
66
The naga said ' If thou shalt see the relics, venerable sir,
:

take them and go/

Three times the thera made him repeat
67 this (word), then did the thera standing on that very spot

68

create a (long) slender arm, and stretching the hand straightway down the throat of the nephew he took the urn with

and crying ' Stay, naga ' he plunged into the

earth and rose up (out of it) in his cell.
69
The naga-king thought
The bhikkhu is gone hence,
the

relics,

'

At the lower end of the stairway of buildings

circular stones

'Moonstones'.

in Ceylon lie semiwith gracefully executed ornaments, the so-called

SMITHER, Anurddhapura, p. 58, with. Plate LV1I,

fig. 3.
8

Certainly to be taken in the concrete sense of the four holy

(ariyasaccani) which form the foundation of Buddhist
doctrine
the Truths concerning sorrow, the cause of sorrow, the

Truths

cessation of sorrow,

Samyutta,

v.

420.

and the way leading

to the cessation of sorrow.

215

The Enshrining of the Belies

xxxi. 83

deceived by us/ and he sent to his nephew to bring the relics

But when the nephew could not find the urn in his 70
(again).
belly he came lamenting
'
king also lamented

and

told his uncle.

Then the naga-

71

We are betrayed/ and all the nagas who

came in crowds lamented likewise. But rejoicing in the victory 72
of the mighty bhikkhu l the gods assembled, and adoring the
relics with offerings they came together with the (thera).
Lamenting, the nagas came to the brotherhood and made 73
:

right woful plaint sorrowful over the carrying away of the

From compassion the brotherhood left them a few of 74
relics.

the relics rejoicing at this they went and brought treasures

as offerings.
Sakka came to the spot with the gods bringing a throne 75
In a beautiful pavilion 76
set with jewels and a casket of gold.
;

of jewels that was built by Vissakamma on the spot,

where the thera had emerged (from the earth), he set up the
throne and when he had received the urn with the relics from 77

made

the hand of the thera, and had put them in the casket he
placed it on the throne.

Brahma

held the parasol, Samtusita the yak-tail whisk, 78

held
the jewelled fan, Sakka the shell with water.
Suyama
The four great kings 3 stood with swords in their grip and the 79
2

thirty-three gods of wondrous power with baskets in their

hands.
When they had gone thither offering paricchattaka- 80
flowers

the thirty-two celestial maidens stood there bearing

Moreover, to ward off the evil yakkhas the 81

lamps on staves.

twenty- eight yakkha-chieftains stood holding guard. Panca- 82

sikha stood there playing the lute, and Timbaru who had set

up a stage, making music

there)
1

Lit.

singing
'

to

sound forth. 5

sweet songs and

Manydevas

(stood 83

the naga-king Mahakala

Of the naga among bhikkhus.'

See note to

v. 56.

Samtusita and Suyama also appear as devaputta at A. IV. 242 26

16
53 17 81 10 11 IV. 266 s
243 1 and S. IV. 280 23
Cf. also Jat. I. 48
2

See note to 30. 89.

Blossoms of a tree growing in the Tavatimsa-heaven.
10 Jat. I. 202 14 IV. 265' 8
4

M.V.

1.

20.

On Pancasikha see note to 30. 75 Timbaru is called in D. II.

~3
Gandhabba-raja. With rangabhumicf. Sinh. rangabim
(= rangamadulu) place for acting, theatre'.
5

268 2

'

Mahavamsa

216

xxxi. 84

84 chanting praises in manifold ways. Celestial instruments of

music resounded, a celestial chorus pealed forth, the devatas
But the
85 let fall a rain of heavenly perfumes and so forth.
thera Indagutta created, to ward off Mara, a parasol of copper
86 that he made great as the universe. On the east side of the
relics

and here and there

in the five regions

the bhikkhus

raised their song in chorus.

87
Thither, glad at heart, went the great king

Dutthagamani,
and when he had laid the casket with the relics in the golden
88 casket that he had brought upon his head, and had placed it
upon a throne, he stood there with folded hands, offering

and adoring them.

the
89
prince saw the celestial parasol, the celestial
perfumes, and the rest, and heard the sound of celestial ingifts to the relics

When

90 struments of music and so forth, albeit he did not see the

Brahma-gods he, rejoicing and amazed at the miracle, worshipped the relics, with the offering of a parasol and investing
them with the kingship over Lanka.

91

'

To

the Master of the world, to the Teacher

who

bears the

threefold parasol, the heavenly parasol and the earthly and

92 the parasol of deliverance I consecrate three times
kingly

my

With

these words he, with joyful heart, thrice conferred on the relics the kingship of Lanka.
rank.'

Thus, together with gods and men, worshipping the relics

with offerings, the prince placed them, with the caskets, upon
94 his head, and when he, surrounded by the brotherhood of the
bhikkhus, had passed three times, going toward the left,

93

around the thupa, he ascended

95 descended into the relic-chamber.

it

on the east side and

Ninety-six kotts of arahants stood with folded hands surrounding the magnificent
96 thupa. While the king, filled with joy, when he had mounted
into the relic-chamber, thought:

l will lay

them on the

97 costly and beautiful couch/ the relic-casket, together with

the relics, rose up from his head, and, floating at a height of
98 seven talas in the
1

By

also cf. 29.

air,

the casket forthwith opened of itself;

meant east, west, south, and north, and north-east,

64 and 65. In Skt. the north-east is called aparajita

this is

ManuVI.

31.

xxxi.

no

The Enshrining of the

217

Relics

the relics rose up out of it and taking the form of the Buddha,
1
gleaming with the greater and lesser signs, they performed, 99
even as the Buddha (himself) at the foot of the gandambatree that miracle of the double appearances, that

was brought

his lifetime. 2

As they 100
by
beheld this miracle, with believing and joyous heart, twelve
kotis of devas and men attained to arahantship; those 101
who attained the three other fruits (of salvation) 3 were past
the Blessed

to pass

One during

reckoning.

Quitting the form of the Buddha those (relics) returned to

but the casket sank down again 102
and rested on the head of the king. Then passing round 4
with the thera Indagutta and 103
the relic-chamber in

their place in the casket;

procession

the dancing-women, the glorious king coming even to the

And 104
beautiful couch laid the casket on the jewelled throne.

when

he, filled with zeal, had washed again his hands in

water fragrant with perfumes, and had rubbed them with the
five kinds of perfumes, he opened the casket, and taking out 105

the

relics

the ruler of the land,

who was

intent

on the

welfare of his people, thought thus: 5 'If these relics shall 106
abide undisturbed by any man soever, and if the relics,
serving as a refuge for the people, shall endure continually,
then may they rest, in the form of the Master as he lay upon 107
his deathbed, upon this well-ordered and precious couch/

Thinking thus he laid the relics upon the splendid couch; 108
the relics lay there upon the splendid couch even in such
a shape. On the fifteenth uposatha-day in the bright half 109
of the month Asalha, under the constellation Uttarasalha,
were the

relics

enshrined in this way.

the relics the great earth quaked and

At

the enshrining of

many wonders came

to

pass in divers ways.

See note to

Cf. 17. 44, also

5. 92.

the note to 30. 81.

the state of a sotapanno, of a sakadagami or of an

anagami. See notes to 1. 33 15. 18 13. 17.
I.e.

Pariharam

(part. pres.).

The

subst.

hsera means a solemn procession.

5
A saccakiriya, cf. note to 18. 39.

parihara=Sinh. psera-

1 1

Mahavamsa

218
111

112

xxxi. ill

With

believing heart did the king worship the relics by

(offering) a white parasol, and conferred on them the entire
overlordship of Lanka for seven days.
All the adornments on his body he offered in the relic-

chamber, and

so

likewise

the

(did)

113 ministers, the retinue and the devatas.

dancing-women, the
When the king had

garments, sugar, clarified butter and so forth

brotherhood, and had caused the bhikkhus to recite
114 in chorus the whole night, then, when it was again day, he
distributed

among the

had the drum beaten in the

welfare of the people

city,

being mindful of the

'

All the people shall adore the relics

The great thera Indagutta, of
115 throughout this week/
wondrous might, commanded
Those men of the island
116 of Lanka who would fain adore the relics shall arrive hither
:

'

same moment, and when they have adored the relics

This came to pass
as he had commanded.
117
When the great king of great renown had commanded
at the

here shall return each one to his house/

great offerings of alms to the great brotherhood of the

'
118 bhikkhus for the week
All
uninterruptedly, he proclaimed
that was to be done in the relic-chamber has been carried out
:

by me

now

let

the brotherhood take the charge of closing

the relic-chamber/

The brotherhood charged the two samaneras with this task.

They closed up the relic-chamber with the fat-coloured stone
that they had brought. 1
120
The flowers here shall not wither, these perfumes shall

119

not dry up
121 whatsoever

the lamps shall not be extinguished

nothing
shall perish; the six fat-coloured stones shall
;

hold together for evermore/ All this did the (theras)

had overcome the asavas command at that time.

122

The great king, mindful

issued the

command

'
:

of the welfare

(of the people),

So far as they are able

123 people shall enshrine relics/

who

(to

do so) the

And

above the great relictreasure did the people, so far as they could, carry out the
124 enshrining of thousands of relics. Enclosing all together
1
Cf. with this 30.
mentioned in 30. 57.

61.

The two novices

are Uttara

and Suinana,

219

The Enshrining of the Eelks

xxxi. 126

the king completed the thupa and, moreover, he completed

the four-sided building 1 on the cetiya.
Thus are the Buddhas incomprehensible, and incompre- 125
hensible is the nature of the Buddhas, and incomprehensible

who have

the reward of those

is

faith in the incomprehensible.

Thus do the pious themselves perform pure deeds of merit, 126

and
order to obtain the most glorious of all blessings
they, with pure heart, make also others to perform them in
order to win a following of eminent people of many kinds. 3
in

Here ends the

of the Relics

',

thirty-first chapter, called

in the

and emotion of the

Mahavamsa, compiled

The Enshrining

for the serene joy

pious.

A dagaba consists essentially of three elements. The dome, usually

hemispherical, and ordinarily raised on a cylindrical base, forms the
The
principal part. In the upper part of this is the relic chamber.
1

second part

is

Burmese term

a square block of brickwork now mostly known by the

This is the caturassacaya of our passage.
'tee'.

Finally the 'tee' forms the base for the conical spire (chatta
parasol) that crowns the whole. PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, p. 263.

In 32. 5

is

evidently
a designation of the
2

muddhavedi
'

tee

'.

Cf.

'

top or upper-terrace' or
s.v. vedi.

'rail',

Appendix D,

Cf. 17. 56.

Tika
khattiyabrahmanadivividhavisesajanaparivarahetubhutani punnani pi pare ca karentiti attho 'they make
:

perform meritorious works which are the cause of

a following of eminent people of various kinds as
khattiyas, brahuianas and so forth.'
also others to

(obtaining)

CHAPTEK XXXII
THE ENTRANCE INTO THE TUSITA-HEAVEN
ERE

yet the

making

of the chatta

on the cetiya was finished the king

2 that

was

(fated)

fell

He

be mortal.

to

and the plaster-work

sick with a sickness

sent for

his

younger

'
brother Tissa from Dighavapi and said to him
Complete
3 thou the work of the thupa that is not yet finished/
Because
:

his brother's weakness he had a covering made of

white cloths by seamsters and therewith was the cetiya
4 covered, and thereon did he command painters to make on it a

of

vedika duly and rows of

filled

5 the five-finger ornament. 2

vases likewise and the

And he had

row with

a chatta

made

of

bamboo-reeds by plaiters of reeds and on the upper vedika

6 a sun and moon of kharapatta. 3
And when he had had this
4
he
(thupa) painted cunningly with lacquer and kahkutthaka
'
That which was yet to do to the thupa
declared to the king
:

is

completed/
Lying on a palanquin the king went thither, and when on

On chatta

By sudhakamma

see note to 31. 124.

is

meant

covering with stucco the dome of the cetiya which was made of
brick.
2

The vedika

(rail)

seems, as

it

was counterfeited in painting,

to

'

'

Buddhist railings occur in lowhave been merely an ornament.

relief as ornament on the cornice of the first pasada of the Ruwanwseli-dagaba (SMITHER, Anurddhapura, p. 26) as also, which may
'
*
be taken into account here, on the tee of the Abhayagiri and the

Jetavana-dagaba (SMITHER, pp. 47 and

meet with 'urns as ornaments. But it
'

is

We also frequently
not clear what ornament

52).
is

meant by pancangulikapantika.

Muddhavedi = 'tee\ see note to 31. 124. The picture of the

sun on the four sides of the 'tee* is an emblem constantly found.
Kharapatta=Skt. kharapatra is a name of different plants.
3

On kankutthaka'a kind

colour

'

= Skt. karikustha,

see

of soil or

Mah.

mould of a golden or

ed., p. 355.

silver

The Entrance

xxxii. 19

into the Tusita-Heaven

221

he had passed round the cetiya, going toward

8
he
left,
paid homage to it at the south entrance, and as he
the
his
couch
on
his
side
on
then, lyingspread upon
right
his palanquin

the

9
ground, beheld the splendid Great Thupa, and lying on his
at
he
became
the
left side
heart,
splendid Lohapasada,
glad

surrounded by the brotherhood of bhikkhus.

Since they had come from here and there to have news of the 10
sick (king), there were (present) in that assembly ninety-six
The bhikkhus, group by group, recited in
kotis of bhikkhus.

chorus.

When the king

did not see the thera Theraputtabhaya

among them he thought: "The

great warrior,

who fought

victoriously through twenty-eight great battles with me nor

ever yielded his ground, the thera Therasutabhaya comes not

now

12

me, now

that the death-struggle is begun, for

methinks he (fore)sees my defeat/
When the thera, who dwelt by the source of the Karindato help

1 1

on the Panjali-mountain, knew his thought he came 15

a
with
company of five hundred (bhikkhus) who had overriver

come the asavas, passing through the air by his miraculous

power, and he stood among those who surrounded the king.
When the king saw him he was glad at heart and he bade him
be seated before him and said

'

Formerly I fought with you,

side ; now have I entered alone

1 7
the ten great warriors, by my
with
and
the
foe
death
I
cannot
battle
the
death,
upon
conquer.'
The thera answered: ' great king, fear not, ruler of men. 18

Without conquering the foe sin the foe death is unconquerAll that has come into (this transitory) existence 19
able.
must necessarily perish also, perishable is all that exists ; 2
1
The Kirindu-oya or Magama-ganga of which the mouth is in the
Southern Province, east of Hambantota, and the source in the mountains
south of Badulla. Consequently the Panjali-pabbata must be sought

here also.
2
The thera alludes to the oft-quoted verse that is put into Sakka's
mouth after the Buddha's death in the Mahaparinibbanasutta

(D. II. 157

8
)

anicca vata samkhara uppadavayadhammino

uppajjitva nirujjhanti tesam vupasamo sukho
'

Transient are, alas

the samkharas, having the nature of growth and

Mahavamsa

222

xxxil. 20

20 thus did the Master teach.

Mortality overcomes even the
untouched
shame
or fear; therefore think
Buddhas,
by
thou

all

that exists

is

perishable, full of sorrow,

and unreal.

21 In thy last mortal existence thy love for the true doctrine
was indeed great. Albeit the world of gods was within thy

22 sight, yet didst thou, renouncing heavenly bliss, return to

this world and didst many works of merit in manifold ways.
Moreover, the setting up of sole sovereignty by thee did serve
23 to bring glory to the doctrine.
Oh thou who art rich in
on
all
those
works
of
think
merit
merit,
accomplished by thee
even to this present day, then will all be well with thee
'

straightway
When the king heard the thera's words he was glad at
24
In single combat also thou art my help/
heart and said
!

'

25

And rejoicing he forthwith commanded that the book of

meritorious deeds be brought, and he bade the scribe read it
aloud, and he read the book aloud

26

'Ninety-nine viharas have been built by the great king,

2
and, with (the spending of) nineteen kotis, the Maricavatti-

27 vihara; the splendid Lohapasada was built for thirty kotis. 3

But these precious things 4 that have been made for the Great
28 Thupa were worth twenty kotis; the rest that was made for
the Great Thupa by the wise (king was worth) a thousand
29 kotis, O great king/ Thus did he read. As he read further: 5
'In the mountain-region called Kotta, at the time of the famine
6
Akkhakhayika famine, two precious ear-rings were

called the

30 given (by the king), and thus a goodly dish of sour milletdecay

having been produced they are dissolved again blissful is

meaning of samkhara is by no means fully
;

The
their subjection.
rendered by existence
5

'.

RHYS DAVIDS,

S.B. E.

xi, p.

117; S.B.B.

pp. 175-176, translates it with each being's parts and powers'.

This refers to the story told in 22. 25-41.
'

iii,

Cf. 27.47.
According to the Tika the adorning of the relic-chamber
Cf. 26. 25.

is

meant

here.

Translation of the words ti vutte in 32.

famine during which the nuts called akkha (Terminalia

were eaten, which at other times are used as dice. In the
Atthakatha, according to the Tika, the famine is called PasanaLit.

Bellerica)

chataka.

The Entrance

xxxii. 39

223

into the Tusita-Heaven

gruel was gotten for five great theras who had overcome the
1
to them with a believing heart; when, 31
asavas, and offered
2
vanquished in the battle of Culanganiya, he was fleeing he
proclaimed the hour (of the meal) and to the ascetic (Tissa), 32
free from the asavas, who came thither through the air he,

without thought for himself, gave the food from his bowl
then did the king take up the tale

'

'

In the week of the consecration-festival of the (Mari- 33

cavatti) vihara as at the consecration of the (Loha) pasada, in

when the

the week

Thupa was begun even

(Great)

as

when

were enshrined, a general, great and costly giving 34

of alms was arranged by me to the great community of both
the relics

from the four quarters. 4

(sexes)

I held twenty-four great 35

Vesak ha- festivals 5 three times did I bestow the three

garments on the brotherhood of the island.
;

Five times, each time for seven days, have I bestowed (glad 36
at heart) the rank of ruler of this island upon the doctrine. 6

have had a thousand lamps with oil and white wicks 37

burning perpetually in twelve places, adoring the Blessed
(Buddha) with this offering. Constantly in eighteen places 38
I

have I bestowed on the sick the foods for the sick and
remedies, as ordered by the physicians.

In forty-four places have I

of rice-foods prepared with
1

commanded
honey

7
;

the perpetual giving 39

and in as many places

Tika:

kangutandulam gahetva ambilayagum pacapetva

attano santikam agatanam Malayamahadevattheradinam

pancannam khinasavamahatheranam
2

Cf.

Cf. 26.

Ubhato-samgha

adasi.

with this 24. 22-31.

21; 27.46; 30.4; 31. 117.

We

samgha.

is
bhikkhusamgha and bhikkhunimeet with the epithet catuddisa 'of the four

Cf.
quarters', frequently in the oldest cave-inscriptions of Ceylon.
MULLER, Ancient Inscriptions in Ceylon, p. 73 WICKREMASINGHE,

E.

Epigraphia Zeylanica,
5

i,

p.

144

foil.

Tradition makes the Buddha's nibbana fall on the full-nioon day

month Vesakha (at that time March-April), Sum. I, p. 2

of the

Smp.,

p.

283

Cf. 31.

Tika:

pitelehi

Mah.

3. 2.

See FLEET, J.R.A.S. 1909,

p. 6 foil.

90-92; 111.

samkhatam madhupayasam, sakkharamadhusapsamyojitam madhupayasam.

Mahavamsa

224
40 lumps

of

with

rice

great jala-cakes,

oil,

xxxn.

and in

even as

many

40

places

baked in butter and also therewith the

For the uposatha-festivals I have had oil for

41 ordinary rice.
the lamps distributed one day in every month in eight
42 viharas on the island of Lanka. And since I heard that
a gift (by preaching) of the doctrine is more than a gift
of worldly wealth I said
At the foot of the Lohapasada, in
43 the (preacher's) chair in the midst of the brotherhood, I will
:

3
but when
preach the Mahgalasutta to the brotherhood ;
I was seated there I could not preach it, from reverence for

44 the brotherhood.

Since then I have

commanded

the preach-

ing of the doctrine everywhere, in the viharas of Lanka,

45 giving rewards to the preachers.
To each preacher of the
doctrine did I order to give a nail 4 of butter, molasses and
46 sugar ; moreover, I bestowed on them a handful of liquorice, 5

four inches long,

But

and I gave them, moreover, a pair of

garments.
giving while that I reigned, rejoices
47 not my heart; only the two gifts that I gave, without care
for my life, the while I was in adversity, those gladden my
all this

heart.'

48

When

the thera

Abhaya heard

this

he described those two

gifts, to rejoice the king's heart withal, in manifold

49

ways

When (the one) of those five theras 6 the thera Malayamahadeva, who received the sour millet-gruel, had given thereof

50 to nine hundred bhikkhus on the Sumanakuta-mountain

he ate of

it

But the thera Dhammagutta who

himself.

51 could cause the earth to quake shared

in the Kalyanika-vihara, 8 (who were)

52 ber, and then ate of

1

Tika:

it

himself.

telullopakam eva

it

with the bhikkhus

hundred in numThe thera Dhammadinna,

cati,

five

telaussadakhirasappi-

mandasamkhatam alopadanam
2

What jalapuva

is I

ca adapayim.
do not know. Nor does the Tika give any

explanation.
3
4

Sutta-nipata, ed. FAUSBOLL, p. 45.

See note to 30. 37.

Yatthimadhuka (=

dhulatthika
6

See note to

in

Skt.

CHILDERS,

See note to 30. 83.

yastimadhuka)

the same as ma-

s. v.

P.D.,

detailed narration of the story alluded to in 32. 30.

1.

33.

See note to

1.

63.

