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A 

DESCEIPTIVE   CATALOGUE 


or 


SANSKRIT,  PALI,  AND  SINHALESE 

LITERARY    WORKS. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE 


OF 


SANSKKIT,  PALI,  &  SINHALESE 


LITEEAEY    WOEKS 

OF 

o\CEYLON. 

BY 

S-z^AMES    D'ALWIS, 


ADVOCATE    OF   THE    SUPREME    COURT; 

AUTHOR    OF    THE    SIOATSANGARA'  ;    AN    INTRODUCTION    TO    SINHALESE    GRAMMAR; 

INTRODUCTION    TO    KACHCHA'YANA's    PA'lI    GRAMMAR  ; 

THE    ATTANAGALUVANSA  ;    CONTRIBUTIONS    TO 

ORIENTAL    LITERATURE,    ETC.,    ETC. 


IN   THREE   VOLUMES. 


.^^^-^V//^  /..^^^^i:^:-  r^A^^h/^^ 


COLOMBO: 

WILLIAM     SKEEX,     GOVERNMENT     PRINTER,     CEYLON. 

1870. 


fr^ 


u  ^ 


0 


TO 

Sir  HERCULES    GEORGE    ROBERT    ROBINSON, 

K.  C.  M.  G., 

GOVERNOR    AND    COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF    OF    THE    ISLAND 
OF    CEYLON. 

Sir, 

It  is  my  pleasing  duty  to  inscribe  this  work  to  you, 
for  the  comj^ilation  of  which  you  did  me  the  honor  to 
appoint  me,  and  for  the  prosecution  of  which  you  have 
placed  at  my  disposal  much  of  the  assistance  of  which 
I  was  in  need. 

I  shall  not  speak  of  my  own  work  in  terms  of  appro- 
bation,— it  is  for  the  public  to  decide  on  its  merits; 
nor  is  it  within  my  province  to  enhance  its  value  by 
any  allusion  to  the  trouble  it  has  entailed  on  me, — 
for  that  too  may  be  judged  of  by  others:  but,  apart 
from  the  mode  in  which  the  work  has  been  executed, 
permit  me  to  say  that,  from  its  very  design,  it  will 
open  to  the  reading  public  a  means  bf  obtaining  rare 
and  valuable  information.  If  the  orient  pearls  for 
which  Ceylon  has  been  famed  from  all  antiquity,  are 
still  highly  prized  amongst  the  nations  of  the  world, 
the   intellectual    pearls    which   Oriental    scholars   of 


VI 


many  nations  will  be  enabled  to  gather  from  Lanka's 
Store-house  of  Literature,  which  you  have  founded, 
and  the  key  to  which  is  here  presented,  will  not, 
I  hope,  be  esteemed  as  less  precious  or  valuable. 

Confident  that  nothing  will  more  enduringly  bind 
the  memory  of  Your  Excellency  to  the  present  and 
future  generations  of  the  native  Sinhalese,  than  "  The 
Sanskrit,  Pali,  and  Sinhalese  Library"  which 
you  have  established,  it  is  to  me  a  source  of  sincere 
pleasure  that  I  have  been  enabled  to  complete,  at  least, 
one  volume  of  the  Descriptive  Catalogue  during  your 
Government;  and  I  indulge  the  hope  that,  as  an  Index 
of  the  Library,  it  will  set  before  the  world  a  correct, 
though  feeble,  "  description"  of  the  now  fading,  but 
still  rich,  literature  of  the  Country,  over  the  Govern- 
ment of  which  you  have  presided  for  the  last  five  years, 
with  great  credit  to  yourself,  and  lasting  benefit  to 
all  classes  of  the  people. 

I  have  the  honor  to  be. 

Your  Excellency's 
Most  obedient  and  faithful  Servant, 
JAS.    ALWIS. 

Nai-Villa, 
28th  June,  1870. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface 

Abhidhinapadipika 

Attanagaluvansa 

Kachchayana's  Pali  Grammar 

Netti-pakarana 

Balavatara 

(Jadaladeni-Sanna 

Dh^tu-Manjusa   ... 

Namavallya   .. 

Maha  Vansa 

Dipavansa    ... 

Anuruddha  S'ataka 

Bauddha  S'ataka 

Sinhalese  Sanna   ... 

Vritta  Malakhya 

Vritta  Ratnakara  Panchika 

Rupaslddhi  ... 

Moggallana  Vyakarana 

Vuttodaya 

Janakiharana 

Kaviyasekara 

Selalibini  Sandesa 

Parevi  Sandesa 

Sidat  Sangara 


Page. 

—XXX. 

1 
11 

39 

70 

78 

80 

82 

87 

93 
118 
168 
172 
174 
175 
177 
179 
183 
186 
188 
196 
209 
216 
221 


APPENDIX. 

Letter  from  Professor  Max  MUller  to  the  Secretary  of 

State  for  the  Colonies    ...  ...  ...  ...  227 

Remarks  on  the  Spelling  adopted  in  Roman  character  234 

Report  of  progress  of  Volume  the  Second       ...  ...  236 


PEEFACE. 


**That  Ceylon  is  one  of  the  principal  seats  of  Bud- 
dhism, that  Buddhism  is  one  of  the  most  important 
religions  of  mankind,  that  the  Buddhist  priests  possess 
a  sacred  literature  which  dates  from  several  centuries 
before  the  Christian  era, — all  this  is  perfectly  well 
known.  But  it  is  less  well  known  that  though,  since 
the  beginning  of  this  century,  Ceylon  has  been  an 
English  colony,  hardly  anything  has  been  done  by  the 
English  Government  to  collect  these  interesting  relics 
of  an  ancient  literature,  to  deposit  them  in  our  public 
libraries,  and  thus  to  render  them  accessible  to  Oriental 
scholars ;  while  the  French  Government — nay,  it  would 
seem  an  individual  French  gentleman — has,  during  the 
last  six  years,  accomplished  all  that  could  be  desired."* 
Such  was  the  reproach  cast  on  the  English  Go- 
vernment by  the  Saturday  Review  of  the  28th  of 
July,  1866.  Three  years  had  scarcely  elapsed  from 
that  date  before  Sir  Hercules  Eobinson,  the  Governor 
of  Ceylon,  alive  to  the  importance  of  the   subject,  has 

*  "  Du  Bouddhisme  et  de  sa  Litterature  a  Ceylan  et  en 
Birmanis.  Collection  de  M.  Grimblot,  Vice-Consul  de  France  a 
Ceylon.  Par  M.  Barth61emy  Saint-Hilaire.  Extrait  du  'Journal 
des  Savants,'  1866. 

b 


X  PREFACE. 

taken  the  necessary  steps  to  establish  a  Public  Library 
of  Oriental  works,  accessible,  upon  certain  terms,  both 
to  the  inhabitants  of  this  Island,  and  to  those  Oriental 
scholars  in  Europe,  who,  1  believe,  will  frequently  avail 
themselves  of  it. 

The  history  of  this  work  may  be  briefly  stated  in 
the  language  of  official  correspondence. 

On  the  7th  of  December,  1868,  Mr.  H.  S.  O.  Russell, 
the  Government  Agent  of  the  Northern  Province,  after 
alluding  to  the  measures  which  were  then  being  taken 
in  India  for  the  discovery  and  preservation  of  the 
Records  of  ancient  Sanskrit  Literature,  suggested  to  the 
Governor  "that  possibly  some  not  unimportant  contri- 
bution to  the  catalogue  of  MS.  works  in  the  Sanskrit 
language,  might  result  from  an  inspection  of  the  library 
shelves  of  Pansalas  in  Ceylon."*  On  the  receipt  of  this 
letter,  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  Mr.  L.  De  Zoysa, 
Chief  Translator  to  Government,  and  a  well-read 
Oriental  scholar,  for  his  observations,  which  will  be 
found  embodied  in  the  following 

"MEMORANDUM. 

Mr.  Dickson  having  requested  me  to  offer  any  observations 
I  may  wish  to  make  in  regard  to  Mr.  Russell's  proposal 
respecting  the  discovery  and  preservation  of  the  records  of 
Ancient  Sanskrit  Literature,  I  venture  to  submit  the  following 
remarks  for  consideration  : — 

*  Government  Gazette, 


PREFACE.  XI 

I  do  not  think  it  probable  that  the  inspection  of  the  library 
shelves  of  the  Pansalas  of  Ceylon,  is  likely  to  add  any  Sanskrit 
manuscripts  of  any  importance,  to  the  Catalogue  that  is 
being  prepared  in  India ;  nearly,  if  not  all,  the  Sanskrit 
manuscripts  extant  in  this  country,  being  importations  from 
India. 

But  if  some  such  scheme  as  that  adopted  by  the  Indian 
Government  be  applied  not  only  to  the  Sanskrit,  but  also  to 
tiie  Pali  and  Sinhalese  manuscripts  in  this  country,  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  many  important  historical  and 
other  works  which  are  not  now  accessible  to  the  learned,  may 
be  brought  to  light.  Several  destructions  of  literary  records 
of  Ceylon  in  ancient  times,  are  recorded  in  the  Maha  Wanso, 
and  other  historical  works;  and  the  number  of  important 
original  works  now  extant  in  the  country  is  not  very  great. 
In  almost  every  Sinhalese,  or  Pali  work  on  History,  Grammar, 
General  Literature,  &c.,  now  extant,  references  are  made  to 
more  ancient  works  on  those  subjects,  but  which  either  exist 
no  longer,  or  are  not  generally  accessible.  It  is  however,  the 
general  belief,  that  many  valuable  and  important  manuscripts 
which  are  unknown  to  the  learned  in  Kandy,  or  the  Low 
Country,  do  exist  in  some  of  the  Buddhist  Pansalas,  and  other 
places  in  the  outlying  Districts  of  the  Kandyan  Provinces,  espe- 
cially in  those  of  the  North-Western  Province,  whence  some 
manuscripts  of  great  value,  and  formerly  not  known  in  the 
countiy,  have  been  recently  added  to  the  list  of  works  now 
generally  known.  Amongst  these  may  be  mentioned  an 
ancient  Sinhalese  copy  of  '  Winayartha  Samuchchaya,' 
containing  a  summary  of  the  Winaya  Pitaka  (  Laws  of  thq 
Buddhist  Priesthood),  written  in  a  very  chaste  style,  con- 
trasting most  favorably  with  the  bombastic  style  of  modern 
Siyhalese  writings;  and  a  history  of  Relics  of  Buddha,  con- 


Xll  PREFxVCE. 

taiiiing  interesting  information  respecting  parts  of  the  Island, 
•which  are  now  comparatively  unknown. 

Should  the  proposed  inspection  of  the  Buddhist  Libraries 
of  Ceylon  bring  to  light  any  works  on  history  not  known  at 
present,  the  interest  that  may  be  excited  by  such  discoveries, 
and  the  benefits  to  be  derived  thereby,  will  not  be  confined 
to  Ceylon,  but  will  be  shared  by  the  learned  in  India  and 
Europe.  It  is  now  generally  believed  that  the  ancient 
historical  records  of  the  Sinhalese  are  far  more  valuable  and 
authentic  than  those  of  other  Indian  Nations.  The  Maha 
Wanso,  (History  of  Ceylon),  translated  into  English  by  the 
late  Hon'ble  George  Turnour  of  Ceylon,  has  been  pronounced 
by  high  authority,  to  be  "  the  most  valuable  historical  record 
we  possess  in  relation  to  ancient  India." 

I  may  also  be  permitted  to  add,  that  most  of  the  Buddhist 

Priests  in  the  interior  parts  of  the  Kaudyan  Provinces,  in 

whose   charge  the  Potgulas   (Libraries)  are  preserved,  arc 

very  illiterate  and  ignorant,  and  do  not  know  what  manuscripts 

exist  in  their  Pansalas,  and  it  is  therefore  essentially  necessary 

that   all   the    manuscripts   in   their   possession,    should    be 

inspected  by  competent  persons,  who  take  an  interest  in  the 

work,  and  catalogued  in  the  manner  proposed  by  the  Indian 

authorities. 

Respectfully  submitted, 

L.  De  Zoysa, 

Chief  Trans,  to  Govt. 
Colonial  Secretary's  Ofliice, 
Colombo,  12th  January,  1869." 

When  the  above  correspondence,  together  with  an 
endorsement*  of  approval  by  Mr.  John  F.  Dickson, 

*  "I  fully  agree  with  the  Chief  Translator  that  it  would  be 
desirable,  in  the  interests  of  learning  and  historical  research,  to  make 


PREFACE.  XUl 

Assistant  Colonial  Secretary,  was  laid  before  Lieutenant- 
General  S.  Hodgson,  the  Officer  then  administering 
the  Government  of  Ceylon,  he  issued  a  Circular*  to 
Government  Agents  of  Provinces,  indicating  ''the 
possibility  of  accurate  catalogues  of  MSS.  in  the 
Pansalas  being  obtained,"  and  inquiring  what  steps 
could  be  taken  for  ascertaining  the  contents  of  the 
libraries  of  the  various  Pansalas,  "  with  a  view  to  the 
discovery  of  any  interesting  or  unknown  MSS.,  Pali 
and  Sinhalese  as  well  as  Sanskrit."  AYhilst  the  Native 
Headmen  were  in  correspondence  with  Buddhist  priests, 
and  were  actually  preparing  lists  of  MSS.  (which  have 
been  since  forwarded  to  me)  in  accordance  with  the 
above  official  requisition,  Mr.  John  Murdoch,  the 
Agent  of  the  Christian  Vernacular  Education  Society, 
with  that  praiseworthy  anxiety  which  he  has  ever 
evinced  in  the  promotion  of  Religion,  Literature,  and 
Science,  addressed  the  following  letter  to  Government. 

"I  have  the  honor  to  submit  to  His  Excellency  the 
Governor,  a  copy  of  a  classified  Catalogue  of  printed  Tracts 
and  Books  in  Sinhalese. 

While  the  above  Catalogue  will  be  useful  for  some 
purposes,  Oriental  scholars  wish  information  respecting  the 


enquiry  in  Ceylon  for  unknown  Pali  and  Sinhalese,  as  well  as  for 
Sanskrit  manuscripts,  and  I  beg  to  submit  this  paper  for  the 
favorable  consideration  of  the  Colonial  Secretary. 

•  John  F.  Dickson." 

*  See  Gazette;  letter  4th  Feb.,  1869. 


XIV  PREFACE. 

uumerous  works  which  still  exist  only  in  manuscript,  in  the 
possession  of  temples  or  individuals,  scattered  over  the 
Island.  The  obtaining  of  a  complete  list  of  the  books  extant 
in  Sinhalese  and  Pali  can  be  obtained  only  through  the  aid 
of  Government.  Such  an  enquiry,  embracing  the  whole 
Island,  would  form  an  important  department  of  the  work  of 
the  Archaeological  Commission.  To  conduct  it  successfully, 
requires  a  competent  scholar,  familiar  with  the  literature  of 
the  country,  and  whose  other  engagements  permit  him  to 
devote  the  requisite  time  to  the  investigation,  fortunately 
the  right  man  is  available, — James  De  Alwis,  Esq.,  has 
written  the  best  account  of  Siiiihalese  literature  which  has  been 
published,  and  is  well  known  to  Oriental  scholars,  from  his 
works  on  Grammar  and  Buddhism.  I  have  reason  to  believe 
that  his  services  would  be  gladly  rendered  for  such  an  object. 

In  the  first  instance,  it  would  simply  be  necessary  to  print 
a  classified  Catalogue  of  the  Manuscripts.  A  statement 
explanatory  of  the  object  in  view,  should  be  published  in  the 
Government  Gazette.  Copies  should  be  forwarded  through 
the  Government  Agents  to  all  the  Buddhist  Temples  and  the 
Native  Headmen.  The  Commissioner  might  send  them  to 
any  other  parties  likely  to  aiford  assistance. 

The  following  information  should  be  obtained  regarding 
each  work : — 

1.  Where  found.* 

2.  The  Title,  with  the  name  of  the  Author,  if  known. 


*  Since  a  collection  of  MSS.  is  now  being  made,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  state  this  though  the  fact  will  be  noticed  in  the  case 
of  rare  M  SS.  preserved  in  curtain  old  Temples,  and  which  the  priests 
are  reluctant  lo  jJart  with. 


PREFACE.  XV 

3.  The  size  :  number  of  leaves,  with  the  length  and 
number  of  lines  in  each  page.  If  incomplete,  should  be 
mentioned.* 

4.  The  subject. 

The  replies  should  be  forwarded  to  the  Commissioner.  A 
classified  catalogue,  according  to  the  arrangement  suggested 
by  Messrs.  Winter,  Jones  and  Watt  of  the  British  Museum, 
might  then  be  made  out  and  printed.  The  number  of  MSS. 
existing  of  each  work,  so  far  as  indicated  by  the  replies, 
might  be  mentioned. 

Copies  of  the  catalogue  might  be  forwarded  to  Oriental 
scholars,  and  books  which  they  considered  valuable  might  be 
collected.  In  some  cases  the  owners  would  be  sufficiently 
patriotic  to  give  them  up  for  such  a  purpose.  When  ne- 
cessary, MSS.  might  be  purchased  or  copied. 

The  result  of  the  researches  of  the  late  Mr.  Turnour  lead  to 
the  hope  that  some  important  works  might  thus  be  brought 
to  light.  It  has  already  been  proved  that  the  historical 
literature  of  the  Sinhalese  is  the  most  valuable  in  the  East. 
Should  the  enquiry  shew  that  nothing  further  of  importance 
existed,  even  this  would  be  of  some  consequence.  In  a 
broader  view,  however,  the  investigation  would  certainly  be 
interesting  as  an  index  to  the  national  mind. 

The  expense  would  be  very  trifling,  and  the  catalogue 
would  be  prized  by  Oriental  Scholars  throughout  the  world. 
Lists  of  books  in  the  languages  of  India  are  in  progress ;  but 

*  I  have  attended  to  this  as  a  rule,  but  have  departed  from  it 
only  in  such  cases  as  where  the  size  of  the  ola  did  not  give  an 
accurate  idea  of  the  extent  of  writing,  or  where  the  bulk  was 
ascertainable  from  the  mention  of  the  number  of  anusbtab  verses, 
banavaras,  gathas,  stanzas,  etc. 


Xvi  PREFACE. 

Ceylon  is  the  only  Buddliistical  country,  except  the  south  of 
Burmah,  under  the  British  Government.  A  class  of  works 
is  found  here  not  now  procurable  in  India. 

May  I  be  permitted  also  to  suggest,  that  all  printers  should 
be  required  to  supply  at  least  one  copy  for  payment  of  each 
work  published.  The  Director  of  Public  Instruction  might 
append  a  short  notice  of  the  Native  Press  to  his  Annual 
Report.  It  is  true  that  the  publications  at  present  are 
comparatively  few  in  number  and  insignificant  in  character. 
Still,  they  are  more  numerous  than  might  be  expected, 
considering  that  only  a  very  few  years  have  elapsed  since  the 
first  press  was  owned  by  a  native. 

John  Murdoch. 
Colombo,  15th  June,  1869." 

The  above  led  to  the  following  notification  in  the 
Ceylon  Government  Gazette  of  17th  July,  1869. 

"  The  following  papers  suggesting  that  enquiry  be  made  in 
the  interest  of  learning  and  historical  research,  as  to  the  Pali, 
Si^ihalese  and  Sanskrit  MSS.  to  be  found  in  the  Pansalas  of 
Ceylon,  are  published  for  general  information  ;  and  it  is 
notified  that  Mr.  James  D'Alwis  having  consented  to  collect 
the  desired  information,  all  Government  Ofiicers  are  hereby 
required  to  afford  him  all  the  information  and  assistance  in 
their  power. 

By  Hia  Excellency's  Command, 

Henry  T.  Irving, 

Colonial  Secretary, 

Colonial  Secretary's  Office, 
Colombo,  12th  July,  1869." 


PREFACE.  XVU 

The  above  was  followed  by  an  official  communica- 
tion from  the  Colonial  Secretary  addressed  to  me, 
dated  the  15th  July,  1869. 

"  I  am  directed  by  the  Governor  to  inform  you,  that  the 
Government  gladly  avails  itself  of  the  services  which  you 
have  been  so  public-spirited  as  to  place  at  its  disposal  for 
the  purpose  of  ascertaining  what  valuable  and  unknown 
MSS.  are  to  be  found  in  Ceylon." 

As  the  Catalogue  proposed  by  Mr.  Murdoch  would, 
according  to  the  above  requirement,  be  necessarily 
limited  to  "  valuable  and  unknown  MSS,"  ;  and  since 
"valuable"  was  a  relative  term,  and  the  value  attached 
to  a  work  might  vary  according  to  the  peculiar  ideas 
of  each  individual,  it  was  not  without  some  delibera- 
tion that  I  resolvied  upon  the  plan  of  the  work.  1 
clearly  perceived  that,  even  if  I  examined  every  book 
in  every  Pansala  in  Ceylon,  and  yet  found  no  MS.  that 
I  considered  either  "  valuable  or  unknown,"  my  labours 
for  months,  and  perhaps,  for  years,  would  be  in  vain. 
On  the  other  hand,  if  I  selected  a  few  MSS.,  and 
pronounced  them  "valuable  or  unknown,"  some  one 
might  differ  from  me  in  opinion,  and  pronounce  them 
both  "valueless  and  known." 

It  was  moreover  stated  by  several  educated  Natives, 
as  well  as  Europeans,  in  Ceylon,  that  "a  simple  list 
of  books  with  their  titles  and  authors'  names,  and  a 
specification  of  the  subject  on  which  they  treated, 
would  lead  to  no  important  results,"  and  that  what 
they  desired  to  have  was  "  information  respecting  the 
works" — information  which  "  it  was  desirable  to  obtain 


Xviii  PREFACE. 

without  reading  an  entire  book."  I  therefore  deter- 
mined to  make  a  Descriptive  Catalogue  of  all  the 
MSS.  which  had  their  origin  in  Ceylon,  and  wrote  the 
following  letter  to  Government :  — 

"  I  purpose  to  write  a  descriptive  Catalogue  of  all  the 
Sanskrit,    Pali,    and   Sinhalese   books    composed,    and   now 
extant  in  Ceylon,  and  to  print  it  in  sheets  as  I  proceed,  and 
finally  to  make  an  Alphabetical  Index  to  the  whole  work. 
This  I  find  to  be  the  olject  aimed  at,  not  only  in  the  Indian 
papers,  but  in  Mr.  Murdoch's  letter  published   in  the    Go- 
vernment  Gazette.     A  simple  notice  of  only  what  I  may 
consider  *  valuable  or  unknown  MSS.,'  as  required  by  your 
letter,  may  not,  I  fear,  secure   the   desired  information,  nor 
lessen  my  trouble  and  labour,  except  in  the  mere  writing  out 
of  a  description  of  each  work.     Besides,   the   many  works 
extant  in  this  Island,  though  not  possessing  an  interest  to  any 
one   particular  class  of  readers,  may  yet  be  of  service  to 
Oriental  students  in  general.     I  shall  therefore  be  glad  to  be 
informed,  whether  the  plan  of  the  work  which  I  propose  to 
adopt  meets  with  His  Excellency's  approval." 

Kot  content  with  a  simple  examination  of  libraries,  and 
the  publication  of  a  Catalogue,  I  took  the  liberty,  at  the 
same  lime,  of  suggesting  the  formation  of  a  Library,, 
and  with  what  success  the  correspondence  which  follows 
the  subjoined  proposal  will  sufficiently  explain. 

"In  the  interest  of  Learning,  Science,  and  Historical 
research,  I  beg  to  submit  for  His  Excellency's  consideration, 
the  desirability  of  forming  a  Library  of  Pali,  Sanskrit,  and 
Siiihalese  works.  In  some  of  the  Temples  which  T  have 
already  visited,  there  are  to  be  found  duplicate  and  triplicate 
copies  of  valuable  MSS.,  and  it  may  not  be  impossible   to 


PREFACE.  XIX 

purchase  them,  through  tlic  agency  of  Government  Officials, 
for  a  sum  considerably  below  their  cost  price;  and,  it  is  also 
probable,  when  it  is  known  that  the  object  of  Government 
is  to  preserve  their  records  in  the  interest  of  the  Sinhalese 
nation,  as  well  as  of  Science  and  Learning,  that  many 
persons  will  be  disposed  to  give  up  some  of  their  duplicate 
copies  without  charge.  The  expense  too  of  getting  copies 
made  of  such  of  the  works  as  may  not  be  procured,  as  above 
indicated,  will  not  be  great.  If  His  Excellency  should  deem 
such  a  collection  desirable,  it  may  not  be  difficult  to  procure 
from  Burma  a  complete  set  of  all  the  works  on  Buddhism, 
which  are  identical  with  those  in  Ceylon,  except  in  the 
particular  character  used,  which  is  the  Burmese, 

"  Whether,  however,  a  collection  of  MSS.  is  made  at  once, 
or  the  scheme  be  postponed  for  a  future  period,  it  is  very 
desirable  to  procure  from  Burma  a  list  of  all  the  books, 
which  the  people  of  that  country  have  from  time  to  time 
obtained  from  Ceylon.  It  is  believed, — and  tradition  supports 
the  belief, — that  amongst  those  books  are  some  of  our  most 
valuable  works,  which  are  either  rare  at  present  or  not 
extant  in  Ceylon.  And  I  may  here  mention,  on  the  authority  of 
the  late  Mr.  George  Turnour,  that  the  success  of  his  translation 
of  the  Mahawansa  was  attributable,  chiefly,  to  a  rare  correct 
copy  of  the  Gloss,  which  that  gentleman  obtained  through 
Nadoris  de  Silva,  Mudaliyar,  from  the  Burman  Empire." 


From  the  Colonial  Secretary  to  Mr.  J.  Alwis. 

Colombo,  25th  September,  1869. 

I  have  laid  before  the  Governor  your  letter  of  the  15th 
instant. 

I  am  desired  to  inform  you,  iii  reply,  that  the  plan  of  tl\e 
work   which  you  proj)ose   to  adopt,  as    explained  in  the  Srd. 


XX  PREFACE. 

paragraph  of  your  letter,  meets  entirely  with  His  Exeellency'a 
approval,  and  that  the  necessary  instructions  will  be  given 
to  place  the  Government  Printing  OlRce  at  your  disposal. 

•  *  ♦  *  *  # 

As  regards  your  proposal  to  form  a  Library  of  Pali, 
Sanskrit,  and  Singhalese  Works,  I  am  desired  to  state  that 
His  Excellency  would  be  glad  to  receive  from  you  a  detailed 
statement  of  the  steps  necessary  for  cariying  out  such  an. 
object,  and  its  probable  cost,  both  at  starting  and  afterwards, 
annually. 

The  Government  Agents  and  Assistant  Agents  will  be 
instructed  to  furnish  you  with  the  particulars  you  require, 
respecting  number,  situation,  &c.,  of  the  Monasteries  o^ 
Pansalas. 


From  Mr.  James  Alavis  to  the  Colonial  Secretary. 

8th  December,  1869, 

*  *  4t  *  *  * 

I  have  carefully  considered  the  subject  ot  forming  a 
Pali,  Sanskrit,  and  Si^ihalese  Libraiy  ;  and-  I  beg  to  state 
briefly  my  views,  as  to  the  steps  necessary  for  carrying  <xut 
such  a  laudable  object. 

By  far  the  most  valuable  and  the  most  voluminous  works, 
which  are  comprised  under  the  head  of  Tepitaka  and  their 
Commentaries,  may  be  procured  for  a  sum  not  exceeding 
£500.  For  their  revision,  I  propose  that  the  sum  of  £100 
be  laid  out. 

The  learned  High  Priest  of  Adam's  Peak  is  now  engaged 
with  a  Committee  of  learned  Priests  in  the  work  of  revision  ; 
and  I  beg  to  recommend  that  the  same  Committee  be  engaged 
to  furnish  to  Government,  wliich  they  are  willing  to  do,  a 


PREFACE,  XXX 

complete  set  of  the  books  above-mentioucd  for  a  given  price, 
wliich  can  be  ascertained  and  fixed  upon  hereafter. 

All  the  other  Pali,  Sanskrit,  and  Siijhalese  books  in  this 
Island,  of  which  I  shall  furnish  a  List,  need  not  cost  more 
than  £600  ;  and  copies  of  them  may  be  purchased  or  procured 
through  the  -instrumentality  of  the  Government  Agent  of 
Gaile  and  his  Assistants  in  the  Southern  Province — the  only 
part  of  this  Island  where  Ola-writing  is  carried  to  perfection, 
p,nd  where  qualified  copyists  are  to  be  found. 

In  my  previous  letter  I  indicated  that  books  might  be 
procured  in  different  ways  ;  and  I  am  still  not  without  hope, 
that  many  MSS.  may  be  obtained  without  charge ;  but  these 
are  details  which  may  be  left  to  the  parties  employed  by 
Government  for  the  <jollection  of  books, 

A  Library,  thus  formed  at  a  cost  of  £1,200,  may  be 
attached  to  the  Government  Record  Office.  Three  large 
rooms  (say  20  x  25  feet  each)  will  contain  all  the  necessary 
shelves,  which  may  be  constructed  of  sheet  iron,  containing 
a  cell  for  each  book,  with  alid,  whereon  the  name  of  the  book 
may  be  marked.  The  furniture,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  need 
not  cost  £300  ;  and  thus  the  entire  expense  of  getting  up  a 
Library  will  be  no  more  than  £1,500, 

When  once  the  Library  has  been  established,  the  expense 
of  upkeep  will  be  very  trifling.  The  servants  of  the  Record 
Office  alone  will  be  sufficient  to  do  the  needful  in  respect  of 
the  preservation  of  the  books.  The  Library  may  be  open  to 
the  Public,  subject  to  Rules  whieh  the  Government  may 
deem  proper  to  prescribe  j  and  the  only  Officer  who,  so  far 
as  I  can  foresee,  will  be  required  to  carry  out  such  Rules,  is 
a  Librarian,  whose  salary  need  not  be  more  than  £100  per 
annum. 


Xxii  PREFACE. 

I  hc^y  again  to  press  on  the  attention  of  Government  the 
great  desirability  of  forming  such  a  Library,  and  the  mani- 
fold and  lasting  advantages  which  will  accrue  thereby  to 
the  Siniialese  Nation  and  the  English  Community,  not  to 
speak  of  the  benefits  which  will  be  derived  theretrom  by 
Scholars  in  Europe,  and  by  distinguished  Travellers  who 
visit  Ceylon. 

From  the  Colonial  Secretary  to  Mr,  James  Alwis. 

Colombo,  4th  January,  1870. 

Having  laid  before  the  Governor  and  the  Executive 
Council  your  letter  of  the  8th  ultimo,  submitting  suggestions 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Pali,  Sanskrit,  and  Sinhalese 
Library,  I  am  desired  to  inform  you  that  the  project  meets 
with  the  entire  approval  of  the  Government,  and  that  His 
Excellency  will  be  prepared  to  apply  to  the  Legislative 
Council  for  the  necessary  funds  to  carry  it  into  effect. 

It  is  His  Excellency's  wish  that  you  should  take  a  leading 
part  in  the  formation  of  the  Library,  and  he  would  be  glad 
if  you  would  from  time  to  time  furnish  Lists  of  the  Books 
which  you  think  should  be  procured,  naming  what  you 
consider  a  fair  price  for  them,  and  suggesting  in  each  case 
the  best  agency  for  conducting  the  negotiations. 


The  object  of  this  Preface  is  not  so  much  to  give 
information  on  the  establishment  of  a  Library,  as  to 
explain  the  plan  of  the  Descriptive  Catalogue.  Yet,  as 
the  one  is  inseparably  connected  with  the  other,  I  may 
briefly  allude  to  the  steps  which  are  being  taken  for  the 
formation  of  '>'  the  Government  Oriental  Library  of 
Ceylon." 


PREFACE.  XXIH 

The  Legislative  Council  of  Ceylon  has  voted  the  funds 
necessary  for  immediate  expenditure;  and  Committees 
composed  of  influential  priests  and  laymen,  under 
the  presidency  of  Government  Agents,  have  been 
appointed  by  the  Government  in  the  Sabaragamuwa 
District,  in  Galle,  and  in  Matara,  to  secure  in  the  first 
instance,  what  I  am  glad  to  find  Professor  Max  Miiller 
in  his  letter  on  the  subject  to  the  Secretary  of  State 
for  the  Colonies,*  calls — "the  important"  viz.,  "the 
sacred  literature  of  Buddhism."  I  believe  these  Com- 
mittees are  actively  engaged  in  the  work  of  transcrip- 
tion assigned  to  them,  and  I  trust  the  time  will  not  be 
long  before  the  existence  of  a  Public  Oriental  Library 
in  Ceylon  will  be  a  fact.  The  Government  have  also 
secured  the  benefit  of  a  revision  of  a  portion  of  the 
canonical  works  of  Buddhism,  made  by  a  body  of  learned 
priests  under  the  presidency  of  the  learned  High 
Priest  of  Adam's  Peak,  in  the  monastic  establishments 
of  Sabaragamuwa.  The  only  want  hitherto  felt  for 
rendering  this  copy  as  accurate  as  possible,  was  that  of 
a  complete  copy  of  the  Burmese  Code,  which  had  been 
taken  away  many  centuries  ago  from  this  Island  ;  but 
I  believe  there  is  every  probability  of  this  being  soon 
obtained  from  the  king  of  Burma.  It  is  not  possifcie 
to  purchase  all  the  MSS.,  but  where  the  writing  pre- 
sents undoubted  evidences  of  high  antiquity,  it  would  be 
desirable,  as  remarked  by  Professor  Max  Miiller,  "that 
the  original  MSS.  should  be  bought  and  preserved;" 


*  See  Appendix  A. 


Xxiv  PREFACE. 

and  I  see  no  objection  to  his  proposal  "  to  preserve 
carefully-made  copies  (of  them)  in  Ceylon,  and  to 
transfer  the  originals  to  England,"  where  they  would 
be  (not  only)  in  safer  keeping  than  elsewhere,  but 
would  be  more  thoroughly  examined  and  published 
than  in  Ceylon* 

Application  has  also  been  made  to  the  authorities 
at  Burma ;  and  a  copy  of  the  Tepitaka  consisting  of 
42  vols,  is  on  its  way  to  Ceylon ;  and  it  is  not  unlikely 
that  a  similar  application  to  the  king  of  Siam  will 
secure  to  the  Colony  the  benefit  of  the  version  extant 
in  that  country.  The  advantages  to  be  derived  from 
an  intercomparison  of  these  versions  with  our  own 
cannot  be  overrated. 

Such  are  briefly  the  facts  connected  with  the  proposed 
Library:  and,  though  its  establishment,  (which  may 
be  looked  upon  as  an  accomplished  fact),  has  in  a  great 
measure  rendered  an  alteration  in  the  original  design 
of  the  Descriptive  Catalogue  necessary  ;  yet,  since  it 
was  impossible  to  frame  a  classified  Catalogue  until 
the  very  last  MS.  had  been  examined,  and  it  would 
be  difiicult  to  say  when  that  would  be  possible ;  and 
since  much  valuable  time,  which  could  be  devoted  to 
printing,  would,  in  the  meantime,  be  lost ;  I  resolved, 
as  desired  by  Mr.  Murdoch,  to  afford  "information  to 
Oriental  scholars  respecting  the  numerous  works  which 
still  exist,"  and  to  publish  a  description  of  each  book  as 
it  presented  itself,  without  reference  to  any  alphabeti- 
cal order  of  names,  or  to  the  subjects  which  it  treated 
upon, — purposing,  however,  when  this  has  been  done, 


PREFACE.  XXV 

to  frame  a  "classified  Index,"  which  should  serve  all 
the  purposes  of  the  Catalogue  originally  designed,  and 
which  might  moreover  be  regarded  as  the  official 
Catalogue  of  the  Government  in  connection  with  the 
Library  it  has  established. 

The  following  sheets  are  issued  as  a  specimen  of  the 
Descriptive  Catalogue,  preparatory  to  the  official 
Classified  Catalogue,  the  framing  of  which.,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  former,  will  be  comparatively  easy, 
and  can  be  completed  at  the  same  time  as  the  Library. 

A  few  words  may  here  be  necessary  in  explanation 
of  the  plan  of  my  work. 

With  a  view  to  concentrate  as  much  information  as 
could  be  collected  into  one  book  from  different  sources, 
— information  which  is  much  sought  for  by  European 
inhabitants  of  Ceylon,  and  by  natives,  as  well  as  by 
Oriental  scholars  in  Europe, — I  have  availed  myself  of 
my  own  previous  labours,  as  well  as  of  those  of  other 
writers,  after  due  acknowledgment.  Where  a  work 
appeared  to  possess  more  than  ordinary  interest,  e.  g,y 
Tepitaka  or  Dipavansa,  I  have,  within  legal  bounds, 
either  noticed  or  embodied  all  the  translations  hitherto 
made  and  scattered  in  various  periodicals ;  and  have, 
whenever  possible,  given  a  brief  analysis  of  the  unpub- 
lished portions. 

Though  exception  has  been  taken  by  some  to  the 
course  thus  pursued,  I  see  no  valid  objection  to  it, 
except  on  the  score  of  delay  and  bulk.  As  for  "  delay," 
there  can  be  none,  since,  the  materials  are  already  at 
hand,  and  have  scarcely  taken  any  time  in  the  printing; 

d 


xxtI  preface. 

and  as  to  "bulk,"  that  is  a  matter  more  for  my  consi- 
deration, than  that  of  others.  It  has  also  been  urged, 
that  it  was  "  useless  to  include  in  this  what  was  in 
everybody's  hands."  Now,  though  this  might  be  said 
of  my  remarks  under  the  title  of  Attanagaluwansa, 
which  previously  formed  part  of  the  Preface  attached 
to  my  Translation  of  that  work  ;  yet  I  may  remark 
that  the  Attanagaluwansa*  has  not  had  the  circulation 
which  some  have  supposed,  and  that,  as  remarked  by 
European  friends  in  Ceylon,  whose  opinions  are  enti- 
tled to  weight,  "if  the  object  of  the  'Descriptive 
Catalogue'  is  to  concentrate  all  the  information  re- 
garding a  particular  work,  including  the  subject  on 
which  it  treats,  twenty-eight  pages  devoted  for  such 
a  purpose  is  an  advantage  rather  than  the  reverse.'* 
As  regards  the  observations  under  the  title  of  Kach- 
chayana,  a  cursory  perusal  of  them  will  shew  the  cause 
which  rendered  them  necessary.  They  are  intended 
more  to  correct  a  previous  erroneous  identification  of 
the  author  by  myself,  than  for  any  display. 

The  space  which  I  intend  to  devote  to  a  proper 
elucidation  of  different  important  topics  connected 
with  the  Tepitaka  may,  I  trust,  be  not  deemed  too 
great.  No  one  has  yet  examined  the  entire  text  of 
the  Pali,  much  less  its  huge  Comment.     The  time 


*  This  work  has  not  yet  been  completed  ;  and  the  Text  is  still 
in  the  press.  Only  a  few  copies  of  the  Translation  have  been 
forwarded  to  England,  and  to  some  friends  on  the  Continent  of 
Europe. 


PREFACE.  XXVll 

indeed  is  far  distant  before  such  an  examination  can 
be  accomplished.  In  the  meantime,  great  misappre- 
hensions exist  as  to  the  real  words  of  Buddha,  his 
doctrines,  the  authenticity  of  the  Pali  version,  the 
supposed  admixtures  into  it  by  his  pupils,  the  date 
when  it  was  consigned  to  writing,  the  age  of  its  lan- 
guage, etc,  etc.  It  is  therefore  my  intention,  in  the 
article  devoted  to  the  consideration  of  Tepitaka,  briefly 
to  notice  many  of  the  above  points,  and  to  refer  to  facts 
and  circumstances  which  may  perhaps  appear  new  to 
many.  My  views  may  be  incorrect,  my  inferences 
wrong,  and  my  readings  inaccurate;  and  yet  those  very 
errors  will,  I  am  persuaded,  lead  to  investigations 
which — as  in  the  case  of  Kachchayana's  Pali  Gram- 
mar— may  result  in  the  ascertainment  of  facts  previously 
unknown,  or  discoveries  interesting  to  the  students  of 
science. 

As  to  the  only  other  titles  under  which  lengthy 
extracts  have  been  admitted,  viz.,  the  Mahawansa  and 
Dipawansa,  the  course  is  justified  by  the  interest  which 
attaches  to  the  extracts,  and  the  scarcity  of  the  works 
from  which  those  extracts  have  been  made.  Except 
in  these  instances,  and  few  others,  I  have  not  thought 
proper  to  elaborate  particulars  beyond  describing  the 
work,  ascertaining  the  name  of  the  author,  fixing  his 
age,  and  presenting  the  reader  with  a  specimen  of  each 
writer,  with  a  translation  such  as  I  was  able  to  produce 
according  to  my  humble  ability,  aided  and  directed  by  an 
accomplished  Pandit  "  whose  critical  acumen"  has  been 
already  acknowledged  by  learned  European  Scholars* 


XXVlll  PREFACE. 

It  is  perhaps  needless  for  me  to  say,  that,  with  all 
the  attention  I  have  bestowed,  there  still  appear  errors 
of  both  omission  and  commission;  and  that  all  my 
translations  from  the  Sanskrit  and  Pali  may  be  wanting 
in  critical  accuracy.  If  however  the  island  abounded 
— which  it  does  not — with  Oriental  scholars,  and  with 
linguists  both  able  and  ready  to  render  assistance,*  the 
case  might  have  been  different.  But  without  a  single 
European  who  has  mastered  the  Pali  or  Sanskrit,  with 
but  few  Native  scholars  possessing  a  fair  acquaint- 
ance with  English,  Pali  and  Sinhalese — and  those 
generally  inaccessible  to  me  either  for  consultation  or 
advice — I  have  had  to  struggle  through  all  difficulties 
single-handed,  so  far  as  the  translations  into  English 
were  concerned.  Under  such  circumstances  it  is 
perhaps  not  too  much  to  ask  for  the  indulgence  of  the 
public. 

I  have  anticipated  Professor  Max  Miiller,  as  was 
done  by  the  Hon.  Mr.  Turnour  before  the  publication 
of  the  Mahawansa,  in  the  adoption  of  the  Koman 
alphabet,  very  nearly  in  accordance  with  the  system 
sanctioned  by  Government  in  the  Minute  which  is 
published  in  the  Appendix.  Great  care  has  been  taken, 
as  further  suggested  by  the  learned  Professor,  "that 
the  extracts  are  given  correctly ,"t  and  to  render  the 
translations  as  "  literal "  as  possible. 

*  See  remarks  in  Introduction  to  Kachchdyana,  page  exxxiii. 

t  The  system  of  printing  Pali  and  other  Asiatic  languages  in 
the  fRoman  character  is  quite  new  to  the  country.  Neither 
copyists  nor  compositors  are  yet  familiar  with  it.     The  consec^uen^ 


PREFACE.  XXIX 

In  my  notes  and  observations  on  the  Buddhist  litera- 
ture and  religion,*  I  have  endeavoured,  as  suggested 
by  the  same  Professor  in  his  Introduction  to  Dham- 
mapada,  "  to  adopt  Sanskrit  throughout  as  the  lingua 
franca^''  and  I  have  departed  from  this  principle  in  those 
instances  only  where  I  have  been  treating  of  particular 
doctrines,  or  expressions  in  a  particular  book  :  in  which 
case  I  have  adopted  Sanskrit,  Pali,  or  Sinhalese  words 
as  they  occurred  in  each:  and  this  appears  to  me  the 
only  model  in  which  a  great  many  difficulties  may  be 
obviated. 

I  estimate  that  the  entire  work,  with  the  Indices,  will 
not  exceed  800  pages,  and  therefore  purpose  to  divide 
the  whole  into  three  volumes.  Though  this  specimen 
contains  but  230  pages,  I  have  MSS.  on  hand  which 
will  cover  200  pages  more.  In  addition  to  these,  I  have 
in  a  state  of  progress  several  articles,  which  will 
occupy,  when  completed,  at  the  least,  300  pages. 

I  do  not  indeed  expect  that  my  observations,  though 
carefully  worded,  and  adapted  for  a  document  such  as 
this  Catalogue  is,  will  be  received  by  the  learned 
Oriental  Scholars  of  Europe  with  universal  approba- 
tion ;  but  whether  they  be  correct  or  not,  I   have  no 


correction  of  "  copy,"  and  the  subsequent  alterations  in  the  course 
of  printing  are  manifold.  Under  such  circumstances,  it  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at  that  the  writer's  vigilance  has  not  detected  errors 
such  as  '*  nara  "  and  "  anara  "  at  page  4, 

*  See  my  Review  of  Dhammapada. 

•f  A^ departure  has  been  sometimes  rendered  necessary  owing  to 
the  want  of  the  required  type, 


XXX  PREFACE. 

doubt  they  will  be  appreciated  by  many,  as  affording 
topics  of  great  interest  for  consideration  and  future 
investigation.  Any  remarks  which  they  may  be 
pleased  to  forward  to  me  directly,  or  through  the 
Government,  will,  I  beg  to  assure  them,  be  accepted 
thankfully,  and  shall  receive  my  best  and  most  careful 
attention. 

In  conclusion,  whilst  acknowledging  the  invaluable 
assistance  I  have  received  from  the  publications  of 
Weber,  Turnour,  Gogerly,  Hardy,  FausboU,  Max 
Miiller,  Childers,  and  Kuhn,  I  beg  to  offer  my  warmest 
thanks  to  Mr.  Skeen  for  his  kind  and  valuable  assist- 
ance in  carrying  this  work  through  the  press,  and  to 
the  Rev.  J.  Scott,  the  Chairman  of  the  Wesleyan 
Mission  in  Ceylon,  for  placing  at  my  service  the  whole 
of  the  valuable  Pali  library  of  the  late  Rev.  D.  J. 
Gogerly,  of  which  I  have  largely  availed  myself  in  the 
examination  of  several  questions  of  great  interest. 

JAS.   ALWIS. 


A 
DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGUE. 


A 

DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE 

OP 

LITERARY    WORKS 

IN 

CEYLON. 


AbHIDH  a'n  APAD]  'PIK  a' 

is  the  only  ancient  Pali  Dictionary  in  Ceylon,  or,  so 
far  as  it  is  known,  any  where  else.  It  is  of  the  highest 
authority,  and  holds  the  same  place  in  Pali,  which 
Amarakosa  does  in  Sanskrit  literature.  Indeed  it  may 
be  called  a  twin-sister  of  the  Sanskrit  Vocabulary, 
They  are  both  composed  exactly  in  the  same  style  and 
plan,  (if  indeed  one  is  not  a  transcript  of  the  other), 
and  are  intended  to  heip  those  who  study  the  Bauddha 
sacred  works.  The  name,  too,  adopted  for  the  Pali 
work  is  one  by  which  Amara's  Sanskrit  Vocabulary 
had  already  been  known,  viz.,  Abhidhdna  (Nouns), 
for  the  purpose  of  throwing  'light'  {padipika)  on  which, 
this  work  is  professedly  undertaken. 

It  was  printed  in  1824  by  the  Rev.  B.  Cloughofthe 
Wesleyan  Mission,  with  a  translation   into    English 


2  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

but  he  omitted  to  give  both  the  Introduction  and  the 
Conclusion  of  the  book, — an  omission  which  led  Ori- 
ental scholars  to  express  various  conjectures  as  to  the 
date  of  the  Dictionary,  until  the  Translator  of  a  portion 
of  Kachchayana's  Pali  Grammar  published  them  in 
1863.*  As  affording  a  specimen  of  the  work,  and  a 
description  of  the  Vocabulary  under  notice,  the  follow- 
ing is  transferred  from  the  work  last  named. 

1.  Tathagato  yo  karuna  karo  karo 
'Payatamossajja  sukhap  padan  padau 
Aka  paratthan  kalisam  bhave  bhave 
Namiimi  tan  kevala  duk-karan  karan 

2.  Apiijayun  yam  muni  kunjara  jara 
'Rujadimutta  yahi'muttare  tare 
Thita  tivattambu  nidhin  nara'uara 
Tarinsu  tan  dhamaraa'  raagha  pahan'  pahan 

3.  Gatam  munindo'  rasasunutau  nutan 
Supunnakhettan  bhuvane'sutan  sutan 
Ganara'pi  pan!  kata  sanvaran  varan 
Sada  guno'  ghena  nirantar'an  taran 

4.  Nama  lingesu  kossallan 
'Attha  nichchhaya  karanan 
Yato  mahabbalan  Buddha 
Vachane  pata  vatthinan. 

*  See  Alwis's  Kaclichay ana's  Grammar,  p.  vi.  et  seq.  We  learn 
on  the  authority  of  Professor  Weber  of  Berlin,  that  "Wester- 
gaard,  too,  (Catal.  p.  586,)  communicates  only  the  verse  in  which 
the  author's  name  is  contained." 


ABniDIIA'NAPADl'PIKA'.  3 

5.  Namalingan'  yato  Buddha 
Bhasitassa'  raha  n'alian 
Dassayanto  pakasissam 
'Abhidhana'  padipikan 

6.  Bliiyo  riipan  tara  saha 
'Chariyena  cha  katthachi 
Kvacha'  hachcha  vidhanena 
Neyyan  thipuii  iiapunsakan. 

7.  Abhinua  linginan  yeva 
Dvaiido  cha  liugavachakti 
Gathii  padanta  majjhatthsi 
Pubban  yantya'pare  paran. 

8.  Pumittliiyaii  padan  dvisu 
Sabba  linge  cha  tis'viti 
Abhidhaiian  tara  rambhe 
Neyyan  t'vanta  mathadi  cha. 

9.  Bhiyo  payoga'magamma 
Sogate  agame  kvachi 
Nighandu  yuttin  ch'aniya 
Nama  lingan  kathiyati. 

*  I  adore  Tathdgata,  who  is  a  mine  of  compassion, 
and  who,  having  renounced  the  beatific  nibban  within 
his  reach,  conferred  happiness  on  others,  performing 
all  the  difficult-to-be  accomplished  acts  in  metampsy- 
chosis,  the  fountain  of  sin. 

*I  (adore)  the  sin-scaring  Dliamma,  to  which  holy 
sages,  devoid  of  decrepitude  and  disease,  have  paid 
reverence;  and  by  conformance  to  which  the  high  and 


4  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

the  mean,  both  (amongst)  men  and  other  beings,*  have 
crossed  the  tri-annuhir|  ocean  (of  metampsychosis.) 

'And  ever  (do  I  adore)  the  6\.i\)Yeme priesthood,  (like 
unto  a  iuerit"(producing)-field,  who  have  become  the 
legitimate  sonsj  of  Buddha;  and  who  receive  rever- 
ence— are  illustrious  in  the  (three)  worlds — preserve 
the  sanvara,  §  like  life  itself — and  ever  practise  an 
abundance  of  virtues. 

'  Since  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  nouns,  and 
(their)  genders,  is  essential  to  the  (ascertainment  of) 
the  correct  significations  (of  words),  and  is  a  powerful 
help  to  those  desirous  of  mastering  the  word  of  Buddha; 

*  I  shall  publish  the  Abhidhanapadipika,f  illustrating 
nouns  and  (iheiv)ffenders,  according  to  their  application 
in  the  language  of  (the  discourses  of)  Buddha. 

*  The  masculine,  feminine,  and  neuter  are  to  be  distin- 
guished, chiefly,  from  their  diiferent  forms;  sometimes 
from  the  association  of  words  (context);  and  sometimes 
by  specific  rule. 

*[In  this  work]  dvanda  compounds  will  consist 
(of  nouns)  of  the  same  gender.     When   words  which 

*  'Nara  and  anara' — human  and  non -human. 

f  The  'tivattambu-nidi.' — The  ocean,  encompassed  with  three 
circles,  is  here  used  for  '  metampsychosis ;'  and  the  three  barriers 
are  '  Kamma,'  action  which  begets  merit  and  demerit ;  '  Klesa' 
evil,  trouble,  pain  or  sorrow  ;  and  '  Vipaka'  the  rewards  of  merit 
and  demerit. 

%  Sons — a  term  applied  to  disciples. 

§  That  is,  Tieserve  the  Sila  or  precepts.' 

^  Lit. — 'Lanjp  of  Nouns.' 


abhidha'napadi'pika'.  5 

denote  the  gender  occur  at  the  end  or  the  middle  of 
a  line  in  a  verse,  (such  words)  refer  to  the  (names  at 
the)  beginning  (of  that  line);  (but  where  they  are 
placed  at)  the  commencement,  (they  refer  to)  the 
remaining  words  (of  the  same  line.) 

'Know  that  the  term  dnisu  denotes  both  masculine 
and  feminine;  that  tisu  signifies  all  the  genders;  and 
that  words  ending  in  tu  or  (preceded  by)  otha,  &c.,  are 
given  to  express  the  commencement  of  a  series  of  names. 

*  Nouns  and  (their)  genders  are  (here)  illustrated, 
according  to  their  application,  chiefly  in  the  Buddhist 
works,  and  sometimes  after  the  usage  adopted  in 
Lexicons.' 

The  above  is  the  Introduction  to  the  Abhidhanapa- 
dipika;  and  it  cannot  be  conceived  why  it  was  omitted 
in  the  translation  of  that  work  by  Mr.  Tolfrey,  or  was 
left  out  by  his  publisher,  the  He  v.  B.  Ciough.  At 
the  conclusion  of  the  same  book  are  also  nine  stanzas, 
which  are  likewise  left  out  in  the  publication  above 
mentioned;  and  which,  since  they  enable  us  to  fix  the 
date  of  the  work,  are  here  subjoined: — 

1  Sagga  kando  cha  blni  kando 
Tatiiii  siiraanna  kandakan 
Kanijattayanvita  esa 
Abliidlianappadipika. 

2  Tidive  mahiyau  bhujaga  vasathe 
Sakalattha  samavliaya  dipani'yau 
Iha  yo  kusalo  macimii  sanaro 
Pain  hoti  mahiJrtuiiiino  vachaiic. 


DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

3  Parakkama  bliujo  nama 
Bliupalo  guiia  bliusano 
Lanka  J  a'  misi  tejassi 
Jaji  kesari  vikkamo. 

4  Vibhinnaii  chiran  bhikkhu  sanghaii  iiikaya 
Tayasmin  clia  karesi  gamma  samagge 
Sadehan'va  nichcha  'davo  digha  kalan 
Mahagghelii  rakkhesi  yo  pachchayehi. 

o  Yeua  Lanka  viharehi 
Gama'rama  purihicha 
Kittiyaviya  sambadhi 
Kata  khettehi  vapihi. 

6  Yassa'  sadharanan  patva 
'Nuggahan  sabba  kamadan 
Aham'pi  gantha  karattam 
Patto  vibudha  gocharan. 

7  Karite  tena  passada 
Gopuvadi  vibhusite 
Sagga  kande'va  tattoya 
Sayasrain  patibimbite. 

8  Maba  Jetavana  khyanihi 
Vihare  sadhu  sammate 
Sarogama  samuhamhi 
Vasata  santa  vuttina. 

9  Saddhammatthitj  kamena 
Moggallanena  dhimata 
Therena  racliita  yesa 
Abhidhaiiappadipika. 


*The  Abhidhdnapadipikd  consists  of  three  sections — 
on  Heavenly,  Earthly,  and  General  subjects. 

*It  interprets  the  names  of  all  objects  in  Heaven, 
Earth,  and  the  Ndga  regions.  A  sensible  person  who 
excels  in  this,  will  master  the  words  of  the  great  sage. 

'  There  was  in  Lanka  a  Monarch  named  Parakkama- 
bahu — 'Celebrated,  successful,  endowed  with  virtues, 
and  valorous  as  a  lion. 

^He  in  the  right  maimer  (in  the  legitimate  mode) 
reconciled*  the  Bhikkhus  and  Sanghas  of  the  three 
Nikdyas;^  and,  with  unceasing  love,  long  extended 
his  protection  to  (them;  as  to  his  own  body,  with 
valuable  objects  of  maintenance 4 

'  He  established  to  profusion  in  Lanka,  in  the  same 
manner  that  it  was  filled  with  his  renown,§  monaste- 
rie8,1[  villages,!!  parks,**  cities,|f  fieldsJJ  and  tanks.§§ 


*  'He  reformed  the  religion.' — Upham,  vol.  i.  p.  299. 

•j-  "  Association  or  Congregation  performing  the  same  duties." 

%  'Pachchaya' — Objects  of  maintenance,  which  are  four,  viz,, 
'  chivara,'  garments ;  '  pindapata,'  food ;  '  senasana,'  sleeping  objects ; 
'gilana  pachchaya,'  that  which  is  necessary  for  the  sick — medicines. 

§  See  Ceylon  Almanac  for  1834. 

^  "  He  built  the  viharas  in  the  city  of  Anuradhapura." — ih,  at  p.  1 90. 

II  "  The  King  also  made  several  hundreds  of  houses  and  many 
streets  arranged  with  shops." — Mahawansa. 

**  "  He  formed  many  pleasant  and  delightful  gardens." — Mah. 
C.  B.  A.  S.  J.,  p.  148. 

f-j-  "He  built  three  more  cities." — Uphani's  Mahawansa,  p.  277. 

IJ  "  He  formed  paddy  fields."— A/aA.  C.  B.  A.S.  J.,vol.vii.,p.l41. 

§§  "  The  King  also  repaired  many  ancient  tanks," — Mahawansa, 
ib.  p.  149. 


8  DESCKIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

'I,  the  special  object  of  his  wish-conferring  patronage, 
have  also  acquired  the  privilege  of  authorship  peculiar 
to  the  learned. 

'Desirous  of  perpetuating  the  Saddhamma,  the  Abhi- 
dhanapadipika  was  composed  by  the  erudite  Moggallana 
thera — 

'Of  mild  deportment,  dwelling  amongst  the  Saro- 
gdma*  fraternity  (who  were)  received  by  the  virtuous 
with  approbation;  and  (residing)  in  the  Monastery 
called  the  Mahd  Jeiavana ; — 

'[A  monastic  establishment]  adorned  whh.  the 
temples,  ornamented  porclies,  &c.,  which  were  built 
by  him  (the  aforesaid  king)  as  it  were  a  portion  of 
Heaven  reflected  in  his  tank.' 

Here  we  have  sufficient  data  to  fix  the  date  of  the 
Abhidhanapadipika.  It  was  composed  by  a  thera 
named  Moggallana^  who  had  been  patronized  by  king 
Parakkaraa.  His  acts,  which  are  here  related,  can  only 
be  identified  with  those  of  "the  heroic  and  invincible 
royal  warrior,  gloriously  endowed  v/ith  might,  majesty, 
and  wisdom;  and  radiant  with  benignant  virtues,"!  ''the 
most  martial,  enterprising  and  glorious  of  the  Sinhalese 
Sovereigns,"!  who,  according  to  history,  was  Parak- 
kamabahu  of  Polonnoruwa.  He  ascended  the  throne 
in  1153  A.  D.  ;  and  when  we  notice  that  that  sove- 
reign, who  reigned  for  thirty-three  years,   turned    his 

*  This  is  a  Pali  translation  of  the  Sinhalese  proper  name  Velgam. 
f  Inscription  in  Cejion  Almanac  for  1834. 
X  Mahawansa,  p.  Ix^-i. 


attention  to  the  internal  improvements  which  are  here 
mentioned,  in  the  latter  part  of  his  reign,  and  after  he 
had  brought  his  local  and  foreign  wars  to  a  termina- 
tion ;  we  may  assign  to  the  Abhidhanapadipika  a  date 
at  the  latter  end  of  the  second  half  of  the  twelfth 
century.  This,  therefore,  is  posterior  to  the  A  mar  a - 
kosa,*  which  may  be  placed  about  the  middle  or 
end  of  the  fifth  century  after  Christ.  To  shew  their 
correspondence  the  three  following  introductory  stanzas 
are  here  introduced  from  the  last  named  work. 

'  The  masculine, feminine,  and  neuter  (genders)  are  to 
be  known  chiefly  by  their  different  forms ;  sometimes  by 
the  association  of  words;  and  sometimes  by  specific  rule. 

*Here  with  a  view  to  distinct  elucidation  (nouns  of) 
different  unspecified  genders  are  not  rendered  into 
dvandva  compounds.  Neither  are  they,  without  order, 
jumbied  together;  nor  indeed  expressed  by  '  eka  sesha.'f 

*  Pi'ofessor  H.  11.  Wilson  thus  notices  the  date  of  this  writer  in 
the  Preface  to  his  Sanskrit.  Dictionary ;  "  Amera  Sinha  may  therefore 
be  left,  agreeably  to  tradition,  to  the  beginning  of  the  Cliristian 
era ;  or  as  connected  with  other  traditionary  notices  of  names  and 
events,  which,  I  shall  proceed  to  describe,  he  may  be  brought  down 
to  a  later  date,  and  placed  about  the  middle  or  end  of  the  fifth 
century  after  Chi-ist." 

f  'Eka  sesha':  'one  left  out,'  i.  e.,  the  omission  of  one  to 
designate  the  same  by  another,  which  has  been  mentioned ;  or, 
conversely,  the  expression  of  one  name  to  designate  another 
omitted  name  of  the  same  genus  or  family ;  as  Asvinu  '  the  two 
Asvin,'  in  the  dual,  designate  'the  Physicians  of  heaven,  and  tv\'in 
sons  of  the  sun,  or  children  of  the  constellation  Asvinf,'  who  are 
sepai-ately  named  Nasatya  and  Dasra. 

C 


10  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

^  The  term  trisliu  (denotes"!  the  three  genders  ;  and 
dvayoh  the  male  and  female.  (Where  a  certain) 
gender  is  expressly  negatived,  the  remaining  ones  (are 
meant) ;  and,  where  words  ending  in  tu  (occur,  or) 
atha,  &c,,  they  do  not  refer  to  the  preceding  (words).' 

As  already  intimated  the  Avork  is  divided  into  three 
parts ;  the  first  treats  on  celestial^  the  second  on 
terrestrial,  and  the  third  on  miscellaneous,  objects. 
Each  part  is  sub-divided  into  several  sections ;  but  the 
whole  book  may  be  regarded  as  a  Dictionary  of  Syno- 
nymes,  except  the  3rd  and  4th  sections  of  part  third, 
the  former  alone  being  devoted  to  homonymous  terms, 
and  the  latter  to  indeclinable  particles.  The  entire 
work  contains  1212  gdtkds  of,  chiefly,  32  syllables, 
though  occasionally  we  meet  with  longer  metres. 
Some  MSS.  which  my  Pandit  has  examined,  con- 
tained two  or  three  stanzas  Avhich  are  omitted  in  the 
printed  editions* 

In  addition  to  the  Translation  and  the  Text  of  the 
Abhidhanapadipika,  published  by  Clough,  a  second 
edition  of  the  same  was  printed  in  1865,  by  a  Buddhist 
priest  named  Subhuti.  Both  these  editions,  as  well 
as  the  original,  are  deficient,  for  want  of  an  Alphabetical 
Index,' — a  deficiency  which  the  late  Kev.  D.  J.  Gogerly 
endeavoured  to  supply;   but  his  Dictionary  has  not 


*  After  the  above  description  it  is  unnecessary  to  state  the 
space  which  this  work  occupies  in  Ola  MSS.,  as  they  vary,  accord- 
ing to  the  size  of  the  leaves  on  which  they  are  written.  A  copy 
in  my  possession,  with  four  stanzas  to  the  page,  contains  152  leaves. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  11 

been  published.  It  is  liowever  now  being  revised  by 
the  Rev.  J.  Coles  of  the  Church  Missionary  Society, 
and  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  published  in  the  early  part  of 
next  year. 


AtT ANAGALU VANS  A . 


Amongst  the  many  historical  works  extant  in  Ceylon, 
is  the  Pali  work  above  indicated,  written  in  very 
ancient  times  upon  the  authority  of  *old  historians  and 
ancient  legends.' 

According  to  the  established  usage  of  all  eastern 
nations,  it  opens  with  an  adoration,  Avhich  io  the  usual 
Buddhistlcal  one,  and  proceeds  to  an  invocation, 
between  which  and  that  in  the  Sdhitya  Darpana  there 
seems  to  be  much  agreement.  Although  this  book  is 
entitled  the  Attanagaluvihdrovansa,  *the  history  of  the 
Temple  of  Attanagalla';  yet,  as  a  prelude  to  that  which 
is  the  chief  subject  matter  of  the  work,  the  writer 
devotes  several  chapters  to  depict  the  history  of  Sri 
Sanghabodhi,  whose  decapitation  at  the  place  above- 
mentioned  led  to  the  erection  of  a  Temple  which  still 
exists;  and  who  was  the  only  one  from  amongst  the 
Sovereigns  of  Ceylon  to  whom  the  historian  has  devoted 
an  entirely  separate  work. 

