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E-mail: bdea@buddhanet.net
Web site: www.buddhanet.net
Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.
by H.R. Perera
ii
iii
iuunisx I Sni L.x.
A Slorl Hislory
b H. R. Pereru
BUrrnis1 PUntic~1ioN Socir1v
K~Nrv, Sni L~Nk~ 1988
Fins1 PUntisnrr 1966 SrcoNr IxrnrssioN 1988
Tnr Wnrrt PUntic~1ioN No. 100 ~/n/c
OriginaIIy pubIislod undor llo lilIo
8u!!|ism in Cc|cn. |is Pcsi cn! Prcscni
Buddlisl IubIicalion Socioly
I.O. Box 61
54, Sanglaraja Mavalla
Kandy, Sri Ianka
ISBN 955-24-OO17-1
iv
CONTENTS
Irofaco ................................................................................................................. 1
1 Slalo of Sri Ianka boforo llo Inlroduclion
of Buddlism ............................................................................................. 3
2 LarIy Tradilions ........................................................................................... 3
3 CoIonizalion by Irinco Vijaya and lis IoIIovors .......... 5
4 IoIilicaI DovoIopmonl and SociaI Organisalion
aflor Vijaya ................................................................................................ 6
5 Iro-Buddlisl RoIigion in Sri Ianka ........................................... 8
6 Lmporor Asoka and Buddlism in India .............................1O
7 Tlo Mission lo Sri Ianka ................................................................. 12
8 ArrivaI of Malinda ................................................................................14
9 Lnlry inlo llo CapilaI ..........................................................................16
1O Sanglamill and Womon DiscipIos ........................................17
11 ArrivaI of llo Sacrod Bo-Troo ........................................................18
12 Tlo Iirm LslabIislmonl of llo Ssana ..................................19
13 Irogross of Buddlism in Ianka ................................................ 2O
14 Tlo Iassing Avay of Malinda and Sanglamill ...... 22
15 Invasion of TamiIs and Rosloralion of llo
Ssana by King Dulllagmani ............................................. 22
16 SociaI and CuIluraI DovoIopmonl duo
lo Buddlism ...........................................................................................24
17 Vallagamani Ablaya ........................................................................... 29
18 Tlo Iirsl Sclism .......................................................................................31
19 Wriling of llo Sacrod Books .......................................................... 32
v
2O Tlo Grovll of Dissonlionl SclooIs ........................................ 34
21 Tlo Naluro of llo Nov Doclrinos ............................................ 37
22 Tlo Sacrod Tooll RoIic ...................................................................... 4O
23 Buddlaglosa Tlora and llo CompiIalion of
llo IaIi Commonlarios ................................................................. 44
24 Tlo IaIi ClronicIos ............................................................................... 48
25 IoIilicaI Unrosl and llo DocIino of Buddlism ...............51
26 Vijayablu I and llo RovivaI of Buddlism ..................... 53
27 RovivaI of Buddlism undor Iarkramablu
llo Groal ................................................................................................... 54
28 CompiIalion of RoIigious Troalisos .......................................... 57
29 DocIino of Buddlism aflor Iarkramablu I
and Rosloralion by Iarkramablu II ............................ 62
3O Tlo Iilorary RovivaI ............................................................................ 64
31 Lmbassy from Burma lo Oblain Ordinalion .................. 66
32 LslabIislmonl of Malvilravamsa in Burma ............ 68
33 Tlo ArrivaI of llo Iorluguoso and
llo Iorsoculion of Buddlism ................................................. 69
34 Iorsoculion of Buddlism by Rjasinla I ........................... 72
35 VimaIa Dlarmasuriyas Allompl al
Rosloring Buddlism ...................................................................... 73
36 Succossors of VimaIa Dlarmasuriya I and
llo ArrivaI of llo Dulcl in Sri Ianka .............................. 74
37 VimaIa Dlarmasuriya II and lis Succossors ...................76
38 Tlo Roign of Kirli Sri Rjasinla ................................................ 78
39 VoIivila Sri Saranankara ................................................................... 79
vi
4O Tlo ArrivaI of llo Brilisl and llo Lnd of
SinlaIoso RuIo in Sri Ianka ..................................................... 82
41 Tlo Brilisl Alliludo lovards Buddlism ............................ 84
42 Tlo Clrislian Missionary Aclivilios ...................................... 86
43 Molollivallo Gunnanda Tlora and llo
Buddlisl Ro-avakoning ............................................................. 9O
44 CoIonoI OIcoll and Buddlisl Aclivilios ............................... 92
45 Ollor Aclivilios of llo Buddlisl Ronaissanco
Movomonl ............................................................................................... 95
46 Anagrika DlarmapIa and llo Buddlisl
CuIluraI RovivaI ................................................................................. 96
47 Buddlism in Sri Ianka in llo Iirsl HaIf of
llo lvonlioll Conlury ................................................................1OO
48 Tlo Buddla }ayanli and Aflor .................................................. 1O3
Nolos ............................................................................................................... 1O7
1
IREIACE
Tlo prosonl lroaliso, 8u!!|ism in Sri Icn|c. A S|cri His-
icr doaIs vill llo lislory of Buddlism in llis isIand
from llo limo of ils inlroduclion in 25O B.C. in llo
roign of King Dovnampiya Tissa, up lo llo prosonl
limo (1966). Tlo vork is llo oulcomo of an allompl lo
roviso Dr. W. A. do SiIvas monograpl onlilIod His-
lory of Buddlism in CoyIon appoaring in Buddlis-
lic Sludios of Dr. B. C. Iav (CaIculla, 1931). Il slouId
bo monlionod, vill duo rospocl lo llo groal scloIar
and nalionaI Ioador, llal sovoraI of llo claplors of lis
monograpl lavo boon roproducod loro vliIo many
lavo boon rovisod and onIargod. A fov nov claplors
loo lavo boon addod vloro il vas doomod nocossary.