The Entrance

xxxii. 63

into the Tusita-Heaven

225

dwelling in Talanga, gave to twelve thousand (bhikkhus) in

1
Piyahgudipa and then ate of it. The thera Khuddatissa of 53

wondrous power, who dwelt in Mangana, divided it among

sixty thousand (bhikkhus) in the Kelasa (vihara) and then
ate

of

himself.
The thera Mahavyaggha gave thereof 54
hundred (bhikkhus) in the Ukkanagara- vihara and

it

to seven

then ate of

The

it

thera

himself. 2

who

received the food in his dish divided

it

55

among twelve thousand bhikkhus in Piyahgudipa and then

ate of it himself/
With such words

as these the thera

king's mood, and the king, rejoicing

to the thera

Abhaya gladdened the 56

in his heart, spoke thus

'Twenty-four years have I been a patron of the brother- 57

hood, and my body shall also be a patron of the brotherhood.
In a place whence the Great Thupa may be seen, in the 58

malaka 4 (bounded about) for the ceremonial acts of the

brotherhood, do ye burn the body of me the servant of
the brotherhood/

To

All the work of the 59

younger brother he said
Great Thupa which is still unfinished, do thou complete, my
dear Tissa, caring duly for it.
Evening and morning offer 60
'

his

thou flowers at the Great Thupa and three times (in the day)
command a solemn oblation at the Great Thupa. All the 61
ceremonies introduced by me in honour of the doctrine of the
Blessed (Buddha) do thou carry on,

my dear,

stinting nothing.

Never grow weary, my dear, in duty toward the brother- 62

When he had thus exhorted him, the king fell into
hood.'
silence.

At

this

moment

the brotherhood of bhikkhus began the 63

chanting in chorus, and the devatas led thither six cars with
1

See note to 24. 25.

TURNOUR (Mah.,

We

p. 25) says:

cannot establish the identity of Talanga.

'Singh.

Talaguru-wihare

in

Rohana

not identified.'
2

The geographical names in 53 and 54 cannot be identified.

Kelasa according to 29. 43 was a monastery in India.
3
The allusion in this verse is to the story in 24. 22-31 32. 31-32.
;

See note to

15. 29.

Mahavamsa

226

XXXII. 64

64 six gods, and severally the gods implored the king as they
'
Enter into our delightful celestial world,
stood in their cars
:

king/

When

the king heard their words he stayed them with

a gesture of his hand ' Wait ye as long as I listen to the
'
He would fain
66 dhamma/ Then the bhikkhus thinking

65

stop the chanting in chorus/ ceased from their recitations;

67 the king asked the reason of the interruption. ' Because the
" be still " was
sign (to bid us)
given/ they answered. But

the king said

what had

It

is

not

so,

venerable sirs/ and he told them

passed.

When

68

'
:

they heard

this, certain of the people thought:

Seized by the fear of death, he wanders in his speech/ And
69 to banish their doubts the thera Abhaya spoke thus to the
1

70

How would

be possible to make known (the presence

The wise
the cars that have been brought hither?'
*

king
of)

it

king commanded that garlands of flowers be flung into the

these severally wound themselves around the poles of

air,

the cars and

When

71

conquered
72

hung

from them.

loose

the people saw

their

them

floating free in the air, they

but the king said to the thera
worlds is the most beautiful, venerable

doubts

Which of the celestial

sir ?
And the other answered
'

73

king,

time

is

f
:

The

1
city of the Tusitas,

so think the pious.

Awaiting the
become a Buddha, the compassionate

the fairest;

when he

shall

Bodhisatta Metteyya 2 dwells in the Tusita-city.'

74
When the most wise king heard these words of the thera,
he, casting a glance at the Great Thupa, closed his eyes as

he

lay.

And when

he, even at that moment, had passed away, he

reborn and standing in celestial form in the car
76 that had come from Tusita-heaven. And to make manifest

75

was

seen,

the reward of the works of merit performed by him he drove,

77 showing himself in all his glory to the people, standing
on the same car, three times around the Great Thupa,
1

See note to 30. 88.

Metteyya

Skt.

Maitreya is the name

Buddha Gotama.

successor of the historic

of the future Buddha,

The Entrance

xxxii. 84

into the Tusita-Heaven

227

and then, when he had done homage to the

and
the
brotherhood
he passed into the Tusita-heaven.
thupa
Even where the dancing- women who had come thither laid 78
going- to the left,

off their

head -ornaments there was a hall built called

tamuttasala.

Even where the

people,

when the body

Makuof the 79

king was laid on the funeral pyre, broke into wailing there
was the so-called Ravivattisala built.
The malaka outside the precincts (of the monastery), in 80
which they burned the body of the king here bears the name
Rajamalaka.

The great king Dutthagamani, he who is worthy of the

name of king, will be the first disciple of the sublime

81

1
Metteyya, the king's father (will be) his father and the 82
1
The younger brother Saddhatissa will
mother his mother.
be his second disciple, but Salirajakumara, the king's son, 83
will be the son of the sublime Metteyya.

He

who, holding the good life to be the greatest (good), 84

does works of merit, passes, covering over much that perchance
2
evil-doing, into heaven as into his own house; therefore
will the wise man continually take delight in works of merit.

is

Here ends the thirty-second chapter, called ' The Entrance

into the Tusita-heaven ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the
serene joy and emotion of the pious.
1

That

Niyatapapakam

is,

Metteyya's.
that which

certainly or without doubt

possibly evil. Here there is
an allusion to the scruples of conscience which the king himself felt
at the close of his warlike career.
See 25. 103 foil.
evil;

is

aniyatapapakam

that which

is

is

CHAPTER XXXIII
THE TEN KINGS
UNDER

the rule of the king Dutthagamani the subjects

the kingdom lived happily

in

famous

Salirajakumara

was his

son.

Greatly gifted was he and ever took delight in works of

he tenderly loved a candala woman of exceedingly
merit
Since he was greatly enamoured of the Aso3 great beauty.
who
kamaladevi,
already in a former birth had been his

because of her loveliness, he cared nothing for

Therefore Dutthaga mani's brother, SADDHA4 kingly rule.
TISSA, anointed king after his death, ruled, a peerless (prince),
consort,

5 for eighteen years.

He

finished the

work on the

parasol,

2
of the Great
plaster- work and the elephant-wall
3
The magnificent
he who won his name by his faith.

and the
6 Thupa,

Lohapasada caught fire from a lamp ; he built the Lohapasada

anew, seven stories high. And now was the pasada worth
He built the Dak(only) ninety times a hundred thousand.

8 khinagiri- vihara

and the

(vihara) Kallakalena, the

baka-vihara, and the (vihara) Pettangavalika,

1

The

story

is

told at length in the Tika.

Cf.

Kalam-

(the viharas)

GEIGER, Dtp. and

Mah., p. 37.
to PARKER (Ancient Ceylon, p. 284),
bases his conjecture on the dimensions of the tiles, the sustainingwall of the upper 'pasada' on which are figures of elephants in
2

Hatthipakara: according

who

terrace on which the

ornamented with similar figures of
elephants in relief, the forepart of the body jutting out from the
wall (SMITHER, Anurddhapura, p. 40). But this hatthipakara
relief.

The sustaining-wall of the great

Ruwanwseli-dagaba stands

is

also

seems to be of later origin.

*
A play on the name Saddhatissa from
4

A monastery

of this

name appears

saddha =

faith.

also in the Culavamsa, 52. 60.

xxxm.

229

The Ten Kings

21

Velangavitthika,

2
Dubbalavapitissaka and Duratissakavapi, 9

He

and the Matuviharaka.

also built viharas (from

Anura-

dhapura) to Dighavapi, one for every yojana (of the way).

3
Moreover, he founded the Dighavapi-vihara
together 10
with the cetiya; for this cetiya he had a covering of network 4 made set with gems, and in every mesh thereof was 1 1

hung a

splendid flower of gold, large as a waggon-wheel,

that he had commanded them to fashion.
(In honour) of 12
the eighty-four thousand sections of the dhamma the ruler
also eighty-four thousand offerings.
When the 13
had
thus
works
of
merit
he was
king
accomplished many

commanded

reborn, after his death,

among

the Tusita gods.

While the great king Saddhatissa

his eldest son Lafijatissa

built the

lived yet in

Dighavapi 14

beautiful vihara called

and Thulathana, a younger son of this same 1 5

When his father 16
vihara called Kandara.
(king),
(Saddhatissa) went to his brother (Dutthagamani at Anuradhapura) Thulathanaka went with him, to bestow land for the
Girikumbhila

built the

use of the brotherhood upon his vihara.

T
hen Saddhatissa died all the counsellors assembled, and
when they had summoned together the whole brotherhood of

bhikkhus in the Thuparama, they, with the consent of the 18

brotherhood consecrated the prince THULATHANA as king, that
he might take the kingdom under his protection. When

LANJATISSA heard this he came hither, 6 overpowered 7 him, 19

and took the government upon himself. Only for one month
and ten days had Thulathana been king.

During three years did Lanjatissa use the brotherhood 20

(
They did
slightingly and neglect them, with the thought
not decide according to age/ When, afterwards, he was 21
:

See 37. 48.

The tank Duratissa

PARKER,

I.

L, p.

393

is

situated in

Rohana not

far

from Mahagama.

foil.

See note to

The Tika explains nanaratanakacchannam by sattarata-

1. 78.

nakhacitajalam.
8

Lajjitissa or Lanjitissa are variants of this

That

is,

name.

to Anuradhapura.

Gahetva

is,

without doubt, an euphemism for

'

(having) killed

'.

Mahavamsa

230

xxxill. 22

reconciled with the brotherhood, the king built, in atonement,

22 spending three hundred thousand (pieces of money), three
stone terraces for offerings of flowers J to the Great Cetiya,

and then did the lord of the land, with (the expense of)
23 a hundred thousand, have the earth heaped up between the
Great Thupa and the Thuparama 2 so that it was level. Moreover, he made a splendid stone mantling to the thupa in the
24 Thuparama, and to the east of the Thuparama a little thupa
built of stones, 3 and the Lanjakasana hall for the brotherhood

Moreover, he had a mantling made of stone

When he had spent a hundred

25 of bhikkhus.
for the

Khandhakathupa.

26 thousand for the Cetiya- vihara 4 he commanded that at the

(consecration) festival of the vihara called Girikumbhila the
six

garments

He

27

be distributed to sixty thousand bhikkhus.

6
and the (vihara) Kunjarahi-

built the Arittha-vihara

naka, and to the bhikkhus in the villages he distributed

28 medicines. To the bhikkhunls he ordered to give rice as
much as they wanted. Nine years and one half-month did

he reign here.

When

29

Lafijakatissa was dead his younger brother

30 KHALLATANAGA reigned six years.

1

Round about

named

the Loha-

See note to 30. 51.

The Thuparama

is

situated 400 yards north of the Ruwanwseli-

PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, p. 297, identifies the thupa called Dighathupa in the Dip., with the so-called Khujjatissarama or Seladagaba. But this is not situated to the east (the Mah. has purato
just as the Dip. 20. 11 describes the position of the Dighathupa by
Thuparama-puratthato) but to the south-east of the Thuparama,

and

it is

twice as far from this latter as from the Ruwanwseli-dagaba,

would be much more to the

so that orientation by the last-named,

SMITHER (Anurddhapum, p. 55) is probably right in the

conjecture that there is a reference in silathupaka to a little stone
dagaba, a sort of model, similar to one that stands on the platform of
the Ruwanwseli-dagaba.

purpose.

The monastery on the Cetiyapabbata

note to 20.
6

That

is,

to each

On

the

Cf.

one a pair of the three articles of clothing

the utta-

antaravasaka under-garment, shirt',

and the samghat! mantle
Aritthapabbata, now Ritigala. See note to 10.

(ticlvara), the
rasanga robe
'

or Missaka-mountain.

16.

'

'

',

'.

63.

xxxni.

TJie

42

he

Ten Kings

231

built

thirty-two exceedingly beautiful (other)

the
pasadas
Lohapasada yet more splendid. Round 3 1
the Great Thupa, the beautiful Hemamali, 2 he made as a

pasada

make

to

border a court

Moreover, he 32
(strewn) with sand and a wall.
and yet other works of merit

built the Kurundavasoka-vihara,

did the king- carry out.

commander of troops

powered the

named Kammaharattaka, over- 33

king Khallatanaga, in the capital itself.

ruler,

But the king's younger brother named VATTAGAMANI killed 34

the villainous commander and took on himself the governThe little son of his brother, king Khallatanaga, 35
whose name was Mahaculika, he took as his son ; and the 36
Since
mother, Anuladevi, he made his queen.
(child's)
he had thus taken the place of a father they called him
ment.

Pitiraja.

In the fifth month after he was thus anointed king, a young

brahman named Tissa, in Rohana, in the city (that was the

37

5
seat) of his clan, hearkened, fool that

he was, to the pro- 33

a
rebel, and his following
phesying of a brahman and became
waxed great.
Seven Damilas landed (at the same time) 39
with their troops in Mahatittha. 6 Then Tissa the brahman

and the seven Damilas also sent the king a written message 49
7
The sagacious
concerning the (handing over of the) parasol.
a
Tissa
sent
to
the
brahman:
written
'The 41
king
message

now

is

kingdom
answered

'
:

So be

thine,
it,'

conquer thou

and fought a

but they conquered him.

Thereupon the Damilas
1

the Damilas/

He

battle with the Damilas,

made war upon

the

in.

king;

Perhaps dwellings of smaller dimensions, for the bhikkhus.

See 15. 167

Literally, a

17. 51

and

27. 3.

The allusion is to the so-called

sandcourt-boundary
elephant-path that runs all round the terrace of the Ruwanwselidagaba and is bounded on the outside by a wall. On the east, south,
and north it is 97 feet wide, on the west, i.e. at the back, 88| feet,
SMITHER.
4

I.e.
I

I.

'.

L, p. 41.

'King

read

'

father.'

kulanagare and understand by

this

Mahagama

the

town from which the dynasty of Dutthagamani came.

8
7
As the symbol of kingly rank.
See note to 7. 58.

42

232

xxxm.

Mahavamsa

43

the king- was vanquished.

(Near
the gate of the Tittharama he mounted into his car and fled.
But the Tittharama was built by king Pandukabhaya and it
43 had been constantly inhabited under twenty-one kings.) 2 As

a battle near Kolambalaka

a nigantha 3 named Giri saw him take flight he cried out

44 loudly: 'The great black lion is fleeing/ 4 When the great
'
If my wish be fulfilled
king heard that he thought thus
:

I will build a vihara here.'

45

He

took
'

thinking

Anuladevi with him, who was with child,

She must be protected/ and Mahacula also and

(his son) the prince

46 protected.'
devl

Mahanaga,

But, to lighten the car the

his splendid diadem-jewel

consent, descend from the

They must be
king gave to Soma-

also thinking

and

let

'

her, with her

own

car.

When

going forth to battle he had set out, full of fears,

and his two queens with him. Being
48 vanquished he took flight and, unable to take with him the

47

taking his little son

almsbowl used by the Conqueror, 6 he hid in the Vessagiri49 forest. 7 When the thera Mahatissa from Kupikkala (vihara)

saw him there, he gave him food, avoiding thereby the giving
50 of an untouched alms. 8 Thereon the king, glad at heart,
1

Evidently identical with

See the note thereon.

the Kolambahalaka,

mentioned in

25. 80.
2

and

The passage enclosed

is

verse

in brackets occurs in all the groups of MSS.

I have omitted the three lines of

also referred to in the Tika.

from the

p. xxi) as

edition, chiefly for reasons of form (see Introduction,

The battle took place not far from the
gloss.

being a later

north gate of the city. See also 25. 80 foil, and the note to 33. 81.
3
See note to 10. 97. The name Tittharama alone indicates that
the monastery was inhabited by non-Buddhist monks (tittha=sect).
4
Mahakalasihala is a play on the word siha 'lion' and the

name sihala (Mah.

7. 42).

His second wife.

According to Mah.

17. 12 foil, it

had come to Ceylon as a

relic

in the time of king Devanampiyatissa.

7
South of Anuradhapura. See note to 20. 15 on the Vessagiri-vihara.
8
The bhikkhu is not allowed to share with a layman before he

himself has eaten of the food that he has received as alms.

Mahatissa

first

ate of the food

SUBHUTI, communication

and then

offered

some

in a letter of Feb. 27, 1903.

So

to the king.

233

The Ten Kings

xxxili. 64
recording- it

1
upon a ketaka-leaf,

for the use of the brotherhood.

allotted lands to his vihara

From

Silasobbhakandaka 2 and sojourned there

thence, he
;

went to 51

then he went to

Matuvelahga near Samagalla and there met the thera (Kupik- 52

The thera
kalamahatissa) whom he had already seen before.
entrusted the king with due carefulness to Tanasiva, who was

Then in the house of this Tanasiva, his subject, 53

the king lived 3 fourteen years, maintained by him.
Of the seven Damilas one, fired with passion for the lovely 54
Somadevi, made her his own and forthwith returned again
his attendant.

to the further coast. 4

Another took the almsbowl of the 55

(Master) endowed with the ten miraculous powers, that was

in Anuradhapura, and returned straightway, well contented,
to the other coast.

But the Damila PULAHATTHA reigned three years, making 56

named Bahiya commander of his troops. BAHIYA 57
slew 5 Pulahattha and reigned two years ; his commander-inchief was Panayamara. PANAYAMARAKA slew Bahiya and was 58
the Damila

was Pilayamara.
PILAYAMARAKA slew Panayamara and was king for seven 59
And the 60
months; his commander-in-chief was Dathika.
Damila DATHIKA slew Pilayamara and reigned two years in

king for seven years

his commander-in-chief

Anuradhapura. Thus the time of these

was fourteen years and seven months.

five

Damila-kings 61

When one day, in Malaya, Anuladevi went to seek 62

her (daily) portion the wife of Tanasiva struck against her
basket with her foot.
And she was wroth and came weeping 63
to the king.

When

Tanasiva heard this he hastened forth

(from the house) grasping his bow. When the king had 64
heard what the queen said, he, ere yet the other came, took

Pandanus odoratissimus. As a rule royal donations were recorded

on copper plates or might be on silver and gold plates. GEIGER,
1

und Sprache der Singhalesen, pp. 24-25.

note to 33. 87 judging from the Tika we should probably
kandakamhi rather than katakamhi.

Litteratur
8

Cf.

read
3
4

Tahim = in
That

is,

Malaya, according to 33.

he returned oversea to India.

Gahetva.

Cf.

note to 33. 19.

62.

Malavamsa

234

xxxill. 65

65 the two boys and his consort and hastened out also. Patting
the arrow to his bow l the glorious (hero) transfixed Siva 2 as he
1

came on. The king proclaimed (then) his name and gathered
66 followers around him. He obtained as ministers eight famous
warriors, and great was the following of the king and his
equipment (for war).
The famous (king) sought out the thera Mahatissa of
67
Kupikkala and commanded that a festival in honour of the
68 Buddha be held in the Acchagalla-vihara. 3 At the very time

when the minister Kapisisa, having gone up to the courtyard

of the Akasa-cetiya to sweep the building, had come down
69 from thence, the king, who was going up with the queen,
saw him sitting by the road, and being wroth with him that
he had not flung himself down (before him) he slew Kapisisa.
70 Then in anger against the king the other seven ministers
withdrew themselves from him, and going whither it seemed
71 good to them, they were stripped of their possessions by
robbers on the way, and they took refuge in the vihara
Hambugallaka where they sought out the learned thera Tissa.

72

The

thera,

who was

he had received

as

versed in the four nikayas, 4 gave them,

it

(as alms), clothing,

sugar and

oil, arid

rice, too, in sufficing measure.

When he had refreshed them the thera asked them

'Whither are you going ?'
They made themselves known
74 to him, and told him this matter. But when they were asked
afterwards: 'With whom will it be possible to further the
With the Damilas or with the
doctrine of the Buddha?
73

75 king?' they answered:

By the king will this be possible.'
And when they had thus convinced them the two theras,
'

s. v.

Cf.

the Skt.

dha

dhanuh samdha

in the

same sense

B.R., Skt. Wtb.,

with sam.

play on the words Sivam and mahasivo.

See note to 21. 6. If the Tika is right in placing the Acchagalla-vihara to the east of Anuradhapura, the akasacetiya
2

mentioned in verse 68 cannot be identical with that mentioned in

26 (see the note). The site of the latter is, no doubt, in Rohana.

22.

I.e. in

the four oldest collections of the Sutta-pitaka

Majjhima-, Samyutta- and Anguttara-nikaya.

Digha-,

235

The Ten Kings

XXXIIT. 86

them forth from thence and brought 76

and reconciled them one to another. The

Tissa and Mahatissa, took

them

to the king-

king and the ministers besought the theras saying

undertaking has prospered then must ye come to
a message is sent to you.'
each one to his place.

When
had

The

'
:

us,

If our 7 7

when

theras agreed and returned

the renowned king had come to Anuradhapura and 78

Damila Dathika he himself assumed the govern-

slain the

ment. And forthwith the king destroyed the arama of the 79

niganthas and built there a vihara with twelve cells. When 80
two hundred and seventeen years ten months and ten days

had passed since the founding of the Mahavihara the king, 81

with pious zeal, built the Abhayagiri- vihara. 1 He sent 82
for the (two) theras, and to the thera Mahatissa, who had
first assisted him of the two, he
gave the vihara, to do him
filled

honour.

arama

Since the king Abhaya built it 2 on the place of the 83

of (the nigantha) Giri, the vihara received the name

Abhayagiri.
When he had sent for Somadevi he raised her again to her 84
rank and built, in her honour, the Somarama, 3 bearing her

name.

For this

fair

woman, who had alighted from the

car 85

and had concealed herself in a thicket of flowering

saw
in that very place a samanera who was relieving 86
Kadambas,

at this spot

1
According to 33. 42-44 the monastery of the niganthas, the
Tittharama stood outside the north gate of Anuradhapura. Since, on
its place the Abhayagiri-vihara was built, it cannot be identical with

the vihara of the dagaba, which is now called the Abhayagiri-dagaba,

it must be that of the now so-called Jetavana-dagaba.
On the

but

other hand, as we will see below (cf. note to 37. 33), the site of the
Jetavana-vihara must be looked for south of the city where now

the so-called Abhayagiri-dagaba stands.

confounded one name with the other.
p.

299
2
3

Tradition appears to have

PARKER, Ancient Ceylon,

foil.

The king's full name was Vattagamani Abhaya.

The Somarama or Manisomarama, as the monastery

is

called

107 (in allusion to the story in 33. 46) after the culamani
entrusted to Somadevi, must be sought near the Abhayagiri-vihara,
perhaps in the place of the building described by SMITHER, Anurd36. 8, 106,

dhapura,

p. 61,

which

is

popularly designated the

'

Queen's Pavilion'.