He  was  one  of  three  Princes,  connected  with  each 
other,  of  the  Lambakanna  (Lamini,  Sinh.)  race,  who 
had  their  domains  at  Mahiyangana  in  Bintenna,  a 
place  still  known  by  that  name.      Sanghabodhi's  father 


12  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Sela-Abhaya  is  alone  mentioned  here,  but  in  a  rock- 
inscription  at  Mihintala,*  his  parents  are  both  named — 
the  father  as  Abaya-Sela  (the  same  names  inverted), 
and  the  mother  as  Devugon. 

In  the  Attanagaluvansa  Selabhaya  is  simply  called 
a  '  Khattiya'  (prince) ;  but  he  was,  probably  a  provincial 
chieftain  or  sub-king.  For,  both  the  inscription  above- 
mentioned  and  the  Sinhalese  version  of  the  Attana- 
galuvansa, designate  him  *  monarch.' 

It  would  seem  from  the  history  under  notice,  and 
from  the  particulars  given  in  the  Mahavansa  that 
Sanghabodhi  and  his  associates  Sanghatissa  and 
Gothabiiaya,  repaired  to  Anuradhapura,  and  soon 
became  established  in  high  favor  at  the  Court  of  the 
reigning  prince  (Wijaya  Indu  A.  D.  241,)  obtaining 
from  him  the  highest  offices  of  the  state,  and  enjoying 
his  unlimited  confidence.  They  were  not,  however, 
long  in  subjection  to  Wijaya  Indu;  for  scarcely  a  year 
expired  from  the  time  they  had  entered  into  his  service, 
when  Sanghatissa,  procuring  Gothabhaya  to  assassinate 
his  benefactor,  ascended  the  throne. 

Sanghabodhi,  it  would  appear  from  the  Attanagalu- 
vansa, (vide  cap.  iii.  §  6),  was  no  party  to  this  foul 
deed;  and  the  general  character  given  of  him  in  the 
Dipavansa,  as  ^  a  good  and  pious  prince,'t  goes  to  sup- 
port that  statement.  Yet  such  a  belief  is  inconsistent 
with  the  version  of  the  transaction  in  the  Mahavansa, 

*  For  the  original  see  Sidatsangara,  p.  xxxvi. 
I  Sanghabodhi'ti  namena  Raja  asi  susilava; 
Dve  vassaneva  so  r^ja  rajjan  karesi  Khattiyo. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  13 

which,  in  the  language  of  Mr.  Tumour's  translation, 
p.  229,  runs  as  follows  : 

^  These  three  persons,  on  their  reaching  the  capital, 
were  most  graciously  received  by  the  monarch  Wijaya 
in  whose  court  they  were  established,  and  employed 
in  offices  of  state.  Conspiring  together,  they  put  to 
death  the  raja  Wijayo  in  his  own  palace ;  and  two  of  them 
raised  (the  third)  Sanghatisso,  who  was  at  the  head  of 
the  army,  to  the  throne.' 

Sanghatissa  reigned  only  four  years,  at  the  termina- 
tion of  which  he  was  poisoned  by  the  people,  who  could 
no  longer  bear  the  oppression  of  the  exactions  made 
during  his  royal  excursions  to  the  Eastern  Provinces, 

Upon  the  death  of  Sanghatissa,  Gothabhaya,  who 
was  destined  (according  to  the  prediction  of  a  blind 
sage)  to  reign  longer  than  his  two  associates,  requested 
Sanghabodhi  to  assume  the  reigns  of  Government.  But 
he  declined  this  high  honor;  and  his  denunciation  of 
principalities,  dominions,  and  powers,  as  recorded  by 
the  historian  in  a  beautiful  speech,  is  couched  in 
oriental  imagery,  and  exhibits  a  thorough  knowledge 
of  man  and  his  depraved  nature, — a  fact  however,  not 
borne  out  by  his  subsequent  conduct.  Sanghabodhi 
was  soon  prevailed  upon  by  the  priesthood  to  accept 
the  pressing  invitation  of  the  people.  The  historian 
here  dwells  on  the  principles  of  good  Government,  as 
having  been  enunciated  by  the  prince's  preceptor, 
Nanda,  to  whose  previous  discourse  on  the  duties  of 
Man,  and  the  necessity  for  the  early  formation  of  right 
principles,  nearly  an  entire  chapter  is  devoted. 


14  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

The  policy  however  of  Sanghabodhi's  government 
was  characterized  by  great  weakness.  After  he  was 
crowned,  he  continued  to  evince,  as  he  had  done  before, 
greater  devotion  to  the  interests  of  religion  than  to 
the  affairs  of  the  state.     This  from 

'  A  man  on  earth  devoted  to  the  skies,' 
was  scarcely  unexpected.  He  mixed  not  with  the  world, 
and  could  not  therefore  distinguish  the  local  from  the 
natural  man.  He  was  too  much  absorbed  in  religious 
affairs,  to  enable  him  "to  track  the  silent  march  of  human 
affairs,  and  to  seize  with  happy  intuition  on  those  great 
laws  which  regulate  the  prosperity  of  empires."  His 
meditations  did  not  permit  him  to  reconcile  principles 
to  circumstances,  or  to  devise  measures  in  anticipation 
of  the  effects  which  state-affairs  had  upon  "  the  entangled 
relations  and  awkward  complexity  of  real  life." 

Buddhism,  moreover,  manifested  an  antagonism  to 
good  Government.  The  principles  of  the  former  con- 
flicted with  those  of  the  latter.  The  exercise  of  those 
duties  which  a  state  policy  demanded,  threatened  the 
destruction  of  all  religious  merit.  The  enthusiasm 
and  rigid  piety  of  so  great  an  adherent  of  Buddha  as 
Sanghabodhi,  permitted  not  a  departure  from  the  duties 
prescribed  by  his  religion, — even  where  the  majesty 
of  the  law  demanded  the  infliction  of  punishment. 
And  the  consequence  was,  as  may  be  easily  expected, 
that,  having  forgotten  '  the  highest  virtue  of  a  king, 
(which)  is  the  protection   of  his   subjects,'*  the  old 

*  Manu,  vii.  §  144. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  15 

existing  Ordinances  for  the  repression  of  crime,  the 
promotion  of  the  comforts  of  the  poor,  and  the  security 
of  their  person  and  property,  became  disregarded. 

"  When  the  malefactors  were  brought  to  the  prison 
of  the  capital,"  says  the  historian,  "  as  the  king's  vows 
precluded  the  possibility  of  their  being  executed,  they 
were  secretly  released  at  night  after  condemnation,  and 
the  corpses,  furnished  by  the  usual  casualties  of  a 
populous  city,  were  exhibited  at  the  place  of  execution, 
on  gibbets  and  impaling  poles,  as  the  victims  of  violated 
laws."  Thus,  says  the  historian,  a  pious  king  not  only 
successfully  repressed  crime,  but  also  gave  the  criminal 
time  and  opportunity  to  reform. 

The  contrary  however  was  indeed  the  result.  Crime 
increased  in  the  same  proportion  that  Sanghabodhi 
neglected  to  punish  the  oifender.  "  The  whole  frame 
of  society  v>'as  disorganized."  The  whole  country 
became  the  scene  of  plunder,  and  a  prey  to  lawless 
banditti  who  infested  its  environs,  encouraged  by  the 
unbounded  charities  of  the  reigning  prince.  Nor  was 
this  all.  A  famine  and  a  pestilence  soon  made  their 
appearance ;  and  to  the  sufferings  of  the  people  from 
these  causes,  the  historian  adds  those  arising  from  the 
ravages  of  a  cannibal,  who,  in  the  usual  phraseology 
of  Oriental  exa2:":eration,  he  describes  as  a  monstrous 
"  demon"  of  extraordinary  appearance  and  magnitude. 

Such  a  state  of  things  could  not  continue  for  any 
length  of  time.  Gothabhaya,  impatient  to  become  a 
king,  and  availing  himself  of  tlie  weakness  of  his  friend, 
and   the  feebleness   of  his   Government,   plotted   his 


16  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

destruction.  He  collected  an  army  from  amongst  the 
marauders  that  pillaged  the  country,  and  prepared  for 
war. 

In  the  mean  time  the  commotion  of  an  insurrection 
reached  the  king's  ears ;  and  he  instantly  left  the  city  in 
disguise,  abdicating  the  throne  in  favor  of  him  who 
had  Ijeen  instrumental  in  placing  him  on  it.  But 
Gothabhaya  was  disliked  by  the  people.  Suspecting 
therefore  the  stability  of  his  power  so  long  as  the 
people's  favorite  was  suffered  to  remain  in  the  country, 
he  offered  a  reward  for  Sanghabodhi's  head.  At  this 
time  the  latter  was  enjoying  the  solitude  of  an  hei'mi- 
tage  in  Attanagalla  in  the  Sina  Korale  of  the  Western 
Province,  with  the  contemplation  of  exercising  those 
religious  duties,  especially  the  Dana  paramita  (which 
includes  the  sacrifice  of  life,)  in  expectation  of  attain- 
ing to  a  Buddhaship. 

Mr.  Turnour,  who  was  probably  indebted  to  the 
Bajavaliya  for  the  matter  in  the  following  passage, 
(see  Ceylon  Almanac  for  1834,  p.  175)  says,  "Many 
heads,  obtained  by  murder  and  assassination,  had  been 
produced  before  the  usurper  (Gothabhaya,)  by  persons 
who  successively  forfeited  their  own  heads  for  the 
imposition  they  had  attempted  to  practise.  Siri 
Sangabo  hearing  of  these  enormities,  resolved  to  put 
an  end  to  them  by  sacrificing  his  own  life.  In  this 
frame  of  mind  he  met  with  a  peasant  who  had  fled 
from  his  home,  horrified  at  the  suggestion  of  his  wife, 
of  destroying  the  king.  He  revealed  his  distress  to  his 
disguised   s  yvereiga.     In  order  that  the  revrpaxl  might 


ATT ANAGALUV ANSA.  17 

be  secured  to  this  man,  the  king  avowed  himself,  and 
with  his  own  hand  severed  his  head  from  his  body." 
But  the  Attanagaluvansa  omits  the  matters  stated  in 
the  early  part  of  this  extract,  and  contradicts  those 
given  in  its  conclusion,  especially  as  to  the  visit  of  the 
peasant  having  been  originated  by  the  suggestion  of  his 
wife;  and  as  to  the  pre-knowdedge  of  Sanghabodhi 
resardins:  the  hvAi  reward  which  had  been  set  on  his 
head.  All  that  the  Attanagaluvansa  authorizes  us  to 
state,  is,  that  the  king  accidentally  met  a  poor  peasant 
travelling  by  his  hermitage;  and,  whilst  partaking 
with  him  his  meal,  heard  the  proceedings  of  his 
soi-disant  friend.  Heartily  glad  at  the  opportunity  thus 
presented'  of  carrying  his  designs  into  effect,  viz.,  of 
'propitiating'  his  own  life,  the  destruction  of  which  he 
prohibited  in  others,  he  requested  the  peasant  to  accept 
his  head.  The  latter  indignantly  protested  against 
being  considered  an  assassin,  or  one  capable  of  murder ; 
and  declined  the  offer.  But  be  was  soon  prevailed  upon ; 
and  the  result  was,  that  the  king  himself  severed  his 
head  from  his  body,  and  presented  it  to  the  traveller. 
On  its  being  taken  before  Gothabhaya  it  sprang  up  (as 
predicted  by  Sanghabodhi)  into  the  air,  and  proclaimed 
to  the  suspecting  king,  that  *it  was  the  identical  head 
of  king  Sanghabodhi.' 

The  history  then  proceeds  to  narrate  the  events 
connected  with  the  death  of  Sanghabolhi's  queen  in 
the  same  forest  in  which  the  king's  corpse  was  found ; 
and  the  cremation  of  the  royal  couple  with  that 
pomp  and  grandeur  to  which  their  high  station  entitled 

D 


18  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

them.  Then  follows  a  narrative  of  the  erection  of 
monumental  and  religions  edifices  by  Gothabhaya, 
upon  the  spot  where  Sanghabodhi  had  perished ;  and 
the  history  concludes  with  the  high  niuniiicent 
attentions  which  they  had  received  from  successive 
Sovereigns  by  way  of  maintaining  the  Temple  of 
Attanagalla,  from  whence  the  appellation  of  this 
little  history  is  derived. 

The  reader  is  doubtless  aware  of  the  locality  indi- 
cated by  the  name  of  Attanagalla.  It  is  a  village 
in  the  Sina  Korale,  in  the  Western  Province,  and  its 
delightful  scenery,  as  it  presents  itself  in  passing  from 
the  Maritime  Province  into  the  Kandyan  country,  is 
but  imperfectly  described  in  the  record  before  us. 
*'  There,"  says  Forbes,*  "  the  Imbul  and  Muruta  trees, 
covered  with  scarlet  and  pink  flowers,  or  the  blaze  of 
white  blossoms  on  the  Nagaha  trees,  form  a  beautiful 
variety  to  the  heavy  green  of  continuous  forests ;  and 
cocoanut-trees  are  only  seen  in  plume-like  tufts  near 
villages,  of  which  they  are  the  valuable  ornament  and 
certain  index." 

In  the  seventh  chapter  of  the  work  under  notice  is 
found  a  graphic  description  of  the  Forest  as  it  stood 
many  centuries  ago.  The  picture  is  indeed  not  over- 
drawn. When,  some  years  ago,  I  visited  this  part  of 
the  country,  my  eyes  rested  on  a  scene  which  I  could 
not  soon  or  easily  forget.  Its  greatest  attraction  was 
the  stately  Forest.     Whilst  I  stood  amazed  at  the  pro- 

•    Eleven  Years  in  Ceylon,  vol,  i.  p.  88. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  19 

digious  height  to  which  the  trees  had  grown,  straight 
from  the  ground,  the  eye  lingered  with  delight  on  the 
"pillared  shades,"  thick  with  their  dense  green  foliage, 
and  laden 

"with  their  pendent  fruits  and  flowers." 

The  Figs  and  the  Palms  which  grew  up  together 
reminded  me  of  the  Cocoa- nut  and  the  Bread-fruit  which 
rose,  as  it  were,  in  love's  embrace  in  the  south-west 
coast  of  Ceylon.  The  Talipot,  the  Na,  the  Sapan, 
the  Hedawaka,  the  Ketakala,  the  Del,  the  Milila,  the 
Godapara,  (not  to  mention  other  timber-trees  enume- 
rated in  the  text  "I,  were  all  here  seen  side-by-side  with 
the  KatU'imbul,  the  Goraka,  the  Yeralu,  the  Kaju, 
the  Erabadu,  etc,  etc.  There  were  also  climbing 
plants  in  endless  variety.  The  Pota,  the  Kirindi, 
the  Kiritilla,  and  the  Kiri-anguna*  entwined  them- 
selves round  the  trunks  as  they  clambered  up  in  search 
of  light.  The  ferns  and  the  orchids,  which  thrived 
luxuriantly  in  the  hollows  of  old  trees,  waving  their 
brilliant  foliage,  seemed  as  if  they  were  the  cultivation 
of  some  nymph  of  the  forest.  Nothing  could  exceed 
the  beauty  of  the  flowing  tresses  of  the  Hedaya,  of 

*  Speaking  of  this  plant  [^Gymnema  lactiferum']   Sir  Emerson 

Tennent,  says  "it  is  a  creeper used  medicinally  by  the  Natives, 

but  never  as  an  article  of  food.''' — History  of  Ceylon,  vol.  i.  p.  102. 
This  is  an  error.  It  is  a  pot-herb  commonly  used  by  all  classes 
of  the  Sinhalese.  There  are  few  places  in  the  Western  Province 
where  it  is  not  cultivated.  The  Temple  premises  contain  a 
beautiful  creeper  ;  and  the  writer  sees,  just  as  he  is  now  writing, 
another  in  his  own  town  residence. 


20  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

which  tv/0  species  were  met  within  the  cold  and  mossy 
clefts  of  trees  that  never  saw  the  light  of  the  sun. 
Under  the  shade  grew  the  Vana-Raja.  Revelling  in 
the  rich  and  luxurious  vegetable  mould,  which  lay 
several  feet  thick,  this  dwai-f  "  King  of  the  Forest" 
spread  out  its  leaves,  '*  the  most  exquisitely  formed  in 
the  vegetable  kingdom,  and  whose  colour  resembles 
dark  velvet  approaching  to  black,  and  reticulated  over 
all  the  surface  with  veins  of  ruddy  gold."*  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  realize  the  beauty  of  the  distant  landscape  along 
the  streams  and  marshes  of  the  forest.  The  graceful 
Bambu  was  surrounded  by  the  magnificent  Asoka. 
The  pale  azure  of  tlie  Sal,  which  deeply  contrasted 
with  the  burnished  green  of  the  delicately  tinted  foliage 
of  the  Siambala  on  the  hillocks,  and  both  with  the  deep 
emerald  brushwood  below, — waved  over  the  Gloriosa 
Superba  (Niagala),  whose  matchless  flowers  festooned 
the  adjacent  heaps  of  verdure;  whilst  the  Muruta 
overshadowed  the  Bandura,  which  grew  luxuriantly 
beneath  the  pink-clad  branches  of  the  former.  Nothing, 
again,  could  surpass  either  the  splendour  of  the  flowers, 
or  the  beauty  of  the  leaves.  Some  of  the  latter  by 
themselves  exhibited  the  hues  of  the  former.  The 
scarlet  shoots  of  the  Na,  for  instance,  vied  in  beauty 
with  the  gorgeous  flowers  of  the  Katu-imbul,  the  pink 
clusters  of  the  Muruta  with  the  ripe  leaves  of  the 

*  Sh-  James  E.  Tennent,  from  whom  I  quote  the  above  descrip- 
tion, calls  it  " a  teiTestrial orchid  (the  Ancectocliilus  setaceus.y — See 
liis  History  of  Ceylon,  vol.  i.  p.  103. 


ATT  AXAG  ALU  V  ANSA.  21 

Kottamba,  the  pate  yellow  Champac  with  the  tawny 
Verahi,  and  the  snow-white  blossoms  of  the  Idda 
with  the  tender  buds  of  the  Mussenda.* 

Such  were  the  charms  with  which  the  Forest  was 
invested  six-and-twenty  years  ago,  as  I  beheld  it 
at  the  confluence  of  the  Levangara  and  the  Halgam 
becks,  which  converging  into  one  rivulet,  take  a 
westerly  direction  near  this  forest,  from  whence  it  is 
called  the  Attanagalu  Oya.  My  second  visit  was  not 
many  months  ago,  and  it  is  not  surprising  to  observe 
that  the  physical  change  which  has  progressed  through- 
out many  districts  of  the  Island  has  also  affected  this 
part  of  the  country.  .The  stately  jungle  has  partially 
disappeared  before  the  ketta-cutting  of  Native  culti- 
vation ;  extensive  Cocoa-nut  plantations,  one  of  which 
may  be  seen  immediately  adjoining  the  premises  of  the 
Temple,  have  displaced  the  timber  trees ;  creepers  of 
the  sweet-potato  have  taken  the  place  of  the  flower- 
trees  of  the  marshes;  large  plantations  of  the  Mauritius 
and  West  Indian  Pines  are  met  w4th,  togetlier  with 
those  of  the  Eambutan  and  the  Mango;  houses  and 
botiques  have  sprung  up  here  and  there;  and  the 
Moorish  botique-keeper  and  the  itinerant  tradesman 


*  This  creeper  (Mussenda  frendosa)  produces  cream- white  leaves, 
a  colour  very  rare  in  the  vegetable  kingdom.  Their  beauty  as 
seen  over  green  verdure,  and  close  upon  the  Gloriosa  superha^  is 
enchanting,  and  surpasses  anything  I  have  seen  in  the  jungles 
which  line  the  principal  roads  of  this  (Western)  Province.  The 
flower  is  also  very  pretty,  and  being  similar  in  shape  and  size 
to  the  ear-rings  of  the  Sinhalese,  their  little  children  wear  it  in 
their  ears. 


22  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

occupy  the  paths  which  were  once  infested  by  wild 
beasts.  The  elephants  have  altogether  disappeared; 
and  but  for  a  solitary  tame  beast,  the  property  of  Mr, 
Christopher  Dias,  the  Mudliyar  of  the  district,  who 
has  turned  him  to  good  account,  the  sight  of  one 
would  be  a  novelty  to  the  rising  generation  of  these 
parts.  The  paths  themselves,  which  were  "narrow, 
crooked,  and  winding,"  are  no  longer  impassable  and 
covered  over  with  the  stretching  arms  of  the  surround- 
ing jungle.  A  beautiful  road,  which  commences  at 
or  near  the  27th  mile-post  of  the  great  trunk  road 
to  Kandy,  intersects  this  part  of  the  country.  This 
beautiful  line,  called  the  "Pasyalaand  Han  w  el  la  road," 
which  was  opened  in  1850  by  the  indefatigable  and 
zealous  Mudliyar  already  named,  passes  between  the 
Temple  and  the  Oya  of  Attanagalla,  and  terminates 
at  the  Hewagam  Korale,  at  a  distance  of  twenty  miles. 
As  you  proceed  towards  the  south,  and  reach  the  4th 
mile-post  on  this  road,  you  see  on  your  left  the  site  of 
the  Nivan  Pokuna,  or  Hhe  Pond  of  Kepose,'  into  Avhich 
the  queen  of  Siri  Sanghabodhi  fell  in  her  wearisome 
rambles  in  search  of  her  royal  husband.  The  progress 
of  sixteen  centuries  has  converted  this  pond  into  a  corn 
field ;  yet  from  its  high  embankments  it  still  gives  indica- 
tion of  its  original  character,  A  few  yards  farther  take 
the  traveller  to  the  Temple*  grounds  of  Attanagalla, 


*  Of  all  tlie  numerous  writers  on  Ceylon  and  its  Antiquities, 
none  have  made  the  most  distant  allusion  to  this  ancient  Temple, 
except  Tumour  and  Forbes.     But  even  tliey  never  visited  itj 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  23 

situated  on  the  right  hand  side  of  the  road.  These 
are  by  no  means  extensive,  and  their  limited  area,  as 
compared  with  the  vast  extent  indicated  in  the  Attana- 
galuviirisa,  induced  me  to  inquire  what  had  become 
of  the  large  domains  attached  to  this  monastery  by 
ostentatious  kings  of  old,  as  detailed  in  the  history 
before  us.  It  appears,  from  the  information  received 
in  the  course  of  my  enquiries,  that  during  the  times  of 
the  Portuguese,  the  priests  as  well  as  the  people  of  this 
part  of  the  Island,  had  deserted  their  homes,  and  that 
the  lands  owned  by  them  had  been  taken  by  that 
Government ;  and  that  although  the  priests  laid  claim 
to  the  extensive  temple  property  which  had  been 
granted  to  them  under  Sinhalese  sovereigns,  yet  they 
could  only  succeed  in  resuming  possession  of  the  mo- 
nastery and  the  lands  immediately  surrounding  it, 
which,  according  to   a  recent  Government  survey,  do 


although  it  was  not  farther  than  28  miles  fi-oin  Colombo.  The 
former  m  his  remarks  on  Si^ihalese  Inscriptions,  (see  Ceylon 
Almanac  for  J  834,)  notices  that  Sanghabodhi's  head  was  buried  with 
great  pomp  at  Attanagalla,  over  which  the  usurper  raised  a  D4goba, 
which  is  still  standing.  The  latter,  in  his  Eleven  Years  in  Ceylon, 
»t  p.  188,  aficr  alluding  to  the  delightful  scenery  of  Attanagalla, 
says  : — "At  the  Attanagalla  Oya,  the  road  approaches  one  of  the 
low  ranges  of  hills  which  diverge  iu  all  directions  from  the  moun- 
tainous centre  of  the  Island ;  and  four  miles  off  to  the  right  is 
situated  the  Rock  of  Attanagalla,  surmounted  by  religious  build- 
ings. The  principal  of  these  were  erected  about  A.  D.  248  by 
Goloo  Abba,  to  the  memory  of  King  Siri  Sungabo,  who  had  aban- 
doned his  throne  and  retired  in  disguise  to  this  place,  where  he  was 
killed  by  a  peasant  in  order  to  obtain  the  reward  offered." 


24  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOG QE. 

not  exceed  26  acres.  Entering  this  garden,  which  is 
fully  planted  Avith  a  variety  of  fruit  trees,  cljiefly 
Cocoa-nuts  and  other  Palms,  and  many  of  the  trees 
mentioned  in  cap.  vii.  of  the  History,  amongst  which 
the  Sal,  the  Kumbuk,  and  the  Nawa  arc  the  most  pro- 
minent, we  reached  a  rocky  hill  about  80  feet  higher 
than  the  surrounding  country.  Ascending  a  fliglit  of 
steps,  about  25  feet  high,  of  fine  granite  slabs,  and 
passing  through  large  heaps  of  granite,  the  remains 
of  carved  works  and  ancient  buiklings,  we  entered  the 
lower  terrace  of  the  temple.  Here  is  to  be  seen  the 
foundation  of  the  five-storied  structure  originally  erected 
by  Upatissa  (cap.  x.  §  3),  and  subsequently  rebuilt 
and  altered  by  Moggallana  into  one  of  three  stories. 

At  present,  it  is  a  square  building,  54  x  44  feet, 
with  four  neat  porches,  facing  the  cardinal  points. 
Of  the  ancient  granite  pillars,  upon  which  the  original 
structure  of  five-stories  was  built,  and  of  which  up- 
wards of  one  hundred  existed  26  years  ago,  there  arc 
only  16  now  left,  each  nine  feet  high  On  the  south 
of  this  hill  is  a  large  irregular  building,  probably 
patched  up  from  time  to  time,  but  containing  ample 
evklence  of  its  former  splendour.  This  is  used  as  a 
residence  of  one  of  the  two  fraternities  of  priests, 
amongst  whom  the  establishment  is  now  divided, 
Walpola  Indrajoti  being  the  chief  over  both.  Leaving 
this,  and  proceeding  westward,  the  traveller  has  again 
to  ascend  a  flight  of  73  steps,  1^6  feet  in  height.  Here 
nothing  attracts  his  attention  more  prominently  than 
the   granite   slabs  that    lie   scattered   on    either  siJe, 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  25 

exhibiting  faint  traces  of  the  skill  of  the    Sinhalese 
sculptor.     Inscriptions  are  also  found,  but  they  are 
so  defaced  and  decayed  that  one  cannot  learn  from 
them  anything  beyond  the  fact  that  they  once  bore 
some  Deva  Nagara  characters.     When  once  you  get 
upon  the  topmost  terrace,  the  most  remarkable  of  the 
buildings    is    the    "  Kotunda,"   built  by  Gothabhaya. 
(cap.  ix.  §  6).     This  is  l.')8  feet  in  circumference,  and 
is  most  substantially  built,   with   a   broad  foundation 
rising  about  3  J  feet  from  the  ground,  of  entirely  large 
slabs  of  hewn   granite.     It  has  four  porches  for  en- 
trances; and  the  roof,  which  contains  two  stories  covered 
with  flat  tiles,  rests  upon  two  rows  of  granite  pillars, — 
the  top  story  in  the  centre  on  eight  granite  pillars, 
occupying  an  area  of  about   250  feet,  and  the  lower 
story  upon  16  similar  pillars,  which  are  fixed   close  to 
the  round  wall.     Both  the  roof  as  well  as  the  walls  are 
beautifully  painted  in  the  style  peculiar  to  Buddhists, 
embellished  with  statues,  pictures  of  the  Devas,  etc.. 
The  Thupa  which  was  originally  built  by  Gothabhaya, 
(cap.  ix.  §  7),  and  subsequently  restored  by  Parakkama, 
after  its  destruction  by  our  intestine  foes  (cap.  xi.  §  3), 
and  of  which  so  much  has  been  written  in   the  history 
before  us,  occupies  the  centre.     It  is  a  neat  structure 
of  bricks,  surmounted  with  a  silver-gilt  pinnacle,  and 
reaches  the  roof  which  is  intended  as  a  canopy  for  the 
same.  (cap.  ix.  §  7,) 

Outside  these  pillars  and  facing  the  four  doors,  are 
four  images  of  Buddha,  in  a  sitting  posture,  enclosed 
in  neat  glass  cases.     One  of  the  statues  is  of  granite ; 


26  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

but  the  head,  which  was  destroyed  by  some  fanatics, 
has  been  since  restored.  In  close  proximity  to  this 
sacred  building  is  the  rocky  pool,  near  which  Sangha- 
bodhi  met  the  poor  traveller ;  ( cap.  viii.  §  1 ).  Its  sides 
are  found  scarped  and  polished,  and  the  crevices  and 
holes  neatly  filled  up  with  granite.  It  contains  a 
plantation  of  the  Lotus;  and  our  attendant,  the  High 
Priest  of  the  Temple,  pointed  out  to  us  a  healthy  bush 
of  corn,  which  he  would  have  us  believe  never  ceased 
to  live.  *  This,  Sir,'  said  he,  with  great  self-satisfac- 
tion, *is  the  plant  produced  from  the  Ma-vi-rice,  thrown 
by  Siri  Sangabo  at  the  time  he  partook  of  the  traveller's 
hospitality.  This  never  ceases  to  exist,  when  one 
withers,  another  shoots  up.'  *Yes,  of  course,'  said  I, 
promptly,  *  if  you  don't  reap  the  corn  it  is  sure  to  drop 
down  and  shoot  again,'  The  Priest  would  not  under- 
stand the  solution  of  the  mystery,  nor  did  he  seem  to 
relish  the  explanation.  I  was  not  therefore  over- 
anxious to  ridicule  a  notion,  perhaps  honestly  enter- 
tained, by  one  who  paid  me  much  attention,  and  who 
treated  me  with  great  courtesy.  I  therefore  changed 
the  subject  of  our  conversation,  and  he  took  us  to 
another  side  and  pointed  out  to  us  an  outline  of  a  head 
and  two  feet — emblems  engraved  on  the  rock.  ^  This,' 
he  declared,  Svas  the  identical  spot  where  the  old  king 
cut  off  his  head.  These  marks  were  of  course  made  in 
subsequent  times  to  preserve  the  tradition  respecting 
the  spot '  We  then  inspected  a  large  granite  slab  2x8 
feet,  standing  in  the  centre  of  the  compound  and  con- 
taining traces  of  an  inscription,  defaced  by  atmospheric 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  27 

influences.  This  is  probably  the  one  erected  by  Patirdja 
and  mentioned  in  the  Mahavansa.  After  an  unsuccess- 
ful attempt  to  decipher  even  a  word  of  this  inscription, 
we  proceeded  to  the  Bauddha-house,  which  is  close  to 
the  rocky  pool.  Here  too  desolation  and  ruin  reigned 
supreme :  the  figures  and  images  were  all  partially 
broken, — and  even  the  granite  images  of  Buddha 
mentioned  at  cap.  xi.  §  10,  had  wholly  disappeared. 
We  next  inspected  a  little  Deviila,  a  very  modern 
structure.  There  was  nothing  remarkable  about  it, 
except  some  drawings  on  its  walls,  which  were  pointed 
out  to  us  as  the  portraits  of  Sir  Edward  Barnes,  and  the 
late  Abraham  De  Saram,  Esq.,  Second  Maha  Mudliyar 
— representations,  which,  though  rude  and  unfaithful, 
yet  exhibited  the  genuine  feeling  of  gratitude,  respect, 
and  esteem  felt  for  two  of  the  greatest  statesmen  of 
the  times  in  which  the  Temple  was  repaired. 

Casting  a  glance  at  the  stately  Bo  which  occupies 
a  corner  of  the  terrace,  and  which  was  stated  to  have 
been  a  branch  of  the  sacred  Bo  at  Anuradhapura,  we 
descended  a  flight  of  steps  on  the  south  of  this  elevation, 
and  proceeded  to  the  adjacent  rocks,  which,  tradition 
affirms.  King  Sanghabodhi  selected  for  his  hermitage. 
They  consisted  of  two  large  granite  boulders,  one 
over-hanging  the  other  and  the  ground  below,  so  as  to 
render  it  a  secure  habitation,  free  from  sun  and  rain. 
It  almost  realized  to  the  mind  Shakspeare's  description 
of  the 

— ' hallow 'd,  gloomy  cave,  with  moss  o'ergrown, 
The  temple  join'd  of  Nature's  pumice  stone.* 


28  DESCEIPTIYE    CATALOGUE. 

Though  not  so  large  as  the  rocks  of  Aluvihara  at 
Matal^,  and  though,  as  in  the  latter,  no 

'  antique  images  by  priests  were  kept, 

And  wooden  deities  securely  slept ;' 

yet  there  was  the  sameness  of  appearance  in  the  forma- 
tion of  a  cave  by  the  overhanging  brow  of  a  granite 
boulder  v/hich  had  been  precipitated  from  the  rocks 
above.  Except  this,  there  was  little  to  see  here  beyond 
the  sleeping  apartments  of  another  section  of  priests 
belonging  to  the  establishment,  and  the  surrounding 
vegetation,  consisting  chiefly  of  the  Kaneru,  planted 
for  the  sake  of  its  flowers.  We  then  proceeded  to 
partake  of  the  kind  hospitality  of  the  Mudliyar  of  the 
district;  but,  before  quitting  the  premises,  there  was 
one  other  spot  which  I  desired  to  see,  it  was  the 
Vidhava  Vana  (see  Note  4,  cap.  ix.)  The  surprise 
of  the  priests  was  great,  when  I  asked  them  to  show 
me  this  place.  They  seemed  to  wonder  how  I  had 
known  the  name;  and  from  this  and  other  circum- 
stances, I  concluded  that  they  were  not  conversant  with 
the  Attanagaluvansa. 

They  took  me  a  little  distance  and  pointed  in  the 
direction  of  a  paddy  field  called  Kanavenduma,  bearing 
in  the  vernacular  Sinhalese  the  same  sense  as  the 
name  given  to  it  in  the  Pali  work,  and  its  Sinhalese 
translation.  This  is  the  spot,  as  the  reader  is  aware, 
where  the  Queen  of  Sanghabodhi  rested;  and  on 
inquiry,  with  a  view  to  test  the  accuracy  of  the  descrip- 
tions in  the  history  before  us,  I  ascertained  that  during 
heavy  rains   the  surrounding  country  still  exhibited 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  29 

white  sandy  spots,  on  one  of  which,  close  upon  a 
"blooming  shrubbery,"  the  Queen  is  stated  to  have 
spent  the  night  before  her  death. — Cap.  ix.  §  1. 

To  return  to  Attanagaluvansa.  It  will  be  observed, 
that  in  t  no  dates  are  given  either  as  to  the  number  of 
years  which  Sanghabodhi  reigned,  or  the  year  on  which 
he  ascended  the  throne.  According  to  the  Mahavansa, 
he  was  crowned  in  A.  D,  246,  and  he  reigned  only 
two  years.  The  Dipavansa  bears  out  Mahanama,  in 
the  following  stanza — 

Sarighabodhi'ti  namena  raja  dsi  su-silav5, 
Dve  vassaneva  so  raja  rajjan  karesi  khattiyo. 

That  is  to  say :  '  There  was  a  highly  religious  king 
named  Sanghabodhi :  the  same,  who  was  a  Khattiya 
reigned  only  two  years.'  There  is  nothing,  therefore, 
in  the  Attanagaluvansa  to  induce  us  to  doubt  the 
correctness  of  Mahanama's  figures.  On  the  contrary 
there  is  much  in  it  which  confirms  the  facts  given  in 
the  Mahavansa.  Yet,  it  would  seem  from  one  of  the 
Mihintala  inscriptions,  that  the  reign  of  Sanghabodhi 
had  extended  to  more  than  sixteen  years.* 

Next  to  the  historical  and  j)olitical  considerations 
which  are  suggested  by  the  Attanagaluvansa,  the 
religion  which  it  presents  to  the  reader  in  one  of  its  most 
engaging  phases, — indeed  in  that  in  which  its  greatest 
superiority  is  boasted  of,  and  maintained  by  its  adherents, 
viz.,  its  moral  code,  may  not  be  devoid  of  interest. 

*  For  a  reconciliation  of  these  conflicting  statements,  see  Atta- 
nagaluvansa, p.  ci.  et  seq. 


30  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Not  less  interesting  is  it  in  other  respects.  *  The 
objects,'  says  Professor  H.  H.  Wilson,  'for  which  an 
ancient  dialect  may  be  studied,  are  its  philology  and 
its  literature,  or  the  arts  and  sciences,  the  notions 
and  manners,  the  history  and  belief  of  the  people  by 
whom  it  was  spoken.'*  Many  of  these  objects  may 
indeed  be  attained  to  no  mean  degree  by  a  study  of 
this  historical  novel.  It  is  reckoned  by  our  learned 
Pandits  as  one  of  the  best  Pali  works  which  can 
engage  the  attention  of  the  beginner.  Though  more 
artificial  than  the  style  of  the  Pitakas,  it  is  by  no 
means  inferior  to  many  other  works  such  as  Buddha- 
ghosa's  Atthakatha,  Milindappanna,  etc.  It  even  excels 
in  its  diction  the  Mahavansa,  the  Dipdvansa,  the 
Hasavahini,  etc.  Its  language  is  generally  intelligible, 
and,  altogether,  elegant.  It  is  the  first  Pali  work 
which  is  read  in  many  of  the  Buddhist  Monasteries  of 
this  Island,  with  a  view  to  illustrate  grammatical  forms ; 
and  there  is  scarcely  a  book  more  calculated  to  assist  the 
Pdli  scholar,  or  one  which  better  delineates  the  manners 
and  feelings  of  the  Sinhalese,  or  more  largely  draws 
its  illustrations  from  the  Institutions,  Usages,  Arts, 
and  Sciences  which  prevailed  among  them  in  ancient 
times.     Here   is   a   specimen   from  cap.  vii.  §§  1 — 3. 

Cap.  VII. 

Atha  kadachi  Vassadhikatdnan  devatanan  pama- 
dena  avaggaho  paturahosi. — 

*  Pr.  Wilson's  Hindu  Plays,  vol.  i.  p.  ix. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  31 

Nidagha  vegena  ravi  patapi 
Unhabhi  tatto  pavano  kharo  cha 
Jarature'va  *sisira  dharacha 
Pivinsu  te  sabbadhi  sabbama'mbun. 


Antobhu  sunliena  vipachchamana 
Sanissauambho  bharite'va  chati 
Tibbatapakkanta  vanantaraji 
Rutakula  khayati  chirikanan. 

Vassanakale'pi  pabha  karassa 
Patapasantapita  m'antalikkhan 
Samachitan  pandara  varidehi 
Sacharidanalepa  ra'iva'ti  rochi. 

*  At  this  time,  through  the  neglect  of  the  divinities 
presiding  over  rain,  there  was  a  drought.  By  reason 
thereof  a  scorching  sun,  a  hot  burning  atmosphere, 
and  a  dry  earth, — these  three,  like  those  affected  by- 
fever,  had  imbibed  all  the  moisture  in  all  parts.  The 
beautiful  forest  scorched  by  the  sun,  and  filled  with 
the  cry  of  crickets,  seemed  as  it  were  a  bason  filled 
with  hissing  water,  boiling  with  great  he.it.  The 
(expanse  of  the)  sky,  hot  with  the  burning  sun,  was 
brightened,  even  in  the  rainy  season,  with  masses  of 
white  clouds,  as  if  it  were  anointed  with  (the  powder 
of  the)  SandaL' 

With  a  view,  however,  to  render  this  work  interest- 
ing to  the  general  reader,  as  well  as  to  the  Oriental 
scholar,  the  writer  has  lately  published  a  translation 


32  DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGUE. 

of  this  work  into  English,  the  text  itself  is  at  the 
g«ame  time  printed  in  the  Sinhalese  character.* 

It  may  be  here  convenient  to  determine  the  date  of 
this  work.  Tradition  affirms  that  it  was  written  in  the 
reign  of  Parakkama  III.,  the  celebrated  patron  of 
men  and  letters  in  the  13th  century,  (1266—1301 
A.  D,)  Both  internal  and  external  evidence  support 
this  belief.  Its  style  is  not  incompatible  with  that  of 
other  works  of  the  same  date.  The  events,  too,  which 
it  records  are  brought  down  to  the  end  of  this  prince's 
reign ;  and  it  is  remarkable  that  the  writer,  after 
recordinjj  the  various  works  which  Parakkama  had 
executed  in  connection  with  the  Temple  of  Attana- 
galla,  abruptly  concludes  the  history,  by  expressing  a 
fond  hope  that  the  annals  of  Attanagalla  from  thence- 
forth might  be  continued  by  future  historians. 

"If  hereafter  any  pious  (persons),  by  way  of  repairing 
that  which  is  dilapidated,  or  adding  any  thing  new  to  it, 
or  of  making  a  provision  of  offerings  (for  it),  such  as 
fields,  etc.,  shall  maintain  this  temple,  let  them  record 
in  continuation  their  names  as  well  as  their  acts." 

Although  the  above  is  not  conclusive  proof  of  this 
work  having  been  written  at  the  date  to  which  the 
events  it  records  are   brought  down,  yet  it  may  be 


*  This  is  the  more  to  be  regretted,  as  an  earnest  hope  is  entertained 
br  Professor  Weber,  in  his  elaborate  Review  of  Kachchriy ana's 
Pili  Grammar  printed  in  his  Bibliographische  Aiizeigen,  that  the 
Translator  should  'use  only  the  Roman  character,'  since  'the 
Sinhalese  letters  are  difficult  to  read  and  cause  needless  trouble.' 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  33 

safely  inferred  that  a  work  which  implies  the  prior 
existence  of  Parakkama  III.,  was  written  during, 
or  subsequent  to,  the  reign  of  that  prince ;  and  how 
far  posterior  may  be  conjectured  from  another  fact, 
namely,  that  the  self-same  work  was  translated 
into  the  Sinhalese  during  the  reign  of  Buvaneka- 
bdhu  in  1304  Saka,  or  1382  a.  d.,  answering, 
according  to  the  chronological  tables  of  Mr.  Turnour, 
to  the  4th  year  of  the  reign  of  Buvanekabahu  IV.  of 
Gampola, 

The  Auomadassi  mentioned  in  the  Sinhalese  version 
is  also  named  in  the  original  Pali  version;  and  the 
following  extract  from  the  Mahawansa  contains  the 
reasons  for  the  belief  generally  entertained  that  he 
was  identical  with  the  priest  of  that  name,  to  whom 
the  Temple  of  Attanagalla  was  bestowed  by  Parakkama 
Bahu. 

Tato  gantvana  so  Hattlia-vanagalla  Viharakan 
Raiina  vutta  niyamena  katva  bahu  dhanabbayan 
Kiirapetvana  pasadan  tunga  singan  tibhumakan 
Anomadassi  namassa  maha  samissa  dhirnato 
Tan  datvana  tato  tassa  maharaja  niyogato 
Danavattampi  kappetva  Sila  lekhanakarayi. 

*  He  (Patirajadeva),  having  gone  from  thence 
(Adam's  Peak)  to  the  monastery  of  Hattha-vanagalla, 
and  having,  pursuant  to  the  orders  of  the  King,  expended 
large  sums  of  money,  built  a  lofty  mansion  of  three 
stories.  Offering  it  to  the  erudite  and  venerable  Lord 
named  Anomadassi,  and  establishing,  according  to  royal 

p 


34  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

command,  a  continuous  bestowal  of  alms  for  him,  he 
put  up  a  stone  Inscription.'* 

According  to  the  above  record  and  the  tenor  of  other 
passages  in  the  Mahawansa,  the  Attanagaluvansa  must 
have  been  written,  as  is  generally  believed,  by  a  pupil 
of  Anomadassi  during  the  latter  part  of  the  reign  of 
Parakkama,  when  that  monarch  had  retired  from  the 
active  labours  of  his  life  by  entrusting  the  Government 
to  Wijayabahu. 

Professor  Weber  of  Berlin  in  a  Review  f  of  this 
work,  says:  "  If  this  Temple-iegend  be  compared  with 
similar  works  of  the  kind — the  so-called  Mahaturya 
found  amongst  the  Brahmans, — a  difference  greatly  in 
favour  of  the  Buddhist  legend  will  become  a])parent. 
Instead  of  the  wonderful  tales  of  gods  and  heroes  of 
the  Puranas,  we  here  possess  a  sober  narrative,  which 
indeed,  though  not  altogether  free  from  some  conflict- 
ing mythical  exaggeration  [who  could  expect  such  a 
thing!]  is  nevertheless  very  evidently,  and  possibly 
faithfully,  related  to  the  truth.  "J 

Having  noticed  the  Pali  work,  a  brief  notice  of  its 

Sinhalese  Version 

may  not  be  out  of  place  here.     It  was  written  in  l.SOl, 

A.  D.,  and  the  modesty  of  the  writer  has  prevented 

the  publication  of  his  name.     His  language  however 


*  This  Tablet  is  the  one  referred  to  ante,  p.  27. 

•f-  Literarisclies  Centralblott.     July  13,  1867. 

I  The  printed  edition  contains  43  octavo  pages,  and  the  Ola 
M.S.  in  the  Temple  at  Pelmadulla  has  36  pages  of  1^  feet  in 
lencrth,  with  7  lines  to  a  page,  closely  written. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  35 

would  authorize  the  inference  that  he  was  a  Buddhist 
priest.  The  following  Introduction  will  serve  as  a 
specimen  of  his  language:  — 

Svastipprasasta  pravara  dvijakula  kamalavana  raji- 
rajahansaya  manavu  Akshara  Likhita  Ganita  Gandhar- 
Va  Nakshattra  Chhandas  Nighandu  Alankara  Salihotra 
Yantra  Tantra  Mantra  Jyotigfiana  Itihasa  Puranddi 
sakalakalavanta  kalanidhihu  venivti  Sutrabhi-dharma 
vinaya  sankhyata  Tripitaka  buddha  vachanayehi  ano- 
madarsivu  Anomadarsinam  sangha  rajadhurandaravu 
maha-svamihu  visin  mehayanaladuva  itihasa  kathavaha 
purva-likhitayada  assrayakota  purvayehi  Maghadhika 
bhashaven  rachanakaranalada  Attanagaluvihara-va^- 
sakkhyata  Prabandhaya  sri  saka  varshayen  ekvadahas 
tunsiya  sivu  vasak  pirunusanda,  trisinhalad  his  vara 
navaratnadhipati  Bhuvanaikabahu  Narendrayahata 
aggramattyavti  sraddha  buddhi  sampanna  ratnattraya 
saranaparayana  asarana-sarana  saranagata  vajra  panjara 
anavarata  danahetuppranchikrita  vividha  vibhava 
sanchikrita  Vanchi  purappravara  pavitrapurvagotraika 
kalapprabhuta  chandra  stirya  mandala  yugalayamanavti 
Srilankadhisvara  Alakesvaranam  mantrisvarayananh^ 
mema  mantrisvarayananta  sahodaravti — '  Paranari 
sahodara ' — yanadi  anekapprakara  virudavali  eti  svartha 
parartha  karana  pravina  ishtiirtha  prasavaya  kirimen 
arthijana  manoratha  ptiranayehi  atyarthayen  arthivu 
Arthanayakanam  Mantrisvarayanan  ha  dedenage 
karuna  kataksha  nirikshanayen  susan  rakshitaraadhura- 
tara  kusalaphala  bharita  taruna  vrikshayamanavu 
parasattru   kunjara     nikara    nirakaranayehi    pravina 


36  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

sinhayamanavu  Satru  Sinha  Kunjarabhi  dhana  senana- 
yaka  pradhanihu  visin  sotrujanayage  sukhava-bodhaya 
pinisa  svakiya  Sinhala  bhashaven  pravartitavuvahot 
yebekeyi  aradhitava  sastrarambhayehi  ishta  deva- 
ta'radhanava  sandaha  purva  kattrinvisln  varnitavu 
snehuttardya  hadayd  mala  mallikaya — yanadi  prathama 
gathavehi  patam  artha  kathaiiaya  karamu. 

'Patronized  by  the  glance-of- support  of  two  descend- 
ants of  the  ancient,  illustrious,  and  pure  family  of  the 
city  of  Vanchi,*  like  unto  the  sun  and  moon  manifested 
at  one  and  the  same  time,  viz.,  (one)  named  Alakesvara 
— the  Prime  minister  of  Buvanekabahu  king  of  the 
three-divisioned  Sinhala,  and  lord  over  the  nine 
treasures,! — a  Chieftain  of  Lanka,  who  is  possessed  of 
faith  and  wisdom,  and  is  dependent  entirely  on  the 
protection  of  the  three  gems  4  who  helps  the  weak, 
and  is  a  mine  [cage]  of  diamond  to  the  needy;  and, 
whoj  by  reason  of  his  unceasing  munificence,  has  accu- 
mulated and  increased  great  wealth: — and  [the  other] 
his  brother.  Minister  Arthanayaka,  the  object  of  the 
hymns  of  praise,  such  as  'Paranari  Sahodara'J|  etc.. 


*  This  is  not  known,  and  cannot  now  be  identified.  Probably 
it  was  a  renowned  city  in  India, 

f  All  precious  gems  found  in  the  island  were  anciently  the 
property  of  the  sovereign,  and  hence  the  allusion  to  his  being 
"  the  lord  over  the  treasures,"  (lit.  '  gems '),  of  which  there  are 
nine  kinds. 

\  "Buddha,"  "the  Priesthood"  and  "the  sacred  writings"  are 
meant  by  "  the  three  gems." 

\%    Lit. '  A  brother  to  others'  wives,'  etc. 


ATTANAGALUVANSA.  37 

who  is  unceasing  in  doing  himself  and  others  good, 
and  who  ever  longs  to  satisfy  the  desires  of  mendicants 
by  giving  away  the  desired  objects: — and,  invited  by 
the  Chief  General  of  the  Forces  named  Satru  Sinha 
Kunjara,  who  is  like  unto  a  young  tree  laden  with  the 
fruits  of  his  delectable*  fortune,  and  an  experienced 
lion  to  subdue  the  elephants  of  foreign  enemies ;  and 
who  intimated  the  propriety  of  perpetuating  [the  Pali 
Attanagaluvansa]  in  the  native  Sinhalese  language, 
with  a  view  to  render  it  easy  of  comprehension  to 
the  (learner)  student: — we,  at  the  lapse  of  1304  years 
after  the  Saka  era,  paraphrase,  commencing  from 
Snehuttardya  hadayd  mala  mallikdya,  &c.,  the  first  gatha 
uttered  by  its  author,  in  adoration  of  the  deity  of  his 
own  Faith  in  his  literary  introduction  to  the  Attanagalu- 
Viharavansa,  which  was  in  aforetime  composed  in  the 
Magadhi  language  upon  the  basis  of  ancient  writings 
and  traditions,  and  under  the  auspices  of  His  Lordship 
Sanga  Raja  Anomadassi,  a  very  Royal-Hansa  to  a  mass 
of  Lotusesf  of  the  supremely  venerable  Brahaman  race, 
and  who  (as  his  name  signifies)  is  *  highly  educated' 
in  the  Tripitaka  word  of  Buddha,  consisting  of  the 


*  I  have  used  this  word  as  the  nearest  that  can  be  employed  to 
express  the  original,  which  conveys  the  quality  of  the  '  fruit '  as 
well  as  of  *  fortune '; — one  '  sweet '  and  the  other  '  pleasing. ' 

t  Lit.  'Lotus -massy-line.'  This  may  not  be  a  correct  English 
expression.  It  is  however  an  elegant  Oriental  metaphor.  As  the 
Kansas  or  cranes  are  supposed  to  dwell  in  lotus  fields,  here  the 
writer  compares  the  object  of  his  praise  to  a  *  Hansa, '  and  his  lin- 
eage to  a  "  long-row  of  Lotuses  growing  in  masses." 


38  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Sutra  Vinaya  and  Abhidharma  (sections),  and  which 
(moreover),  like  unto  Kalanidhi*  (moon)  is  accomplished 
in  all  practical  and  mechanical  arts  and  sciences 
(such  as)  Akshara,  Likhita,  Ganita,  Gandharva, 
Nakshattra,  Chhandas,  Nighandu,  Alankara,  Sali- 
hotra,  Yantra,  Tantra,  Mantra,  Jjotignana,  Itihasa, 
Purana,t  etc. 

The  language  of  this  translation  will  give  the  reader 
but  a  very  imperfect  idea  of  the  elegance  of  the  style 
of  the  original.  The  collocation  of  the  different  parts 
of  the  above,  which,  contains  but  one  sentence,  and 
which  in  the  Sinhalese  may  be  pronounced  to  be  ex- 
ceedingly beautiful,  is  however  such  as  to  render  its 
translation  into  English  very  difficult.  Just  before 
each  name  there  are  a  number  of  complimentary 
epithets  and  metaphors  adjectively  used,  which,  as  the 
reader   will   perceive,  when   rendered   into    English, 


*  This  word  is  Kalinidi  in  my  copy.  It  is  probably  Kala-nidi 
or  '  moon.'  As  the  moon  is  supposed  to  be  filled  witb  ambrosia, 
so  the  object  of  the  writer's  comparison  is  said  to  be  accomplished 
in  the  (kala)  arts  and  sciences. 

I  Akshara  may  be  translated  'letters,'  Likhita  'writing,'  G.inita 
'  calculations  or  arithmetic,'  Gandharva  '  music,  dancing, '  Nak- 
sattra  'science  of  asterisms  or  astrology,'  Chhandas  'prosody,' 
Nighandu  '  philology,'  Alankara  '  rhetoric,'  Salihotra  '  Ferriery,* 
Yantra  'science  of  diagrams'  for  equinoxes,  etc.,  Tantra  'science 
of  medicine,  etc'  [This  is  used  to  signify  difi'erent  arts — such  as 
Nyaya  '  philosophy,'  Yoga  '  meditation,'  jugglery,  etc.]  Mantra 
'charms,' Jyotignana 'astronomy,' Itihasa  'ancient  legends — such 
as  Maha  BMirata,  etc'     Purana  '  ancient  history.' 


kachcha'yana  pa'li  grammar.  3d 

suspends  the  sense  between   the  several  members  of 
that  sentence. 

Though  the  translator  calls  it  a  *  paraphrase';  yet 
the  work  is  a  free  translation,  with  but  few  errors,  and 
those  of  not  much  consequence.  This  translation  is 
also  now  being  printed  with  the  original,  and  will  soon 
be  published.  The  M.S.  ola  copy  contains  72 J  pages 
of  15  inches  x  2^,  with  7  lines  to  a  page. 


Kachcha'yana-Pa'li  Grammar, 

is  a  very  ancient  Pali  Grammar,  and  is  held  by 
Buddhists  in  the  same  high  estimation  that  Panini  is 
by  the  Brahmans.  It  is  to  be  found  in  nearly  all  the 
Buddhist  Monasteries  in  Ceylon,  although  the  learned 
translator  of  the  Mahawansa  states,  in  his  Introduction, 
that  it  is  no  longer  extant  in  this  island. 

The  writer  of  this  notice  has  lately  published  a 
translation  of  a  portion  of  this  Grammar;  and  the 
Rev.  F.  Mason  of  the  Baptist  Mission  has  made  a  com- 
pendium of  the  entire  work,  on  the  model  of  European 
Grammars. 

This  Grammar  is  divided  into  eight  books.  The  first 
treats  on  "Combination,"  the  second  on  "Declension," 
the  third  on  "  Syntax,"  the  fourth  on  "  Compounds," 
the  fifth  on  (Tadhita)  "nominal  Derivatives,"  the  sixth 
on  "Verbs,"  the  seventh  on  (Kitaka)  "verbal  deriva- 
tives," and  the  eighth  on  "  Unnadi  Affixes." 


40  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

These  are  found  subdivided  into  Chapters  or  Sec- 
tions. But,  all  the  aphorisms  do  not  exceed  six 
hundred  and  eighty  seven.*  The  following  extract 
embraces  the  writer's  introductory  remarks,  together 
with  the  first  Section  of  his  Grammar : — 

Setthan  tiloka  maliltan  abhivandi  jaggan 
Buddhan  cha  dhamma'  mamalan  gana'  mutta  mancha 
Satthussa  tassa  vaclianattha  varan  suboddhun 
Vakkhami  sutta  hita'  mettha  su  Sandhikappan. 

Seyyan  Jinerita  nayena  budha  labhauti 
Tancha'pi  tassa  vachanattha  subodhanena 
Atthan  cha  akkhara  padesu  amoha  bhava 
Seyyattliiko  pada'mato  vividlian  suneyya. 

'Having  reverentially  bowed  down  to  the  supreme 
chief  Buddha  adored  by  the  three  worlds,  and  also  to 
the  pure  dhamma,  and  the  illustrious  priesthood ;  I  now 
celebratef  the  (pure)  Sandhikappa  in  accordance  with 
the  Suttas,  to  the  end  that  the  deep  import  of  that 
teacher's  words  may  be  easily  comprehended.' 

*The  wise  attain  to  supreme  (bliss)  by  conforming 
(themselves)  to  the  teachings  of  Buddha.     That  (is  the 

*  Satta  situttara  Sutta 

chha  sata'  suu  pamanato=687  Suttans. 

•j*  Vakkhami  "I  utter" — The  true  import  of  this  word,  taken  in 
connection  with  the  allegation  that  '  Kachchajana  published 
(pakasesi)  his  Grammar  in  the  midst  of  the  priesthood,'  may  lead 
to  the  inference  that  it  had  at  first  only  a  memorial  existence. 
This  Introduction  may  therefore  belong,  consistently  with  tradition, 
to  the  compiler  who  reduced  the  aphorisms  into  writing. 


kachcha'Yx\na  pa'li  grammar.  41 

result)  of  a  correct  acquaintance  with  the  import  of 
his  word.  The  sense,  too,  (is  learnt)  by  a  [non-igno- 
rance] knowledge  of  characters  and  words.  Wherefore, 
let  him  who  aims  at  that  highest  felicity  hear  the 
various  verbal  forms.' 

Lib.  I.  Section  1. 

1 .  Attho  akkhara  sannato. 
The  sense  is  known  by  letters. 

2.  Akkhara  padayo  eka  chattalisan. 
The  letters,  a  &c.,  are  forty  one.* 

3.  Tatth'odanta  sara  attha. 

Of  these  the  eight  ending  with  o  are  vowels. 

4.  Lahumatta  tayo  rassa. 

The  three  light-measured  (are)  short. 

5.  Aniie  digha. 
The  others,  (are)  long. 

6.  Sesa  byanjana. 
The  rest  are  consonants. 

7.  Vaggii  pancliapanchaso  manta. 

Each  (set  of)  five  to  the  end  of ;«  (constitutes)  a  class. 

8.  An  iti  niggahitan. 
This  wf  is  a  dependent. 


*  Moggallciv  ana  disputes  the  correctness  of  this  Suttan,  and  says, 
that  the  PaH  alphabet  contains  forty-three  characters,  inchiding 
the  short  e  (epsilou)  and  o  (omicron.)  The  Sinhalese  Alphabet, 
which  is  nearly  as  old  as  the  Sinhalese  nation,  also  omits  these. 
This  is  evidence  of  that  language  being  derived  from  the  Pali. 

f  The  anusvdra. 

G 


42  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

Para  samanfia  payoge.* 

Other's  names  in  composition. 

1 0.    Pubbam'adho-tliitam'  assaran  sarena  viyojaye. 

Let  the  last  f  consonant  in  the  first  (word)  be  sepa- 
rated from  (its  inherent)  vowel  4 

Such  is  the  sententious  brevity  with  which  the 
JElules  in  Kachchayana's  Grammar  are  expressed.  The 
author  adopts  three  modes  of  explaining  them.  First, 
Vuttiya  or  Vartikas,  comments  to  supply  the  defi- 
ciencies in  the  Suttas,  and  to  render  them  clear; 
secondly,  examples ;  and  thirdly,  explanatory  notes  on 
some  of  the  principal  grammatical  terms,  in  the  shape 
of  questions  and  answers.  To  these  again  are  occa- 
sionally added,  a  note  to  mark  the  exceptions  to  the 
Rule.  In  the  examples,  mention  is  made  of  several 
of  the  places  and  towns  which  were  rendered  sacred 
by  the   abode  of   Gotama,   such   as    Savatti,   Patdli, 

*  Names  or  technical  terms. 

f  Adhothitam  "  that  which  stands  below  [after  such  separa- 
tion.] "  The  word  below  must  however  be  understood  to  mean 
preceding ;  for  in  composition,  which  Eastern  writers  regard  as  a 
tree  from  bottom  to  top,  the  first-written  character  is  considered 
as  being  at  the  bottom  or  below  the  rest. 

X  There  is  some  confusion,  as  remarked  by  Professor  Weber, 
in  the  translation  of  this  Sutta  in  my  Introduction  (p.  xvii.) 
It  is  here  rendered  plainer — 'Let  the  last  consonant  in  the  first 
(word)  be  separated  from  (its  inherent)  vowel.'  e.  g.  Take  loka 
and  agga.  Here  ha  is  the  last  consonant  in  the  first  word.  AVhen 
k  is  separated  fi-om  its  inherent  vowel,  say  we  get  lok — a-\-agga. 
Then  by  the  rule  sard  sare  lopam  we  obtain  lok-agga ;  and  by  the 
rule  naye  pc-am  yutte, — loKagga. 


KACHCHa'yANA   PA'LI    GRAM3IAR.  43 

Baranasi,  &c.  There  is  also  much  correspondence 
between  the  Paninya  Sutras  and  those  given  in  Kach- 
chayana.  e.  g\ — 

1.  Apadane  pancbami — Pdnini  III.  4,  52. 
Apdddne  panchami — Kachchdyana, 

So  likewise  : — 

2.  Bhuvadayo  dhatavah.  I.  3,  1. 
Bkuvddayo  dhdtavo. 

3.  Kaladhvano  ratyanta  sanyoge.  II.  3,  5. 
Kdladdhdna  machchanta  sanyoge. 

4.  Kartari  krit.  III.  4,  6. 
Kattari  kit. 

5.  Asmadyuttamali.  I.  4,  107. 
Amhe  uttamo. 

Again,  the  text  of  Panini  is  altered  to  meet  the 
exigencies  of  the  Pali  Grammar,  thus ; 

6.  Tiiias  trini  tnni  pratharaa  madhyamottamah 
Dve  dvepaihama  majjhimuttamapurisd*  [1. 4, 101. 

Tradition  with  one  voice  represents  that  the  whole 
of  the  aphorisms  were  written  by  one  and  the  same 
person;  viz.,  Sariputta  Maha  Kachchdyana. 

From  their  language,  the  aphorisms  appear  to  have 
been  written  in  very  ancient  times. 

In  the  commentary  on  the  Riipasiddhi,  we  find  the 
following  distinct  and  important  particulars  regarding 
Kachchayana. 

"  Kachchayano  signifies  the  son  of  Kachcho.  The 
said  Kachcho  was  the  first  individual  (who  assumed  that 
name  as  a  patronymic)  in  that  family.  All  who  are 
descended  from  that  stock  are,  by  birth,  Kachchayana. 


44  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

*^(If  I  am  asked)  who  is  this  Kachchayano?  Whence 
his  name  Kachchayano  ?  (I  answer).  It  is  he  who  was 
selected  for  the  important  office  (of  compiling  the  first 
Pali  Grammar,  by  Buddho  himself;  who  said  on  that 
occasion):  'Bikkhus,  from  amongst  my  sanctified 
disciples,  who  are  capable  of  eUicidating  in  detail  that 
which  is  expressed  in  the  abstract,  the  most  eminent 
is  this  Mahakachchayano.' 

"  Bhagava  (Buddho)  seated  in  the  midst  of  the  four 
classes  of  devotees,  of  which  his  congregation  was 
composed  (viz.,  priests  and  priestesses,  male  and  female 
ascetics:) — opening  his  sacred  mouth,  like  unto  a  flower 
expanding  under  the  genial  influence  of  Surio's  rays, 
and  pouring  forth  a  stream  of  eloquence  like  unto  that 
of  Brahmo — said :  *  My  disciples  !  the  profoundly  wise 
Sariputto  is  competent  to  spread  abroad  the  tidings  of 
the  wisdom  (contained  in  my  religion)  by  his  having 
proclaimed  of  me  that,  — *  To  define  the  bounds  of  his 
omniscience  by  a  standard  of  measure,  let  the  grains 
of  sand  in  the  Ganges  be  counted ;  let  the  water  in  the 
great  ocean  be  measured ;  let  the  particles  of  matter 
in  the  great  earth  be  numbered';  as  well  as  by  his 
various  other  discourses. 