Tlo aullors and llo pubIislors llanks aro duo lo
Mossrs. Tlackor, Spink & Co., CaIculla, llo pubIisl-
ors of 8u!!|isiic Siu!ics, for lloir kind pormission lo
mako uso of Dr. W. A. do SiIvas arlicIo.
Tlo vrilor of llo prosonl vork las mado uso of a
Iargo numbor of ollor vorks, boll ancionl and mod-
orn, in ils compiIalion. Tlo clronicIos of Sri Ianka,
mainIy llo Mc|.cmsc and llo Dipc.cmsc, Tlo His-
icr cj Cc|cn (Univorsily Iross), VoI. I, Iarls I & II,
and llo arlicIo on Malayanism in CoyIon by Dr. S.
Iaranavilana, |cr| Hisicr cj 8u!!|ism in Cc|cn by
2
Dr. L. W. Adikaram, Hisicr cj 8u!!|ism in Cc|cn by
llo Von. W. RaluIa, 1|c Pc|i Iiicrciurc cj Cc|cn by Dr.
G. I. MaIaIasokora, 8cu!!|c 1crciuru Prc|sc|c Sc|-
|.c Vri.c (SinlaIoso), llo Buddlisl Commission
Roporl (SinlaIoso) and llo Diamond }ubiIoo Souvonir
of llo Mala Bodli Socioly of India, slouId bo ospo-
ciaIIy monlionod among llom, vill graliludo lo lloir
aullors and odilors.
Tlo roIovanl maloriaI from lloso numorous vorks
las boon synllolisod lo givo llo roador a basic knovI-
odgo of llo lislory of Buddlism in Sri Ianka from
llo oarIiosl limo up lo llo prosonl. Il is lopod llal llis
book viII sorvo llis purposo, ospociaIIy lo lloso vlo
visl lo gain llis knovIodgo by roading a singIo slorl
lroaliso.
H. R. Pcrcrc
PubIisher's Note
In accordanco vill llo officiaI clango of llo isIands
namo in 1972, llrougloul llo loxl llo vord CoyIon
las boon clangod lo Sri Ianka or Ianka, oxcopl
in a fov casos vloro il vas llougll nocossary or
dosirabIo lo rolain CoyIon.
3
BIDDHISM IN SRI IANKA
A SHORT HISTORY
1 State of Sri Lanka before the
Introduction of Buddhism
Buddlism vas inlroducod lo Sri Ianka in 236 B.E. (cir.
25O B.C.)
1
and bocamo llo nalionaI roIigion of llo Sin-
laIoso from llal dalo. Il is, lovovor, nocossary for a
propor sludy of llo lislory of Buddlism in llo isIand
lo considor llo slalo of llo isIand and ils sociaI and
poIilicaI dovoIopmonls and llo cuIluro and clarac-
lor of llo poopIo immodialoIy procoding llis poriod.
Tlis viII onabIo us lo gol a cIoar undorslanding of llo
mannor in vlicl sucl a far-roacling rovoIulion in llo
boIiofs, mannors, cusloms and claraclor of a poopIo
vas offoclod by llo inlroduclion of llis nov roIigion
and llo progross in Iiloraluro, arl and cuIluro llal las
boon manifoslod llrougl ils infIuonco.
2 EarIy Traditions
According lo llo oarIy clronicIos roIaling llo lisloricaI
lradilions of Sri Ianka, a princo namod Vijaya and lis
foIIovors vlo camo from India and Iandod in Ianka
4
on llo day of llo Iarinibbna of llo Buddla voro
llo firsl luman inlabilanls of llis isIand. Wlon lloy
camo llo isIand vas occupiod by yakklas (sprilos,
domons). Yakklas and ngas aro aIso said lo lavo
inlabilod Ianka in llo limo of llo Buddla. A Iogond
roIaling llo oxislonco of a groal civiIizalion boforo
llis limo, undor a king namod Rvana, is aIso curronl
llougl llo oarIy clronicIos mako no monlion of il.
Tlo Vijaya Iogond of lloso clronicIos is lakon by
modorn lislorians as a poolic oxprossion of llo acluaI
aryanizalion of Sri Ianka in aboul llo sixll conlury B.C.