Mahdvamsa

236

XXXIII. 87

When

his need, using (decently) his hand for concealment.

the king- heard her story he built a vihara there.

To

87

the north of the

Mahathupa

this

same

king-

founded

1
upon a lofty spot the cetiya called Silasobbhakandaka.
88
One of the seven warriors (of the king), Uttiya, built, to
89 the south of the city, the so-called Dakkhina-vihara. 2 In the

same place the minister named Mula built the Mulavokasa90 vihara, which was, therefore, called after him. The minister

named Saliya built the Saliyarama, and the minister named

91 Pabbata built the Pabbatarama; but the minister Tissa founded

When

the Uttaratissarama.

the beautiful viharas were com-

pleted they sought out the thera Tissa and gave them to him
92 with these words
In gratitude for thy kindness we give
'

thee these viharas built

93

by us/

The thera

established sundry bhikkhus everywhere (in these

viharas), according to their rank, and the ministers bestowed
upon the brotherhood the different (things) useful to a samana.

94 The king provided those (bhikkhus) living in his vihara with

the (needful) things for use, so that nothing was lacking:

95

therefore were they many in number.

thera known by the name Mahatissa,

who had frequented

the families of laymen, was expelled by the brotherhood from
our monastery 3 for this fault, the frequenting of lay-families.

96 His

disciple, the thera

went

who was known

as Bahalamassutissa,

Abhayagiri (vihara) and abode there,

And thenceforward these
97 forming a (separate) faction.
bhikkhus came no more to the Mahavihara thus did the
in anger to the

bhikkhus of the Abhayagiri (vihara) secede from the Thera-

The statement as to locality, given in our verse, points, as

PARKER, Ancient Ceylon, p. 311, rightly insists, to the Lankarama1

dagaba, which

is

situated about a mile north of the Ruwanwaeli-

It received this

dagaba.

name

in

remembrance of the place where

Vattagamani had found refuge, according to 33. 51.

a
I.e. 'South Monastery.'
PARKER, 1. ?., p. 312, identifies the
remains of the thupa belonging to this monastery with the building
south of the Mahavihara, which is called by the people, Elara's
'

sepulchre.'
3

Ito

'

See also note to 35.

from here'

the Mahavihara.'

is

5.

from the standpoint of the author,

'

out of

The Ten Kings

xxxiil. 103

237

vada. From the monks of the Abhayagiri-vihara those of the 98

Dakkhina-vihara separated (afterwards); in this wise those
bhikkhus (who had seceded) from the adherents of the

Theravada were divided into two (groups). 1

He

(the king) built the cells of the vihara so that a greater 99

'
In this way it
together, for he reflected

number were joined

will be possible to restore

them/

The

text of the three pitakas and the atthakatha thereon

did the most wise bhikkhus hand down in former times orally,

but since they saw that the people were falling away (from 101
religion) the bhikkhus came together, and in order that the

might endure, they wrote them down in books.

Thus did the king Vattagamani-Abhaya reign twelve 102
2
years, and, at the beginning, five months beside.
Thus does the wise man labour, when he comes to rule, for 103

true doctrine

the bliss of others and for his

own

bliss,

but a

man

without

understanding does not render the possessions which he has

3
won, however great they

are, blissful for both,

being greedy

of (more) possessions.

Here ends the thirty-third chapter, called ' The Ten Kings ',
the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion

in

of the pious.
1

To bring prosperity to
After 98 a spurious verse is interpolated
the bhikkhus dwelling on the island, who belonged to the great
Abhay a- (giri- community), the lord of the land, Vattagamani, made
'

over to

them the

so-called patti.'

In

35.

48 patti simply means

'revenue'.
2

That

Laddhabhogam,

for

is,

before the Damilas dethroned him.

according to the Tika stands (metri causa)

laddha (=labhitva,

this is

not necessary.

dham bhogam

Skt.

We

labdhva) bhogam.

have to take

and ubhayahitam

But, I think,

laddhabhogam = lad-

as predicative object.

CHAPTER XXXIV
THE ELEVEN KINGS
1

AFTER

his death

MAHACULI MAHATISSA

reigned fourteen

years with piety and justice.

2
Since he heard that a gift brought about by the work of
a man's own hand is full of merit, the king, in the very first

went in disguise and laboured in the riceand with the wage that he received for this he gave
4 food as alms to the thera Mahasumma.
When the king had
laboured also in Sonnagiri l three years in a sugar-mill, and
3 year (of his
reign),

harvest,

5 had received

lumps

lumps of sugar as wage for this, he took the

and being returned to the capital he, the ruler

of sugar,

of the earth, appointed great almsgiving to the brotherhood of

He bestowed clothing on thirty thousand bhikkhus

and the same on twelve thousand bhikkhunis.
When the protector of the earth had built a well-planned
2
vihara, he gave the six garments to sixty thousand bhikkhus

6 bhikkhus.

8 and to bhikkhunis likewise, in

same king

number

thirty thousand.

The

Mandavapi- vihara, the Abhayagallaka

9 (vihara), the (viharas) Vahkavattakagalla and Dlghabahugallaka and the Jalagama-vihara.
When the king (inspired) by faith had done works of merit
10
in many ways he passed into heaven, at the end of the
built the

fourteen years.
1
'Gold mountain,' according to the Tika situated near
I.e.
Ambatthakola. On this see note to 28. 20. The rocky mountain that
rises on the east of Ambatthakola bounding the valley of NalandaDambul on the west is called Rangala. GEIGER, Ceylon, p. 155;
ED. MULLER, Ancient Inscriptions, p. 36. The Dambulla-caves are
also called Suvannagiri-guha in king Nissanka Malla's inscription,
ED. MULLER, LI., pp. 92, 126.
2
See note to 33. 26.

xxxiv. 27

239

The Eleven Kings

Vattagamanr's son known as CORANAGA lived as a rebel 11

under the rule of Mahacula. When Mahacula had departed 12
he came and reigned.

Those

places,

where he had found

no refuge during the time of his rebellion, eighteen viharas,

did this fool destroy.
Twelve years did Coranaga reign.

And

eating poisoned (food) that his consort gave him the 14

and was reborn in the Lokantarika-hell.

evildoer died

After his death king Mahacula's son ruled three years as 15

But Coranaga's spouse, 16
king, being known by name TISSA.
the infamous Anula, had done her infamous (consort) to death,
giving him poison, because she was enamoured of one of the
palace-guards. And for love of this same palace-guard Anula
now killed Tissa also by poison and gave the government

into the hands of that other.

When

the palace-guard, whose name was SIVA, and who 18

(had been) the first of the gate-watchmen, had made Anula
his queen he reigned a year and two months in the city ; but 1 9

Anula, who was enamoured of the Damila Vatuka, did him

and gave the reign to Vatuka. The 20

to death with poison

Damila VATUKA, who had been a city-carpenter in the capital,

made Anula his queen and then reigned a year and two
months in the city.
But when Anula (one day) saw a wood-carrier, who had come
to the house, she fell in love with him, and when she had
killed Vatuka with poison she gave the government into his
hands.
TISSA, the wood-carrier, when he had made Anula
his queen, ruled one year and one month in the city. In haste
he had a bathing-tank made in the Mahameghavana. But
Anula, enslaved by passion for a Damila named Niliya, a
brahman who was the palace-priest, and eager to be united
with him, did Tissa the wood-carrier to death giving him
And
poison and gave the government into (Niliya's) hands.
the brahman NILIYA also made her his queen and reigned,
upheld constantly by her, six months here in Anuradhapura.
When the princess Anula (who desired to take her pleasure
even as she listed with thirty-two of the palace-guards)
1

had

The passage enclosed in brackets occurs in all the groups of

MSS., but seems, as it interferes with the division of the slokas,

21

22

23
24

25

26

27

240

Mahavavnsa

xxxiv. 28

put to death Niliya also with poison, the queen

reigned four months.

But

28

king- Mahaculika's second son,

29 TISSA, who had

fled

from

fear of

ANULA herself,

named KUTAKANNA-

Anula and had taken the

time, he had gathered an

pabbajja returned hither when, in

30 army together, and when he had slain the wicked Anula he,
the ruler of men, reigned twenty-two years.
He built upon

Cetiya-mountain a great building for the uposathaand to the east of this building he raised a thupa of
in that same place on the Cetiya-mountain he
and
stone,
a
bodhi-tree.
planted

the

3 1 festival

32

In the region between the rivers he founded the Pelagamavihara and in the same place (he made) a great canal called

33 Vannaka and the great Ambadugga-tank and the

Bhayo1
luppala, and moreover (he made) around the city a wall seven

34 cubits high and a trench.

tious

Anula

drawing a

When

he had burned the

licen-

in the palace (upon the funeral pyre), he, withlittle

(distance)

from thence,

built a

new

palace.

35 In the city itself he laid out the Padumassara-park.

His
mother entered the order of the doctrine of the Conqueror

36 when she had just cleansed her teeth. On a plot for building 2
belonging to his family he founded a nunnery for his mother

was therefore known by name Dantageha. 3

After his death his son, the prince named BHATIKABHAYA,

and
37

this

Since he, the pious ruler of the

38 reigned twenty-eight years.
earth, was the brother of king Mahadathika he was known

Here 4 did he carry

39 on the island by the name Bhatikaraja.
out the work of repairing the Lohapasada and built two

to be a later addition.
1

We

what

fail

(See Mah. ed., Introduction, p. xxi.)

kattum

a pregnant expression for samvasam kattum.

to establish the names here because we do not know

kattukama

in

is

meant by antaragangaya.

The expression hardly denotes

the delta of a river, but perhaps rather the region between Ambanis

ganga and Mahawaeliganga.

2

I read kulasante.
for a house.'
kulayatte by kulasantake.

Lit. 'place

renders

its

Lit.

I.e. in

'

Tooth -house/

Anuradhapura.

The Tika,

too,

241

The Eleven Kings

xxxiv. 50

vedikas for the Mahathupa, and the (hall) called the Uposatha
1
(-hall) in the (vihara) named after the thupa.

And doing- away with the tax appointed for himself he 40

2
planted sumana and ujjuka-flowers over a yojana of land
round the city. And when the king had commanded that 41
the Great Cetiya, from the vedika at the foot to the parasol at
the top, be plastered with (a paste of) sweet-smelling unguent 42

four fingers thick and that flowers be carefully embedded

therein by their stalks, he made the thupa even as a globe of
flowers.
Another time he commanded them to plaster the 43
cetiya with (a paste of)

minium

eight fingers thick, and thus

he changed it into a heap of flowers. Yet another time 44

he commanded that the cetiya be strewn with flowers from
the steps 3 to the parasol on the top, and thus he covered it
over with a mass of blossoms.
Then when he had raised 45

water by means of machines from the Abhaya-tank he, by

pouring- (masses of) water over the thupa, carried out a water-

From

offering.

hundred waggon-loads

of

pearls,

he, 46

bidding that the mass of plaster be carefully kneaded together

with oil, made a plaster-covering (for the Great Thupa).
He 47
had a net of coral prepared and cast over the cetiya, and

when he had commanded them

to fasten in the meshes thereof

lotus-flowers of gold large as waggon-wheels, and to hang 43

clusters of pearls on these that reached to the lotus-flower

beneath, he worshipped the Great Thupa with this offering.

When he heard one day in the relic-chamber the sound of 49
4

I will
chanting in chorus he made the resolve
not rise up till I have seen it,' and fasting he lay down at 50
the foot of the stone-pillar on the east side. 5 The theras

the arahants

created

'

a door for him and brought him into the

I.e. in

the Thuparama.

Tika:

mahasumanani ca ujjakasumanani

ca,

relic-

namely two

kinds of jasmine.
3

The steps form the ascent from the 'elephant-path* (cf. note to
on which the cetiya stands.
Tadi is a synonym of araha.
The Tika paraphrases pacinaddikamulamhi with pacinaad-

33. 31) to the great terrace,

4

dikassasamipe, pacinadisayasilatthambhaussapitatthane.
R

Mahavamsa

242
51 chamber.

When

xxxiv.

the ruler of the earth had beheld

all

51

the

adornment of the relic-chamber he went forth and made an

offering of figures modelled with clay in close likeness to
those (within).

52

With honeycombs, with perfumes, with

and with

flowers),

essences,

vases

(filled

with

with auri-pigment (prepared) as

with lotus-flowers arrayed in minium

;
that lay ankle-deep in the courtyard of the cetiya, where they
54 had poured it molten; with lotus-flowers that were fastened

53 unguent and minium

in the holes of

mattings, spread on fragrant earth, wherewith

whole courtyard of the cetiya was filled; with many

lighted lamps, prepared with wicks made of strips of stuff in

55, the

which had likewise been poured (into the

56 courtyard) when the ways for the outflow had been closed up ;
and in like manner with many lamps with stuff- wicks in
clarified

butter,

57 madhuka-oil

and sesamum-oil besides; with these things, as

they were named, the prince commanded severally with each

seven times offerings for the Great Thupa.
58

And

moreover, urged by faith, he ordered year by year

perpetually a great festival (for the renewing) of the plaster-

work ; and festivals also of the great Bodhi-tree (in honour)

50 of the watering of the Bodhi-tree, and furthermore twenty2
eight great Vesakha-festivals and eighty-four thousand lesser
60

festivals,

and

also divers

mimic dances and

concerts, with the

playing of all kinds of instruments of music (in honour) of

61 the Great Thupa. Three times a day he went to do homage to

Buddha and he commanded (them to give) twice (a day)

3
continually (the offering known as) the flower-drum
4
And he continually gave alms at the preaching and alms at
62
the

'

'.

the pavarana-ceremony, and (distributed) also, in abundance,

the things needed for the ascetic, such as oil, molasses,
1
Oil pressed from the seeds of the Bassia Latifolia. The MSS. all
have raadhuka, and this should be the reading. In Skt. also the
form madhuka exists beside madhuka.

See note to 32. 35.

Tika

divasassa dvisu varesu niyatam

pupphapujam

ca

akarayi.
4
Very doubtful. The MSS. support the reading chandadanam.
Perhaps ch an da is here a synonym of sajjhaya.

243

Hie Eleven Kings

xxxiv. 73

garments and so forth among the brotherhood.

Moreover, G3

the prince bestowed everywhere land for the cetiyas, to the end
that the cetiyas might be kept in repair.
And constantly the 04

king bestowed food (as alms allotted) by tickets

bhikkhus in the vihara (of the) Cetiya-pabbata.

to

a thousand

At

five spots,

65

2
namely, the three receiving-places, called Citta, Mani, and
as
in
also
the Paduma-house and the beautiful ChattaMucala,

bhikkhus who were harnessed 66

yoke of the sacred word he provided them always with
all that was needful, being filled with reverence for the
Moreover, all those works of merit which had been 67
religion.
pfisada, offering hospitality to the

to the

ordered by the kings of old regarding the doctrine,

did king Bhatika carry out.

all

these

After the death of Bhatikaraja his younger brother named 68

reigned twelve years, intent on 69

MAHADATHIKAMAHANAGA

He had

works of merit of many kinds.

kincikkha-stones 3 laid

Thupa and he turned 70

as plaster on (the square of) the Great

the sand-pathway round (the thupa) 4 into a wide court ; in

all the viharas he had (raised) chairs put up for the preachers.

The king

built

the

great

Ambatthala-thupa;

since

the 71

building was not firm he lay down in that place, bethinking

him of the merit of the Sage (Buddha), risking his own life. 6 72
When he had thus made the building firm and had completed

the cetiya he set up at the four entrances four bejewelled 73

arches that had been well planned by artists and shone with
1

Salakavattabhatta,

Upatthana

see note to 15. 205.

'attendance, service'. Thus the allusion is to

a place where people waited on the monks to offer gifts. The Tika
calls the three places which are said to have been in the interior of
is

Maniupatthanapasada, and

the royal palace, Cittupatthanapasada,

Mucalupatthanapasada.
3

Cf. Skt.

k in j a Ik a

'

stamens of the lotus-blossom

P.D., s. v. 'Kinjakkhapasano appears to be

other ornamental stone '.

some

'.

CHILDERS,

sort of

marble or

On the valikamariyada see note

On the Cetiya-pabbata (Mihintale).

pp. 320-322.
6

He ran a

to 33. 31.

See

PARKER, Ancient

Ceylon,

Cf. 13. 20.

risk

of being killed by

meditation.

falling stones during his

,

..

Mahavamsa

244

xxxiv.

74

To be fastened to the cetiya he spent

74 gems of every kind.
a cover (for it) of red stuff and golden balls thereto and
1

festoons of pearls.

75

When

he had made ready around the Cetiya-mountain a

measuring a) yojana, and had made four gateways

76 and a beautiful road round about (the mountain), and when
he had then set up (traders') shops on both sides of the road
(tract of land

and had adorned

(the road) here

and there with

flags, arches,

77 and triumphal gates, and had illuminated all with chains of

78 lamps, he commanded mimic dances, songs, and music. That
the people might go with clean feet on the road from the
Kadamba-river to the Cetiya-rnountain he had it laid with
*
79 carpets the gods themselves might hold a festival assembly
and he gave great largess at the
there with dance and music
the whole island he put up
Over
80 four gates of the capital.
chains of lamps without a break, nay over the waters of the

At the festival
81 ocean within a distance of a yojana around.
of (consecrating of) the cetiya these beautiful offerings were
appointed by him the splendid feast is called here (in the
country) the great Giribhanda-offering.
When the lord of the earth had commanded almsgiving in
82
eight places to the bhikkhus who were come together in the
:

83 festal assembly, he, with the beating of eight golden drums

that were set up even there, allotted lavish gifts to twenty-four
84 thousand (bhikkhus). He distributed the six garments, commanded the remission of the prison-penalties and he ordered
the barbers to carry on their trade continually at the four
85 gates. Moreover, all those works of merit that had been
decreed by the kings of old and that had also been decreed by
his brother, those did he carry out without neglecting anyHe gave himself and the queen, his two sons, 2 his

86 thing.

state-elephant

own,

and

his state horse to the brotherhood as their

albeit the brotherhood forbade

him.

the brotherhood of the bhikkhus he gave gifts worth

87
six hundred thousand, but to the company of bhikkhunls

To

88 (such gifts) worth a hundred thousand, and in giving them,

HARDY

Album Kern,

On samajja

Amandagamani Abhaya and

see

in

Tissa.

p. 61 foil.

xxxiv. 94

TJie

245

Eleven Kings

with knowledge of the custom, various possessions suited

(to their needs) he redeemed (again) himself and the rest from
the brotherhood.

In Killayanakannika the ruler of men built 89

the (vihara) called Maninagapabbata and the vihara which was

called Kalanda, furthermore on the bank of the Kubukanda- 90
river

Samudda-vihara

the

and

in

Huvucakannika

the

name Culanagapabbata. Delighted with

the service rendered him in the vihara that he himself had
built, called Pasanadipaka, by a samanera who had given him

vihara that bore the

91

a draught of water, the king bestowed on that vihara (a tract 92

of land) in measure half a yojana round about, for the use of
the brotherhood.

And

rejoicing likewise at (the behaviour of) 93

a samanera in the Mandavapi-vihara the prince gave land for

the use of the brotherhood to this vihara.

Thus men of good understanding, who have conquered 94

and indolence, and have freed themselves from the

pride

lust, when they have attained to great power,

without working harm to the people, delighting in deeds of
merit, rejoicing in faith, do many and various pious works.

attachment to

Here ends the thirty-fourth chapter, called 'The Eleven

in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and

Kings ',

emotion of the pious.

1

According to the Tika a

district in

Rohana.

CHAPTEE XXXV
THE TWELVE KINGS
AFTER Mahadathika's death AMANDAGAMANI ABHAYA,

his

On the splendid
son, reigned nine years and eight months.
2 Great
a
to
made
he
caused
be
above
the parasol, 1
parasol
Thupa
and he built even there a vedi at the base and at the top.
3

And

manner he made an inner courtyard and an inner

to the Lohapasada and to the (building) called the

in like

verandah

4 Uposatha (house) of the Thuparama.

Moreover, for both he
built a beautiful pavilion adorned with precious stones; and
5 the ruler of men also built the Rajatalena-vihara. 3
When he

had made the Mahagamendi-tank on the south side (of Anuradhapura), he, who was clever in works of merit, bestowed it
6 on the Dakkhina-vihara. 4
On the whole island the ruler of

men commanded

not to

kill.

All kinds of vine-fruits did he

and the king Amandiya, filling the

almsbowls with the fruit called ' flesh-melons ', 5 and bestowing
garments as a support (for the bowls) he gave o these, with
because he had
believing heart, to the whole brotherhood

7 plant in divers places,

I. e. he heightened the cone crowning the thupa at the top.

For ajira cf. Abhidhanappadipika 218 (ajira=Skt. ajira 'courtAlinda is the terrace before the house-door, as is evident
yard').
See also the passages M.V. VI. 36. 4, and C.V. VI.
from D. I. 89 SO 34
2
3
25
3. 5 and 14. 1.
(Fin. Pit., ed. OLDENBERG, i. 248 ii. 153 169 .)

3
4

Now
Cf.

Ridi-vibara, see note to 28. 20.

The Mahagamendi-vapi

note to 33. 88.

will probably be the

immediate neighbourhood of the ruins

of the monastery. Note the play on the words punnadakkhino
and dakkhinassa viharassa.
smaller tank which

is

Kumbhandaka

in the

is,

according to Abhidh. 1030, a creeping-plant

which (according to SUBHUTI) is now called in Sinh. puhul 'pumpkin gourd

Evidently mamsak is a particular variety. Since our
text connects the king's name with it, a man da, which elsewhere means
'.

the ricinus plant, seems to be a

synonym

of the above-mentioned.

xxxv.
filled

247

The Twelve Kings

21

the

almsbowls

them)

(with

he

received

the

name

Amandagamani.
His younger brother, the prince KANIRAJANUTISSA, reigned 9
He 10
three years in the city, when he had slain his brother.
decided the lawsuit concerning the uposatha-house in the
after the cetiya, 1 but sixty bhikkhns who were
involved in the crime of high treason did the king order to be
(vihara)

named

1 1

taken captive, with all that was theirs, upon the Cetiyapabbata, and he commanded these evildoers to be flung into
the caves called Kanira.