"It  has  also  been  admitted  that,  excepting  the 
saviour  of  the  world,  there  are  no  others  in  existence 
whose  wisdom  is  equal  to  one- sixteenth  part  of  the 
profundity  of  Sariputto,  By  the  Acharayos  also  the 
wisdom  of  Sariputto  has  been  celebrated.  Moreover, 
while  the  other  great  disciples  also,  who  had  overcome 
the   dominion    of  sin  and  attained  the  four  gifts  of 


KACnCHA'YANA    PA^LI   GRAMMAR.  45 

sanctification  were  yet  living;  he  (Buddho)  allotted, 
from  amongst  those  who  were  capable  of  illustrating 
the  word  of  Tbathagato,  thio  important  task  to  me, — 
in  the  same  manner  that  a  Chakkawatti  rdja  confers 
on  an  eldest  son,  who  is  capable  of  sustaining  the 
Weight  of  empire,  the  office  of  Parinayako.  I  must 
therefore  render  unto  Thathdgato  a  service  equivalent 
to  the  honor  conferred.  Bhaofava  has  assigned  to  me 
a  most  worthy  commission.  Let  me  place  implicit  faith 
in  whatever  Bhagava  has  vouchsafed  to  propound. 

^•'This  being  achieved,  men  of  various  nations  and 
tongues,  rejecting  the  dialects  which  had  become  con- 
fused by  its  disorderly  mixture  with  the  Sanscrit  and 
other  languages,  will,  with  facility  acquire,  by  confor- 
mity to  the  rules  of  grammar  propounded  by  Tathagato, 
the  knowledge  of  the  word  of  Buddho :  '  Thus  the 
Thero  Maha  Kachchayano,  who  is  here  (in  this  work) 
called  simply  Kachchayano,  setting  forth  his  qualifica- 
tion; pursuant  to  the  declai'ation  of  Buddho,  that 
*  sense  is  represented  by  letters,'  composed  the  gram- 
matical work  called  Niruttipitako."*  Mahavansa,  p. 
xxvii. 

Before  I  notice  some  of  the  objections  urged  against 
the  above  tradition,  it  may  perhaps  be  convenient  to 


*  "Another  name  for  the  Rupasiddhi." — In  the  above  note 
Turnour  identifies  Rupasiddhi  with  Niruttipitaka.  But,  it  would 
seem  that  the  latter  is  an  original  work  of  Maha  Kachchayana, 
different  trom  his  Grammar,  and  different  also  from  his  theological 
work  entitled  the  Nettipakarana.     See  Kachchayana  Vannana. 


46  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

refer  to  the  various  other  Pali  writers  who  have  given 
it  the  sanction  of  their  high  authority. 

Kachchayana  commences  his  work,  as  we  have  already 
seen,  with  Attho  akkhara  sannato ;  and  it  has  already 
been  shewn  from  the  passage  quoted  by  Turnour,  that 
that  Suttan  was  declared  by  Buddha  himself.  This  is 
more  clearly  stated  as  follows  in  the  Sutta  Niddesa. 

Attho  akkhara  safinato-ti  adimaha;  idan  suttan  kena 
vuttan  ?  Bhagawata  vuttan.  Kada  vuttanti — Yama 
Uppala  namaka  dve  Brahmana  khaya-vaya  kammatthd- 
nan  gahetva  gachchhanta  Xadi-tire  Khaya-vayanti 
kammatthane  kariyamane  eko  udake  machchan  gan- 
hitun  charantan  bakan  disva,  udaka  bakoti  vicharati, 
Eko  ghate  patan  disva  ghata  pato  ti  vicharati.  Tada 
Bhagava  obhasan  munchitva  attho  akkhara  safinato-ti 
vakyan  thapesi.  Tesan  cha  Kammatthanan  patitthahi, 
Tasma  Bhagavata  vuttanti  vuchchati.  Tanfiatv^ 
maha  Kachchano  Bhagavantan  yachitva  Himavantan 
gantva  Mano-sila  tale  dakkhina  disabhagan  sisan 
katva  purattluma  disabhimukho  hutva  attho  akkhara 
saiifiato-tiadikan  Kachchayana  pakaranan  rachi. 

'It  is  said  that  'sense  is  represented  by  letters,'  &c. 
By  whom  was  this  suttan  declared  ?  It  was  laid  down 
by  Bhagava.  (To  explain)  when  it  was  declared:  — 
Two  Brahman  (Priests)  Yama  and  Uppala,  having 
learnt  (from  Gotama)  the  khaya-vaya  branches  of 
Kammatthanan,*  went  away ;   and,  whilst  engaged  in 


*  Such  studies  as  Abstract  Meditation,  &c.,  preparatory  to  the 
attainment  of  the  paths  leading  to  Nibban. 


KACHCHa'yANA    PA'lI    GRAjniAR.  47 

abstract  meditation,  repeating  'khaya-vaya'  on  the 
banks  of  the  Nadi,  one  of  them  saw  a  crane  proceeding 
to  catch  a  fish  in  the  water,  and  began  muttering* 
udako  bako,  *  water-crane.'  The  other,  seeing  a  ghate- 
patan,  *a  cloth  in  a  pot,'  began  muttering  ghata-pato. 
At  this  time  Bhagava  by  means  of  a  light  which  he 
issued,  declared  the  sentence,  Attho  akkhara  safinato — 
*The  sense  is  represented  by  letters.'  Their  Kam- 
matthanan  was  also  effectual.  Wherefore  it  is  said  that 
this  Suttan  was  declared  by  Bhagava.  When  Maha 
Kachcahyana  learnt  this,  he  proceeded  with  Bhagava's 
permission  to  Himavanta.  Reclining  in  the  Mano-sila 
region  with  his  head  towards  the  south,  and  facing  the 
east,  he  composed  the  Kachchayana-pakarana,  consist- 
ing of  (the  Suttans)  attho  akkhara  sanfiato,  &c.' 

In  the  atthakatha  to  the  Anguttara  Nikaya,  Maha 
Kachchayana  is  spoken  of  ;t  and  the  Tika  to  the  same 
work  contains  further  particulars,  which  are  embodied 
in  the  following  extract  from 

The  Kachciia'yana  Vannana'. 
A'chariya  pana  lakkhana  vutti  udaharana  sankhatan 
iman  Kachchayana  gandha  pakaranan  Kachchayanat- 
therena  eva  katanti  vadanti.  Tena  aha  eka  nipata 
Anguttara  tikayan  '  Maha  KachchayaLatthero  pubba 
patthana  vasena  Kachchyana  pakaranan,  Maha  Nirutti 
pakaranan,  Netti  pakaranan,  chati  pakaranattayan 
sangha  majjhe  pakasesi. 

*  Or  rather  pondering  on  what  he  had  observed. 

t  Vide  extract  there-from  infra. 


48  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

'  Teachers  say  that  this  Kachchayana  gandha  paka- 
rana,  which  numbers  lakkhana  (Rules),  vutti  C supple- 
mentary notes),  and  Udhtiharana  (Examples),  was 
composed  by  Kachchayana  thera  himself.  Wherefore 
the  Tika  to  the  Anguttara  of  the  Ekanipata  says,  *the 
thera  Maha  Kachchayana,  according  to  his  previous 
aspirations,  published  in  the  midst  of  the  priesthood 
the  three  compositions,  viz.  Kachchayana  Pakarana, 
Maha  Kirutti  Pakarana,  and  Netti  Pakarana.' 

The  literary  qualifications  of  the  thera  Kachchayana, 
seem  to  have  been  indeed  such  as  to  warrant  the  belief 
that  he  devoted  his  time  to  the  elucidation  of  the 
language  of  Dhamma.  He  was,  as  is  abundantly 
proved  in  the  Pali  works,  a  distinguisljed  member  of 
the  Buddhist  fraternity.  He  is  also  mentioned  in  the 
Tibetan  Buddhistical  Annals,  as  one  of  the  disciples 
of  Gotama;  and  it  is  expressly  stated  of  him,  that  *he 
recited  the  Sutra  on  emancipation  in  the  vulgar 
dialect.'  By  '^the  vulgar  dialect,'  Mons.  De  Koresi 
doubtless  meant  the  language  to  which  Colebrooke 
had  previously  given  that  appellation — the  Magadhi. 
Gotama  himself  states  that  of  all  his  pupils  Maha 
Kachchayana  was  the  most  competent  to  elucidate  his 
Dhamma.  In  the  very  language  of  the  sage,  which  is 
here  quoted  from  the  Ekanipata  of  the  Angutta  Nikaya, 
— Etanasaan  Bikkhawe  mama  savakanan  bikktinan 
sankhittena  bhasitassa  vittharena  atthan  vibhajantanan, 
yadidan  Maha  Kachchano — ^Priests,  he  who  is  Maha 
Kachchayana  is  the  chief  of  all  the  bikkhus,  my  pupils, 
who    can   minutely     elucidate  the   sense    of  what  is 


KAcnciiA'rANA  ta'li  grammar.  49 

concisely  expressed.'  That  this  supremacy  refers  both 
to  the  literary,  and  the  theological  attainments  of 
Kachchayana  appears  from  the  following  comment, 
which  we  extract  from  the  Atthakatha  to  the  Anguttara 
Nikaya. 

Anne  kira  Tatagatassa  sankhepa  vachanan  attha 
vasena  vd  puritun  sakkonti  vyanjana  vasena  va;  ayan 
pana  thero  ubhayenapi  sakkoti :  tasma  aggo-ti  vutto. 

'Some  are  able  to  amplify  the  concise  words  of 
Tathagata  either  by  means  of  letters,  or  by  [shewing] 
their  sense.  But  this  thera  can  do  so  in  both  ways. 
lie  is  therefore  called  the  chief.' 

In  the  Nyasa  or  the  Mukha-matta-dipani,  which  is 
supposed  to  be  the  earliest  commentary  on  Kachcha- 
yana's  Pali  Grammar,  and  is,  as  may  be  proved,  older 
than  the  Kupasiddhi,  the  author  of  this  Grammar  is  not 
only  identified  with  the  Kachchayana  thera,  whose 
'intellectual  supremacy  was  extolled  by  Buddha',  but 
his  memory  is  thus  respected  by  an  *  obeisance.' 

Kachchayanan  cha  muni  vannita  buddhi-massa 
Kachchayanassa  mukha  matta  mahan  karissaii 
Parampara  gata  vinichchaya  nichchayan  cha. 

'Also  (bowing  down  to)  Kachchayana,  whose  in- 
tellectual attainments  had  been  complimented  by 
Buddha,  I  shall  comment  upon  the  positive  conclusions 
(Rules),  which  have  been  handed  down  by  tradition  as 
the  very  oral  (teachings)*  of  this  Kachchayana.' 

*  Mukhamatta  '  the  very  (word  of)  mouth,'  a  term  which  does 
not  necessarily  imply  the  absence  of  writing. 

H 


50  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

With  reference  to  the  name  Kachchayana  in 
the  above  extract,  the  following  passage  occurs 
in  the  NIrutti-sdra-Manjusa,  wherein  also  the  w-riter 
acknowledges  the  consummate  scholarshij)  of  the 
Grammarian. 

Kasi  Kammadina  vyaparena  kachchati  dippatiti 
Kachcho,  thera  pita  tassa  apachchan  putto  Kachcha- 
yano  Neruttukanan  pabhava  bhuto  pabhinna  pati 
sarabhido  etadagga  thane  thapito  khinasavatthere  tan 
pana  natvana. 

'By  reason  of  the  occupation  of  ploughing,  &:c. 
[comes]  Kachchati '  he  shines.'  Thence,  Kachcho,  (the 
name  of)  the  thera's  father.  His  son  is  Kachchayana 
— a  th^ra,  who  was  an  arahanta,  who  was  placed  in 
the  highest  position,  who  had  attained  the  patisam- 
bhida,*  and  who  w^as  the  first  cause  (source)  of  all 
Neruttika,  [Grammarians  or]  philologers.' 

Although  it  is  statedf  that  Kachchayana  was  resi- 
dent at  Avanti,  the  pachchanta  or  '  the  foreign  regions'!, 
it  is  however  expressly  stated  that  this  Grammar  was 


*  See  Sivupilisimbiya  in  Cloiigh's  Dictionary.  Turnour  has  de- 
fined this  to  be  'the  attainment  of  the  four  gifts  of  sanctifioation.' 

•f  In  the  Chammakkhandaka  section  of  the  Maha  Vagga. 

J  Mr.  Muir,  in  his  Sanskrit  texts,  says  that  "the  people  whom 
Yaska  designates  Prachyas,  or  men  of  the  East,  must  have  been 
the  Kitakas  or  the  Magadhas,  or  the  Angas,  or  the  Vangas." — 
p.  371.  In  the  Buddhist  annals,  however,  the  word  Pachchanta  is 
used  to  designate  all  the  countries  beyond  the  Majjhima  desa, 
which  is  thus  defined  in  the  Maha  Vagga :  '  Here  the  Pachchanta 
are  these  countries.     On  the  east  [of  Majjhima]   is  the  market 


kaciiciia'yana  pa'li  grammar,  51 

written  in  the  Himavanta ;  and,  from  the  mention  of 
the  principal  towns  celebrated  "by  the  presence  and 
abode  of  Gotama,  and  especially  that  which  had  risen 
from  a  small  village  to  the  importance  of  a  populous 
city  in  the  time  of  the  sage,  I  mean  Pataliputta,* 
it  may  be  inferred  the  writer  took  for  his  examples 
such  of  the  names  as  were  then  of  recent  celebrity. 

It  must  also  be  borne  in  mind,  that  although  tradi- 
tion in  one  voice  ascribes  the  authorship  of  the  Pali 
Suttans  in  the  Sandhikappa  to  Sariputta  Maha  Kach- 
chayana,  yet  that  writers  are  divided  in  their  belief  as 
to  the  Yutti  having  been  written  by  that  distinguished 
hierarch   of  the   Buddhist  Church,  as  stated  in   the 


town  called  Kajangala,  and  on  the  west  Maha  Sala,  Beyond 
them  is  the  great  country  of  Pachchanta,  and  this  side  of  it  is  the 
Majjhrt.  On  the  south-east  is  the  river  called  Salalavati.  Beyond 
it  is  the  Pachchanta  country,  and  this  side  of  it  the  Majjha.  On 
the  south  is  the  town  called  Setakanni.  Beyond  it  is  the  Pach- 
chanta country,  and  this  side  of  it  is  the  JSIajjha.  On  the  west  is 
the  Brahman  village  called  Thuna.  Beyond  it  is  the  Pachchanta 
comitry,  and  this  side  of  it  the  Majjha.  And  on  the  north  is  the 
mountain  called  Usuraddhaja.  Beyond  it  is  the  Pachchanta 
country,  and  this  side  of  it  is  the  Majjha.'  For  the  original  of  this 
see  Childers'  Khuddaka  pdtha^  p.  20. 

♦  It  is  stated  in  the  Buddhist  annals  (see  the  first  Banavara  of  the 
Parinibban  Suttan)  that  this  city,  which  in  modern  times  has  received 
the  name  of  Patna,  was  built  during  the  lifetime  of  Gotama,  for  the 
purpose  of  checking  the  Vajjians;  and  it  is  also  stated  that  at  the 
time  it  was  built  by  Sunidha  and  Vassakara,  two  ministers  of  the 
reigniug  prince  Ajatassatta,  Gotama  predicted  its  future  opulence 
and  grandeur,  as  well  as  its  partial  destruction  by  fire  and  water. 


52  descriptive  catalogue. 

Kachcha'yana  Bheda  Ti'ka'. 

The  following  extract  from  it  contains  the  tradition 
as  to  who  were  the  authors  of  the  supplementary  notes 
and  examples  in  Kachchayana's  Grammar. 

Tena'ha  Kachchayana  Dipaniyan. 

Saudliimhi  eka  panndsan 
iiamamhi  dvi  satan  bliavc, 
Attlui  rasaclhi  kanclieua 
karake  pancha  talisan  ; 
Samase  attlia  visan'cha 
(Ivasatthi  Taddhite  matan, 
Attha  rasa  satakkhyate 
kite  sutta  satan  bhave  ; 
Uiiuadimhi  cha  paunasan 
neyyan  sutta  pabhedato  ; — 
Sabban  sampinda  mauantu 
cha  sata  sattati  dvecha'...ti. 

Imani  sutta  sankhyani  fiyase  agata  sutta  sankhyahi 
nasamenti;  kasmati  che?  pakkhepa  suttan  galietv 
gananta  dasadhika  sata  sata  suttani  honti.  Imani 
suttani  Maha  Kachchayanena  katani ;  vutti  cha  Sangha- 
nandi  sankhatena  Maha  Kachchayanen'eva  kata — 
payogo  Brahmadattena  kato...ti.     Vuttan  ch'etan. 

"Kachchayana  kato  yogo 
vutti  cha  Sanghanandino, 
Payogo  Brahmadattena 
nyaso  Vimalabuddhina"...ti. 

^It  is  said  in  the  Jvachchayana  Dipani — that  the 
distribution  of  Suttani  may  be  regarded  (as  follows. 


kachcha'yana  pa'li  grammar.  53 

viz.  that)  there  are  fifty  one  (Suttani)  in  the  (book 
which  treats  on)  Combination ;  two  hundred  and 
eighteen  on  Nouns;  forty-five  on  Syntax;  twenty- 
eight  on  Compounds;  sixty -two  on  Nominal  Deriva- 
tives; one  hundred  and  eighteen  on  Verbs ;  one  hundred 
on  Verbal  Derivatives;  and  fifty  on  Unnadi.  The 
aggregate  (number  is)  six  hundred  and  seventy-two. 

'  These  numbers  of  aphorisms  do  not  correspond 
with  the  numbers  appearing  in  the  Nyasa.  To  explain 
wherefore:  By  the  computation  of  the  interpolated 
aphorisms  there  are  seven  hundred  and  ten  aphorisms. 
These  aphorisms  were  composed  by  Maha  Kachcha- 
yana.  The  Vutti  were  made  by  Maha  Kachchayana 
himself,  (who  was  also)  called  Sanghanandi ; — and 
the  illustrations  by  Brahmadatta.  So  it  is  expressly 
stated — that 

'The  aphorisms  were  made  by  Kachchayana 
The  Vutti  by  Sanghanandi* — 
The  illustrations  by  Brahmadatta — 
And  the  nyasa  by  Vimalabuddhi.' 

To  sum  up  all  the  evidence  on  the  subject:  In  the 
first  place,  tradition  asserts  that  the  writer  was  Kach- 
chayana, one  of  Gotama  Buddha's  disciples.     2.   It  ia 

*  It  will  be  observed,  that  the  writer  s  statement,  that  Sangha- 
nandi was  identical  with  Maha  Kachchayana,  is  not  borne  out  by 
the  authority  quoted.  From  the  distinct  mention  of  different 
names  for  the  authors  of  different  parts,  viz.,  the  Grammar,  its 
supplements,  its  notes,  and  its  principal  comment,  the  Nyasa; 
it  would  seem  that  Sanghanandi  (also  called  Sankhanandi)  was  a 
person  diff'erent  from  Maha  Kachchayana. 


54  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

written  in  a  very  ancient  style — that  of  the  algebraic 
aphorisms  of  Panini.  3.  The  Rules  laid  down  are 
adapted  to  a  language,  which  was  certainly  more  refined 
than  the  Magadhi  of  the  tliird  Ecumenical  Convoca- 
tion, and  therefore  as  the  writer  himself  states,  to  the 
language  of  Buddha.*  4.  The  allusions  to  places,  etc., 
in  the  examples  are  those  which  were  rendered  sacred 
by  the  abode  of  Gotama, 

Such  are  the  facts  and  circumstances  connected 
with  the  age  and  authorship  of  this  Grammar,  on 
which,  without  a  thorough  examination  of  the  entire 
work,  and  unwilling  to  believe  that  so  many  writers 
have  stated  that  which  was  not  the  fact,  I  was  induced 
to  uphold  Tradition,  and  to  support  the  same  in  my 
Introduction.  But  I  was  not  over  sanguine  as  to  the 
correctness  of  my  views.  Even  then  I  expressed  the 
belief  that  future  researches  might  enable  me  to  adduce 
more  satisfactory  proof,  which  would  tend  materially 
to  qualify  the  inferences  and  conclusions  I  had  drawn. 
Later  researches,  I  am  happy  to  say,  have  consider- 
ably shaken  them. 

Professor  Weber  of  Berlin  in  his  Review  f  of  my 
work,  above  referred  to,  has  also  expressed  "  his  disbelief 
in  the  identity  of  the   author  of  this  Grammar  with 

*  See  my  Notes  in  tbe  Appendix  to  the  Introduction  of  Kaeh- 
chayana. 

f  See  the  Journal  of  German  Oriental  Society,  vol.  xix.  p.  649. 
This  Essay  was  translated  into  English  and  j^ublished  in  Pamphlet 
form  by  Williams  and  Norgate;  and  wherever  reference  is  made 
to  the  RevicT^  in  this  work,  it  will  be  to  tbe  English  Translation. 


Siirlputta,  on  the  ground  of  his  extensive  acquaintance 
with  previous  works  on  Grammar;  of  the  highly  sys- 
tematic arrangement  he  has  adopted ;  and  of  the  want, 
in  ihe  older  documents  of  the  language,  of  the  complete 
attano-pada  forms  which  he  recognises." 

Now,  "the  extensive  acquaintance  with  previous 
works  on  Grammar "  proves  scarcely  anything;  since 
the  age  of  many  of  them,  for  instance  Pdnini,  is  not  yet 
settled,  and  which  I  am  still  inclined  to  believe  was 
ante-Buddhistical.  Neither  is  lucid  and  systematic 
arrangement,  especially  in  view  of  similar  evidence  of 
arrangement  in  the  canonical  works  of  Buddhism,  an 
argument  against  this  w^ork,  containing  what  one  of 
the  writers  already  quoted,  says,  'the  Kules  which 
have  been  traditionally  handed  down  as  the  very 
oral  (teaching)  of  [Sariputta]  Kachchayana.'  Again, 
the  paucity  of  attano-pada  forms  in  the  Buddhistical 
works  signifies  little  or  nothing  in  view  of  the  fact 
that  such  forms  are  unquestionably  found  in  the 
Tcpitaka,*  and  that  the  Grammarian  could  never  have 
intended  to  exhibit  entirely  obsolete  forms.  And  it  is 
very  remarkable  that  the  Grammar  notices  the  fact  of 
their  gradual  displacement  by  parassa-pada. 

But  the  learned  Professor's  conclusion  may,  however, 
be  upheld  on  other  grounds:  and  I  am  glad  of  the 
opportunity  which  the  publication  of  this  Catalogue 
affords  me,  not  only  to  confirm  those  views,  but  also  to 
set  myself  aright  with  the  literary  public  by  qualifying 
some  of  the  opinions  which  I  have  previously  expressed. 

*  See  examples  given  under  the  title  of  Tepitaka. 


56  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

i.  As  remarked  by  the  learned  Professor  I  do 
not,  any  more  than  he  does,  place  implicit  reliance 
on  Tradition,  unless  indeed  the  same  is  supported, 
and  not  contradicted,  by  collateral  circumstances. 
Now,  supposing  for  the  sake  of  argument,  that  this 
work  was  written — contrary  to  the  testimony  which 
tradition  furnishes — in  this  island,  and  after  the  a2:e  of 
Asoka,  let  us  see  if  that  supposition  militates  against 
inferences  drawn  in  favour  of  my  previous  position. 

ii.  "It  is  written  in  an  ancient  style."  Though 
this  is  a  circumstance  quite  worthy  of  consideration 
along  with  other  facts;  yet  by  itself  it  throws  no 
weight  in  the  scale :  since  compositions  of  an  un- 
doubtedly modern  date,  e.  g.  Rupasiddhi,  etc.,  are  found 
written  in  a  similar  style.  The  same  remarks  apply 
to  the 

iii  ground  in  support  of  my  previous  position — 
"that  the  Rules  laid  down  are' adapted  to  the  language 
of  the  Pitakas."  Before,  however,  dismissing  this  part 
of  the  evidence,  I  may  point  out  that  the  paucity  of 
attano-pada forms,  as  remarked  by  Dr.  Weber,  in  "the 
sacred  literature,"  does  not  militate  against  the  belief 
I  once  entertained;  and  that  the  Grammar  only  shews 
what  the  sacred  texts  clearly  prove,  that  when  the 
latter  came  into  existence,  whether  mentally  or  as  a 
written  composition,  the  attano-pada  forms  were  being 
gradually  superseded  by  parassa  pada.  Attanopadani 
parassapadattam.  Kach.  vi.  4.  37.  But  these  forms, 
though  sparingly,  are  to  be  found  in  the  text"books  of 
Buddhism. 


kachcha'yana  pa'li  grammar.  57 

iv.  *  From  the  mention  of  names  rendered  sacred 
by  the  abode  of  Gotama'  no  inferences  can  be  drawn; 
since,  as  I  have  recently  found,  the  name  of 
"Devdnanpiya  Tissa"  (a  king  of  Ceylon,  the  ally  of 
Asoka,  307  B.C.)   occurs  in  the  following  extract  from 

Book  II.  Sec.  Y. 
Sutta — Kisma'  vo. 
Vutti — Kimichche    tasma    vappachchayohoti     Sattam- 

yatthe. 
Example — Kva  gato'si  tvan  Devanan  Piyatissa. 

S— 'Va'  from  a^in.' 

V — To  this  *kin'  is  (added)  the  affix  *va'  in  a  locative 

sense. 
E — O  Devanan-piya  Tissa!  where  Avas  it  that  thou 

hast  gone? 

It  may  however  be  urged  on  the  other  side,  that 
though  the  Vutti  and  the  Examples  were,  as  a  second 
tradition  clearly  states,  by  Sanghanandi  and  Brahma- 
datta;  yet  the  Suttas  themselves  might  have  been  by 
Maha  Kachchayana,  to  whom  tradition  without  excep- 
tion points  at.  In  this  view  of  the  question  it  has  also 
been  pointed  out  to  me  by  a  friend,  that  the  majority 
of  writers  on  the  subject  attribute  the  Suttas  alone 
to  Maha  Kachchayana.  For  instance,  it  is  said,  in  the 
Sutta  Niddcsa  {see  ante,  />.  47)  that  he  "composed  the 
Kachchdyana-palxarana,  consisting  of  (the  Suttans) 
attho  alikliara  Sahhdto  etc.'*'' 

Hence  it  is  quite  clear,  that  upon  the  recent 
researches   to  which  I  have  adverted,  Kachchdyana 

I 


58  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE, 

can  only  be  looked  upon  as  the  author  of  the  Suttas, 
This  too  appears  to  be  very  doubtful,  according  to  the 
new  lights  which  have  been  thrown  upon  this  investi- 
gation, and  to  which  I  shall  now  proceed  to  advert. 

1.  A  close  and  careful  study  of  the  oldest  works 
on  Buddhism  has  satisfied  rae  of  the  correctness  of  my 
Pandit's  remark,  that  the  existence  of  the  introductory 
stanzas  in  the  Vasantatilaka  metre  justifies  us  to  place 
this  Grammar  at  a  period  long  subsequent  to  the  age  of 
Sariputta  Maha  Kachchayana.  It  may  be  confidently 
asserted,  that  there  are  no  such  metres  in  the  text 
books  of  Buddhism.  An  examination  of  all  the  poetic 
portions  of  the  Pitakattaya  thoroughly  establishes 
the  fact,  that  at  the  time  it  came  into  existence,  no  such 
Sanskrit  metres  were  known.  '^QQpost,  under  the  head 
of  Tepitaka.  But  it  is  suggested,  that "  though  in  point 
of  fact  the  prefatory  stanzas  have  been  introduced  by 
the  compiler,  yet  the  Suttas  might  have  been,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  the  work  of  Kachchayana."  A^either 
does  this  appear  to  have  been  the  case;  for  the  Mukha- 
mattadipani,  the  oldest  comment  on  this  Grammar, 
refers  to  the  words  of  the  introductory  stanzas  as  the 
yery  words  of  the  Grammarian. 

I  must  not  omit  to  state  that  Sariputta  Maha  Kach- 
chayana is  also  mentioned  in  a  Burman  work  called 
the  Midamule,  as  the  author  of  a  Pali  Grammar.  The 
Rev.  Francis  Mason,  in  an  article  in  the  American 
Oriental  Journal,  vol,  iv.  p.  107,  writes:  "The  Mula- 
mule  opens  with  the  statement  that,  when  Gautama, 
soon   after  he  attained  the   Buddhahood,  preached  to 


kaceiciia'yana  pa'li  grammar.  59 

hia  followers  in  Pali,  they  found  it  difficult  to  under- 
stand him;  but  one  of  them,  the  great  Kachchayana, 
prepared  a  Pali  Grammar,  which  enabled  them  to  un- 
derstand his  language  with  facility." 

This  tradition  is  substantially  the  same  that  is 
current  in  Ceylon;  and  the  fact  here  stated  renders  no 
assistance  whatever  in  the  investigation  before  us; 
since  the  mere  existence  of  Kachchay ana's  Grammar 
in  Burma  proves  nothing.  The  best  available  evidence 
as  to  the  introduction  of  Pali  books  and  character  into 
that  country  points  at  Ceylon ;  and  the  earliest  period 
at  which  the  same  were  taken  to  Pegu  from  Ceylon, 
was,  according  to  the  statement  of  P.  Carpanus,  on  the 
authority  of  a  Burman  History  called  the  Maharazoen, 
by  Buddhagosa  in  the  940th  year  of  their  era,  answer- 
ing to  307,  A.  D.*  This,  according  to  the  authentic 
chronology  of  the  Mahawansa,  could  not  have  been 
earlier  than  432  A.  D.  Be  that  however  as  it  may. 
We  have  clear  evidence,  as  we  shall  hereafter  shew, 
that  Buddhagosa  did  not  see  Kachchay  ana's  Grammar: 
and  it  is  thence  clear  that  the  work  of  Kachchayana, 
like  the  tradition  as  to  its  authorship,  has  been  carried 
from  Ceylon  to  Burma. 

Allowing:  our  conclusions  to  be  thus  far  correct, 
there  is  indeed  another  view  of  the  whole  question. 
It  is  this— that,  though,  as  we  have  already  seen, 
the  Grammar  which  goes  by  the  designation  of  Kach- 
chayana's  Pali   Grammar ,  and  which  is  also  extant  in 

*  See  Essai  sur  le  Pali,  by  Bumouf  and  Lassen,  p.  62. 


60  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Burma,  was  not  entirely  the  work  of  Sariputta  Mah^ 
Kachchayana,  yet  there  is  nothing  in  the  evidence 
which  we  have  examined  to  preclude,  but  many  things 
to  warrant,  the  belief— that  a  Grammar  in  point  of  fact 
was  composed  by  him,  and  that  it  is  either  now  entirely 
lost;  or,  having  been  partially  deranged,  was  at  a 
subsequent  date  reproduced  by  some  one  with  the  aid 
of  Panini  and  other  Sanskrit  Grammars,  by  adopting 
their  terminology. 

Indeed  I  have  already  shewn*  that  some  of  the 
technical  terms  adopted  in  Kachchayana  were  bor- 
rowed from  Sanskrit  writers. 

Book  1.  Cap.  1.  §  9. 

Para  SAMAnnA'  payoge.  Vutti— Ya  cha  pana 
Sakkata  gandhesu  Samanna  ghosa  ti  va  aghosa  ti  va  ta 
payoge  sati  ettha'pi  yujjante.  *  In  composition  other's 
terminology.  Vutti — Such  (grammatical)  terms  as 
are  called  ghosa  (Sonants)  or  aghosa  (Surds)  in 
Sanskrit  gandhas  (or  literary  works)  are  here  adopted 
as  exigency  may  require.' 

I  have  also  shewn  that  though  some  of  the  aphorisms 
in  Kachchayana,  like  portions  of  its  terminology, 
were  the  same  in  Panini,  yet  others  greatly  differed; 
e.  g»  Panchami  and  Sattami,  for  the  ^Benedictive' 
and  'Potential'  Moods,  were  not  found  as  a  'fifth' 
and  'seventh'  division  of  the  Verb  in  any  Grammar 
that   I  have   examined.     The  Balavatara  explains — 

*  See  Introduction  to  Kaclicliayana,  pp,  xxv.  et  xl. 


KACIICHA'yANA    PA'lI    GHAM3IAR.  61 

Pancliami  Sattami  tyayan  pubbuchariya  sanna — that 
*Pancliami  and  Sattami  were  the  terminology  of  former 
teachers;'  and  the  Mahd  Sadda-niti  states  that  those 
terms  were  in  accordance  with  Sanskrit  Grammars 
such  as  the  Katantra, 

I  have  not  however  had  the  good  fortune  of 
consulting  the  work  to  which  reference  is  here  made. 
M.  Kuhn,  who  has  only  had  the  benejfit  of  examining 
a  few  fragments  which  Theodore  Aufrecht  published 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  Katantrics  in  his  Catalogue  of 
Sanskrit  works  in  the  Bodleian  Library  No.  374,  has 
the  following  observations  appended  to  his  translation 
of  Kachchay ana's  section  on  Karaka,  which  has  just* 
been  received  in  Ceylon: — 

"It  is  not  surprising  that  D'Alwis,  p.  xli.,  was  excited 
at  such  agreement  with  the  opinion  that  Panini  was 
before  the  eyes  of  Kachchay  ana  while  composing  his 
work.  He  grants,  however,  that  this  agreement  may 
be  explained  too,  in  another  way.  And,  indeed  by  a 
certain  grammarian  of  the  Pali  language,  I  mean  the 
author  of  the  Grammar  Mahasaddaniti,  in  D' Alwis's 
work,  p.  xl.,  we  are  referred  to  the  Katantric  School, 
for  the  terms  used  by  Kachchay  ana,  which  were  *in 
accordance  with  Sanskrit  Grammars  such  as  the 
Katantra.'  Weber  in  his  Review  of  D' Alwis's  book, 
p.  564.,  has  justly  observed,  that  D'Alwis  has  in- 
correctly rejected  this  assertion .  His  words  are :  '  This 
passing  remark  of  a  scholiast  can  but  seem  to  us  as  a 

*  April,  1870. 


62  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

plain  and  simple  statement,  and  although  we  need  not 
naturally  take  it  up  for  present  use  as  ready  money, 
it  may  nevertheless  serve  at  all  events  as  a  welcome 
support  for  future  investigations.' 

"  And,  in  fact,  that  this  opinion  is  not  plainly  alien 
from  the  truth,  appears  most  perspicuously  from  those 
few  fragments,  which  Theodore  Aufrecht  published, 
of  the  doctrine  of  the  Katantrics,  in  his  Catalogue  of 
Sanskrit  works  in  the  Bodleian  Library,  No.  374. 
For  the  prefaces  of  both  works  (D'Alwis  p.  xvii., 
Weber,  in  the  place  already  cited,  p.  657. — Aufrecht 
p.  168)  and  the  rules  that  are  read  in  the  beginning  of 
every  book  alike  exhibit  a  certain  likeness.  These 
are  the  rules  : 

Kat.  Aufr.  p.  169.  Samas.  1.  namnam  samaso  yuktartah. 

Samas.  2.  taststha  lopya  vibaktayah. 

Taddh.  1.  vaiin  apatye. 

A'kliy.  1.  atha  parasmaipadani. 

A'khy.  2.  nava  parany  atmanepade. 

A'khy.  3.  trini  triiii  prathamamadhyamottamab. 


Kacc.  Samas.  1.  namanam  samaso  yuttattho. 

Samas.  2.  tesam  vibhattiyo  lopa  ca. 

Taddh.  1.  van  apacce. 

Akhy.  1.  atha  pubbani  vibhattinam  cha  parassapadani. 

Akhy.  2.  parany  attanopadani. 

Akhy.  3.  dve  dve  pathamamajjimuttamapurisa. 

"  Now,  though  these  rules,  which  are  similar  to  each 
other,  of  the  Katantrics  and  of  Kachchayana,  differ 
greatly  from  the  rules  of  Panini  and  his  followers. 


63 

yet  Katantra  Nam  1.  Dhatuvibhaktivarjam  arthaval 
lingam  (compare  Pan.  1,  2,  45  :  arthavad  adhatur 
apratyayah  pratipadikam)  is  of  almost  greater  import- 
ance ;  whence  it  is  evidently  perceptible  that,  amongst 
the  Katantrics  and  in  Kachchayana's  Grammar,  the 
word  llngahad  the  same  signification,  namely  the  notion 
of  a  nominal  theme  (see  what  we  have  discussed  above 
on  the  rule  Karak.  15.)  That  even  Vopadeva  had 
the  same  notion  of  the  word  linga  before  his  eyes,  in 
forming  the  noun  of  the  theme  li,  is  handed  down  to 
us  by  the  scholiast  on  Vopad.  1,  12;  but  Vopadeva 
made  use  of  many  books  belonging  to  the  Grammar 
of  the  Katantrics.  (Westergaard.  Radices  proef. 
p.  iv.)  Finally,  it  seems  proper  to  remark,  that  in 
Durgasinha's  commentary  to  the  Kdtantric  Grammar, 
(in  the  place  already  cited,  p.  369,)  the  arrangement  of 
the  krit  suffixes  is  attributed  to  one  Kachchayana. 

Vriksbadivad  ami  rudhah  Kritinalamkritah  kritah 
Katyayanena  te  srishtah  vibuddhipratibuddhaye.* 

"  The  Katantric  Grammar  ^  does  not  labour  under 
the  studied  brevity  and  obscurity  of  Panini  and  his 
school,'  and  when  the  great  number  of  its  appendices 
(pari9ishta)  is  considered,  you  will  scarcely  doubt  of  its 
being  composed  for  the  use  of  beginners.  Excellently 
therefore    do    the    perspicuity    and   the    method   of 


*  Colebrooke  names  a  certain  Yararuchi  also  amongst  the  com- 
mentators of  the  Katantric  Grammars,  misc.  ess.  ii,  45.  "NV'eber 
Zeitschr.  d.  deutschen  morojenl.     (Jresellschaft  viii.  851. 


64  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Kachchayana's  work  agree  with  that  Grammar,  giving 
a  sketch  only  and  being  less  ample ;  points  in  which 
the  3rd  book  also  departs  widely  from  Panini's  Gram- 
mar ;  and,  if  the  author  has  followed  the  Katantrics, 
he  could  have  also  drawn  from  their  compendium 
those  articles  which  are  common  to  Panini  and  himself; 
and  assuredly  the  Katantrics  have,  by  no  means,  re- 
jected the  method  of  the  Paninians  in  the  exposition 
of  the  unadi  particles.  However  this  may  be,  it  is 
already  apparent  that  Kachchayana's  work  has  the 
semblance  of  a  very  great  affinity  with  the  Katantric 
Grammars. 

"  It  is  quite  evident  that  there  are,  in  this  third  book, 
two  kinds  of  examples  which  are  drawn  from  Brahma- 
datta.  And  the  first  kind  is  that  which  is  mostly 
used*  in  Sanskrit  Grammars,  such  as  the  commentary 
to  Kac.  2  :  himavata  pabhavanti  panca  mahanadiyo, 
and  the  scholium  to  Pan.  I,  4,  81 :  himavato  ganga 
prabhavati.  Kach.  3 :  yava  patisedhenti  gavo,  and 
Pan.  I  4,  27,  yavebhyo  gam  varayati.  Kach.  4, 
upajjhaya  antaradayati  sisso ;  and  Pan.  I,  4,  28, 
upadhyayad  antardhatte.  Kach.  5,  satasma  bandho 
naro ;  and  Pan.  II,  3,  24,  catad  baddhah.  The  proper 
names  devadatta  and  yajfiadatta  are  set  by  each  other 
in  the   same  manner.     Kach.  6  and  Pan.  I,  4,  52,  55. 


*  It  will  do  to  cite  the  Scholia  to  Panini's  work.  It  is  well  known 
that  the  learned  men  who  in  the  beginning  of  the  present  century 
commented  at  Calcutta,  on  Panini's  Siitra,  drew  from  more  ancient 
sources.     Many  examples  are  found  also  in  Siddhantakaum. 


kachciia'yana  pa'li  grammar.  65 

Kach.  7  alum  mallo  mallassa,  and  Pan.  IT,  3,  IG,  alam 
mallo  mallaya.  Kach.  8,  tilesu  telam,  and  Pan.  I,  4,  45, 
tlleshu  tailam  (see  what  was  expounded  above  con- 
cerning akase  sakun^  yanti)  Kach.  8,  gangayam  ghoso, 
and  Pdn.  I,  4,  42,  gangayam  ghoshah.  Kach.  9,  datena 
lundti,  and  Pan.  I,  4,  42,  II,  :-;,  18  datrena  lunati. 
Kach.  14,  kamsapatiya  bhiinjati,  and.  Pan.  II,  3,  64: 
dvih  kamsapatryam  bhunkte,  Kach.  20,  kena  hetun^ 
va?ati,  and  Pan.  II,  3,  28,  annasya  hetor  vasati  Kach. 
25,  sotthi  pajanam,  and  Pan.  2,  3,  16,  svasti  prajabhyah, 
Kach.  28,  Katam  karoti,  and  Pan.  I,  4,  49,  II,  3,  2, 
the  same.  Kach.  29,  masam  adhite,  and  Pan  II,  3,  5, 
the  same.  The  examples  which  are  adduced  from  the 
scholia  to  [Pan.  I.  4,  52,  appear  to  have  been  of  some 
little  authority  even  in  the  text  of  Kachchay ana's 
31st  Rule;  compare  91  9ayayati,  and  si  eayati ;  adhi-i 
adhyapayati  and  the  synonym  path  pathayati.  Kah. 
34,  gonanam  sami,  gonesu  sami  &c.,  and  Pan.  II,  3,  39, 
gavam  svami,  goshu  svami.  Kach.  35,  kanha  gavinam 
(gavisu)  sampannakkhiratama  .  and  Pan,  II,  3,  41, 
gavam  (goshu)  krishna  bahukshira.  Kach.  36,  rudato 
darakassa  (rudantasmin  darake)  pabbaji,  and  Pan.  II, 
3,  38,  rudatah  (rudati)  pravrajit.  Kach.  41,  dip!  cam- 
mesu  hanfiate,  kunjaro  dantesu  hanfiate,  and  the  Vartt. 
to  Pan.  II,  3,  36,  carmani  dvipinam  hanti,  dantayor 
hanti  kunjaram.  Kach.  44,  gosu  duyhamanesu  gato^ 
duddhasu  agato  and  Pan.  II,  3,  37,  goshu  duhyamanesu 
gatah,  dugdhasv  agatah.  Kach,  44,  upa  nikkhe  kaha- 
panam,   and   Pan.   I,  4,   87,  upa  nishke  karshapanam. 


66  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Kach.  44,  adhi  Brahmadatte  pancala,  and  Pan.   I,  4^ 
97,  II,  3,  9  adhi  Brahmadatte  pancalah. 

"  The  second  kind  of  examples  is  what  are  added  by 
the  author,  who  was  devoted  to  Buddha's  doctrine,  from 
tlie  sacred  books,  as  comment  to  Kach.  7,  saggassa 
gamanena  ya  from  the  Dhamapa.  str.  178.  Kach.  17, 
manasa  ce  padutthena,  and  manasa  ce  pasannena  from 
Dhammap,  str.  1  and  2.  Kach.  26,  papa  cittam  nivaraye 
from  Dhammap,  str.  116.  abbha  mutto  va  candima 
from  Dhammap,  172,  382  Kach.  33,  papasmim  ramati 
mano  from  Dhammap  str.  116,  Kach.  40,  sabbe  tasanti 
dandassa,  sabbe  bhayanti  maccuno  from  Dhammap, 
str.  129  &c.,  &c. 

"I  have  been  able  to  use  only  a  single  copy, in  order 
to  learn  the  constitution  of  the  entire  text,  namely  a 
copy  written  with  a  style  in  the  writing  of  "  Cambodia," 
and  supplied  with  emendations  added  by  another  hand. 
I  have  collated  another  copy  concerning  the  sutras, 
containing  all  the  siitras  of  Kachchayana.  The  former 
copy  is  most  negligently  written  with  resj^ect  to  ortho- 
graphy, so  that  I  judged  it  unnecessary  to  notice 
a  variation  merely  orthographical ;  but  in  this  still  very 
doubtful  matter  I  have  mostly  followed  Fausboll."* 

Coincidences  like  the  above  lead  per  se  to  no  import- 
ant results  as  to  the  age  of  Kachchayana ;  yet  they 
are,  when  taken  with  other  circumstances,  not  without 


*  Translated  from  "  Specimen  of  Kachchayana "  by  Ernestus 
Kuhn,  pp.  19—22. 


kachcha'yana  pa'li  grammar.  67 

value  as  exhibiting,  if  nothing  farther,  than,  as  Kuhn 
says,  "  a  semblance  of  a  very  great  affinity  between 
Kachchayana'd  work  and  the  Katantric  Grammars." 
Failing  in  all  my  endeavours  to  fix  the  age  of  the 
work  under  notice,  I  have  resorted  to  the  only  practi- 
cable mode,  suggested  by  Professor  H.  H.  Wilson, 
of  examining  what  I  may  call  positive  and  negative 
evidence  furnished  by  subsequent  writers.*  Anxious, 
therefore  to  find  out  the  oldest  book  which  refers  to 
Kachchayana  or  his  terminology,  I  was,  in  the  course 
of  my  investigations,  naturally  led  to  an  examination 
of  Buddhagosa's  Atthakatba ;  and  I  am  glad  to  say 
my  trouble  has  not  been  altogetlier  fruitless.  Indeed 
it  has  led  to  one  important  result,  viz,,  to  shake  the 
confidence  which  I  had  previously  placed  on  Tradition, 
and  to  establish  the  fact,  that  the  work  under  notice 
was  not  known  to  the  Sinhalese  between  the  age  of 
Buddhagosa  and  that  of  the  Tikas  to  the  Atthakatha. 
Now,  if  this  Grammar  was  written  by  the  eminent 
disciple  of  Buddha,  to  whom  it  is  attributed  by  tradi- 
tion, it  Is  very  reasonable  to  believe  that  it,  like  the 
Pali  language,  found  its  way  into  Ceylon  soon  after 
the  introduction  of  Buddhism  into  it,  and  upon  the 
arrival   of  Mahinda.     In  that  case,  too,  Buddhagosa 

*  "  The  comparative  age  of  various  compositions  is  in  many 
cases  ascertainable  by  the  references  which  the  writers  make  to 
their  predecessors  ;  and  the  absence  of  tlie  notice  of  a  celebrated 
work  where  mention  of  it  is  likely  to  be  found,  is  a  very  strong 
presumption  of  its  not  being  in  existence." — Preface  to  the  Sans- 
krit Dictionary^  p.  xxv. 


68  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

must  have  found  it  here  on  his  arrival,  if  indeed  he 
had  not  been  ah'eady  familiar  with  it;  and  nothing 
is  more  reasonable  than  to  find  that  in  his  comments 
on  the  Pitakattaya — especially  when  we  consiJer  that 
he  had  to  translate  from  the  Sinhalese  into  the  very 
lanojuao^e  from  which  the  Sinhalese  version  itself  was 
produced,— he  had,  in  the  interpretation  of  terms, 
referred  to  the  very  personage  whom  Buddha  had 
so  much  complimented,  or  had  frequently  quoted  or 
alluded  to  his  Grammar,  or,  at  least,  had  adopted  the 
technical  terms  given  in  his  Grammar.  Such  would 
have  also  been  precisely  the  result,  though  Mahinda 
had  not  brought  the  work  into  Ceylon,  yet,  if  it  was 
the  work  of  Maha  Kachchajana  in  India.  But  it  is 
strange  to  find,  that,  far  from  any  allusion  being  made 
to  the  author  of  tliis  Grammar,  and  far  from  the 
Grammar  itself  being  in  any  way  cited,  there  is  not 
even  an  agreement  between  the  terminology  of 
Buddhagi/sa  and  Kachchayana. 

Some  of  the  terms  used  by  the  former  are  thus 
collected  in  the  following  stanza,  which  we  quote  from 
Sutta-Niddesa. 

Pacbchatta'  mujia  yo  gancha 

Karanau  Sampadaniyan 

Nissakka  Sarai  vachanaa 

BLumma'malapaiiattliaman. 
And  they  may  be  thus  tabularized: — 

Buddhagosa.  Kachchdyana.        Sinhalese.*  Signification. 

Pachchattau    ...     Pathama     ...     Pera       ...     Nominative. 
*  See  Sidatsangara,  §  26,  et  seq. 


kachcha'yana  pa'li  gramma^i^. 


69 


Bttddhagosa. 

Upayogaa 
Karanan 

Kachchdyana. 

..     Dutiya 
,.     Tatiya 

Sinhalese. 

.     Kam 

Katu      . . . 
'  (  Karana*... 

Signification. 

Accusative. 

Auxiliary. 

Instrumental 

Sampadaua     . 
Nissakka 

..     Cliatuttlii  .. 
..     Pancharai    . 

.     Sapadan... 
.     Avadi     . . . 

Dative. 
Ablative. 

Sami 

..     Chhatthi     .. 

Sabanda. . . 

Genitive. 

Bhumma 

Sattami 

.     Adara     . . . 

Locative. 

A'lapana 

, .     A'lapana     . . . 

.     Alap 

Vocative. 

So  reasonable  is  the  inference  which  we  drew  before, 
"  that  if  Kachchdyana  was  pre-Buddhagosic,  that  he 
would  have  adopted  his  terminology," — that  we  find 
in  the  Tikds,  or  *  paraphrases'  to  the  Atthakatha,  not 
only  the  terminology  of  Kachchayana,  but  that  of 
Buddhagosa — indicating,  as  clearly  as  any  matter  of 
this  kind  can  be  shewn,  that  this  Grammar  came  into 
existence  between  the  age  of  the  Atthakatha  and  that 
of  the  Tikds. 

To  this  it  is  no  argument  to  say,  that  it  is  possible 
that  Buddhagosa  simply  translated  into  the  Pali  the 
words  adopted  in  the  Sinhalese  Atthakatha,  as  the 
words  Kar4ina,  Sampadaua,  and  A'lapana  clearly  shew 
their  agreement  with  the  Sinhalese  Grammatical  terms 
Karana,  Sapadan,  and  Alap  for  the  same  cases;  for, 
if  a  portion  of  the  terminology  of  Buddhagosa  was 
that  which   Mahinda's    Siinhalese   version   contained. 


*  The  Sinhalese  divide  the  Karanan  into  two,  the  instrumental 
(Katu)    and  the    auxiliary    (Karana).     See  Sidatsangara,  p.  30, 


note  (t). 


VO  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

and  therefore  the  terminology  of  the  Sinhalese  Attha- 
katha,  originally  made  at  the  first  dawn  of  Buddhism, 
it  is  inexplicable,  on  the  supposition  that  this  Grammar 
was  by  Sariputta,  that  Buddhagosa  did  not,  in  some 
parts  at  least  of  his  Translation,  adopt  the  terminology 
of  the  eminent  disciple  of  Buddha,  but  departed  so 
widely  from  it  as  to  employ  the  technical  terms  of 
Sanskrit  Grammarians. 


Netti-pakarana. 

Another  work  which  is  ascribed  to  Sariputta  Maha 
Kachchayana  is  the  one  above  indicated.  From  an 
examination  of  its  style  it  would  seem  to  be  the  work 
of  a  person  different  from  the  author  of  the  Grammar; 
but  the  difference  of  the  subjects,  and  therefore  of 
their  treatment,  might  have  led  to  the  difference  of 
style  as  already  pointed  out  by  me  elsewhere.*  It 
is,  what  it  professes  to  be,  a  very  full  and  complete 
commentary  on  the  Texts  of  Buddhism.  It  combines 
a  Commentary  with  a  Dictionary.  It  quotes  passages 
said  to  have  been  uttered  by  Buddha  himself.  The 
metres  of  the  Gathas  are  clearly  Prakrit.  And,  from 
the  interpolations  of  certain  notes,  which  make  refer- 
ence to  some  of  the  distinguished  members  of  the 
Buddhist  Convocations,  and  which  are  also  to  be  found 
in  all  the  MSS.  which  I  have  consulted,  I  am  the  more 
inclined  to  the  belief,  that  this  '^extensive  dogmatical 

*  See  Introduction  to  Kachchayana,  p.  xxiii. 


NETTI-PAKARANA.  71 

and  exegetical  commentary  on  a  metrical  text  containing 
questions  and  answers,  diffuse  and  prolix,  as  is  the  case 
in  works  of  this  kind,"*  was  written  by  Maha  Kach- 
chayana*.  Professor  Weber  adds  in  a  note — "It  is 
probably  on  account  of  this  text  that  the  whole  work 
has  been  ascribed  to  Sariputta,  and  it  is  indeed  just 
possible  that  at  least  part  of  the  text  may  be  by  him. 
For  it  appears  from  king  Asoka's  letter  to  the  Bhabra 
Convocation,  that  even  at  that  period  the  question  of 
Upatissa  ( upatisapasina)  ie.,  of  Sariputra,  formed  part 
of  the  sacred  texts. —  See  '  Indische  Studien,'  iii.  172." 

The  book  from  which  the  following  specimen  is 
extracted  contains  108  olas;  each  two  feet  long,  with 
nine  lines  written  on  each  page. 

Tattha  katamo  vichayoharo?  *yan  puchchhitancha 
vissajjitancha'  adi  gatha.  Ay  an  vichayoharo  kin 
vichinati  ?  Padan  vichinati,  pafihan  vichinati,  vissajja- 
nan  vichinati,  pubbdparan  vichinati,  assadan  vichinati, 
adinavan  vichinati,  nissaranan  vichinati,  phalan  vichi- 
nati, upayan  vichinati,  anattin  vichinati,  auugitin 
vichinati,  sabbe  nava  suttante  vichinati.  Yatha  kin 
bhave?  Yath^  ayasma  Ajito  Parayane  bhagavantan 
panhan  puchchhati — 

"Kenassu  nivuto  loko  [ichcha  yasma  Ajitojf 
Kenassu  nappakasati 
Kissabhilepanan  brusi 
Kinsutassa  mahabbhayan..."  ti 

*  Weber's  Review  of  Alwis'  Introduction  to  KaclicliAyana,  p.  29. 
t  This  passage  within  brackets   is   stated  by  the  commentator 
to  have  been  interpolated  in  one  of  the  Buddhist  Convocations. 


72  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

Imani  cliattari  padani  puchchhi  tani.  Socha  kho 
eko  panho,  kasma?  eka  vatthupariggaho.  Evanhi  dha 
— '  kenassunivutoloko'-ti — lokadliitthanan  puchchhati: 
'kenassu  nappakasati' ti — lokassa  appakasanan  puch- 
chhati : '  kissabhi  lepanan  brusi '  ti — lokassa  abhilepanan 
puchchhati :  '  kinsutassa  mahabbhayan'ti — tasseva 
lokassa  mahabbhayan  puchchhati.  Loko  tividho, — 
kilesa  loko,  bhava  loko,  indriya  loko.     Tattha  vissajjana 

"  Avijja  [ya]  nivuto  loko  [Ajitati  bhagava] 
Viviclichha*  nappakasati 
Jappabhi  lepanan  brumi 
Dukkham'assa  mahabbhayan..."  ti 

Imani  chattari  padani  imehi  chatuhi  padehi  vissajji- 
tani — Pathaniau  pathamena,  dutiyan  dutiyena,  tatiyan 
tatiyena,  chatutthan  chatutthena. 

'  Keiiassu  nivuto  loko'ti — panhe  '  avijja  nivuto 
loko'ti — vissajjana.  Nivaranenahi  nivuto  loko,  avijja- 
nivaranahi  sabbe  satta  yathaha  bhagava.  *'  Sabba 
sattanan  bhikkhave  sabba  pananan  sabba  bhutanan 
pariyayato  ekam'eva  nivaranan  vadami,  yadidan — 
avijja ;  avijjanivarana-hi  sabbe  satta,  sabbaso  cha 
bhikkhave  avijjaya  nirodha  chaga  patinissagga,  natthi 
sattanan  nivaranan  ti  vadami" — tenacha  pathamassa 
padassa  vissajjana  yutta. 

'Kenassu  nappakasati'ti — panhe  viviclichha, f  nappa- 
kasati'ti   vissajjana;   yo   puggalo  nivaranehi  nivuto  so 

*  After  this  word,  I  find  "  pamada."  It  is,  I  believe,  the  inter- 
polation of  a  note. 

f  "  Pamada"  also  occurs  here. 


NETTI-PAKARAXA.  73 

vivichchhati,  vivichchh^nama  vuchchati  vichikichchha 
— So  vichikichchhanto  nabhi  saddahati,  anabhisadda- 
hanto  viriyan  narabhati  akusaldnan  dhammanan  paha- 
naja  kusalanan  dhammanan  eacbchhi  kiriyaya,  bo  idba 
pamada'manuyutto  viharati;  pamatto  sukke  dhamme 
ria  upadiyati;  tassa  te  anupddiyamana  nappakfisanti — 
yatha'ha  bhagava — 

"Dure  santo  pakasenti 
Himavanto  va  pabbato  ; 
Asantettha  na  dissanti 
Ratti  khitta  yathi  sara  ; 
Te  gunehi  pakasenti 
Kittiya  cba  yasena  cha"...ti. 

Tena  cha  dutiya  padassa  vissajjana  yutta. 

Kiss'abhi  lepanan  brdsi'-ti  paiihe  '  japp'abbi  lepanan 
br<imi'...ti  vissajjana;  jappanama  vucbcba-ti  tanba  ;  aa 
kathan  abhilimpati  yatba'ha  bhagava — - 

"Ratto  atthan  na  ja  nati 
Ratto  dhamman  na  passati ; 
Andhan  taman  tada  hoti 
Yan  rago  sahate  naran"...ti 

Sd'yan  tanha  asattibahulassa  puggalassa  evan  abhi- 
jappati  karitva ;  tattha  loko  abhilitto  nama  bhavati — 
tena  cha  tatlyassa  padassa  vissajjana  yutta. 

*  Kinsu  tassa  mahabbhayan'ti  pafihe  *  dukkham'assa 
mahabbhayan'ti  vissajjana.  Duvidhan  dukkhan  kayi- 
kan  cha  chetasikan  cha,  yan  kayikan  idan  dukkhan, 
yan  chetasikan  idan  domanassan,  sabbe  satta  hi  duk- 
khassaubbijjanti,  natthibhayan  dukkhena  sama  saman 
kuto    va   pana  tassa  uttaritaran.      Tisso   dkkhatd — 


74  BESCRIPTIYE    CATALOGUE. 

dukkha-dhukkhatd,  vipari  ndma  dukkhata  sankhdra 
dukkha-td  ti,  tattha  loko  odhiso  kadachi  karahachi 
dukkha  dukkhataya  muchchati,  tathd  viparinaraa  duk- 
kataya;  tan  kissa  hetu  honti  loke  appabadhd'pi 
diglidyukd'pi.  Sankhara  dukkha  taya  pana  loko 
anupadisesaya  nibbanadhatuya  muchcbati,  tasma  sank- 
hara dukkhata  dukkhan  lokassa  tikatva  'dukkham'assa 
mahabbhayan'ti — tenacha  chatutthassa  padassa  vissaj- 
jana  yutta.  Tena'ha  bhagava  'avijjd  nivuto  loko...'ti. 
'Of  the  foregoing  what  is  vichayaharo?  [See]  the 
giihi — *  Yan  puchchhitan  cha  vissjjitan  cha'  etc.  What 
does  this  vichayaharo  investigate?  It  investigates 
parts  of  speech  [words].  It  investigates  questions.  It 
investigates  answers.  It  investigates  what  precedes, 
and  follows  [the  context].  It  investigates  happy 
[results].  It  investigates  ill-effects.  It  investigates 
[their]  non-existence.  It  investigates  consequences. 
It  investigates  means.  It  investigates  canons.  It 
investigates  parallel  passages.  It  investigates  all 
the  nine-bodied  suttans.  "What  is  it?  Just  as  in  the 
question  propounded  of  Bhagava  by  the  venerable 
Ajita  in  the  section  [entitled]  Par^yana — * 

*  Say  by  what  has  the  world  been  shrouded  ? 
Wherefore  is  it  not  manifested  ? 
Whereby  is  its  attachment  ? 
What  is  its  great  fear  ? ' 

'These  four  sentences  were  thus  propounded  [by 
Ajita].     They   comprise   one   question.     Wherefore? 

*  A  section  of  Sutta  Nipita. 


NETTI-rAKARANA.  75 

[Because]  they  take  in  one  matter.  He  has  stated  it 
thus :  By  [the  first  sentence]  kenassu  nivuto  loko,  he 
investigates  the  abiding  cause  of  the  world  [living 
beings] ;  by  [the  second]  kenassu  nappakasati  he  inves- 
tigates its  non-manifestation ;  by  [the  third]  kiss^bhi 
lepanan  brusi,  he  investigates  its  allurements ;  and  by 
[the  fourth]  kinsutassa  mahabbhayan,  he  investigates 
its  very  dreadful  horror.  The  [loka]  world  is  threefold, 
viz.,  world  of  kilesa,*  world  of  [bhava],  or  existence; 
and  the  sensible  [indriya],  world.  The  explanation 
of  the  question  [is  as  follows  :] 

*  I  say  the  world  is  shrouded  by  Ignorance  ; 

*  By  doubt  is  it  not  manifested  ; 

*  By  desire  is  its  attachment ; 

'And  its  horror  [proceeds]  from  Affliction. 

'  The  four  sentences  [first  quoted]  are  explained  by 
the  four  sentences  [last  quoted],  i.  e.,  the  first  [of  the 
former]  by  the  first  [of  the  latter],  the  second  by  the 
second,  the  third  by  the  thirds  and  the  fourth  by  the 
fourth. 

'The  world  is  shrouded  by  Ignorance' — is  the 
explanation  of  the  question,  *  by  what  has  the  world 
been  shrouded?'  Yes,  it  is  shrouded  by  an  obstacle  ; 
yes,  all  beings  are  clothed  with  the  obstacle  of 
Ignorance.  So  it  is  declared  by  Bhagava :  '  Priests, 
I  declare  that  all  beings,  all  lives,  all  existences,  have 
inherently  a  particular  obstacle,  viz..  Ignorance ; — 
yes,  all  beings  are  beclouded  by  ignorance.     Priests, 

*  Evil  in  thoughts,  desires,  or  affections. 


76  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

I  declare  that  by  completely  destroying,  abandoning, 
(and)  forsaking  Ignorance,  (existing)  beings  have  no 
impediment.'  Hence  the  explanation  of  the  first 
sentence  ia  satisfactory. 

'By  doubt  is  it  not  manifested' — is  the  explanation 
of  the  question,  '  by  what  has  (the  world)  been 
shrouded?'  He,  who  is  impeded  with  an  obstacle, 
doubts.  By  the  ^obsolete)  term  vivichchhd  (in  the 
text)  vichikichchha  (doubt)  is  expressed.  [Thus]  a 
person  who  doubts,  is  devoid  of  pure  faith.  He  who  is 
devoid  of  pure  faith,  exerts  not,  to  destroy  demerit,  and 
to  acquire  merit.  He  (thus)  lives  clothed  with  procras- 
tination. He  who  procrastinates,  fails  to  practise  good 
deeds  [religious  and  abstract  meditation.]  He  who 
does  not  practise  them,  is  not  manifested.*  So  it  has 
been  declared  by  Bhagava,  that  '  The  righteous  are 
manifested  far-and-wide  like  the  Himalaya  mountain ; 
(but)  the  wicked  are  here  unperceived,  like  darts  shot 
at  night.  The  former  are  manifested  by  (their)  virtues, 
fame  and  renown.'  Hence  the  explanation  of  the 
second  sentence  is  satisfactory. 

'  By  desire,  I  say,  is  its  attachment' — is  the  expla- 
nation of  the  question,  '  whereby  is  its  attachment?' 
By  the  (obsolete)  term  jappa  (in  the  text)  tanha  (or) 
lust  is  conveyed.  How  she  forms  an  attachment  is 
thus  stated  by  Bhagava: — 'He  who  is  actuated  by 
lust,  knows  not  causes  (of  things) ;   he  who  is  actuated 


*  I  have  rendered  this  passage  rather  freely,  without  reference 
to  words. 


NETTI-PAKARANA,  77 

by  lust  perceives  not  what  is  right.  Whenever  lust 
enslaves  [lit.  bears]  a  man,  then  is  there  a  thick  dark- 
ness.' Thus  the  aforesaid  lust  in  an  inordinately 
lustful  person  becomes  (as  if  it  were)  a  glutinous 
[substance.]  In  it  the  world  becomes  adhesive.  Hence 
the  explanation  of  the  third  sentence  is  satisfactory. 

