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Some time before and after the compilation of the Pali commentaries by Buddhaghosa two important literary works of a different type were produced in Sri Lanka. They are the Diipavaüsa and the Mahàvaüsa, described in the foregoing pages either as the Sri Lanka chronicles or the Pali chronicles. These two works are the earliest extant literary records giving a continuous history of the activities of the kings of Sri Lanka from pre-Buddhist times up to the end of the reign of King Mahàsena. Both works are composed in Pali metrical verses. The Dãpavaüsa is the earlier of these two chronicles. It is not a compilation of one individual author but is the outcome of several previous works to which additions have been made from time to time, taking its present form about the fourth century a.c. The chronicle does not name any particular author but it has been held by some scholars, from the abundant material it contains about nuns, that the Diipavaüsa is a work compiled and continued by nuns from time to time. The Diipavaüsa consists of 22 chapters. They contain accounts of the three visits of the Buddha to Sri Lanka, the ancestry of the Buddha, the three Buddhist councils and the different Buddhist schools which arose after the Second Council, the activities of King Asoka, the colonization of Sri Lanka by Vijaya, his successors, the introduction of Buddhism in the reign of King Devànampiyatissa and the activities of his successors, especially Duññhagàmani, Vaññagaamani and Mahàsena. The narrative ends with the reign of Mahàsena (276-303). The Dãpavaüsa has obtained its material from different sources of which the Sihala Mahàvamsaññhakathà (also called the Sãhalaññhakathà or Porànaññhakathà or merely Aññhakathà) was pre-eminent. Besides this there were several other sources like the Uttaravihàra Mahaava.msa, Vinayaññhakathà and the Dipavaüsaññhakathà. By these names were known the records collected and preserved in the Mahàvihàra and the other monasteries. The Mahàvaüsa, which is the better work in its comprehensiveness, arrangement of facts and high literary standard, was compiled by a Thera named Mahànàma either in the late fifth century or the early sixth century A.E. It also covers the same period of history and its material is drawn from the same sources as the Dãpavaüsa, but it contains much more additional material presented in a better form. The Mahaavaüsa contains 37 chapters in all. They deal mainly with the same events as those of the Dãpavaüsa, but there are much longer accounts and greater details of the activities of several kings such as Pandukàbhaya and Dutthagàmani and events like the establishment of Buddhism and the rise of new schools. These two chronicles contain many myths and legends. Yet they are among the primary sources for the reconstruction of the early history of Sri Lanka for they contain a great deal of historical facts, especially in the narratives dealing with the period after the 2nd century BCE, corroborated by epigraphical, archaeological and other evidence. The Buddhavaüsa, Khuddakanikàya and Anàgatavaüsa influenced Sri Lanka Pali and Sinhala vaüsa literature which evolved over this period. Mahaviharavansa, the chronicle of the Mahavihara, developed later into become the history of ancient kings, as Mahàvaüsa and Chulavansa, and replaced the earlier 'History of the Island', Dãpavaüsa. Although hasn't certain parts of it are missing, they survive in the Dhàtuvaüsa. The Buddhavaüsa, Khuddakanikàya and Anàgatavaüsa are other examples of the vaüsa literature which evolved over this period. There are many books composed by Sri Lankan authors under the many themes. Such as; Aàgatavaüsa, Elu Attanagaluvasa, Thåpavaüsa, Sinhala Daladavaüsa, Sinhala Bodhivaüsa, Dalada Påjavaliya and Daladasirita. There are several books included in the Pali vaüsa literature; Dãpavaüsa, Mahavaüsa, Chåëavaüsa, Chålavaüsa, Bodhivaüsa, Dàñhavaüsa, Anàgatavaüsa, Laëàñhadhàtuvaüsa and Hatthavanagallavihàvaüsa. Sinhala Poetry Literature is