Tlo lorm yakklas and ngas may rofor lo llo aborig-
inos vlo occupiod llo isIand boforo lloir arrivaI. No
lracos of an advancod civiIizalion, lovovor, lavo yol
boon discovorod lo supporl llo Rvana Iogond. Arclao-
oIogisls lavo discovorod clorl and quarlz impIomonls
and looIs al various silos, boIiovod lo lavo boon usod
by aboriginos of Sri Ianka, and lloy indicalo llal lloso
poopIo voro a primilivo lribo vlo Iivod by lunling.
Tloso aboriginos lavo nol Iofl lracos of a slrong poIili-
caI organizalion or an advancod cuIluro. Tlo prosonl
Voddas aro boIiovod lo bo lloir doscondanls.
5
3 CoIonization by Prince Vijaya and
his FoIIowers
Vijaya and lis 7OO foIIovors aro doscribod in llo
Iankan clronicIos as a sol of advonlurous young mon
vlo, vlon lloy voro banislod from lloir Indian
lomoIand IIa (or Ila), camo in soarcl of nov Iand
for sollIomonl. Ollor Iogonds, somo of vlicl aro ovon
oIdor, roIaling lov llo firsl aryan inlabilanls camo
lo sollIo dovn in Ianka aro found in sovoraI IaIi and
Sanskril vorks. Mosl of llom slov llal llo sollIo-
monl of oarIy aryan sollIors is duo lo llo onlorpriso of
llo pionooring morclanl marinors vlo camo lo llis
isIand for poarIs and procious slonos. Hislorians llus
do nol Iay mucl roIianco on llo dolaiIs of llo Vijayan
Iogond bul lloy accopl Vijaya as llo firsl lradilionaI
ruIor of llo novcomors llo SinlaIoso.
Vijaya, vlo vas a Kslalriya,
2
Iandod in Ianka,
according lo llo clronicIos, on llo day of llo Iari-
nibbna of llo Buddla. Ho aIIiod limsoIf vill an
aboriginaI princoss namod Kuvoni and marriod lor
and vill lor infIuonco soon bocamo llo maslor of llo
counlry. Ialor lo drovo Kuvoni avay and oblainod
a princoss from Madur vlom lo mado lis quoon.
Maidons of ligl birll camo from llo Iandyan king-
dom as vivos of lis foIIovors.
Vijaya ruIod from lis sollIomonl Tambappanni
and lis minislors foundod ollor sollIomonls Iiko
6
Anurdlagma, Upalissagma, Ujjoni, UruvoI and
Vijilapura. Tlus llo oarIiosl sollIomonls llal voro
foundod in llo limo of King Vijaya voro Iocalod aIong
llo rivor banks in llo norllvoslorn rogion of Ianka
Iiko llo MaIvalu-oya and llo KaI-oya.
4 PoIiticaI DeveIopment and
SociaI Organisation after Vijaya
Vijaya diod aflor a ruIo of 38 yoars. Sinco lo lad no son
lo succood lim, boforo lis doall lo sonl mossongors lo
lis brollor Sumilla in Silapura lo como and ruIo loro.
Sumilla sonl lis youngosl son Ianduvsudova, sinco
lo limsoIf vas king of Silapura and vas aIso loo oId.
Ianduvsudova, Vijayas noplov, arrivod ono yoar aflor
Vijayas doall during vlicl poriod llo minislors of
Vijaya ruIod llo counlry. Wlon Ianduvsudova camo
lo brougll vill lim 32 sons of minislors.
Tlo oarIy clronicIos prosorvo an opisodo vlicl
connocls llo Sakka famiIy of llo Buddla vill llo
sovoroignly of Ianka from llo limo of King Ianduv-
sudova. According lo llis accounl, Bladdakaccn,
vlo aIso arrivod in Ianka vill 32 ollor maidons
slorlIy aflor Ianduvsudova arrivod, vas llo daugl-
lor of Iandu Sakka, vlo limsoIf vas llo son of Amilo-
dana, an uncIo of llo Buddla.
Ianduvsudova ruIod for 3O yoars and vas suc-
7
coodod by lis oIdosl son Ablaya, vlo ruIod for 2O
yoars. Ablayas succossor vas Iandukblaya, llo son
of lis sislor Ummdacilla. Iandukblaya vas a groal
ruIor in vloso roign Anurdlapura dovoIopod inlo a
groal cily vill voII-markod boundarios. Aflor a Iong
roign of 7O yoars, Iandukblaya vas succoodod by
lis son Mulasiva vlo ruIod for 6O yoars. Mulasivas
socond son, Dovnampiya Tissa, succoodod lim in
25O B.C., llal is, 236 yoars aflor llo accossion of Vijaya.