'  Affliction*  is  its  dreadful  horror' — is  the  expla- 
nation of  the  question,  Svhat  is  its  great  fear?' 
Affliction  is  two-fold ;  that  which  appertains  to  the 
body,  and  that  which  appertains  to  the  mind.  That 
which  appertains  to  the  body  is  pain,  and  that  which 
appertains  to  the  mind  is  sorrow.  All  beings  dread 
affliction.  There  is  no  dread  equal  to  that  of  Affliction 
(dukkha.)  Where  indeed  is  a  greater  than  that? 
Affliction  in  the  abstract  is  three-fold — inherent  misery 
(dukkha-dhukkhata),  vicissitudinary  misery  (vipari- 
nama  dukkhata),  and  all-pervading  misery  (sankhara 
dukkhatajj't  Hence  a  being,  sometimes,  in  the  course 
(of  transmigration)  becomes  free  from  inherent  misery.  J 
So  likewise,  from  vicissitudinary  misery. §  From  what 
causes?  [From]  his  being  free  from  disease,  and  also 
(by  the  enjoyment  of)  longevity,  A  being  also  becomes 
free  from  all-pervading   misery   by  means  of  (final) 


*  In  the  sense  of  the  word  "trouble,"  in  the  passage  "Man  is 
born  unto  trouble." — Job  v.  7. 

f  Sankhara — '  appertaining  to  all  states  of  existence,'  'that  which 
comes  to  existence,  exists,  and  dies  away.' 

I  e.g.  'Brahmans' — says  the  Commentator. 

§  'Those  who  are  born  in  the  arupa  or  the  incorporeal  world.' 


78  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

birthless  nibbana.  Hence,  treating  the  affliction  of  a 
being  as  all-pervading  misery,  (the  reply  was),  *It3 
dreadful  horror  [proceeds]  from  Affliction.*  Hence 
the  explanation  of  the  fourth  sentence  is  satisfactory. 
Wherefore  Bhagava  has  declared: — 

Avijja  nivuto  loko,  &c. 

*I  say,  the  world  is  shrouded  by  Ignorance; — 
by  doubt  is  it  not  manifested; — by  (reason  of)  desire 
is  its  attachment; — and  its  dreadful  horror  [proceeds] 
from  Affliction.'* 


Ba'la'vata'ra. 

This  is  the  Grammar  which  is  in  current  use  among 
all  Pali  students.  It  is  the  smallest  Grammatical 
work  on  the  basis  of  Kachchayana,  and  is  found 
compiled  nearly  in  accordance  wdth  the  principles  of 
Laghu-kavu-mudi.  It  treats  of  all  grammatical  rules 
as  in  Kachchayana,  but  the  arrangement  is  different, 
and  is  as  follows: — The  first  Chapter  treats  on  Sandhi; 
the  second  on  Nama;  the  third  on  Samasa;  the  fourth 
on  Taddhita;  the  fifth  on  A'kkhyata;  the  sixth  on  Kitaka, 
with  a  few  Suttas  on  Unnadi  treated  of  as  Kitaka; 
and  the  seventh  on  Karaka,  divided  into  two  sections, 
one  entitled  Utta'nutta,  and  the  other  Vibhattibheda.f 

*  This  work  is  complete  in  108  palm  leaves  of  2  feet  in  length, 
with  9  lines  to  the  page. 

f  The  matter  in  these  two  Sections,  especially  the  treatment  of 
the  subjects,  corresponds  with  cap.  ix.  and  x.  in  the  Sidatsangara. 


ba'la'vata'ra.  79 

It  begins  with  the  following  gdthd:  — 
Buddhan  ti  dha'bhivanditva  buddhambujavilochanan 
Balavatiran  bhasissan  balanan  buddhi  vuddhiya 

'  Having  made  a  three-membered  obeisance  unto 
Buddha,  the  sight  (of  whom  is  as)  delightful  as  the 
open  lily,  I  shall  declare  (bhasissan)  the  Balavatara  for 
the  promotion  of  the  knowledge  of  the  young.* 

And  it  concludes  with  the  following: — 
Satirekehi  chatuhi,  bhanavarehi  nitthito 
Balavataro  Janata  buddhi  vuddhin  karotuhi 

'  May  this  Balavatara,  completed  (slightly)  in  ex" 
cess  of  four  bhdnavaras,  increase  the  knowledge  of 
mankind.' 

The  Rev.  B.  Clough,  of  the  Wesleyan  Mission, 
published,  (in  1824)  a  translation  of  this  work  made  by 
M.  W.  Tolfrey,  Esq.  late  of  the  Ceylon  Civil  Service.* 
Don  Andris  De  Silva  Batuvantudave,  adopting  the 
name  of  Devarakkhita,  which  he  had  assumed  when  a 
Buddhist  priest,  also  published  the  Text  in  1869. 
It  contains  77  octavo  pages. 

Neither  the  name  of  the  writer,  nor  the  date  on 
which  it  was  composed,  is  given  in  the  book.  It  how- 
ever appears  to  be  an  old  work,  but  I  cannot  ascertain 


*  Mr.  Childers  late  of  the  Ceylon  Civil  Service,  in  his  Prospectus 
to  a  Pali-English  Dictionary,  says:  "Practically  there  are  no 
Grammars  of  the  Pali  language.  Clough's  Pali  (grammar  is  quite 
unobtainable  by  the  ordinary  student;  D'Alwis's  Introduction  is  a 
mere  fragment;  and  Mason's  recent  work  leaves  our  knowledge  of 
Pali  Grammar  exactly  where  it  was  before."  See  Triibner'a 
American  and  Oriental  Literary  Record  for  April,  1870. 


80  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

how  much  older  it  is  than  the  Panchikapradipa,* 
which  mentions  its  earliest  and  best  Sinhalese  com- 
mentary, that  goes  by  the  name  of  the  Temple  in 
which  it  was  composed,  viz.: 

GAdALA'DENI    SaNNA. 

This  also  appears  from  its  style  to  be  a  very  ancient 
book;  but  the  name  of  the  writer  and  its  date  are  not 
given.  It  contains  232  ola  pp.  of  15  inches  in  length, 
with  9  lines  to  the  page. 

The  author  in  his  comment  on  sec.  40  of  the  Balava- 
tara,  see  edition  1869,  quotes  Panini  and  Katantra,  and 
say 8,  that '  the  Sutta  karmavat  karmana  tullyakriyah 
in  Panini  (iii.  1,  87.)  is  rendered  karmavat  karma 
kartd  in  the  Katantra.' 

There  are  several  other  Sinhalese  Commentaries 
and  Translations  which  I  shall  hereafter  notice.  In  the 
meantime  I  extract  the  following  specimen  from  the 
writer's  observations  on  Taddhita, 

Shabdayo  yoglkaj-aha  rudhayaha  yogartidhaya 
hayi  trividha  vet.  Ehi  yogikayo  nam  pachanadikriya 
sambandhaya  pravritti  nimitta  kota  eti  pachakadi 
shabdayaha:  rudhayo  nam  loka  prasiddha  sajna  matra 
pravritti  nimitta  kota  eti  ghata  pata'di  shabdayaha : 
yoga-rudhayo     nam     kriyadi     sambhandayada     loka 

*  This  was  written  in  the  45th  year  of  the  reign  of  Parakrama- 
bahu  VI.,  answering  to  a.d.  1455.  See  some  remarks  on  the  subject 
under  the  head  of  Sidat-Sangard. 


GAdALA.'DENI-SANNA.  *  81 

prasiddha  sajnavada  pravritti  nimittakota  etipankajadi 
fihabdayaha.  Paiike  jatan  pankajan,  madehi  upanne 
Paiikaja  narai :  paiikaja  shabdaya  paiikayehi  janana 
kriya  sambandhayada'  loka  prasiddhayada  apeksakota 
pavatineya:  madehi  upan  sesu  Holu  adin  eta,  ovun 
kerelii  paiikaja  yana  loka  prasiddhayak  neti  heyin 
ovun  licra  Piyumhima  ve.  Meseyinma  taddhita  shab- 
daya artha  prakashana  kriya  sambandhayada  vriddha 
prasiddha  sajnavada  pravritti  nimitta  kota  vanne : 
artha  prakashana  rukkho  pachati  kattabbo  yanadi  sesu 
padayan  etada  rukkha  yanadin  kerehi  taddhitaya  yana 
vriddha  V3'avaharayak  neti  heyin  ovun  hera  na  nikadi 
pratydntavu  vdsettha  ghatikadin  kerehima  ve. 

*  Nouns  are  of  three  kinds, — Yogika,  Kudha,  and 
Yoga^rudha.  Here  the  Yogika  are  nouns  (such  as) 
pachika  ^  a  cook,'  etc.,  originating  in  usage,  and  signi- 
fying an  action  (such  as)  pacha  *  to  cook,'  etc.  The 
Rudha  are  nouns  such  as  ghata  *  pot,'  pata  '  raiment,' 
etc.,  originating  in  usage,  and  expressing  a  previously 
well-known  appellation.  Yoga-rudhayo  are  nouns 
such  as  Paiikaja  *  lotus,'  etc.,  originating  in  usage,  and 
signifying  an  action,  and  also  expressing  a  previously 
Avell-known  appellation.  Paiike  jatan  Pankajan,  'that 
which  is  born  in  mud  is  named  Paiikajan.'  The  noun 
pankaja,  *  lotus,'  is  used  according  to  usage,  and  with  a 
view  to  its  action  of  birth  in  mud.  There  are  (how- 
ever) other  (species)  that  are  produced  in  the  mud, 
such  as  Holu  *  water  lily,'  etc.  ;  but,  since  there  is  no 
usage  to  designate  them  pankaja,  (that  word)  is  only 
applied  to  Piyum  '  the  lotus,'  to  the  exclusion  of  others. 

M 


82  DESCRPITIYE    CATALOGUE. 

In  the  same  manner  nouns  (named)  Taddhita  ^  nominal 
derivatives,'  originate  in  ancient  usage,  signifying 
an  action,  and  expressing  a  previously  well-known 
name.  Though  there  are  expressions,  conveying  a 
certain  sense,  such  as  rukkho  'tree,'  pachati  Mie  cooks,' 
kattabbo  '  that  which  should  be  done,'  etc. ;  yet,  since 
ancient  usajre  has  not  sanctioned  words  such  as  rukkho 
^  tree,'  etc.,  in  the  sense  of  Taddhita,  they  are  excluded, 
and  that  name  is  applied  only  to  nouns  such  as  Vasittha 
^son  of  Vasittha,'  and  ghiitika  '  clarified  butter,'  etc., 
ending  in  affixes  na,  nika,  etc.'* 


Dha'tu-manjusa'. 

Pali,  like  Sinhalese  Lexicography,  is  compara- 
tively more  recent,  and  has  attained  to  a  less  degree  of 
cultivation,  than  Pali  Grammar. f  As  we  have  already 
seen,  the  Abhidhanapadipika,  is  a  metrical  vocabulary, 
and  contains  no  verbs.  There  are  indeed  several 
Dhatupathas,  or  Lists  of  Radicals,  but  they  are   very 

*  From  the  trivial  errors  with  which  this  work  abounds, — errors, 
which  cannot  be  traced  to  incorrect  transcription,  and  which  are 
also  inconsistent  with  the  great  learning  and  research  exhibited 
by  the  author ;  and,  moreover,  from  the  absence  of  the  usual 
'Adoration,'  and  any  remarks  of  the  writer,  either  at  the  beginning 
or  at  the  end  of  the  work,  I  am  inclined  to  the  belief  that  the 
writer  had  died  before  he  fairly  completed  it. 

f  Speaking  of  the  Pali,  Mr.  Childers  has  the  following  remark; 
and  so  far  as  it  applies  to  '  Dictionaries' he  is  quite  right.  "It 
has  long  bc^n  felt  as  something  of  a  reproach  that  an  oriental 


dha'tu-manjusa'.  83 

defective,  both  as  to  arrangement,  and  the  meanings 
assigned  to  them.  Among  them,  however,  there  are 
none  which  can  claim  such  decided  pre-eminence  as 
belongs  to  the  work  under  notice. 

It  is  an  ancient  Pali  work.  It  was  composed  by  a 
learned  Buddhist  Priest  named  Silavansa,on  the  basis  of 
the  Grammatical  System  propounded  by  Kachchayana. 
Thence  it  is  also  called  Kachhayana  Dbatu  Manjusa. 
The  residence  of  the  author  is  stated  to  have  been 
Yakkhaddhi  Lena.  But  there  is  no  proof  in  support 
of  the  conjecture  that  it  refers  to  Yakdessagala  in  the 
district  of  Kurunegala.  No  date  is  given  in  the  work; 
and  there  is  no  clue  to  its  discovery.  The  following 
is  the  author's  Preface. 

Nirutti  nikara  para  paravaraatagan  rauniii 
Vanditva  Dhatumanjusan  bruQii  pavachananjasan 
Sogatagama  ma' gamma  tan  tan  vyakaranani  cha 
Pathe  cha  pathita'  pettha  dhatvattlia  cha  pavuch chare 
Chhanda  hanittha  mo'karan  dhiitvantauan  siya  kvachi    ' 
Yunan  digho  cha  dhatumba  pubbam'attha  padan  api 

'Having  bowed  unto  Buddha,  who  has  crossed  the 
boundless  ocean  of  all  philological  sciences  (treasures), 
I  compose  the  Dhatu  Manjusa,  [^  Casket  of  Radicals'], 
which  is  a  path  to  the  Saddhamma,  or  the  sacred 
Scriptures. 


language  of  singular  wealth  and  beautj,  and  embodying  a  literature 
of  surpassing  interest,  should  be  destitute  both  of  Grammars _(?)^ 
and  of  Dictionaries.' — Triibner's  Literary  Record,"  April,  1870. 


84  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

'  Having  studied  Buddhism,  and  various  Grammars, 
I  have  given  the  Radicals,  and  their  significations, 
consisting  both  of  what  have,  and  have  not,  been  treated 
of,  in  the  Patha  or  Glossaries.* 

'  To  meet  the  exigencies  of  metre,  I  have  in  some 
places  [substituted]  an  o  at  the  end  of  the  Radical,  and 
have  rendered  the  final  i  and  u  long.  I  have  also 
occasionally  given  the  sense  before  the  Radicals.' 

The  author  after  embodying  about  421  Radicals  in  148 
stanzas,  offers  the  following  explanation  as  to  the  plan 
of  the  work,  to  which  I  may  add  the  fact,  that  an 
Alphabetical  List  is  being  prepared  by  the  publisher, 
to  facilitate  reference  : — 

Bhu  vadi  clia  rudhadi  cha  divadi  svadayo  gaiui 
Kiyadi  cha  tanadi  cha  churadi'ti'dha  sattadha 
Ivriya  \i  chitta  makkhatu'mekekattho  hahii'dito 
Payogato'uugantabbd  auekatthahi  dhatavo 
Hitaya  manda  buddhinau  vyattan  vannakkama  lahnn 
Rachita  Dliatu-manjiisa  Silayanseua  dhimata 
Saddhamma  paiikeruba  rajahanso 
asittha  dhammat  thiti  Sllavanso; 
Yakkbaddi  lenakkhya  nivasa  vasi 
yatissaro  so  yamidan  akasi. 

'  Thus,  the  seven  classes  of  Radicals  are,  bhuvadi 
'bhii,  &c.,'  rudhadi  *  rudha,  &c.,'  divadi  ^ diva, &c.'suvadi 
*su,  &c.' kiyadi  *ki,  &c.' tanadi  ^tanu,  &c.,'  and  churadi 
^chura,  &c.' 

*  Lit.  "Prose  collections." 


85 

^Kadicals  have  various  meanings  which  mnst  be 
learnt  from  (reading)  authors.  I  have,  for  the  most 
part,  given  but  one  signification  [of  each  Radical] 
to  convey  the  action  which  (each)  expresses. 

'  The  Dhdtu  Manjusa,  rendered  clear  and  easy  by 
means  of  alphabetical  arrangement,*  has  been  com- 
posed for  the  instruction  of  the  uninitiated,  by  the 
learned  Silavansa, — that  Silavansa,  a  priest,  who  resides 
in  the  [Temple  of]  Yakkhaddi  Lena,  with  aspirations 
that  Buddhism  may  continue  long,  like  a  Hansa  to  the 
lotus-of- Scriptures.' 

The  following  is  a  specimen  of  the  work; — 

G. 

6.  Aggo  (tu)  gati  kotille  laga  sange  mag'esane 
Agi  igi  rigi  ligi  vagi  gatyattlia  dhatavo 

GH. 

7.  Silaglia  katthane  jaggha  hasane  aggha  agghaue 
Sighi  aghayane  hoti  laghi  sosa  gatisu  cha 

Don  Andris  De  Silva  Batuvantudave,  Pandit,  ii^ 
publishing  this  work  with  a  Sinhalese  and  an  English 
Translation,  has  not  only  prefixed  the  number  of  the 
stanza  in  which  each  word  in  the  alphabetical  list 
occurs,  but  has  also  prefixed  to  each  Radical  the  number 
of  the  class  to  which  it  belongs.    He  has  also  added  two 


*  This  refers  to  the  alphabetical  arrangement  in  the  verses,  not 
the  list. 


86  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

stanzas  (the  4th  and  5th)  by  way  of  supplying  an  omis- 
sion occurring  in  the  work.     They  are  the  following : — 

KH. 

Ikkho  (tu)  dassanan'kesu  khi  khaye  kankha  kankhane 
Chakkha  dasse  chikklia  v^che  dikkho'pauaya  mundhisu 
Vata'desesu  niyame  bhakkha'da  namhi  bhikklia  cha 
Yache  rakkho  rakkhanamhi  sikkho  vijjaggahe  tatha. 

Although  the  author  has  generally  given  but  one 
meaning  to  each  word ;  yet,  where  he  has  added  an 
*  etc' to  a  given  signification,  the  publisher  has  not 
failed  to  add  others,  for  which  he  is  chiefly  indebted 
to  the  Buddhist  scriptures. 

I  shall  conclude  this  notice  with  a  specimen  of  the 
Alphabetical  list,  p,  22: — 

Ki' — 120.     Ki'...viiiimaye,  dravya  ganudenu  kirimehi,   *to 
buy',  'to  exchange.' 

Ki'LA...bhande,  bendimehi,  'to  bind  "to  wedge.' 
Ki'LA...vihare,  kelimehi,  'to  play'  ['to  draw  a 
line.']* 

KU...saddekuchchhite,  shabdkirimehi,  kutsita- 
yehi,  'to  sound'  'to  contemn.' 
KUKA...a'dane,  genmehi,  'to  take/  'to  accept.' 
KUCHA... sadde,  shabdakirimehi,  'to  sound.' 
KUCHA....sankochane,  hekiliraehi   'to  straiten,' 
'to  narrow,'  'to  contract.' 
KutA—chhedane,  kepimehi,  'to  cut.' 


*  I  believe  this  means  'to  peg,'  in  the  sense  of  planting  sticks  on 
the  ground  to  draw  lines  for  cutting  foundations. 


BHU' 

64. 

BHU' — 

84. 

BHU' 

2. 

BHU' 

2. 

BHU' 

8. 

TU— 

85. 

BHU' 

20. 

87 


The  Na'ma'valiya. 

It  is  well  known  that  poetry  has  from  time  immemo- 
rial been  the  idol  of  literary  men  in  the  East.  At  a 
period  when  poetry  was  cultivated  by  the  king  as  well 
as  the  peasant,  the  recluse  in  his  monastery,  and  the 
traveller  on  the  road,  the  necessity  for  abridged  voca- 
bularies of  synonymous  and  homonymous  terms,  was 
quite  obvious.  To  facilitate  therefore,  reference,  and 
to  render  one's  memory  the  store-house  of  information, 
such  vocabularies  were  invariably  composed  in  easy 
metre.  To  this  class  belongs  Arnara-Kosha,  called 
in  Ceylon,  after  the  writer's  name,  Amara  Sinha — to 
which  '  has  been  assigned  the  first  place  in  Lexico- 
graphy by  the  unanimous  suffrage  of  the  learned  in 
the  East.' 

In  close  imitation  of  this  work  is  the  Namavaliya 
of  the  Sinhalese,  composed  in  1421,  a.d.  by  Nallaratun, 
a  chieftain  of  the  time  of  Pardkrama  Bahu  VL 
A  comparison  of  the  Sanskrit  Amara  Kosha  and  the 
Pali  Abhidhanapadipika  with  the  Namavaliya,  will  not 
fail  to  interest  the  philologer  and  the  historical  student. 
At  the  same  time  that  the  Sinhalese  words  shew  an 
affinity  to  the  Sanskrit  family  of  languages,  the  student 
will  also  perceive  the  still  closer  relationship  which  the 
former  bears  to  the  Pali.  Between  the  Maharashtri, 
which  Lassen  has  designated  the  ^  dialectus  proicipua,^ 
and  the  Sinhalese,  there  seems  to  be  great  connection ; 
and,  when  we  compare  the  Sinhalese  in  its  relation, 
whether  verbally  or  grammatically,  with  the  Prakrit, 


88  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

the  conviction  forces  itself  on  the  mind,  that  the 
former  is  a  sister  dialect  of  the  latter,  which  Hema- 
chandra  defines  to  be — \_Prakritih  Sanskritam,  tatra- 
hhavam  tata  dgatam  vd  ^ prahritam'^'\ — 'that  which  has 
its  source  in  Sanskrit,  and  is  either  born  with,  or 
sprung  from,  it.' 

In  wading  through  the  Lexical  works  of  the  East, 
one  peculiarity,  which  must  necessarily  strike  the 
student,  ia,  that  both  in  Pali  and  Sinhalese,  Lexico- 
graphy is  in  its  infancy.  The  Abhidhanapadipika,  the 
best  of  all  Pali  Dictionaries,  and  one  certainly  superior 
to  all  the  Dhatupdthas  that  were  ever  written,  is 
inferior  to  Professor  Wilson's  Sanskrit  Dictionary, 
and  even  to  the  Radices  Lingua?  Sanskrita?  of  Professor 
Westei^aard  of  Copenhagen,  and  the  Glossariura 
Sanskritum  of  Bopp.  A  close  examination  of  Nama- 
valiya  will  exhibit  this  inferiority,  and  the  comparative 
superiority  of  modern  Lexicographers,  as  compared  with 
the  ancient  writers,  who  merely  put  down  some 
thousands  of  words  into  metre  without  order,  method, 
or  arrangement.  In  the  number  of  words  too,  the 
superiority  of  Professor  Wilson's  Dictionary  is  greater 
than  the  Amara  Kosha  in  the  proportion  of  60,000  to 
12,000. 

The  rhymes  in  which  the  work  is  composed,  though 
useful  in  one  point  of  view,  are  nevertheless  calculated 
to  weary  the  beginner  in  the  ascertainment  of  the 
words,  which  run  into  one  common  mass  with  the 
observations  of  the  Poet.  Namavaliya  labours  under 
this  and  many  other  disadvantages. 


THE    NA'MaVaLIYA.  89 

To  render  therefore,  its  use  easy  to  all  classes,  and 
especially  to  the  European  student,  the  Rev.  C.  Alwis 
has  published  an  English  Translation*  after  the  plan 
of  Colebrooke's  version  of  the  Araara  Kosha. 

The  utility  and  importance  of  the  Vocabulary  are 
thus  noticed  by  the  Translator: — 

'Namavaliya,  the  subject  of  the  following  pages,  is  a 
work  of  great  authority,  and  is  constantly  referred  to 
by  Sinhalese  scholars.  It  holds  the  same  position  in 
Sinhalese  literature,  as  the  Amarakosa  vocabulary  in 
the  Sanskrit,  and  Abhidanap-padipika  in  the  Pali, 
both  of  which  works  have  been  translated  and  pub- 
lished. It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  adduce  anything 
by  way  of  demonstrating  the  utility  of  offering  the 
Namavaliya  to  the  public  in  its  present  shape,  beyond 
the  fact  that  there  is  hardly  a  Sinhalese  scholar,  who 
is  not  in  possession  of  a  manuscript  copy,  or  to  whom 
its  contents  are  not  familiar.' 

However  useful  this  little  work  may  be  for  various 
purposes,  especially  as  a  ready  help  to  the  student  in 
furnishing  him  with  a  variety  of  names,  from  which 
he  may  at  pleasure  select  such  as  may  suit  the  exigen- 
cies of  a  peculiar  metre,  yet  it  cannot  be  denied  that, 
like  the  Amara  Kosha,  it  contains  but  a  very  small 
portion  of  the  words  of  a  very  copious  language. 
Neither  verbs  or  derivatives  are  given  in  it.  Except 
a  few  epithets  which  are  appropriated  as  titles  of 
deities,  or  as  names  of  plants,  &c.,  ordinary  compound 

*  Nam&valiya,  by  Rev.  C.  Alwis,  1858,  octavo,  pp,  123. 

N 


90  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

words,  (not  to  mention  sesquipedalia  and  septipedalia). 
are  omitted.     Technical  terms,  too,  as  in  most  diction- 
aries,   are    excluded    from   this.     The    catalogue  of 
homonymous  words  is  also  defective ;  and  this  is  not  to 
be  wondered  at,  when  we  find  the  same  deficiency  in 
the   Amara  Kosha,  which  contains  only  about  12,000 
words.     But  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  neither  the  ori- 
ginal  writer,   nor   his   translator   has    given   us    the 
etymology  of  the  words,     Nor  have  we  the  gender  of 
the  nouns,  which,  as  our  readers  know,  it  is  difficult 
to  distinguish  in  the  Sinhalese;  for  it  does  not  recog- 
nise, as  in  many  modern  languages,  a  philosophical  or 
an  intelligible  principle,   in   fixing    the    genders   of 
nouns. 

The  writer,  after  the  usual  adoration  to  Buddha, 
gives  the  following  introductory  stanza: — 
Loveda  pinisa  poraneduran  metia  kala 
Nam  paliyen  mut  bevlnudu  kavi  nokala 
Vanapot  kara  viyat  bevu  vaiia  Icsa  lakala 
Pada  benda  kiyam  Niimavaliya  Siijhala. 

'  Though  the  names,  which  ancient  teachers  em- 
ployed, for  the  good  of  the  workl,  were  in  prose  and 
not  rendered  into  verse;  yet,  do  I,  in  rhyme,  sing  the 
Sinhalese  Namavaliya,  so  that  (persons)  may  be 
distinguished  in  learning,  by  committing  (the  same)  to 
memory,' 

This  work  is  divided  into  tw^o  parts,  the  first  consisting 
of  synonymous,  and  the  second  of  homonymous 
terms.  The  first  is  subdivided  into  thirteen  orders 
of  names,  consisting : — 


THE  NA'ma'VALIYA.  91 

1.  Of  celestial  terms^  for  things  above  human 
abodes.  Under  this  head  are  comprised  the  names  of 
Buddhas,  deities,  both  religious  and  mythological,  the 
cardinal  points,  the  heavens,  the  different  phenomena 
of  nature,  the  various  stars,  including  the  personifica- 
tions of  the  planetary  system,  the  various  distinctions 
of  time,  colour  and  season,  the  emotions  of  the  mind, 
&c, 

2.  Of  geographical  terms,  for  objects  in  and 
beneath  the  earth,  such  as  the  naga  worlds,  the  hells, 
darkness,  serpents,  waters,  seas,  rivers,  fishes,  and 
marine  objects,  &c.,  &c, 

3.  Of  terrestrical  objects,  which  enter  into  the 
graphic  delineation  of  a  landscape  in  poetry. 

4.  Of  towns,  and  all  the  wealth,  beauty,  and 
splendour  thereof. 

5.  Of  mountains,  rocks,  stones,  &c. 

G.  Of  the  vegetable  kingdom, — giving  the  names 
of  trees  and  flowers  and  some  of  the  best  medicinal 
herbs  known  to  the  Sinhalese, 

7.  Of  beasts,  birds,  &c. 

8.  Of  men,  and  their  different  relations  to  each 
other  in  a  domestic  and  social  point  of  view;  the 
different  distinctions  of  their  growth;  the  variety  of 
names  by  which  the  organs  of  the  body  are  distin- 
guished; the  various  objects  which  are  used  for  the 
adornrtient  or  comfort  of  the  person,  &c. 

9.  Of  terms  relating  to  ascetism,  which  Mr.  Alwis 
has  literally  translated  "Brahaman,"  the  originator  of 
monachism,  according  to  eastern  legends. 


92  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

10.  Of  kings,  and  their  attendants,  pageantry, 
armies,  martial  weapons,  kingdoms,  wars,  powers, 
royal  virtues,  &c. 

11.  Of  merchants,  and  the  different  articles  of  trade, 
as  anciently  carried  on. 

12.  The  distinctions  of  caste  and  classes,  slaves 
savages,  outcasts,  &c. 

13.  Miscellaneous  terms  not  included  in  the  above. 
Part  second  contains  a  number  of  homonymous  words, 

placed  without  any  arrangement  or  order. 

Having  thus  glanced  at  the  contents  of  Namavaliya, 
we  come  to  the  Index  No.  1,  which  is  well  got  up, 
containing  all  the  names  given  in  the  Namavaliya, 
arranged  alphabetically,  and  referring  by  roman  figures 
to  the  pages  in  the  text,  where  their  English  significa- 
tions are  given  in  foot-notes.  The  reader  will  find  by 
casting  his  eyes  over  pages  76  to  114  that  the  Nama- 
valiya contains  about  3,500  words. 

There  is  also  a  second  Index  given  by  Mr.  Alwis 
of  the  English  terms  in  his  translation,  and  referring 
by  figures  to  their  nearest  Sinhalese  significations  in 
the  text.  It  will  be  thus  seen  that  Mr.  Alwis  has  not 
only  given  a  literal  translation  of  an  oriental  metrical 
Vocabulary,  but  has  reduced  all  the  terms  contained 
in  it  into  both  an  English  and  a  Sinhalese  Dictionary, 
alphabetically  arranged.     He  says ; — 

"  Of  the  two  indices  or  alphabetical  lists,  at  the  end 
of  the  work,  the  first  will  serve  the  purpose  of  a 
Sinhalese  and  English  Dictionary,  and  the  second,  as 


THE   MAHAWANSA.  93 

an  English  and   Sinhalese,  as  far  as  the  words  of  the 
Namavaliya  are  concerned.* 


The  Mahawansa. 


Of  all  the  Pali  works  extant  in  this  island,  no  class 
possesses  a  more  absorbing  interest  than  the  Historical 
Kecords  of  the  Sinhalese.  Besides  the  general 
archaeological  interest  attached  to  the  writings  of  the 
past,  there  is  in  these  Sinhalese  Historical  records 
much  to  excite  admiration  and  suggest  inquiry, — 
admiration  for  a  people,  from  whom  has  originated  in 
the  East  a  desire  for  histoiical  pursuits ; — and  inquiry 
into  matters  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  Antiquarian 
and  Philologer,  as  well  as  to  the  Statesman  and  the 
Christian  Missionary,  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  no 
country  in  the  East  possesses  so  correct  a  history  of 
its  own  affairs,  and  those  of  India  generally,  as  Ceylon. 

The  Phoenicians,  who  had  influenced  the  civilization 
of  a  very  large  portion  of  the  human  race  by  their 
great   inventions   and   discoveries,   by  their  colonies 


*  Though  modern  works  by  Europeans  do  not  come  strictly 
within  the  plan  of  this  work,  I  may  nevertheless  here  notice  two 
Sinhalese  Dictionari  e  One  is  a  school  Dictionary :  Part  First, 
Sinhalese  aud  English ;  and  Part  Second  English  and  Sinhalese, 
with  an  Introduction  containing  (valuable)  observations  on  these 
languages,  designed  to  assist  the  student  in  their  acquirement,  and 
an  Appendix  containing  Latin  and  French  phrases  in  common  use, 
by  John  Calloway,   Wesleyan  Missionary,   Colombo   Wesleyan 


94  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

established  in  almost  every  quarter  of  the  globe,  and 
above  all  by  the  extensive  commerce  which  they  carried 
on, — have  left  nothing  behind,  except  the  alphabet 
which  they  invented.  The  Persians,  a  very  interesting 
and  a  very  ancient  race,  to  whom  we  naturally  look  for 
historic  information,  have  little  beyond  their  Zenda- 
vasta,  two  chapters  of  which  contain  some  traditions 
of  their  own. 

The  Hindus,  a  people  who  had  a  literature  of  their 
own  from  a  period  long  before  the  Sinhalese  became  a 
nation,  have  no  historical  records;  and  their  scanty 
^^fragmentary  historical  recollections,"  which  have  been 
embodied  in  their  religious  works,  such  as  the  Puranas, 
present  themselves  in  the  language  of  prophecy;  and 
upon  their  basis  no  trust -worthy  chronological  calcula- 
tions can  be  made.*  In  the  Vedas  again,  which  are 
perhaps  older  than  any  Ceylonese  Buddhist  writings, 
and  which  are  supposed  to  "furnish  the  only  sure 
foundation  on  which  a  knowledge  of  ancient  and 
modern  India  can  be  built  up,"t  there  is  a  "lamentable 


Press,  1821,  pp.  156  and  xxii.  And  the  other  by  the  Rev.  B. 
Clough,  is  an  English  and  Sigihalese  Dictionary,  and  also  a  Si:ghalese 
and  English  Dictionary,  2  vols.  8vo.  in  1821,  pp.  628  and  852. 
This  work  is  chiefly  vakiable  for  the  explanations  it  gives  of 
Buddhistical  phraseology.  It  is  out  of  print;  and  a  copy,  occa- 
sionally offered  to  public  competiton,  fetches  from  seven  to  eight 
pounds.  The  Rev.  W.  Nicholson  has  also  published  a  small  octavo. 

*  See  Pr.  Lassen's  Indische  Alterthumskunde,  p.  503. 

f  Essay  on  the  results  of  the  Vedic  Researches  by  W.  D. 
Whitney,  American  Oriental  Journal,  iii.  p.  291. 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  95 

lack  of  a  historic  sense^  which  has  ever  been  one  of  the 
most  remarkable  characteristics  of  the  Indian  mind."* 
Although  our  Dravidian  neighbours,  especially  the 
Tamils,  had  attained  to  a  very  high  degree  of  civiliza- 
tion at  the  time  our  first  monarch  sought  for,  and 
obtained,  a  Pandian  princess  as  his  queen  ;  yet  hey 
have  no  works  which  can  be  called  historical,  and  their 
literature,  however  ancient,  is  much  inferior  to  that  of 
the  Brahmans.  f 

The  Chinese,  who  boast  of  a  descent  from  times 
remoter  than  the  days  of  Adam,  have  no  historical 
writings  which  can  throw  the  slightest  light  upon  the 
affairs  of  the  East. 

In  the  country  of  Maghada,  so  greatly  renowned  as 
the  birth-place  of  Buddhism,  and  of  the  still  more 
interesting  language  (the  Pali)  in  which  it  was  promul- 
gated,— a  kingdom,  moreover,  which  dates  its  origin 
from  the  time  of  the  Maha  Bharat^J — we  have  no 
records  of  a  historical  character,  beyond  religious 
inscriptions  sculptured  on  stone,  and  grants  of  lands 
engraved  on  plates  of  copper.  These  "unconnected 
fragments,"  beyond  serving  to  fix  the  dates  of  particular 
Kings,  furnish  us  at  present  with  neither  history,  nor 
matter  sufficient  to  help  us  to  a  general  chronology. 
The  Bactrian  coins,  again,  afford  us  little  or  nothing 
beyond  the  kind  of  information  which  the  monumental 


*  lb.  p.  310. 

t  Caldwell's  Dravidian  Grammar,  p.  81. 

l  Elphinstone's  History  of  India,  vol.  i.  p.  260. 


96  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

inscriptions  furnish  us.  "  The  only  Sanskrit  composi- 
tion yet  discovered  in  all  Asia,  to  which  the  title  of 
History  can  with  any  propriety  be  applied,  is  the 
Rajatarangini;"*  a  comparatively  modern  work  which 
was  compiled  a.d.  1148 :  but,  this  again  does  not  bear 
any  comparison  either  in  point  of  the  matter  it  contains, 
or  in  the  interest  which  attaches  to  the  subjects  it 
treats  upon,  with  the  Sinhalese  Historical  Records. 
The  genuine  historic  zeal  exhibited  by  the  Sinhalese 
from  the  very  time  they  colonized  Ceylon,  far 
surpasses  that  of  all  other  Indian  nations.f 

The  love  which  the  Sinhalese  had  for  such  pursuits, 
was  participated  in  by  their  rulers  themselves ;  and, 
whilst  tradition  asserts  that  some  of  our  early 
Sinhalese  Annals,  from  which  the  Mahavansa  was 
compiled,  were  the  works  of  some  of  our  Monarchs, — 
history  records  the  facts,  that  *Hhe  national  annals 
were  from  time  to  time  compiled  by  royal  command;" 
and  that  the  labours  of  *^the  historians  were  rewarded 
by  the  State  with  grants  of  lands."  The  interest 
which  our  Sovereigns  took  in  this  part  of  the  national 
literature  was  indeed  so  great,  that  many  a  traveller  and 
geographer  of  the  middle  ages  was  particularly  struck, 
as  "a  trait  of  the  native  rulers  of  Ceylon,"  with  the 
fact  of  the  employment  by  them  of  persons  to  compile 
the   national   annals.J      And,   though    comparatively 


*  Pr.  H.  11.  Wilson's  Introd.  to  Rajatarangini. 
f  Lassen's  Indis.  Alt.  vol.  ii.  pp.  13 — 15. 
I  Edrisi,  dim.  1,  §  8,  p.  3. 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  S7 

lew  are  the  records  whicli  the  ravages  of  time,  and  the 
devastating  hand  of  sectarian  oppression,  have  left 
behind;— they,  nevertheless,  excel  in  matter  and 
interest,  all  the  Annals  of  Asia.  As  "the  first  actual 
writing,  and  the  first  well-authenticated  Inscription  in 
India,  are  of  Buddhist  origin,"*  so,  likewise,  the  first 
actual  chronicle,  as  well  as  the  most  authentic  history, 
in  the  whole  of  the  eastern  hemisphere,  may  be  traced 
to  a  Ceylon-Buddhistic  source.  "The  Mahavansa 
stands,"  says  Sir  James  Emerson  Tennent,t  "at  the 
head  of  the  historical  literature  of  the  East,  unrivalled 
by  any  thing  extant  in  Hindustan,  the  wildness  of 
whose  chronology  it  controls." 

When,  for  instance,  the  watchful  mind  of  Sir 
IVilliara  Jones  seized  with  avidity  the  identity  of 
C  handragupta  and  Sandracottus,  and  thence  discovered 
the  only  key  for  unlocking  the  history  and  chronology 
of  Asia,  the  annals  of  Ceylon  were  not  without  their 
use  in  removing  the  doubts  which  had  been  conjured 
up  by  antiquarians.  When  the  indefatigable  labours 
of  a  Prinsep  enabled  him  to  decipher  the  rock  inscrip- 
tions of  Piyadasi  or  Devanampiya,  the  discovery  could 
not  with  certainty  have  been  applied  either  to  fix 
the  proper  date  of  the  Buddhistic  era,  or  to  reduce 
the  extravagant  chronology  of  Asia  to  its  proper 
limits,  without  the  aid  of  the   Sinhalese  records — the 


*  Pr.  Max  Miiller's  Sanskrit  Literature,  p.  520, 
t  History  of  Cejlon,  p.  516. 


98  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Dipavansa*  in  particular,  which  identified  the  Devanani* 
piya  with  Asoka.  When  the  obscure  dialect  of  the 
pillar  inscriptions  presented  philological  difficulties,  the 
Ceylon  Pali  Mahavansa  alone  served  as  an  "infallible 
dictionary  "t  for  their  elucidation.  When  again  the 
Cashmirean  history  put  forth  an  extravagant  chrono- 
logy, Ceylonese  chronicles  alone  enabled  Mr.  Turnour 
to  effect  an  important  and  valuable  correction,  to 
the  extent  of  794  years,  and  thereby  to  adjust  the 
chronology  of  the  Rajatarangini.J  When  lastly,  the 
penetrating  mind  of  a  Burnouf,  from  an  examination 
into  the  Nepal  version  of  the  Buddhist  scriptures, 
conceived  the  idea  of  **a  fourth  digest"  of  the  Bud- 
dhists, apart  from  the  compilations  of  the  three 
Convocations  in  India,  the  Sinhalese  annals,  and  above 
all  the  Dipavansa,§  alone  furnished  the  proof  required 
for  establishing  the  conjecture. 

Although  the  several  early  historical  records  in  the 
Sinhalese  language  which  had  existed  before  the  third 

*  "Mr.  Tumour's  Pali  authorities  will  be  of  essential  use  in 
expounding  our  new  discovery,  and  my  only  excuse  for  not  having 
taken  the  epitome  already  published  as  my  guide  before,  is  that 
the  identity  of  Piadassi  was  not  then  established."— Mr.  James 
Prinsep,  in  the  Bengal  A.  S.  J.  vi.,  p.  792,  &c. 

f  "  On  turning  to  the  infallible  Tika  upon  our  Inscriptions, 
afforded  by  Mr.  Tumour's  admirable  Mahawansa,  we  find  a 
circumstance  recorded  which  may  help  us  materially  to  understand 
the  obscure  passage."— Prinsep ;  see  Bengal  A.  S.  J.  vii.,  p.  264. 

I  See  Bengal  A.  S.  J.  for  September,  1836. 

§  See  extracts  and  obser\'ations  on  the  subject,  in  the  Intro- 
duction to  Kachchayana's  Pali  Grammar. 


THE   MAHAWANSA.  99 

century,  and  from  which  the  subsequent  historiea 
were  compiled,  are  irretrievably  lost,  we  nevertheless- 
have  the  Dipavansa,  the  Daladavansa,  the  Bodhivansa, 
the  Tupavansa,  the  Rasavahini,  the  Rajavaliya,  the 
llajaratnakara,  Sulu-Eajaratnakara,  Piijavaliya,  Bud- 
dhagosa's  Atthakatha,  the  Nikayasangraha,  and  the 
Mahavansa,  all  which  contain  historical  matter  exhi- 
biting the  succession  of  165  kings,  during  a  period  of 
2341  years,  from  the  time  Avhen  Wijaya  settled  in 
Ceylon  to  the  British  conquest  in  1798;  and  whose 
general  accuracy  is  proved  by  a  variety  of  facts  and 
circumstances.  Colonel  Sykes,  an  indefatigable  scholar, 
who  maintains  to  this  day  the  superiority  of  the  Pali 
language,  and  its  history,  over  the  Sanskrit  and  the 
Brahman  prophetical  annals,  says  in  speaking  of  the 
last  named  work: 

"  The  Mahavansa,  in  its  details,  manifests  the  same 
love  of  the  marvellous,  the  same  credulity  and  super- 
stition, the  same  exaggeration  in  description,  and  the 
same  adulation  of  kings  and  princes,  which  is  met 
with  in  the  annals  and  religious  history  of  heathen  and 
Christian  nations  called  civilized,  of  ancient  and 
modern  Europe.  With  these  draw^backs,  common, 
however,  to  the  annals  and  religious  history  of  all 
nations,  the  Chronology  of  the  Mahavansa,  from  the 
birth  of  Buddha  before  Christ  623,  does  not  admit  of 
a  question  with  respect  to  its  general  accuracy  ;  and 
neither  Brahmanism  nor  the  Sanskrit  language  can 
shew  any  work  of  an  unquestionable  date,  approaching 
to  within  many  centuries  of  it  [b.c.  623].  nor  a  work 


100  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE, 

with  the  shadow  of  a  claim  to  its  honesty  of  intention, 
and  its  accuracy  of  chronological  records ;  and  Mr, 

Tumour  seems  justified  in  statlno;  that *  from 

the  date  of  the  introduction  of  Buddhism  into  Ceylon, 
B.C.  307.,  that  history  [Mahavansa]  is  authenticated 
by  the  concurrence  of  every  evidence  which  can 
contribute  to  verify  the  annals  of  any  country,' — - 
Introduction,  p.  li."* 

Such  are  the  merits  of  the  best  and  most  authentic 
historical  work  in  the  whole  of  Asia.  It  is  written  in 
Pali  verse,  and  contains  100  chapters,  of  which  the 
early  portion,  comprising  the  history  of  Ceylon  from 
B.C.  543.  to  A.D.  301,  was  composed  by  a  learned  priest 
named  Mahanama.  It  was  compiled  from  Pali  and 
Sinhalese  annals  then  extant,  and  was  composed  at 
Anuradhapura,  under  the  auspices  of  his  nephew 
Daean  Keliya,  between  A  D.  459  and  477.  It  is  still 
doubtful  whether  Mahanama  was  not  also  the  author 
of  the  subsequent  portion,  to  his  own  times,  f  Yet, 
when  it  is  considered  that  he  himself  was  the  author 
of  the  Commentary  which  extends  to  a.d.  301,  and  that 
the  subsequent  portion  of  the  work  goes  by  the  name 
of  Sulu  Wansa,  it  may  be  concluded,  without  much 
doubt,  that  he  wrote  the  whole  history  to  the  date 
last  given. 

"From  the  period  fsays  Turnour)  at  which  Maha- 
ndma's  work  terminated,  to  the  reign  of  Parakrama 

*  Journal  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  vol.  vi.,  pp.  339,  &c. 
•j-  Introduction  to  Mahavansa,  p.  ii. 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  101 

Bahu,  iuA.D.  1266,  the  Sulu  Wansa  was  composed, 
under  the  patronage  of  the  last  named  sovereign,  by 
Dharma  Kirti,  at  Dambedeniya.  I  have  not  been 
able  to  ascertain  by  whom  the  portion  of  the  history 
from  AD.  1267  to  the  reign  of  Parakrama  Bahu  of 
Kurunegala  was  written,  but  from  that  reign  to  a.d. 
1758,  the  Maha  or  rather  Sulu,  Wansa  was  compiled 
by  Tibbottuvawa,  by  the  command  of  Kirtissri,  partly, 
from  the  works  brought  to  this  island  during  his  reign 
by  the  Siamese  priests,  (which  had  been  procured  by 
their  predecessors  during  their  former  religious  missions 
to  Ceylon),  and  partly  from  the  native  histories,  which 
had  escaped  the  general  destruction  of  literary  records, 
in  the  reign  of  Raja  Sinha  I."* 

The  entire  Mahavansa,  together  with  some  other 
historical  works,  was  translated  and  published  by  Mr, 
Upham,  in  1833  ;f  but  this  work  is  not  to  be  trusted 
as  a  translation.  Noticing  its  character  at  length 
the  Hon.  George  Turnour,  who  subsequently  (1837) 
published  the  first  thirty-seven  Chapters  with  an 
English  translation,  says; — 

*'This  translation,  which  abounds  in  errors  of  the  descrip- 
tion above  noticed,  is  stated  to  have  been  made  'under  the 
superintendence  of  the  late  native  chief  of  the  Cinnamou 
department,  (Rajapaxa,  Maha  Modliar),  who  was  himself 
the  best  Pali  and  Singhalese  scholar  in  the  countiy.'     I  was 


*  Tumour's  Mahavansa,  p.  ii. 

t  The   Sacred  and  Historical  Books   of  Ceylon,  in  tlu'ce  vols, 
by  Edward  Upham,  m.r.a.s.,  and  r.s.A.,  Loudon,  1833. 


102  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

personally  acquainted  with  this  individual,  who  was  univer- 
sally and  deservedly  respected,  both  in  his  official  and  private* 
character.  He  possessed  extensive  information,  and  equally 
extensive  influence,  among  his  own  caste  at  least,  if  not 
among  his  countrymen  generally  ;  and  as  of  late  years,  the 
intercourse  with  the  Buddhistical  church  in  the  Burmese 
empire  had  been  chiefly  kept  up  by  missions  from  the  priest- 
hood of  his  (the  Chalia)  caste  in  Ceylon,  the  late  Chief 
Justice  could  not,  perhaps,  have  applied  to  any  individual 
more  competent  to  collect  the  native,  as  well  as  Burmese, 
Pali  annals  ;  or  more  capable  of  procuring  the  best  qualified 
translators  of  that  language  into  Singhalese,  from  among  the 
Pali  scholars  resident  in  the  maritime  districts  of  the  island, 
than  Rajapaxa  was.  This  was,  however,  the  full  extent 
to  which  this  Chief  could  have  efficiently  assisted  Sir  A, 
Johnston,  in  his  praiseworthy  undertaking ;  for  the  Maha 
Modliar  was  not  himself  either  a  Pali,  or  an  English 
scholar.  That  is  to  say,  he  had  no  better  acquaintance  with 
the  Pali,  than  a  modern  European  would,  Avithout  studying 
it,  have  of  any  ancient  dead  language,  from  which  his  own 
might  be  derived.  As  to  his  acquaintance  with  the  English 
language,  though  he  imperfectly  comprehended  any  ordinal  y 
question  which  might  be  put  to  him,  he  certainly  could  not 
speak,  much  less  write,  in  reply,  the  shortest  connected 
sentence  in  English.*  He  must,  therefore  (unless  he  has 
practised  a  most  unpardonable  deception  on  Sir  A.  Johnston) 

*  "In  1822,  five  years  after  Sir  A.  Johnston  left  Ceylon,  and 
before  I  had  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  colloquial  Singhalese,  as 
Magistrate  of  Colombo,  I  had  to  examine  Rajapaxa,  Maha 
Modliar,  as  a  witness  in  my  Court.  On  that  occasion,  I  was 
obliged  to  employ  an  interpreter  (the  present  permanent  Assessor, 


TITK    M  AH  A  WANS  A.  103 

be  at  once  released  from  all  responsibility,  as  to  the  correct- 
ness both  of  the  Pali  version  translated  into  Singhalese  and 
of  the  Singhalese  version  into  English." 

In  marked  contrast  with  the  above  is  Mr.  Tumour's 
translation.  He  was  the  Colonial  Secretary  of  Ceylon, 
and,  during  the  time  he  prosecuted  his  study  of  the 
Sinhalese  language,  he  was  the  Agent  of  Government 
at  Kandy.  Encouraged  by  the  publication  of  the 
Balavatara  by  the  Eev.  B.  Clough,  Tumour  was 
induced  to  learn  the  Pali,  and  from  time  to  time  to 
direct  the  minds  of  the  learned  in  Europe  to  its  study. 
The  great  and  invaluable  services  which  he  thus  ren- 
<iered  to  the  cause  of  Asiatic  History,  to  Chronology, 
and  to  the  study  of  Buddhism,  is  acknowledged  and 
appreciated  by  every  one  who  is  now  engaged  in  the 
study  of  the  Buddhist  religion,  and  the  dialect  in  which 
its  scriptures  are  recorded.  I  am  indeed  at  a  loss 
which  to  admire  most — whether  the  disinterested  zeal 
that  animated  Mr.  Turnour,  or  the  perseverance  with 
which  amidst  his  arduous  and  responsible  duties,  he 
pursued  the  object  of  his  researches.  "  When  I  come  to 
analyze  the  Pali  books  of  Ceylon,"  says  M.  Burnouf,* 
**  it  will  be  seen  what  discoveries  and  labours  we  owe 
to  the  zeal  of  Mr.  Turnour;  and  we  shall  have  to  admit 


Mr.  Dias,  Modliar)  not  only  to  convey  his  Singhalese  answers  in 
English  to  me,  but  to  interpret  my  English  questions  in  Singhalese 
to  him,  as  he  was  totally  incapable  of  following  me  in  English. 
With  Europeans  he  generally  conversed  in  the  local  Portuguese." 
*  History  of  Buddhism,  p.  iv. 


104  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE, 

that  if  he  has  given  to  Europe  fewer  original  manu- 
scripts, he  has  furnished  us  with  a  larger  number  of 
accurate  translations.*'  Of  these  valuable  observations 
and  translations,  in  his  lengthy  Introduction  descrip- 
tive of  the  Mahawansa,  I  shall  now  proceed  to  make 
copious  extracts : 

"The  wTiter  opens  his  work  with  the  usual  invocation  to 
Buddho,  to  the  explanation  of  which  he  devotes  no  less  than 
twenty-five  pages  of  the  Tika.  Without  stopping  to  examine 
these  comments,  I  proceed  to  his  notes  on  the  word 
*Mahawanso.' 

"Mahawauso  is  the  abbreviation  of  Mahantananwansoj 
the  genealogy  of  the  great.  It  signifies  both  pedigree,  and 
inheritance  from  generation  to  generation ;  being  itself  of 
high  import,  either  on  that  account,  or  because  it  also  bears 
the  two  above  significations  ;  hence  *Mahawanso.' 

"What  that  Mahawanso  contains  (I  proceed  to  explain) : — 
Be  it  known,  that  of  these  {i.  e.,  of  the  aforesaid  great)  it 
illustrates  the  genealogy,  as  well  as  of  the  Buddhos,  and  of 
their  eminently  pious  disciples,  as  of  the  great  monarchs, 
commencing  with  Mahasammato.  It  is  also  of  gi-eat  import, 
inasmuch  as  it  narrates  the  visits  of  Buddho  (to  Ceylon). 
Hence  the  work  is  (*Maha')  great.  It  contains,  likewise, 
all  that  was  known  to,  or  has  been  recorded  by,  the  pious 
men  of  old,  connected  with  the  supreme  and  well  defined 
history  of  those  unrivalled  dynasties  ('wanso').  Let  (my 
hearers)  listen  (to  this  Mahawanso). 

"Be  it  understood,  that  even  in  the  (old)  Atthakatha,  the 
words  'Dipatthutiya  sadhusakkatan'  are  held  as  of  deep 
import.  They  have  there  (in  that  work)  exclusive  reference 
to  the  visits  of  Buddho,  and  matters   connected  therewith. 


THE    MAttAWANSA.  lOo 

On  this  subject  the  antient  historians  have  thus  expressed 
themselves: — 'I  will  perspicuously  set  forth  the  visits  of 
Buddha  to  Ceylon ;  the  arrival  of  the  relic  and  of  the  bo-tree  ; 
the  histories  of  the  convocations,  and  of  the  schisms  of  the 
theros;  the  introduction  of  the  religion  of  (Buddha)  into  the 
Island ;  and  the  settlement  and  pedigree  of  the  sovereign 
(Wijayo).'  It  will  be  evident,  from  the  substance  of  the 
quotations  here  made,  that  the  numerical  extent  of  the 
dynasties  (in  my  work)  is  exclusively  derived  from  that 
source:  (it  is  no  invention  of  mine.) 

"Thus  the  title 'Mahawanso' is  adopted  in  imitation  of 
the  history  composed  by  the  frateruily  of  the  Mahawiharo 
(at  Anuradhapura.)  In  this  work  the  object  aimed  at  is, 
setting  aside  the  Singhalese  language  in  which  (the  foriner 
history)  is  composed,  that  I  should  sing  in  the  Magadhi. 
Whatever  the  matters  may  be,  which  were  contained  in  the 
Atthakatha,  without  suppressing  any  part  thereof,  rejecting 
the  dialect  only,  I  compose  my  work  in  the  supreme 
Magadhi  language,  which  is  thoroughly  purified  from  all 
imperfections.  I  will  brilliantly  illustrate,  then,  the  Maha- 
w^auso,  replete  with  information  on  every  subject,  and  compre- 
hending the  amplest  detail  of  all  important  events ;  like  unto 
a  splendid  and  dazzling  garland,  strung  with  every  variety 
of  flowers,  rich  in  color,  taste,  and  scent. 

"The  former  historians,  also,  used  an  analogous  simile. 
They  said,  'I  will  celebrate  the  dynasties  (*wanso')  perpe- 
tuated fi'om  generation  to  generation  ;  illustrious  from  the 
commencement,  and  lauded  by  many  bards  :  like  unto  a  garland 
strung  w^ith  every  variety  of  flowers  :  do  ye  all  listen  with 
intense  interest.* 

"  After  some  further  commentaries  on  other  words  of  the 
first  verse,  Mahanamo  thus  explains  his  motives  for  under- 

P 


106  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

taking  the  compilation  of  his  history,  before  he  touches  ou 
the  second. 

"  *  Thus  I,  the  author  of  the  Mahawanso,  by  having  rendered 
to  religion  the  reverence  due  thereto,  in  my  first  verse,  have 
procured  for  myself  immunity  from  misfortune.  In  case 
it  should  be  asked  in  this  particular  place,  'why,  while 
there  are  Mahawansos  composed  by  ancient  authors  in  the 
Singhalese  language,  this  author  has  written  this  Palapadoru- 
wanso?'  in  refutation  of  such  an  unmeaning  objection,  I  thus 
explain  the  advantage  of  composing  the  Palapadoru-wansa, 
viz.,  that  in  the  Mahawanso  composed  by  the  ancients,  there 
is  the  defect,  as  well  of  prolixity  as  of  brevity.  There  are 
also  other  inaccuracies  deserving  of  notice.  Avoiding  these 
defects,  and  for  the  purpose  of  explaining  the  principle  on 
which  the  Palapadoru-wanso  I  am  desirous  of  compiling,  is 
composed,  I  proceed  to  the  second  verse." 

The  folio  wins:  extracts  are  also  made  to  elucidate 
certain  particulars  connected  with  the  history  of  Maha- 
nama.     Mr.  Tumour  says:  — 

"In  opening  the  second  chapter,  Mahauamo  supplies  detailed 
data  touching  several  of  Gotamo's  incarnations,  prior  to  his 
manifestation  in  the  person  of  Mahasammato,  the  first  monarch 
of  this  creation.  I  shall  confine  myself  to  a  translation 
of  the  portion  of  the  commentary  which  treats  of  that  parti- 
cular incarnation.  It  will  serve  to  assimilate  his  production 
or  manifestation,  by  *opapatika'  or  apparitional  birth,  with 
the  Hindu  scheme  of  the  origination  of  the  solar  race. 

"  'At  the  close  of  that  existence  (in  the  Brahma  world)  he 
was  regenerated  a  man,  at  the  commencement  of  this  creation, 
by  the  process  of  'opapatika.'  From  the  circumstance  of 
mankind  being  then  afflicted  with  unendurable  miseries, 
resulting  from  the  uncontrolled  state  of  the  sinful  passions 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  107 

which  had  been  engendered,  as  well  as  from  the  consterna- 
tion created  by  the  murder,  violence,  and  rapine  produced 
by  a  condition  of  anarchy,  a  desire  manifested  itself  among 
men  to  live  subject  to  the  control  of  a  ruler.  Having  met 
and  consulted  together,  they  thus  petitioned  unto  him  (the 
Buddho  elect),  *0  great  man!  from  heucefoi'th  it  belongs 
to  thee  to  provide  for  our  protection  and  common  weal.' 
The  whole  human  race  having  assembled  and  come  to  this 
decision,  the  appellation  was  conferred  on  him  of  'Maha- 
sammato,'  '  the  great  elect.' 

"  Valuable  as  the  comments  are  on  the  genealogy  of  the 
Asiatic  monarchs — the  descendants  and  successors  of  Maha- 
sammato, — they  are  still  only  abridged  and  insulated  notes 
deduced  (as  already  noticed)  from  the  Pitakattaya  and  the 
Atthakatha ;  to  which  justice  would  not  be  done  in  this 
limited  sketch  of  the  buddhistical  annals.  As  a  proof, 
however  of  Mahanamo's  general  rigid  adherence  to  the  data 
from  which  his  history  is  compiled,  I  may  here  advert  to 
one  of  the  instances  of  the  care  with  which  he  marks  every 
departure,  however  trivial,  from  the  authorities  by  which  he 
is  otherwise  guided.  He  says,  in  reference  to  the  twenty- 
eight  kings  mentioned  in  the  6th  verse  :  'In  the  Atthakatha 
composed  by  the  Uttarawiharo  priests,  omitting  Chetiyo,  the 
son  of  Upacharako,  and  representing  Muchalo  to  be  the  son 
of  Upacharako,  it  is  stated  that  there  were  only  twenty-seven 
rdjas,  whose  existence  extended  to  an  asankya  of  years.' 

"  The  account  of  the  first  convocation  on  religion,  after 
Gotamo's  death,  is  so  clearly  and  beautifully  given  in  the 
third  chapter,  that  no  explanatory  comments  are  requisite 
from  me.  For  detailed  particulars  regarding  the  construc- 
tion of  the  convocation  hall  at  Rajagaha,  and  the  proceedings 
held  therein,  the  Tika  refers  to   the   Samantapasada  Attha- 


108  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

katha  on    the   Dighanikayo,    and   the    Sumangala   wilasini 
Atthakatha. 

"The  fourth  and  fifth  chapters  are  the  most  valuable  in  the 
Mahawanso,  with  reference  to  the  chronology  of  Indian 
history.  It  will  be  observed  that  in  some  respects,  both  in 
the  names  and  in  the  order  of  succession,  this  line  of  the 
Magadha  kings  varies  from  the  Hindu  genealogies. 

*•  The  rest  of  the  fifth  chapter,  containing  the  account  of 
Asoko's  conversion — the  history  of  Moggaliputtatisso,  by 
whom  the  third  convocation  was  held,  as  well  as  of  that 
convocation,  is  full  of  interesting  matter,  detailed  with 
peculiar  distinctness,  on  which  the  comments  of  the  Tika 
throw  no  additional  light. 

"  At  this  stage  of  his  work,  being  at  the  close  of  the  third 
convocation,  Mahanamo  abruptly  interrupts  his  history  of 
India,  and  without  assigning  any  reason  in  the  sixth  chapter 
for  that  interruption,  resumes  the  history  of  Lanka,  in  con- 
tinuation of  the  visits  of  Buddho,  given  in  the  first  chapter, 
commencing  with  the  landing  of  Wijayo.  His  object  in 
adopting  this  course  is  sufiiciently  manifest  to  his  readers, 
when  they  come  to  the  twelfth  chapter.  In  the  Tika,  how- 
ever, he  thus  explains  himself  for  following  this  course, 
at  the  opening  of  the  sixth  chapter. 

"*As  soon  as  the  third  convocation  was  closed,  Maha 
Mahindo,  who  was  selected  for,  and  sent  on,  that  mission,  by 
his  preceptor  Moggaliputto,  who  was  bent  on  establishing 
the  religion  of  Buddho  in  the  different  countries  (of  Jambu- 
dipo)  came  to  this  island,  which  had  been  sanctified,  and 
rescued  from  evil  influences,  by  the  three  visits  paid,  in 
aforetime,  by  the  supreme  Buddho  ;  and  which  had  been 
rendered  habitable  from  the  very  day  on  which  Bhagawa 
attained  parinibbauan. 


THE   MAIIAWAN8A.  109 

**  'Accordingly,  at  the  expiration  of  two  hundred  and 
thirty-six  years  from  that  event,  and  in  the  reign  of  Dewa- 
nanpiyatisso,  (Mahindo)  arrived.  Therefore  (the  Maha- 
wauso)  arresting  the  narrative  of  the  history  (of  Jambudipo) 
here,  where  it  was  requisite  that  it  should  be  shown  how  the 
inhabitants  of  this  island  were  established  here ;  with  that 
view,  and  with  the  intent  of  explaining  the  arrival  of  Wijayo, 
it  enters  (at  this  point),  in  detail,  into  the  lineage  of  the  said 
Wijayo,  by  commencing  (the  sixth  chapter)  with  the  words : 
*In  the  land  of  Wangu,  in  the  capital  of  Wangu,  &c.'" 

"  The  Tika  adds  nothing  to  the  information  contained  in  the 
Mahawanso,  as  to  the  fabulous  origin  of  the  Sihala  dynasty. 
There  are  two  notes  on  the  first  verse,  on  the  words  'Wan- 
gesu'  and  'pure,*  which  should  have  informed  us  fully  as  to 
the  geographical  position  of  the  country,  and  the  age  in  which 
the  Wangu  princes  lived.  They  are  however  unsatisfactorily 
laconic,  and  comprised  in  the  following  meagre  sentences. 

" '  There  were  certain  princes  named  Wangu.  The  country 
in  which  they  dwelt  becoming  powerful,  it  was  called 
'  Wangu,'  from  their  appellation. 

"'The  word  'pure'  'formerly,'  signifies  anterior  to 
Bhagawa  becoming  Buddho. 

"All  that  can  be  safely  advanced  in  regard  to  the  contents 
of  the  sixth  chapter  is  that  Wijayo  was  descended,  through 
the  male  branch,  from  th'e  rajas  of  Wangu  (Bengal  proper), 
and,  through  the  female  line,  from  the  royal  family  of  Kdlinga 
(Northern  Circars)  ;  that  his  grandmother,  the  issue  of  the 
alliance  above  mentioned,  connected  herself  or  rather  eloped 
with,  some  obscure  individual  named  Siho  (which  word 
signifies  'a  lion');  that  their  son  Sihabihu  put  his  own 
father  to  death,  and  established  himself  in  Lala,  a  subdivi- 
sion of  Magadha,  the  capital  of  which  was  Sihapura,  probably 


110  DESCKirTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

the  modern  Syughaya  on  the  Gunduck  river  ;  (in  the  vicinity 
of  which  the  remains  of  buddhistical  edifices  are  still  to  he 
fomid)  ;  and  that  his  son  Wijayo,  with  his  seven  hundred 
followers,  lauded  in  Lauki,  outlawed  in  their  native  land, 
from  which  they  came  to  this  Island.  I  shall  hereafter 
notice  the  probability  of  the  date  of  his  landing  having  been 
antedated  by  a  considerable  term^  for  the  purpose  of  support- 
ing a  pretended  revelation  or  command  of  Buddho,  with 
which  the  seventh  chapter  opens. 