After Kanirajanu's death

CULABHAYA, reigned a year.

Aman jagamani's
r

The king

son, the prince 12

built the Culagallaka- 13

vihara on the bank of the Gonaka-river

to the south of the

capital.

After the death of Culabhaya his younger sister SIVAL!, 14

Amanda, reigned four months. But Amanda's 1 5

the daughter of

nephew named ILANAGA dethroned

Sivali

and raised the

When, one day, in the 16

parasol (of sovereignty) in the capital.
first year (of his
reign), the king went to the Tissa-tank, many
of the Lambalvannas 4 deserted

him and went back to the capital.

When the king saw them

not he was wroth and (in punishment)

he ordered that they, even they themselves, should make
a road to the Mahathupa, commanding to stamp it down

firmly, where it ran beside the tank, and he set candalas 18

to be their overseers.
And full of anger because of this the

Lambakannas came together, and when they had taken the 19

king captive and imprisoned him in his palace they themselves
administered the government; but the king's consort put
festal garments on her little son the prince Cancjamukhasiva, 20
gave him into the hands of the serving-women and sent him
to the state-elephant, charging (the attendants) with a message. 21
1

Judging from the expression used

must be meant. Cetiya = thupa.
2

See note to 23. 11.

This

(cf. 34.

39) the

Thuparama

no doubt, the correct reading. The Gona-nadi is the

By banking it up king Dhatusena constructed the Kala-vapi (Kaluwaewa), Culavamsa 38. 42.
4 An
important clan in Lanka.
river

is,

now

called Kalu-oya.

Mahavamsa

248

The serving-women conveyed him

XXXV.

22

thither and gave the state-

22 elephant the queen's whole message

'
:

This

is

thy

lord's son;

thy lord is in prison ; better is it for this (boy) to meet his

23 death by thee than by the enemies; then slay thou him that
With these words they laid him
is the queen's command/
:

24 down at the elephant's feet. And for grief the elephant

began to shed tears, and breaking to pieces the posts (to
which he was chained) he pressed forward into the palace and
25 dashed against the gate with fury, and when he had broken
down the door 1 in the room where the king sat, he made him
26 mount upon his back and went towards Mahatittha. There the
elephant made the king embark on a ship (that brought him)

went toward Malaya.

When the king had stayed three years on the other coast he
27
28 raised an army and went by ship to Rohana.
Having landed
at the haven Sakkharasobbha the king assembled there in
to the western shore of the sea; he himself

29 Rohana a mighty force. Then came the king's state-elephant

forthwith out of the southern Malaya to Rohana to do him

As he had heard

30 service.

there the Kapi-jataka

from the

great thera, the preacher of jatakas, named Mahapaduma, who

31 dwelt in the (vihara) called Tuladhara, he, being won to faith
in the Bodhisatta, restored the Nagamahavihara and gave it
3
32 the extension of a hundred unbent bows in length, and he
enlarged the thupa even to what it has been (since then) ;
4
5
moreover, he made the Tissa-tank and the tank called Dura.
33
When the king had raised an army he marched to battle;
when the Lambakannas heard this they also prepared them-

34 selves for battle.

Near the gate

of Kapallakkhanda on the

While dvara means the principal gate of a building, kavatani are the doors of the separate rooms in the interior. See S.B.E.
1

xx. p. 160, n.
a

and

3.

Two jatakas
iii,

bear this

title,

in

FAUSBOLL'S edition,

ii,

pp. 268-270

pp. 355-358.

3
Dhanuisa measure of length equal to about 8 feet. PARKER,
Ancient Ceylon, p. 274.
4
In the neighbourhood of Mahagama, PARKER, I. L, p. 388 foil.

Probably the Duratissa-vapi, to which Saddhatissa, according to

33. 8, built a monastery.
Karesi here means, I presume, 'to
restore not to build '.

Mah.

'

xxxv.

249

The Twelve Kings

48

Harikarapitthi was waged the battle between the two

(armies) that brought destruction to both.

field of

Since their bodies were exhausted by the sea- journey, the 35

king's men yielded their ground, therefore the king pro-

claimed his name and pressed forward.

Terrified thereat 36
the Lambakannas threw themselves down upon their belly,

and they hewed

heads and heaped them up high as

off their

the nave of the (king's) waggon- wheel, and when this had 37
come to pass three times the king, from pity, said ' Slay them
:

them captive living/

When then the king had come into the capital as victor in 38
battle and had raised the parasol (of sovereignty) he went to
a festival at the Tissa-tank. 1 And when he, fully arrayed in 39
his ornaments and armour, had withdrawn from the watersports and reflected on the good-fortune that he had attained,
and thought of the Lambakannas who had opposed his progress, 40
he was wroth and commanded that they be yoked two and
two behind one another to his car, and thus did he enter
not, but take

the city in front of them.

palace the king gave the

Halting on the threshold of the 41

'
Here on this threshold,

command

These are but oxen yoked to 42

lord of chariots
therefore let their horns

soldiers, strike off their

heads/

thy chariot, O
and hoofs be struck off/ thus admonished by his mother the 43
king recalled (the order) to behead them and commanded that
their nose and toes be cut off. The district where the elephant 44
;

had stayed the prince

So
in

allotted to the elephant

and therefore

called Hatthibhoga. 2
Ilanaga, ruler of the earth, reigned full six years as

the tract

is

king 45

Anuradhapura.

After the death of Ilanaga his son CANDAMUKHA SIVA 46

reigned eight years and seven months as king.

When

the lord of the earth had constructed a tank near 47

Manikaragamaka he gave

it

to

the

vihara called

Issara-

This king's consort who was known by the name 48

DamiladevT, allotted her own revenues from that village to the

samana.

same vihara.
1

Cf.

with this 26. 6-7.

I.e.

'the elephant's usufruct, the elephant's

fief.'

250
49

Maliavamsa,

Candamukha Siva

slain

Having

xxxv.

49

in the festival-sports at

younger brother, known by the name

50 YASALALAKATISSA, reigned as
king in delightful Anuradhapura,
the fair face of Lanka, seven years and eight months.
the

51

Tissa-tank

Now

his

a son of Datta the gate-watchman, named Subha,

himself a gate-watchman, bore a close likeness to

who was

And

52 the king.

this palace-guard Subha did the king Yasalabedeck with the royal ornaments and place upon
53 the throne and binding the guard's turban about his own head,

laka, in jest,

and taking himself his place, staff in hand, at the gate,

54 he made
merry over the ministers as they paid homage to
(Subha) sitting on the throne.

from time
55

Now

Thus was he wont

to do,

to time.

who was

one day the guard cried out to the king,

'

'

Why

does this guard laugh in my presence ?

laughing
56 And SUBHA the guard ordered to
slay the king, and he himself reigned here six years under the name Subharaja.
57
In both the great viharas 1 Subharaja built a noble row of
:

58

cells

called

Subharaja after him.

Near Uruvela

(he built)

the Valli- vihara, to the east the (vihara) Ekadvara and at the
mouth of the Gahga 2 the (vihara) Nandigamaka.

59

One sprung of the Lambakanna (clan), named Vasabha,

whose home was in the northern province, served under his

60 uncle, a commander of troops. Since it was declared 3 One

named Vasabha shall be king/ the king at that time com*

manded that

all

61 should be slain.
deliver

who bore the name

The commander, thinking:

in the island

of

Vasabha
must

'We

up our Vasabha to the king/ and having taken

counsel with his wife (upon the matter) set out early in the
62 morning to go to the king's residence.
And the wife, to
guard Vasabha carefully who went with him, put betel into
his hand but without powdered chalk. 4
1

According to the Tika Abhayagiri and Mahavihara.

Gangante, by Ganga we should probably understand the Mahawseliganga. The Tika has KacchakanadUire. Kacchaka is the name
of a ford in the Mahawaeliganga (see note to 10. 58).
s
According to the Tika Yasalalaka was said to have uttered a similar
2

prophecy publicly.
4
Betel is chewed with powdered chalk (cunna, Sinh. hunu).

xxxv.

251

The Twelve Kings

75

Now when the commander, at the gate of the palace, saw 63

the betel without chalk, he sent him back for chalk. When 64
Vasabha came for the chalk the commander's wife spoke with
him
him

secretly,

gave him a thousand

(pieces of

money) and aided

to take flight.
Vasabha went to the Mahavihara and by 65
the theras there was provided with milk, food and clothes, and 6G

when he had again heard from a leper the certain prophecy

'
that he would be king, rejoicing he resolved
I will be a
rebel/
And when he had found men suited (to his purpose) 67
:

he went, seizing in his further course village by village,

1
according to the instruction (in the story) of the cake, to
Rohana, and gradually winning the kingdom to himself he 68
advanced, after two years, with the needful army and train,
towards the capital. When the mighty VASABHA had con- 69

quered Subharaja in battle he raised the parasol (of sovereignty)

in the capital.
His uncle had fallen in battle. But his 70

named Pottha, who had first helped him, did

Vasabha
raise to be queen.
king
Once he questioned a soothsayer concerning the length of 71
his life, and he told him secretly (that he should live) just
twelve years.
And when he had given him a thousand 72
uncle's wife,

(pieces of money) to keep the secret the king assembled the

brotherhood and greeted them reverently and asked them
e
Is there perchance, venerable sirs, a means to lengthen life ? 73
:

'

There is/ so did the brotherhood teach him, ' a way to do

2
away with the hindrances (to long life) ; gifts of strainers 74

must be given and

and gifts for maintenance of the sick, O ruler of men, and in like manner the 75
restoring of ruined buildings must be carried out ; one should
take the five precepts on himself and keep them carefully,
gifts of dwellings

1
The story of Candagutta and the kapallapuva is to be found in
Mah. Tika, p. 123 4 foil. cf. GEIGER, Dip. andMah., pp. 39-40 RHYS
JACOBI, Hemacandras ParisistaDAVIDS, Buddhist India, p. 269
:

parvan,
2

use

viii.

290- 296

is

some

preface, p. 58.

is among the requisites of the bhikkhu

its
for straining water so that he who is drinking shall not swallow
living creature who may perhaps be in it.

The parissavana

252

Mahavamsa

xxxv.

76

76 and one should also keep the solemn fast on the uposathaIt is well/ and went thence and
day/ The king said
'

77

carried out all these (duties).

Every three years that went

by the king bestowed the

78 three garments on the whole brotherhood in the island; and
to those theras that lived far away he sent them.
In thirtytwo places he ordered milk-rice with honey to be distributed,
79 but in sixty-four places a lavish gift of mixed alms.
He had a thousand lamps lighted in four places ; that is,
80 on the Cetiya-pabbata, about the cetiya in the Thuparama,
about the Great Thupa and in the temple of the great
Bodhi-tree.

In the Cittalakuta (vihara) l he built ten beautiful thupas

82 and over the whole island he restored ruined buildings. From
pious trust in a thera in the Valliyera-vihara he built the vihara
83 called Mahavalligotta. And (moreover) he built the Anurarama (vihara) near Mahagama and bestowed on it a thousand
84 and eight karisa 2 (of land) of (the village) Heligama. "When
he had built the Mucela- vihara 3 in T issavaddhamanaka 4 he

81

allotted to the vihara a share in the

water of the (canal) Alisara.

85 To the thupa in Galambatittha he added a mantling of bricks,

and he built an uposatha-house too, and to provide oil for
86 the lamps he constructed a pond (yielding water to) a thousand
karisa (of land)

and gave

it

to the (vihara).

In the Kumbhi-

87 gallaka-vihara he built an uposatha-house. In like manner

the king built an uposatha-house in the Issarasamanaka
88 (vihara) 6 here and in the Thuparama a thupa-temple. In
the Mahavihara he built a row of cells facing the west, and
89 he restored the ruined Catussala (hall). In like manner the

same king made four beautiful Buddha-images and a temple

for the images in the fair courtyard of the great Bodhi-tree.
90
The king's consort, named Pottha, built in that same
1

The same

Tika: atthuttaram karisasahassakam.

According to the Tika situated puratthimadisabhage.

3
4

as Cittalapabbata, see note to 22. 23.

Cf. 37. 48.

In

Cf. note to 19. 61.

TURNOUR'S view sahassakarisa

is

the

name

of the pond.

xxxv.

253

The Twelve Kings

102

place a splendid thupa and a beautiful temple for the thupa.

When

the

king-

had

completed the thupa-temple in the 91

Thuparama he commanded
of

its

completion.

Among

lavish almsgiving for the festival

those bhikkhus who were busied 92

with (the learning of) the word of the Buddha he distributed

the things needed (by bhikkhus), and among the bhikkhus
who explained the doctrine butter and sugar-molasses. At 93
the four gates of the city he had food given away to the poor
and, to such bhikkhus who were sick, food suited to the sick.

The CayantI 1 and the Rajuppala-tank, the Vaha and the 94

Kolambagamaka, the Mahanikkhavatti-tank and the MaharaKohala 2 and the Kali-tank/ the Cambuti, the 95
4
these twelve
Cathamahgana and the Aggivaddhamanaka
tanks and twelve canals he constructed, to make (the land) 96
metti, the

For safety he built up the city wall even so high

5
and he built fortress-towers at the four gates 97
is)
and a palace besides in the garden he made a tank and put

fruitful.
(as it

now

geese therein.

When the king had constructed many bathing-tanks here 98

and there in the capital he brought water to them by subterranean canals. And in this way carrying out various works 99
of merit king Vasabha did away with the hindrances (to
long

life),

and delighting perpetually in well doing he reigned loo

forty-four years in the capital.

four Vesakha-festivals. 7

He

appointed also forty-

Subharfija while he yet lived had anxiously, for fear of 101

Vasabha, entrusted his daughter to a brick-worker and had 102

The names are extraordinarily erratic in the MSS. This adds

greatly to the difficulty of identifying the separate tanks.
2
The Tika has Kehala and places the tank near Titthapattana.
3

The Tika reads Kelivasam ca instead of Kalivapim

See

The

manam) = about
6

ca.

Zeylanica, i, p. 211.
Tika gives the height of 18 cubits (attharasahatthappa-

WICKREMASINGHE, Epigraphia
25-27

feet.

do not believe that we need have recourse to the translation

'swan' or 'flamingo'. The goose is a sacred bird to the Buddhists
I

and appears frequently on the monuments of Ceylon.

7
See 1. 12 and 32. 35 with note.

254

Mahavamsa

at the

XXXV.

103

same time given into his care his mantle and the royal
When he was killed by Vasabha the brick-worker

insignia.

103 took her with him, put her in the place of a daughter, and
brought her up in his own house. When he was at work the
used to bring him his food.
(one day) in a thicket of flowering kadambas, she
saw an (ascetic) who was in the seventh day of the state of

girl

104

When

105 nirodha, 1 she the wise (maiden) gave him the food. When
she had then prepared food afresh she carried the food to her

and when she was asked the cause of the delay she
her father this matter.
And full of joy he bade (her)
When the thera had
food repeatedly to the thera.

father,

106 told
offer

come out

(of his trance)

107 the future:

he said to the maiden, looking into

'When

bethink thee,

royal rank has fallen to thy lot then

maiden, of this place/ And forthwith the

thera died.

108

Now

did king

Vasabha when

his son Vahkanasikatissa

had

a fitting wife for him. When those

(full) age seek
the
who
understood
people
(auspicious) signs in women saw
the
maiden
in
the
brickworker's village they told the king
110

109 come to

the king thereon was about to send for her.

And now

the

111 brick- worker told him that she was a king's daughter, but
that she was the daughter of Subharaja he showed by the

mantle and so forth. Rejoiced the king gave her

to his son when all had been duly provided. 2
112

(in

marriage)

After Vasabha's death his son VANKANASIKATISSAKA reigned

113 three years in Anuradhapura. On the bank of the Gonariver the king Vahkanasikatissaka built the vihara called
114 Mahamangala. But his consort Mahamatta collected money
to build a vihara, bethinking her of the thera's words.
1 1

After Vahkanasikatissa's death his son GAJABAHUKAGAMANI

1

Nirodha

or

samnavedayitanirodha

cessation of consciousness.
lasts over
2

Skt.

seven days

it

is

KERN, Manual, pp.

a state of trance,
55, 57.

If the state

ends in death.

krtamangala

(f.

a)

have been pronounced or who

means a person over whom prayers

arrayed with the auspicious things

some undertaking. B.R., Skt. Wtb., s. v. mangala. The pali
k ataman gala must be taken in the same sense.
for

is

xxxv.

255

The Twelve Kings

127

Hearkening to his mother's word 116

reigned twenty-two years.
the king founded the Matuvihara on the place of the thicket
His wise 117
of flowering kadambas, in honour of his mother.
mother gave to the great vihara a hundred thousand (pieces
for the plot of land and built the vihara ; l he
himself built a thupa of stone there and gave (land) for the

of

money)

use of the brotherhood,

when he had bought

1 1

from various

it

owners.

He
and

erected the great Abhayuttara-thupa,

to the four gates thereof

making

king had made

Abhayagiri- vihara for maintenance in food.

greater, 119

it

When

he made vestibules.

the Gamanitissa-tank he bestowed

it

He made

the 120

on the
a mant- 121

ling to the Maricavatti-thupa and gave (land) thereto for

the use of the brotherhood, having bought it for a hundred

thousand (pieces of money).

vihara called

Ramuka and

In the

last

year he founded the 122

built in the city the

Mahejasana-

sala (hall).

After Gajabahu's death the king's father-in-law

LAKA

NAGA

MAHAL- 123

years.
(The viharas) Sejalaka in 124
the east, Gotapabbata in the south, Dakapasana in the west,
in Nagadlpa Salipabbata, in Bfjagama Tanaveli, in the 125

reigned six

country of Rohana Tobbalanagapabbata, in the inland country

Girihalika: these seven viharas did the king Mahallanaga, 126
ruler of the earth, build in the time (of his reign), short

though it was.
In this way do the wise, doing many works of merit, gain 127
with worthless riches that which is precious, but fools in
their blindness, for the sake of pleasures,

do much

evil.

Here ends the thirty-fifth chapter, called The Twelve

Kings', in the Mahavamsa. compiled for the serene joy and
'

emotion of the pious.

1

plainly is that the mother and son jointly founded

In 116 it is said, in a general way, that the king together

The meaning

the vihara.

with his mother, founded the Matuvihara. How the undertaking

was shared is explained in 117 and 118. The mother buys the plot
of land and constructs the monastery buildings the son builds the
thupa and presents the necessary lands for the maintenance of the
inmates of the monastery.
;

CHAPTEE XXXVI
THE THIRTEEN KINGS
1

AFTER the death

Mahallanaga his son BHATIKATISSAKA

Lanka. He built a wall around
the Mahavihara.
When the king- had built the Gavaratissavihara he made the Mahamani-tank and gave it to the vihfira.
of

2 reigned twenty-four years in

3

He

4 Moreover, he built the vihara called Bhatikatissa.

built

an uposatha-house in the beautiful Thuparama; the king

Filled with tenderness
5 also made the Randhakandaka-tank.
towards beings and zealous in reverencing the brotherhood
the protector of the earth commanded lavish almsgiving to
the community of both sexes.
6

After the death of Bhatikatissa (his younger brother)

KANITTHATISSAKA l reigned eighteen years in the island of
Lanka. Since he was well pleased with the thera Mahanaga
in the Bhutarama he built for him in splendid fashion the

Ratanapasada in the Abhayagiri. Moreover, he built in the

Abhayagiri a wall and a great parivena and a great parivena

In that place he
9 besides in the (vihara) called Manisoma. 2
built a temple for the cetiya and in like manner for the

Ambatthala-thupa ; and (he ordered) the restoration of the

10 temple in Nagadipa. Doing away with the boundary of the
Mahavihara, the king built there the row of cells (called)
11

Kukkutagiri with
the

of

ruler

men

all

things provided. In the Mahavihara

twelve great four-sided pasadas,

built

12 admirable to see and beautiful, and he added a mantling to

the thupa of the Dakkhinavihara, and a refectory besides,
1

doing away with the boundary of the Mahameghavana. And

moving the wall of the Mahavihara to the side, he also made

14 a road leading to the Dakkhinavihara.

1

He

built the

The name means the younger brother

'

Cf.

note to 33. 84.

Tissa

'.

Bhuta-

257

The Thirteen Kings

xxxvi. 26

ramavihara and the Ramagonaka, and the arama of Nandatissa besides.

In the east the king built the Anulatissapabbata (vihara) 15

Gahgaraji, the Niyelatissarama and the Pilapitthi vihara
as well as the Kajamahavihara.
In like manner he built in 16
three places an uposatha-house, in the three following viharas, 1 7
in

the Kalyanikavihara, 1 the Mandalagirika, also the (vihara)

called Dubbalavapitissa.

After Kanitthatissa's death his son, who was known as 18

KHUJJANAGA, reigned one year. The younger brother of 19
Khujjanaga KUNCANAGA, when he had slain the king his

two years

brother, reigned

in

Lanka.

During the great 20

Ekanalika 2 famine the king maintained without interruption

a great almsgiving 3 appointed for five hundred bhikkhus.

But the brother

of Kuncanaga's consort, the commander of 21

a rebel against the king, and when 22
became
SIRINAGA,
troops,
he was equipped with troops and horses he moved on to the
capital

and when

he, in battle

with the king's army, had put 23

to flight, victorious he reigned over

king Kuncanaga

Lanka

nineteen years in splendid Anuradhapura. When the king had 24

placed a parasol on the stately Great Thupa, he had it gilded
He built the Lohapasada, 25
in admirable and splendid fashion.

keeping

it

within five stories (height), and he restored the steps

When

to the four entrances leading to the great Bodhi-tree.

he had completed the parasol and the pasada 4 he commanded

offerings at the festival (of the consecration) ; great in compas5
sion, he remitted the tribute of families throughout the island.
1

Cf. 82. 51

Nail

is

and note

to

1.

63.

a certain measure

= 4 pasata

'handfuls'.

RHYS DAVIDS,

Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon, p. 17. To so small a quantity

Thence the
of food were the people reduced in that famine.
designation.
3
4

Mahapela, lit.
The readingis,!

may

WIJESINHA. and my
5

'

great basket,' in contrast to

ekanalika.

think, chattapasadam. Still

also be understood as the name of a building.

Ku lam ban a

in kind

(ambana

is
is

Chattapasada
Thus TURNOUB,

edition.

obscure.