Tloso 236 yoars couId bo rockonod as a soparalo
poriod in llo lislory of Sri Ianka for il formod llo
background for llo officaI inlroduclion of Buddlism,
vlicl occurrod during llo oponing yoars of llo noxl
ruIor, King Dovnampiya Tissa. During llis poriod llo
aryan coIonisls foundod sollIomonls aIong llo forliIo
rivor banks aImosl llrougloul llo isIand. Tloy closo
llo rivor banks bocauso lloy voro mainIy agricuIlur-
isls. Tlus llo rogions valorod by llo MaIvalu-oya,
KaI-oya, VaIavo-ganga, Kirindi-oya, Monik-ganga
and Kumbukkan-oya, llo KoIani-ganga and somo
rogions around llo MalavoIi-ganga soon bocamo
popuIalod. Anurdlapura bocamo a voII-organizod
cily vill boundarios markod, Iakos dug and lospi-
laIs and ollor buiIdings conslruclod.
3
In llo soull,
Malgma (Mgama), bocamo llo conlro of acliv-
ily. Tlo majorily of llo aboriginaI inlabilanls voro
absorbod inlo llo nov communily llrougl inlormar-
8
riago vliIo a fov villdrov lo llo MaIayadosa, llo
liglIands.
5 Pre-Buddhist ReIigion in Sri Lanka
Il is ovidonl from llo clronicIos roIaling llo oarIy
lislory of Sri Ianka llal boforo llo inlroduclion of
Buddlism in llo roign of King Dovnampiya Tissa
(25O-21O B.C.) lloro vas no singIo roIigion vlicl vas
vidoIy accoplod as llo nalionaI roIigion of llo coun-
lry. NovorlloIoss, lloro vas a vido rango of roIigious
boIiofs and praclicos, difforonl from ono anollor, and
oacl individuaI sooms lo lavo frooIy obsorvod lis
roIigion according lo lis boIiof.
A nolovorlly foaluro of llo pro-Buddlisl roIigion
of Sri Ianka is llal il vas a mixluro of llo aboriginaI
cuIls and llo boIiofs of llo aryan novcomors.
Tlo vorslip of yaksas and yaksinis vas a vidoIy
provaIonl aboriginaI cuslom of pro-Buddlisl Ianka.
King Iandukblaya, llo grandfallor of Dovnampiya
Tissa, providod slrinos for many of lloso spirils and
aIso gavo llom sacrificiaI offorings annuaIIy. Somo
of lloso yaksas and yaksinis monlionod by namo
aro KIavoIa, Cillarja, Vossavana, VaIavmukli
and Cill. Vydladova, Kammradova and Iaccli-
marjini, llougl nol knovn as yaksas and yaksinis,
aIso boIong lo llo samo calogory of aboriginaI spirils.
9
Troos Iiko llo banyan and paImyral voro aIso con-
noclod vill llo cuIls of lloso spirils sloving llal
lroo-vorslip vas aIso provaIonl.
Many scloIars agroo llal lloso yaksas and ollor
non-luman boings aro nono bul llo spirils of llo doad
roIalivos and lribaI cliofs vlo, llo poopIo boIiovod,
voro capabIo of loIping frionds and larming onomios.
Tlis boIiof, as is vidoIy knovn, formod ono of llo
main foaluros of llo primilivo roIigion and is oxlanl
ovon loday.
Accounls roIaling llo pro-Buddlisl lislory of Sri
Ianka aIso slov a considorabIo infIuonco of llo roIi-
gious lronds of India on llo socioly of Ianka. SovoraI
niganllas (}ainas) sucl as Giri, }oliya and Kumblanda
Iivod in llo roign of Iandukblaya and lormilagos
voro conslruclod for llom and ollor ascolics Iiko
jivakas, bralmins and llo vandoring mondicanl
monks. Iivo lundrod famiIios of lorolicaI boIiofs aIso
Iivod noar llo cily of Anurdlapura. Tlo bralmins
occupiod a ligl pIaco in socioly and lloir roIigious
boIiofs voro aIso rospoclod. Tlo vorslip of Siva loo
may lavo boon provaIonl.
Tlo accounl in llo Mc|.cmsc
4
of llo sollIing of
llo adloronls of various socls by King Iandukblaya
doos nol spocificaIIy monlion llo prosonco of any
adloronls of Buddlism among llom. Bul llo vork
rofors lo llroo visils of llo Buddla lo Sri Ianka, a
1O
slalomonl vlicl, llougl nol corroboralod by ollor
ovidonco, las nol boon disprovod. Iogondary accounls
aIso cIaim llal lvo slpas llo Maliyangana and llo
Girilandu voro conslruclod boforo llo inlroduclion
of Buddlism. Among llo novcomors loo lloro couId
lavo boon somo mombors vlo voro acquainlod vill
Buddlism, ospociaIIy as Bladdakaccn, vlo arrivod
vill 32 ollor maidons in llo guiso of nuns, vas a
cIoso roIalivo of llo Buddla.