"The  fabulous  tone  of  the  narrative  in  which  the  account 
of  Wijayo's  landing  in  Lanka  is  conveyed  in  the  seventh 
chapter,  bears,  even  in  its  details,  so  close  a  resemblance  to 
the  landing  of  Ulysses  at  the  island  of  Circe,  that  it  would 
have  been  difficult  to  defend  Mahanarao  from  the  imputation 
of  plagiarism,  had  he  lived  in  a  country  in  which  the  works 
of  Homer  could,  by  possibility,  be  accessible  to  him.  The 
seizure  and  imprisonment  of  Ulysses'  men  and  his  own 
rencontre  with  Circe,  are  almost  identical  with  the  fate  of 
Wijayo  and  his  men,  on  their  landing  in  Lanka,  within  the 
dominions  of  Kuweni. 

"The  narrative  is  too  full  and  distinct  in  all  requisite  details, 
in  the  ensuing  three  chapters,  to  make  any  further  remarks 
necessary  from  me. 

"The  twelfth  chapter  contains  the  account  of  the  dispersion 
of  the  buddhist  missionaries,  at  the'close  of  the  third  convo- 
cation, in  B.C.  307,  to  foreign  countries,  for  the  purpose  of 
propagating  their  faith.  I  had  intended  in  this  place  to 
enter  into  a  comparison  of  the  data  contained  in  Professor 
Wilson's  sketch  of  the  Raja  Taringini,  with  the  details 
furnished  in  this  chapter  of  the  Mahawanso,  connected  with 
the  introduction  of  buddhism  in  Cashmir.  The  great  length, 
however,   of  the   preceding   extracts  from  the  Tika,  which 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  HI 

has  already  swelled  this  introduction  beyond  the  dimensions 
originally  designed,  deters  me  from  undertaking  the  task  in 
the  present  sketch.  I  shall,  therefore,  now  only  refer  to  the 
accordance  between  the  two  authorities  (though  of  conflicting 
faiths)  as  to  the  facts  of  that  conversion  having  taken  place 
in  the  reign  of  Asoko ;  of  the  previous  prevalence  of  the 
naga  worship  ;  and  of  the  visitation  by  tempests,  which  each 
sect  attributed  to  the  impiety  of  the  opposite  party ;  as 
evidences  of  both  authorities  concurring  to  prove  the  histori- 
cal event  here  recorded,  that  this  mission  did  take  place 
during  the  reign  of  that  supreme  ruler  of  India. 

"In  entering  upon  the  thirteenth  chapter,  a  note  is  given 
in  the  Tika,  which  I  extract  m  this  place,  as  containing 
further  particulars  of  the  personal  history  of  Asoko ;  and  I 
would  take  this  opportunity  of  correcting  a  mistranslation,  by 
altering  the  passage  *she  gave  birth  to  the  noble  (twin)  sons 
Ujjenio  and  Mahindo,'  into  *she  gave  birth  to  the  noble 
Ujjenian  prince  Mahindo.'  The  other  children  born  to 
Asoko  at  Ujjeni,  alluded  to  in  a  former  note,  were  probably 
the  offspring  of  different  mothers. 

"  'Prior  to  this  period,  prince  Bindusaro,  the  son  of  Chada- 
gutto  of  the  Moriyan  dynasty,  on  the  demise  of  his  father, 
had  succeeded  to  the  monarchy,  at  Patiliputta.  He  had  two 
sons  who  were  brothers.  Of  them  (the  sons)  there  were, 
also,  ninety  other  brothers,  the  issue  of  different  mothers. 
This  monarch  conferred  on  Asoko,  who  was  the  eldest*  of 
all  of  them,  the  dignity  of  sub-king,  and  the  government  of 
Awanti.     Subsequently,  on  a  certain  occasion,  when  he  came 


*   "This  is  at  variance  with  a  preceding  note,  which   made 
Sumano  the  eldest  of  all  Bindusaro's  sons." 


112  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

to  pay  his  respects  to  him  (the  monarch),  addressing  him, 
'  Sub-king,  ray  child !  repairing  to  thy  government,  reside 
at  Ujjeni,'  orderecj  him  thither.  He,  who  was  on  his  way 
to  Ujjeni,  pursuant  to  his  father's  command,  rested  in  his 
journey  at  the  city  of  Chetiyagiri,  at  the  house  of  one  Dewo, 
a  settho.  Having  met  there  the  lovely  and  youthful 
daughter  of  the  said  settho,  named  Chetiya  dewi,  and  becom- 
ing enamoured  of  her  ;  soliciting  the  consent  of  her  parents^ 
and  obtaining  her  from  them,  he  lived  with  her.  By  that 
connection  she  became  pregnant ;  and  being  conveyed  from 
thence  to  Ujjeni,  she  gave  birth  to  the  prince  Mahindo. 
At  the  termination  of  two  years  from  that  date,  giving  birth 
to  her  daughter  Sanghamittii,  she  continued  to  dwell  there. 
Bindusaro,  the  father  of  the  sub-king,  on  his  death  bed, 
calling  his  son  Asoko  to  his  recollection,  sent  messengers  to 
require  his  attendance.  They  accordingly  repaired  to  Ujjeni, 
and  delivered  their  message  to  Asoko.  Pursuant  to  those 
instructions,  he  hastened  to  his  father  by  rapid  stages,  leaving 
his  son  and  daughter,  in  his  way,  at  Chetiyagiri ;  and 
hurrying  to  his  father  at  Pataliputta,  performed  the  funeral 
obsequies  of  his  parent,  who  died  immediately  on  his  arrival. 
Then,  putting  to  death  the  ninety-nine  brothers  of  different 
mothers,  and  extirpating  all  disaffected  persons,  and  raising 
the  chhatta,  he  there  solemnized  his  inauguration.  The 
mother  of  the  thero  (Mahindo),  sending  her  children  to  the 
king's  court,  continued  to  reside  herself  at  the  city  of 
Chetiyagiri.  Tt  is  from  this  circumstance  (that  the  author 
of  the  Mahawanso  has  said),  'While  prince  Asoko  was 
ruling  over  the  Awanti  country.' 

"  The  TIka  affords  no  new  matter,  as  far  as  regards  the 
interesting  narrative  contained  in  the  fifteenth,  sixteenth, 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  Il3 

seventeenth,  eighteenth,  and  nineteenth  chapters.  The 
twentieth  chapter  contains  a  chronological  summary  of  the 
reign  of  Dharamas6ko,  at  the  opening  of  which  the  Tika 
gives  the  following  note,  affording  another  proof  of  the 
minute  attention  paid  by  the  author  to  prevent  any  misappre- 
hension in  regard  to  the  chronology  of  his  history. 

"After  describing  the  arrival  of  the  bo-tree,  and  preparatory 
to  entering  upon  the  chapter  on  the  subject  of  the  theros 
obtaining  'parinibbanan,'  the  account  of  the  death  of  the 
two  monarchs,  Dhammasoko  and  Dewananpiyatisso,  is  set 
forth  (in  the  Mahawanso  in  these  words)  :  *  In  the  eighteenth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Dhammasoko,  the  bo-tree  was  placed  in 
the  Mahamegha wanna  pleasure  garden.' 

"(In  the  Mahawanso  it  is  stated),  *  these  years  collectively 
amount  to  thirty-seven.'  By  that  work  it  might  appear 
that  the  total  (term  of  his  reign)  amounted  to  forty-one  years. 
That  reckoning  would  be  erroneous ;  the  last  year  of  each 
period  being  again  counted  as  the  first  of  the  next  period. 
By  avoiding  that  double  appropriation,  the  period  becomes 
thirty-seven  years.  In  the  Atthakatha,  avoiding  this  absurd 
(literally  laughable)  mistake,  the  period  is  correctly  stated. 
It  is  there  specified  to  be  thirty-seven  years." 

The  untranslated  portion  of  the  Mahawansa  contains 
sixty-two  chapters;  (vide  an  Analysis  of  the  same  in 
Tumour's  Mahawansa,  p.  xci.)  There  is  not  the  same 
facility  for  translating  this  portion  which  Mr.  Tumour 
had  for  the  rendering  of  the  first  thirty-eight  chapters 
into  English  ;  for,  not  only  is  there  not  a  gloss  or  tika 
to  the  untranslated  part,  but  the  work  itself  is  found 
in  almost  inextricable  confusion ;  and  the  only  hope  of 
securing  a  correct  copy  of  the  text  is  by  careful  inter- 

Q 


114  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

comparison  with  old  MSS.  in  different  parts  of  the 
island,  and  with  copies,  if  procurable,  from  Siam  and 
Amarapura. 

Having  given  all  the  information  worthy  of  notice 
regarding  this  ancient  History,  we  may  state  that 
Tumour  has  translated  and  published  the  first  thirty- 
eight  chapters,  and  also  the  fifty -ninth.  It  was  publicly 
stated  that  he  had  also  translated  ten  other  chapters, 
but  these  have  never  been  published.  Mr.  L.  De 
Zoysa,  Mudaliyar,  has  also  published  a  translation  of 
the  Ixviiith  and  Ixixth  chapters  in  the  C.  B.  Royal 
Asiatic  Society's  Journal  for  1856 — 58. 

Not  only  as  a  specimen  of  the  third  part  of  the  Maha- 
wansa  by  Tibbottuvawa,  but  as  furnishing  evidence  of 
the  wanton  destruction  of  the  ancient  literary  records 
of  this  country,  which,  according  to  another  historian, 
"were  burnt  in  heaps  as  high  as  cocoa-nut  trees,"  we 
here  present,  with  a  translation. 

Cap.  XCIII. 

Atha  tassacbehaye  tasmin  samudd'asanna  ratthake 
Jayawaddhana  kotth'adi  pasiddha  nagaresuhi 
Tahin  tahin  vasantesu  Suriya  vansaja  rajusu 
Maya  dhanavho  raj'eko  asi  tejo  janadhipo 
Tass'atrajo  balo  dsi  Rajasiho'ti  namako 
Gantva  tahin  tahin  yuddhan  katvana  aggahi  jayan 
Jayaggaho  mahabalo  attano  pitaran 'picha 
Gha  tetva  saka  hattha  so  rajja'maggahi  dummati 
Sitavaka  nagarasmin  Rajasiho'ti  vissuto 
Pasanno  sasane  kinchi  kalamhi  kusalan  karan 
Danan  latv'ekada  raja  maha  there  apuchchhi  so 


THE   MAHAWANSA.  115 

Pitu  ghatakapdpa'lian  kathan  nasemi  bhitiko 
Tada  thera  tassadhamman  desetvana  visarada 
A'radhetun  asakkonta  duttha  chittan  kubuddhino 
Kata  papan  vina  setun  nasakka'ti  giran  sute 
Dandappa  liata  mattena  kuddho  ghora  viso  viya 
Sivabhattike'pi  puchchhitva  sakka'ti  kathitan  giran 
Amatan  viya  sutvana  kayan  limpetva  chharikan 
Sivabhattin  gabetvana  nasento  jinasasanan 
Bbikkbu  Sangbancba  ghatento  jbapento  dhammapottbake 
Bbindapetvana  arame  saggamaggam'pi  cbbadayi 
Sansarakhanubhuto'va  micbcbbadittbin  aganbi  so 
Sumana  kutambi  uppannan  sabban  labban  hi  ganbitun 
Niyojesi  tabin  papa  micbcbbadittbika  tapase 
Evan  adbammiko  balo  gabe  tabban  ajaniya 
Agahe  tabbakan  gayba  maha  dukkban  aganbi  so 
Tadd  rdjabbayen'eva  uppabbajjinsu  bbikkhavo 
Sansara  bbiruka  tesu  gata  asun  tabin  tabin 
Sabba  loka  hitan  buddba  sasanan  bi  sunimmalan 
Dbansetv^'k^si  raj j  an  so  pubba  punna  baleni'dha 
A'na  balena  yuttova  sabba  lankatalan  bi  so 
Katv^a  attano  battbe  raj  j  an  akasi  papiko 
Evan  r^abalen'upeta  mabipo  dassetva  ^na  balan 
Katva  so  sakalan  apunnanichayan  mkrassa  battban  gato 
Ittban  papa  kuditthi  moba  vasage  adinavan  janiya 
Bhit4  sabba  pamada  bbavarahita  sadhentu  attban  babiin. 

Iti  sujanappaskda  sanvegattb^ya  kate  Maha-vanse  Mkjk 
Dhanavba  r^a  dipako  nkma  te-navutimo  parichcbbedo. 


"  Thereupon  after  his  demise  there,  when  several 
Princes  of  the  Stirya  race  were  resident  in  different 


116  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

localities  in  Jayawaddhana  Kottha,  and  other  cele- 
brated cities  adjacent  to  the  sea,  there  was  a  mighty  and 
supreme  king  named  Mayadhanu.  He  had  a  valiant 
son  named  Raja  Sinha,  who,  having  gone  to  different 
places,  waged  war,  and  achieved  victory.  This  vic- 
torious, but  very  unwise  and  wicked  person,  having 
(next)  killed  his  father  with  his  own  hand,  ascended 
the  throne;  proclaimed  himself  Raja  Sinha  of  Sitdvaka; 
and,  for  a  short  time,  did  meritorious  acts  in  devotion 
to  (Buddhism)  religion. 

One  day,  this  timid  conscience-stricken  king,  after 
feeding  the  Maha  theras,  inquired  of  them:  '  How  shall 
I  get  over  the  sin  of  Patricide  ? '  Thereupon,  though 
these  talented  priests  preached  the  dhamma  to  him, 
they  were  nevertheless  unable  to  satisfy  the  wicked 
mind  of  this  foolish  (prince);  and  when  he  heard  the 
reply  that  it  was  impossible  to  get  rid  of  the  sin  which 
he  had  committed,  he  was  provoked  like  a  venomous 
(serpent)  that  had  been  struck  with  a  stick. 

Making  the  (same)  inquiry  of  Saivites,  but  hearing 
their  reply,  that  *it  was  possible,'  he  was  (filled  with 
joy)  as  with  ambrosia.  Daubing  his  body  with  ashes, 
and  (thus)  embracing  the  faith  of  Siva,  he  destroyed  the 
religion  of  Buddha,  murdered  Bhikkhus,  and  Sangha, 
burnt  the  sacred  works  of  Buddha,  pulled  down  monastic 
establishments,  raised  a  barrier  to  heaven,  and,  as  if 
he  had  raised  a  (lasting  pillar)  monument  to  Sansara 
[never  ceasing  circle  of  existence],  became  a  heretic. 

He  placed  sinful  heretical  (Tapasa)  Fakirs  at  the 
Sumana  Mount  [Adam's  Peak],  and  directed  them  to 


THE    MAHAWANSA.  117 

take  all  the  revenues  derivable  at  that  (establishment.) 
Thus  this  unjust  and  foolish  personage,  not  knowing 
what  was  fit  to  be  taken,  and  taking  what  was  improper 
to  take,  entered  into  (paths)  of  great  distress. 

At  this  period  (some  of)  the  bhikkhus,  from  a  dread 
of  the  king,  left  the  priesthood ;  and  others,  from  fear 
of  Sansara,  resorted  to  different  countries. 

This  sinful  king  (however),  having  destroyed  the 
unblemished  religion  of  Buddha,  which  was  profitable 
to  the  whole  world,  continued  to  reign  by  reason  of 
his  previously  acquired  merit,  and  by  means  of  his 
great  powers,  secured  the  rule  of  the  whole  of  Lanka 
into  his  hands.*  Having  thus  exhibited  his  powers, 
and  having  also  amassed  a  large  amount  of  sin,  he 
entered  the  hands  of  death. 

May  the  (righteous),  thus  knowing  the  danger  of 
sin,  ignorance,  and  false  religion;  and,  with  dread, 
forsaking  all  conditions  of  procrastination,  accomplish 
great  felicity. 

Here  (ends)  the  ninety-third  chapter  of  the  Maha- 
wansa,  entitled  *the  Dynasty  called  Mayadhanu,' 
composed  equally  for  the  delight  and  afiliction  of 
righteous  men." 


Having  already  noticed  the  Tika  to  the  Mahawansa, 
it  only  remains  to  give  a  specimen  of  the  work;  and 
we  subjoin  the  following  passage  with  a  translation, 
referring  to  the  text  at  p.  229. 

*  I  have  here  omitted  certain  repetitions. 


118  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

Thupassa  muddhani  tathd  'nagghan  vajira  chumba- 
tan-ti ;  tatheva  mahd  thupassa  muddhani  satasahassag- 
ghanikan  maha  manincha  patitthapetwa  tassahettha 
asani  upaddava  viddhansa  natthan  adhara  valaya  miva 
katvd  anagghan  vajira  chumbatan*  cha  pujesi'tif  attho. 
That  is;  "Thupassa  muddhani  tatha'nagghan  vajira 
chumbatan"  means,  "having  in  like  manner  placed  a 
large  gem,  of  a  lac  in  value,  on  the  top  of  the  great 
thupa,  he  fixed  (literally,  offered)  below  it  (z.  e,  below 
the  gem),  for  the  purpose  of  destroying  the  dangers  of 
lightning,  an  invaluable  diamond  chumbata,  (having 
made  it)  like  a  supporting  ring,  (or  annular  rest.)" 


Dl'PAWANSA. 


Though  the  Mahawansa  is  at  present  "the  most 
authentic"  history  of  Ceylon,  it  is  by  no  means  the 
only  existing  historical  record,  nor  the  most  ancient. 

*  The  word  chumbata  is  compounded  of  chumba  '  to  kiss,' 
and  ata  '  to  go.'  Tbis  is  sometimes  used  with,  and  sometimes 
without,  an  affix.  If  with  an  affix,  (when  a  euphonic  change  is 
intended)  it  takes  navu,  which  is  changed  into  aka.  See  Balava- 
tara,  p.  113.  Thence,  the  word  itself  is  written  chumbataka.  See 
also  Pali  Nighandu. 

f  A  respectful  term ;  and  means  '  placed,'  or  '  fixed  as  an 
offering '  in  a  religious  point  of  view.  This  is  a  very  common 
expression.  See  Bengal  Asiatic  Society's  Journal,  vi.  note  at 
p.  755.  In  vol.  vii.  of  the  same  work,  at  p.  259,  Mr.  Prinsep 
defines  this  term  "propitiated  by  piija." 


Dl'PAWANSA.  119 

One  of  the  Pdli  Records  to  which  Mahanamo  was 
indebted  for  information,  and  from  which  he  has 
extracted  two  verses  without  alteration,  is  the  Dipa- 
wansa, 

Mr.  Tumour's  conjecture,  that  this  work*  is  the 
Mahawansa  of  the  Uttara  Vihara  priests,  is  entitled  to 
much  weight.     He  says: — ■ 

*'  The  author  of  the  Mahawanso,f  in  his  Tika,  declares 
more  than  once  that  he  compiles  his  work  from  the  Sihala 
Mahawanso  and' Atthakatha  of  the  Mahawiharo,  and  from 
the  Sihala  Atthakatha  of  the  Uttarawiharo  fraternities,  as 
well  as  from  the  Mahawanso  of  the  Uttarawiharo  priests. 
The  last  mentioned  of  these  works  alone,  as  far  as  I  am  able 
to  form  an  opinion  at  present,  was  composed  in  the  Pali 
language,  at  the  time  Mahanamo  compiled  his  Mahawanso. 
I  am  induced  to  entertain  this  opinion  from  the  circumstance, 
that  Mahanamo's  quotations  from  that  work  alone  are  in  the 
metrical  form,  whereas  all  the  translated  quotations  made  by 
Pd,li  authors  from  Sihala  authorities  are  invariably,  as  might 
have  been  expected,  rendered  in  prose.  One  of  these  quotations 
consists  of  the  identical  two  verses  with  which  the  Dipawanso 
opens,  and  at  the  close  of  the  Tika  a  reference  is  made  to  the 
Dipawanso  for  explanation  of  the  violation  of  the  Maha- 
wiharo consecration,  in  the  reign  of  Mahaseno.  For  these 
reasons,  and  as  that  work  bears  also  the  title  of  the  "Maha- 
wanso" or  "the  great  genealogy,"  my  Buddhist  coadjutors 
concur  with  me  in  thinking,  that  the  Dipawanso  now  extant 


*  My  copy  is  written  in  328  pages,  with  16  lines  to  the  page, 
t  Pages  xxxi.,  xxxii.,  xlii.  and  xliii.  of  the  Introduction  to  the 
Mahawanso. 


120  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

is  the  Pali  Mahawanso  of  the  Uttarawiharo  fraternity.  In 
fact  the  titles  of  Dipa  and  Maha,  are  indiscriminatelj  given 
to  both  these  histories." 

From  the  evidence  which  its  contents  furnishes,  there 
can  be  no  reasonable  doubt  that  the  Dipawansa  was 
compiled  from  time  to  time  by  several  official  historio- 
graphers, appointed  by  the  State,  as  we  learn  from 
tradition,  as  well  as  from  the  early  Arabian  travellers 
in  Ceylon.* 

I  have  procured  several  copies  of  this  work,  but 
they  are  all  in  great  confusion.  Some  of  the  Bana- 
wdras,  into  which  it  is  divided,  are  deficient  in  the 
necessary  number  of  stanzas.  The  whole  work  is 
confused  in  its  arrangement;  the  same  stanza  being 
repeated  in  several  chapters,  and  sometimes  several 
times  in  one  and  the  same  chapter.  Some  of  the  verses 
are  also  deficient,  and  perhaps  owing  to  bad  copyists, 
very  defective  in  language.  Such  appears  to  have  been 
the  case,  as  remarked  by  Mr.  Tumour  in  his  essay  on 
the  Indian  Inscriptions,!  even  in  the  copy  which  he 
obtained  from  Burma  through  the  intervention  of 
Nadoris  De  Silva,  Mudaliyar. 

This  leads  me  to  believe  that  these  defects  of  repeti- 
tion, etc.,  are  attributable  chiefly  to  the  compilers 
themselves.  I  am  the  more  confirmed  in  this  belief, 
not  only  by  the  repetitions  with  which  all  ancient 
books,  especially  the  Tepitaka,  abound;  but  also  by  the 

♦  Sir  E.  Tennent's  History  of  Ceylon,  i.  p.  387,  note, 
t  See  Bengal  Asiatic  Society's  Journal. 


121 

testimony  contained  in  later  writings  as  to  their  general 
character.  Mahanama  in  speaking  of  such  works  (of 
which  the  Dipawansa  was  doubtless  one)  says,  "that 
in  the  Mahawansa  composed  by  the  ancients  there  are 
defects  both  of  prolixity  and  brevity.  There  are  also 
other  inaccuracies  deserving  of  notice,"  And  Bud- 
dhagosa  in  referring  to  the  writers  he  was  indebted  to 

for  his  Gloss,  says,  **I  translate  the  Atthakatha 

into  the  Pali omitting  only  the  frequent  re- 
petition of  the  same  explanation." 

The  Dipawansa,  as  remarked  by  Turnour,  from  its 
being  quoted  by  the  Mahawansa,  is  unquestionably  a 
prior  work,  but  as  its  narrative  extends  to  the  reign  of 
Mahasena  in  a.d.  302,  its  priority  cannot  exceed  150 
years. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  in  this  history,  is  the 
great  effort  which  is  made  by  its  authors  to  complete 
the  links  of  the  Theraparampara  chain,  or  the  genealogy 
of  the  priesthood,  and  make  them  consistent  with 
chronology.  This  is,  obviously,  for  the  purpose  of 
shewing  that  the  sacred  teachings  of  Gotama  had 
been  preserved  in  the  memory  of  these  successive 
priests  until  they  were  recorded  in  the  reign  of  Watta- 
gdmini,  as  stated  by  the  Dipawansa  in  the  verses 
given  below,  and  which  are  also  found  quoted  by  the 
author  of  the  Mahawansa. 

Pitakattaya  Palincha  tassa  Atthakathancha  tan 
Mukhapatena  anesun  pubbe  bhikkhu  mahamati 
Hanin  disvana  sattanan  tada  bhikku  samagata 
Cliirattliittliau  dhammassa  potthakesu  likhupayun. 

B 


122  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

"The  profoundly  wise  (inspired)  priests  had  there- 
tofore orally  perpetuated  the  Pali  Pitakattaya  and  its 
Atthakatha  (commentaries).  At  this  period,  these 
priests  foreseeing  the  perdition  of  the  people  (from  the 
perversions  of  the  true  doctrines),  assembled;  and,  in 
order  that  the  religion  might  endure  for  ages,  recorded 
the  same  in  books." 

But,  from  internal  evidence  alone,  Mr.  Turnour 
was  enabled  to  point  out  to  his  coadjutors,  that  "this 
elaborate  adjustment  of  the  succession  of  preceptors'* 
was  erroneous.     Mr.  Turnour  says: 

"The  author  of  the  Dipawanso  has  certainly  spared  no 
pains  in  his  endeavours  to  make  the  links  of  the  Theraparam- 
paril  chain  complete,  and  consistent  with  chronology.  Ho, 
however,  only  gives  the  succession  of  preceptors,  who  were 
the  guardians  of  the  Wineyo  section  of  the  Pitakattayan, 
commencing  with  Upali,  whoso  death  is  placed  in  the  sixth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Udayo ;  while  the  incongruities  I  have 
dwelt  upon  in  the  paper  No.  2,  have  reference  to  Sabhakami, 
who  though  a  cotemporary  disciple  of  Buddho,  has  been 
represented  to  have  presided  at  the  second  convocation,  a 
century  after  Sakya's  death ;  when  he  must,  from  the  date 
of  his  upasampada  ordination,  have  been  at  last  140  years 
old.  But  even  this  succession  of  the  Wineyan  line  of  precep- 
tors, the  chronological  particulars  of  which  are  pretended  to 
be  given  with  so  much  precision  in  the  following  extracts, 
will  not  stand  the  test  of  scrutiny  by  a  person  conversant 
with  the  rules  that  govern  the  Buddhistical  church.  It  is 
an  inviolable  law  of  that  code,  established  by  Buddho  himself 
at  an  early  period  of  his  mission,  and  adhered  to  to  this 
day — to  which  rule  there  are  only  two  well-known  excep- 


123 

tions — that  no  person,  whether  a  noviciate  priest  called 
Samanero,  or  an  ascetic  layman,  however  learned  or  pious 
he  may  be,  can  be  ordained  an  upasampada  before  he  has 
completed  his  twentieth  year.  The  two  exceptions  alluded 
to  are  the  instances  of  Sumano  and  Sopako,  who  were  ordained 
upasampada  at  seven  years  of  age. 

"  It  will  be  seen  that  this  line  of  preceptors,  extending 
from  the  date  of  Buddho's  death  to  the  third  convocation,  a 
term  of  236  years,  is  made  to  consist  of  five  successions. 
Upali  the  cotemporary  of  Buddho,  is  stated  to  have  been 
60  years  old  in  the  eighth  year  of  the  reign  of  Ajatasattu, 
which  is  the  16th  year  a.  b.  He  is  represented  to  have 
survived  Buddho  thirty  years,  and  to  have  died  in  the  6th  of 
Udayo's  reign  in  A.  b,  30.  It  is  not,  however,  mentioned 
how  many  years  he  had  been  an  upasampada,  and  all 
these  dates  work  out  therefore  without  disclosing  any 
discrepancy. 

"Dasako  is  represented  to  be  his  pupil  and  immediate 
successor,  and  he  is  stated  to  be  45  years  old  in  the  10th  of 
Nagasoko's  reign,  which  falls  to  a.  b.  58.  He  was  born, 
therefore,  a.  b.  13,  and  his  preceptor  Upali  died  a.  b.  30, 
Supposing  his  ordination  had  been  put  off  to  the  last  year 
of  Upali's  life,  he  could  not  have  been  more  than  17,  when 
made  an  upasampada.  So  far  from  being  qualified  to  be  the 
custos  of  the  W  ineyo,  he  wanted  three  years  of  the  age  to 
make  him  admissible  for  ordination.  But  we  are  further 
told,  that  he  died  at  the  age  of  64  in  the  eighth  of  Susunago's 
reign,  which  falls  to  a.  b.  80 :  having  then  been  an  upa- 
sampada 50  years,  he  must  necessarily  have  been  ordained 
at  14  years  of  age.  But  there  is  manifestly  some  trifling 
error  somewhere  ;  for,  by  the  latter  dates  he  must  have  been 
born  not  a.  b.  13,  but  a.  b.  16. 


124  DESCRirXlVE    CATALOGUE. 

"Sonako  was  Dasako's  successor  ;  he  was  40  in  the  10th 
year  of  Kalasoko's  reign,  which  was  a.  b.  100  ;  he  was  born 
therefore  in  60,  and  he  is  stated  to  have  died  at  the  age  of 
66  in  the  sixth  of  the  reign  of  the  Nandos,  which  falls  to 
A.  B.  124.  He  was  therefore  only  20  years  old  w^hen  his 
preceptor  died :  but  it  is  specifically  stated  that  he  had  been 
a  learned  upasampada  44  years  when  he  died ;  and  conse- 
quently Sonako  also  could  only  have  been  16  years  when 
ordained. 

"  Siggawo  and  Chandawo  or  Chandawajji  were  the  co- disci- 
ples and  successors  of  Sonako.  Siggawo  was  64  years  old 
in  the  second  of  Chandagutto's*  reign  a,  b.  1 64,  and  he  died 
aged  76  in  the  14th  of  that  reign  a.  b.  176.  He  was  born 
therefore  a.  b.  100,  and  yet  we  are  told,  that  it  was  in  this 
very  year,  the  10th  of  the  reign  of  Kalasoko,  they  were 
ordained  npfiaampadd,  by  Sonako.  There  is  a  manifest  error, 
therefore,  in  the  term  of  five  years  assigned  for  Siggawo's 
upasampadaship.  As  his  ordaining  preceptor  Sonako  died 
A.  b.  124,  he  must  have  been  at  that  time  only  24  years  old, 
and  at  his  own  death  an  upasampada  of  76  years'  standing, — 
a  term  co-equal  with  his  natural  life.  In  various  parts  of 
the  Atthakatha,  and  in  the  fifth  chapter  of  the  Mahawanso 
likewise  it  is  stated  that  they  were  "adult  priests"  at  the 
time  the  second  convocation  was  held ;  and  indeed  it  is  speci- 
fically stated  in  page  30,  that  Siggawo  was  18  years  old 
when  he  was  first  presented  to  Sonako.  The  pretended 
prophecy,  delivered  to  him  and  Chandawajji  at  the  close  of 


*  "I  assign  in  these  remarks  24  years  to  the  reign  of  Chanda- 
gutto,  which  will  bring  Asoko's  accession  to  a.  b  214,  and  his 
inauguration,  four  years  afierwardst,  to  a.  b.  218," 


Dl'PAWANSA.  125 

that  convocation,  would  consequently  be  nullified  at  once, 
if  their  birth  be  not  dated  anterior  to  a.  b.  100:  manifestly, 
therefore,  these  dates  also  are  an  imposition. 

"Lastly,  Moggaliputtatisso  was  their  disciple  ;  he  was 
ordained  in  the  second  of  Chandagutto  A.  b.  164,  and  he  was 
66  in  the  sixth  of  Dhamraasoko  A.  b.  220 ;  he  was  born, 
therefore,  in  a.  b.  154,  and  could  only  have  been  14  years 
old  at  the  death  of  Siggawo,  when  he  became  the  chief  of  the 
Wineyo  preceptors.  He  is  stated  to  have  died  in  the  26th  of 
Dhammasoko,  a.  b,  240,  aged  80.  This  gives  a.  b.  1 60  instead 
of  A.  B.  154  for  his  birth,  being  a  discrepancy  of  six  years. 

"On  pointing  out  to  my  Pandits,  that,  even  in  this  elaborate 
adjustment  of  the  succession  of  preceptors,  the  number  of 
lives  given  is  found  to  be  insufficient  to  fill  up  a  term  of 
236  years,  without  bringing  the  several  preceptors  into  office 
before  they  had  attained  the  prescribed  age,  they  at  once 
decided,  that  the  author  of  the  Dipawanso  has  put  forth  an 
erroneous  statement,  and  that  the  whole  ought  to  be  rejected 
as  unfounded.  How  the  discrepancies  are  to  be  rectified 
they  do  not  suggest,  beyond  hazarding  a  conjecture,  that 
each  preceptor,  like  Sabhakami,  must  have  lived  to  a  more 
advanced  age ;  and  that  each  succeeding  preceptor  conse- 
quently had  attained  a  maturer  standing  at  the  period  of  his 
succession." 

Mr.  Turnour  has  published,  in  an  analysis,  some  of  the 
most  interesting  portions  of  this  work,  in  the  columns 
of  the  Bengal  Asiatic  Society's  Journal.  In  reprinting 
the  same  here,  I  have  added  to  it  translations  of  other 
portions  by  myself.  Where  the  matter  was  such  as  I 
thought  not  very  interesting,  I  have  given  a  summary 
of  its  contents. 


126  descriptive  catalogue. 

Bha'nava'ra  First. 

Contents. — The  usual  adoration — introductory  re- 
marks— Gotama's  attainment  of  Buddha-hood — his 
first  work  as  Buddha — his  perception  of  Lanka,  and 
its  affairs — his  fore-knowledge  of  Asoka  and  Mahinda 
— his  departure  to  Baranasi  after  seven  weeks — the 
reception  which  he  gave  to  "the  five  priests" — his  visit 
to  Uruvela — how  he  overcame  a  Naga  at  Uruvela, 
and  was  invited  to  spend  the  Hemanta  (dewy)  season 
there — his  knowledge  of  the  thoughts  of  Kassapa — 
his  departure  to  Uttarakuru,  and  his  perception  of  the 
Yakkhas  in  Lanka — his  first  visit  to  Lanka — the  great 
wonders  which  he  there  exhibited — how  he  obtained 
permission  to  occupy  a  place,  and  how  he  terrified  the 
Yakkhas — their  removal  to  Giri-dipa — description  of 
Giri-dipa — how  the  Yakkhas  were  expelled  into  it — 
Buddha's  departure  to  Uruvela  after  extending  his 
protection  to  Lankd. 

Bha'nava'ra  Second. 

Gotama's  perception,  whilst  at  Savatti,  of  a  contest 
between  Nagas — description  of  their  battle — the  cause 
which  led  to  Gotama's  second  visit  to  Lanka— his 
departure  thereto — how  he  produced  a  darkness — 
how  he  reduced  the  Nagas  to  terror — his  preaching  to 
them  from  the  sky — their  conversion,  and  offering  of 
a  gem-set  seat  to  Buddha — how  he  sat  upon  it,  and 
the  attentions  which  he  received  from  the  A^agas — 
the  request  to  him  by  Mani-akkhika  Naga  to  visit 
Lanka — his  acceptance  of  the  invitation,   and  depar- 


Dl'PAWANSA.  127 

ture  from  Jetavana  monastery,  Buddha's  third  visit 
to  Lanka  and  Kalyani — the  offerings  to  him  by  Mani 
Akkhika — his  dhyana  meditations  at  Mahd  Megha 
park — the  acceptance  of  the  said  park  by  former 
Buddhas. 

The  following  is  Tumour's*  translation  of 

Bha'nava'ra  Third. 

"Omitting  the  rajas  who  existed  in  former  kappa,  I  will 
in  the  fullest  manner  narrate  (the  history  of)  the  rajas  of  the 
present  creation.  I  shall  perspicuously  set  forth  the  regions 
in  Tvhich  they  existed,  their  name  and  lineage,  the  term  of 
their  existence,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  governed : 
whatever  that  narrative  may  be,  attend  ye  thereto. 

"The  first  individual  who  was  inaugurated  a  raja,  the 
protector  of  the  land,  was  named  Mahasammato;  he  was 
superlatively  endow^ed  with  personal  beauty  ;  that  Khattiyo 
exercised  the  functions  of  sovereignty. 

"Rojo  was  his  son,  Wararojo,  the  monarch  Kalyano  ; 
Warakalyano,  Uposatho,  Mandato-f  the  seventh  in  succession, 


*  He  designates  this  the  third  Bh^navaro ;  see  Bengal  Asiatic 
Society's  Journal,  vii.  p.  924.  Mr.  Tumour  remarks,  "  a  bh^na- 
varo  ought  to  contain  250  gatha.  This  section  is  only  equal  to 
87,  and  some  of  the  verses  are  incamplete.  I  can  however  detect 
no  want  of  continuity  in  the  narrative." — The  defect  in  this  re- 
spect is  only  in  the  division  of  the  sections. 

f  "In  the  Mahawanio,  I  have  been  misled  by  the  plural  Mandata, 
and  reckoned  two  kings  of  that  name.  I  see  by  the  tikd  the  name 
should  be  in  the  singular  Mandato.  The  twenty  eight  rijas  who 
lived  for  an  Asankheyyan  include  therefore  Mahasammato." 


128  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

a  supreme  ruler  of  the  four  dipa,*  endowed  with  great  wealth; 
Charo,  the  raja  Upacharo,  and  Chetiyo  abounding  in  riches  ; 
Muchalo;  Mahamuchalo,  Muchalindo,  Sagaro ;  Sagaredewo, 
Bharato,  Bhagiratho  the  Khattijo ;  Ruchi,  Maharuchi, 
Patapo,  Mahapatapo,  Panado,  Mahapanado,  the  Khattiyo 
Sudassano,  Mahasudassano,  and  in  like  manner  two  of  the 
name  of  Neru  ;  and  Achchimaf ,  (were  successively  the  sons 
of  each  preceding  ruler.)  The  term  of  existence  of  these 
twenty-eight  rajas  was  an  Asankheyyan  ;  and  the  capitals  in 
which  these  monarchs,  whose  existence  extended  to  an  Asan- 
kheyyan, reigned,  were  Kusawati,  Rajagahan  and  Mithila." 

(Here  follows  the  rule  by  which  an  Asankheyyan  is  to  be 
computed.) 

"The  descendants  of  Achchima  were  one  hundred;  and 
they  ruled  supremie  in  their  capital  called  Sakula.J  The 
last  of  these  was  the  Khattiyo  Arindamo  ;  his  descendants, 
fifty-six  monarchs  in  number,  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital 
Ayujjhapurii. 

*  "  Jambudipo,  Uttarukuru,  Aparag6yanan  and  Pubbawideho." 
•j-  "  This  name  also  has  been  erroneously  omitted  by  me  in  the 
Mahiwanso.     Achchima  was  there  read  Pachchima.     The  Tik^ 
however,  shows  that  the  Dipawanso  is  correct." 

}  "  In  the  Tiki,  it  is  further  stated  :  The  eldest  son  of  A-chchimd 
was  the  monarch  Wattaparasani,  though  his  name  be  not  preserved, 
quitting  Mithela  in  the  same  manner  that  the  Okkaka  family 
quitting  Baranasi  founded  Kapilawatthu  in  a  subsequent  age, 
established  himself  at  Kasawati,  raised  the  Chhata  there,  and  there 
his  dynasty  floiu-ished.  His  lineal  successors  in  that  empire  were 
in  number  ninety -nine,  the  last  of  whom  was  Arindam,  and  they 
all  ruled  there  under  the  designation  of  the  Achchima  dynasty. 
I  should  iijfer  from  this  passage  that  the  capital  called  Sakula  in 
the  Dipawanso  should  be  Kus&wati." 


Dl'PAWANSA.  129 

'•The  last  of  these  was  Duppasaho,  a  wealthy  monarch  : 
his  descendants  were  sixty  rulers,  who  reigned  supreme  in 
their  capital  Baranasi. 

"The  last  of  these  was  Ajitajano ;  his  descendants,  eighty- 
four  thousand  in  number,  ruled  supreme  in  their  capital 
Kapilanagaran. 

"The  last  of  these  was  Brahmadatto,  greatly  endowed 
with  riches  ;  his  descendants  were  thirty -six  rajas  in  number, 
who  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital  Hatthipura. 

"The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Kambalawasabho ;  his 
descendants  were  thirty- two  monarchs,  who  reigned  supreme 
in  their  capital  Ekachakkhu. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  illustrious  Purindadewo  ;  his 
descendants  were  twenty- eight  monarchs,  who  reigned 
supreme  in  their  capital  Wajirapura. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Sodhano  ;  his  descendants 
were  twenty  monarchs,  and  they  reigned  supreme  in  their 
capital  Madhura. 

**  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Dhammagutto,  powerful 
in  his  armies  ;  his  descendants  w^ere  eighteen  monarchs,  who 
reigned  supreme  in  their  capital  Aritthapura. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Narindasitthi*!  ;  his 
descendants  were  seventeen  kings,  who  reigned  supreme  in 
their  capital  Indapattapura. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  Brahmedewo'^  raja ;  his  descend- 
ants were  sixteen  monarchs,  who  reigned  in  their  capital 
Ekachakkhu. 


*  In  the  Tika  there  are  the  following  variations  of  appellation 
from  the  Dipawanso:  1.  Brahmasiwo.  2.  Brahmadatto.  3. 
Balad6wo.    4.     Hatthidewo.    5.     Samuddhadatto. 


130  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

"The  last  of  these  was  the  monarch  Baladatto^ ;  his  descend- 
ants were  fourteen  rulers,  who  reigned  supreme  in  their 
capital  Kosabinagaran. 

"The  last  of  these  was  celebrated  under  the  title  of 
Bhaddad^wo*  ;  his  descendants  were  nine  kings,  who  reigned 
in  their  capital  Kannakochchhanagaran. 

"The  last  of  these  was  the  celebrated  Naradewo  ;  his 
descendants  were  seven  raonarchs,  who  reigned  supreme  in 
their  capital  Rajananagaran. 

"The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Mahindo;  his  descendants 
were  twelve  kings,  who  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital 
Champakanagaran . 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  monarch  Nagadewo  ;  his  descend- 
ants were  twenty-five  rulers,  who  reigned  supreme  in  their 
celebrated  capital  Mithila. 

"The  last  of  these  was  Buddhadatto^,  a  raja  powerful  by 
his  armies ;  his  descendants  were  twenty-five  monarchs,  who 
reigned  supreme  in  their  capital  Rajagahan. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  Dipankaro ;  his  descendants  were 
twelve  rajas,  who  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital  Takkasila. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Talisakaro  ;  his  descendants 
were  twelve  rulers,  who  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital 
Kusindra. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Purindo  ;  his  descendants 
were  nine  kings,  who  reigned  supreme  in  Tamaliti. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  worthy  monarch  Sagaradewo, 
whose  son  Makhadewo*   was  pre-eminent  for  his  deeds  of 

*  The  Tikd  observes  in  reference  to  the  Mahawanso,  that  accord  • 
ing  to  the  Atthakatha,  Makhadewo  is  reckoned  among  the  eighty- 
five  thousand  successors  of  Sagaradewo,  whereas  that  number 
should  be  exclusive  of  him. 


Dl'PAWANSA.  131 

charity  ;  his  descendants  were  eighty-four  thousand  monarchs, 
who  reigned  supreme  at  Mithila. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  Nemi,  a  monarch  who  received 
offerings  from  the  Dewk  and  was  a  Chakkawatti  (powerful 
sovereign),  whose  dominions  were  bounded  by  the  ocean  : 
the  son  of  Nemi  was  Kalakajanako* ;  his  son  was  Samankuro: 
and  his  son  was  Asoko ;  and  his  descendants  were  eighty-four 
thousand  rulers  who  reigned  supreme  in  their  capital  Baranasi. 

"  The  last  of  these  was  the  raja  Wijayo,  a  wealthy  monarch  : 
his  son  was  Wijitasano  who  was  endowed  with  great  personal 
splendor.  Dhammaseno,  Nkgas^no,  Samatho,  Disampati, 
Rainu,  Kuso ;  Mahakuso,  Nawai'atho,  Dasaratho,  Ramo, 
Biiaratho,  Chittadassi,  Atthadassi,  Sujato,  Okkakof,  Okka- 
kamuko,  Nipuro,  Chandima,  Chandamukho,  Siriraja,  Sanjayo, 
the  monarch  Wessantaro,  Jalo,  Sihawahano  and  8ihassaro. 
These  were  enterprising  monarchs,  who  upheld  the  pre-emi- 
nence of  their  dynasty ;  and  his  (Sihassaro's)  descendants 
were  eighty- two  thousand,  who  (all)  reigned  supreme  in  their 
capital  Kapilawatthu. 

"The  last  of  these  was  Jayaseno  ;  his  son  was  Sehahanu 
who  was  endowed  with  great  personal  splendor.  Unto  the 
said  Sehahanu  there  were  five  sons.  Those  five  brothers 
were  Suddhodano,  Dhotddano,  Sukkodano,  Ghatitodano  and 
Amitodano.     All  these  rajas  were  distinguished  as  Odano.J 

*  Here  also  the  Tika  notices  in  reference  to  the  Mahawanso 
that  the  eighty-five  thousand  are  to  be  reckoned  exclusive  of 
Samankuro  and  Asoko. 

f  Vide  Mahkwanso  Introduction,  p.  xxxv.,  for  the  establishment 
of  the  Sakyan  dynasty  of  Okkakamukho. 

X  This  word  literally  signifies  "  boiled  rice :"  no  reason  is 
assigned  for  adopting  the  designation. 


132  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Siddattho,  the  saviour  of  the  world,  was  the  son  of  Suddho- 
dano  ;  and  after  the  birth  of  his  iUustrious  son  Eahulo,  finally 
relinquished  (worldly  grandeur)  for  the  purpose  of  attaining 
Buddhohood. 

"  The  whole  of  these  raonarchs,  who  were  of  great  wealth 
and  power,  were  in  number  one  lakh,  four  nahutani*  and 
three  hundred.  Such  is  the  mumber  of  monarchs  of  the 
dynasty  from  which  the  Bodhisatto  (Buddho  elect)  is  sprung. 

"Perishablef  things  are  most  assuredly  transitory,  it  being 
their  predestiny  that  after  being  produced  they  should  perish  ; 
they,  accordingly,  being  produced,  pass  away.  To  arrest 
this  (eternity  of  regeneration  and  destruction,  by  the  [attain- 
ment of  nibbanan)  is  indeed  to  be  blessed." 

The  conclusion  of  the  Maha'ra'jawanso. 

"The  raja  Suddhodano,  the  son  of  Sehahanu  was  a 
monarch  who  reigned  in  the  city  called  Kapila  ;  and  the  raja 
Bhatiyo  was  then  the  monarch  who  reigned  at  Rajagahan, 
a  city  situated  in  the  centre  of  five|  mountains.  These  two 
rulers  of  men,  Suddhodano  and  Bhatiyo,  the  descendants 
(of  royal  dynasties)  from  the  commencement  of  the  kappo, 
were  intimately  attached  to  each  other. 


*  In  this  sense  a  nahutan  is  10,000,  making  therefore,  140,300 
monarchs.  According  to  the  Tika  there  were  252,539  rajas  from 
Mahasammato  to  Okkako,  the  Ikswaku  of  the  Hindus. 

t  This  is  a  passage  of  the  Pitakattayan  as  propounded  by  Sakva. 

X  The  names  of  these  mountains  are  Isigili,  Wibharo,  in  which 
is  situated  the  Sattampanni  cave  in  which  the  first  convocation 
was  held ;  Wf'^putto ;  Pandawo  and  Gejjhakato,  the  mountain 
where  Buddho  dwelt  last  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Rajagahan^ 


133 

"  (By  Bimbisaro  the  son  of  Bhatiyo)  these  five  wishes  were 
conceived  in  the  eighth  year  of  his  age.  *  Should  my  royal 
parent  invest  me  with  sovereignty  :  should  a  supreme  of  men 
(Buddho)  be  born  in  my  dominions  :  should  a  Tathagatho 
select  me  for  the  first  person  to  whom  he  presented  himself: 
should  he  administer  to  me  the  heavenly  dhammo  ;  and  should 
I  comprehend  that  supreme  dhammo— these  will  be  blessings 
vouchsafed  to  me.*  Such  were  the  five  wishes  conceived  by 
Bimbisaro. 

"Accordingly,  on  the  demise  of  his  father,  he  was  inaugu- 
rated in  the  fifteenth  year  of  his  age :  within  his  dominions  the 
supreme  of  the  world  was  born  :  Tathagato  repaired  to  him  as 
the  first  person  to  whom  he  presented  himself :  propounded 
the  heavenly  dhammo :  and  the  monarch  comprehended  it. 

"Mahawero  was  not  less  than  thirty-five  years  old,  and 
the  monarch  Bimbisaro  was  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age. 
Gotamo  therefore  was  five  years  senior  to  Bimbisaro.  That 
monarch  reigned  fifty-two  years,  thirty-  seven  of  which  he 
passed  contemporaneously  with  Buddho. 

**Ajatasatto  (his  son)  reigned  thirty-two  years  :  in  the 
eighth  year  of  his  inauguration,  the  supreme  Buddho  attained 
nibbanan.  From  the  time  that  the  omniscient  Buddho,  the 
most  revered  of  the  world  and  the  supreme  of  men  attained 
Buddhohood,  this  monarch  reigned  twenty-four  years." 

Bha'nava'ra  Fourth. 

Parinibbute  cha  sanbuddhe  bhikkhu  sangho  samagato 
Araha*  khind  sava  suddha  sabbe  [te  ?J  guna  paraga 
Te  sabbe  vichi  nitvana  uchchinitva  varan  varan 


*  This  is  in  the  singular  number.     I  apprehend  it  should  be 
arahanto. 


134  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Pancha  satanan  theranan  akansu  sangha  sammataii 
Dhutavaddnam'aggo  so  Kassapo  jina  sasaue 
Baliussutauam'  A'nando  vinaye  Upali  pandito 
Dibba  chakkhumhi  Anuruddho  Vangiso  patibhaiiako 
Punno  cha  dhammakathikanan  chittakathi  Kumara  Kassapo 
Vibhajjanamhi  Kachcliano  Kotthito  patisambhido 
Aniie'  p'atthi  maha  thera  agga  dhamme  patittbita 
Thehichannehi  therehi  katakichchebi  sadbuhi   J 
Panchasatehi  therehi  dhamma  vinaya  sangabo  V 
Therehi  kata  sangabo  tbera  vadoti  vucbchati    3 
Upalin  vinayaa  pucbchhitva  dhamman  A'nauda  yavbayau 
Akansu  dhamma  sangahan  vinayan  cbapi  bbikkbavo 
Mabakassapa  tbero  cha  Anuruddho  maha  gani 
Upali  tbero  satima  A'nando  cha  bahussuto 
Anne  bahii  abhinnata  savaka  satthu  vannita 
Pattapati  sambbida  chbala  bhinna  mahiddhika 
Samadhijjbana  manucbiima  saddhamme  paramiugata  J 
Sabbe  pancha  sata  thera  navangan  jina  sasanan  V 

Uggabetvaua  dharesun  buddha  setthassa  santike  ) 

Bbagavato  sammukha  suta  patiggahita  cha  sanwuukba 
Dhammancha  vinayan  cbapi  kevalan  buddha  desitan 
Dhammadhara  vinaya  dbara  sabbepi  agata'gama 
Asanhira  asankuppa  satthukappa  sada  garu 
Aggasantike  gahetva  agga  dhamman  tathagata  J 
Agganikkbittaka  thera  aggan  akansu  sangahan  v 
Sabbopi  so  thera  vado  agga  vado  ti  vucbchati   ) 
Sattapanni  gube*  ramme  thera  pancha  sata  gani 

*  Guha  is  a  feminine  noun.  In  the  locative  it  shoukl  be  guha- 
yan,  as  Buddhagosa  has  correctly  rendered  it  in  the  Atthakatha — 
"sattapanne  guhayan."  It  is  heie  treated  as  a  masculine  or  neuter 
noun,  for  whicb  I  find  no  authority. 


DI'PAWANSA.  135 

Nisinna  patigajjinsu  navangan  satthu  sasanan 
Suttan  Geyyaii  Veyyakaranan  Gathudanitivuttakan  J 
Jatak  'Abbhuta  Vedallan  navanga  satthu  sasanan      V 
Pavibhatta  iman  thera  saddhamman  avinasanan  ) 

Vagga  pafifiasakan  nama  sanyuttancha  nipdtakan 
A'gama  pitakan  namaakansu  sutta  sammatan 
Yava  titthati  saddhammo  sangahonavinassati 
Tavata  sasanaddhanan  chiran  titthati  satthuno 
Katancha  dhamma  Vinaya  Sangahan  sasana  rahan 
Asankampi  achalan  dalhan  appati  vattiyan 
Yo  kochi  samano  vapi  brahmano  cha  bahussuto  J 
Parappa  vada  kusalo  vdlavedhi  samagato  V 

Nasakkd  pati  vattetun  sineruva  suppatitthito      j 
D(3vo  maro  cha  brahma  va  ye  kechi  pathavi  nissita 
Napassanti  anuppattan  kinchi  dubbhasitan  padan 
Evan  sabbaAga  sampannan  dhamma  Vinaya  sangahan 
Suvibhattan  supatichchhannan  satthu  sabbannutaya  cha 
Maha  Kassapa  pamokkha  thera  pancha  sata  cha  te 
Kata  dhamman  cha  vinayan  sangahan  avinasanan 
Samma  sambuddha  sadlsan  dhammakayan  sabhavato 
Natva  janassa  sandehan  akansu  dhamma  sangahan* 
Anunna  vado  saratto  saddhamma  anurakkhato 
Thitiya  sasanaddhanan  thera  vado  sahetuko 
Yavatd,  ariya  atthi  sasane  buddha  savaka 
Sabbe  pi  samanuiinanti  pathaman  dhamma  sangahan 
Mula  nidanan  pathaman  adi  pubbangaman  dhura 
Pancha  sata  katd  aggd  ajdniya  ana  kulan...ti 
Maha  Kassapa  sangahan  nitthitan. 

*  There  are  many   doubtful  expressions  in    this  extract;  but  I 
have  not  thought  proper  to  revise  the  text. 


136  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

*When  Buddha  had  attained  nibbdna,  the  assembled 
priesthood,  who  were  all  pure  Arahautas  of  eminent 
virtues  and  whose  clinging  to  existence  was  extinct, 
having  consulted  together,  and  selected  pre-eminent 
theras,  held  a  Council  of  five  hundred. 

Kasappa,  who  was  the  chief,  amongst  the  Dhuta- 
vadas*  in  the  Buddhist  faith;  A'nanda,  amongst 
those  who  had  much  heard  (the  original  discourses); 
Upali,  amongst  those  who  were  versed  in  the  Vinaya; 
Anuruddha,  amongst  those  gifted  with  divine  per- 
ception; Yangisa,  amongst  those  who  were  of  prompt 
speech;  Punna,  amongst  the  preachers;  Kumarakassapa, 
amongst  those  who  could  (adorn)  expatiate  on  a 
subject ;  Kachchdna,  amongst  those  who  were  able  to 
consider  a  matter  in  all  its  bearings ;  Kotthita,  amongst 
those  versed  in  the  Patisambhida;t  and  others  of 
pre-eminent  virtues;  as  well  as  various  other  pious, 
sanctified  theras,  (in  all)  ^Ye  hundred,  made  a  collec- 
tionj  of  the  doctrines  of  the  Dhamma  and  Vinaya. 
The  compilation  so  made  by  them  is  called  Thera 
Vada,§  '  the  discourses  of  the  Theras,' 

*  Observers  of  thirteen  religious  ordinances.  See  Telesdhut5,nga^ 
in  Clough's  Sinhalese  Dictionary,  p.  242. 

•j-  Four  eminent  qualifications,  peculiar  to  tlie  highest  order  of 
Arahantas ;  a  knowledge  of  ethics ;  of  dhamma  or  religious  doctrines ; 
of  the  philological  comments  and  expositions  thereon;  and  a 
supernatural  discrimination. 

J  Sangaha,  '  collection,'  '  compilation.' 

§  This  is  an  important  and  remarkable  admission,  and  it  is  con- 
sistent witli  the  facts  which  every  section  of  the  Pitakattaya  disclosesv 


Dl'PAWANSA.  137 

The  Bhikkhus  made  the  collection  of  the  Dhamma* 
and  the  Vinaya,  having  first  consulted  (him  who  was 
called)  A'nanda  on  the  former,  and  Upalion  the  latter. 

The  Theras,  Mahakassapa;  Anuruddha  of  immense 
retinue ;  Upali  of  retentive  memory ;  A'nanda  of 
profound  learning,t  and  many  other  celebrated  disciplesj 
— in  all  500  principal  theras,  endowed  with  the  six 
perceptions,§  and  mighty  powers;  who  had  been 
complimented  by  Buddha  (himself) ;  who  were  versed 
in  the  Patisambhida ;  who  practised  Samadhl||  and 
Jhtina  ;1[  who  were  perfect  masters  of  the  doctrines, 
and  the  sustainers  of  them  ;  and  who  had,  moreover, 
learnt  the  nine-branched**  religion  in  the  very  presence 
of  the  supreme  Buddha;  heard  and  received  the  entire 
body  of  Buddha's  Sermons  (comprising  >  the  Vinaya 
and  Dhamma  (in  the  presence  of)  from  Buddha  himself.. 


*  Dhamma,  here  comprehends  the  doctrines  of  the  Sntta  and 
Abhidhamma  pitakas,  as  opposed  to  the  Vinaya,  which  is  on 
Discipline. 

t  Baliussuta,  '  much  heard/ 

X  Savaka,  'hearer,'  thence  'a  disciple.' 

§  Chhalabhinna — 1,  The  power  to  assume  any  shape.  2,  Super- 
natural hearing  of  any  sound,  however  low.  3,  The  power  of 
knowing  the  thoughts  of  others.  4,  The  knowledge  of  previous 
states  of  existence.  5,  The  power  of  vision  at  any  distance  ;  and 
6,  The  subjugation  of  all  desires. 

II  '  Deep  and  devout  meditation.' 

^  Jhana,  '  meditation  and  reflection,  so  as  to  bring  their  object 
fully  and  undisturbedly  before  the  mind.' 

**  Lit.  '  nine-bodied  ' — vide  the  text. 

T 


138  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

All  these  pre-eminent,  ever  venerable  thevas  of 
undeviating  orthodoxy,  and  unchangeable  (principles), 
like  Buddha  himself,  who  were  the  sustainers  of  the 
Dhamma  and  Vinaya,  who  were  well  versed  in  the 
doctrines,  and  who  learnt  the  supreme  dhamma  in  the 
presence  of  their  chief,  made  the  first  Compilation. 
All  the  discourses  of  the  Theras  are  (thence)  called 
the  chief  discourses. 

The  Council  of  five  hundred  Theras  sat  in  the 
delightful  cave  Sattapanni,  and  chaunted  the  nine- 
bodied  discourses  of  Buddha,  which,  with  a  view  to 
their  perpetuation,*  they  apportioned  into  Sutta, 
Creyya,  Veyyakarana,  Gatha,  Udana,  Itivuttaka, 
Jataka,  Abbhuta,  (Dhamma),  and  Vedalla.  They  also 
constituted  (the  foregoing)  into  Vagga,  Paiifiasaka, 
Sanyutta,  Nipataka,  A^gama,  Pitaka,  and  Sutta. 

As  long  as  the  Dhamma  shall  stand,  so  long  shall 
this  Compilation  last; — and  by  its  means  the  religion 
(itself)  of  Buddha  shall  endure  for  a  long  time. 

The  Compilation  thus  made  of  the  Dhamma  and 
Vinaya  was  in  conformity  to  the  doctrines — firm, 
durable,  immovable,  and  unchangeable.  Like  the 
steadfast  Sineru,  it  could  not  be  shaken  by  any 
association,  either  of  Samanas  or  Brahmanas,  however 
much  they  might  be  endowed  with  hair-splitting 
ingenuity,  (acuteness),  and  (however)  well  learned, 
and  greatly  distinguished  for  dialectic  disputation. 
Neither  Gods,  Maras,  Brahamas,  nor  any  inhabitants 

*  Avinasayan,  '  That  they  may  not  perish.' 


DI^rAWANSA.  139^ 

of  the  earth  will  (ever)  perceive  in  it  a  single  improper 
expression.  Thus,  this  perfect  Compilation  of  the 
Dhammaand  Vinayaiswell  defined;  and  is  conformable 
to  the  dictates  (omniscience)  of  Buddha  himself. 

The  five  hundred  theras,  headed  by  Mahakassapa, 
made  the  compilation  of  Dhamma  and  Vinaya,  with 
a  view  to  its  preservation ;  and  regarding  the  doubts 
of  the  people,  they  made  this  compilation  of  the  entire 
body  of  Dhamma  (in  purity)  like  Buddha  himself. 

To  him  who  maintains  its  doctrines,  this  compilation 
is  a  mandate,  and  is  full  of  instruction.  It  is  destined 
to  endure  long. 

All  the  venerable  members  of  the  faith,  the  disci- 
ples of  Buddha,  participated  in  the  first  compilation 
of  the  Dhamma. 

The  first  (in  point  of  time,)  the  prior  (in  respect 
of  others,)  the  leading,  the  principal,  and  the  chief 
original  nidana  (cause)  is  to  be  known  without 
confusion."* 

The  end  of  the  Convocation  of  Kassapa. 

"  This  chapter  then  proceeds  with  a  chronological  narrative 
of  the  history  of  India,  specifying  also  the  contemporaneous 
dates  of  the  reigns  of  the  monarchs  of  Ceylon,  and  of  the 
death  of  those  inspired  therii,  who  are  considered  to  have 
constituted  the  connecting  links  of  the  chain  called  the 
Theraparampara,  or  generation  of  Preceptors, 

*  Here  is  a  play  upon  words,  an  alliteration  of  the  word  agga 
which  we  have  rendered  'pre-eminent,'  'supreme'  'chief,'  'first.' 


140  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE, 

"  The  following  are  the  most  important  passages   of  this. 
section : 

"The  sixteenth  year  after  the  nibbanan  of  the  saviour  erf 
the  world  was  the  twenty-fourth  of  Ajatasattu,  and  the 
sixteenth  of  Wijaya  (the  raja  of  Laiika.)  The  learned  Upali 
was  then  sixty  years  old.  Dasako  entered  into  the  upasaair 
pada  order  in  the  fraternity  of  Upali.  Whatever  may  l>e 
the  extent  of  the  doctrines  of  the  most  revered  Buddho 
which  had  been  promulgated  by  that  vanquisher  as  the  nine 
integral  portions  of  his  dispensation,  the  whole  thereof  Upali 
taught.  The  said  Upali  thus  taught  the  same,  having  learnt 
in  the  most  perfect  manner  the  Avhole  of  the  nine  portions 
of  his  doctrine,  which  have  been  auricularly  perpetuated, 
from  Buddho  himself.  Buddho  has  declared  of  Upali  in  the 
midst  of  the  congregated  priesthood,  '  Upali,  being  the  first 
in  the  knowledge  of  winaya,  is  the  chief  in  my  religion.* 
He  who  had  thus  been  seliected  and  approved  in  the  midst 
of  the  assembled  priesthood,  and  who  had  a  numerous  frater- 
nity, taught  the  three  Pitakas  to  a  fraternity  of  a  thousand 
bhikkhiis,  of  whom  Dasako  was  the  chief  disciple  :  he  taught 
them  (especially)  to  Dasako,  and  to  five  hundred  Theras,  who 
had  overcome  the  dominion  of  sin,  were  of  immaculate  purity 
and  morals,  and  versed  in  the  wada  (history  of  the  schisms). 
The  thero  Upali,  who  had  a  great  fraternity,  continued  to- 
teach  the  winayo  for  full  thirty  years  after  the  nibbanan  of 
the  supreme  Buddho.  The  said  Upali  taught  the  whole  of 
tlie  eighty -four  thousand  component  parts  of  the  doctrines 
of  the  divine  teacher  to  the  learned  Dasako. 

"  Dasako,  having  learned  the  whole  of  the  Pitaka   in  the- 
fraternity    of    Upali,    and   held    the    office    of    Upajjhaya 
(conferrer  of  the  sacerdotal  ordination  of  upasampada)  pro- 
pounded the  same.      The  chief  of  the  great  fraternity  (Upali') 


DI'PAWANSA.  141 

iiarfng  depositt  d  (tliapetwana)  the  whole  winayo  in  thecharge 
of  the  learned  Diisako,  died.  The  monarch  Udayo  reigned 
sixteen  years.  It  was  in  the  sixth  year  of  his  reign  that  the 
there  Upali  demised. 