Perhaps

it

means a certain

tribute

a measure of capacity, used as a corn-measure),

which was levied from single families (kula).

s

26

Mahavamsa

258
27

XXXVI. 27

After the death of Sirinaga his son TISSA reigned twentyyears, with knowledge of (the) law and (the) tradition.

two

28 Because he

(bodily) injury (as

29

When

tissa.

country made a law that set aside

penalty) he received the name king Voharika-

first in this

he had heard the (preaching of the) doctrine by

who dwelt in Kappukagama, he restored five

the thera Deva,

30 buildings. Moreover, contented with the thera Mahatissa, who

dwelt in Anurarama. 1 he commanded almsgiving in Mucela-

When

the king Tissa 3 had set up a 'pavilion in the

two great viharas 4 and in the eastern temple of the great
32 Bodhi-tree two bronze images, and had built also the Satta31 pattana. 2

pannakapasada, goodly to dwell in, he appointed every month

33 a thousand (pieces of money) 5 for the Mahavihara.
In the
Abhayagiri-vihara and in the (vihara) called Dakkhinamula,
the Maricavatti-vihara and the (vihara) called Kulalitissa,

in

34 in the Mahiyarigana-vihara, in the (vihara) called Mahagamanaga, in the (viharas) called Mahanagatissa, and Kalyanika

35 he put parasols to their eight thupas.

In the Mulanagasena36 pati- vihara and in the Dakkhina(vihara), in the Maricavattivihara and in the (vihara) called Puttabhaga, in the (vihara)
called Issarasamana

and the

(vihara)

named

Tissa in

Naga-

37 dipaka; in these six viharas he put up a wall, and he also

built an uposatha-house in the (vihara) called Anurarama.
38 For the occasions when the Ariyavamsa 6 was read he decreed
over the whole island a regular giving of alms, from reverence

39 for the true doctrine.

1

According

According to

'

ship'

With the spending

to 35. 83 near

the Tika

of three hundred

in the province of

Mahagama
mucelapattana

the

is

Rohana.

name

of a

which offerings were placed. Such 'canoes'

which evidently served the same purpose, are, in fact,

made of bronze

in

but of stone,
found in the ruins of Anuradhapura.

BURROWS,

Buried

Cities of

Ceylon, pp. 38, 43-44.)

5

Following the reading Tissaraja

Tissarajamandapam we must

mandapam.

translate

'a

If

pavilion

we

read

(called)

Tissaraja
4

6
6

(after him)'.
the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri-vihara.
According to the Tika, articles of clothing.
I.e.

Lit.

eminent

'book of the holy ones,' probably the life-histories of men

in the Buddhist Church, which were read aloud publicly for

the edification of the people.

259

The Thirteen Kings

xxxvi. so

thousand (pieces of money) this king, who was a friend to the

doctrine, freed from their indebtedness such bhikkhus as were

When

he had decreed a great Vesakha-festival, 1 40

he bestowed the three garments on all the bhikkhus dwelling
in debt.

2
Suppressing the Vetulya-doctrine and keeping 41
heretics in check by his minister Kapila, he made the true

in the island.

doctrine to shine forth in glory.

This king's younger brother, known as ABHAYANAGA, who

was the queen's lover, being discovered (in his guilt) took
flight for fear of his brother and went with his serving-men
to Bhallatittha and as if wroth with him, he had his uncle's
hands and feet cut off. And that he might bring about
division in the kingdom, he left him behind here and took his
most faithful followers with him, showing them the example
of the dog, 3 and he himself took ship at the same place and
went to the other shore. But the uncle, Subhadeva, went to
the king and making as if he were his friend he wrought
division in the

of this,

kingdom. And

Abhaya

42
43

44

45
46

that he might have knowledge

When

sent a messenger thither.

Subhadeva 47

saw him he loosened

(the earth) round about an areca-palm,

his
with the shaft of
spear, as he walked round (the tree), and

when he had made it thus (to hold) but feebly by the roots,
he struck it down with his arm; then did he threaten the 48
The messenger went and
(messenger), and drove him forth.
told this matter to Abhaya. And when he knew this, Abhaya 49
took many Damilas with him and marched from there against
the city to do battle with his brother.
1

See note to

Cf.

On news of

this the

king 50

32. 35.

the Vaipulya-sutras, sometimes also called Vaitulya-sutras,

which form part of the Northern Mahayanist Canon. KERN, Manual,

idem, Verslagen en Mededeel'mgen van de K. Ak. van Weten;

e
schapen, Afd. Letterk., 4 R., D. VIII, p. 312 foil., Amsterdam, 1907
(see L. DE LA VALLEE POUSSIN, J.E.A.S. 1907, p. 432 foil. WINDISCH,
p. 5

Abh.

fur
3

d. k.

Sachs. Gesellsch. d. W., xxvii, p. 472

OLDENBERG, Archiv

Eeligionswissenschaft, xiii, 1910, p. 614).

According to the Tika, when he was about to

embark on the
he had chided and punished a dog that he had with him.
Nevertheless the animal followed him, wagging his tail. Then he
said to his followers, 'Even as this clog, you must stand by me with
ship,

unchangeable

fidelity.

S 2

Mahavamsa

260
took

52

51

and, with his consort, mounting- a horse he came to

The younger brother pursued him, and when he

flight,

51 Malaya.

had

xxxvi.

king in Malaya, he returned with the queen and

slain the

reigned eight years in the capital as king.

The king set up a vedi o stone round about the great
Bodhi-tree, and a pavilion in the courtyard of the Lohapa-

And

53 sada.

obtaining garments of every kind for twice a

hundred thousand

money), he distributed gifts of

(pieces of

clothing amon'g tne brotherhood of bhikkhus on the island.

54
After Abh'aya's death, SIRINAGA, the son of his brother

55 Tissa, reigned two years in Lanka. When he had restored the

wall round about the great Bodhi-tree, then did this king also
56 build in the sand-court

of the temple of the great Bodhi-

2
the beautiful
tree, to the south of the Mucela-tree,

Ham-

savatta and a great pavilion besides.

57
Sirinaga's son named ViJAtA-KuMARAKA reigned for one
year after his father's death.

(At that time) three Lambakannas lived in friendship at

Samghatissa and Samghabodhi, the third
59 being Gothakabhaya. When they were coming (to Anura58

Mahiyangana

dhapura) to do service to the king, a blind man who had

the gift of prophecy, being by the edge of the Tissa-tank,
60 cried out at the sound of their footsteps
The ground bears
'

As Abhaya, who was walking

heard this he asked (the meaning of the saying). The

here three rulers of the earth

last,

'

61 other uttered
'Whose race will
yet again (the prophecy).
endure?' then asked again the other, and he answered:

That of the last.' When he had heard that he went (on)

the two (others). When they were come into the capital
the three, being the close and trusted (counsellors) of the
<

62

w ith

king, remained in the royal service about the king.

When

they together had slain king Vijaya in his royal

the
two (others) consecrated SAMGHATISSA, the compalace
64 mander of the troops, as king. Thus crowned did Samgha-

63

Valikatala

kangana
*

cf.

Parato
Mah.

is

employed here in the same way as vali-

in 33. 31.
is

25. 50.

paraphrased in the Tika by dakkhinadisabhage,

xxxvi.

261

The Thirteen Kings

76

tissa reign four years in stately Anuradhapura.

He set up 65
a parasol on the Great Thupa and gilded it, and moreover the
king put four great gems, each worth a hundred thousand
1
money), in the middle of the four suns, and put 66
upon the spire of the thupa a precious ring of crystal. At 67

(pieces of

the festival of (consecrating) the chatta the ruler of men distributed the six garments to the brotherhood (in number) forty

As he (one day) when listening to the khandhakas 2 68

heard from the thera Mahadeva, dwelling in Damahalaka,
the sutta that sets forth the merit of (a gift of) rice-gruel, 3 69

thousand.

he, joyfully believing, distributed to the brotherhood at the

four gates of the city an abundant and well-prepared gift of
rice-gruel.

From time to time the king, with the women of the royal 70
household and the ministers, used to go to Paclnadlpaka 4 to eat
Vexed by his coming the people dwelling in 71
jambu-fruits.
Pacmadlpa poisoned the fruit of the jambu-tree from which
the king was to eat.
When he had eaten the jambu-fruits he 72
died forthwith even there.
And Abhaya consecrated as king

Samghabodhi who was charged with the (command

of)

the

army.

The king, who was known by the name SIRISAMGHABODHI, 73

5
reigned two years in Anuradhapura, keeping the five precepts.
In the Mahavihara he set up a beautiful salaka-house. 6 74

When
come

the king heard that the people of the island were

want by reason of a drought he himself, his heart 75

to

shaken with pity, lay down on the ground in the courtyard

'
of the Great Thupa, forming the resolve
Unless I be raised 76
:

2
3

Which were

exhortation
4

'

placed on the four sides of the Tee '.

The sections of the M.V. and C.V. in the Vinaya-pitaka.
See M.V. VI. 24. Cf. particularly 5 and 6. The scene of the

rato

is

Andhakavinda.

The Tika says: Mahatitthapattane pasamuddamajjhe sambhutam Pacinadipam agamasi.

I.e.

'East-Island.'

According to this Pacinadipa is one of the islands between the north

point of Ceylon and the Indian continent.
5
See note to 1. 62.
6

On salakagga

see note to 15. 205.

XXX VI.

Mahavamsa

262

77

up by the water that the god shall rain down I will nevermore
rise up from hence, even though I die here.'
As the ruler of
the earth lay there thus the god poured down rain forthwith on
78 the whole island of Lanka, reviving the wide earth. And even
then he did not yet rise up because he was not swimming
77

in the water.

Then

his counsellors closed

And

79 which the water flowed away.

water the pious king rose up.

way avert the fear of

At the news
Rebels

this

as he

up the pipes by

now swam

in the

his compassion did he in

By

a famine in the island.

'

are risen here and there/ the king

had the rebels brought before him, but he released them again
81 secretly ; then did he send secretly for bodies of dead men, and

80

causing terror vo the people by the burning

away with the fear from rebels.

82

yakkha known

as Ratakkhi, 2

of these he did

who had come

hither,

made

83 red the eyes of the people here and there. If the people did
but see one another and did but speak of the redness of the
the yakkha devoured them

eyes they died forthwith, and

without fear.

When the king heard of their distress he lay down with

sorrowful heart alone in the chamber of fasting, keeping the
'
Till I have seen the
85 eight uposatha vows, 3 (and said)

84

I will not rise

yakkha

By

up/

the (magic) power of his

86 piety the yakkha came to him. To the king's (question)

'
Who art thou ? ' he answered ' It is I, (the yakkha)/ ' Why
:

up

to

And

'

Swallow them not! 'Give

subjects?
then only the people of one region/ said the other.

87 dost thou devour

me

my

That is impossible/ he came gradually

and less) to one (man) only. The (king)
No other can I give up to thee take thou me and
spoke
devour me/ With the words
That is impossible/ the other
being answered

88 (demanding ever

'

less

'

'

1
He had the corpses burnt in place of the rebels and thus inspired
the belief that he had condemned them to death by fire. Cf. also sule

50011 and frequently.

The Attanagaluvamsa
'Red-eye.'
Perhaps scarlatina?
which relates this episode in chap. VI (ed. Alwis, p. 16 foil.), speaks
of a fever (jararoga) beginning with inflammation of the eyes.
3
Cf. with this SPENCE HARDY, Eastern Monachism, p. 237.

uttaseti
2

I.e.

'

to

impale

'.

Jat.

T.

263

The Thirteen Kings

xxxvi. 103
prayed him (at

give him an offering in every village.

It is well/ said the king, and over the whole island he 89
decreed that offerings l be brought to the entrance of the
last) to

and these he gave up to him. Thus by the great 90

compassionate to all beings, by the torch of the island
was the fear pestilence brought to an end.
villages,

man/

The

king's treasurer, the minister Gothakabhaya, who had 91

rebel, marched from the north against the capital.

become a

Taking

his water-strainer

with him the king

fled

alone by 92

the south gate, since he would not bring harm to others.

man who came, bearing his food in a basket, along that 93
road entreated the king again and again to eat of his food.

When

had strained the water and had 94

eaten he spoke these words, to show kindness to the other
'I am the king Samghabodhi; take thou my head and show 95
he, rich in compassion,

to Gothabhaya, he will give thee much gold.'

This he 96
would not do, and the king to render him service gave up the
it

And

the other took the head and

and
he, in amazement of spirit,
Gothabhaya
him
and
funeral rites of the king
carried
out
the
gave
gold
with due care.
Thus GOTHABHAYA, also known as Meghavannabhaya, ruled
thirteen years over Lanka.
He built a palace, and when he had built a pavilion at the
entrance to the palace and had adorned it, even there did
he daily invite a thousand and eight bhikkhus of the brotherhood to be seated, and rejoicing them with rice-gruel and

ghost even as he

showed

it

sat.

97

to

with foods excellent and of

many

kinds, both hard

and

98

99
100

soft,

together with garments, he bestowed alms lavishly upon them. 101

Twenty-one days did he continue (to give) thus.

In the Mahavihara he built a splendid pavilion of stone; 102

3
He set up a vedl 103
the pillars of the Lohapasada.

he renewed

By ball

are understood particularly the offerings brought to the

subordinate divinities, devatas, tutelary genii, local sprites, &c.

2
Mahasatta is used elsewhere as designation of a Bodhisatta.
3

Lit.

'He

set

parivartayati

them up when he had changed them.' In Skt.

s. v. vart with
pari) has the same meaning.

(B.E.

MaMvamsa

264

xxxvi. 104

of stone for the great Bodhi-tree and an arched gateway

at the northern entrance, and likewise at the four corners (of

104

the courtyard) pillars with wheel-symbols. 1

At three entrances he made three statues of stone and at

105 the south gate he set up a throne of stone. To the west

of the Mahavihara he laid out a tract of land for exercises
of meditation,

and over the

island

he restored

all

ruined

106 buildings. In the Thuparama he ordered the thupa-temple to

be restored and also in the Ambatthala-monastery of the thera
3

and

arama called Manisoma, and in the

and in the Maricavatti
Manisomarama
Thuparama,
in
and
moreover
vihara
called Dakkhina (he
the
(vihara),
108 restored) the uposatha-houses. And he founded also a new
107 (Mahinda)

in the

in the

109

vihara called Meghavannabhaya and at the (time of) festal

offering's
O at the consecration of the vihara he distributed the
six

garments to thirty thousand bhikkhus dwelling on the

whom he had assembled.

island,

In like manner he appointed then a great Vesakha-festival, 4

110 and yearly did he distribute the six garments to the brother111 hood. Purifying the doctrine by suppression of heresy he
bhikkhus dwelling in the Abhayagiri (vihara), sixty in
5
number, who had turned to the Vetulya-doc trine and were
112 like a thorn in the doctrine of the Buddha, and when he had
seized

excommunicated them, 6 he banished them to the further

coast. A bhikkhu from the Cola people, named Samghamitta,
113 who was versed in the teachings concerning the exorcism of
7
to a thera banished
spirits, and so forth, had attached himself
1

See note to 30. 92.

CHILDEBS, P.D.

cloister in a

s. v.

padhanam,

says:

'padhanabhumi,

monastery for monks to walk in who are striving

a
to

attain arhatship.'
3

The Therambatthalaka is without doubt the Ambatthala-thiipa

memory of Mahinda on the Cetiya-mountain. See note to

built in
34. 71.

Cf. note to 32. 35.

Katvana niggaham tesam, lit. 'having

papakanam niggahena in v. 110.

See
7

Cf. note to 36. 41.

suppressed them.'

Nissito, the term for one who stands to an older

relation of pupil to teacher (nissaya).

monk

in the

thither,

265

The Thirteen Kings

xxxvi. 123

and he came hither embittered against the bhikkhus

of the Mahavihara.

When this lawless (bhikkhu) had thrust himself into an 114

assembly in the Thuparama and had refuted there the words
of the thera living in the parivena of Samghapala, namely the 115
thera Gothabhaya, uncle of the king on the mother's side,
who had addressed the king with his (old) name, he became a

1 1

constant guest in the king's house. 1 The king who was well
pleased with him entrusted his eldest son Jetthatissa and his

younger son Mahasena,

to the

And

bhikkhu.

he made the 117

second his favourite, therefore prince Jetthatissa bore

to the bhikkhu.

ill-will

After his father's death JETTHATISSA became king.

To 118
punish the hostile ministers who would not go in procession

with him, at the performing of the king's funeral

rites,

the 119

king himself proceeded forth, and placing his younger brother

at the head and then the body following close behind, and 120
then the ministers whilst he himself was at the end (of the
procession), he, when his younger brother and the body were
forth, had the gate closed immediately behind them, and 121
he commanded that the treasonous ministers be slain and (their

gone

bodies) impaled on stakes round about his father's pyre.

Because of this deed he came by the surname ' the Cruel'. 122

But the bhikkhu Samghamitta, for fear of the king, went hence 123
1
The passage is very obscure
rama is too briefly described.

object

rajanam

to

as the course of events in the

Thupa-

we must supply the

ranno namenalapato, and that we have to
I believe

that

understand the passage in the following way. A solemn assembly of

the brotherhood was held in the Thuparama to settle the dissensions
between the various parties. The king himself was present. In this
assembly Samghamitta exposed his heretical doctrine, speaking
against the monks of the Mahavihara, and he succeeded in convincing
the king. The thera Gothabhaya, the king's uncle, after whom the

king himself was named, tried to bring the king round to the
orthodox party.
But although he spoke urgently to him, even
addressing him tenderly, not with his royal title Meghavannabhaya,
but with his familiar name Gothabhaya (Tika tata Gothabhaya
:

he did not succeed, and Samghamitta even

became the king's kulupaka. On this see note to 30. 40.

Gothabhaya

ti

.),

Mahavamsa

266

at the time of his coronation,

XXXVI. 124

when he had taken

counsel

with Mahasena, to the further coast awaiting the time of

(Mahasena's) consecrating.

124

He

built up to seven stories the splendid

had
that
been left unfinished 1 by his father, so
Lohapasada,
125 that it was now worth a koti (pieces) of money. When he

(Jetthatissa)

had offered there a jewel worth sixty thousand, Jetthatissa

named it the Manipasada.
126
He offered two precious gems to the Great Thupa, and he
gateways to the temple of the great Bodhi-tree.
he had built the vihara Pacinatissapabbata the ruler

built three

127

When
gave

128

it

to the brotherhood in the five settlements.

The great and

beautiful stone

image that was placed of old

129 by Devanampiyatissa in the Thuparama did king Jetthatissa

take

away from the Thuparama, and

130 Pacinatissapabbata.

He

set

in the

up

arama

bestowed the Kalamattika-tank on

the Cetiyapabbata (vihara), and when he celebrated the consecrating festival of the vihara and the pasada and (held)

131 a great Vesakha-ceremony he distributed the six garments

among the brotherhood, in number thirty thousand. Jettha-

132

made the Alambagama-tank. Accomplishing thus

works of merit, beginning with the building of the

tissa also

many

pasada, the king reigned ten years.

133
Thus, reflecting that sovereignty, being the source of manifold works of merit, is at the same time the source of many an
injustice, a

man

of pious heart will never enjoy

it

as

if it

were

sweet food mixed with poison.

Here ends the thirty-sixth chapter, called The Thirteen

Kings ', in the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and
'

emotion of the pious.

1
Vippakata is used (e.g. D.I. 2 ) of an interrupted discourse.
Here we have the interrupting of building (ef. 36. 102 cd.). The
Tika renders the word correctly nitthanam agatam aparinit2fi

thapitam.

CHAPTER XXXVII
KING MAHASENA

Jetthatissa's death, his younger brother MAHA- 1

ruled twenty-seven years as king. And to consecrate him 2

AFTER king
SENA

as king, the thera

coast,

When

Samghamitta came thither from the further

when he heard the time

(of

Jetthatissa's

death).

he had carried out the consecration and the other 3

ceremonies of various kind, the lawless (bhikkhu) who would

fain bring about the destruction of the Mahavihara won the 4
'
The dwellers in the
king to himself with the words
Mahavihara do not teach the (true) vinaya, we are those who
teach the (true) vinaya, O king', and he established a royal
:

Whosoever gives food to a bhikkhu dwelling in

penalty
the Mahavihara is liable to a fine of a hundred (pieces of
'

money)/
The bhikkhus dwelling

in the Mahavihara, who thereby G

want, abandoned the Mahavihara, and went to
Malaya and Rohana. Thus was our Mahavihara desolate for 7
nine years and empty of those bhikkhus who (else) had dwelt

fell

into

in the Mahavihara.

And

the unwise thera persuaded the 8

1
After verse 50 in chapter 37 the old Mahavamsa breaks off. But
the later author, who continued the work, carried on this chapter and
added 198 verses, giving to the whole the subscription Sattarajako

= 'the Seven

Kings \ (However, there are in reality

six

Mahasena,

Kittisiri-Meghavanna, Jetthatissa II, Buddhadasa, Upatissa II, and

Mahanama.) Our section (verses 1-50) has thus no conclusion, neither
the usual memorial verse, nor a subscription. The substance of the
former ought to have corresponded to that of the closing verses of
the Dip., but was clothed in a more artistic form. The writer who

continued the Mah. put the last two verses of the Dip. at the head of
his own work and thus connected the new part of the poem with the
old one.
2

Tika:

On the whole process, cf. GEIGEE, Dip. and Mah., pp. 18-19.
kalam natva, Jetthatissassa matakalam janitva.

Mahavamsa

268

XXXVII. 9

'
Ownerless land belongs to the king/ l and
king
when he had gained leave from the king to destroy the
Mahavihara, this (bhikkhu), in the enmity of his heart, set on
people to do so.

9 unwise

An

10

adherent of

thera

the

Samghamitta, the ruthless

minister Sona, a favourite servant of the king, and (with

11 him) shameless bhikkhus, destroyed the splendid Lohapasada
seven stories high, and carried away the (material of the)

12 various buildings from hence to the Abhayagiri (vihara), and

2
by means of the many buildings that were borne away from
the Mahavihara the Abhayagiri-vihara became rich in buildHolding fast to his evil friend, the thera Samghamitta,

13 ings.

and to his servant Sona, the king wrought many a deed of wrong.
14 The king sent for the great stone image from the Paclnatissapabbata (vihara) and set it up in the Abhayagiri (vihara).
1

He

up a building for the image, a temple for the Bodhia beautiful relic-hall and a four-sided hall, 3 and he

set

tree,

16 restored the (parivena) called Kukkuta. 4 Then by the ruthless

thera Samghamitta was the Abhayagiri-vihara made stately
to see.