6 Emperor Asoka and Buddhism in India
Buddlism as a form of roIigious oxprossion gainod
ascondoncy in India during llis poriod. Lmporor
Asoka vas crovnod, according lo llo clronicIos, in
llo yoar 218 of llo Buddlisl ora (i.o. 268 B.C.). Iiko
lis fallor Bindusra and grandfallor Candragupla,
Asoka vas a foIIovor of llo bralminicaI faill al llo
boginning of lis roign. In llo oarIy yoars of lis roign
lo foIIovod an oxpansionisl poIicy and in llo oiglll
yoar of lis coronalion lo conquorod KIinga, in llo
courso of vlicl 1OO,OOO voro sIain and 15O,OOO lakon
prisonors. Bul llo carnago of llo KIinga var causod
lim mucl griof and llo king vas allraclod lovards
llo lumanislic loaclings of Buddlism. According lo
llo Sri Ianka clronicIos, il vas a young novico namod
Nigrodla vlo convorlod Asoka.
11
Aflor llo convorsion of llis groal omporor
Buddlism fIourislod undor lis palronago. Ho incuI-
calod llo loaclings of llo Buddla and sol up odicls of
moraIily al numorous pIacos of lis vasl ompiro so llal
lis subjocls vouId adloro lo llom and lis succossors
migll foIIov lim. Ho limsoIf foIIovod lloso moraIs
and sol an oxampIo lo llo ollors. Tlo king is ropulod
lo lavo buiIl 84,OOO slupas. Tlo monks voro IavislIy
providod vill lloir roquisilos.
Tlo king ovon pormillod lis son Malinda and
daugllor Sanglamill lo join llo Ordor vlon lloy
voro lvonly and oiglloon yoars of ago rospoclivoIy.
Tloso lvo iIIuslrious discipIos bocamo nolod for lloir
pioly, allainmonls, Ioarning and profound knovIodgo
of llo Dlamma.
Vasl numbors joinod llo Ordor in llo roign of
Asoka soIoIy lo slaro llo bonofils slovorod on il by
llo king, and sucl poopIo voro nol onIy Iax in lloir
conducl, bul aIso loId doclrinos counlor lo llo loacl-
ings of llo Buddla.
Il vas llis dissonling oIomonl llal Iod lo llo loId-
ing of llo Tlird Buddlisl CounciI undor llo palron-
ago of King Asoka in ordor lo purify llo Buddlisl
roIigion (Ssana). Il vas al llis CounciI loId by a llou-
sand lloras (oIdors) undor llo Ioadorslip of MoggaIi-
pulla Tissa, al IlaIipulla, llal llo IaIi Canon of llo
Tloravda, as il oxisls loday, vas finaIIy rodaclod.
12
Al llis CounciI vas aIso lakon llo imporlanl,
docision of sonding missionarios lo difforonl rogions
lo proacl Buddlism and oslabIisl llo Ssana lloro.
Tlus llo llora MoggaIipulla Tissa dopulod Majjlan-
lika Tlora lo Ksmira-Gandlra, Maldova Tlora lo
MalisamandaIa, Rakklila Tlora lo Vanavsi, Yona-
Dlammarakklila Tlora lo Aparnlaka, Dlamma-
rakklila Tlora lo Malrallla, Malrakklila Tlora lo
YonaIoka, Majjlima Tlora lo Himavanla, lloras Sona
and Ullara lo Suvannablmi, and Malinda Tlora
vill lloras Illliya, Ulliya, SambaIa and BladdasIa
lo Ianka, saying unlo llo fivo lloras: LslabIisl yo in
llo doIigllfuI Iand of Ianka llo doIigllfuI roIigion of
llo Vanquislor.
7 The Mission to Sri Lanka
Malinda vas llirly-lvo yoars oId vlon lo undorlook
llo mission lo Sri Ianka. Ho lad adoplod llo roIi-
gious Iifo al llo ago of lvonly, maslorod llo doclrinos
and allainod llo liglosl spiriluaI Iifo, i.o., Aralalslip.
Iondoring on llo filling limo lo como lo Ianka, lo
porcoivod llal Mulasiva, llo ruIor al llal limo, vas in
lis oId ago, and lonco il vas advisabIo lo larry unliI
lis son bocamo ruIor.
In llo moanlimo Malinda visilod lis roIalivos
al Dakklingiri and lis mollor al Vodisagiri aIong
13
vill lis companions. His mollor Dovi, vlom Asoka
lad marriod vliIo lo vas yol a princo, vas Iiving al
Vodisagiri al llal limo. Having slayod for six monlls
al Dakklingiri and a monll al Vodisagiri, Malinda
porcoivod llal llo rigll limo lad como, for llo oId
ruIor vas doad and lis son Dovnampiya Tissa lad
bocomo king.
Dovnampiya Tissa vas llo socond son of Mula-
siva. Ho vas a friond of Asoka ovon boforo lo bocamo
king bul llo lvo lad nol soon oacl ollor. Tlo firsl lling
llal Dovnampiya Tissa did vlon lo bocamo king vas
lo sond onvoys lo Asoka, boaring coslIy prosonls. Tlo
onvoys, vlon lloy rolurnod, brougll among ollor
llings llo foIIoving mossago from Asoka:
A|cm 8u!!|c cc D|cmmc cc Scng|c cc
scrcncmgcic
upsc|ciicm .c!csim S|cpuiicssc sscnc
i.cmpimni rcicnni uiicmni ncruiicmc ciiicm
pcs!cii.nc sc!!|c scrcncm ||cjc.