based on Pàli Jàtaka. The Buddhist teachers who came from India had a range of stories which they recited to locals. These included jàtaka tales on the Bodhisatva's past lives, stories which explain the moral sayings in scripts. As literature developed, these stories came to be written down, either in Sinhala or in a form of Pali which evolved here. The first recorded translation of the Pali sutta texts goes back to King Buddhadasa's period (340-368AD). This paved the way for the important Sinhala texts known as Sutra-sanna; sutras which began early in Sinhala writing presented the material for both prose and later, verse writers. One of the most well-known prose works, Amàvathura by Gurulugomi, is almost entirely dependent on sutra translations. The jàtaka stories provided rich fodder (material) for the early Sinhala poets. The earliest of these were in the blank verse style called gi or in rhythmic prose called vrttagandhi. The story was enhanced with descriptions of events, people etc. Sasadàvata, based on the Sasa Jàtaka (which is about the Bodhisatva's past life as a hare) is the first gi poem. It was written during the reign of Queen Lilavati.Kavsilumina (crest gem of poetry), written by King Parakramabahu II of Dambadeniya (1236-1270), is a grand work which can rival any Sanskrit poem. It is based on the Kusa Jàtaka, about the Bodhisatva's past life as King Kusa. The Kusa Jataka was a popular subject for many Sinhala poets, with Alagiyavanna, an early 17th century poet, also using the story. His Kusa Jàtaka-Kàvyaya, written in a mixture of ancient classical style and the popular style that was then developing, was more popular with the masses and was even used later in schools. The Kàvyasekharaya (the crown of poetry), written by Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera in 1449, is another noted work. The story was based on the little known Sattubhasta Jàtakaya, which speaks about the Bodhisatva's wisdom even before attaining Buddha hood. It was written on the invitation of a princess in Kotte and so contains an eulogy (words of praise) of her and her father, King Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467), as was the custom of the day. The Guttilaya written in the 15th century, Asadisa-Jàtaka-Kàvyaya by King Rajadhirajasinha of Kandy (1780-1798) and Sandakinduru Jàtakaya were other notable poetic works of the country. The Vessantara Jàtakaya was also popular among local poets. One of the greatest Sandesa (message in Sanskrit) works is Meghadåtha by the great Sanskrit poet Kàlidasa, which describes the route taken by the messenger, the cloud, to deliver the message. Such Sandesa poems were popular with Sinhala writers of the early poetry writing era, and even old Sinhalese translations of the Meghadåtha had existed. Sandesa poems start with the showering of blessings and praise on the messenger, followed by a brief indication of the message. The most prominent sandesas are Mayura Sandesa, Selalihini Sandesa, Parevi Sandesa, Haüsa Sandesa, Savul Sandesa, Keñakirili Sandesa, Kirala Sandesa, Nilakobo Sandesa, Kokila Sandesa and Tisara Sandesa. A large number of Sinhalese works on religious subjects too 43
elongs to this period. The Saddharmaratnàvalã, which narrates the stories of the Pali Dhammapadatthakathaa in Sinhalese, the Påjavalii which relates the honour and offerings received by the Buddha, the Pansiya-panas-jàtaka based on the Pali Jàtaka commentary, the Sinhala Bodhivaüsa on the history of the Bodhi Tree, the Elu-Attanagaluvaüsa which is a translation of the Pali work, the Saddharmaalankàra, based on the Pali Rasavàhinã, the Guttilakàvyaya based on the Guttila Jàtaka, the Kàvyasekharaya, based on the Sattubhatta Jàtaka, the Buduguõa-alankàraya, which narrates the dispelling of the calamity in Vesaali by the Buddha, and the Loveda-sangaràva, containing religious instructions for the laity, are the standard works among them. It is a very significant fact that this revival of Buddhism in the twentieth century gathered momentum towards the middle of