17

The minister named Meghavannabhaya, the friend of the

king, who was busied with all his affairs, was wroth with him
for destroying the Mahavihara ; he became a rebel, and when
force,

he

thither,

he

he had gone to Malaya and had raised a great

5
pitched a camp by the Duratissaka-tauk.
1

When

the king heard that his friend was

play on the words

(ruler) of the earth

come

assamiko and pathavisami 'owner

'.

2
Pasada means here, in quite a general sense, the habitations of
the bhikkhus in the Mahavihara, which were demolished here and
the material of which was conveyed to the Abhayagiri-vihara.
3

is
is

Catu(s)sala.
mentioned, Mah.

certain building of this

15. 47,

50

and

35. 88.

name

in

Anuradhapura

In our passage the word

evidently an appellativum.
4

By

this

is

Kanitthatissa.

probably meant the Kukkutagiri-parivena erected by

See 36. 10.

B
See note to 33. 9. Meghavannabhaya evidently marches from
the central mountain-district of Malaya to secure the province of

Rohana.

269

King Mahasena

XXXVII. 34

marched forth to do battle with him, and he also pitched

a camp.
The other had good drink and meat, that he had brought 20
with him from Malaya and thinking
I will not enjoy it
*

my friend the king/ he took some, and he himself 21

went forth alone by night, and coming to the king he told him
this thing.
When the king had eaten with him, in perfect 22
which
that
he had brought, he asked him ( Why hast
trust,
thou become a rebel?' c Because the Mahavihara has been 23
without

'

'
I will make the vihara to
destroyed by thee he answered.
be dwelt in yet again; forgive me my fault/ thus spoke 24
the king, and the other was reconciled with the king.

Following his counsel the king returned to the capital.

But 25

Meghavannabhaya, who persuaded the king (that it was

fitting to do this), did not go with the king that he might
collect in the meantime the wherewithal to build.
One of the king's wives, who was exceedingly dear to him, 26
the daughter of a scribe, grieved over the destruction of the
Mahavihara, and when she, in bitterness of heart, had won over 27
kill the thera who had destroyed it, she caused the
thera
violent
Samghamitta to be done to death as he came to 28
the Thuparama to destroy it. And they slew likewise the

a labourer to

and lawless minister Sona. But when Meghavanna- 29

bhaya had brought the building-materials (that he had
collected), he built several parivenas in the Mahavihara. When 30
this fear had (thus) been calmed by Abhaya the bhikkhus
coming from here and there again inhabited the Mahavihara.
But the king made two bronze images and set them up on 31
violent

the west side of the temple of the great Bodhi-tree.

Being well-pleased with the hypocrite, the plotter, the 32
lawless thera Tissa, his evil friend,

narama,

he,

although

he

who dwelt

was warned,

in the

built

Dakkhi-

within

the 33

boundaries of the Mahavihara, in the garden called Joti,

the Jetavana-vihara. 1 Then he called upon the brotherhood 34
1

According to

15. 202,

Jotivana

is

name

for the

Nandana park

which, according to 15. 1, 7-8, was situated immediately before the

From this and from our passage it
south gate of Anuradhapura.
appears quite certain that the Jetavana-vihara must be the monastery

Mahavamsa

270

xxxvii. 35

monks to do away with their boundaries, and since the

bhikkhus would not do this, they abandoned the vihara.

of

35 But now, to make the shifting of the boundary void of effect,

if others should seek to do this, certain bhikkhus hid them1

1
selves in various places.

36

Thus was the Mahavihara abandoned

months by

for nine

the bhikkhus, and the other bhikkhus thought

f
:

We

will

37 begin to shift (the boundaries)/

Then, when this attempt
2
the boundary was given
to shift
the bhikkhus
up,
But
38 came back hither and dwelt again in the Mahavihara.
within the brotherhood of bhikkhus a complaint touching an
3
was raised against the thera

offence of the gravest kind

39 Tissa,

who had
known

minister,

The high
received the (Jetavana) vihara.
who decided (the matter) excluded

to be just,

from the

him, according to right and law,

against the king's wishes.

40
The king built also the Manihira- vihara

order,

albeit

and founded three

41 viharas, destroying temples of the (brahmanical) gods:

the
Gokanna (vihara), (and another vihara) in Erakavilla, (and
a third) in the village of the Brahman Kalanda ; 5 (moreover
the thupa of which was mistakenly (called) the Abhayagiri Dagaba.
On the other hand the present Jetavana Dagaba to the north of the
Cf. note 33. 81.
city belonged to the Abhayagiri.
1

Namely, within the old boundaries of the Mahavihara, possession

Tika: antosimaya eva

annatthaagantvatasmim tasmim thane paticchanna hutva
of which was thus formally maintained.

niliyimsu.
2

Evidently since the bhikkhus remaining behind raised a protest.

Antimavatthu is a matter that involves expulsion from the

order.
4

M.V.

Cf.

Now

II. 22.

Minneriya, the

36. 1

name

S.B.E.

xiii, p.

276, note

of a tank (see below,

v.

1.

47) not far

from Polonnaruwa.
5

According to the Tika the Gokanna-vihara

is

situated on the coast

of the 'Eastern Sea', the two other viharas in Rohana.

then adds

The Tika

evam sabbattha Lankadipamhi kuditthikanam

alayam viddhamsetva, Sivalingadayo nasetva buddhasasanam eva patitthapesi 'everywhere in the island of Lanka
he established the doctrine of the Buddha, having destroyed the
temples of the unbelievers, i.e. having abolished the phallic symbols
of Siva and so forth '.

271

King Mahasena

xxxvil. 50

he built) the Migagama-vihara and the Gahgasenakapabbata

To the west, he built the Dhatusenapabbata 42
(vihara).
the king founded also the great vihara in Kokavata.
He built the Thuparama-vihara and the Hulapitthi (vihara) 43
and the two nunneries, called Uttara and Abhaya. At the place 44
(vihara)

of the

1
yakkha Kalavela he

he restored

built a thupa,

many

and on the island

To one thousand

ruined buildings.

satn- 45

ghattheras he distributed alms for theras, at a cost of a

thousand (pieces of money), and to all (the bhikkhus he dis-

There

tributed) yearly a garment.

of food and drink.

is

no record of

his gifts

46

he made sixteen tanks, the 47

ManihTia, the Mahagama, the Challura, and the (tank) named
6
5
4
Khanu, the Mahamani, the Kokavata and the Dhamma- 48

To make

(the land)

more

fertile,

ramma-tank, the Kumbalaka and the Vahana, besides the

8
7
Rattamalakandaka, the tank Tissavaddhamanaka, that of
9
Velangavitthi, that of Mahagallaka, the Clra-tank and the 49
Mahadaragallaka and the Kalapasana-tank. These are the
On the Gafiga he built the great canal named 50

sixteen tanks.

Pabbatanta.

Thus did he gather

much

to himself

The Mahavamsa
1

2
3
1

is

merit and

much

guilt.

ended.

Cf. 10. 84.

I. e.

superiors of the communities of bhikkhus.

Cf. 3.

4. 56.

See above note to 37. 40.

A Khanugama

is

mentioned

25. 14.

In 36. 3 the construction of a Mahamani-tank

is

ascribed to

Bhatikatissa.
6

Cf. the

Maharatmala

Kokavata-vihara in 37. 42.

is

the older

name

of the great Padaviya-lake in the

North Central Province, 25 miles north of Anuradhapura. Arch. Survey

of Ceylon, XIII, 1896, p. 40. There is, however, also a Ratmala-tank 2i
miles south of Anuradhapura. ED. MULLER, Ancient Inscriptions of
Ceylon, p. 27.
8
9

A
A

village or district of this

name

is

vihara of the same name, see 33.

mentioned
8.

in 35. 84.

APPENDIX A
THE DYNASTY OF MAHASAMMATA
ON Mah.

Sum. T. p. 258
Rajav. p. 4 foil.
Dip. 3
like to give a
should
I
(Engl. transl. by B. GUNASEKAEA)
reference to two parallel passages in northern Buddhist literature, the

Mahavastu

which belongs to the Vinaya of the

Mahasamghikas and, moreover,

and to the Dulva, 2 the Tibetan

of the Lokottaravada-school,

translation of the

Vinaya of

the Sarvastivadins.

The names handed down

in both these sources

compared with those of the D. and

Dip. Mah.

M.

be

may

in the following

list

274

Appendix

In the Mahavastu

1.

348 8 -352 8 and

in the

Dulva (ROCKHILL,

there follows a story about the rise of the Sakya

and the founding of Kapilavastu. Iksvaku banishes his legitimate sons from the country as he wishes to hand on the throne

11

p.

foil.)

Jenta the son of a concubine.

to

He

is

thus fulfilling a

which the mother of Jenta has beguiled him.

Iksvaku's sons withdraw into the wilderness and there take
promise into

to wife their sisters

Kapilavastu

is

who have accompanied them.

built

Sakyas.
This story was also

Sum.

258

by them.

known
and

Afterwards

Their descendants are the

to the Theravadins.

It occurs

Tlka to the Mahavamsa,

1
In agreement with the Dulva the M. T. mentions only
p. 84.
four sons of Okkaka who were banished from the country ;
the fifth is Jantu to whom the brothers have to give way.
in

T. p.

Further on

(I.

foil,

p.

352 15

in the

foil.)

the Mahavastu relates the

daughter who

is a leper and therefore

Here she is cured and is found by
a hermit named Kola.
Kola had formerly been king of
Benares and had withdrawn into the forest because he too
suffered from leprosy.
He married the Sakya princess and
from these two sprang the Koliya clan.

story of a

Sakya king's
banished to the forest.

This legend too was known in Ceylon,

Sum. T.

p.

260

foil,

and

we come

across it in

in the (Sinhalese) Rajavali immediately

2
following on the story of the sons of Iksvaku.

The Mahavastu and Dulva speak of Simhahanu (= Slhahanu

Buddha's grandfather.
He has four sons
Suddhodana
the
Buddha's
father, (2) Dhautodana, (3) Su(1)
klodana and (4) Amrtodana.
These are the Suddhodana,
Sukkodana
and
Amitodana
of the Dip. and Mah.,
Dhotodana,
which add yet another, Sakkodana.
in Dip. Mah.) as the

3
According to the Dip. Mah. the Buddha's genealogical tree

is

this
1

BATUWANTUDAWE and NANISSARA BHIKGEIGER, Dip. and Mah., p. 38.

9
The Rdjdvaliya, ed. (in English) by B. GUNASEKARA, Colombo,
1900, pp. 11-13.
GEIGER, l.l., p. 95.
3
See also RHYS DAVIDS, Buddhism (1910), p. 52.

Mahavamsa-Tika,
SHU, Colombo, 1895.

ed.

The Dynasty of Mahasammata

Devadahasakka

Jayasena

Kaccana, married to Sihahanu

Anjana

275

Suddhodana, married
!__

Yasodhara.
married to Anjana

to

Maya
I

Bodhisatta

The Mahavastu

I.

355 15

foil,

names as Maya's father

Subhuti who was married to a Koliya princess and lived in

Devadaha. Plainly this is the Anjana of the Mah., and the

Suprabuddha of the Dulva

(p. 14),

while the

Mah.

(2.

18-19)

takes Suppabuddha to be the son of Anjana and brother of

Maya. Perhaps Suprabuddha was a surname borne by the
father and son. 1
1

For

the whole

Buddhism,

p.

125

subject

cf.

also

foil.

T 2

SPENCE HARDY, Manual of

APPENDIX B
THE BUDDHIST SECTS
(On Mali.

RHYS DAVIDS.
409

'The

dhisme, p. 187

1-13)

Sects of the Buddhists/ J.R.A.S.,

foil.;

<

Schools of Buddhist Belief/

MINAYEFF, Recherche* sur le Boud-

foil.; the same,

1891, p.
J.R.A.S. 1892, p. 1

5.

foil.

SOUTHERN BUDDHIST LISTS (SB.)

Dip. 5. 39

foil.; also

in the

occur besides

Mahdbodhivamsa

Mah. 5
(ed.

in the

STRONG,

P.T.S. 1891), pp. 96-97, in the Sdsanavamsa (ed. M. BODE,

P.T.S. 1897), p. 14, 24-25; in the Sinhalese NikayaSamgraha (ed. WICKREMASINGHE), pp. 6-9. Special mention
should be made of the Commentary on the Kathdvatthu, the

KathdvaUhuppakamtw-AttJiakathd (ed. MINAYEFF, J. P.T.S.

1889, pp. 2-3, 5 and passim). The Kathavatthuppakarana is
ascribed to Tissa Moggaliputta, 1 who is said to have composed
it after the holding of the Third Council in order to refute

The names of the sects are not

the views held by sectaries.
mentioned in the Kathavatthu but are in the commentary
was composed by Buddha-

thereon, mentioned above, which

2

ghosa.

All the Southern Buddhist

lists

are in complete agreement

with one another.

1
I adhere to this assertion (Mah. 5. 278) as a statement of fact.
That the objection raised by MINAYEFF (Recherches, p. 200) to the age
of the work is based upon an error has been already demonstrated by

OLDENBERQ, Z.D.M.G.,
i,

52, p. 633,

p. xviii.
2

Quoted by

me

as Kvu. Co.

and RHYS DAVIDS,

Dialogues,

277

The Buddhist Sects

I will mention,

when

tions in the Nik. Samgr.

occasion arises, certain trifling variaThe ground for the agreement is

that all the southern sources are based, in the last resort,
upon the old-sinhalese Atthakatha.

NORTHERN BUDDHIST LISTS (NB.)

occur in the Dulva, the

Tibetan Vinaya of the Sarvastivadins according to a work of

Bhavya, see ROCKHILL, Life of the Buddha (1907), p. 182 foil.
(R.) and according to a work of Vasumitra, see WASSILJEW,
Der Buddhismus (1860), i, p. 224 foil. (W.), also BEAL, < The
7

Schools

Eighteen

Buddhism'

of

(2nd.

Ant,

ix,

p.

299

foil.)

(VB.).

Besides

we have lists

tha's History

in Taranatha.

of Buddhism

See SCHIEFNER, Tdrand-

in India (1869), pp.

270-274

(Tar.).

JULIEN gives five Chinese lists based, for the most part,
'
Vasumitra
Listes diverses des noms de dix-huit ecoles
upon
schismatiques qui sont sorties du Bouddhisme,' Journ. As.,
ST.

v. serie, t. xiv (1859), p. 327 foil.

To these may be
(St. J.).
added the statements of the Chinese pilgrims Fa-hian, Hiuen-

thsang

and

I-tsing.

The number of the sects is unanimously given as 18.

Evidently we again have to do with one of those established
numbers which form the backbone of tradition.
The individual names vary and the dividing-up of the sects
also shows certain variations. This is shown by the following
survey
1.

SB. THERAVADA

two

= NB.

original schools into

at the first schism.
It

STHAVIRAVADA

is

one of the

which the united church was divided

was so according to Mali. Dip., &c.,

343 (list V), 100 years after the
Nirvana. On the other hand the number is 116 in St. J.
333 (list II); and 160 in R. 182, St. J. 336 (list V).
also according to St. J., p.

1
BEAL gives two lists following Vasumitra, as ROCKHILL gives
two following Bhavya.
2
I call them Ch. 1, 2, and quote Fa-hian and Hiuen-thsang accord-

ing to
3

Ch.3.

BEAL

(B.),

Buddhist Records of the Western Worlds.

record of the Buddhist religion by I-tsing, transl.

by TAKAKUSI/,

278

Appendix

We may
la

SB.

consider as a

synonymous designation

HEMAVATA = NB.

HAIMAVATA

W.

in

253,

VB.

Still in R. 190 distinctions are made between

300, R. 184.
the Sthaviras and the Haimavatas. In Dip. and Mah., &c., they

are considered as separate sects.

Probably the Haimavatas
were a local school of the Sthaviras of continental India.

= NB. MAHASAMGHiKA.

SB. MAHASAMGHIKA

2.

particular doctrine see W. 258

school of the first great schism.

foil.

They

For their

are the second

SB. GOKULIKA = NB. GOKULIKA (R. 186, 187; Tar.

VB. 301 ; St. J. 330, 334, 337, 341 = lists I-IV). The
name is missing in Ch. 1, 2, 3 as also in W. In its place
3.

271

here appears

3a

KUKKUTIKA (W.

VB.

252, 258) or KTJKKULIKA (W. 249;

344 (list V), the Kaukkutikas

Similarly in St. J.

300).
are put in instead of the Gokulikas and the two are expressly
said 341 (list IV) to be identical.

Very closely related to the Gokulikas are

3 b LOKOTTARAVADIN who do not appear

of the Southern Buddhists.

They

in

the tradition

are mentioned immediately

beside the Gokulikas (or Kukkutikas).

(W. 249, 252, 258;

II- V.) In R. 182
;
to
found
in
are
be
the
where
we should expect
they
place
just
the Gokulikas.
Cf. St. J. 330 = list I and Tar. 271, where
the Gokulikas appear in the list, whilst, on the other hand, the

VB. 301

St. J. 334, 337, 341,

343

lists

Lokottaravadins are missing. Lastly, Tar. says, 273, that

Lokottaravadins and Kaukkutapadas are the same. Ch. 2

mentions the L. in Bamian (BEAL,

4.

SB. EKAVYOHARIKA

= NB.

i.

50).

EKAVYAVAHARIKA (W.

252; VB. 300, 301; R. 182, 187; Tar. 271;

249,

St. J. 330,

= lists I-V). According to Tar. 273 the

employed as a general designation of the Mahasamghikas. Their doctrines according to W. 258 are the
same as those of 2, 3 a and 3 b
334, 337, 341, 344

name

is

In

St. J.

340

(list II)

the Karmikas, besides the Yogacaras and

Aisvarikas, are reckoned as belonging to the Mahasamghikas.

The Buddhist
SB. PANNATTIVADIN

5.

R. 182

300

Tar. 271

St. J.

VB.

301.

NB. PRAJNAPTIVADIN (W. 251;

= list IV missing in VB.

341

R. 185).

V,
They are the
For their particular doctrines see W. 268,
also in

St. J. lists I-III,

Si-chi in

279

Sects

R. 189.

SB. BAHULIKA

6.

= NB. BAHUSRUTIYA (W. 250;

VB.

300,

301; R. 182; Tar. 250, 252; St. J. 330, 334, 338, 341,
345 = lists I-V). For their doctrines see W. 268 ; R. 189.

= NB. CAITIKA or CAITYIKA (W. 251,

R. 182, 186). They are said to be a
branch of the Gokulikas, R. 189 Tar. 252. In Tar. 273 they
are said to be identical with the Purvasailas.
Corresponding
SB. CETIYAVADA

7.

252; VB. 300, 301

V=

them in the lists I-III,

St. J. 330, 334, 338, 345 are
the Jetikas or Jetavaniyas or Jetasailas.
to

SB.

8.

MAHIMSASAKA

= NB.

MAHIS"ASAKA.

They

are,

according to R. 186; Tar. 271, to be reckoned as belonging

to the Vibhajyavadins (cf. 14 a ) and are said to be a branch of
the Sarvastivadins in

339, 342, 345

W. 280

lists

W. 254; VB.
For

II-V.

300, 301

St. J. 335,

their doctrines see R. 185,

Ch. 2 mentions them in Swat (BEAL, i,

According to the same authority (BEAL, i, p. 226)
p. 121).
the Bodhisattva Asahga professed himself to be of the school

191

of the

foil.

M., but went over to the Mahayana.

SB. VAJJIPUTTAKA - NB. VATS!PUTRIYA or VASAPUTRIYA

(W. 253, 256; VB. 300, 301 R. 182, 184, 186, 193; Tar.
271, 272, 273; St. J. 331, 335, 339, 342 = lists I-IV).
9.

They

VB.

W. 253,
while according to the southern

are said to be a branch of the Sarvastivadins in

301, St. J.

335

(list II),

Buddhist tradition the relation

reversed; and they are said,

R. 186, to be a principal branch of the Sthaviras beside the
The Kvu. Co., however, mentions them very
Sarvastivadins.
is

The Pali form of the name must be understood as

slightly.
an assimilation to the name of the Vajjiputtaka monks, the
sectaries of VesalT.

DHAMMUTTARIYA = NB. DHARMOTTARIYA the

10. SB.
Dharmakarikas of the Nik. S., are said, as also in the southern

280

Appendix

branch of the Vatsiputriya (W. 253; VB.

R.
182, 186; Tar. 271; St. J. 331, 335,339,
300, 301;

tradition, to be a

342, 345

lists

I-V).

SB. BHADRAYANIKA

11.

BHADRAYANIYA

are also a branch

of the Vatsiputrlyas (W. 253; VB. 300, 301; R. 186; Tar.

lists
271,273; St. J. 335, 339, 342, 345
II-V), and stand

(R. 194) to the Dharmottariyas

in especially close relation

from whom, according to St. J. 331 (list I), they had taken
For 10 and 11, R. gives the common designation
their rise. 1
Mahagiriya.
12.

SB. CHANDAGARIKA

NB. SANNAGARIKA

'

those from

branch of the Vatslputriyas (W. 254 ; VB.

',
cf.
194; Tar. 271; St. J. 335, 342 = lists
300; R. 186,
II, IV) and are but slightly distinguished from 11 (W. 279).

the 6

also a

cities

In the

lists

I,

III,

in St. J. 337, 339,

345 there appear,

instead of them, the Abhayagirivasins.

= NB. SAMMATIYA, taking their rise

9
from
like 10-12,
(W. 254; R. 186; Tar. 271, 272; St. J.
331, 335, 339, 342, 345 = lists I-V).
According to R. 182
13.