"  A  certain  trader  named  Sonako,  who  had  come  from  the 
Ivasi  country,  and  wa?  proud  of  his  high  descent,  entered 
the  sacej'dotfd  order  in  the  religion  of  the  divine  teacher 
(Buddho)  at  the  Weluwana*  wihara  in.  the  mountain-girt 
city  Rajagahan.  Dasako,  the  chief  of  the  confraternity, 
sojourned  in  the  mountain-girt  city,  the  capital  of  the 
Magadha  nation,  thirty-seven  years,  and  initiated  Sonako 
into  the  sacerdotal  order.  The  learned  Dasako  was  forty-five 
years  old,  in  the  tenth  year  of  the  reign  of  the  raja  Naga- 
dasa,  and  twentieth.of  the  reign  of  the  raja  Pandu  (of  Lanka). 

"The  thero  Sonako  became  an  upasampadu  in  tlie  frater- 
nity of  the  thera  Da>nko,  and  the  thero  Dasako  taught 
Sonako  the  nine  component  parts  of  the  faiih  ;  and  having 
learned  the  same  from  the  preceptor  who  ordained  him,  he 
also  taught  the  same.  The  thero  Dasako  having  invested 
Sonaka  thera,  who  was  the  senior  pupil  in  his  fraternity, 
■with  the  office  of  chief  over  the  winayo,  died  in  the  sixty- 
fourth  year  of  his  age. 

"  At  the  expiration  of  ten  years  and  half  a  montli  of  the 
reign  of  the  raja  Kalasoka,  the  thero  named  Sonako  was 
forty  years  old,  and  he  had  been  a  thero  learned  in  the 
doctrines  for  fourteen  years  ;  and  at  the  period  of  the  expira- 
tion of  ten  years  and  six  months,  the  thero  Sonako,  who  w\as 
the  chief  of  a  great  fraternity,  conferred  the  upasampada 
ordination  on  Siggawo  and  Chandawo. 


*  This  word  signifies  '  the  bamboo  grove.' 


142  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

"  At  that  period  a  century  had  expired  from  the  time  that? 
Bhagawa  had  attained  nibbanan,  and  certain  (bhikkhus)  of 
Wesdli,  native  of  Wajjis,  set  forth  these  ten  (new)  tenets  of 
discipline." 

This  Bhanavdra  concludes  with  a  brief  account  of  the 
schism  of  the  ten  innovations*  which  led  to  the  second 
Convocation,  held  by  the  orthodox  priests  of  the  time. 

BhanavAra  Fifth. 

The  first  Convocation  referred  to — the  hierarchs 
connected  with  it — how  it  was  held — the  ten  innova- 
tions again  referred  to — the  confusion  made  by 
Vajjiyans  in  the  Dhamma  and  Vinaya — is  thus  related : 

Uddhamman  ubbinayancha  apagatan  satthu  sasane  ; 

Atthay  dhamma^  cha  bhinditva  viloman  dipayii^su  te 

Tesai^  niggahanatthaya  balm  buddhassa  savaka ; 

Dva  dasa  satasahassani  jina  putla  samagata. 

Etasmii^  sannipatasmiy  pamokkha  attha  bhikkhavo  ; 

Sattliukappa  mahaiiaga  durasada  mahugaiii 

Sabbakami  cha  Salho  cha  Revato  Khujja-sobhito; 

Vasabhagami  Sumano  Sana  vasicha  Sambhuto ; 

Yaso  Kakanda  putto  cha  jinadittha  ime  isi  ; 

Papanaij  niggahatthaya  Vesciliyag  samagata  ; 

Vasabhagami  cha  Sumano  Anuruddhassa'nuvattaka;; 

Avasesa  A'naudassa  ditthapubba  tathagatap. 

Susunagassa  putto  Asoko'si  mahipati ; 

Pataliputta  nagaramhi  rajjaij  karesi  khattiyo 

Tancha  pakkhaij  labhitvana  attha  thera  mahiddhika  ; 

Dasavatthunai^  ninditva  pape  nimmaddayiiiisu  te. 

*  For  an  accouiit  of  this,  see  Introduction  to  Kachchayana's 
Pali  Grammar,  p.  53.. 


Dl'PAWANSA.  143 

^iddhametvu  papa  bliikku  madditva  viida  papakay  ; 
Saka-viida  sodhanatthaya  attha  thera  mahiddhika 
Arahantanaiji  sattasatan  uchchinitvana  bliikkhavo  ; 
Varay  varan  gahetvana  aka^su  dhammasarigaha^. 
Kutagara  salaja^  Vesaliyag  puruttame  ; 
Attha  masehi  nittbasi  dutiyo  sai^gaho  ayay. 
Kikkaddhita  papa  bhikkhu  therehi  Vajji  puttaka  ; 
Annan  pakkhan  labhitvana  adhammavadi  bahu  jana  ;♦ 
Dasa  sahassa  samagantva  akagsu  dhammasaiigahan 
Tasmaya^  dhammasaiigiti  maha  saiigiti  vuchchati 
Maha  saiigitika  bhikkhu  viloman  akansu  sasanan  ; 
Bhinditva  mula  sangahan  annaiii  akagisu  sangaha^. 

Annattha  saiigahitan  suttai^  aniiattha  akari^isu  te 

Atthan  dharamancha  bhindinsti  nikayesu  cha  panchasQ 
Pariyayadesitan  vapi  atho  nippariyayadesita^  ; 
Nitatthancheva  neyyatthan  ajanitvana  bhikkhavo 
Annan  sandhaya  bhanitan  annattha  thapayinisu  te  ; 
Yyanjanachhayaya  te  bhikku  bahun  attha^  vinasayu^. 
Chhaddetva  eka  desaiicha  suttan  vinaya  gambhira^  ; 
Patirupa^  sutta  vinaya^  tanti^  cha  akari^su  te 
Parivaran  atthuddharay.  abhidharaman  chhappakarana^  :; 
Patisambhidancha  niddesa^  eka  desancha  Jatakay 
Etta  ka^  vissajitvana  aniaa^  va  akariysu  te 
NamaliAgaparikkharag  akappakaranani  cha  ; 
Pakatibhavan  vijahitva  tancha  aiina^  akaysu  te 
Pubbaiigaina  bhinnavada  maha  saiigiti  karaka  ; 
Tesancha  anukarena  bhinna  vadii  bahu  ahu. 
Tato  aparakalamhi  tasmi^  bhedo  ajayatha  ; 
'Gokulika  Ekabbohari  dvidha  bhijjittha  bhikkhavo 

*  Buddhaghosa  has  quoted  portions  of  this  section  in  his  Paiichap- 
pakaranatthakatha. 


144  DESCRIPTIVE  CATALOGtJE. 

Gokulikanai^  dveva  bbeda  apara  ktilamhi  jajatha  ; 
Babussutika  cha  pannatti  dvidha  bbijjittha  bbikkbaro. 
Chetiyacba  punavadi  mahasaAgiti  bbedaka  ; 
Pancba  vada  ime  sabbe  Mahasaiigiti  miilaka. 
Atthan  dbammancha  bhindinsu  eka  desaiicha  sai'igabay ; 
Ganthay  cha  «kadesanbi  chhaddetv'annan  akaiisa  te 
Kamalii\gan  parikkharan  akappakarantini  cha  ; 
Pakatibhavan  vijahitva,  tancha  afinan  akansu  te. 
Visuddha-theravadamhi  puna  bhedo  ajayatha  ; 
Mahinsasaka  Vajjlputta  dvidhii  bbijjittha  bhikkhavo 
Vajjiputtaka-vadamhi  chatudha  bhedo  ajayatha  ; 
Dhammuttarika  Bhadrayani  Chhaunagarika  cha  Sammiti, 
IVIahiysasakiinan  dve  bhedti  apara  kalamhi  jtiyatha  ; 
Sabbatthi  vadti  Dharamagutta  dvidha  bbijjittha  bhikkhavo 
Sabbatthivada  Kassapika  Kassapikeiia'pi  Saiikantika  ; 
Sai'ikantito  Suttavadi  anupubbena  bhijjatlia. 
Ime  eka-dasa  vada  pabhinnti  thera-vadato, 
Atthan  dhammancha  bhindiysu  ekadesaucha  sarigahaij  ; 
Ganthancha  ekadesamhi  chhaddetvana  akansu  te 
Namaliiigan  parikkharay  akappakaranani  cha  ; 
Pakatibhavay  vijahitva  taiicha  aiinaii  akai^su  te  * 
Sattarasa  bhinnavada  eko  vtido  abbinnako  ; 
Sabbe  v'atthadasa  honti  bhinnavadena  te  saha. 
Nigrodho'va  maharukkho  thero  vadana  muttamo, 
Anunanadhikanche'va  kevalai^  Jina  sasanan  ;f 

*  It  is  remarkable  that  the  repetition  of  an  act  is  conveyed  by 
a  repetition  of  the  same  stanza,  a  circumstance  which  proves  the 
truth  of  the  tradition,  that  the  Dipawansa  was  compiled  by  royal 
chroniclers,  to  whom  it  was  assigned  as  a  task. 

t  In  reprinting  this  sheet  we  have  inadvertently  adopted  9  for 
the  niggahita. 


Dl'PAWANSA,  145 

Kautakii  viya  rukkhanilii  iiibbatta  vuda  srsaka 
Patliame  vassa  sate  iiatthi  dutiye  vassa  satautare  ; 
Bliinnasattarasa  vkdk  uppanna  Jiiia  sasane 
A'chariya  vadan  nittbitan. 

They  (the  sinful  priests)  made  an  absurd  mixture 
by  departing  from  the  sense  and  phraseology  of  the 
dhamma  and  vinaya,  the  doctrines  of  Buddha. 

With  a  view  (therefore),  to  degrade  them,  many 
priests,  disciples  of  Buddha,  (in  all)  twelve  hundred 
thousand,  assembled  together.  In  this  congregation 
there  were  eight  pre-eminent  principal  bhikkhus,  who 
had  a  large  retinue,  who  were  (unapproachable,  i.  e.) 
without  their  equals,  and  not  inferior  to  (Buddha 
himself;  viz.)  Sabbakami  Salha,Revata,  Khujjasobhita, 
Vasabhagami,  Sumana,  Sambhuta  of  Sana,  and  Yasa, 
son  of  Kakanda,  all  who  had  seen  Buddha.  They 
assembled  at  Vesali  with  a  view  to  reproach  the  sinful 
priests. 

Vasabhagami  and  Sumana  were  the  disciples  of 
Anuruddha,  and  the  rest  of  A'nanda.  They  had  all 
seen  Buddha. 

[At  this  time]  Asoka,  the  son  of  Susundgaj  a 
Khattiya  prince,  reigned  in  Pataliputta. 

The  (abovenamed)  eight  pre-eminent  theras,  having 
gained  (this  prince)  to  their  side,  censured  the  ten 
indulgences,  and  (oppressed)  inflicted  pains  and  penalties 
on  the  sinful  innovators.  Having  (thus)  overcome 
the  sinful  bhikkhus,  and  suppressed  their  heresies  ; 
these  illustrious  eight  priests,  with  the  object  of 
purifying     their   own    discourses,    assembled     seven 

u 


146  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

hundred  arahantas— pre-eminent  bhikkhus;  and  held  a 
Council  of  dliamma. 

This  second  Sangiti  was  brought  to  a  close  in  eight 
months,  at  the  Kutagdra  Hall,  in  the  renowned  city 
of  Vesdli. 

Many  individuals  (viz.)  ten  thousand  sinful  Vajjian* 
bhikkhus,  who  had  been  expelled  by  the  theras,  assem- 
bled together;  and,  having  formed  another  party,  held 
a  council  of  dhamma.  This  is  thence  called  Maha 
Sangiti. 

The  bhikkhus  who  held  the  Maha  Sangiti  reduced  the 
religion  into  confusion,f  set  aside  J  the  first  compilation, § 
and  made  another.  ||  They  placed  in  different  places 
the  Suttans  which  occurred  in  different  other  places, 
and   distorted   the  sense,  and  the  wordsIF   of  the  five 

*  Vajji— the  inhabitants  of  Ves&li,  a  territory  on  the  north  of 
Petnain  which  the  Lichchhavi  Princes  were  settled.  It  is  however 
not  stated  where  the  Council  was  held.  Doubtless  it  was  at  a 
distance  from  the  principal  seat  of  Government  and  Buddhism, 
which  at  this  period  was  at  Ves^li. 

t  Viloman.  akansu, '  made  to  bristle,'  'ruffled,'  'crossed,'  'reversed,' 
'  confused.' 

X  Bhinditva — '  having  broken,'  'split,'  'set  aside.' 

§  Sangahan.  From  the  context  I  would  render  this  word  '  com- 
pilation '  and  not  '  rehearsal.'  The  acts  here  related,  taken  in 
connection  with  the  original  import  of  the  word,  can  only  refer  to 
a  written  and  not  a  mental  collection. 

II  Akarinsu  '  made,'  '  done,'  '  effected,'  The  same  word  is  used 
in  the  following  sentence,  wherein  I  have  rendered  it  'placed.' 

^  Dhamma  here  means  phraseology  of  the  Scriptures,  as  opposed 
to  their  attha,  '  sense '  or  '  import.' 


147 

nikaya.  They  did  so,  ignorant  of  (the  difference 
between)  the  general  discourses,  and  those  (delivered) 
on  particular  occasions,  and  also  (^betvveen)  their  na- 
tural and  implied  significations.  They  expressed*  in 
a  sense  diiferent  from  that  which  was  declared,  and 
set  aside  various  significations  under  the  unwarranted 
authority  (shadow  of)  words.f  They  omitted  a 
portion  of  the  Sutta,  and  Vinaya  of  deep  import,  and 
substituted|(theirown)version§  of  them  and  the  textjl 
They  left  out  the  Pari  varan  annotations,1[  the  six 
books**  of  the  Abhidhamma,  the  Patisambhidd,  the 
^^iddesa,  and  a  portion  of  the  Jatakasff  without  replacing 


*  Thapayinsu — '  They  made  to  stand.' 

t  Vyanjana,  'letters,'  and  in  some  of  the  Buddhist  writings, 
*  words '  or  '  sentences.' 

J  Patiriipa — placed  another  figure  or  'counterpart/ 

§  From  a  comparison  of  the  Ceylon  and  Nepal  versions  of  the 
sacred  writings  I  find  tlie  latter  has  three  sections,  the  Vaipulya, 
the  Nidan,  and  the  Upadesa;  all  which  are  additions  to  the  original 
discourses.  Compare  the  following  list  taken  from  Hodgson's 
Illustrations,  with  the  list  from  Buddhagosa's  atthakathk,  given 
in  Introduction  to  Kachchayana's  Pali  Grammar,  p.  61.  Hodgson 
says ;  "  The  Bauddha  scriptures  are  of  twelve  kinds,  known  by  the 
following  twelve  names,  1  Siitra;  2  Geyya;  3  Vyakarana;  4Gathfi; 
5  Udan  ;  6  Nidan ;  7  Ityukta ;  8  Jataka ;  9  Vaipulya ;  10  Adlhiita 
dharma;  11  Avadan;  and  12  Upadesa." 

II  Tantin.  The  text;  see  my  remarks  hereon  in  the  Intro- 
duction to  Kachch.  Pali  Grammar,  p.  v. 

^  Atthuddhiran,  'explanatory  discourses.' 

**  Pakarana,  '  compilation,'  '  something  made  methodically,'  '  an 
original  composition.' 

ft  The  version  of  the  Jatakas  in  Ceylon  is,  I  believe,  deficient. 


148  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

any  thing  in  their  stead.  They  moreover,  disregarded* 
the  nature  of  nouns,  their  gender,  and  (other)  accidents,! 
as  well  as  the  (various)  requirements  of  style4  and 
corrupted  the  same  by  different  forms. 

The  originators  of  the  Maha  Sangiti  were  the  first 
seceders.  Many  followed  their  example.  Since  then, 
there  was  a  breach  in  that  association,  and  the  Priests 
were  divided  into  two  sections — the  Gokulika  and 
P^kabboharika.  Subsequently  the  Gokulikas  branched 
off  into  two  others,  viz.,  Bahussutika  and  Pannatti. 
Subsequently  still,  there  arose  a  schism  (called)  the 
Chetiya.  Then  there  were  altogether  five  schisms 
which  had  sprung  up  from  the  Maha  Sangiti — the 
same,  which  was  the  first,  (being  a  sixth  ) 

These  heretics  (also)  distorted  the  sense  and  the 
})hraseology  (of  the  scriptures);  omitted  a  portion  of  the 
(original)  compilation,  and  of  the  gathas,  and  substi- 
tuted others  (in  lieu  of  them).  They  (further)  dis- 
regarded the  nature  of  nouns,  their  gender,  and   other 


*  A'kappakarana—also  'decorations,  embellishments,  niceties  of 
style  or  composition,  or  figures  of  speech.' 

f  The  peculiarities  here  noticed,  when  compai-ed  with  those 
of  the  Gatha  dialect  of  the  Nepal  Scriptures  (see  Essay  thei-eon 
by  Babu  Rajendralal  JVlitra  in  the  Bl.  A.  S.  J.  for  1854,  p.  604, 
et  seq.),  there  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  identity  between  this  fourth 
code  of  the  Buddhists  and  the  Nepal  version.  The  differences 
of  style  thereiii  illustrated  by  Mr.  Mitra  exactly  correspond  with 
the  defects  of  composition  here  described. 

I  Parikkaran — 'attributes,'  'decorations,'  'accidents.' 


Dl'PAWANSA.  149 

accidents,  as  well  as  the  various  requisites  of  style,  and 
corrupted  the  same  by  different  substitutions.* 

In  the  doctrines  of  the  orthodox  priests  there  was 
again  a  breach  (which  resulted  in  the  establishment)  of 
two  sects  called  the  Mahinsaka  and  Vajjiputtaka. 
From  the  latter  arose  four  sects,  called  Dhammuttarika, 
Bhadrayani,Chhannagarika,and  Sammiti.  Afterwards, 
two  (more)  schisms,  the  Sabbatthivada  and  Dhamma- 
gutta  arose  out  of  the  Mahinsaka ;  and  from  the  Sab- 
battika  gradually  sprung  up  the  Kassapika,  and  from 
the  latter  the  Sankantika,  and  from  it  the  Suttavadi 
schism.  These  eleven  emanated  from  the  orthodox  party. 

They  (likewise)  made  a  compilation  by  distorting 
the  sense,  and  the  phraseology  of  the  sacred  discourses ; 
and  by  omitting  a  portion  of  the  text  and  of  the  gathas. 
They  too  disregarded  the  forms  of  nouns,  their  gender, 
and  other  accidents,  as  well  as  the  various  requirements  of 
style,  and  corrupted  the  same  by  different  substitutions. 

The  schisms  of  the  seceders  were  (thus)  seventeen, 
the  vadaf  of  those  who  had  not  seceded,  was  one  ;  and 
with  it  there  were  altogether  eighteen  sects. 


*  "In  the  Gatba,  says  Mr.  Mitra,  we  find  the  old  forms  of 
the  Sanskrit  Grammar  gradually  losing  their  impressive  power, 
and  prepositions  and  periphrastic  expressions  supplying  their 
places,  and  time-hallowed  verbs  and  conjugations  juxtaposed  to 
vulvar  slangs  and  uncouth  prm-incialisms." 

t  The  word  vada,  which  we  have  differently  translated  at 
different  places  to  convey  'heresy,'  '  schism/  &c.,  means  simply  as  in 
this  place,  'discourse,'  'discussion,'  'demonstrated  conclusion,' 
'  doctrine,'  '  principle.' 


150  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Like  the  great  Nigrodha  (among)  trees,  the  ortho- 
dox discourses  alone  are  supreme  among  doctrines; 
and  they  are  moreover  the  pure  (very)  word  of  Buddha, 
without  retrenchment  or  addition.  The  doctrines 
which  have  arisen  from  it  are  like  the  thorns  of  a  tree. 

There  were  no  (heresies)  in  the  first  century  (anno 
Buddha?)  but  in  the  second,  seventeen  sprung  up  in 
the  reli":ion  of  Buddha. 


o 


End  of  the  A'chariya  Va'da. 

This  section  then  proceeds  to  narrate  the  division 
amongst  the  preceptors.  The  life  of  Moggaliputta 
Tissa  thera  is  thus  translated  by  Turnour. 

"In  the  second  year  of  the  reign  of  Chandagutto,  when 
Siggawo  was  sixty- four  years  old,  which  was  the  fifty-eighth 
year  of  the  reign  of  Pandukabhayo,  the  raja  (of  Lanka) 
Moggaliputto  was  ordained  an  upasampada  in  the  fraternity 
of  Siggawo  ;  and  the  said  Moggaliputtatisso,  having  acquired 
the  knowledge  of  the  wineyo  in  the  fraternity  of  Chandawajji, 
was  released  from  the  sins  inseparable  from  liability  to 
future  regeneration.  Both  Siggawa  and  Chandawajji  taught 
the  whole  of  the  Pitako,  which  embraces  both  (the  wineyo, 
discipline,  and  dhammo,  doctrine),  to  the  pre-eminently 
endowed  Muggaliputto.  Siggawo  of  profound  wisdom  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six,  having  constituted  the  pre-eminently 
endowed  Moggaliputto  the  chief  of  the  wineyo  Chandagutto 
reigned  twenty-four  years.  In  the  fourteenth  year  of  his 
reign  Siggawo  died. 

"In  the  sixth  year  of  the  reign  of  Dhammasoko,  Mogga- 
liputto was  sixty  six  years  old.     Mahindo  was  then  ordained 


Dl'PAWANSA.  151 

an  upasampaJu  in  his  fraternity,  and  acquired  a  knowledge 
of  the  Pitako. 

"Upali  attained  his  seventy-fourth,  Dasako  his  sixty- 
fourth,  the  thero  Sdnakohis  sixty-sixth,  Siggawo  his  seventy- 
sixth,  and  Moggaliputto  his  eightieth  year.  The  following 
are  the  periods  that  all  of  these  theros  were  upasampada,  of 
whom  at  all  times  the  learned  Upali  was  recognized  as  the 
first  chief,  viz.,  Dasako  was  an  upasampada  fifty,  Sonoko, 
forty -four,  Siggawo  five,*  and  Moggaliputto,  sixty-eightyears. 

"Udayo  reigned  sixteen  years,  and  in  the  sixth  year  of 
Udayo's  reign,  Upali  died. 

"  Susanago,  the  opulent  monarch,  reigned  ten  years,  in  the 
eighth  year  of  Susanago's  reign  Dasako  died. 

"  Atf  the  demise  of  Susanago  he  had  ten  brothers,  who 
collectively  reigned  twenty-two  years,  in  great  celebrity. 
In  the  sixth  year  of  their  reign  Sonako  died. 

"Chandagutto  reigned  twenty-four  years,  and  in  the 
fourteenth  year  of  his  reign  Siggawo  died. 

"The  celebrated  Dhammasokotheson of  Bindasaro reigned 
thirty-seven  years.  In  the  twenty-sixth  year  of  his  reign, 
Moggaliputto  died,  having  caused  religion  to  be  glorified, 
and  having  completed  the  full  measure  of  human  existence. 

"The  learned  Upali,  the  chief  of  a  great  fraternity  died 
at  the  age  of  seventy-four,  having  appointed  his  learned 
disciple  Dasako  to  the  office  of  chief  wineyo. 

"Dasako,  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-four,  having  appointed 
his  senior  learned  disciple  Sonako  to  the  office  of  chief  of 
the  wineyo. 

•  "  This  is  evidently  a  mistake. 

t  "  The  reign  of  Kalasoko  is  omitted,  who  was  the  father  of  the 
Nandos  who  are  here  designated  the  brothers  of  Susanago. 


152  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

"Sonako,  who  was  endowed  with  the  six  abinna,  died  at 
the  age  of  sixty-six,  having  appointed  his  arahat  son  (disciple) 
Siggawo  to  the  office  of  chief  of  wineyo. 

"Siggawo  who  was  endowed  with  the  six  abinna  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-six,  having  appointed  his  son  (disciple) 
Moggaliputto  to  the  office  of  chief  of  wineyo. 

"Moggaliputtatisso  died  at  the  age  of  eighty,  having 
appointed  his  disciple  Mahindo  to  the  office  of  chief  of 
wineyo. 

The  conclusion  of  the  fifth  Bha'nawa'ro. 

Bha'nava'ra  Sixth. 

"  Piyadassano*  was   inaugurated  in  the  two  hundred  and 

eighteenth  year  after  the  death  of  the  supreme  BuddKo.     At 

the  installation  of  Piyadassano  preternatural  manifestations 

took  place. 

"(For  these  manifestations  I  must  refer  to  the  Mahawanso.) 

"That  royal  youth,  who  was  the  grand-son  of  Chanda- 
gutto  and  the  son  of  Bindusaro  was  at  that  time  the 
(karmalino)  ruler  of  Ujjeni. 

"In  the  course  of  an  official  circuit  he  visited  Wessanaga- 
ran ;  where  lived  a  damsel,  the  daughter  of  a  Sitthi,  who 
became  celebrated  under  the  name  of  Dewi.  By  his 
connection  with  her,  an  illustrious  son  was  born.  (The  said 
son)  Mahindo  and  (his  daughter)  Sangamitta  formed  the 
resolution  to  enter  the  order  of  priesthood.  Both  these 
individuals  having  been  thus  ordained,  overcame  subjection 
_____  .      _ 

*  *'  Having  erroneously  written  this  name  "  Piyadasino  "  in  a 
former  paper,  (Bang.  A.  S.  Journal)  vol.  vi.  p.  1056,  you  have 
been  led  to  suppose  it  was  the  genitive  case  of  Piyadasi." 


Dl'PAWANSA.  153 

to  regeneration.  Asoko  was  then  reigning  in  the  illustrious 
Pataliputto.  In  the  third  year  of  his  inauguration  he 
became  a  convert  to  the  religion  of  the  supreme  Buddho. 
(If  it  be  asked)  what  the  duration  of  the  term  is,  from  the 
date  of  the  parinibbanan  of  the  Supreme  Buddho  to  the  date 
of  the  birth  of  Mahindo,  who  was  descended  from  the 
Moriyan  dynasty,  (the  answer  is)  two  hundred  and  five 
years.  In  that  year  Mahindo  the  son  of  Asoko  was  born. 
In  Mahindo's  tenth  year,  his  father  put  his  own  brothers 
to  death ;  and  he  past  four  years  in  reducing  Jambudipo 
to  order.  Having  put  to  death  his  hundred  brothers, 
and  reduced  the  dynasty  to  one  (family),  they  (the  people) 
inaugurated  him  in  the  fourteenth  year  of  Mahindo's  age. 
Asoko,  who  was  endowed  with  great  personal  superiority 
and  good  fortune,  and  was  destined  to  rule  the  world,  w^as 
inaugurated  under  miraculous  manifestations.  They  installed 
Piyadassano  on  his  completing  his  twentieth  year."* 

This  bhanavara  concludes  with  Nigrodha's  visit  to 
the  Palace — his  preaching  to  Asoka — the  admission 
of  the  latter  to  Buddhist  religion — his  interview  with 
sixty  thousand  priests— a  city  festival — alms-giving — 
the  offering  of  garments — inquiry  by  Asoka  into  the 
division  of  the  dharama — its  enumeration — eighty-four 
thousand  monumental  erections  by  Asoka.t 


♦  "  This  is  evidently  a  clerical  error,  his  son  Mahindo  being  then 
fourteen  years  old.  It  was  subsequently  mentioned  that  Asdko- 
dhammo  was  forty-five  years  old  at  his  inauguration. 

t  There  is  a  great  deal  of  confusion  and  repetition  in  this 
section.  I  have  retained  the  spelling  of  Mr.  Tumour;  and  have 
not  thought  proper  to  interpose  any  observations  on  his  translation. 

X 


1 


154  descriptive  catalogue. 

Bha'nava'ra  Seventh 

"Begins  with  the  account  of  Mahindo  and  Sangamitta 
being  admitted  into  the  order  of  the  priesthood,  (the  former 
was  at  once  ordained  upasampada,  being  of  the  age  of 
twenty  ;  but  the  latter  remained  a  saraaneri  for  two  years, 
being  only  eighteen,)  in  the  sixth  year  of  Asoko's  inaugu- 
ration.    These  particulars  will  be  found  in  the  Mahawanso. 

"Asokadhammo  was  fifty-four  years  old  at  the  time  of  his 
inauguration,  and  at  the  time  of  Asokadhammo  being 
inaugurated,  Moggaliputtatisso  was  sixty-six.  Mahindo 
entered  into  the  order  of  priesthood  in  the  fraternity  of 
Moggaliputtatisso.  Mahadewo  performed  the  ceremony  of 
admission,  and  Mojjhanto,  the  ceremony  of  the  upasampada 
ordination.  These  were  the  three  preceptors  who  qualified 
Mahindo  for  the  priesthood.  The  said  preceptor  Moggali- 
puttatisso taught  Mahindo,  who  illuminated  (Lanka)  dipo, 
the  whole  of  the  Pitako,  both  as  regards  its  import  and  its 
doctrine.  In  the  tenth  year  of  Mahindo's  (ordination)  having 
acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  whole  creed,  he  became 
the  head  of  a  fraternity,  and  (pachariyo)  a  sub-preceptor 
(under  Moggali).  The  said  Mahindo,  having  thus  acquired 
a  knowledge  of  the  perfectly  profound  and  well  arranged 
(Pitakattayan),  containing  the  two  doctrinal  portions  (the 
wineyo  and  the  abhidhammo)  and  the  suttako  (the  parables) 
as  well  as  the  history  of  the  schisms  of  the  preceptors,  became 
a  perpetuator  of  the  same.  Moggaliputtatisso  thus  perfected 
Mahindo  the  son  of  Asoko,  in  the  knowledge  of  the  three 
wejja  and  the  four  patisambhidd,  and  (thereby)  Moggali- 
puttatisso permanently  established  in  his  disciple  Mahindo, 
the  whole  of  the  Pitakattayan  which  had  been  thus  handed 
down  to  him. 


155 

''Nigrodho  was  admitted  into  the  priesthood  in  the  third 
year  of  Asoko's  reign,  his  brother  (Tisso)  in  the  fourth,  and 
in  the  sixth  his  son  Mahindo.  Tisso  and  Suraittako,  the 
two  theros  who  were  descended  from  the  Kunti,  and  were 
endowed  with  supernatural  powers,  died  in  the  eighth  year 
of  the  reign  of  Asoko.  From  these  two  princes  having 
entered  the  order  of  priesthood,  and  from  (the  manner  in 
which)  these  two  theros  died,  multitudes  of  the  khattiya 
and  brahman  castes  proclaimed  themselves  to  be  devotees 
in  this  creed,  and  great  benefits  and  honors  resulted  to  the 
religion  of  the  vanquisher ;  and  the  heretics,  who  had  been 
influential  schismatics,  lost  all  their  ascendancy.  The  pan- 
daranga,  the  jatila,  nigantha,  chetaka  and  other  sects  for 
seven  years  continued,  however,  to  perform  the  uposatha  in 
separate  fraternities.  The  sanctified,  pious,  and  virtuous 
ministers  (of  Buddho)  would  not  attend  those  uposatha 
meetings.  At  this  conjuncture,  it  was  the  two  hundred  and 
thirty-sixth  year  (of  the  Buddhistical  era.) 

Bha'nava'ra  Eighth. 

After  relating  the  working  of  wonders^  and  the 
inquiries  made  of  the  priesthood  regarding  religion, 
this  section  proceeds  to  give  a  brief  account  of  the  third 
convocation  of  which  the  following  is  a  translation  : 

*  The  heretics,  who,  seeing  the  gains  (of  the  Buddhists), 
and  the  very  great  attentions  (paid  to  them),  fraudulently 
associated  (with  them),  were  sixty  thousand.  (Owing 
to  their  intrusions  the  observance  of)  the  Patimokkha* 

*  The  meeting  of  the  priesthood  once  in  15  days;  or,  on  the 
fall-moon  day  and  on  the  new-moon  day, — when  they  usually 
recite  and  explain  the  rules  of  discipline. 


156  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

was  discontinued  in  the  Asokarama  monastery ;  and 
a  minister  who  ceased  to  hold  the  Patimokkha  killed 
some  of  the  priests.* 

With  a  view  (therefore)  to  eject  the  heretics,  many 
Buddhist  priests,  about  sixty  thousand  in  number, 
assembled.  In  this  assembly  Moggaliputta  thera  was 
the  chief.  He  was  equal  to  Buddha  himself — pre- 
eminent, and  peerless;  and,  having  been  requested  by 
the  king  (to  declare  who  would  incur)  the  sin  of  having 
killed  the  priests,  he  dispelled  the  Sovereign's  doubts 
by  working  a  miracle. 

When  the  king  had  learnt  the  religion  from  (this) 
thera,  he  extirpated  the  imposters  by  removing  their 
(sacerdotal)  garments.  (These  were)  the  inimical 
heretics,  who  had  entered  the  priesthood,  and  who,  by 
means  of  their  own  doctrines,  set  aside  the  word  of 
Buddha,  which  was  as  pure  as  gold.  All  those  doc- 
trines were  false,!  and  opposed  to  the  discourses  of  the 
theras.  To  render  (therefore)  the  orthodox  doctrines 
pure,  and  to  eject  the  heretics,  Moggaliputta  delivered 
the  KathavatthupakaranaJ  on  the  Abhidhamma.  For 
the  suppression  of  heresies,  there  was  not  a  better 
(instrument  of)  reproof  than  this. 

*  For  a  detailed  account  of  this  proceeding,  see  the  Mahawansa. 

f  Lit, — 'Broken,  imperfect.' 

I  A  'book-on-the-substance-of-the-discourses.'  This  is  the 
name  given  to  the  additional  pakarana  or  'book'  of  the  Abhi- 
dhanmia.  It  was  composed  by  amplifying  the  pre-existing  matika, 
and  it  is  devoted  to  the  consideration  of  five  hundred  points  of 
difference  between  the  Buddhists  aud  the  heretics,  and  five  hundred 
errors  of  the  orthodox  party. 


Dl'PAWANSA,  157 

This  done/  with  a  view  to  the  stability  of  religion, 
and  the  purification  of  its  doctrines,  this  hierarch 
assembled  a  thousand  arahanta ;  and,  having  selected 
a  pre-eminent  and  highly  erudite  thera,  held  a  Council 
of  dhamraa. 

This  third  convocation  was  brought  to  a  termination 
in  nine  months,  at  the  Asokarama  monastery,  founded 
by  the  pious  king  of  that  name. 

This  section  concludes  with  the  dispersion  of 
missionaries  for  the  promulgation  of  Buddhism  into 
different  parts  of  Asia,  viz.,  Gandhdra,  Mahinsa, 
Aparantaka,  Maharattha,  Yonaka,  Himawanta,  Su- 
vannabhumi,  and  Lankadipa. 

Bha'nava'ra  Ninth 

Commences  with  the  history  of  Lanka,  thus  : — 
"This  island  Lanka  acquired  the  name  of  Sihala  from 
Siliof.  Listen  to  this  narrative  of  mine,  being  the  account 
of  the  origin  of  this  island  and  this  dynasty.  The  daughter 
of  a  king  of  Wango,  having  formed  a  connection  with  a 
certain  Siho,  who  found  his  livelihood  in  a  wilderness,  gave 
birth  to  two  children.     These  two  children  named  Sihabahu 

*  Lit —' the  thera  having  delivered  the  Kathavatthu-pakarana 
on  the  Abhidhamma.' 

f  *'  Pachchantan,"  I  have  translated,  "  foreign  "  in  the  Maha- 
wanso,  as  the  word  is  compounded  of  "pati"  and  "  antan."  It 
would  be  better  rendered  as  "  situated  on  the  confines." 

Wanawasi  is  here  omitted,  probably  by  an  error  of  transcription. 

This  passage  is  important.  Matacha  Susimanama,  pitdcha 
Sihasawhayo.  If  "  Siho  "  was  intended  for  a  "lion,"  ''sawhayo," 
which  signifies  "  named  "  or  "  called,"  would  not  be  used. 


158  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

and  Sewali  were  of  prepossessing  appearance.  The  mother 
was  named  Susima,  and  the  father  was  called  Siho,  and  at 
the  termination  of  sixteen  years,  secretly  quitting  that 
wilderness,  he  (Sihabahu)  founded  a  city,  to  which  capital  he 
gave  the  name  of  Sihapura.  In  that  Lala  kingdom,  the  son 
of  Siho  becoming  a  powerful  monarch,  reigned  supreme  in 
his  capital  Sihapura." 

This  Bhanavara  proceeds  to  relate  the  history  of 
Wijaya,  his  arrival  in  Lanka,  the  names  of  which  are 
embodied  in  the  following  verse. 

Ojadipo  Vara-dipo  Manda-dipo  cha  tada  ahu 

Lankk-dipo  cha  pannatti  Tanbapanniti  nayati. 

And   its    magnitude   is   described   to   be    'thirty    six 

yojanas  in  length,  eighteen  in  width,  and  a  hundred 

in  circumference' 

Battinsa  yojanan  dighan  attharasalii  vittliatan 
Yojananan  satan  avattan  sagarena  parikkhitan* 

Gotama's  request  to  Indra  concerning  Lanka  [regard- 
ing which  we  quote  the  following  gathas]. 

Parinibbana  samaye  sambhuddho  dipa  duttamo 
Sihabahussayan  putto  Wijayo  nama  Khattiyo 
Lankadipamanuppatto  jahitva  Jambu-dipakan 
Byakasi  Buddhasettho  so  raja  hessati  khattiyo 
Tato  amantayi  sattha  Sakkan  devanamissaran 
Lankadipassa  ussukkan  samapajjathaf  Kosiya 
Sambuddhassa  vacho  sutva  deva  raja  Sujanpati 
Uppalavannassa  achikkhi  dipassarakkha  karanan 

*  'Surrounded  by  the  ocean.'     It  is   quite  clear  that  at  this 
period  at  least  this  island  was  not  a  part  of  India. 
f  This  should  be  in  the  singular  number. 


Dl'PAWANSA.  159 

Sakkassa  vaclianan  sutva  deva  putto  mahiddhiko 
Laiikadipassa  arakkhan  thapesi  Vasu-devako. 

*  At  the  period  of  the  parinibb^na  of  Buddha,  who 
was  superior  to  bipeds,  the  Khattiya  named  Wijaya, 
son  of  Sihabahu,  left  Jambudipa,  and  arrived  in  the 
island  of  Lanka.  The  supreme  Buddha,  having 
declared  that  Wijaya  would  be  king,  summoned  Sakka, 
the  chief  of  the  devas  (and  said  to  him) — 'Kosiya, 
exert  thyself  in  regard  to  the  island  of  Lanka. 
Sujapati,  the  king  of  the  devas,  on  hearing  the  word  of 
Buddha,  intrusted  to  Uppalavanna  the  protection  of 
the  island  of  Lanka;  and  he  Vasudeva,  the  great 
mighty  deva,  on  hearing  the  word  of  Sakka,  extended 
his  protection  to  Lanka.' 

As  regards  the  origin  of  the  name  Tambapanna  for 
this  island,  the  Dipawansa  has  the  following  : 
Ukkhitta  vata  vegena  disk  mulha  maha  jana 
Lanka  dipa'mupa  gamma  orohitva  thale  thita 
Fatitthita  dharani  tale  dubbala'ti  jighachchhita 
Pipasita  kilantacha  padasa  gamanena  cha 
Ubhohi  pkni  janntihi  viaggan  katva  puthuviyan 
Majjhe  vutthaya  thatvana  nahipassanti  sobhanan 
Surattan  pansu  bhumi  bhage  hattha  padanhi  makkhitan 
Nama  deyyan  tadk  asi  Tambapanni  'ti  dipitan. 

*  By  the  fury  of  the  tempest  the  large  assemblage 
of  people  lost  their  way,  and  reached  Lanka-dipa; 
(where)  having  disembarked,  and  landed,  they  [lit.  those 
who  thus  stood  on  land]  were  weak  and  hungry. 
When  they  became  thirsty  and  faint  by  walking  on 
foot,  they  rested  on  the  ground,  with  both  their  palms 
and  knees :  and,  when  they  rose  aiid  stood  up,  they 


160  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

saw  in  the  interval  [the  space  occupied  by  them] 
nothing  beautiful.  The  dust,  however,  which  stuck 
to  the  palms  of  their  hands  and  feet,  was  very  ruddy. 
Thence  the  celebrated  name  Tambapanni.' 

Analysis  continued — The  first  city  is  also  called 
Tambapanni — Wijaya's  reign  in  Lanka  [interpolation 
regarding  Buddha's  visit  to  Lanka]  Wijaya's  embassy 
to  his  brother  Sumitta — King  Panduvasa  and  his 
sons — his  reign. 

Bha'nava'ra  Tenth. 

King  Abhaya— Pandukabhaya —  Prince  Pakundaka 
— Pandukabhaya  again  —  Mutasiva — interregnum  — 
Mutsaiva's  children.* 

Bha'nava'ba  Eleventh  and  Twelfth. 

Inauguration  of  Devananpiyatissa — his  good  fortune 
— his  alliance  with  Asoka — the  offerings  of  the  latter 
to  the  former — Mahinda's  visit  to  Lanka — prelimina- 
ries connected  with  his  departure — Indra's  interview 
with  Mahinda — particulars  connected  with  his  journey 
— his  arrival  in  Lanka — Devananpiyatissa's  excursion 
on  a  deer-hunt — his  invitation  and  visit  to  Mahinda — 
Mahinda  preaches  to  the  king — entrance  into  the  city 
— ordination  of  Sumana — Mahinda's  missionary  labours 
at  Anuradhapura — his  stay  at  Maha  Meghavana — 
description  of  this  Park— its  dedication — acceptance — 
preternatural  indications  —  the  earth  quakes  eight  times. 

*  This  as  well  as  several  other  Bhanavaras  are  found  short  of 
the  requh'cd  number  of  stanzas. 


161 


Bha'nava'ra  Thirteenth. 

Mahinda's  visit  to  the  palace — second  visit — hia 
preaching  in  the  Nandana  Park — the  ecclesiastical 
limits  of  Lanka — the  city  included,  and  why  ? — limits 
fixed — Mahinda's  visit  to  the  palace — he  preaches  in 
the  Nandana — accepts  the  Maha  Vihdra— preaches 
at  the  palace — the  departure  of  the  priests  to  Mount 
Missaka,  where  the  king  rejoins  them — Mahinda's  inter- 
view with  the  king — his  preparation  for  Vassa — his 
proposal  to  define  the  ecclesiastical  limits  about  the 
mountain — limits  defined — ordination  of  Prince  Arittha 
— the  monastery  on  the  mountain » 

Bha'nava'ra  Fourteenth. 

As  the  portion  which  follows  the  above  is  sufficiently 
interesting  we  give  a  translation  of  it  below,  omitting 
repetitions. 

^We,'  (said  Mahinda),  who  have  arrived  from  Jam- 
budipa  in  the  first  month  of  the  Gimhana*  season,  and 
on  the  full-moon  Sabbath  (day,)  have  resided  in  the 
celebrated  mountain.  We  purpose  returning  to  Jam- 
budipa  in  the  fifth  month  of  our  residence  in  the 
mountain,  and  in  Tissarama.  O  Monarch,  permit  (us 
to  do)  so. 

[The  king  answered  and  said];  'AH  the  people  have 
taken  refuge.  (They)  have  pleased  you  with  eatables 
and  drinkables,  with  raiment  and  habitations.  Where- 
fore (then)  is  your  dissatisfaction  ? ' 

*  The  hot  season. 


162  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

^Monarch,'  (replied  Mahinda),  'it  is  very  long  since 
Buddha,  the  chief  of  the  bipeds,  was  (worshipped  by) 
prostration,  by  rising  from  one's  seat,  by  salutation, 
and  by  reverent  attention,' 

*  Lord,'  (returned  Devananpiyatissa),  ^  what  you  have 
(said)  is  indeed  understood  by  me.  I  shall  erect  a 
splendid  Thupa.  I  shall  build  it  for  Buddha.  Look 
out  for  a  suitable  locality.' 

[Whereupon  Mahinda  thus  spoke]  :  '  Sumana,  come 
hither.  Go  to  the  city  of  Pataliputta,  and  say  thus 
to  king  Dhammasoka ;  Maha  raja,  thy  ally  has  em- 
braced Buddhism.  He  will  build  a  thupa  for  Buddha. 
Bestow  upon  him  (some)  valuable  relics.' 

The  eloquent,  and  meek  (Sumana)  of  great  erudi- 
tion,— the  sustainer  of  learning,  who  had  achieved 
iddhi,  and  who  was  on  the  mount,  instantly  took  his 
bowl  and  robe,  and  went  to  king  Dhammasoka,  and 
delivered  the  message  (thus) :  *  Maha  raja,  hear  thou 
the  word  of  the  spiritual  preceptor.  Maha  raja,  thy 
ally  has  embraced  Buddhism.  Bestow  on  him  some 
valuable  relics,  and  he  will  erect  a  Thupa  for  Buddha.' 

The  king  hearing  the  (above)  speech  was  highly 
pleased  and  became  very  anxious.  He  (immediately) 
filled  (for  him)  a  vessel  of  relics,  (and  said)  '0!  vir- 
tuous, depart  quickly.' 

Whereupon  the  eloquent  and  meek  (Sumana) 
taking  the  relics,  ascended  the  sky,  and  went  to  Kosiya.* 
And,  when  he  had  approached  Kosiya's  presence,  the 


Indra. 


Dl'PAWANSA.  163 

pious  (ascetic)  spoke  thus:  'Maba  rdja,  hear  thou  the 
words  of  the  spiritual  teacher.  The  king-beloved  of 
the  gods  has  embraced  Buddhism.  Give  him  valuable 
relics,  and  he  will  construct  a  great  Thtipa.* 

Hearing  his  words,  and  being  pleased,  Kosiya 
bestowed  the  right  collar-bone  (of  the  sage,  and  said) 
*0  virtuous,  depart  quickly.* 

Sumana,  the  Samanera,  having  thus  gone  to  Kosiya, 
and  received  the  right  collar-bone,  returned  to  the 
celebrated  mountain. 

******  Thereupon  the  king  of  immense  forces, 
with  his  brother,  preceded  by  the  bhikkhus  and  sanghas, 
repaired  to  meet  the  relic  of  the  illustrious  Buddha. 
On  the  day  which  completed  the  fourth  month  (of  the 
seasons),  in  the  full  moon  night  of  Komudi,*  the  Maha 
Vira,  who  had  come  (thither)  took  his  place  on  the 
frontal  globes  of  the  elephant. 

There  (in  honor  of)  Buddha's  arrival  at  Pachchanta, 
the  elephant  roared,  the  earth  quaked,  like  a  stroked 
basin,  and  chanks  and  musical  instruments  were  played. 
Immense  was  the  noise  of  drums;  and  the  king,  at- 
tended by  his  retinue,  made  offerings  unto  the  great 
being. 

The  royal  elephant,  which  had  its  face  towards  the 
west,  went  away  from  amongst  (other)  elephants,  and 
entered  the  city  through  the  eastern  gate;  when  both 
men  and  women  made  offerings  (unto  the  relic)  with 
all  kinds  of  scents  and  flowers. 


•  Kattika,  'Oct.— Nov.' 


164  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

The  elephant^  when  proceeding  through  the  southern 
gate,  (halted)  in  the  ancient  capital,  the  region  conse- 
crated  by    Kakusandha,    Kondgamana,   and  Kassapa 

*  *  *  *  #*»■# 

Buddhas;  where  the  king  enshrined  the  relics  of 
Saky  aputta ;  and  at  this  event  the  gods  rejoiced,  and  the 
earth  quaked  miraculously  and  frightfully. 

The  Samanera,  called  Sumana,  with  his  brother 
(or  cousin,)  having  consulted  the  Ministers  of  State, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  the  country,  constructed  bricks 
for  the  thupa.' 

Analysis  continued :  Kakusandha  Buddha's  visit 
to  Lanka— his  missionary  operations — Konagamana 
Buddha's  visit  to  Lanka — success  of  his  operations — 
Gotama's  mental  perception  of  Lanka — the  cause  of 
Sangamitta's  visit  to  Lanka-  preliminaries  connected 
with  her  visit—  permission  granted  to  her  by  Asoka. 

Bha'nava'ra  Fifteenth. 

Sangamitta's  departure  with  the  Bodhi  branch — 
Asoka  staying  behind — how  evil  spirits  surrounded  the 
Bodhi — offerings  thereto  by  gods  and  Nagd,s — Lankd's 
king's  offering  to  the  same — ordination  of  Anula. 

Bha'nava'ra  Sixteenth. 

The  size  of  Lanka  (repetitions)  names  of  Lanka — 
and  of  Anuradhapura — the  relics  of  former  Buddhas 
deposited  in  Lanka — the  names  of  mountains  in  afore- 
times — Konagamana's  relics  deposited  in  Lanka — 
the  name  given  at  that  period  to  the  spot  on  which  tho 


165 

Bodlii  now  stands — Kakusandha  Buddha's  visit  to, 
and  stay  in,  Lanka — his  aspirations  whilst  in  Lanka — 
the  prayers  of  the  people  of  Lanka — Kakusandha's  visit 
to  Mahatittha  Park— his  acceptance  of  the  Park — the 
planting  of  his  memorial  tree  in  Lanka — the  offerings 
to  the  same  by  devas — (repetitions)  the  planting  of 
Gotama's  Bodhi  in  Maha  Meghavana — the  computa- 
tion of  time  from  the  death  of  Gotama  to  the  reign  of 
Devananpiyatissa — the  exchange  of  presents  between 
that  sovereign  and  Dammasoka — the  second  inaugura- 
tion of  Devananpiyatissa — the  erection  of  a  chetiya 
by  him — reign  of  Uttiya — the  cremation  of  Mahinda 
—the  designation  given  to  the  place. 

Bha'nava'ra  Seventeenth. 

Lanka  abounded  with  good  and  great — theri-param- 
para  or  the  succession  of  preceptresses, — which  is  thus 
translated  by  Turnour. 

"  She  who  was  renowned  under  the  appellation  of  Pajapati, 
and  was  of  the  Gotamo  family,  endowed  with  six  abiiina  and 
with  supernatural  gifts,  the  younger  sister,  born  of  the  same 
mother,  of  Mahamaya  (the  mother  of  Buddo)  :  and  who,  with 
the  same  affection  as  Maya  herself  nourished  Bhagawa  at 
her  breast,  was  established  in  the  highest  office  (among 
priestesses.) 

"  The  following  are  the  priestesses  who  (in  succession) 
acquired  a  perfect  knowledge  of  the  wineyo,  viz.  :  Khema 
TJppalawanna,  two  of  each  name,  and  Pataachari,  Dhamma- 
dinna,  Sobhita,  Isidasika,  Wisakha,  Asoka,  Sapala,  Sangha- 
dasi,  gifted  with  wisdom,  Nanda  and  Dhammapala,  celebrated 
for  her  knowledge  of  Wineyo. 


1G6  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

"The  theri  Sanghamitta,  Uttara,  who  was  gifted  with 
wisdom,  Hemapasa,  Dassala,  Aggamitta,  Dasika,  Pheggu- 
pabbatla,  Matta,  Salala,  Dhammadasija — these  juvenile 
priestesses  came  hither  from  Jambudipo,  and  propounded  the 
Winayapitako  in  the  capital  designated  Anuradhapura — they 
propounded  not  only  the  five  divisions  of  the  Wineyo,  but 
also  the  seven  Pakaranani. 

"The  females  who  were  ordained  upasampada  by  them 
in  this  island  were  Soma,  devoted  to  dhammo,  Goridipi, 
Dhammadasiyl,  Dhammapala  versed  in  the  wineyo,  Mahila 
conversant  in  the  dhutawada,  Sobhana,  DhammatB,  Passa- 
nagamissa,  also  versed  in  the  wineyo,  and  Satakali  profound 
in  the  theri  controversy,  and  Uttara. 

"  Under  the  instructions  of  Abhayo*  celebrated  for  his 
illustrious  descent,  the  aforesaid  priestesses  as  well  as 
Sumanaf  renowned  for  the  doctrinal  knowledge  among  her 
sisterhood,  a  maintainer  of  the  Dhutanga,  a  vanquisher  of 
the  passions,  of  great  purity  of  mind,  devoted  to  dhammo 
and  wineyo,  and  Uttara  endowed  with  wisdom,  together 
with  their  thirty  thousand  priestesses,  were  the  first  priest- 
esses who  propounded  at  Anuradhapura,  the  wineyo,  the  five 
Nik  aye  (of  the  Suttapitako)  and  the  Suttapakarane  of  the 
Abhidhammo. 

"Mahala  equally  illustrious  for  her  knowledge  of  the 
dhammo  and  for  her  piety,  was  the  daughter  of  the  monarch 
Kakawanno.  Girikali,  profoundly  versed  by  rote,  was  the 
daughter  of  his  Poorohito  (the  almoner  of  Kakawanno)  ; 
Kaladasi  and  Ssbbapapika  were  the  daughters  of  Gutto. 
These  priestesses,  who  always  maintained  the  orthodox  texts, 

♦  "Abba JO,  the  brother  of  Dewananpiyatisso."^ 
f  "  Yide  Index  of  the  Mahawanso  for  this  name.'* 


1G7 

and  of  perfect  purity  of  mind,  were  versed  in  the  dhammo 
and  wineyo,  and  having  returned  from  the  Rohana  division 
maintained  by  the  illustrious  ruler  of  men  Abhayo*,  pro- 
pounded the  Wineyo,  at  Anuradhapura." 

[Analysis  continued]  the  reign  of  King  Siva — reign 
of  Suratissa  and  Elara. 


Bha'nava'ra  Eighteenth. 

Reign  of  Dutthagamani — the  building  of  a  large 
Pklace — the  arrival  of  priests  from  Asia — the  erection 
of  preaching  halls — death  of  Dutthagaraani. 

Bha'nava'ra  Nineteenth 

Treats  of  the  religious  acts  of  Saddhatissa — that  he 
placed  a  glass  pinnacle  on  the  Thupaf — the  reigns  of 
Thulathana  and  Lajjitissa — the  reigns  of  Khallata 
and  Kamraaharattaka — the  reigns  of  Wattagamani 
and  a  Damila  king — Wattagamani  (continued). 
Reduction  of  Buddha's  discourses  to  writing; J — the 
reign  of  Mahachuli  Maha  Tissa— reign  of  Chora  Naga 
—  [Chula]  Tissa — Anula — Siva  Watuka — Katthahara 
— Tilaya  Damila — Kutikanna-Tissa — the  acts  of  the 
last  named. 


•  "  Vide  Index  for  Gamini  Abhayo,  the  name  of  DutthBgamani 
before  he  recovered  the  kingdom." 

t  For  the  original  see  my  Attanagaluvansa,  p,  xxvi. 
X  See  extract,  ante  p.  121. 


168  DESCRirTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Bha'nava'ra  Twentieth. 

Abhaya  the  son  of  Kutikanna — tlie  desire  of  the 
king  to  see  the  interior  of  the  thupa — the  desire 
realized  by  the  help  of  Indra — the  light  offering  by  the 
king— the  offerings  to  the  chetiya — the  flower  offerings 
by  the  king — donations — the  erection  of  a  building  for 
the  observance  of  the  Sabbath — King  Naga — A'matta- 
gamani  —  Tissa  —  Chulabhaya  —  Si vali  —  Ilandga  and 
Siva  —  Yasa— Ldia  Tissa,  and  Subha. 

Bha'nava'ra  Twenty-first 

Contains  an  account  of  King  Vasabha — his  acts — • 
construction  of  subterranean  aqueducts  for  irrigation — 
King  Tissa — Gajabahu — Gamani  and  Mahalla  Naga — 
A'yutissa — the  opening  of  the  Ramani  Tank — Bhatika- 
tissa — the  acts  of  Tissa — King  A^ankanasika — the 
history  of  Vankanasika,  Tissa,  Gajabahu,  &c. — Khujja- 
naga — Kunjanaga,  Sirinaga — King  Abhaya — his  acts 
— King  Sirinaga — Wijaya — Sanghatissa — Sanghabodhi 
— Abhaya — Meghavanna — the  acts  of  the  two  last — 
Jettha  Tissa,  his  acts — King  Mahasena,  his  acts. 

The  conclusion  of  Di'pawansa. 


Anuruddha  S'ataka. 

This  is  one  of  the  few  Sanskrit  works  now  extant 
in  Ceylon.  It  contains  an  account  of  Gotama  Buddha. 
The  three  first  verses  are  devoted  to  the  usual  adoration ; 


169 

the  next  seven  to  a  brief  history  of  Gotama's  twenty- 
four  predecessors,  from  whom  he  had  received  the 
sanction  of  becoming  Buddha;  and  the  next  nine  to 
an  explanation  of  the  ten  Paramitas.*  The  2  let  and 
22nd  stanzas  relate  his  birth  in  the  heaven  named  Tusita, 
and  his  final  nativity  at  Kapilavastu  in  this  world, 
and  the  attainment  of  Buddhahood;  the  23rd  gives 
the  allegory  of  his  contest  with  Mara;  the  24th  alludes 
to  his  first  sermon;  25  to  61  delineate  his  personal 
accomplishments  from  head  to  foot ;  62  to  7 1  narrate  his 
virtues,  [including  Vidya  and  charanaf];  and  72  to  90 
describe  his  miraculous  powers.  Five  following  stanzas 
embody  the  narratives  of  several  of  his  incarnations. 
The  96th  contains  a  rebuke  to  those  who  do  not 
embrace  Buddhism.  The  next  three  express  the 
writer's  own  devotion  to  Buddhism,  followed  by  three 
others,  embodying  some  observations  of  the  author 
with  reference  to  his  work.  The  whole  book  concludes 
with  a  stanza  containing  the  aspirations  of  the  writer; 
but,  since  there  is  no  translation  of  it  into  Sinhalese, 
it  is  supposed  that  the  same  was  introduced  by  the 
Translator. 

The  language  of  the  original  is  elegant,  though 
there  are  a  few  grammatical  inaccuracies  which  have 
been  noticed  by  my  pandit.  He  points  out  in  the 
Preface,  which  he  has  given  to  the  work  in  publishing 


*  See  Attanagaluwansa,  note  (4)  at  p.  64. 
t  For  an  explanation,  see  Introduction  to  Kachchajana's  P41i 
Grammar,  p.  xxxiv. 

Z 


170  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

it  with  the  Sinhalese  paraphrase/  that  '^bhindante 
s'abare"  in  the  13th  stanza  should  be  "  bhindati  s'abare ;" 
and  that  the  insertion  of  r  in  "saranirivarupeta"  is  not 
sanctioned  by  Sanskrit  Grammar. 

The  work  is  composed  in  several  metres.  Thirty- 
two  stanzas  are  in  the  S'ardulavikkridita  metre;  five  in 
the  Mandakranta ;  eighteen  in  the  Malini ;  ten  in 
the  Sragdhard;  thirty-two  in  the  Vasantatilaka;  one  in 
the  Vans' astha;  and  two  (including  the  Translator's)  in 
the  Upajati. 

We  have  again  to  record  the  omission  of  the  date 
of  the  work,  though  we  are  told  that  the  name  of  the 
author  was  Anuruddha,  a  Buddhist  priest,  after  whom 
the  work  is  named. 

It  is,  however,  stated  in  the  Saddhamma  Saiigaha 
that  this  S'ataka,  as  well  as  Abhidhammattha  Sangaha, 
was  composed  by  one  and  the  same  Anuruddha.  Now, 
there  is  a  Sanna  to  the  last  work  by  a  very  learned 
Priest  named  Sdriputta,t  in  the  reign  of  Parakkrama- 
bahu  of  Polonnaruwa  1153—1186  a.d.  The  text 
must  therefore  be  placed  before  the  last  date,  and  we 
cannot  ascertain  exactly  how  much  earlier.  Yet,  since 
according  to  the  Mahawansa,  the  very  Uttaramula 
fraternity,  to  which  the  writer  under  review  belonged, 
came  to  existence  about  the  period  when  the  seat  of 


*  See  this  Edition  1866,  octo.  pp.  41. 

t  Fie  was  also  the  author  of  Saratthadipani,  a  Tik4  to  the 
Vinaya,  Anguttara  Tika,  a  Commentary  on  the  Grammar  of 
Chandragomi,  P^li  Muttaka  Yinaya  Vinichchhaya,  etc. 


171 

government  was  finally  removed  from  Anur^dhapura 
(1023  A.D.)  to  Polonnaruvva,  we  may  place  the  work 
before  us  between  1023 — 1186  a.d. 

It  only  remains  to  give  a  specimen  of  this  work, 
and  we  quote  stanzas  1  and  96. 

1. 

Lakshmi   sanvadanan  liimans'u  vadauan 

dharm  amritasyandanan 

Maudralapakalan  gunai'ravi  kalau 

papadvipe  pakalan, 

Satvanan  nayanoddhavan  matidhavan 

maitrilata  madhavain 

Kaly anapaghanau  rnj  ohatighanan 

bhaktya   name  s'righanan. 

96. 

Yah  s^rotra  bharanan  karoti  na  munch 

saddharma  vani  raanin 

Yasya'sit  saphalan  na  lochanayugan 

saundarya  sandars'anaih 

No'pas'lokayate  yadiyarasana 

chitran  charitra  mritan 

Na  s'rotran  nacha  lochanan  na  rasana 

tasya'nginah  sadhavah. 

'  I  devoutly  bow  unto  Buddha,  the  source  of  the 
arabrosia-of-dharma,  the  consort  of  wisdom;  who 
'  exhibits  beauty,  has  a  moon-like  visage,  and  a  good 
deep-intoned  speech  ;  who  is  full  of  goodness,  and  pos- 
sesses a  handsome  body;  and  who  is  like  fever  to  the 
elephant-of-sin,  a  feast  to  the  eyes  of  mankind,  the 


172  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

(season  of)  spriDg  to  the  creeper-of-mercy,  and  the 
very  rain  to  the  dust-of-sin.'* 

*0  wise!  He  has  no  ear  who  does  not  make  an 
ear-ornament  of  the  gem-of-Buddha's  (Saddharma) 
doctrines.  He  has  no  sight,  whose  pair  of  eyes  does 
not  become  fruitful  by  the  look  of  the  sage's  beauty. 
He  has  no  tongue,  who  does  not  praise  the  nectar-of- 
his-marvellous  conduct.' 

As  we  have  already  noticed,  there  is  a 

SllVHALESE    SaNNA 

to  this  S'ataka'.  It  is  used,  together  with  the  Text, 
as  a  school-book  for  the  instruction  of  the  young  in 
the  Buddhist  monasteries.!  The  Translator  has  neither 
given  his  name  nor  the  date  of  his  gloss.  It  is  sufficient 
to  give,  as  a  specimen,  the  translation  of  line  first  in 

Verse  First. 

Laks'mi,  s'rikantavage  akarslianayata  ;  sanvadauan,  mani- 
mantradiyak  venivu ;  himans'u,  chaiidraya  ha  samaiia ; 
vadanan,  mukha  eti ;  dharma,  saddharma  neimiti  ;  amrita 
syandanan,  amavehennavu,  etc.,  etc. 


Bauddha  S'ataka 

is  the  common  name  by  which  the  Bhaktis'ataka  is 
generally  known  amongst  us.  It  is  in  Sanskrit  verse, 
and  was  composed  by  a  Brahman  of  Calcutta  converted 

*  Rajo  means  both   'dust'   and    'sin;'  and  it  is  used   in   the 
latter  sense. 

f  See  Sidatsangara,  p.  224. 


BAUDDIIA   s'aTAKA.  173 

to  Buddhism  in  Ceylon.  He  was  named  Mukunda, 
alias  Chandra  Bharati.  He  presented  a  copy  of  hid 
work  to  the  king,  Parakkrama  Bahu  VI.  of  Cotta, 
who  rewarded  him  with  the  honorary  title  of  Bauddha- 
gama  Chakravarti. 

This  work  contains  1 12  s'lokas,  of  which  five  have 
been  added  by  a  subsequent  writer.  The  entire  book 
is  devoted  to  the  'Praise  of  Buddha,'  and  is  written  in 
several  metres.  There  are  eleven  s'lokas  in  the 
S^ardula-vikridita,  twelve  in  the  Sragdhara;  nine  in 
the  S^ikharini;  four  in  the  Malini;  fifty-nine  in  the 
Pushpitagra;  four  in  the  Yasantatilaka ;  one  in  the 
Dritavilambita;  two  in  the  Bhujangaprayata;  two  in 
the  Prithvi ;  two  in  the  Eatoddhata ;  and  one  in  the 
Pathyavaktra. 