I lavo lakon rofugo in llo Buddla, lis
Doclrino and lis Ordor, I lavo docIarod mysoIf
a Iay-discipIo in llo roIigion of llo Skya son, sook
llon, O bosl of mon, rofugo in lloso bosl of goms,
convorling your mind vill boIioving loarl.
14
Tlis mossago of Asoka vas convoyod lo King Dov-
nampiya Tissa in llo monll of Vosakla and il vas
llo fuII-moon day of llo foIIoving monll }ollla (Sinl.
Ioson) llal Malinda fixod for lis arrivaI in Sri Ianka.
Among llo companions of Malinda voro llo lloras
Illliya, Ulliya, SambaIa and BladdasIa, llo sman-
ora Sumana vlo vas llo son of Sanglamill, and llo
Iay-discipIo Blanduka vlo vas llo son of a daugllor
of Dovis sislor and lad bocomo an angmi (onco-
rolurnor) on loaring a sormon of Malinda proaclod
lo Dovi.
8 ArrivaI of Mahinda
Tlus on llo fuII-moon day of llo monll of }ollla in
llo yoar 236 B.E. (i.o. 25O B.C.) Malinda and lis com-
panions, doparling from Vodisagiri, roso up in llo air
and aIigllod on llo SiIakla of llo pIoasanl Missaka
liII, prosonlIy MilinlaIo, oigll miIos oasl of Anur-
dlapura. Tlo llora aIigllod loro for lo lad porcoivod
llal lo vouId mool llo king lloro on llal day.
Tlo firsl mooling of llo king of Ianka and llo
llora Malinda is graplicaIIy doscribod in llo clroni-
cIos of Sri Ianka. Tlo fuII-moon day of }ollla vas a
day of nalionaI foslivaI in Ianka. Mon and vomon
voro ongagod in amusing llomsoIvos. Tlo king vill
a Iargo parly of foIIovors vonl lo MilinlaIo liIIs on
15
a lunling oxpodilion. Tloro lo sav llo lloras vill
slavon loads drossod in yoIIov robos, of dignifiod
mion and dislinguislod appoaranco, vlo facod lim
and addrossod lim nol as ordinary mon addrossing
a king bul as lloso lo vlom a king vas lloir inforior.
Tlo convorsalion improssod llo king and lis immodi-
alo surrondor lo llo visdom and pioly dispIayod by
llo llora vas compIolo. Malinda Tlora in ropIy lo
llo kings inquiry as lo vlo lloy voro and vlonco
lloy lad como, said:
Scmcn mccm Mc|rjc D|cmmcrjcssc s.c|
ic.c.c cnu|cmpc jcm|u!ip i!|gci.
Wo aro llo discipIos of llo Iord of llo Dlamma.
In compassion lovards you, Malrja,
Wo lavo como loro from India.
Wlon lo loard lloso vords of llo llora, llo king Iaid
asido lis bov and arrov, and approacling llo llora,
oxclangod groolings vill lim and sal dovn noar
lim. Malinda llon lad a convorsalion vill llo king,
and roaIizing llal llo king vas inloIIigonl onougl lo
comprolond llo Dlamma, proaclod llo CIalallli-
padopama Sulla.
5
Al llo ond of llo discourso llo king
and lis rolinuo of forly llousand poopIo ombracod
llo nov faill. Having invilod llo missionarios lo llo
16
cily llo king Iofl for lis paIaco. Malinda sponl lis
firsl day in Sri Ianka al MilinlaIo vloro lo soIom-
nisod llo firsl occIosiaslicaI acl by admilling lo llo
Ordor llo Iay-foIIovor Blanduka vlo lad accompa-
niod lim from India.
9 Entry into the CapitaI
On llo invilalion of llo king, Malinda and llo ollor
lloras arrivod al Anurdlapura llo foIIoving day.
Going forvard lo mool llo lloras, llo king rospocl-
fuIIy Iod llom inlo llo paIaco vloro lo limsoIf sorvod
llom vill dainly food. Aflor llo moaI Malinda
proaclod llo Iolavalllu, llo Vimnavalllu and llo
Sacca-samyulla lo llo royaI lousoloId.
Tlo poopIo of llo cily vlo loard of llo lloras
fIockod noar llo paIaco-galo lo soo llom and llo king
proparod a laII oulsido llo paIaco so llal llo lovns-
poopIo couId soo llo lloras. On llis occasion Malinda
proaclod llo Dovadla Sulla (Majjlima Nikya, No.
13O).
Tlis laII loo vas nol spacious onougl for llo
vasl galloring and soals voro proparod for llo lloras
in llo Nandana-gardon in llo royaI park, vloro
Malinda proaclod llo BIapandila Sulla, (Majjlima
Nikya, No. 129).