SB. SAMMITIYA

or (13 b ) KURUKULLAKA,
and Tar. 272 relates that according to the view of the Sarvastivadins, the Kaurukullakas, the Avantakas, and the Vatsia
they are also called (13 )

AVANTAKA

putrlyas are the three kinds of the Sammatlyas. They are the
Mi-li in VB. 301.
They must have been a widely spread
mentions
them repeatedly as a school of the
Ch.
2
sect;
14, 44, 45, 186, &c.) ; according to
p. xxiv) they fall into four subdivisions
are spread over Western India and in Campa (Cochin-

Hlnayana

(see

BEAL,

ii.

Ch. 3 (TAKAKUSU,

and

China) especially. The Kvu. Co. in a whole series of passages

On those see R. 194.
occupied with their doctrines.

is

14.

SB. SABBATTHAVADIN

to

ing
(list

W.

VB.

= NB.
St.

J.

301,
253,
a
IV), they are also called (14 )

SARVASTIVADIN. Accord-

339

(list

HETUVADA

III) and 342

or HETUVIDYA,

and according to R. 182, also Muruntaka, and they are said

(W. 253, R. 182, Tar. 271) to be, beside the Vatsiputriyas,
1

It

school

should be observed, however, that in the list I, in St.

made to take its rise from the one mentioned before

is

J.,
it.

each

281

The Buddhist Sects

The statements

one of the principal schools of the Sthaviras.

of the Chinese pilgrims agree with this.

Ch. 1 (BEAL, i, p. Ixx) states that the Vinaya of the S. is

held to be particularly correct and agrees in essentials with
that which is observed in China.
Ch. 2 (BEAL, i, pp. 18, 19,
49, &c., ii, pp. 182, 270, &c.) mentions them frequently as
a branch of the Hlnayana; the Bodhisattva Vasubandhu

(BEAL, i. 226) professed himself of this school.

According to
Ch. 3 (TAKAKUSU, p. xxiv) the S. were (beside the Sthaviras,

Mahasamghikas and Sammatiyas) one

Buddhist schools; they

themselves

of the four principal

into four groups

fell

Dharmaguptas, Mahlsasakas and Kaand

had
spread mostly in Magadha and Eastern
syaplyas),
India. On their doctrines see W. 270 foil. ; R. 184, 185, 190.
See also TAKAKUSU, J.P.T.S. 1904-1905, pp. 67 foil.

(Mulasarvastivadins,

Here I
I4 b

will

mention

SB. VlBHAJJAVADIN
are mentioned Mah. 5. 271.
.

NB. VlBHAJYAVADIN.

These

said here that the

Buddha

It

is

From this as from the

professed himself belonging to the V.
relation of the list in Tar. 271, 272 to the Ceylonese list
Mah. 5. 6-9), OLDENBEIIG
(Dip. 5. 45 foil.
that V. is another name for the Theravadins.

bodhivamsa,

has concluded

In the Maha-

2
besides, this is said in plain terms.

However,

according to Tar. 272, the V. are reckoned as belonging to the

Sarvastivadins, beside which they appear in R. 182 as a

Sthavira school.

embrace the

According to R. 186, 191, Tar. 271 they

sects of the Mahlsasakas, Kasyapiyas_,

Dharma-

C
guptakas and (14 ) TAMRASATIYAS. The last named are in
Tar. 272, 274 counted as belonging to the Sarvastivadins and

with the Samkrantikas and (14 d ) the UTTAIIIYAS.

If we resume these data it appears that Vibhajjavadin
denotes not so much a particular sect but rather a philoso-

identified

phical tendency, which, for the Theravadins,

1

Vin. Pit.,

P. 95 17

i,

was bound up

p. xli foil.

therdnam sambandhavacanattd iheravado

munindena desitattd vibhajjavddo ti

be drawn from Mah. Tlka, 94 8 99 2
,

vuccati.
.

ti,

vibhajjavddind

The same conclusion may

282

Appendix

with their conception of orthodoxy l and to

different schools thenceforward laid claim. 2

which their

SB. DHAMMAGUTTIKA = NB. DHARMAGUPTAKA. They

we have just seen, reckoned as belonging to the Vibhajyavadins and are said (W. 254; VB. 300, 301; St. J.
335, 339, 342, 345 = lists II-V) to be a branch of the
15.

are, as

On

Mahlsasaka.

SB. KASSAPIYA

16.

W.

their doctrines see

283, R. 192.

NB. KASYAPIYA,

belonging also to

the Vibhajyavadins.
They took their rise in the Sarvastivadins (W. 255 ; VB. 300, 301 ; St. J. 335, 340, 342, 346
a
lists II-V) and are also called
(16 ) SUVARSAKA (W. and

St.

as above;

J.

W. 283-284,
17.

SB. SAMKANTIKA

272; R. 193;

name

is

St. J.

II-IV they

18.

183

Tar. 273), also

W.

256, St. J. 336, 342

are identified with the Sautrantika.

SB. SUTTAVADA
is

SAMKRANTIVADIN, a branch
(W. 255; BV. 300, 301; Tar. 271,
336, 340, 342 = lists II-IV). Their

under 14 b ).

this school are far

mention

= NB.

said to be Uttariya (R.

Tamras'atlya (see
lists

see

R. 193.

of the Sarvastivadins

other

For their doctrines

Tar. 271).

cf.

made

= NB.

In

SAUTRANTIKA. The accounts of

In the SB. sources no further

from

clear.

of

Its identity with 17 seems also to

where in the list the Sautrantikas are

it.

be evident from R. 186

introduced as a branch of the Sarvastivadins, but the

krantivadins are missing.

Sam-

In Ch. 2 also the former (see BEAL, i, pp. 139, 226; ii, p. 302)
are mentioned, but not the latter.
Besides, in list I, St. J.
332 the Sautrantika evidently appear in the place of 17, being
a branch of the Kasyapiya.
On the other hand, according
to St. J. 340,

346

(lists

III,

V) the Sautrantika would seem to

be identical with the Prajnaptivadins (5), thus would belong

not to the Sthaviras at all but to the Mahasamghikas.
1

Only thus can we understand how the Buddha himself can be

called a Vibhajjavadi.
2

Cf.

177-178.

Kathavatthu

He
(ed.

could never be called a Theravadl.

TAYLOR),

ii,

p.

578, with

the

Co.,

pp.

283

The Buddhist Sects

It seems that this last conclusion

R. 186

(n. 1)

may

also be

drawn from

and Tar. 271.

Besides these eighteen schools the SB. sources mention the

following branches
:

19.

20.

= NB. HAIMAVATA.
SB. RAJAGIRIYA = NB. RAJAGIRIYA.

See above l a

SB. HEMAVATA

They are counted

(R. 186) as belonging to the Mahasamghikas, but are missing

entirely from the other list, R. 182. In Tar. 271, too, they only

appear in the list belonging to the Mahasamghikas. In the

Chinese lists in St. J. they appear just as little as in Ch. 1, 2, 3.
21.

NB.

SB. SIDDHATTHIKA.

They

are not mentioned in the

lists.

SB. PUBBASELIYA = NB. PtJRVASAiLA. It is clear and

beyond doubt, from all the data, that these are most closely
related to the Caityika.
They are mentioned beside them
22.

186; Tar. 271) or positively in place of them

(W. 251, 252). In Ch. 2 they are mentioned only once as the
Avarasaila (BiAL, ii, p. 221); Ch. 1 and 3 do not mention
(R.

182,

In

345

I-V) the (22 )

the
Jetikas ; in
UTTARAAILA are also mentioned, always beside
list I, VB. 300, also beside the Purvasailas ; and in list V,
VB. 301 beside the Aparasailas.
them.

23. SB.

St. J. 331, 334, 338, 342,

APARASELIYA

(lists

= NB.

introduced as a school of the

APARA^AILA or AVARASAILA,
Mahasamghikas in W. 254, 255
;

R. 182, 186; Tar. 271.

VAJIRIYA (Dip. 5. 54 = Apararajagiriya). They are

not mentioned in the northern sources, and the same may be
said of the 23. DHAMMARUCI and 24. SAGALIYA which are
24. SB.

1
Lastly, we
expressly called (Mah. 5. 13) Ceylonese sects.
36.
mentioned
refer
to
VETULYA
Mah.
the
25.
41, 111,
may
also KERN'S ingenious combination by which they are brought

into relation with the

On

p. 115,

Mahay ana.

their origin see the interesting passage in the

1.

31

foil.,

translated by

TURNOUR, Mah.,

p.

liii.

Mah.

TiTca,

284

Appendix

The

different opinions as to the relation of the different sects

to one another
in the

1.

and

their rise of one

form of a genealogical

VASUMITRA (W. 249

separation of 1

and 2 thus

from another may be given

tree.

VB. 301)

divides

them

after the

The Buddhist

I.

1,14,9,10,11,13,
8, 15,

II.

16 a

285

Sects

14*

II
b

2,4,3 ,6.5,
7, 22, 23

286

Appendix

According to Dip. and Mah. the relation of the schools

6.

takes this shape

(cf. list

I of Tar.)

5,6,7

As

regards the time at which the separate schools arose,

according to the Ceylonese sources the first schism took place

100 years after the Nirvana. The remaining sects must have
arisen in the time between the Second and Third Council,
i. e. between 100 A.B. and 247
A.B., the most of them in the
second century after the Nirvana, but the last six (19, 20, 21,
22, 23, 24) in the third century, the Dhammarucis, according
to the

Mah. Tlka

at the time of Vattagamani, the Sagaliyas

at that of Mahasena. 1

Among

the Northern Buddhists

we

find

quite

similar

traditions.

4,

According to VASUMITRA (W. 249 foil., VB. 301) the sects

3 b, and 3 a as also 6 and 5, were formed in the course of the
,

second century A.B., that is, after the first schism. By the
end of the second century 7, 22, and 22 a had arisen. In
the third century arose 14 (14 a ), and

l a, later 9,

and then 10,

11, 13, 12, also 8, and from this last 15. Only the rise of 17
(
18) is placed in the fourth century. These dates are transferred from Vasumitra into the Chinese lists (ST. JULIEN).

The information given by I-TSING on the spread

schools at his time,

i.e.

of the

towards the end of the seventh cen-

2
tury A.D., is of great interest. At that time the Sarvastivadins prevailed in Magadha, the Sammitiyas in North-west

India, the Sarvastivadins in the North,

and in the South the

Sthaviras.
In the East the four great groups, i.e. the three
above mentioned and the Mahasamghikas, were mixed.
1

See

p. 283, n. 1.

TAKAKUSU,

I-tsing,

pp. 8-9.

287

The Buddhist Sects

1
the most prominent
commentator Buddhaghosa, are the
Theravadins, the Sammitlyas, the Mahimsasakas, the SabBut more frequently
batthavadins, and the Mahasamghikas.
than these the names ANDHAKA and UTTARAPATHAKA are
employed, in which Buddhaghosa evidently comprises the
South Indian and North Indian sects.

In the polemics of the Kathavatthu

schools, according to the

See

RHYS DAVIDS,

J.R.A.S. 1891,

p. 413.

APPENDIX C
CAMPAIGNS OF PANDUKABHAYA

AND DUTTHAGAMANI

(Mah.

(Mah. 25. 1

10.

27

foil.)

foil.)

PANDUKABHAYA takes refuge from the persecution of his

uncles in Pandulagamaka.
The

place

is

unknown.

In our inquiry, therefore, we must

take as starting-point Pana, where he gathers together his

first followers, to engage in battle with his uncles.

Pana

situated near Kasapabbata.

is

This name has been,

I believe, preserved in the modern Kahagala-gama, 1 the name

of a village situated about ten miles to the north of Kalu-

wsewa and

fifteen miles to the south-west of

From Pana he

Anuradhapura.

does not direct his march northward on the

then capital of the country Upatissagama. 2 He is not strong

enough for this. Rather he is obliged to follow the tactics of
all rebels,

to bring

into his power. 3

east,

more

first

the border-districts, the paccantagawa,

first towards the south-

Therefore he marches

or less along the line which

Dutthagamani followed,

in the opposite direction in his march against Anuradhapura.

Probably the old military road ran along here. So he comes
first

into the district of Girikandasiva.

This

name

is,

we

conjecture, connected with that of Girilaka, which is

mentioned Mah. 25. 47 with reference to Dutthagamani's

may

campaign.

We must look for this district between

the Kalu-

waewa and the Ritigala.

1

On

the map of Ceylon, four miles to an inch.

Upatissagama is situated on the Gambhiranadi (Mah. 7. 44) to the
north of Anuradhapura. Prom here to the Gambhiranadi (Mah. 28. 7)
is a distance of a yojana = 7-8 miles.
By this we arrive at a general
2

notion of the position of Upatisaagama.

3
GEIGER, Dip. and Mah.. pp. 39-40.

289

Campaigns of PanduJcabhaya and Dutthagamani

P.

now marches on southward

of Ritigala to the

spot

where the Ambanganga and Mahawseliganga unite. To the

south of the Mineri-tank the people of Girikandasiva come

The

up with him.

result

is

the battle of Kalaha-nagara.

the Kalahagala 1 of the present day, situated 7-8

miles distant from the lake mentioned. Not far from here we

This

is

must look for the scene of the second

khanda (Mah. 10. 43).

battle of Lohitavaha-

Although the victory in both battles is attributed to P., he

does not yet venture to attack Upatissagama directly. On
the contrary, he continues his march in the direction followed hitherto, and crosses the Mahawaeliganga (pdragahgam,

Mah. 10. 44).

The place where he

crossed

over must have been the

2
Kacchaka-ford, which I take to be the Mahagantota below
the spot where the Ambanganga flows into the Mahawaeli-

ganga.

As

the base of further operations P. chooses a region on

Mahaganga (Mahawseliganga), the Dola-

the right bank of the

mountain.
3

This name survives in that of the village Dolain the Bintenne district, twenty miles to the north

galawela
of the place so named, which is now called Alutnuwara.
During the four years that P. spends near the Dola-mountain he

is

said to

decisive battle.

have been making preparations for the really

This is made possible for him by the fact

now

the whole province of Rohana, with all its

By his position he has also the key to
the most important or the only ford of the Mahawseliganga.

that he has

resources, behind him.

In the meantime P/s uncles have also completed their

preparations.
They march against the rebels and entrench
themselves on the Dhumarakkha-mountain. Its position is

shown
1
2
3

clearly

by Mah.

10. 53, 57, 58.

We must look

See Census of Ceylon, 1901, iv, p. 468.

Itinerary of Roads in Ceylon, i (1909), p. 39, no. 68.
The Dolukanda which
Census, 1901, iv, p. 262.

for

it

PARKER

(Ancient Ceylon, p. 192) mentions cannot be the Dola-pabbata of the

Mah., since it is situated (PARKER, in a letter dated July 17, 1910)

about ten miles to the north of Kurunsegala.

290

Appendix
bank

of the Mahawseliganga, not far from the

chief object of the uncles was evidently
Kacchaka-ford.
to prevent P. from crossing- the river.

on the

left

The

However, to be beforehand with them, P. risks the crossing.

defeats the enemy in flight, and takes possession of their

He

camp.

On
camp

He then proceeds on the direct road to the capital.

the Arittha-pabbata (Ritigala) he pitches an entrenched
which is to serve as a base for his final operations. The
more march

uncles once

The

him with

against

decisive battle takes place near

72), the Labunoruwa

slope of the Ritigala.

fresh

troops.

Labu-gamaka (Mah.

10.

of the present day, on the north-west

P. carries off the victory.

open to him. He takes

possession of it and afterwards, having assumed sole sovereignty, he removes the royal residence to Anuradhapura.

The road

We

to the capital

now

see that the information

Pandukabhaya's campaigns,
adequate.
methodical

if

lies

given by the

Mahavamsa on

rightly understood,

is

quite

The military measures taken seem thoroughly

their aim can be clearly understood.

On

quite similar lines is the advance of Dutthagamani on

Anuradhapura, a proof that we have to do in both cases with
old connecting roads between the regions left and right of the
Mahawaliganga. P. was obliged to secure these in order to

carry out successfully his operations against Upatissagama.

D. used them for bringing up his troops.

Dutthagamani
Rohana, the

Maharama

in the

Hambantota.

of

(Mah. 25. 5) from Mahagama in

which is indicated by the ruins of Tissa-

starts

site of

South Province, sixteen miles north-east

Taking a northerly direction, he marches

through Guttahalaka,

now

Buttala, towards Mahiyangana.

is the modern Bintenne

This, according to the local tradition,

or Alutnuwara.
1
8

Census, 1901, iv, p. 464.

for this site

The evidence

is

chiefly

Mah.

24. 17.

D. stations out-

posts in G. on the look-out for his brother Tissa, whose advance from
Dighavapi is expected here.

Campaigns of PanduMbhaya and Dutthagamani

291

here on the bank of the Mahawseliganga. Now follows

the enumeration of a whole series of forts which were occupied

D.

is

by Damilas and taken by D.

Among

these, too, appears Kaccha-tittha

(now Mahaganwhich required a four months' siege (Mah.

I think, therefore, that the places mentioned are

to take

tota),

25. 12).

mere frontier-outposts or forts which had been placed along

the Mahawseliganga l from the bend of the river above
Bintenne to the neighbourhood of the mouth. The individual names cannot now be settled.

The remains of the vanquished Damila-divisions retreat

towards Vijita-nagara. It still seems to me most probable that
we should look for this city in the neighbourhood of Kaluwsewa, where the Vijitapura-vihara is now situated, and ruins
former existence of a larger

in the jungle testify to the

settlement. 2

probability D. will have crossed the Mahaganga near

On the advance against Vijita he first
Kacchaka-tittha.

In

all

followed the same road that Pandukabhaya used when he

marched from the Kasa-pabbata to the Dola-pabbata. It
must have run somewhere between Sigiri and the Mineritank.

The

and storming of Vijita are described with great

and vivacity. The further stations, Girilaka, Mahe-

siege

clearness

la-nagara, and Kasa-pabbata lay far along the road which

leads from Dambul to Anuradhapura.
On the Kasa-pabbata

D. entrenched himself, evidently in order to await in a favourable position his adversary Elara. Here again in fact it comes
to a decisive battle, the fortunate issue of which opens to .D.
the road to the capital.
The conquered foe was pursued up
to the immediate vicinity of Anuradhapura. In a last attempt
to bring the fleeing troops to a halt beneath the walls of the
city Elara falls by the hand of D. in heroic single combat.
1

Cf.

BURROWS, Buried

Mah.

25. 19,

where

(Ancient Ceylon, p. 237

this

seems to be plainly

foil.)

said.

of Ceylon, p. 75. PARKER certainly

looks for Vijita in the region of the later

Cities

Polonnaruwa.

u 2

APPENDIX D
LIST OF PALI

TERMS OCCURRING IN THE

TRANSLATION

<

1.

ACARIYA, teacher, master.'

2.

AKAHANT.

See

p. 31, n. 4.

(
able, worthy ', a person who has
In an Arahant the dsavd, the deadly drugs

Literally

reached the ideal.

of delusion, are brought to an end ; he is no longer subject to

RHYS
re-birth, but lives in Nirvana, the final liberation.

DAVIDS, Buddhism, 110; Early Buddhism, 72-74.

ARAMA, 'park,

3.

convent

garden.'

Designation of a Buddhist

vihdra, CHILDERS, Pali Dictionary, s.v.

The term is hardly translatable. It has been

explained by RHYS DAVIDS, Dialogues, i, p. 92, ii, p. 28
15
SBB.
wellii, iii).
(=
According to Buddhaghosa, Asl. 48
matured spirituous liquors are called dsavd. Jat. IV. 222 19 we
read dsavo tdta lokasmim surd ndma pavuccati. The underlying
ASAVA.

4.

first

idea

is,

'overwhelming intoxication', not

There are four dsavd (1) kdma ' lust,

therefore, that of

that of a deadly flood.

desire ', (2) bhava
(desire of a future) existence ', (3) avijjd
'
f
ignorance (of the four holy truths) ', and (4) ditthi false
:

'

belief.

D.

I.

84;

II.

81

has overcome the asavas

the asavas
5.

',

',

M.

I. 7,

&c.,

and andsava

'

khmdsava
one

who

is

'

one

who

free

from

are epithets of the arahant.

BHIKKHU, BHIKKHUNI, mendicant monk, nun.

Member

of the Buddhist order.

6.

BUDDHA

(Sambuddha, Sammd-Sambuddha convey the same

notion in a heightened degree) denotes a being who by his

own force has attained to possession of the highest knowledge.
He is neither man nor god. He is able to perform certain

wonders in accord with the laws of nature.

In an endless

293

List of Pali Terms

series of existences

Buddhahood.

of

the

Buddha prepares himself

for his state

During- the whole of this time he

bodhisatta (Skt. bodhisattia)

till

is

called a

in his last existence as a

man

the last but one he generally spends in a heaven of the gods

he attains to knowledge
the ancient texts sambodhi

sambodhi, abhisambodhi).

(bodfti,

In

1
always the insight of an Arahant.
Since this event comes to pass for the historical Buddha under

an assattha

tree (Ficus religiosa), this

Buddhists, and the

in

is

'

Bodhi-tree

is

the sacred tree of the

'

(Sinh. boga/ia)

is

not lacking

any Buddhist sanctuary in Ceylon.

A Paccekabuddha has also reached Nirvana

his

own

(see below) by
but does not come forward as a teacher. The

force,

historical

KERN,

p.

is called, after his

family, Gotama Buddha
the sage of the house of the Sakyas.'
See

Buddha

or Sakyamuni,

62

'

foil.

See under THUPA.

7.

CETIYA.

8.

DEVATA, divinity, genius, particularly applied to the spirits

which, according to popular

and in fact every

parasol
9.

trine.

is

place.

belief, inhabit trees, wells, hills,

In Mah. 28. 6 a devatd of the royal

mentioned.

truth, religion, the sum-total of Buddhist doc(

Opposed to vinaya, Discipline, the monastic rule/

DHAMMA,

Dhamma

in the

more

restricted sense denotes the second part

of the tipitaka (which see).

10. KARISA, first a measure of capacity ; in another sense
an area of about 4 acres, i.e. as much ground as can be sown

with a karisa of seed-corn.

and Measures of Ceylon,

See RHYS DAVIDS, Ancient Coins

p. 18.