It  was  printed  and  published,  with  its  Paraphrase,  in 
1868  by  Frederick  Coorey.  We  select  as  a  specimen 
the  3rd  and  107th  s'lokas. 

BrahmaVidyabhibhuto  duradhigama  maha 

mayaya'lingito  savu 

Vishnu  ragati  rekan  nija  vapushi  dhrita 

Parvati  s'aiikarena 

Vita  vidyo  vimayo  jagati  sa  bhagavan 

vitarago  muniudrah 

Kas  sevyo  buddhi  madbhir  vadata  vadata  mc 

bhrataras  teshu  muktyai. 

107. 

Bhasvad  bhanukulambujanma  mihire 

raj  adhi  raj  es' vara 

S'ri  Lankadhipatau  Parakramabhuje 

iiitya  mahins'asati 


174  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Sad  Gaudali  kavibharatih  kshitisurah 
s'ri  Ram?chandras  sudis' 
S'rotruna'  makarot  sa  bhakti-s'atakan 
dharmartha  mokshappradam. 

'Brahma  is  overcome  by  ignorance;  the  well-known 
Vishnu  is  full  of  very  mysterious  deceptions ;  owing 
to  an  excess  of  lust  Parvati  is  borne  in  his  own  body 
by  Siva;  (but)  this  Bhagava^  the  chief  of  Munis  in  the 
world,  is  one  who  is  destitute  of  ignorance,  devoid  of 
deceptions,  and  free  from  lust.  My  brethren  !  say,  say, 
which  of  these  should  be  adored  by  the  wise  to  obtain 
Nirvana.' 

'During  the  equitable  reign  of  Parakramabdhu, 
king  of  Lanka,  supreme  to  all  emperors,  dazzling  (in 
splendour)  like  a  sun  on  the  lotus-of-his-surya  race, — 
Sri  Bama  Chandra,  a  wise  Brahman,  born  in  Gauda, 
a  very  Sarasvati  to  poets,  composed  this  Bhakti-s^ataka, 
which  is  productive  to  its  hearers,  merit,  wealth,  and 
Nirvana.' 

The  Si^^halese  Sanna, 

or  the  paraphrase  to  the  above,  was  by  Sumangala, 
a  priest  and  a  pupil  of  Totagamuve  Sri  Bahula,  who  was 
also  preceptor  to  Chandra.  We  select  the  following 
elegant  and  beautiful  Introduction  by  the  Sinhalese 
Translator :  — 

S^ri  maj  Jambudvipayehi  sakala  vidya  nidhanavti 
Gauda  des^ayen  s'ri  lanka-dvipayata  pemini  tarka  vya- 
karana  kavya  natakadi  samasta  s'astrayehi  nipuna 
Katydyana  gotra  sambhuta  s'ri  Rama  Chandra bbarati 
nam  Brdhmana  pandito'ttama  kenek,  s'ri  Sanghabodhi 


VRiTTA  malAkhyA.  175 

S'ri  Wijayabuhu  parivenadhipati  tripitakavagis'- 
vara'charya  s^ri  Rahulasthavirapadayanvahansekeren, 
tripitaka  dliarmaya  asa  igena  ratnatthaya  s'arana 
parayanawa  s'^asanabhi  prasanna  chitta  etiva  parama 
vis'uddha  s^rardhatis'aya  bhaktiyen  Bhakti-s^ataka 
namvu  buddhastotraprakaranayak  karannahu — *Jna- 
nan  yasya  samasta  vastu  vishayan' — yanadin  s'lokayan 
rachaniikalo. 

'S^ri  Rd-macliandrabharati.  an  illustrious  Brahman, 
born  of  the  family  of  Katyayana,  learned  in  all  the 
rich  sciences  of  Logic,  Grammar,  Poetry,  Music,  &c., 
having  arrived  in  the  beautiful  Island  of  Lanka, 
from  the  treasury  (seat)  of  all  sciences,  Gauda  in  the 
prosperous  Jambudvipa,  and  having  inquired  and 
learnt  the  Tripitaka  doctrines  from  the  reverend  and 
venerable  S'ri  Rahulasthavira — supreme  master  of 
the  Tripitaka  doctrines,  and  Principal  of  the  Temple 
S^ri  Sanghabodhi  S^ri  Wijayabahu— and  being  (also) 
greatly  pleased  in  mind  (delighted)  with  the  religion 
(or  the  doctrines) — hath,  with  supreme,  sincere,  and 
greatly  devout  faith,  paraphrased,  "Yfianan  yasya 
samasta  vastu  vishayan,"  and  other  stanzas  of  the  book 
composed  by  himself,  in  praise  of  Buddha,  and  called 
Bhaktis^ataka—  a  hundred  of  faith.'* 


Vkitta  Ma'la'khya' 
was  also  written  by   Chandra  Bharati.     It  is  a  work 
taught  to  advanced  students  in  the  Buddhist  monasteries 


*  The  printed  Edition  contains  42  octavo  pages. 


176  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

of  Ceylon.  The  writer  devotes  the  entire  work, 
consisting  of  52  stanzas,  to  the  elucidation  of  Sanskrit 
metres  by  examples.  Four  stanzas  embody  an  in- 
vocation to  Buddha,  and  a  few  introductory  remarks 
have  reference  to  Ceylon,  and  the  reigning  Prince 
Parakkrama.  The  5th  to  the  1 8th  stanza  contain  parti- 
culars regarding  the  minister  Wikrama  Sinha-deva  of 
Umagamuva,  the  father  of  a  celebrated  priest  named 
Rammungoda.  The  18th  to  the  23rd  give  particulars 
regarding  A'bharanavati,  the  consort  of  Wikrama 
Sinha-deva.  From  thence  to  the  51st  stanza  the 
writer  gives  the  life  of  Rammungoda,  the  incumbent 
of  the  Galapata  Temple  at  Bentota.  The  52nd  alludes 
to  a  brother  of  Rammungoda,  who  was  named  Mangala, 
and  held  the  office  of  Sanga-raja. 

The  metres  in  this  work  may  be  thus  tabularized: — 


Stanza  1. 

is  in  the  Pathy'arya. 

2. 

A'rya-giti. 

3. 

Vaitaliya. 

4. 

Dakshinantika. 

5.. 

.29. 

Pathya  vaktra. 

30. 

Pramanika. 

31. 

BhujaAga  s'is'u  bhrita. 

32. 

Megha-vitana. 

33. 

Indra-vajrd. 

34. 

Upendra  vajrd. 

35. 

Upajati. 

36. 

Indravans'a. 

37. 

Manjarikavali. 

38. 

Vasantatilaka. 

39. 

Malini. 

viuTTA  ratnIkara  panchikA.  177 

40.  ...  Ykmni. 

41.  ...  Prithvi. 

42.  ...  Hara-iiartaka. 

43.  ...  S'llrdula  vikridita. 

44.  ..  Mattebha  vikridita. 

45.  . . .  Sragdhara. 

46.  ...  Prabhadraka. 

47.  ...  As'valalita. 

48.  ...  Tanvi. 

49.  ...  Kraunchapada. 

50.  ...  Bhujai'iga-Vijrimbhita. 

51.  ...  Chandavrishti-prapata^ 

52.  ...  Arna. 

The  foUowiog  we  select  for  a  specimen :  — 
2. 
Kavayas  santi  jagatyam 
bahavah  kavayastu  nama  te  taih  kim  me 
Ye  guna-dos'a  vidhijiia 
viralas  te  sadhavastu  sarasah  prayah. 
'There    are   many  poets   in    the    world — they    are 
(indeed)  called  poets!  what  care  T  of  them?  Those 
who  know  to  discriminate  between  merits  and  defects 
(of  poetry)   are  (alone)  the  real  (poets)  who  know  the 
niceties  of  poetry:  and  they  are  very  rare.' 

This  work  with  its  Sinhalese  translation  (whose 
author  is  unknown)  has  been  printed  and  published  by 
Pandit  Batuvantudave,  and  contains  27  octavo  pages. 


Vritta-ratnIkara-panchikI 
is  another  work  by  the  same  writer,  undertaken  and 
completed  at  the  request  of  a   friend  named  Subrah- 

2  A 


178  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

manya.  It  is  a  commentary  on  the  well  known 
prosodial  work  called  Vritta  Ratnakara  by  Kedara- 
bhatta,  and  was  written  in  the  year  of  Buddha  1999,  or 
1456  A.D.  The  writer  seems  to  have  been  ignorant 
of  the  Gloss  by  Divakara.  We  subjoin  the  following 
comment  on  the  4th  and  5th  stanzas  of  the  Vritta 
Ratnakara.* 

Iha  vritta-ratnakarakkhye  s^astrc,  tat  chhandah 
kathyate  prakds'yate,  tat  iti  kim?  Yat  laukikam 
lokeviditara,  tat  chhandah  dvidha  proktam,  kena? 
matrd  varna  vibhedena,  nimeshonmeshdbhydm  an- 
yatarena  tulitah  kalo  matrd,  tasmin  kale  yo  varna 
uchchdriyate  sa  ekamatrah,  tatha  choktam. 

*  Eka  matro  bhaveddrasvo  dvimatro  dirgha  uchyate 
Trimattrastu  pluto  jneyo  vyanjanan  tvardha  matrakam.' 

Attra  varnd  akaradayah  tesham  varndndm,  matrabhe- 
dena  varna  bhedena  cha  dviprakaram  kathitam  it^ar- 
thah,  kaih  proktam  ?  A'chdryaih,  taih  kim  bhutaih  ? 
Pingaladibhih,  Piiigalo  nama  munis'chhandasam  ddi 
karta  ddi  s'abdo'tra  prakdravachanah,  Piiigalaevadir 
yesham  S^aitavandga  Vardhamdna  prabritindm — te 
Pingalddaj'ah,  iti  bahubrihih  taih.  2.  Pramiyate 
anene'tipramdnamasyachchhandasah  etasya  chhandas'- 
s'dstrasya  pramdna'mapi  parisphutam  pravyaktam 
yatha  sydd  vijneyam/kriy  a>vis'eshananam  karmatva'me- 


Pirigaladibhi'racharyair  yaduktan  laukikan  dvidha 
Matfci  varna  vibhedena  chhandas  tadiha  kathyate. 
Shadadhyaya  nibaddhasya  chhandaso'sya  parisphutam 
Pramdnam'api  vijueyan  shattrins'a  dadhikan  s'atan. 


RU'PA-SIDDHI.  179 

katvavam  napunsakatvanclie'ti  vacahnat  parisphuta- 
s'abdassya  karmatvadi  siddham,  asya  kim  vis'ishtasya  ? 
Shadadhyaya-nibaddhasya  addhyayo  granthandm  san- 
dhill shat  cha  te  addhydyasche'ti,  shadadyayah,  taih 
nibaddhasya  nis'cliitasya  kidris'am  pramanam  ?  S'atani, 
kim  bhutam  ?  Shattrins'a  dadhikam,  sat  cha  trinsach- 
cha,  shattrins'at :  athava,  shatbhi'radhika  triiis'at, 
shat  trins'at,  s'akaparthivaditvan  maddhyapada  lopi 
samasah  taya  shattrins'ata  adhikan  atiriktani.  Etena 
granthagauravabhirunam  bahmam  pravritti'ratra  gran- 
thakrita  dars'ita. 


Ru'pA-SlDDHI 

is  a  Pali  Grammar  on  the  model  of  Kachchayana. 
It  is  more  lengthy  and  abstruse  than  Biilavatara,  Its 
proper  designation  is  Pada-Rlipa-siddhi,  'Etymology 
of  parts  of  speech,'  That  it  is  an  ancient  work  may 
be  gathered  from  the  fact,  that  it  was  composed  at  a 
time  when  Buddhism  flourished  in  the  (Dakshina) 
Dekhan.  But  the  writer  is  not,  as  stated  by  Mr. 
Turnour,  Hhe  oldest  compiler  from  Kachchayana;' 
although  he  acknowledges  that  he  has  'consulted* 
Kachchayana-Yannanadi  in  his  opening  adoration. 
This  we  give  below,  with  a  translation: — 

Kachchayanancba'chariyan  namitv a 
niseaya  Kachchayana  Vannana'din 
Balappabodhattha'muj  ui'i  karissan 
vyattan  sukhandan  Pada-rupa-siddhin . 


ISO  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

'  Having  also  bowed  to  A'chariya  Kachchayana,  and 
having  also  consulted  the  Kachchayana  Vannana,  &c., 
I  shall  perspicuously  compose  Pada-Rupa-siddhi,  dis- 
tinctly divided  into  Khandas,  for  the  instruction  of  the 
young.' 

At  the  end  of  the  Rupa-siddhi  the  writer  gives  his 
name  in  the  following  stanza, 

Vikkhyatananda  tlieravhaya  vara  gurunan 

Tambapanniddhaj  anan 

Sisso  Dipankarakkbyo  Damilavasu  mati 

dipaladdhappakaso 

Baladiehchadi  vasadvitaya^madhivasan 

sasanan  jotayi  yo 

So'yam  Buddhappiyavho  yati  ima'mujukan 

Rupasiddhia  akasi. 

'This  perfect  Rtipa-siddhi  was  composed  by  the 
Priest,  who  received  the  appellation  of  Buddhappiya, 
(and)  was  named  Dipankara, — a  disciple  of  A'nanda, 
who  was  an  eminent  preceptor,  like  unto  a  standard 
(hoisted  up)  in  Tambapanni  (Ceylon),  was  renowned 
like  a  lamp  in  the  Damila  country  (Chola),  was  the 
resident  superior  (there)  of  two  (monastic)  establish- 
ments— the  Baladichcha,  etc,*  and  caused  the^'eligion 
of  Buddha  to  shine  forth.' 

The  tradition  in  the  country  is,  that  this  Buddhappiya 
was  a  native  of  Ceylon,  and  that  his  preceptor,  though 
the  head  of  certain  establishments  on  the   continent. 


*  The  other  fraternity  was,  according  to  the   commentator,   the 
Childum&nikkya. 


RU'PA-SIDDHI.  181 

was  nevertheless  a  teacher  renowned  in  Ceylon.  That 
Buddbist  priests  from  Chola  (Tanjore)  have  visited 
this  island,  and  have  rendered  much  service  to  the 
cause  of  the  established  religion  in  it,  we  learn  from 
the  Mahavansa.  For  instance,  it  is  expressly  stated  in 
that  history,  that  *' king  Parakrama  appointed,  as  (his) 
royal  preceptor,  a  very  humane  Maha-thera  of  the 
country  of  Chola,  accomplished  in  different  languages, 
logic,  and  religion ;  that,  having  continually  heard 
and  studied  under  him  all  the  Jatakas,  and  having 
(moreover)  committed  to  memory  their  significations, 
(he)  thence  gradually  translated  all  the  five  hundred 
and  fifty  Jatakas  from  the  Pali  into  the  Sinhalese 
language;  and  that  having  thoroughly  revised  them, 
after  reading  the  same  to  (an  assembly  of)  venerable 
priests,  who  w^ere  masters  of  the  Tepitaka,  he  caused 
them  to  be  written  and  published  throughout  Lanka."* 
We  need  not  therefore  hesitate  to  credit  the  tradition 
above  referred  to,  and  give  to  the  writer  under  review 
a  locus  in  this  island. 

Though  we  have  the  name^  we  have  nevertheless 
no  means  at  present  of  ascertaining  the  age  of  the 
writer. 

The  Rtipa-siddhi  is  devoted  to  seven  books,  follow^- 
ino"  the  order  of  the  subjects  treated  in  Kachchayana, 
and  including  the    Unadi  into  the  seventh   Chapter. 


♦  For  the   Pdli  text,  see  Journal  of  the  C.   B.  Royal  Asiatic 
Society  for  1867—70,  p.  26. 


182  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

The  sections,  however,  differ  from  those  given  by 
Kachchayana.  Of  them  we  give  the  following 
analysis: — 

The  work  is  divided  into  seven  chapters 

I. — Sandhi. — Combination. 

i.     Sanna — Signs  *  Orthoepy.' 
ii.     Sara-Sandhi — Combinations  of  vowels, 
iii.     Pakati — Normal  state  of  words  where  combina- 
tion is  not  desirable, 
iv.     Vyanj ana- Sandhi — Combination  of  consonants. 
V.     Niggahita— Combination  of  anusvara. 

IL — Na'ma — Declension  of  Nouns, 

i.  Masculine  gender, 

ii.  Feminine  gender  (and  its  formation), 

iii.  Neuter  gender, 

iv.  Pro-nominals  (and  numerals). 

V.  Personal  pronouns,  devoid  of  gender, 

vi.  Indeclinables  (Topachchaya'di). 

vii.  Inseparable  prepositions  and  particles. 

III. — Ka'raka — Syntax. 
IV.  — Sama'sa. 

i.     Avyayi-bhava. 
ii.     Kamma-dharaya. 
iii.     Digu. 
iv,     Tappurisa. 
V.     Bahubbihi. 
vi.     Dvanda. 


Compounds.   See  Wilson's 
S,  Gr.  p.  353,  et.  seq. 


v.— Tadhita — Nominal  Derivatives. 
VI. — A'kkhya'ta — Verbs. 
VII.— KiTAKA,  and  Unadi— Verbal  Derivatives  and  Unnadi. 


moggalAna  vyakarana.       183 

From  the  above  analysis  it  would  seem  that  the 
following  account  of  the  work,  given  by  the  author 
himself,  is  slightly  diiferent.     He  says:  — 

Tedha  sandhin  chatuddha  pada'mapi  chatudha  panchadha- 

namikancha 
Byasa   chhakkarakan  chhassamasana'mapi   chhabbhedato 

taddhitancha 
A'khyatam  atthadha  chhabbidha'mapi  kitakam  pachchayd- 

nan  pabheda 
Dipenti    Rupa-siddhi    chira'midha    janatabuddhivuddhin 

karotu.* 


MoggallIna  Yyakakana. 

This  Pali  Grammar  belongs  to  a  school  different 
from  that  of  Kachchayana.  The  Grammar  derives 
its  name  from  its  author,  who  was  named  Moggallana, 
a  priest  who  flourished  in  the  reign  of  Parakramabahu 
I.,  1153 — 1186  A.  D.,  and  lived  in  the  Thupdrama 
monastery  at  Anuradhapura.f  He  was  doubtless  a 
distinguished  scholar,  for  he  is  mentioned  in  high 
complimentary  terms,  not  only  by  Medhankara,  the 
author  of  the  Yiuayattha  Samuchchaya,  but  by  others, 
among  whom  we  notice  the  learned  author  of  the 
Panchikapadipa.  There  are  several  points  of  difference 
between  this  writer,  and  those  belonging  to  the  schools 
of  Kachchayana,  and  the  author  of  the  Saddaniti.     A 


*  The  copy  in  my  possession  contains  164  pages  of  one-and- 
half  feet  long,  with  8  lines  to  the  page. 

t  The  grammarian  is  different  from  the  author  of  the  Abhidhl- 
nappadipika,  who  lived  at  Jetavana  in  Polonnaruva. 


184  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

few  examples  may  suffice: — He  disputes  the  correctness 
of  the  Sutta,  Akkharapadayo  eka  chattalisau  ;  Kach. 
lib.  1.  sec.  1.  §  2.,  and  contends  that  the  Pali  alphabet 
contains  forty-three  letters  including  the  short  e  (ep&ilon) 
and  0  ( omicron).  With  reference  to  Kachchayana,  lib. 
2.,  and  the  Sutta — Tayon'eva  cha  sabbanamehi— *  The 
three  [substitutes,  aya,  a,  and  e  for  sa  (dat.  sing.)  sma 
(abl.  sing.),  and  smin  (loc.  sing.),  which  are  optionally 
used  after  nouns,  are  never  used  after  Pronouns;' 
Moggallana  denies  this,  and  states  that  those  substitu- 
tions do  take  place,  and  that  he  has  the  authority  of 
Nirutti,  and  of  the  language  of  Buddha,  which  he 
quotes  as  follows: — 1.  asma  loka  paramhd  cha  ubhaya 
dhansatena  ro ;  2.  tyah^n  mante  paratthaddho  ;  (?)  3. 
ydye'-VQ.  kho  pana'tthiiya  agachcheyyatho  tamev'atthan 
sadhukan  manasikareyyatho. 

Again,  where  Kachchayana,  in  accordance  with 
Sanskrit  Grammar,  lays  down — Yassava  datukamo 
rochate  dharayate  tarn  sampadanan — that  which  ex- 
presses a  wish  to  give,  that  which  pleases,  or  holds, 
takes  a  Dative  case — Moggallana  takes  exception  to  the 
Rule  and  states,  that  though  words  of  giving,  govern  a 
Dative;  and  though  the  forms  of  the  two  cases  are 
identical,  yet  w^ords  expressing  'pleasure'  and  'holding' 
govern  a  Genitive,  e.  g.,  ma  dyasmantanan'pi  sangha- 
bhedo  ruchchittha  ;  raniio  satan  dhareti ;  ranno 
chhattan  dhareti. 

This  work  contains  six  Chapters.  The  first  explains  his 
terminology,  and  treats  briefly  on  Sandhi  *  Combination,' 
the  second  on  Siyadi  *  Declension';  the  third  on  Samasa 


moggalIna  vyAkarana.       185 

•^  Compounds/  the  fourth  on  Nadi/  Nominal  derivatives,' 
the    fifth   on   Khadi,  *  Derivative  verbs,  and   Verbal 
derivatives,'  and  the  sixth  On  Tyddi  or  verbs.* 
As  a  specimen  we  present  the  following  : — 

Introduction. 
Siddha  'middha  gunam  sadhu,  namassitva  Tathugatam 
Sadhamma  Saiigham  bhasissan  Magadhan  Saddaiakkhanam, 
Conclusion. 

Yassa  ranno  pabhdvena  bhavitattasamakulam 
And  'kulan  duladdhihi  papa  bhikkhuhi  sabbaso. 
LaAkaya  munirajassa  sasanam  sadhu  santhitam 
Pimnachandasamayoga  varidhi'va  vivaddbate. 
Parakka.mabhuje  tasmin  saddhabuddbigunodite 
Manuvansaddhajakare  LaAkadipan  pasasati. 
Moggallanena  therena  dhimata  siicbivuttina 
Racbitan  yam  suviiineyya  'masandiddha  'mandkulanii 
Asesavisayavyapi  jinavyappathanissayam 
Sadda  sattba  'manayasa  sadhiyam  buddhi  vaddbanam* 
Tassa  vutti  samasena  vipulattbappakasini 
Rachitd  puna  ten'eva  sasanujjota  karina. 

1.  '  After  appropriately  bowing  unto  Buddha^ 
who  has  achieved  [bis  own]  status,  and  [also  aftet 
bowing  unto]  dhamma  and  sangha,  I  shall  declare  the 
Grammart  of  the  Magadhi. 

2.  *  When  the  monarch  Parakkama,  like  a  banner 
to   the  solar-race,  and  distinguished  for  the  virtues  of 

*  The  entire  work  contains  six  bhanav4ras,  and  is  written  on 
103  palm -leaf  pages  of  20  inches  in  length,  with  8  lines  to  a  page. 

f  Sadda  lakkhana  "  Forms  of  Words ; "  but  these  words  are 
used  to  denote — Verbal  science,  Grammar,  or  Philology. 

2  B 


186  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

faith  and  wisdom,  was  ruling  in  the  Lanka-dipa  ;  and 
(when)  by  his  prestige  the  church  of  the  king  of  Munis, 
which  is  well  established  in  Lanka,  and  which  is  entirely 
composed  of  those  who  have  achieved  dhyana,  etc.,* 
and  is  wholly  destitute  of  heretical  sinful  bhikkhus,  has 
shone  forth  like  the  ocean  by  the  contact  of  the  rays 
of  the  full-moon;  [this]  Sadda-Sattha  [work  on  verbal 
science],  which  is  understood  with  facility,  acquired 
without  labour,  and  calculated  to  promote  wisdom  ;  and 
which  is  free  from  (ambiguity)  doubt,  is  plain  and 
[pervades]  is  applicable  to  all  the  [grammatical]  studies, 
sanctioned  by  the  usage  of  Buddha's  language,  has  been 
'Composed  by  the  wise,  and  well-conducted  Moggallana 
thera.  Again,  its  Vutti,  explanatory  of  the  broad 
sense  [of  the  Suttani],  has  been  briefly  composed  by 
himself,  who  is  a  distinguished  member  of  the  church.' 


VUTTODAYA 

is,  so  far  as  we  have  yet  ascertained,  the  only  Pali 
work  now  extant,  on  Pali  Prosody.  It  is  partly  in 
verse,  and  partly  in  prose ;  and  the  first  and  last 
chapters  are  entirely  in  verse.  It  is  evidently  com- 
posed on  the  basis  of  previous  Sanskrit  works  on  the 
same  subject.  Its  terminology,  too,  is  entirely  that  of 
Sanskrit  writers.  Entire  passages  are  taken  from 
Pingala,  to  whom  the  Vuttodaya  also  refers  by  name. 


*  Or,  rather  uttari  manussa  dhamma  'super-human  power ^ 
see  Vicava  Pitaka,  lib.  4.  sec.  i. 


VUTTODYA.  187 

The  adaptation  of  the  Sanskrit  rules  into  the  Pdli  may- 
be exhibited,  thus ;  e.  g. 

San: — Vritta  Ratnakara, 
Na  ija  ma  ya  yayuteyam  Malini  bhogilokaih. 

Pali —  y  uttod  aya. 
Na  na  ma  ya  yayutdyam  Mdlini  bhogisihi. 
The  writer  himself  explains  the  plan  of  the  work  in  the 
introductory  part  of  his  first  chapter,  which  we  subjoin* 

Nam'atthn  janasantanatamasantana  bbedino 
Dhammnjjalantaruchino  munindodatarochino 
Piiigalachariyadihi  GhhandaByam'uditam  pura 
Suddhamagadhikanan  tan  na  sadheti  yathichchhitam^ 
Tato  Magadhabhasaya  mattavannavibhedanaa 
Lakkbalakkhana  samyuttan  pasannatthapadakkamam 
Idam  Yuttodayan  nama  lokiyachchhandanissitani 
A'rabhissa'mahan  dani  tesam  sukhavibuddhiya. 

'  Be  obeisance  to  the  moon-like  chief  of  Munis^ 
who  dazzles  in  the  luminous  rays  of  the  Dliarama,  and 
who  destroys  the  dense  darkness  in  the  mind  of  man^ 

*  The  works  on  Prosody,  composed  afore  by  Pingala 
A'chariya  and  others,are  not  such  as  to  afford  satisfaction 
to  those  who  study  the  pure  Magadhi.  Therefore,  for 
their  easy  comprehension,  do  I  now  commence,  in  the 
Magadhi  language,  this  which  is  named  Vuttodaya, 
applicable  to  popular  poetical  metres,  distinguished 
into  the  different  (metres  of  )  Matta  and  Vanna,  com- 
posed in  language,  pleasing,  and  (abounding)  in  sense, 
and  embodying  [at  once]*  both  rule  and  example. 

*  Vide  supra,  Rule  on  the  metre  Malim, 


188  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

The  entire  work  is  divided  into  six  chapters.  The 
first  treats  of  the  eight  prosodial  feet,  and  of  technical 
terms;  the  second  is  on  Matta  metre, or  poetry  measured 
by  the  number  of  syllabic  instants,  without  reference 
to  prosodial  feet ;  the  third  on  Sama-vutta,  or  poetry,  of 
which  every  line  is  alike;  the  fourth  and  fifth  on 
Addha-samavutta,  or  poetry,  where  every  half-gatha  is 
alike,  and  on  Visama  vutta,  or  poetry  where  the  four 
pada  of  a  gatha  are  not  equal ;  and  the  sixth  on  the 
chap-pachchaya,  *  six  kinds  of  knowledge,'  having 
reference  to  patthara,  0)  symbolical  'spreading  of  the 
rythm ;'  Nattha  (-■>  *  the  finding  out  of  a  forgotten 
metre;'  uddittha  ^^)  'ascertaining  the  number  of  the 
tune  of  a  given  piece  of  poetry ;'  lagakriya  <*) '  the 
finding  out  of  laghu  and  garu  syllabic  instants;' 
eankhanaC^)' enumeration  of  the  number  of  tunes.in  a 
class;'  and  addha-yoga,  (^)  *  the  measurement  of  the 
space  necessary  for  spreading  the  symbols  of  rythm.' 

The  writer  concludes  the  work  with  his  own  name,^ 
Sangharakkhita  Thera ;  but  the  date  is  not  given.* 


JInaki'harana 


is  a  very  ancient,  and  very  interesting  Sanskrit  poem^ 
A  Sinhalese  sanna,  or  literal  translation  of  it  alone 
has  yet  been  discovered.     It  is  however  possible  that 


*  Mr   Childers  has  given   a  more  lengthy  description  of  this 
vork  in  his  Khuddaka  Patha,  p.  22.  et  se(^. 


jInaki'harana.  189 

the  original  work  may  still  be  found  in  some  nook  of 
an  old  monastic  library. 

Like  all  Sinhalese  sannas  this  translation  quotes 
the  words  of  the  original  in  their  integrity,  and  it  is 
therefore  not  impossible  to  restore  the  words  into  their 
original  poetical  form ;  though,  we  confess,  the  MS. 
in  our  possession  requires  much  correction,  after 
comparison  with  other  copies,  which  we  hope  may 
yet  be  found.  But  its  restoration  into  metre  is 
undoubtedly  a  very  arduous  work.  Considering,  how- 
ever, that  this  poem,  according  to  the  opinion  of  the 
learned  in  Ceylon,  is  "  not  inferior  to  the  works  of 
Kalidasa,"  the  Indian  Shakspeare,  and  that  it  may 
be  ranked  amongst  the  "  Maha  Kavu"  or  "great 
poems,"  it  may  be  well  worth  the  trouble  of  some 
oriental  scholar  in  Europe  to  undertake  the  work  of 
restoration. 

The  original  work  was,  as  stated  in  the  Sanna, 
composed  by  Kumaradasa,  or  Kumara  Dhatu  sena,  one 
of  the  celebrated  Sinhalese  kings,  who  reigned  between 
613 — 522  A.D.  It  is  not  only  expressly  stated  in  the 
Sanna  that  he  was  the  author,  but  there  are  other 
authorities  who  ascribe  its  authorship  to  him.  The 
Perakumba  Sirita  thus  notices  both  author  and 
work : — 

*  King  Kumdradas,  who  on  the  very  same  day 
celebrated  a  three-fold  feast  in  honor  of  the  inaugura- 
tion of  the  Queen-Consort,  the  installation  into  office 
of  a  number  of  priests,  and  the  founding  of  18  temples 
and  18  tanks;  and  who  in  masterly  and  elegant  strains 


190  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

composed  Janakiharana  and  other  [mah&  kavu]  great 
poems,  offered  his  life  for  the  poet  Kalidasa.'* 

The  Mahavausa  thus  notices  the  acts  of  this  cele- 
brated Prince : — 

Tass'achchaye  Kumaradi  Dhatuseno'ti  vissuto^ 
Ahu  tassa  suto  raja  deva-rupo  raaha-balo 
Karitepituna'kasi  viliare  nava  kammakam 
Kaietva  dhamnia  Sangitm  parisodhesi  sasanam 
Sautappesi  maha  saiighan  pachcliayehi  chatuhi'pi 
Katva  puiinani'nekdui  navame  hayane'tiga. 

'  After  his  (Moggalana's)  demise,  his  son,  who  was; 
known  as  Kumara  Dhatusena,  (both)  mighty  and  god- 
like, became  king.  He  repaired  the  temple  whicb 
had  been  built  by  his  father,  held  a  convocation  of 
[Dhararaa]  the  Bauddha  Scriptures,  and  purified  the 
religion.  He  pleased  the  priesthood  with  the  four 
pachchaya;  and,  having  done  many  meritorious  actions^ 
passed  away  in  the  ninth  year.' 

I  am  indebted  to  my  pandit  for  the  ten  following 
s'lokas  which  he  has  restored  to  the  original  rythm.. 
To  them  I  add  my  own  translation,  as  well  as  a  speci- 
men of  the  literal  translation,  or  the  sanna,  of  the  first 
verse  of  the  reclaimed  s'lokas. 


*  For  particulars  regarding  this  tradition  the  reader  is  referred 
to  the  Sidatsangara,  p.  cliii.  et  seq.,  where  too,  the  original  of  the 
above  firom  P§rakumb&  Sirita  is  given.  The  K&lidasa  here  men- 
tioned was  not  the  poet  of  that  name  known  as  the  "Indian 
Shakspeare." 


jInaki^harana.  191 

Chap.  IX. 

Iti  mese,  svkhena  suvayen,  pravritasya  pevettdvti, 
sutasya  piitrayahata,  keshuchit  mds'esu  gateshu  [satsu] 
kipa  masayak  giya  kalhi,  sa-hhupatih  e  Das'aratha  tema, 
itarat  sutdnantrayam  anik  putrayan  tundend,  vanitd- 
parigrahaih  a£ganavange  panigrahayen  samarpya 
yoda,  puram  purayata,  pratasthe  giye. 

1.  Iti  pravrittasya  sutasya  keshuchit 
Gateshu  maseshu  sukhena  bhtipatih 
Trayam  sutan^m'itarat  samarpya  sah 
Puram  pratasthe  vanitaparigrahaih. 

2.  Nitambabharena  cha  s'okasampada 
Bhuvahsuta  mautharavikramd  pituh 
Tatana  padav'udabindubhir  dris'or — 
Upetya  patya'bhimukhi  pravrittaye. 

3.  Gurustato'sau  gunapaksha  vartinim 
Matim  samalambya  gunaih  puraskritan 
Apatyakan  sddhu  giram  gariyasim 
Jagau  satina'muchitavratas'rayan. 

4.  Paran  prakarshd  vapushah  samunnatir 
Gunasya  tato  nripatirvayo  navam 

Iti  sma  ma  maninl  mana'magamah 
Patiprasadonnatayo  hi  yoshitah. 

5.  Striyo  na  pumsa'mudayasya  sadhanau 
Taeva  taddhamavibhutihetavah 
Tadidviyukto'pi  ghanah  prajrimbliate 
Vina  na  megham  vilasanti  vidyutah. 


192  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

6.  Giro'kritha  ma  purushartadipanir 
Gata'pi  bharttre  parikopa*mayatam 
Kulastriyo  bhartrijanasya  bliartsaue 
Vadanti  maunam  paramam  prasadhanara. 

7.  Pativrita  vasya'mavasya'maiigana 
Karoti  s'ilena  gupasprihampatim 
Vinashtacharitragun^  gunaishinah 
Parabhavara  bhartturupaiti  dustaram 

8.  Alan  tvayi  vyahritivistarena  me 
S'rutim  prayatan  charitan  tvadasrayam 
Na  dirayed  yaj  jarasai'va  jarjarain 
Sahasradhe'dan  hridayaii  kurushva  tat. 

9.  Ay  an  tvade'kapravano  manoratho 
Vritha'dya  daivadapinama  no  bliavet 
Iti  pravaktur  vachauani  manyuna 
Nigrihya  kanthe  jai'ato  nirasire 

10.     Udagrabhasah  s'ikhaya  s'ikhamaneh 
Sraja  cha  dhammilla  kirita  dashtaya 
Pramrijya  padau  Janakasya  jampati 
Ksbayad'ayatim'athalambhitas'ishau. 

1.  When  thus,  the  son  (Rama),  had  happily  passed 
several  months,  that  monarch  [Dasaratha]  started  for 
the  city,  having  concluded  marriages  for  his  remaining 
three  sons. 

2.  The  princess,  with  her  husband,  entering  upon 
her  journey,  and  slowly  moving,  owing  to  the  languor* 
of  her  limbs,  and  the  sorrow  (of  separation),  covered 
her  sire's  feet  with  the  tears  of  her  eyes. 

*  Lit.  'weight.' 


janaki'harana.  193 

3.  Then  tins  parent,  depending  on  his  notions  of 
social  wisdom,  gracefully  addressed  his  virtuous 
daughter  in  language  powerful,  and  indicative  of 
courses  of  chastity,  (thus):  — 

4.  Honorable  woman !  do  not  be  arrogant  (thinking) 
of  the  high  accomplishments  of  thy  person,  thy  tran- 
scendent virtues,  and  that  thy  father  is  king,  and  that 
thou  art  youthful  in  age;  for,  women's  happiness  con- 
sists in  the  very  love  of  their  husbands. 

5.  Women  are  not  the  source  of  the  accomplishment 
of  their  husbands'  prosperity,  but  the  very  husbands 
are  the  cause  of  their  wives'  dignified  and  happy  status  : 
for,  a  rain-cloud,  even  in  the  absence  of  lightning, 
is  distinctly  visible;  but  shafts  of  lightning  never  shine 
■without  a  rain-cloud. 

6.  Though  thou  mayest  be  greatly  wroth  with  thy 
husband,  do  not  use  language  unbecoming  thy  sex* ; 
for,  ladies  say,  that  when  husbands  reprove  (their  wives) 
eilence  is  the  highest  means  of  pacification. 

7.  A  woman  devoted  to  her  husband,  by  her 
chastity,  verily  charmsf  a  good  husband:  a  woman  (on 
the  other  hand)  who  has  abandoned  a  virtuous  life, 
incurs  the  irredeemable  displeasure  of  a  virtue-loving 
husband. 

8.  It  is  unnecessary  that  I  should  enlarge  on  the 
topic  of  my  discourse  concerning  thee.  Do  thou 
pursue  that  conduct,  which,  when  it  reaches  this  old 

*  Lit.  *  masculine  language.' 

t  Vasyan  karoti — charms,  conciliates. 

2  c 


194  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

and   infirm   heart  (of  mine)    shall  not   rend  it  in   a 
thousand  ways. 

9.  Well  would  it  (indeed)  be,  if  this  one  urgent 
desire  of  (my)  heart  concerning  thee,  do  not  hence, 
fortunately,  prove  to  be  in  vain.  The  words  thus 
spoken  by  the  old  man,  died  away,  choked  in  the 
throat  by  sorrow. 

10.  Thereafter,  the  wedded  couple,  having  kissed 
(swept)  the  feet  of  Janaka  with  the  top  of  the  highly 
lustrous  gem-studded  chaplet  [of  the  one],  and  with 
the  garland-encircling  coronal  head-knot  [of  the 
other],  went  away,  blessed,  from  home. 

In  the  book*  which  we  have  discovered,  there  are 
only  fifteen  chapters ;  and  the  last  chapter  is  called  the 
twenty-fifth.  Poems  which  were  anciently  designated 
"maha  kavu,"  seldom  fell  short  of  twenty  or  twenty- 
five  chapters.  There  is  moreover  a  want  of  continuity 
in  the  narrative.  Each  chapter,  except  the  last  which 
is  very  short,  contains  on  an  average  eighty  s^lokas. 
The  first  chapter  treats  of  the  history  of  Dasaratha ; 
the  second,  of  the  visit  of  Indra,  and  other  gods,  to 
Vishnu  in  the  Nagaloka,  after  they  were  defeated  by 
Havana,  and  Vishnu's  promise  to  be  born  in  the 
human  world;  the  third  is  on  Ritu  Varnana ;  the  fourth, 
on  the  worship  of  Agni,  and  the  ,birth  of  Rama  in  the 
womb  of  Kausalya,  the  Queen  of  Dasaratha — his  educa- 
tion— his  departure  with  Lakshmana  on  the  application 

*  The  copy  in  our  possession  contains  101  palm-leaves,  of  18 
inches  in  length,  with  8  lines  to  the  page. 


janaki'harana.  19.5 

of  Vas'ishtha  to  fight  with  Rdkshasas,  etc. ;  the  fifth 
gives  a  description  of,  and  particuUirs  connected  with,  the 
jungle-residence  of  Vas^ishtha  ;  the  sixth  treats  of  the 
departure  of  Rama,  etc.,  to  Mithild,  where  a  marriage 
was  concluded  for  him  ;  the  arrival  there  of  Dasaratha 
etc. ;  the  seventh,  on  Rama's  marriage  with  Sitd,  the 
daughter  of  king  Janaka ;  the  eighth  treats  of  their 
honey-moon;  the  ninth,  the  departure  of  Dasaratha  and 
the  new-married  couple  to  Ayodhya — the  battles  fought 
during  their  journey,  etc.;  the  tenth  relates  the 
circumstances  attending  Rama's  expulsion  by  the  infirm 
Dasaratha,  owing  to  the  application  for  the  throne  by 
Kaikei  for  her  own  son,  the  invitation  by  Baratha  to 
Rama,  and  the  abduction  of  Sita  by  Ravana ;  the 
eleventh  contains  the  fight  between  Garuda  and  Ravana 
to  prevent  Sita  being  carried  away,  the  death  of 
Garuda,  the  flight  of  Ravana  with  Sita  to  Lanka,  and  the 
acts  of  Rama  in  connection  with  the  battle  of  Sugriva 
and  Vali;  the  twelfth  gives  a  description  of  Sarat 
Varnna  or  Autumn,  and  Sugriva's  visit  to  Rama;  the 
thirteenth  records  Rama's  lament  for  the  loss  of  Sita, 
gives  a  description  of  Varsha,  or  the  rainy  season, 
Sugriva's  attempt  at  consoling  Rama,  etc, ;  the  four- 
teenth mentions  the  construction  of  Adam's  bridge ;  and 
the  fifteenth  (which  is  called  the  twenty-fifth,  and 
which  is  evidently  deficient  in  matter)  gives  a  glowing 
picture  of  (the  blessings  «f)  Peace,  as  opposed  to  (the 
ravao-es  of)  War;  which  is  introduced  as  a  message 
sent  by  Rama  to  Ravand,. 


196  descriptive  catalogue. 

The  Kavitasekara 

is  one  of  several  valuable  Sinhalese  poetical  works  by 
a  priest  generally  known  as  Totagamuve  Sri  Rahula. 
He  is  said  to  have  been  the  grand-pupil  of  Uttra  niula. 
Beyond  this  nothing  is  known  of  either  his  parentage, 
or  early  history,  though  a  tradition  represents  him  as 
a  natural,  or  an  adopted  son  of  Pardkkrama  Eahu  VI. 
of  Cotta,  in  whose  reign  he  flourished,  and  that  he  com- 
menced to  write  poetry  from  his  early  youth.  There  is 
no  doubt  ^he  was  born  a  poet';  and  in  the  language  of 
poetry  it  may  be  said  of  him,  as  of  Pindar,  that,  'when 
he  lay  in  his  cradle' 

'The  bees  swarmed  about  his  mouth.' 
He  was  unquestionably 

*  The  bard  that  first  adorn'd  our  native  tongue.' 
There  are  few  authors  whose  works  are  regarded  by 
us  with  greater  veneration  than  those  of  the  Principal 
of  the  ancient  College  of  Wijebahu.     It  is  of  him  that 
the  poet  of  Mulgirigala  has  sung, 

"  In  Wijayabahu,  oh  bird  !  the  priest  supreme  behold, 
Whose  master-mind  the  Pitakas  Hke  golden  chains  enfold ; 
Whose  lyre  six  languages  adorns;  who  still  in  each  doth  sbine 
As  shone  in  perfect  beauty  Kanda  Kumara  divine, — 
His  presence  enter'd,  say,  thou  dost  a  treasured  letter  bear, 
Whose  words  the  weal  of  Indra-like  Prince  Sapumal  declare." 

w.  s. 

In  correctness  of  versification,  in  the  splendour  of 
his  diction,  and  in  the  originality  of  his  thoughts,  few 
Sinhalese  poets  have  excelled  him.     He  stands  foremast 


KAVIYASKKARA.  197 

amongst  all  our  poets,  as  one  who  revived  the  dying 
literature  of  the  land,  and  who  gave  a  new  tone  to 
Sinhalese  poetry,  which  was  fast  declining  in  the 
early  part  of  the  fifteenth  century.  His  writings 
present  correct  models  for  imitation.  When  the 
Grammar  of  the  Sii^halese  is  silent  on  any  point,  they 
frequently  furnish  us  with  the  rule.  When  philologers 
differ  as  to  the  force  or  meaning  of  a  Sinhalese  word, 
a  reference  to  his  works  often  enables  them  to  settle 
their  difficulties.  Where  versification  is  pronounced 
to  be  at  fault,  to  the  final  arbitration  of  his  poetry  do 
the  disputants  generally  refer  their  differences.  Where 
again,  students  are  in  search  of  an  elegant  trope, 
metaphor,  or  simile,  the  inexhaustible  treasures  of  the 
Kaviyasekara,  the  Paravi- Sandesa,  and  the  Selalihini 
Sandesa  supply  the  desired  examples.  There  is  indeed 
such  an  irresistible  fascination  in  his  language,  and 
such  a  magic  influence  does  his  poetry  exercise  on  the 
soul,  that  his  readers  cannot  fail  to  be  conscious  of 
what  Horace  says^ — 

'Meura  qui  pectus  inani'ter  angit, 

Irritat,  mulcet,  falsis  terroribus  implet 
Ut  magus.' 

Sri  Eiihula  of  Totagamuva  had  a  very  retentive 
memory,  and  could  repeat  a  considerable  number  of 
verses  after  hearing  or  reading  them  but  once.  He 
became  master  of  every  kind  of  learning  which  he  chose 
to  profess.  As  Johnson  said  of  Goldsmith,  he  never 
touched  a  subject  which  he  did  not  adorn.    He  possessed 


198  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

a  correct  acquaintance  with  several  oriental  languages 
besides  the  Sinhalese— a  fact  which  establishes  the 
truth  of  what  Sir  W.  Jones  says,  in  his  works,  vol.  ii. 
p.  317 — that  **a  sublime  poet  may  become  a  master  of 
any  kind  of  learning  which  he  chooses  to  profess,  since 
a  fine  imagination,  a  lively  wit,  an  easy  and  copious 
style,  cannot  possibly  obstruct  the  acquisition  of  any 
science  whatever,  but  must  necessarily  assist  him  in  his 
studies  and  shorten  his  labours."  Gifted  with  these 
faculties  Totagamuva  did  not  fail  to  establish  in  his 
own  times  that  literary  renown  for  which  his  memory 
has  been  since  distinguished.  The  foreign  languages, 
of  which  he  was  a  proficient,  are  enumerated  in  the 
paraphrase  to  his  Selalihini  Sandesa.  They  were  six  in 
number;  viz.  Sanskrit,  Magadhi  (or  Pali),  Apab- 
bransa,  Paisachi,  Saurasena,  and  Tamil.  He  was  thence 
called,  "  Shad-bhashaparameshwara."* 

Totagamuva  was  a  great  favourite  of  Parakkrama 
Bahu ;  and,  it  is  believed,  that,  as  he  was  fostered  in 
the  king's  household  previous  to  his  taking  holy  orders, 
so  he  continued  after  that  event  to  benefit  by  the  pa- 
tronage of  his  royal  master.  Nor  was  he  ungrateful  to 
his  benefactor.  Of  his  devotion  to  Parakkrama  and 
the  royal  family,  his  writings  contain  many  tokens. 
The  king  inspired  some  of  his  best  and  most  melodious 
strains.  He  save  to  him  the  most  invaluable  token  of 
his  regard,  the  use  of  his  pen;  and  dedicated  besides 
his  Kaviyasekara  (a  poetical  version,  in  885  stanzas,  of 

*  "Chief  [linguist],  accj^uainted  with  six  languages." 


iKAVIYASEKARA.  199 

one  of  the  incarnations  of  Buddha,  called  the  Senaka 
Jataka)  to  the  Princess-Royal,  Ulakuda  Dewi,  at  whose 
request  it  was  composed.  This  work — **  a  garland  of 
flowers  on  the  crown  of  poetry," — has  been  scarcely 
surpassed  by  any  other  in  respect  of  originality,  depth 
of  thought,  elegance,  and  correctness  of  expression. 
Like  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  "  it  stands  on  a  height  by 
itself."  And  of  its  author  it  might  well  be  said,  what 
a  critic  says  of  Milton — "  He  cannot  want  the  praise 
of  copiousness  and  vivacity.  He  was  master  of  his 
language  in  its  full  extent,  and  has  used  the  melodious 
words  wdth  such  diligence,  that  from  his  book  alone 
the  art  of  poetry  might  be  learned."  No  Sinhalese 
scholar  reads  it,  much  less  hears  its  name  pronounced, 
without  mingled  feelings  of  esteem  and  veneration. 
Its  style  is  elaborate  and  energetic ;  and  its  versifica- 
tion[|correct,  smooth,  and  elegant.  We  must  however 
state  it  as  our  opinion,  that  in  some  parts  it  is  inferior 
in  imagery  to  the  Kavu-Silumina. 

A  deficiency  of  the  Pali  and  Sanskrit  classics  may 
be  supplied  by  a  close  study  of  Kaviyasekara;  and,  if 
one  thoroughly  understands  that  work,  he  may  be  con- 
sidered as  being  possessed  of  a  pretty  good  acquaintance 
with  the   Sinhalese  languaore.     This  forms  the  last  of 

o  o  O 

the  last  series  of  books  in  a  course  of  reading  prescribed 
by  several  pandits  to  scholars  advanced  in  the  study 
of  the  Sinhalese. 

It  is  an  admitted  fact,  that  poets  of  all  countries  and 
at  all  times  have  been  vastly  vain  of  their  learning. 
Even  such  o^reat  characters  as   Sir  Walter  Scott  and 


200  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Milton,  are  by  no  means  free  from  unnecessary  osten- 
tation of  learning.  Addison  says  of  the  latter,  that 
"he  seems  ambitious  of  discovering,  by  his  excur- 
sions on  free-  will  and  predestination,  and  his  many- 
glances  upon  History,  Astronomy,  Geography,  and  the 
like,  as  well  as  by  the  terms  and  phrases  he  sometimes 
makes  use  of,  that  he  was  acquainted  with  the  whole 
circle  of  arts  and  sciences."  Indian  poets,  in  reference 
to  their  knowledge  of  the  Sanskrit,  to  which  is  ascribed 
a  divine  origin,  have  called  themselves  "gods  on  earth;" 
and  similarly  Totagamuva  compared  himself  to  Bra- 
haspati;*  and,  with  the  arrogance  of  an  Ovid  when  he 
said — 

'  Jamque  opus  exegi ;   quod  me  Jovis  ira,  me  ignis 
Nee  poterit  ferem,  nee  edax  reetustas ;' — 

and  with  the  self-complacency  of  a  host  of  Indian  and 
Sinhalese  writers,  he  speaks  of  himself  in  the  following 
strain:  — 

"  Attain'd  to  fullest  knowledge  of  every  science  known, 
In  every  holy  duty  to  pure  perfection  grown, 
Like  to  a  Brahaspati  am  I  upon  this  earth,  [worth." 

The  gem  borne  in  the  ehaplets  that  crown  the  wide  world's 

w.  s. 


*  Brahaspati — the  teacher  of  the  Hindu  gods — is  often  desig- 
nated by  a  term  supposed  to  be  its  equivalent,  Jupiter.  But  this 
we  believe  is  incorrect,  since  the  one  has  nothing  in  common 
with  the  other.  The  Grecian  Zeus  or  the  Roman  Jupiter  is  more 
like  Brahama  in  one  sense,  and  like  Indra  in  another.  He  is  the 
Sire  of  gods  and  men  ;  also  the  'Thunderer.' 


KAVIYASli:KARA.  201 

The  Kaviyasekara  is  ii  work  which  cost  the  poet  years 
of  great  labour,  although  judging  from  its  easy  and 
unlaboured  style  we  are  almost  led  to  disbelieve  the 
writer's  own  account  of  it,  viz.,  that  it  was  commenced 
A.B.  1958  or  A.D.  1415,  and  was  concluded  in  the  34th 
year  of  the  reign  of  Prakkrama  Bahu  VI.,  who 
ascended  the  throne  a.b.  1953  or  a.d.  1410.  We 
select  the  following  as  a  specimen  of  the  writer's 
language. 

1.  Piya  Bamunu  so(n)Java 
Neti  nena  kandulu  ra(n)dava 
Duva  langata  ke(ii)dava 
Mese  avavada  ki  so(n)dava. 

2.  Nokiya  siya  himita 
Netivada  uturusalupata 
Gaman  ikmankota 

Noyan  nuba  vasana  gen  pitatata. 


1.  "The  Brahman  her  good  father 

Then  said,  restrain'd  his  tears, 
Now  learn  "from  me,  lov'd  daughter, 
What  most  a  wife  endears. 

2.  Without  your  husband's  knowledge 

Leave  not  his  house,  your  home  ; 
Nor  vagrant  gadding,  venture 
Unshawl'd  abroad  to  roam. 


*  Lit. — 1.  'The  Brahman  (her)  good  father,  having  restrained 
the  tears  that  flowed  from  his  eyes,  called  his  daughter  near,  and 
advised  her  as  follows:  — 2.  Go  not  out  of  your  residence,  either 
without  informing  your  husband,  or  without  covering  yourself 

2  D 


202  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

3.  Mahaluvada  Sama-nana 
Era  noyeka  sesu  pirimina 
Samaga  sita  eka  tena 
Kata  nokarava  nura  tepulina. 

4.  Pekaniya  nodakTa 

Salu  e(n)da  bolata  dakva 

Nopava  tana  sakva 

Sina  nomasen  dasan  dakva. 

5.  Himi  n^  hatada  guru 
Pavatuva  lesin  mehekaiii 
Setirin  avedakaru 

Karava  yehelin  lesin  piyakaru. 


3.  Though  aged  be  your  consort, 

In  privacy  alone, 
With  other  males,  no  converse 
Hold  of  an  amorous  tone. 

4.  In  dress,  waist,  ancle,  ever 

And  bosom  fair,  conceal ; 

And  when  inclined  to  laughter 

Do  not  your  teeth  reveal. 

5.  Serve  readily  your  husband,  « 

His  parents,  kith  and  kin  ; 
The  women-folk,  when  spiteful. 
As  friends  most  cherish'd,  win . 


with  a  shawl,  or  in  haste  (i.e.  quickly  walking.) — 3.  Although  your 
consort  is  old,  stand  not  in  one  place,  and  hold  converse  of  love 
with  other  males,  who  are  many. — 4.  Dress  your  garment  above 
the  navel,  so  as  to  reach  the  ancle  bone,  and  without  exposing  the 
fair  bosom:  and  expose  not  your  teeth  in  laughing  (or  laugh 
not  so  as  to  expose  your  teeth.) — 5.  Be  like  a  servant  to  your 
husband,  his  relations,  and  parents ;  and  befriend  inimical  bad 


KAVIYASEKARA.  203 


6.  Eta  mehekaru  daua- 
Pavatu  duka  sepa  samana 
Sepata  eta  vi(ii)dina 

Garuva  madakut  noveva  nomank. 

7.  Abisaru  liya  tepala 

Sera  vesi  desi  nala(m)ba  kala 

Malkaru  ridi  kala 

Saba(u)da  nokarava  sitata  topakub 

8.  Iiiguru  duru  eyutu 
Malgomuha  vevii  vatu 
Gava  mi  tama  natu 

Dasun  pilivisa  balava  eti  tatu. 


6.  Your  servants  treat  with  kindness 

Alike  in  weal  or  woe  ; 
In  happiness  unduly 
No  proud  elation  shew. 

7.  Yet  race,  and  rank  and  station, 

Regard  with  honor  meet ; 
Disreputable  females, 

In  friendly  terms  ne'er  greet. 

8.  Your  gardens,  herds,  and  cattle, 

Your  herbs,  fruits,  flow'rs,  inspect  ; 
Inquiries  make,  and  careful 
All  negligence  correct. 


women,  as  your  intimate  female  associates. — 6.  If  you  have 
servants  treat  them  equally  in  prosperity  and  adversity ;  and  if 
yon  enjoy  happiness  be  not  at  all  elated. — 7.  If  you  love  your 
honor  (race),  be  not  friendly  with  loose,  dissolute  women,  or  with 
knavish,  whorish,  slavish,  nauchi,  flower,  or  dhoby  girls. — 8.  See 
(for  thy  self,)  after  inquiry  from  thy  servants,  the  actual  condition 
of  your  clean  cattle,  buflaloes,  the  planted  gardens,  containing 


204  DESCRIPTIVE   CATALOGUE. 

9.     Iru  gilena  da  vase 
Gahana  depodavase 
Sa(u)da  sikuru  davase 
Gomin  piribada  ganuva  nivese. 

10.  Niti  ge  dora  emada 

Keli  kasala  deka  noma  i(n)da 

Udesana  savasada 

Pahan  dalvava  vimaua  novarada. 

11.  Navaham  medindina 
Peminena  medi  pohodina 
Edavas  udesana 

Gedevi  puda  bat-pahan  suva(n)dina. 


9.     On  each  fresh  asterism, 

Eclipse,  new  moon  and  full, 
On  Mondays,  Fridays,  house-floors 
With  cleansing  cow  dung  cool. 

10.  No  dirt  about  your  dwelling 

Nor  filtli  endure  to  see  ; 
Each  morning  and  each  evening 
Let  lights  there  burning  be. 

11.  Each  full-moon  day  in  Navan* 

And  Medindina,j*  wake 
At  dawn,  gifts,  incense,  off'rings, 
Thy  household- gods  to  make. 

flower  bushes,  ginger,  cumin,  etc. — 9.  On  the  day  when  the 
sun  enters  a  new  asterism,  on  the  day  on  which  an  eclipse  takes 
place,  on  the  full  moon  and  new-moon  days,  on  Monday  and  on 
Friday,  daub  (the  floor  of)  thy  residence  with  cow-dung. — 
10.  Seeing  dirt  and  filth,  sufier  not  the  same  to  be;  but  constantly 
clean  your  house;  yea,  morning  and  evening  do  thou  without  fail 
burn  a  light. — 1 1 .  Early  on  the  mornings  of  the  full-moon  day  in 

*  Monih  answering  from  January  13th  to  February  11th. 
•j-  February  Uth  to  March  12th. 


kAviyas^kara.  205 


12.  Himi  gamanak  gosin 
Geta  a  kalata  satosin 
Noena  va  dasin 

Nijbama  payasodavan  vesesia. 

13.  Dorakada  rekasitum 
Ujan  vatuvala  evidum 
Mehevarata  melikam 
Nokara  me  ki  siyalu  notaram 

14.  Nokaratat  viyadam 
Karatat  ita  viyadam 
Kiyamin  eti  padam 

Rahasa  danvan  himita  karapem. 


12.  When  travel-worn  thy  husband 

Comes  home  with  wearied  feet  ; 
Thy  maidens  stay — to  wash  them 
Be  thine  the  office  meet. 

13.  Be  not  at  doors  a  watcher 

Nor  pleasure  grounds  frequent ; 
Nor  set  unto  the  household 
Example  indolent. 

14.  Extravagant  or  niggard 

If  such  thy  husband  prove. 
With  gentle  speech  in  private 
Seek  kindly  him  to  move. 


Navam  and  Medindina,  make  oblations  of  food,  light  and  scents  to 
the  household  gods. — 12.  When  thy  husband  has  returned  home 
after  a  journey,  order  not  thy  maidens,  but  do  thou  thyself  wash 
his  feet. — 13.  Be  not  guilty  of  watching  at  the  door,  of  walking 
in  pleasure  grounds;  and  be  not  lazy  to  (household)  work.  14. 
Whether  thy  husband  Spends  too  much,  or  does  not  spend  at  all, 
speak  to  him  kindly  and  privately,  informing  him  (of  the  fact;,  and 


206  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

15.  Geyi  eti  noyekabadu 
Dakimin  niti  nokara  adu 
Daruvan  hatada  vedu 
Noden  nokiya  yali  nodenapudu 

16.  Tama  himi  situ  lesa 
Dutuvot  venata  senehasa 
Nuvan  ka(n)dulen  misa 
Yalit  nokiyan  basin  pilivisa. 

1 7.  Himihata  ita  kemati 
Dena  batmalu  e  niti 
Pisa  kavamin  kemati 

Dakin  duk  sepa  mavaka  se  iti. 


1 5.  Thy  goods  preserve,  nor  'minish 

Witliout  thy  husband's  ken  ; 
Not  measureless  to  children 

Give,  e'en  though  they  be  men. 

16.  If  from  thee  to  another 

Thy  husband's  love  should  stray, 
In  bitter  haste  reproach  not, 
Tears  best  the  heart  then  sway. 

17.  The  food  he  most  delights  in. 

Which  chief  prefers,  provide  ; 
For  him  as  mother  caring, 

Though  good,  though  ill  betide. 


stating  the  actual  state  [of  funds]. — 15.  Preserve,  without  dimi- 
nution, the  various  things  in  the  house ;  and  give  not  even  to 
grown-up  children  without  informing  (of  it  to  thy  husband),  and 
without  measure. — IG.  If  thou  seest  thy  husband  form  an  attach- 
ment to  another,  speak  not  [to  him  on  the  subject],  except  after 
inquiry,  and  except  in  tears. — 17.  Feed'  thy  dear  husband  with 
the  rice  and  curry  which  he  ever  likes ;  and  thus  be  to  him  a  mother 


kAviyasi^kara.  207 


18.  Himi  vetata  yana  kala 
Abarana  suva(n)da  mauakala 
Patapiliyen  udula 

Y^nna  serasi  lesin  Siri  kala. 

19.  Peminenakala  yahana 
So(n)da  mudu  sihin  saluvena 
Giv  kan  abaranina 

Malin  suva(n)dm  sedeva  risivana. 

20.  Hevapasukota  emata 
Aluyama  palamunegisita 
Himi  pubudina  kalata 
La(ii}gama  sitineya  rekavalkota. 


18.  When  thou  to  him  approachest 

Bedeck  thyself  with  care. 
Clad  in  thy  silks,  and  perfumed 
Like  Laishmi,  goddess  fair. 

19.  So  when  his  bed  thou  seekest 

Soft  be  thy  garb  and  fine  ; 
Thy  neck  and  ears  be  jewell'd, 
Sweet  flowers  thy  locks  entwine. 

20.  To  rest,  to  sleep,  the  latest, 

Be  first  at  dawn  to  rise, 
That  when  thy  husband  wakens 
Thy  'tendance  he  may  prize. 


in  both  adversity  and  prosperity. — 18.  When  thou  approachest 
thy  husband,  go  delightfully  dressed  and  perfumed ;  and  decked 
in  silks,  like  Lakshmi. — 19.  When  thou  goest  to  bed,  be 
delightfully  attired  in  fine  soft  garments,  with  ear  and  neck  orna- 
ments, and  decked  in  flowers  and  perfumes. — 20.  Go  to  rest  after 
all  (others)  ;  be  first  to  rise  at  dawn ;  and  at  the  time  thy  husband 


208  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

2 1 .  Matut  dena  vanaveda 
Denagana  novi  adadada 
Nokota  senehasa  kada 
Yamak  nokaran  himin  atmeda. 

22.  Himi  uvada  urana 
Nokiya  tepul  daruua 
Vadava  sita  karuna 

Velit  nositava  detenasarana. 

23.  Piya  Bamunu  sakasa 
Ova  bas  di  melesa 
Si(m)ba  duvage  sirasa 
Yauta  ki  himisamaga  nolasa. 


21.  The  present  and  the  future 

Regarding,  let  thy  love 
Be  studious  thy  husband 
To  please  all  else  above. 

22.  If  anger'd,  him  provoke  not, 

Nor  for  fresh  marriage  sigh, 
But  ever  with  affection 
Strive  love  to  intensify. — 

23.  The  Brahman  his  sage  counsels 

Thus  giv'n,  with  yearning  heart 
His  daughter  kiss'd,  and  bade  her 
Thence  with  her  lord  depart." 

w.  s. 

■ — ■ 4 

awakes  be  thou  on  attendance  upon  him. — 21.  Having  regard  to 
the  present  and  future  happiness,  be  not  confused  (in  your  acts)  ; 
and,  not  wanting  in  thy  love  to  thy  husband,  do  nothing  that  is 
distasteful  to  him. — 22.  Even  if  thy  husband  be  angry,  do  not 
use  harsh  expressions,  but  rather  promote  feelings  of  affection ; 
and  think  not  of  a  second  marriage. — 23.  The  Brahman,  her  father, 
having  thus  advised,  and  having  kissed  his  daughter's  head,  desired 
her  to  depart  with  her  husband.' 


SELALIHINI    SANDiSA.  209 


.  The  Selalihini  Sandi^sa, 

'  The  Sela*-Messenger,'  is  another  of  Totagamuva's 
celebrated  works.  Well  indeed  may  it  be  compared 
to  the  Megha  Diita  of  Kalidasa.  The  writer's 
thoughts,  brilliant  and  original,  sparkle  as  we  go  along 
his  elegant  and  flowing  rhymes.  His  language  is  free 
and  fascinating;  his  illustrations  are  original  and  lively ; 
and  his  versification  unexceptionable. 