that century as a result of the Sinhalese Buddhist leaders of the time gaining control of the reins of government. Ultimately in 1948 Sri Lanka regained its independence after a period of British rule of 133 years. The Buddhist leaders who worked indefatigably for the cause of Buddhism were also the Sinhalese national leaders who led the struggle for liberation from foreign rule. It was therefore to be expected that when these leaders gained national freedom and took over the reins of government from the British rulers, they were mindful of their national faith and its culture and therefore took the necessary steps to set things right so that Buddhism would once more receive its rightful place. Reference- 1. History of Ceylon, 1959, p 91, Ceylon University, University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, Hem Chandra Ray, K. M. De Silva - Sri Lanka. 2. Deraniyagala, Siran, The Prehistory of Sri Lanka; an ecological perspective. (revised ed.), Colombo: Archaeological Survey Department of Sri Lanka, 1992 3. Liyanagamage, Amaradasa, The decline of Polonnaruwa and the rise of Dambadeniya. Department of Cultural Affairs, Government Press, Colombo, Sri Lanka. 1968. 4. De Silva, K. M.: A History of Sri Lanka. New Delhi, Penguin, xvii, p. 782, 2005. 5. De Silva, K.M. History of Sri Lanka (Univ. of Calif. Press, 1981) 44
Page 1: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ORGANIZED BY Th
Page 4 and 5: Message by His Excellency the Presi
Page 6: Message from His Excellency the Pri
Page 9 and 10: CONTENTS 01 02 07 09 11 14 16 20 27
Page 11 and 12: International Buddhist Conference O
Page 16 and 17: Remarks by the High Commissioner of
Page 18 and 19: Remarks by Shri Suresh K. Goel, Dir
Page 20 and 21: Remarks by Prof G.L.Peiris, Hon’b
Page 22 and 23: placed the highest priority on that
Page 25 and 26: Contemporary Indian Interpretations
Page 27 and 28: comparison as an indication of the
Page 29 and 30: Buddha’s Dhamma as the Foundation
Page 31 and 32: why it recommends deconstruction of
Page 33 and 34: The Buddhist ultimate goal is to do
Page 35 and 36: programme by ethically transforming
Page 37 and 38: national symbol became the lion. Th
Page 39 and 40: “Watha deranatha nohera dakva aka
Page 41 and 42: of China political influence. Most
Page 44 and 45: Influence of Buddhism on Sri Lankan
Page 46 and 47: Indo-Sri Lankan Literary Ties Mahes
Page 48 and 49: Indian Influence on Sinhalese Langu
Page 50 and 51: Bibliography Deokar, Mahesh. (2011)
Page 54 and 55: NAGARJUNAKONDA: THE SITE OF INTERFA
Page 56 and 57: Buddhist Architecture of Nagarjunak
Page 58 and 59: Unit with both, chetiyaghara with s
Page 60 and 61: Dham….vihāre sela-ma[m]davo [a s
Page 62 and 63: the stupa inside, which is afterwar
Page 64 and 65: Buddhist Philosophy Ven. Sok Buntho
Page 66 and 67: The cultural heritages are the tang
Page 68 and 69: conditionality of all physical and
Page 70 and 71: from lying or evil speech) and(5) S
Page 72 and 73: Buddha's teachings were recorded in
Page 74 and 75: schools of alien and Indigenous tra
Page 76 and 77: ̣ It was regulated by Vajrayanic t
Page 78 and 79: esponsibilities to society; they go
Page 80 and 81: might try to stop making things wor
Page 82 and 83: start this analysis with an introdu
Page 84 and 85: subcontinental developments, in the
Page 86 and 87: 136 by the Vedic Aryans in India ca
Page 88 and 89: 170 presents his material as a well
Page 90 and 91: the Christian era up to the end of
Page 92 and 93: Bodhi tree because there is no othe
Page 94 and 95: that every year the Dhammadhatu be
Page 96 and 97: 292 cast themselves in the role of
Page 98 and 99: Role of Sanskrit in the Cultural in
Page 100 and 101: Pali poetic compositions of Srilank
Page 102 and 103:
The Buddhist historiography of Sri
Page 104 and 105:
of a system of dynamic mutual relat
Page 106 and 107:
commentaries. On finding a text for
Page 108 and 109:
misconduct' and 'achievement as the
Page 110 and 111:
eing of the society. It is the dham
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