In llo ovoning llo lloras oxprossod lloir dosiro
17
lo go back lo MilinlaIo. Tlo king, vlo vislod llom
lo slay in lis capilaI, granlod lo llo Sangla llo royaI
park Malmogla for lloir rosidonco. Tlo king lim-
soIf markod llo boundarios by pIougling a furrov.
Tlus vas oslabIislod llo Malvilra vlicl bocamo
llo oarIiosl coIobralod conlro of llo Buddlisl roIigion.
Having sponl lvonly-six days in llo Malmogla
Iark, llo llora rolurnod lo MilinlaIo for llo rain-
rolroal (.cssc). Tlis vas llo boginning of llo Coliya-
giri-vilra, anollor groal monaslic inslilulion of oarIy
Buddlisl Sri Ianka.
10 Sanghamitt and Women DiscipIes
Many vomon of Sri Ianka, loadod by Quoon AnuI,
dosirod lo onlor llo Ordor of discipIos and llus il
camo aboul llal omissarios Iod by llo kings noplov
Arillla voro sonl lo Lmporor Asoka lo oblain llo loIp
of fomaIo discipIos lo onabIo llo vomon of Ianka lo
oblain ordinalion.
Sanglamill, llo sislor of Malinda Tlora, vlo
lad onlorod llo Ordor and lad rocoivod ordinalion,
vas sonl oul lo Ianka al llo roquosl of llo king and
llo poopIo and on llo rocommondalion of Malinda
Tlora.
Tlo mossago sonl by llora Malinda lo Lmporor
Asoka pIoasod lim vory mucl, for in il lo roaIizod
18
llal llo mission lo Ianka lad boon ominonlIy suc-
cossfuI and llo king and llo poopIo of Ianka lad
accoplod llo nov doclrino vill onllusiasm.
11 ArrivaI of the Sacred Bo-Tree
Lmporor Asoka docidod on sonding a lokon of llo
Groal and LnIigllonod Ono lo llo Iand of Ianka and
proparod a brancl of llo Sacrod Bodli Troo undor
vlicl llo Iord allainod onIigllonmonl. Ho pIanlod
llo brancl in a goIdon vossoI and, vlon il lad lakon
rool, convoyod il lo llo slip, doposiling il in llo slip.
Ho aIso sonl a Iargo numbor of allondanls lo accom-
pany llo lroo. Tlo clronicIos monlion llal lloso voro
soIoclod from llo bralmins, nobIos and lousoloIdors
and consislod of 64 famiIios. Sanglamill Tlor and
lor allondanls ombarkod on llo samo slip as voII
as llo ambassadors and mossongors vlo camo from
Ianka.
Tlo slip saiIod from TmraIipli (TamIuk) and
arrivod al llo porl in Ianka in sovon days. Tlo porl
vas knovn as }ambukoIa and vas silualod in llo
norll of llo isIand. Tlo king of Ianka on loaring of
llo arrivaI of llo slip lad llo road from }ambukoIa lo
llo capilaI cily of Anurdlapura gaiIy docoralod. Ho
arrivod in slalo and limsoIf look clargo of llo Sacrod
Bodli Troo. Tlis lroo vas pIanlod in llo Malmogla
19
gardon of Anurdlapura vill groal foslivilios and
londod vill lonour and caro. Up lo llis dalo il fIour-
islos as ono of llo mosl sacrod objocls of vonoralion
and vorslip for miIIions of Buddlisls.
12 The Firm EstabIishment of the Ssana
Arillla, llo kings noplov vlo lad oblainod llo
kings pormission lo onlor llo Ordor of monks on lis
rolurn from India, did so vill fivo lundrod ollor
mon and aII bocamo Aralanls. Will llo ordinalion of
AnuI and llo ollor vomon boll llo Blikklu-ssana
and llo Blikkluni-ssana voro oslabIislod in llo
isIand. Soparalo rosidoncos for monks and nuns voro
buiIl by llo king. Tlo Tlprma-coliya onslrining
llo rigll coIIar-bono and ollor bodiIy roIics of llo
Buddla vas buiIl, and llo Sacrod Bodli Troo vas
pIanlod for llo dovolion of llo Iaily. Wlon lloso acls
of roIigious dovolion voro accompIislod, llo king
askod Malinda Tlora vlollor llo Ssana lad boon
firmIy oslabIislod in llo isIand, lo vlicl llo Iallor
ropIiod llal il lad onIy boon pIanlod bul vouId lako
firm rool vlon a porson born in Sri Ianka, of Sin-
laIoso paronls, sludiod llo Vinaya in Sri Ianka and
oxpoundod il in Sri Ianka.
Arillla Tlora lad by llis limo bocomo nolod for
lis pioly and lis Ioarning and on an appoinlod day, al
2O
a spociaIIy conslruclod proacling laII, in llo prosonco
of numorous lloras, llo king and llo cliofs, Arillla
Tlora vas invilod lo givo a discourso on llo Vinaya
in llo prosonco of llo llora Mal Malinda. And lis
oxposilion vas so corrocl and pIoasing llal lloro vas
groal rojoicing as llo condilion roquirod for llo firm
oslabIislmonl of llo Ssana vas fuIfiIIod by lim.