KHATTIYA (Skt. ksatriya), the class of nobles or warThis was one of the four ancient vannd, or social
riors.
The Buddhists and Jainas put them first in the list,
grades.
Brahmans
the
put themselves first. The Khattiyas have been
11.

sometimes called a caste ; but they never formed an organized

community, like the modern castes, with connubium and comSee
mensality between all Khattiyas.
logues, i. 96-107; Buddhist India, 52 ff.
1

RHYS DAVIDS,

Dialogues,

i,

RHYS DAVIDS, Dia-

pp. 190-192.

294
12.

sacred formula, charm, spell, designaCf. Mah. 5. 109.

MANTA, formula,

tion of the Vedic

13.

Appendix

NAGA,

hymns.

of

designation

supernatural

snake-

beings,

demons, sometimes represented in human form with a snake's

hood in the neck, sometimes as mixed forms, half man half
snake.

are distinguished

They

by devout reverence toward

the Buddha.

Their sworn enemies are the Garuda, winged

See GRUNbeings resembling the griffin (cf. p. 129, n. 4).

WEDEL,

BuddJiist. Kunstj p.

42

14. NIBBA.NA (Skt. nirvana).

ship.

At Samyutta IV.

foil.

One

251, 261

of the terms for Arahant-

defined as the destruc-

it is

tion (in the heart) of rdga, dosa, and moha (lusty illwill, and
stupidity); and is stated to be attainable by the eightfold

Path.

See also DE LA VALL^E POUSSIN, Bouddhisme,

p.

57

ff.

'

15. PABBAJJA. Literally going forth '; the technical term for

giving up the household

an

order.

The

life

and becoming a

bership varied in the various orders.

now translated by RHYS DAVIDS and
Texts, vol.

i.

religieux,

entering

rules for the reception of candidates for

When

a candidate

mem-

The Buddhist rules are

H. OLDENBERG, Vinaya
admitted he

is first

is

called

a Sdmanera, novice.
16.

PACCEKABUDDHA.

See under BUDDHA.

17. PARIVENA, monk's cell, the private dwelling of a

bhikkhu within the monastery.

18.

PAVARANA,

bhikkhus at the

SAMANA,

'

as opposed to the

20.

invitation,'

of a festival held

i.e.

See Vinaya Texts,

by the

the rainy season, spent

i,

pp. 335-353.

ascetic/ designation of the Buddhist priests

Brahmana.

SAMANERA.

See under PABBAJJA.

21. SAMGHATTHERA.

See under THERA.

22. SIJDDA (Skt. Sudra)j a

caste.

name

close of the vassa,

in the monastery.

19.

man

of the fourth,

non-Aryan

295

List of Pali Terms

23. TALA.

'palm/ a measure

Lit.

DAVIDS, Ancient Coins, &c.,

24.

of

RHYS

length.

p. 18.

TATHAGATA, one of the terms of veneration applied

The meaning-

is

usually speaks of himself thus.

a matter of controversy.
The native com-

mentators explain the word in quite different ways.

BURNOUF, Introduction a thistoire du Bouddhisme indien,
25.

THERA, THERI

applied to

stkavira,

(Skt.

See
p. 75.

term of respect

rd),

monks and nuns,

SamgJiattfiera is

age.

to

The Buddha

the Buddhas.

especially to those of venerable

the denotion of the senior priest in any

the whole community.

assembly of bhikkhus, or in

See

J.P.T.S. 1908, p. 19.

26. THUPA (Skt. 8/upa, tope), name of edifices which
serve as receptacle for a relic or as monument.
They are
a
base of
or
rest
and
upon
hemispherical
bell-shaped,

three concentric stories which form ambulatories round the

they sustain a cubical erection, the so-called tee from

which rises the spire (chatta) which crowns the whole. The

tope

'
relic-chamber (dkcttvgabbka, whence the name Dagaba ', used
in Ceylon for the whole edifice) is in the interior, below

the

tee.

The

expression

general term for

used in

the

cetiya

(Skt.
'

'

sanctuary

Mah. mostly

caitya),

originally the most

tree, too,

as a

can be a cetiya

synonym

for thupa.

for instance, MaJidcetiya or Mahdthupa as the

Ruwanwffili-Dagaba in Anuradhapura.

name

is

Cf.,

of the

frequent mention in the Mah. of a thupaghara

'
or cetiyaghara, house of the thupa or cetiya/

There

is

There can be no doubt, from Mah. 31. 29, that sometimes

a sort of roof or temple was built over the tope. In Anuradhapura the Thuparama-Dagaba is surrounded by four concentric
It appears as if the two inner rows, where
pillars.
the capitals of the pillars have tenons, were intended to bear
PARKER (Ancient Ceylon, p. 270)
the roof of a thupaghara.

rows of

altogether possible, differing in this from SMITHER

Of course such temples could only be
(Anurddhapura, p. 7).

considers

it

296

Appendix

constructed over the smaller tliupas, and, as far as I can see,

are only mentioned in this case.
If mention is made of a
of a temple for the bodhi-tree, then it is
naturally only a question of building- round and not over the
sacred tree.

bodhighara, i.e.

27. TIPITAKA (Skt. tripitaka).

Lit. ' three baskets/ collective name for the canonical scriptures of the Buddhists.

They fall into three main divisions, Vinaya-pitaka, Sutta-p.

(or Dhamma), and Abhidhamma-p. See CHILDERS, s.v.; KERN,
p. 1 foil.

28.

UPASAMPADA, the solemn ordination

of the

monk who

a novice until that time, by a chapter of the order

higher consecration of the priesthood. See CHILDERS,
is

KERN,

p.

77

foil.

SP.

HARDY, Eastern Monac/iism,

p.

the

44

s.

v.

foil.

The Buddhist sabbath

(Skt. upavasatha).
considered a holy day both for priests and laymen.
It occurs four times in the month on the full- and new-moon
29.

which

UPOSATHA
is

day, and on the eighth day following full- and new-moon. On

two of these four days the recitation of the Patimokkha-precepts (pdtimokkhuddesa) takes place, i.e. the priestly ceremony
of confession, in which every member of the order is to acknow-

ledge the faults he has committed.

CHILDERS, s.v.; KERN,

p. 99.

or uposathaghara,

Uposathdgdrctj

is

a building belonging

to the monastery used for the performance of the uposatha

ceremonies.
30.
altar'.

VEDI

or

When

VEDIKA (Skt. the same), means first 'terrace,

Mah. 36. 52 a,pd$dnavedl around the bodhi-

in

tree is mentioned, it

means a stone

sacred trees usually stand.

Mah. 36. 103.

on which such
same sense sildvedl,

terrace,

Cf. in the

'
Further, this word has the sense of terrace with balustrade '.
It is to be understood thus in D. II. pp. 182-183 in the descrip-

Exactly in the same manner,

'
181-182, by sopdna a 'staircase with balustrade is
meant, and in both passages an accurate description follows,

tion of Sudassana's palace.

D.

II. pp.

297

List of Pali Terms

not of the terrace or of the staircase, but especially of the

rail.

When

a mnddhavedl and pddavedl of a thupa are mentioned

tee, the latter the

35. 2) the former is the so-called

(Mah.

storied base (see no. 26).

Railings in. relief are frequently
added to both.
SMITHER, p. 52, 27. Finally the meaning
'
1
balustrade, railing supersedes the others. Thus by the coral'

vedikas to the kiitagdra, the ( window-chambers of the Lohapasada, the parapet-balustrade to the windows is evidently

meant.

Cf. vedikd-vdtapdna, C.V. VI. 2. 2.

same way

vedikd,

C.V. V. 14.

2,

Plainly in the

means a balustrade.

See

S.B.E. xx, p. 104, n. 3; p. 162, n. 4.

31.

VESSA

(Skt. vaifya), a

man

of the third social grade.

32. VIHARA, dwelling, habitation for gods as also for monks,

therefore temple or convent (FERGUSSON, History of Indian and
Eastern Architecture, 1910, i, p. 170).
In the Mah. the latter

meaning

prevails.

33. YAKKHA (f. yakkhini-, Skt. yaksa, yaksim), designation

of certain supernatural beings who are under the rule of
Vessavana (Skt. Vaisravana, name of the god Kubera). In

the

Mah. the

called

aboriginal inhabitants of Ceylon are frequently

Yakkha.

34. YOJANA, a measure of length. According to the system

of the Abhidhanappadipika 196, 1 yojana is
4 gdvuta
80
f
usabha
2 vidatthi
20 yatthi
7 ratana (or hattha ell')

=
=12

angula.
According to RHYS DAVIDS, Ancient
(span)
15
the
native tables of linear measures make
Coins &c., p.
foil.,
the yojana between 12 and 12^ miles, but in actual practice
it

must have been reckoned as 7-8

miles.

INDEXES
(The numbers refer to pages and notes)

A.

LIST OF GEOGRAPHICAL

AND TOPO-

GRAPHICAL NAMES
Acchagallaka-vihara, 142. 3

Ganga = Mahaganga

Anurarama, 258.

Gandhara, 82. 2
Gambhira-nadi, 58. 4
Gamani-vapi, 75. 1
Giri-dipa, 4. 4

Anotatta-lake,

Aparantaka,

8.

85. 1

Abhayagiri-vihara, 235.
Abhaya-vapi, 74. 3

269. 1

Giribbaja, 36. 2

Ambatthakola, 188. 1
Ambatitthaka, 170. 8
Ambatthala, 90. 1 243. 5 264. 3

Guttahalaka, 165. 3

Arittha-pabbata, 72. 3
Alasanda, 194. 3
Avanti, 21. 2

Gona-nadi, 247. 3

Cittala-pabbata, 148. 2
Culanganiyapitthi, 165. 5
Cetiya-pabbata,' 114. 3

Akasa-cetiya, 148. 4

Cola, 143.

Isipatana, 193^ 3

Issarasamanarama, 133. 2

Ujjeni, 29.

Gotha-samudda, 150. 2
Gona-gamaka, 64. 1

137. 3

Uttara Kuru, 3. 4
Upatissa-gama, 58. 4
Uruvela in India, 2. 2
Uruvela in Ceylon, 189. 2

Jambukola,
Jambudlpa,

79. 1

15. 5
Javamala-tittha, 165. 5

Jetavana in India, 6. 1
Jetavanarama in Ceylon; 235.
269.

Jotivana, 77. 1

Kacchaka-tittha, 72. 2
Kadamba-nadi, 58. 3

Kapilavatthu, 11. 1

Kappukandara-nadI, 165. 5
Karinda-nadi, 221.
Kalaha-nagara, 71.
KalyanT, 7. 4
Kasmira, 82. 2

Kajara-gama. 132.

Kalavapi, 58. 5

Kasa-pabbata,
Kasi, 36.

Tissamahavihara, 138. 3
Tissa-vapi, 247. 4
Tissa-vapi, 248. 4

Thuparama,

247. 3

70. 1

Kukkutarama,

Tamalitti, 80. 4

36. 5

Kusavati, 10. 3

Kusinara, 14.2 (see J.R.A.S. 1902,

p. 139 foil. ; 1903, p. 367 foil.
Kolambahalaka, balaka, 176, 2
Kosambi, 21.2 (see J.R.A.S. 1903,
p. 583; 1904, p. 249)

9.

230, 2

Dakkhinavihara, 246, 2
Dakkhinagiri, 88. 3
Dighathupa, 230. 3
Dighavapi, 8. 1
Duratissa-vapi, 229. 2
Dola-pabbata, 71. 3

Dvaramanclala, 68.

Dhumarakkha-pabbata,
77. 1

Nandana-vana,
Naga-catukka, 94.

248. 5

72. 1

299

Indexes
Nagadipa,

6.

Yatthalaya-vihara, 146. 3

Nivatta-cetiya, 97. 3

Yon'a, 85. 5

Pathamacetiya, 95. 2
Payaga, 209. 1

Rajatalena-vihara, 246. 3

Pacinadipa, 261. 4
Pataliputta, 22. 5
Pava, 21. 2

Rohana,

Rattamala-kandaka, 271. 7
Rajagaha, 10. 3
146. 2

21. 2

Paveyyaka,

Lanka,_3.

Pupphapura, 22. 5

7
73. 2

Labugamaka,

Pulinda, 60. 5
Peli-vapi, 190. 1

Vanga,

51. 1

vasaka, 84. 7
Vijita-pura, (-nagara), 58. 5
Vinjha, 128. 4 194.4

Vanavasin,

Baranasi, 108. 1

Bodhimanda-vihara, 194. 5

171.3

Manisomarama, 235. 3
Manihira, 270. 4

Madda, 62. 1
Madhura, 59. 1_

Maricavatti-vihara, 179. 2

Malaya, 60. 4
Mahakandara-nadi, 63. 1
Mahagaiiga, 3. 9; 71. 3

Sineru, 213.

'

146. 5
Mahatittha, 60. 1

Sllakuta, 90.

77. 1

10.'

Sumanakuta, 5.
Suvannabhumi,

86. 2

Sonijagiri, 238. 1
235. 3
Soreyya, 21. 5

Somarama,

Missaka-pabbata, 89. 3

B.

LIST OF

Huvaca-kannika, 245.

kammatthana, 39. 3
kammavaca, 44. 1

ariya, 35. 3

kahapana,

arupabhava, loka, 25. 2

kamabhava, loka,
kulumbana, 257. 5

agataphala, 93. 4
acariya, 31. 4

kulupaga, ka, 201. 2

acariyavada, 26.

TERMS EXPLAINED IN THE NOTES

anagamin, 89. 6 93. 4

antimavatthu, 270. 3
abhinna, 20. 1 92. 1

ajira, 246.

l'

54. 3

Supparaka,
8.

Maharattha, 85. 3
Mahavana, 20. 2
Mahiyangana, 3. 9 170. 7
Mahisamandala, 84. 5
Mithila,

Silasobbha-kandaka, 236.

Mahagama,

Mahamegka-vana,

Vedisa, 88. 4
Veluvana, 98. 1
Vesali, 19. 2 (see J.R.A.S. 1903,
p. 583)
Vessagiri-vihara, 137. 3

alinda, 246, 2

iriyapatha, 17. 1

udana,_130.
upajjhaya, 31. 4
upanissaya, 29. 3
upasana, 164. 1
ubbahika, 23. 3

ubhato-samgha, 223. 4

kasina, 45.

20. 3
25. 2

khinasava, 35. 3
garula, 129. 4

cankama,

45. 4

caturassacaya, 219.
jatila, 3.

tadin, 102. 2

thupika, 210. 2
theravada, 26. 1

49. 2

300

Indexes

dasasila, 122. 3

yatthimadhuka, 224. 5

yamaka

dhanu, 248. 3

dhamma,
dhammasamgaha,
17.

vatamsa, 79. 6
vinaya, 17. 4
vibhajjavada, 49. 2

nigantha, 75. 2
nirodha, 254. 1
nissita, 264. 7

vetulya, 259. 2
vedi, vedika, 220. 2

samvega, 1. 1
sakadagamin, 98. 2
samkhara, samkhata, 25. 3

paccaya, 15. 7
48. 3

paribhogadhatu, 109. 2
parissavana, 251. 2

saccakiriya, 125. 3

samapatti, 37.

1. 1

pamanga,

sarana,

79. 7

pupphadhana, 202. 2
bala, dasa balani, 14.

7.

3 ; 122. 3
supanna, 94. 3 ; 129. 4
sekha, 16. 3 _
sotapatti, sotapanna, 5. 2
sila, 4.

191. 5
1

saraanaka parikkhara, 22.

bhava, 25. 2

malaka, 99. 4
muddhavedi, 219.

4.

sariradhatu, 109. 2
salaka, salakagga, 112. 6

puthujjana, 35. 3

marumba,

loka, 25. 2

rupabhava,

naji, 201. 1

pasada,

ratanattaya, 33. 2

16. 1

dhammasamgiti, 16. 1
dhammabhisamaya, 4. 6

paticcakamma,

patihariya, 120.

220. 3

7.

hatthipakara, 228. 2

ADDENDA
v. 132.
The meaning is as follows The words gacchdti are a polite
form of refusing a mendicant friar: 'go on (to the next house).'
Therefore Siggava could say that he had received something (i. e.
a polite answer), without telling a lie. Formerly he had received
nothing at all, no alms, nor even an answer, but had been entirely
:

disregarded.
and note.
xxix. 40.

See Milinda-panha 8
Translate

From

(arama) in the Vinjha forest

hills

RHYS DAVIDS, S.B.E. xxxv,

his

dwelling-place,

p. 15,

the Vattaniya

came the them Uttara &c.

PALI TEXT SOCIETY

Translation Series.
THE Pali Text Society having- published almost all the
original texts of the canonical Pali scriptures has now undertaken a series of translations in order to make these important
historical texts better

known. The

series will include versions

of texts not in the Canon, if such texts are either themselves

of historical importance or throw light on the
interpretation
or history of the texts or of the doctrine they contain.

At
1.

THE

present there have appeared the following

Psalms of the Early Buddhists, Part I, PSALMS OF

SISTERS, translated from the Then-gdtM.
By Mrs.

Rhys Davids, M.A., Lecturer on

Indian

Philosophy at

Manchester University, Fellow of University College, London.

Price 5s. net.

We conclude with best thanks to Mrs. Rhys Davids for the capital
work she has given us ... and the hope that the psalms of the
'

brethren will follow soon.'

Journal of the Royal Asiatic

Society.

'Are of much interest as a contribution to the history of women

under Monasticism and as an expression of the Buddhist view of
life.'
1

The Times.

Next to her learned husband, the distinguished Professor of Com-

parative Religion at the Manchester University, there is probably

no more authoritative exponent of Pali Buddhistic literature in this

country than Mrs. Rhys Davids, the author of this interesting work,
and attractive form by the Pali Text Society.'
The Manchester Guardian.

issued in an elegant

The verses give us many exceedingly interesting glimpses of the

religious spirit of the East in its redeeming work. . . . The present
work is intended for serious students, and not for those in search
1

of simplified versions of the world's religions. It is published for the

Pali Text Society, and will be welcomed by those who are interested
The Daily News.
in the East.'

'

baffling sense of the futility of

much

that

we

so desperately

busy ourselves about comes into the mind in reading these pages.
A strange and elusive influence seems to haunt them an influence
that does not age nor change. It speaks with a voice that echoes in
many a volume of modern poetry. We read, and seem to be striving
in some inexplicable way to remember, and to be groping after the
The Westminster
forgotten vicissitudes of our own countless lives.'
Gazette.

'Mrs. Rhys Davids's rendering

what seems to be very fine poetry
sustain her high reputation as

is

masterly

in places

it

reflects

and her notes and introduction

a scholar.'
The New York Nation.

'

Dass der Ubersetzerin die vortrefflichsten Hilfsmittel der Palilexikographie zur Hand sind, wird der fachkundige Leser an mehr als
einer Stelle bemerken. Weit aber uber den Kreis der Fachgenossen
hinaus wird dieses Buch geschatzt und genossen werden konnen als ein
seltenes

Specimen philologischer
Deutsche Literaturzeitung.

und

asthetischer Durchbildung.'

'The English reading public is in a position, thanks to her accomplished hand, to study these ancient testimonies to the power
of Buddhist doctrine in a complete and satisfactory form. ... It
has long been recognized, in the study of Sanskrit literature, that
it is

vain to attempt to dispense with the help of native light, and

to interpret texts solely

doubt much

by means

of

grammar and

lexicon.

No

be explained without the vernacular commentators,

and the student must always exercise his critical faculty in using
them, but, with all reserves made, these commentators do stand
closer to their texts than occidentals can stand, and point out many
things that, without their help, would be overlooked or only half
"
"
understood.
Chaque pays a sa pensee says the French poet, and
the greater German poet bids us go to the poet's country if we would
understand the poet's word. Of all this Mrs. Rhys Davids has been
duly mindful, and her version has gained much in point of trustworthiness on this account. But the flow and spontaneity of the

may

by no means suffered through this accuracy and rigid

adherence to the tradition. The metrical form moves lightly withal,
and this freedom of movement is a witness to the sympathy of the
The Buddhist
translator with the thoughts of the ancient Therls.
verse has

Review.

2. Compendium of Philosophy, being a translation of

the Abhidhammatt/ia-sahyaha.
By Shwe Zan Aung, B.A.,
revised and edited by Mrs. Rhys Davids.
Price 5*. net.

'The translation now before us is, in the best and fullest sense
of the words, the result of Eastern and Western effort combined.
The most intrinsically interesting part of the book, the Appendix
(pp. 220-85), which contains Mr. Aung's extensive notes on some
of the most important technical terms of Buddhist philosophy, will
be found extremely useful by all students of Buddhism.
More

especially I would point out the very lucid and highly instructive
discussions on the vexed question of the Paticcasamuppada and on the

meaning of the term Samkhara. Three useful indexes add to

the usefulness of the volume, for which both the English editor and
the Burmese author deserve our best thanks, and on the publication

true

of which the Pali Text Society is to be heartily congratulated.'

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'Ein entscheidender Grund fur die Unzulanglichkeit unserer

bezuglichen Kenntnisse ist aber wohl darin zu suchen, dass die Gedankenkreise, in denen die buddhistische Weltanschauung sich bewegt, so

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dass eine wesentliche Forderung in der angedeuteten Richtung
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die

interessieren.

Der Name des Mitherausgebers, Mrs. Rhys Davids,

nahegelegt.
bietet fur die Zuverlassigkeit der Ubersetzung sowohl wie fur die

Anhangen und Bemerkungen gebotene Bearbeitung der

in

denartigen Probleme, vor

Inhalts, die beste Gewahr.'

allem

verschie-

auch philosophiegeschichtlichen

Deutsche Literaturzeitung.

Here, for the first time in the history of modern research into
the ancient Buddhist lore, we have a work produced by a Buddhist
scholar, working in a Buddhist land with all the immense advantage
'

which a life-long training, the actual religion, and free access to the
living tradition of the monasteries confer; himself also a deep
student of the western philosophical systems; and his work is

greater value, by the revision and

justly be admitted to be the foremost
The editor has, with
living occidental authority on the subject.
characteristic acumen and appreciation of their high value, con-

rendered, if possible, of
collaboration of one who

still

may

siderably augmented the usefulness of the work before us by the

inclusion, in an appendix of some 60 pp., of a number of notes
written by the author in the course of the correspondence which

Here, once more, we have Buddhist psychology

and instructed Buddhist student sees it, and many an

the work involved.

as the born

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matter for deep study as well as great enlightenment.' The Rangoon
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