Totagamuva  undertook  this  work  with  grateful 
affection  for  the  king  and  his  country.  He  felt  inter- 
ested in  the  welfare  of  the  young  family  of  Parak- 
krama  Bahu,  and  sympathised  with  the  Princess 
Ulakuda,  who  pined  for  want  of  a  son  and  heir.  It  is 
a  Message  to  Vibishana,  the  presiding  deity  of  the 
Kelani  temple,  invoking  the  blessing  of  a  grandson  to 
the  king,  or  rather  a  son  to  the  princess. 

The  poem  consists  of  107  stanzas.  The  first  four 
(called  seheli)  are  introductory,  and   are  addressed  to 


*  "  The  Sarica  (Gracula  Religiosa)  is  a  small  bird  better  known 
by  the  name  of  Mina,  It  is  represented  as  a  female  ;  while  the 
Parrot  is  described  as  a  male  bird ;  and  as  these  two  have  in  all 
Hindu  tales  the  faculty  of  human  speech,  they  are  constantly 
introduced,  the  one  inveighing  against  the  faults  of  the  male  sex, 
and  the  other  exposing  the  defects  of  the  female." — Megha  Diita, 
pp.  92-93. 

2  E 


210  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

the  Messenger.     We  give  them  below  as  a  specimen.'' 

1 .  Serada  sulakala  kuru-miyuru  tepulen  ra(n)dan&, 
Raja  kula  rahase  metiniya-siyanehi  Selalihini  sa(n)da. 

2.  Pulmal  kesaru  men  ranwani  tela  sarana  yuga 
Sapu  mal  kenew  tuda  raada  ratini  manahara. 
Nilupul  delew  samawani  piya  piya  patara 
Malin  kala  ruvew  ebewin  nubin  ena  wara. 

Niluda  lada  Sida(m)buwo  digu  waraje  nilu 
Niludawata  bi(n)gu  peja  ada  ta(m)bara  nilu. 


1 .  "  Hail  Sarica,  high  gifted  !  endow'd  like  sages  wise         [advise ! 

Whose  bosoms  hold  state  secrets,  with  whom  crown'd  heads 
Thy  words,  in  tones  that  ravish,  sweet  music's  notes  excel : 
Amongst  thy  kin  beloved,  long,  long,  oh  may'st  thou  dwell ! 

2.  Fair  bird  !  whose  limbs,  gold- colour' d,  in  lustrous  tint  compare 
With  pollen  full-blown  flowers  in  beauteous  corols  beai-; 
Whose  glittering  beak  is  ruddy  as  champak  blossoms  red ; 
Whose  wings,  dark  blue  and  glossy,  like  upul  petals  spread; — 
When  like  a  flow'r-clad  fairy  thou  dartedst  through  the  sky, 
Did  not,  to  meet  thee,  swiftly,  the  youthful  Siddhas  fly, 

*  Zi/.— 1 .  O  Sarica !  in  wisdom  equal  to  that  of  ministers  of 
Princes— and  of  speech  sweet,  and  composed  of  excellent  notes, 
mayest  thou  in  the  company  of  thy  species  live  long  !  —2.  When 
thou,  whose  (two)  feet  are  of  golden  hue,  like  unto  the  pollen  of 
a  full-blown  blossom,  whose  partially  red  and  glisteuing  beak  is 
like  unto  a  cluster  of  chanipaka  flowers,  and  whose  black  and 
delightfully  wide-spread  wings  are  like  unto  the  leaves  of  the  blue 
lotus ; — (when  thou)  takest  thy  airy  flight  like  a  flowery  figure, 
have  not  youthful  goddesses  worn  thee  on  their  long  jet-black 
hair  ?  Have  not  swarms  of  bees,  which  make  the  lotuses  their 
habitation,  approached,  and  encircled  thee  ?     Have  not  the  god- 


SELALIHINI    SAND^SA.  211 

Wanadew  liyo  nokaloda  sawana  ambarana 
Eiia  maga  dukek  iiowida  saba(n)diai  kalana 
Senehasa  bendunu  tena  noharina  kare  diwuna 
Wena  sepa  kumata  topa  dakind  ema  pamana. 

3.     Lapa  noma  wan  sa(n)da  men  somi  guna  gihini 
Opa  wedi  gata  helmeli  siwmeli  pemini 
Sepa  siri  dena  weni  rasa  baseti  situmini 
Topa  dekumen  apa  pinkala  bawa  denuni. 


Place  thee  their  flowing  tresses,  their  jetty  locks  among, 
While  bees  from  lotus  dwellings  around  in  circles  hung  ? — 
Say,  has  no  forest  goddess  of  thee  an  ear-drop  made, — 
No  hindrances  or  mishaps  thee  on  thy  way  delay'd? — 
Ah,  happy  one !  whose  friendship,  tried  by  whatever  tests, 
Where  once  'tis  placed  is  rooted,  there  grows,  there  ever  rests, 
Let  those  who  hst,  enjoyments  in  other  pleasures  own, 
For  us,  blest  with  thy  presence,  no  greater  joy  is  known. 

3.     And  since  in  thee  dwell  virtues  as  with  the  moon  dwells  light, 
And  delicate  and  spotless  as  water-lily  white 
Appears  thy  graceful  body,  while  thy  sweet-sounding  voice 
Is  like  the  chintamani,  that  makes  the  heart  rejoice. 
That  brings  its  blest  possessor  each  long'd-for  boon  of  wealth 
Or  whatsoe'er  he  wishes  of  happiness  or  health : — 
A  consciousness  thou  bring'st  us,  in  former  births  our  life 
Was  one  of  merits  fruitful,  with  righteous  deeds  was  rife. 

desses  of  the  forest  made  thee  their  ear- ornaments  ?  Has  no 
(other)  ill  befallen  thee  in  thy  journey  ?  Happy  friend,  who 
possessest  inviolate  and  with  increasing  vigour,  any  attachment 
which  thou  mayest  form !  Wliat  is  bliss  save  that  which  is  known 
in  thy  presence ! — 3.  When  we  behold  thee,  who  art  equal  to  a 
spotless  moon,  full  of  (goodness)  brilliancy,  of  an  exceedingly 
smooth  body  like  a  delicate  white  lotus,  of  sweet  speech ;  and  like 
unto  a  situmini  gem,  which  produces  (bestows)  wished -for  health 


212  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

4.     Mituru  tumo  duk  sepa  dekehima  pewati 
Bitu  situyam  rti  men  pitu  nop^witi 
Yutu  matu  weda  matepala  eweni  guna  eti 
Situ  natukare  asa  yahaluvva  wadaua  ruti. 


4.     Like  pictures  on  walls  painted  so  fix'd  true  friends  remain  ; 
To  turn  their  backs  they  cannot,  nor  can  their  friendship  wane ; 
Alike  amid  reverses  or  fortune's  fav'ring  smiles, 
Hearts  still  to  hearts  united,  nor  look  nor  thought  beguiles;— 
Such  to  the  core  thee  knowing,  unto  my  words,  oh  friend ! 
Much  future  good  involving,  with  heedful  care  attend." 

w.  s. 

Stanzas  5  to  51  are  occupied  with  graphic  descrip- 
tions of  Kotta,  its  busy  streets,  palaces  and  temples; 
the  intervening  scenery  between  it  and  Kelani;  the 
route  to  be  followed  in  journeying  from  one  city  to 
the  other;  the  villages  and  their  inhabitants;  the 
religious  rites  and  customs  of  the  people ;  and  the 
banks  of  the  Kelani-ganga.  From  52  to  76,  Kelani,  its 
temples,  dagobas,  and  other  sacred  sites  (of  many  of 
which,  as  in  Kotta,  only  traditional  traces  now  remain), 
its  dancing  girls,  and  singing  women,  are  the  subjects  of 
the  poet's  theme.     The  next  sixteen  stanzas  contain 


and  prosperity — we  feel  that  we  committed  meritorious  acts  (i.e.) 
in  a  previous  existence. — 4.  Excellent  friends,  like  a  picture  on 
a  wall  (which  does  not  or  cannot  turn  away),  are  immutable  both 
in  prosperity  and  adversity.  Friend  of  the  like  character,  having 
rivetted  thy  attention,  give  ear  unto  my  words,  both  pleasing  and 
prognostic  of  future  happiness. 


SELALIHINI    SANDESA.  213 

a  glowing  description  of  the  God  Vibiahana.  93  to 
104  contain  the  message  and  prayer,  in  the  course  of 
which  admirable  sketches  are  given  of  the  minister 
Nallurutanaya,  the  king  Parakkraraa,  and  Ulakuda- 
devi,  the  Princess-Royal.  105  and  106  give  shrewd 
advice  as  to  the  best  methods  of  furthering  the  suit, 
and  107  ends  the  poem  with  the  author's  benediction 
on  the  bird.  Two  additional  stanzas  give  information 
concerning  the  writer,  and  the  date  at  which  he  wrote.* 


*  In  some  copies  there  are  108  stanzas; — one,  descriptive  of 
Kotta,  being  inserted  as  the  10th.  This  however  is  considered  an 
interpolation  by  some  authorities. 

The  text  of  the  Sela-lihini  Sandosa,  with  an  ancient  sanne, 
was  first  published  by  Tudave  pandit  in  1859.  The  same  work, 
with  an  English  metrical  translation,  literally  rendered,  and  with 
notes  and  a  glossary  for  the  use  of  students,  was  published,  in  1865, 
by  W.  C.  JNIacready,  Esq.,  of  the  Ceylon  Civil  Service.  It  forms 
a  useful  volume  of  100  8vo.  pages,  from  which  we  extract  the 
following  specimen : — 

CI.     "4... On  her  his  dmightei\  beauteous  and  renowned 

Princess  Ulukude,  1  ...who  learned  is 

In  poetry  and  eloquence,  2  ..who  shews 

Great  zeal  and  love  for  Buddha's  Pali  law, 

Neglecting  not  the  pure  observances 

Of  the  eight  Silas  on  moon's  quarter  clays, 

c.     4..  Like  one  with  reason  and  with  wisdom  born 

The  ten  good  works  to  practice,  and  who  keeps 

The  obligations  of  her  marriage  vow 

And  morals  pure,  2,. .raining  a  rain  of  wealth 

Kindly  upon  her  maids  and  men,  1  ...ies< pleased 

To  share  her  joys  among  her  women  friends, 

xcix.     4... Fair  as  the  new  moon  which  th'  inhabitants 

Of  earth,  loving,  adore  3. ..in  wisdom  like 

Divine  Saraswati  apparent  made, 


214  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

As  a  further  specimen  we  quote  stanzas  99   to   102.* 

99.     Sirisa(ii)da  wan  saw  siri  diyuuuwe  ra(n)dana 
Situ  mina  wan  yadi  yadinata  danin  dena 
Sarasawi  wan  nuwanin  pahalawo  penena 
Nawa  sa(n)da  wan  lew  wesi  adarin  waCn)dina. 


[sweet, 
99.  "To    her— his   youthful  daughter — like  peerless   Lakshrai 
Or  new  moon  cloudless  rising,  which  men  adoring  greet ; 
Who  learn'd  as  Saraswati,  and  graced  with  beauty's  charms, 
Is  famed  alike  for  wisdom,  for  bounty,  and  for  alms, — 
"Whose  suppliants  see  daily,  she  more  and  more  to  them 
Is,  in  generous  donations,  the  wish-conferring  gem  : — 


From  almsgiv  ing  to  suppliant  mendicants 

The  wishing  gem  resembling,  like  Siri 

In  whom  reside,  in  whom  increase  all  charms; — 

4... On  her,  as  fitting  is,  a  jewel  fair 

A  son  bestow,  3. ..with  glory,  wisdom  wealth, 

And  length  of  years,  cheering  the  hearts  of  men : 

Give  this,  great  God,  eye  of  the  triple  worlds, 

AVhose  sacred  feet  are  wetted  1..  with  the  drops 

Of  perfumed  honey  from  the  flower  wreaths 

Upon  the  crowns  of  bending  deities." 

*  Lit — 102.  O  great  God  (Vibhishana)  — the  eye  of  the  three 
worlds,  and  whose  beauteous  feet  are  laved  in  the  sweet  nectar 
that  proceeds  from  the  flowery  chaplets  of  the  Daityas !  [101] 
On  Princess  Ulakudd,  happy  and  renowned,— 99.  who  lives,  like 
Siri,  in  the  enjoyment  of  great  prosperity,  —  like  the  Situmini,  by 
reason  of  her  gifts  to  supplicating  mendicants, — like  Sarasvati, 
who  is  famed  for  her  wisdom, — and  like  the  new  moon  which  is 
affectionately  adored  by  people ;  100,  who  possesses  a  very  mind 
cherished  with  (as  much)  affection  towards  her  friends,  as  to 
herself;  who  is  like  a  rainy-cloud,  which  graciously  showers 
(wealth)  upon  her  maids  and  servants ;   who  obsen^es  inviolate  a 


SELALIHINI    SANDESA.  215 

100.  Yelieliii  kere  saki  scpa  samaga  sit  me 
Kuluiien  desi  dasuii  weta  wasina  watme 
Rakimin  patiiii  dam  yahapat  sir  it  me 
Siliinen  nipan  wan  dasa  pin  pewetme. 

101.  Mihiri  tepala  tan  wesi  kiwikam  purudu 
Itiri  bcti  pemeti  pela  daliamehi  Muni(n)dii 
Noheri  poya  ata  sil  rekuma  pirisidu 
Sasiri  Ulakudaya  dewihata  pasidu. 


[bonds 

1 00.  To  her — the  high-born  princess — who,  natheless,  friendship's 
Delights  in ;  with  her  ladies  shares  joys,  to  theirs  responds ; — 
Whose  men  and  maids  are  by  her,  with  kindly  liberal  hand 
Enrich'd,  as  by  the  rain-clouds  is  fertilized  the  land  ; 
Who  from  her  inborn  wisdom  and  intellectual  ken 
Appreciates,  adheres  to,  Religion's  precepts  ten ; 

Who  with  pure  heart  unswerving  the  Patini-Dam  obeys, 
A  model  is  of  virtue,  a  wife  above  all  praise  : — 

101.  Who  gracious  in  her  language,  with  soft  and  'suasive  voice 
Selects,  and  fluent  utters,  words  eloquent  and  choice ; 
Who  skill'd  in  arts  poetic,  evinces  earnest  zeal 

For  all  that  sacred  writings,  our  Sage's  laws  reveal; 
Who  each  recurring  p6ya  neglects  no  holy  rite. 
Nor  fails  the  eight-fold  Sila  with  fervor  to  recite  : — 


course  of  pure  chastity  ;  and  who  is  born,  endowed  with  wisdom 
and  sound  memory,  for  the  observance  of  the  ten  meritorious 
deeds; — 101.  who  is  accustomed  to  speech,  sweet  and  apropos; 
who  is  skilled  in  the  art  of  poetry — evincing  great  and  affectionate 
zeal  for  Buddha's  doctrinal  texts;  and  who  never  fails  the  observ- 
ance of  the  sabbath,  and  the  eight  pure  religious  obligations; — 
[on  this  happy  and  renowned  princess]  102  bestow  [I  pray  thee], 


236  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

102.     Dit  rupu  silu  nialdam  auwa(n)da  mi  wesa 
Tet  siripayut  suri(u)duiii  tilo  esa 
Sit  piuawana  eti  asiri  nuwana  yasa 
Put  ruwanak  so(u)da  duua  menawi  n?si  lesa. 


1 02.     Eye  of  the  world — w  orlds  triple — whose  beauteous  feet  are  wet 
With  nectar-drops  sweet-scented  from  floral  cliaplets  set 
On  crowns  of  bow'd  Ddityas, — oh  Vibishana  1  give, 
With  glory,  wisdom,  power,  and  destined  long  to  live — 
To  Ulakud4-Dewi — belov'd,  renown'd,  most  fair, 
Oh  give,  as  best  thou  seest,  to  her  a  son,  an  heir  ! — 
Th'  inestimable  blessing  in  season  due  bestow ; 
To  king,  princess,  and  people,  thy  favor  great  thus  shew." 

w.  s. 


Paravi  Sandesa, 


*  The  Pigeon-Messenger'  is  also  a  poem  by  the  same 
writer.  It  is  a  work  of  great  merit,  and  is  generally 
of  a  piece  with  the  last  in  style,  although  in  many 
parts  inferior  to  it  in  imagery.  It  was  a  Message  to 
Krishna,  invoking  blessings  upon  the  army,  the  king's 
brother  of  the  name  of  Parakkrama  of  Mayadunu,  who 
had  the  government  of  Jaffna,  and  upon  Chandrawati, 
a  near  relation  of  king  Parakkrama  Bahu  VI. 

The  poet's  attachment  to  the  family  of  his  sovereign 
seems  to  have  been  very  great.  Even  in  this  poem 
there  are  tender  allusions  to  the  royal  family.  That 
Chandrawati  might  soon  enter  the  bonds  of  matrimony. 


as  it  seemeth  best,  an  invaluable  son,  acceptable,  replete  with 
wisdom,  wealth,  years  and  renown. 


PAKAVI    SAND^SA.  2 17 

and  that,  allied  to  a  noble  prince,  she  might  become 
the  mother  of  a  virtuous  son,  are  amongst  the  warmest 
aspirations  of  the  writer,  and  the  topics  of  his  song. 
No  date  is  given  to  this  work ;  but  from  the  slight 
difference  of  style  to  which  allusion  has  been  made, 
we  are  led  to  suppose  that  it  was  written  shortly  after 
the  last. 

Similar  in  plan  to  the  Sela-lihini  Sandesa,  this  poem 
commences  with  an  address  to  the  Paravi,  his  messen- 
ger.    The  opening  stanzas  (seheli,)  we  here  quote:  — 

Serada  parevi(n)du  sa(n)da  pa(n)duwan  surat  sarania 
Pahala  kirimuhudin  saha  pabala  pelasak  wan 
Mituru  turu  sarahana  mamituru  nawa  wasatayuru 
Nu(m)binena  sa(n)da  nada  mada  mada  pawaneleli 
Hebipul  Kumudu  he(n)ge  nogatuda  atingili. 
Suraga(n)gi  nalanelu(m)bu  delisandahasa  novetapata.* 


"  Long  be  thy  life  extended,  sweet  Paravi,  dear  friend  ! 
Who  with  thy  plumes  cream-tinted  and  feet  of  reddest  hu« 
Art  like  a  chank  with  corals,  Milk -ocean's  product  fair. 
Or  sun  with  stars  bright  shining  in  azure  autumn  sky. — 
When  hither  gently  wafted,  on  breeze  delightful  borne, 
Did  not  the  nymphs  who  saw  thee  thy  form  believe  to  be 
A  full  bloom'd  snow-white  lily  from  Swarga  blown  to  earth  ? 
Did  not  the  raja-hansas  thee  deem,  when  gathering  round, 
A  lotus-bud  fi'esh  fallen  from  heaven's  own  river  clear? — 


*  Lit. —  Mayest  thou,  O  noble  Paravi !  live  long  ;  My  friend  ! 
who  by  reason  of  thy  yellow-white  hue,  and  deeply  red  feet,  art 
like  unto  a  chank  with  coral  plants  produced  from  the  milky- 
ocean,  and  unto  the  clear  autumnal  sky  bespangled  with  the  sun 
and  the  stars !    When  thou  wast  slowly  moving  in  the  sky,  and  in 

2  F 


218  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Sudubudu  nivesinena  topa  deka  lew  esa(n)da 
Sudubudu  res  pidekeyi  nokaloda  puda 

Sa(n)dekin  Nadunuyaninena  maleka  surana(m)b^ 
Sa(n)dekin  lobiu  watala  nodamuda  i(m)be 
Nidukin  avudasakisa(n)da  ataramaga  nu(m)be 
Itikin  apata  sepanam  dekma  mayi  nu(m)be 


Did  not  the  world,  deluded,  thee  for  Buddha's  ray  mistake, 
His  ray  of  purest  white,  and  hasten  offerings  to  make  ? — 

Did  not  goddesses  embrace  thee,  caress  with  fond  delight, 
And  imagine  thee  a  flower  from  Nandana's  gardens  bright  ?  — 
Hast  thou  scatheless  hither  come,  hath  unhinder'd  been  thy  flight? 
Then  trebly  welcome  friend  to  us  thy  bliss -producing  sight." 

W.  S. 

The  route  of  the  intended  journey  ia  then  sketched 
out;  Kotta,  the  chief  city;  the  reigning  sovereign,  the 
temples  and  dewalas  are  described;  and  particular 
notice  is  taken  of  Pepiliyana-vihara,  founded  by  the 
king  in  honor  of  his  mother — to  which  fact  a  stone 
inscription  on  the  spot  still  bears  witness.  Attidiya 
and  Moratu  Eliya  [plain]  are  then  noticed,  and  the 
scenery  from  thence  to  P^nadure  and  on  to  Kalutara, 

a  delightfully  gentle  breeze,  were  not  (goddesses)  deceived  in  thee 
for  a  beautifully  full-blown  white  lily  dropt  from  (heaven)  ? 
Did  not  rSja-hansas  approach  thee  under  a  belief  that  thou  wast  a 
lotus-bud  fallen  off  from  the  celestial  river  ?  Did  they  (the  world) 
not  make  offerings  to  thee  under  an  impression  that  thou  wast  a 
white  ray  emitted  from  Buddha's  pure  court  ?  Did  not  goddesses 
kiss  thee  with  delight  under  the  mistaken  idea  that  thou  wast  a 
flower  from  Nandana,  the  heavenly  park?  Hast  thou  arrived 
scatheless  m  thy  aerial  journey  ?  Noble  friend,  to  us  thy  sight 
is  bliss ! 


PARAVI    SANDlfcSA.  219 

occupy  the  poet  up  to  stanza  66.  Towns,  villages, 
temples,  streams,  tanks  and  ponds,  and  scenery  of  sky, 
land,  and  sea,  with  all  objects  worthy  of  note  from 
Kalutara  to  Bentota,  on  to  Galle  and  Matara,  and 
thence  to  Dondra  head,  are  themes  for  stanzas  67  to 
147;  and  the  reader  will  observe  that  the  route  which 
was  known  400  years  ago,  is,  with  very  slight  deviation, 
the  principal  line  of  communication  now  existing 
between  Kotta  and  Dondra.  The  latter  is  then  de- 
scribed (similarly  to  Kelani  in  the  Sela-lihini  Sandesa) 
in  33  stanzas.  The  181st  stanza  commences  a  descrip- 
tion of  the  god  Krishna,  which  ends  with  the  195th. 
The  Messasje,  to  the  god,  with  prayers  on  behalf  of  the 
king,  his  brother  the  sub-king  at  Mayadunu,  and  the 
royal  army,  bring  the  poem  to  the  concluding  stanza, 
the  2 1 2th,  in  which  the  author  gives  his  name.  The 
whole  is  full  of  most  interesting  topographic  and  historic 
notices.  As  a  further  sample  of  the  author's  style  we 
here  give  stanzas  71  to  73. 

71.     Ran  teti  ayuru  tu(n)gu  pun  piyayuru  udula 
Man  ati  karana  a(n)gan6  ra(n)ga  dena  ipila 
Un  seti  balasiti  salelun  nope  ela 
Bentotinetara  setapewa  Kalikowila.* 


"Bentota  cross,  and  nigh  tbe  stream  where  Kali's  temple  stands 
For  sleep  repair,  observing  well  the  gay  and  sprightly  bands 
That  fascinated  nightly  there  the  dancinsjr  girls  behold, 
Whose  heaving  bosoms  to  their  gaze  seem  rounded  cups  of  gold. 

*  Lit. — 71.    Cross  Bentota,  and  sleep  thou  at  Kali-kovila,  where 
sprightly  youths,  unmoved  witness,  the  lovely  hopping  nautch  girls, 


220  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE, 

72.  Eta  dadarada  egiiwana  wana  wasayata 
A(ii)duru  rupun  wan  sa(n)da  wana  wasayata 
Gosin  tosin  Bentota  Wanawasayata 

Wadu  mituri(u)du  re  dina  wana  wasayata. 

73.  Evu  Riwi  himi  wil  kata  kirana  ran  pata 
Evu  kiyawana  bi(n)gu  revu  watiui  siyapata 
Sivu  digineta  esa(n)dehi  nala  suwa(u)da  yuta 
Yavu  mamituru  we(n)da  rauni(n)dun  betin  sita. 


When  next  the  Moon  possession  shall  have  taken  of  the  sky, 
And  to  solitude  hath  Darkness  his  foe  compell'd  to  fly, 
To  Bentota  with  gladness  then,  oh  friend  !  direct  thy  way, 
And  at  Wauawdsa  quietly  repose  till  break  of  day. 

When  to  the  Plain  her  lord  the  Sun  his  message  sends  of  light, 
And  with  the  hum  of  bees  its  lines  her  lotus-lips  recite, 
To  Buddha  great  then  worship  give  with  true  and  faithful  heart, 
And  on  the  fragrant  balmy  breeze  that  fills  all  space  depart." 

w.  s. 


whose  full  heaving  bosoms  resemble  golden  cups.  72.  When 
the  Moon  shall  have  taken  possession  of  the  sky,  and  the  Enemy 
of  Darkness  has  retired  into  solitude;  noble  friend!  gladly  enter 
thou  the  Wanawdsa  [temple]  of  Bentota  for  (thy)  rest  at  night. 
73.  [But]  when  the  Consort  of  the  Plain  shall,  with  her  lotus- 
mouth,  and  the  hum  of  bees,  have  read  the  Epistle  of  Light, 
forwarded  by  her  lord,  the  Sun,— then  in  the  soft  fragrant  breeze 
which  fills  all  sides,  do  thou  depart,  after  worshipping  Buddha  with 
a  faithftil  heart. 


S I  DAT-SANG  A rA,  221 


The  Sidat-SangarA 


is  the  only  standard  Grammar  of  the  Shihalese. 
There  are  several  editions  of  this  work,  and  one,  with 
an  English  translation,  published  in  1853.  The  text 
has  been  also  published  by  Pandit  Tudave,  with  a 
gloss,  and  vocabulary. 

Sidat-vSangara  means  'a  compilation  of  First  Prin- 
ciples.' This  Grammar  is  designed  'for  beginners,' 
and  is  stated  to  have  been  compiled  *on  the  standard 
of  previous  works  on  Grammar.'  We  thus  learn  that 
many  Sinhalese  Grammars  were  extant  in  this  Island 
from  a  very  early  period ;  a  fact  which,  without  this 
direct  testimony,  is  rendered  highly  probable  from  the 
evidence  which  is  furnished  by  the  literature  of  the  land. 

The  work  under  notice  contains  twelve  chapters. 
The  first  treats  on  Signs,  or  OrthoBpy,  and  Orthography ; 
the  second  on  Permutation ;  the  third  on  Gender;  the 
fourth  on  Declension ;  the  fifth  on  Compound  words ; 
the  sixth  on  Concord;  the  seventh  on  Verbs;  the 
eighth  on  Derivatives;  the  ninth  on  Voices;  the  tenth 
on  Syntax  ;  the  eleventh  on  good  and  evil  Characters, 
etc. ;  and  the  twelfth  on  Rhetoric, 

Since  there  is  a  translation  of  this  work  with  a 
lengthy  Introduction,  an  extended  notice  of  it  here  is 
unnecessary;  a  few  descriptive  observations  may  not 
however  be  deemed  unacceptable. 

The  correspondence  between  the  terminology  of 
the  writer  before  iis,  and  that  of  Buddhagosa,  has  been 
already  briefly  noticed. — See  a7ite,  p.  68. 


222  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

The  language  used,  and  the  grammatical  forms 
treated  of,  prove,  beyond  all  manner  of  doubt,  that  the 
Siighalese  is  a  North-Indian  dialect.  For  full  parti- 
culars on  the  subject  the  reader  is  referred  to  two 
articles  published  in  the  Journal  of  the  Ceylon  Branch 
of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society  for  1866  and  1867. 

The  following  extract  from  the  concluding  part  of 
the  work,  which  we  present  as  a  specimen,  contains 
allusion  to  the  writer,  and  his  patron : 

M^  pela  pamana  si(m)bi  kivi  man  danan  pasasata 
Garahata  yalidu  kam  kini  pa(n)duv6ma  mehi  pamano. 
Duhuna  dana  hata  mut  mekudu  Sidatin  viyatini 
Piriyatnata  neta  datak  mehi  kaja  mateta  tusva. 
Dakana  Laka  siyal  bujamahavuruni  rakna 
Dedev  radalagam  vimanaga  patirajadevseradene 
Adaren  yadata  ohu  vibate  tirana  siya  base 
Palakaranuvas  mekelem  kulunen  Sidatsangara. 

Mehi  padanuvaga  dena  viyarana  vidi  bajamiua 
Nitetinimana  pasi(n)da  vida  danada  pini  pilena 
Yasaraladigela(m)bena  vitara  pata  sayuru  mena 
Naganu  melaka  niti  diya  dada  narasahamina. 

'  What  signifies  the  praise  or  censure  of  pretended 
Pandits,  who  only  acquired  the  first  elements  (of 
Grammar)?  Learned  Pandits  alone  are  competent 
critics.  O  Pandits,  although  this  little  Sidata,  except 
to  the  beginner,  has  nothing  original  in  it  (to  recom- 
mend itself)  to  the  erudite;  rejoice  ye  at  my  labours. 
May  Patiraja,  like  unto  a  flag  on  the  summit  of  the 
mansion-like  village  Radula,  and  who,  by  the  arm 
of  his  extensive  ramparts,  governs   the  whole  of  the 


SIDAT-SANGARA.  223 

Southern  Lanka,  be  long  prosperous  1  I  have  composed 
the  Sidat- Sangara  at  his  kind  request,  and  with  a  view- 
to  disseminate  (the  knowledge  of)  the  rudiments  of 
cases,  etc.,  in  the  Sinhalese  language.  The  wise 
man  who  has  learned  its  rules  (both)  primary  and 
secondary,  and  made  Grammar  his  study,  will,  having 
with  facility  removed  the  pretensions  of  the  learned, 
who  are  elated  with  pride,  constantly  hoist  up  the  flag 
of  success  in  (this  island  of)  Lanka,  like  the  bound- 
less ocean  w4th  the  renown  of  his  waves,  wide-spread 
in  all  directions.' 

We  are  unable  to  identify  the  village  Radula  ;  and 
there  is  no  reliable  evidence  to  indicate  the  situation 
of  the  Patirajapirivena,  of  which  the  author  was  the 
superior  incumbent ;  See  Sidat- Sangara,  p.  43.  But, 
since  the  temple  was  named  after  its  founder,  and  he 
is  said  to  have  been  the  Governor  of  Southern  Lanka, 
it  may  not  be  difficult  to  place  it  somewhere  in  the 
Southern  Province  of  Ceylon.  But  we  have  yet  to 
learn  the  name  of  the  author,  and  to  identify  the 
founder  of  the  monastery, 

A  tradition  states  that  the  writer  is  identical  with 
the  author  of  the  Balavatara ;  but  this  is  contradicted 
by  another  tradition  which  identifies  the  Grammarian 
with  the  author  of  the  Sidat- Sangara.  That  tradition 
is  founded  on  the  facts  stated  in  the  following  passage 
in  the  Rasavahini. 

Yoka  sihala  bhasaya  sihala  sadda  Lakkhanan  tena 
Vedeha  therena  kathaya  Rasavahini. — '  This  book 
called  the)  Rasavahini  was  composed  by  the    same 


224  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Keverend  Vedeha  who  had  composed  the  Sinhalese 
Grammar  in  the  Sinhalese  language.'  Before  however 
we  attempt  to  identify  ihe  minister  Patiraja,  we 
shall,  from  internal  evidence,  which  the  Sidat-Sangara 
furnishes,  endeavour  to  ascertain  •  the  chronological 
position  which  it  occupies  with  reference  to  the  known 
literature  of  the  land. 

The  writer,  it  would  appear,  quotes  from  several 
authors,  and  among  others  from  the  Asakda,  a  poem 
which  is  no  longer  extant,  and  of  which  little  or  nothing 
is  known  beyond  that  it  was  a  poem  of  great  merit;  and 
from  the  Kavu  Silumina,  whose  author  was  King 
Pandita  Parakrama  Babu  III — 1266  A.  d. 

As  pointed  out  by  the  translator  at  page  cxvi.,  a 
stanza  in  the  Kaviasekara  quotes  a  few  words  which 
are  given  as  examples  in  the  Sidat-Sangara,  Now, 
it  is  true  that  there  is  a  belief  among  some  Sinhalese 
scholars,  that  the  grammarian,  who  professes  to  write 
his  work  upon  '  the  precepts  of  unerring  custom,  or 
after  the  established  usage  of  eminent  writers,  has 
borrowed  most  of  his  illustrations  such  as  'nat  for 
anat,from  the  Kaviasekara;'  yet,  we  believe,  apart  from 
the  modernism  of  the  style  and  poetry  of  the  last- 
mentioned  work — a  fact  which  sufficiently  refutes 
the  above  opinion — there  is  almost  conclusive  evidence 
to  support  the  more  generally  prevailing  belief,  that 
the  Kaviasekara  was  subsequent  to  the  date  of  this 
Grammar.  We  say  there  is  nearly  conclusive  evidence, 
because  the  poet,  as  will  be  seen  on  reference  to  the 
etanza  quoted  in  the  Sidat-Sangara  at  p.  clxxx.,  places 


SIDAT-SANGARA.  225 

tlie  Verb  in  the  "  seventh  section  or  chapter  of  the 
Grammar,"  a  division  which  agrees  accurately  with 
that  given  in  the  Sidat-Sangard. 

Assuming  then  that  the  above  refers  to  the  Gram- 
mar under  notice,  we  find  no  difficulty  to  assign  to  it 
a  date  between  the  age  of  Parakrama  in  1266  and  1410 
A,  D.,  when  the  Kaviasekara  was  written. 

We  have  yet  another  fact,  by  which  the  interval 
between  these  two  dates,  which  gives  a  period  of  144 
years,  may  be  reduced,  and  that  is,  if  possible,  by  the 
identification  of  Patiraja. 

We  read  of  several  celebrated  ministers  of  that  name 
in  our  historical  books.  In  the  Introduction  to  the 
Sidat- Sangara  (see  p.  clxxxii),  we  were  inclined  to 
identify  him  with  the  Wirasinha  Patiraja  mentioned 
in  the  Introduction  to  the  Sinhalese  version  of  the 
Pansiyapanas  Jataka.  But  recent  researches  enable 
us  to  identify  him  with  the  Patiraja  deva,  whom  Parak- 
rama III — 1266  A.  D.  despatched  to  South  Ceylon  to 
repair  dilapidated  religious  edifices,*  and  generally 
for  the  promotion  of  religion,  and  to  whom  we  have 
already  alluded  at  p.  23. 


See  Mahavansa. 

2g 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


Professor  Max  Muller  to  Mr.  Herbert. 

Parks  End,  Oxford, 

March  21st,  1870. 
Sir, 

I  HAVE  read  with  great  interest  the  papers  forwarded 
to  Lord  Granville  by  Sir  Hercules  Robinson,  stating  the 
measures  which  have  lately  been  taken  by  the  Ceylon 
Government  for  making  a  collection  of  M  SS. — Pali,  Sinhalese 
and  Sanskrit — that  are  still  to  be  found  in  Ceylon,  and 
publishing  without  delay  a  Catalogue  of  the  same. 

In  taking  measures  for  the  preservation  of  the  ancient 
Literature  of  India  and  Ceylon,  the  Government  is  perform- 
ing a  duty  which,  in  the  present  state  of  the  country,  could 
be  efficiently  performed  by  no  one  else. 

Whatever,  according  to  the  varying  judgment  of  European 
Scholars,  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  ancient  Literature  of  India 
may  be,  the  fact  remains  that,  through  all  the  vicissitudes  of 
their  past  history,  the  inhabitants  of  that  country  have  from 
centuiy  to  century  handed  down  their  literary  treasures  with 
the  greatest  care,  and  have  thus  preserved  to  us  a  literature 
which  in  antiquity  exceeds  that  of  Italy  and  Greece,  nay, 
possibly  of  evey  other  country  in  the  world.  From  the  days 
of  Sir  William  Jones,  the  interest  excited  by  the  ancient 
Literature  of  India  among  European  scholars  has  been 
steadily  increasing,  and  it  seems  certainly  a  strange  fact,  that 
while  English  education  is  rapidly  spreading  all  over  India, 
Professorships  should    be    founded  in  every  University  of 


230  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

Europe  for  teaching  the  ancient  language  and  Literature  of 
the  Brahmans. 

It  would  bj  no  means  be  fair  to  charge  the  English 
Governnaent  with  indifference  as  to  the  ancient  Literature  of 
its  Indian  subjects. 

Both  the  East  India  Company  and  the  Indian  Ministry 
have  repeatedly  afforded  their  patronage  to  Editions  of  texts 
and  translations  from  Sanskrit  Literature,  and  the  collection 
of  Sanskrit  MSS.  which  has  gradually  been  brought  together 
in  the  East  India  House,  and  is  now  preserved  at  the  India 
Office,  is  without  comparison  the  largest  and  most  valuable 
in  Europe. 

At  the  same  time  it  cannot  be  doubted,  that  more  energetic 
measures  are  required,  in  order  to  prevent  the  loss  of  a  Litera- 
ture which  exists  chiefly  in  MSS.,  and  which,  with  the 
progress  of  English  education  and  the  spread  of  English 
ideas  in  India,  is  losing  in  the  eyes  of  many  of  the  natives 
that  importance  which  it  formerly  possessed.  In  former 
days,  most  native  princes  considered  it  their  duty  to  keep  up 
a  Library  and  to  maintain  a  staff  of  Librarians,  whose  office 
it  was  to  copy  each  MS,  as  soon  as  it  began  to  slievv  signs  of 
decay.  Sanskrit  MSS.  are  mostly  written  on  paper  made  of 
vegetable  substances,  and  unless  preserved  with  great  care, 
they  seldom  last  in  the  sultry  xjlimate  of  India  beyond  three 
or  four  centuries.  When  the  native  princes  were  mediatised 
and  pensioned  by  the  English  Government,  one  of  the  first 
retrenchments  in  their  establishments  consisted  in  the  aboli- 
tion of  their  libraries,  and  the  dismissal  of  their  lil)rarians. 
Some  of  the  Rajahs  offered  their  libraries  as  presents  to  the 
East  India  Company,  but  report  says  that  a  rule  was  passed 
excluding  libraries  from  the  class  of  presents  acceptable  to 
the  Company. 


APJfENDIX.  231 

The  result  is,  that  in  ditfereut  parts-  of  ludia  collections  of 
ancient  MSS.  have  crumbled  to  dust,  and  that  literary  works 
which  had  been  preserved  for  centuries  have  been  lost  forever. 

During  and  after  the  late  mutiny,  so  many  accounts  of  the 
wanton  destruction  of  Libraries  came  to  my  knowledge,  that 
I  ventured  to  make  a  representation  to  Lord  Elgin  before  he 
left  England  as  Governor-General,  urging  him  to  sanction 
some  plan  for  the  preservation  of  the  ancient  literature  of 
India.  Lord  Elgin  promised  to  keep  the  matter  in  mind, 
and  I  doubt  not  that  if  his  life  had  been  spared  we  should 
have  had  an  Elgin  collection  of  Oriental  MSS.,  which  need 
not  have  feared  comparison  with  the  Elgin  collection  of 
Marbles  at  the  British  Museum.  My  letter  to  Lord  Elgin 
would  probably  be  found  in  his  official  correspondence. 

I  was  much  pleased  therefore  to  find,  when  reading  the 
letter  from  Pandit  Radha  Kisu  to  His  Excellency  the  Viceroy, 
dated  10th  May,  1868,  that  what  I  had  so  long  advocated 
had  at  last  taken  a  practical  shape,  and  I  trust  that  nothing 
will  now  interfere  with  the  carrying  out  of  the  judicious 
measures  sanctioned  by  the  Indian  Government  for  the  col- 
lection and  preservation  of  Sanskrit  MSS. 

With  regard  to  Ceylon,  it  seems  to  me  that  it  would  there 
be  even  easier  to  carry  out  the  plan  adopted  by  the  Indian 
Government  than  in  India  itself. 

The  literature  of  Ceylon  is  much  more  limited.  It  is  the 
literature  of  an  Island,  and  what  is  important  in  it  is  almost 
entirely  restricted  to  the  sacred  literature  of  Buddhism.  I 
doubt  whether  in  Ceylon  there  are  MSS.  more  ancient  than 
those  of  India,  for  although  the  materials  on  which  they  are 
written,  palm  or  bamboo  leaves,  are  far  more  durable  than 
paper,  political  and  religious  convulsions  seem  to  have  caused 
the  destruction  of  the  ancient  libraries  of  the  temples  and 


232  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

monasteries ;  still  there  is  no  reason  why  a  careful  search 
should  not  be  made  for  ancient  MSS.,  or  fragments  of  ancient 
MSS.,  and  in  case  they  should  be  found  it  would  seem  expe- 
dient to  preserve  carefully-made  copies  in  Ceylon,  but  to 
transfer  the  originals  to  England,  where  they  would  be  in 
safer  keeping  than  anywhere  else.  It  is  important  to  observe, 
that  even  paper  MSS.  which  begin  to  shew  signs  of  decay 
in  India,  are  perfectly  safe  as  soon  as  they  are  brought  to 
the  colder  climate  of  England.  I  possess  myself  MSS.  which 
had  suffered  much  from  damp  and  insects  w^hile  in  India, 
but  which  now  seem  to  resist  all  further  ravages. 

The  principal  object  of  the  collectors  should  be  to  bring 
together  a  complete  set  of  the  canonical  books  of  the 
Buddhists,  with  their  commentaries,  whether  in  Pali  or  Sin- 
halese.* The  titles  and  contents  of  most  of  these  books  are 
known  to  every  student  of  Buddhism,  and  the  munificent 
present  of  a  complete  copy  of  the  Buddhist  Canon  from  the 


•  It  will  be  satisfactory  to  know  that  a  carefully  revised  copy  of  the 
Tepitaka  is  being  transcribed  for  the  Ceylon  Oriental  Library ;  that  "  the 
munificent  present"  of  the  Burmese  Government  is  already  in  its  shelves, 
and  that  ere  long  a  third  copy  of  the  Texts,  from  Siam,  in  Kamboja 
character,  the  gift  of  which  has  also  been  promised,  will  be  added  to  the 
collection.  There  is  no  real  difference  between  these  three  national 
Records,  since  they  are  all  copies  of  the  work  originall}'-  brought  over  to 
Ceylon  by  Mahinda.  But,  we  apprehend,  great  difference  will  be  found  to 
exist  between  the  Sighalese  version  of  the  Tepitaka  and  its  Commentaries, 
and  the  version  of  the  Northern  Buddhists  ;  and  we  have  no  doubt  that  thg 
Government  of  this  Island  will,  at  no  distant  date,  add  to  its  Library 
a  copy  of  the  Nepal  version  of  the  Buddhist  Scriptures,  including  their 
Commentaries, — works  which  will  certainly  enable  scholars  to  detect,  by 
intercomparison,  the  frauds  and  impostures  which  have  in  process  of  time 
crept  into  both. 


APPENDIX.  233 

king  of  Burmah,  would  enable  any  Pali  Scholar  to  make  out 
an  accurate  list  of  the  books  contained  in  it.  It  would  thus 
be  easy,  after  the  most  accessible  MSS.  have  been  brought 
together,  to  draw  up  a  list  of  deficiencies,  and  to  send  it  to  the 
principal  monasteries  and  libraries  in  Ceylon.  It  would  not 
lequire  any  large  outlay  to  have  the  whole  of  the  now- 
existing  Pali  literature  of  Ceylon  carefully  transcribed,  and 
the  copies  presei-ved  in  a  safe  place.  It  would  be  still  better, 
wherever  it  is  possible,  that  the  original  MSS.  should  be 
bought  and  preserved;  and  I  may  state,  that  on  several 
occasions  I  have  found  possessors  of  ancient  and  slightly 
damaged  MSS.  in  India  ready  to  exchange  them  for  a  modern 
copy. 

The  publication  of  a  Catalogue  of  the  MSS.  thus  collected 
would  be  of  great  use  to  scholars  in  Europe,  and  it  is  much 
to  be  desired  that  the  making  of  such  a  Catalogue  should  be 
entrusted  to  one  or  several  really  competent  Pali  scholars. 
It  might  be  well  at  first  to  print  a  specimen  only,  and  to 
send  that  specimen  for  approval  to  some  Pali  scholars  in 
Europe.  In  printing  extracts,  it  would  be  most  desirable  to 
adopt  the  Roman  alphabet,  and  strictly  to  adhere  to  some 
definite  system  in  transcribing  Pali  letters  by  Roman  letters. 
Great  care  should  also  be  taken  that  the  extracts  are  given 
correctly,  and,  if  possible,  with  a  literal  translation. 
I  return  the  original  enclosures. 

I  have,  &c., 
(Signed)     Max  MiIller. 
R.  G.  W.  Herbert,  Esq. 


2h 


234 


DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 


The  Scheme  of  Orthogkaphy 

adopted  in  this  work,  to  express,  in  Roman  characters,  the 
Pali,  Sanskrit,  and  Sinhalese  words  and  extracts,  demands  a 
brief  explanation.  It  will  be  observed  that  that  scheme  is  in 
the  main  identical  with  the  one  sanctioned  by  the  Govern- 
ment Minute  of  the  28th  August,  1866,  and  is  as  follows  : — 


Sanskrit, 

PIli,  and  Sinhalese. 

Vowels. 

«? 

«P  9 

d"    Q    (^T    esa    £693    ^ 

K-a 

a 

a    i 

a 

e 

1    u    u      r      r    Ir 
Diphthongs. 

ai      0      au 

If 

Semi'  Consonants, 

0  m  ;     8  h 

Consonants. 

Gutterals    ... 

^k 

a  kh         (55  g 

^gh 

©n 

Palatals 

©ch 

ff  chh        d  j 

<^jh 

^n 

Linguals     ... 

8t 

(Sth          S)  d 

^dh 

<s^  n 

Dentals 

«5  t 

a  th          ^d 

Q  dh 

«3  n 

Labials 

cp 

6ph          ©  b 

S3  bh 

e)  m 

Semi- vowels 

cey 

6v             cl 

©1 

0  V 

Sibilants 

es  s 

(s>  s'             c^/  sh 

^h 

The  Sinhalese 

Vowels. 

cpte; 

Consonants. 

<»  ^T^)S 

d{n)j 

S)(n)d     ^(n)d; 

©  (m)b. 

APPENDIX.  235 

Remarks. 

For  the  vowels  esj  and  seas,  the  Government  Minute  gives 
ri,  ri  ;  and  there  is  neither  provision  for  e^  ]r,  and  e^'9  If,  nor 
the  necessary  type  for  the  signs  adopted  and  given  above. 
For  the  anusvara  again,  the  same  Minute  gives  ^  ;  but  since 
the  use  of  n,  with  an  open  dot  below,  may  lead  many,  as  it  has 
led  me,  to  confound  it  with  the  lingual  n;  I  have  adopted  an 
m  with  a  dot  below.  That  symbol,  however,  is  not  to  be 
found  in  the  Printing  Establishment,  and  the  consequence 
is,  that  I  have  been  compelled  to  use  the  simple  dental  n  or 
the  labial  m  in  its  stead,  leaving  it  to  the  reader  to  discern 
the  correct  character   from  the  sense  of  the  word.     Owino- 

o 

to  the  same  cause  I  have  not  been  able  to  express  the 
semi-consonant  g  h  properly. 

In  proceeding  to  the  Consonants  I  may  remark  that  S  ch,  is 
unnecessarily  expressed  in  two  letters;  and  the  inconvenience 
is  doubly  great  when  we  have  to  express  it  with  its  aspirate, 
thus  chchh.  As  the  scheme  adopted  by  FausboU  is  in 
this  respect,  as  in  others,  very  simple,  it  is  my  intention  in 
the  second  volume  to  use  c  and  ch  in  all  cases,  where  in 
this  volume  I  have  used  ch,  and  chh.  There  is  only  one  other 
remark  necessary  under  this  head,  and  that  is,  that  I  have 
not  been  able  to  confine  the  last  semi  vowel  in  the  list  to  a 
simple  i;,  but  have  adopted  the  promiscuous  use  of  v  and  w. 

Under  the  head  of  the  Sinhalese  Vowels  the  reader  will 
observe  that  in  the  Sinhalese  extracts  I  had  to  use  e,  e, 
characters  which  are  not  found  in  the  Sanskrit  and  Pali 
alphabets ;  and  also  e,  and  6,  which  in  the  Siighalese  are 
found  with  marked  accent. 

The  Sanskrit  anubandhas  yg,  nj,  nd,  nd  and  mb  possess 
different  sounds  in  the  Sinhalese  (see  Sidatsangara,  p.  Ixi.)  and 


236  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

are,  metrically,  one  syllabic  instant.  No  signs  have  been 
appropriated  authoritatively  for  these  sounds  ;  nor  are  there 
any  types  to  represent  them.  I  have  therefore  (though  some- 
what unwillingly)  resorted  to  the  plan  indicated  in  the  above 
table  for  expressing  them. 


In  presenting  the  first  volume  of  this  work  to  the  Public, 
I  may  be  permitted  to  state  that  the  materials  for  the  second 
volume  are  ready,  and  in  the  press.  It  will  contain  a 
complete  Analysis  of  the  Vinaya-pitaka,  with  prelimi- 
nary observations  on  several  important  subjects.  I  have, 
wilh'the  assistance  of  two  of  the  most  talented  Pandits  in 
this  island,  Batuvantudave,  and  Sumaiigala,  High  Priest, 
literally  rendered  into  English  all  that  may  fairly  be  ascribed 
to  Gotama  Buddha.  I  have  also  given,  to  an  appreciable 
extent,  all  the  Precepts,  Legends,  Explanations,  and  Sutras, 
extracting  only  those  parts  of  the  Text,  which,  in  my 
opinion,  might  lead  to  important  investigations.  The 
literal  translations  are  invariably  preceded  by  the  Texts, 
which  have  been  collated  with  several  authentic  copies, 
Sinhalese,  Burmese,  and  Siamese.  A  copious  Table  of 
Contents  will  serve  all  the  purposes  of  a  Descriptive 
Catalogue,  whilst  no  pains  will  be  spared  to  make  the 
separate  Index,  intended  for  the  second  volume,  as  full  as  is 
desirable. 

If  the  Analysis  of  this  Pitaka  should  fall  short  of  the 
prescribed  limits,  which  are  the  same  as  those  assigned  to 
the  present  volume,  I  purpose  to  commence  with  an  analysis 
of  the  Su'tra-pitaka,  but  I  do  not  believe  I  shall  be  able 
to  present  as  many  extracts  from  it  as  I  have  done  from  the 
Vinaya. 


APPENDIX.  237 

RULES  OF  THE  GOVERNMENT  ORIENTAL 
LIBRARY.* 

I.  That  the  Sanskrit,  Pali,  and  Siyhalese  Library  estab- 
lished by  the  Government  of  Ceylon,  be  called  "The 
Government  Oriental  Library." 

II.  That  the  same  be  under  the  immediate  control  and 
supervision  of  the  Colonial  Secretary  for  the  time  being. 

III.  That  all  affairs  connected  with  the  said  Library  be 
conducted  and  managed  by  a  paid  Librarian,  and  one  or  more 
servants  appointed  by  the  Governor. 

IV.  That  the  Librarian  be  required  to  give  security 
to  the  satisfaction  of  the  Colonial  Secretary  for  the  due 
preservation  of  the  books  and  records,  and  generally  for  the 
observance  of  the  rules  of  the  institution,  and  the  due 
performance  of  all  the  duties  required  of  him. 

V.  That  the  Library  be  kept  open  every  day  from 
1 1  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  till  4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
except  on  Sundays  and  other  Government  holidays,  and 
except  after  2  o'clock  on  Saturdays. 

VI.  That  on  no  account  whatsoever  shall  any  person  be 
allowed  to  remove  any  book  belonging  to  the  Library  beyond 
the  precincts  of  the  Library. 


*  *^  His  Excellency  the  Governor  has  been  pleased  to  direct,  that  the 
following  Rules  framed  by  the  Government  Oriental  Library  Committee, 
and  approved  by  His  Excellency,  be  published  for  cceneral  infoimation. 

"  By  His  Excellency's  Command, 

"Colonial  Secretary's  Office,  Henry  T.  Irving, 

Colombo,  26th  September,  1870.  Colonial  Secretary." 

— [Ceylon  Goiernmeni  Gazette.  No.  3,787.  October  1,  li^70.] 

2  I 


238  'descriptive  catalogue. 

VII.  That  the  books  belonging  to  the  Library  shall  be 
kept  clear  of  dust,  shall^alvvays  during  office  hours  be  exposed 
to  the  air,  and  shall  at  intervals  of  two  months  be  exposed 
to  the  sun  ;  the  Librarian  shall  moreover  do  all  things 
necessary  for  the  due  preservation  of  books  and  olas. 

VIII.  That  the  Librarian  shall  himself  keep  the  keys 
of  the  Library  shelves,  and  shall  not  permit  any  person 
access  to  the  books  of  the  Library  except  in  his  presence, 
or  except  in  the  manner  provided  for  by  Rule  IX. 

IX.  That  the  Librarian  shall  be  responsible  for  any  book 
that  may  be  taken  out  of  the  shelf  for  purposes  of  copying, 
comparison,  or  inspection,  and  that  the  same  shall  on  no 
account  be  removed  beyond  the  limits  of  the  Library 
premises. 

X.  That  the  Librarian  shall  from  time  to  time,  as  may 
be  expedient,  cause  a  printed  Catalogue  of  the  Library,  both 
in  English  and  Sinhalese,  to  be  issued  to  the  public,  and  for 
a  price  to  be  fixed  by  the  Colonial  Secretary, 

XI.  That  the  Librarian  shall  be  at  liberty  to  issue 
extracts  on  ola  or  paper  of  any  of  the  books,  or  parts  of  the 
books,  of  the  Library,  on  the  written  application  of  a  party, 
and  on  payment  of  such  a  reasonable  fee  as  the  Colonial 
Secretary  may  from  time  to  time  sanction. 

XII.  That  the  Librarian  shall  keep 

( 1 )  A  classified  Catalogue  of  the  books  of  the  Li  brary, 

the  numbers  in  which  shall  correspond  with 
the  numbers  borne  by  the  books.  All  additions 
to  the  Library  shall  from  time  to  time  be 
inserted  in  the  said  catalogue  ; 

(2)  A  register,  in  a  form  to  be  approved  of  by  the 

Colonial  Secretary,  of  references  made  and 
of  extracts  or  copies  issued  by  him  ; 


APPENDIX,  239 

(3)  A  memorandum  of  all  the   fees   so  received  as 

aforesaid,  an  account  whereof  the  Librarian 
shall,  moreover,  from  time  to  time  render  to 
the  Colonial  Secretary,  shewing  the  receipts 
on  the  one  hand,  and  disbursements  on  the 
other  ;  and 

(4)  Such  further  catalogues,  lists,  or  other  memo- 

randa, as  the  Colonial  Secretary  may  from  time 
to  time  prescribe. 

XIII.  That  all  extracts  shall  be  made  within  the  Library 
premises  either  by  copyists  employed  by  the  Librarian,  or 
by  the  person  or  persons  requiring  such  extracts.  No  one 
shall  be  employed  as  copyist  without  the  previous  sanction 
of  the  Colonial  Secretary. 

XIV.  That  any  one  desirous  of  inspecting  or  comparing 
a  book  of  the  Library  with  hi&  own,  shall  be  at  liberty  to  do 
so  in  the  presence  of  the  Librarian  within  the  Library 
premises,  and  ft'ee  of  any  charge  whatever. 

XV.  That  any  one  desirous  of  obtaining  an  extract  from 
a  book  belonging  to  the  Library,  may  employ  his  own  copyist 
to  make  it  at  his  sole  cost  and  expense,  or  he  may  obtain 
the  extract  on  a  written  application  to  the  Librarian,  and 
on  his  tendenng  the  regulated  fee  for  that  purpose. 

XVI.  That  no  one  should  be  allowed  to  smoke,  or  chew 
betel,  or  spit  within  the  Library  premises. 


240  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 


CORRECTIONS. 


AGE. 

LINE. 

xi 

...   29 

2 

...  13 

»» 

...  19 

11 

...  20 

»i  , 

...  21 

»i 

...  22 

3 

...   4 

4 

...  22 

7 

...  10 

11 

...   7 

„ 

...  24 

31 

...  16 

33 

...  23 

35 

...   7 

i» 

...  11 

»» 

...  13 

n 

...   18 

1? 

...  20 

M 

...  22 

36 

...   7 

37 

...   4 

40 

...   6 

11 

...   7 

„ 

...  13 

41 

...  17 

i> 

...  20 

for  Pitaka  read  Pitaka. 

for  kunjara  read  kufijara. 

for  Ganam'pi  pani  read  ganam'pi  pani, 

for  guno  read  guno. 

for  lingesu  read  lirtgesu. 

for  karanan  read  karanan, 

for  Abhidhana'padipikan  read  Abhidhanappadipi- 

kan. 
for  anara  read  anara. 

for  Bhikkhus  and  Sanghas  read  Council  of  bhikkhiis. 

for  Pali  read  Pili ;  also  elsewhere. 

for  Lambakanna  read  Ivanibakanna. 

for  affected  read  afflicted. 

ybr  lekbanakarayi  read  lekhamakarayi. 

for  Jyotigriana...Puranare«(/ Jyotirjnana...Purana 

for  visi§  read  visin. 

for  rach.anakarana  read  rachanakarana. 

for  paiijara  read  panjara. 

for  saycliikrita  Yaychi  read  Sanchikrita  Vaiicbi. 

22    for  lanka  read  laiika. 

for  patam  read  patan. 

for  Satru  read  S'atru. 

for  abhivandi  yaggan  read  abhivandiya'ggan. 

for  gana'mutta  mancha  read  gana'inutta  maiicha. 

for  suneyya  read  siineyya. 

for  byanjana  read  byaiijana. 

for  Each  (set  of)  five,  etc,  read  Lit.   '  (There  are) 

classes,  frcm  five  to  five,  to  the  end  of  m.' 


CORRECTIONS.  241 

PAGE.  LINE. 

41  ...     23    for  SuttAU  read  Suttsk. 

42  ...       2    for  composition  read  usage  ;  also  at  p.  60. 

43  9  &  10    for  sanyoge  read  sa^yoge. 

47  ...       4    for  udako  bako  read  udakabako. 

„  ...       5    for  in  a  pot  read  on  a  pot. 

„  ...     20    /or  Vannana  read  Vannana. 

„  ...     21    for  udaharana  read  udaharana. 

„  ...     22    for  pakaranan  read  pakaranan. 

49  ...     20    for  vannita  read  vannita. 

„  ...     22     for  parampara  read  parampara. 

„  ...      „     for  vinichchaya     uichchayan     read     vinichchhaya 
nichchhayan. 

50  ...       3    for  Manjusa  read  Manjusa 

„  ...       6    for  Kamraadina  read  kamraadina. 

„  ...       8    for  Neruttu  read  Nerutti. 

51  ...     25    for  banavara,  and  elsewhere,  read  bhanavara, 

52  ...       8    for  kanchena  read  kaiicheva. 
„  ...       9    /or  pancha  reao?  paiicha. 

„  ...     16    /or  sampinda  reac/ sampinda. 

„  ...     17    /or  cha  reac?  chha. 

„  ...     19    for  nyase  read  nyase. 

„  ...     20    /or  gahetv  rettti  gahetva. 

„  ...     21    /or  gananta  reuc?  ga^anta. 

„  ...      „     for  sata  sata  read  satta  sata. 

„  ...     28    for  nyaso  read  nyaso  ;  also  at  p.  53. 

57  ...     26    /or  pakarana  r«at/ pakarana. 

62  ...     23    /or  van  rearf  van. 

66  ...       2    /or  pancalah  read paiicalah. 

68  ..28    /cr  Buddhagosa  read  Buddhagliosa  ;  also  at  pp. 

69,  70,  etc. 

69  ...       3    for  Karanan  read  Karanan  ;  also  line  4,  22,  27. 
„  ...       6    for  Panchami  read  Pafichami. 

71      ...     15    /or  vichayohftro  rea</ viehayahai'o  ;   also  at  line  16, 
and  74. 


242  DESCRIPTIVE    CATALOGUE. 

PAGE.  LINE. 

71  ...  17  for  vichinati  read  vichinati  ;  also  at  line  38. 
„  ...  19  for  nissaranan  read  nissaraiian. 

72  ...  19  Jor  pananan  read  pananan. 

„  ...  20  for  \\\y9iX2iVi9x\  read  \\\\?cc9.\\siVL\aUo  at  other  places. 

73  ...  13  for  cha  read  cha. 

„  ...  30  /or  dkkhata  7'ea^  dukkhata 

74  ...  1  /or  dhukkata  reaf/ dukkhata. 
78  ...  16  for  Lagbu  read  Laghu  etc, 

81  ...  12  yr;r  nikadi  r^arf  nikadi. 

„  ...  13  /or  Vasettha  r^urf  Vasittha. 

82  ..•  11  /or  nik a  rearf  nika. 

83  ..  16  for  manjusan  read  manjusan  ;  also  at  line  23. 

84  .,,  25  for  siivadi  read  svadi. 

86  ...  5  /or  mundhisu  r^af^ mundisu. 

„  ...  20  /or  shabdkiriaiehi  rearf  s'aljdakirimeln. 

88  ...  12  /or  Dhatupathas  reac?  Dhatiipathas 

115  ...  4  for  sute  ?'ead  suto. 

116  ...  13  /or  patricide  retfc?  parricide. 

„  ...  9  for  Sanghancha  read  Saiigbaiioha. 

121  ...  28  /or  bhikkhu  reac?  bhikkhu. 

„  ...  30  for  chiratthittan  read  chiratthitatthan. 

126  ...  20  /or  Savatti  rmc/ Savatthi. 

133  ...  26  for  sanbuddhe  read  sambuddhe. 

„  ...  28  /or  nitvana  oncf  nitva,  reac?  nitvana  awe?  nitva. 

134  ...  8  /or  Thehi  rearf  tehi. 

„  ...  11  /or  yavhaj an  r<?a</ savhayan. 

„  ...  23  for  garu  read  garii 

„  ...  30  /or  sattapanne  rearf  sattapanni. 

135  ...  4  /or  avinasanan  rm</ avinasayan. 
„  ...  22  /or  saratto  read  sarattho. 

136  ...  6  /or  Kasappa  rearf  Kassapa. 

158  ...  12  /or  Tanbapanni  r^ar/ Tambapanni. 
„  ...  21  /r/r  sambhuddo  r(?«r/ sambuddho. 

159  ...  15  for  Tambapanua  ?'ead  Tainbapanni. 


CORRECTIONS.  243 

PAGE.  LINE. 

159  ...  21  jor  viaggan  read  vyaggan. 
„  ...  24  for  deyyan  read  dlieyyau. 

160  ...  13  /or  Mutusaivas  reat/  Mutasiva's. 
164  ...  8  for  samanera  read  samanera. 

„  ...  16  /or  Sangamitta  reaff  Saiigharaitta. 

171  ...  9  /or  kalan  rearf  kala^. 

„  ...  1 1  for  nayanoddhavan  read  nayanoddhavay. 

„  ...  14  /or  s'righanan  reai  s'righana^. 

173  ...  20  /or  savu  reac?  sau. 

174  ...  12  for  nirvana  read  nirvana. 
177  ...  18  /b/  dos'a  rea'i  dosha. 

179  ...  1  for  vacanat  read  vachanat. 

184  ...  30  Jor  siyadi  read  Syadi. 

185  ...  1  /or  Nadi  reac?  Nadi. 
189  ...  14  for  Kavu  read  Kav. 

191  ...  18  Regard  last  n  as  g.     See  explanation  at  p.  235. 

201  .  .  6  for  Prakkrama  Baliu  read  Parakramabahu. 

„  ...  12  for  langata  read  la(n)gata. 

„  ...  17  for  nuba  i^ead  nu(m)ba. 

211  ...  8  /or  noharina  reari  noharina. 

„  ...  7  for  situmini  read  .situmini. 

218  ...  4  /or  nodamiida  rmc^  nodemiida. 

220  ...  6  for  revu  read  rev. 

222  ...  10  /or  paraana  reafi?  pamana. 

„  ...  11  /or  paraano  rcaci  paniano. 

„  ...  14  /or  Dak^na  rmrf  Dakaua. 


By  the  same  Author. 


JUST  PUBLISHED, 

THE     PALI     TEXT 

OF  THE 

ATTANAGALU-VANSA, 

(Fn  the  Sinhalese  character.) 

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