13 Progress of Buddhism in Lanka
Dovnampiya Tissa ruIod in Sri Ianka for forly yoars.
Il vas in llo firsl yoar of lis roign llal Buddlism vas
inlroducod and from llal limo llo king vorkod for
llo progross of llo nov faill vill groal zoaI. Aparl
from llo Malvilra, llo Coliyapabbalavilra, llo
Tlparma and llo Sacrod Bodli Troo, lo oslabIislod
numorous ollor monaslorios and sovoraI Buddlisl
monumonls. Tlo clronicIos monlion llal lo buiIl
monaslorios a yojana from ono anollor. Among lloso
monumonls llo Isurumuni-vilra and llo Vossagiri-
vilra aro imporlanl conlros of vorslip lo llis day.
Ho is aIso crodilod vill llo conslruclion of llo Ialla-
maka-coliya, llo }ambukoIa-vilra and llo Halll-
Ilaka-vilra, and llo rofoclory.
Tlousands of mon and vomon joinod llo Ordor
during lis roign. Tlo king nol onIy buiIl vilras for
lloir rosidonco bul aIso providod llom vill lloir
21
roquisilos. Il vas nol onIy in llo capilaI cily llal
Buddlism sproad in lis roign bul ovon in dislanl
rogions Iiko }ambukoIa in llo norll and Kjaragma
and Candanagma in llo soull.
Tlo romarkabIo succoss of Malindas mission and
llo rapid sproad of llo roIigion in a vory slorl limo
voro mainIy duo lo llo offorls of Malinda and llo
unboundod palronago of King Dovnampiya Tissa.
Aparl from llom llo poopIo of Ianka loo voro omi-
nonlIy ripo al llis poriod for rocoiving and adopling llo
loaclings of llo Buddla. Tlo poopIo in llo Iand voro
prosporous, lloir vanls voro fov, and lloso voro sup-
pIiod by llo forliIo soiI. Tloro vas prosporous lrado, for
morclanls camo from aII Iands lo barlor goods, lloir arl
vas voII dovoIopod, for in llo Ioisuro poopIo onjoyod
lloy voro abIo lo buiId cilios and lanks, groal and smaII,
and lo porform vorks boll of uliIily and arlislic vaIuo.
Conlonlmonl roignod supromo. Wloro sucl condilions
oxislod llo poopIo voro roady lo ombraco nov idoaIs
llal lad llo prospocl of loIping lloir cuIluro and oIal-
ing lloir llouglls and aclivilios, and as sucl llo nov
doclrino proaclod by Malinda Tlora foII on a forliIo
soiI, vloro il soon roso lo ils fuII loigll. Hundrods of
llousands of mon and vomon roso lo ligl spiriluaI
allainmonls on loaring llo nov mossago and llus llo
Iav of llo BIossod Ono vas firmIy oslabIislod.
22
14 The Passing Away of Mahinda
and Sanghamitt
Boll Malinda and Sanglamilla survivod Dovnam-
piya Tissa. Malinda Iivod lo llo ago of 8O yoars and
Sanglamill lo llo ago of 79 yoars. Tloy sponl noarIy
48 yoars in llo isIand. Tlo formor diod in llo oiglll
yoar and llo Iallor in llo ninll of llo roign of King
Ulliya, brollor and succossor of Dovnampiya Tissa.
Ulliya porformod lloir funoraIs vill groal lonour
and buiIl slpas ovor lloir roIics. Tlo king limsoIf
diod in llo foIIoving yoar, 286 B.E., aflor a roign of lon
yoars.
Tlo liorarcly of llo discipIos vas conlinuod in
pupiIary succossion. Arillla Tlora succoodod Malinda
Tlora, lo vas in lurn succoodod by Isidalla, KIa-
sumana, Dglanma and Dglasumana.
15 Invasion of TamiIs and Restoration
of the Ssana by King Dutthagmani
Tvonly yoars aflor llo doall of Ulliya foroign usurp-
ors from Soull India soizod Anurdlapura. Tvo of
llom, Sona and Gullika, roignod logollor for lvonly-
lvo yoars and anollor TamiI usurpor, LIra, roignod
for forly-four yoars. Tlo Iack of inlorosl of lloso TamiI
ruIors in llo Buddlisl faill and llo vandaIism of lloir
supporlors ovidonlIy rolardod llo progross of llo roIi-
23
gion. Iurllormoro, llo SinlaIoso ruIors voro nol froo
lo vork for llo roIigion during lloso poriods of poIili-
caI unrosl. NovorlloIoss, llo poopIo loId slrongIy lo
lloir nov roIigion and slovod no signs of Iaxily.
Il vas a young princo from Mgama of llo soull-
oaslorn principaIily of Ruluna vlo roslorod llo Iosl
gIory of llo SinlaIoso and lloir roIigion. Ho vas
Ablaya, knovn lo poslorily by a nicknamo vlicl
moans disobodionl, Dulllagmani. Ho vas a
doscondanl of Malnga, vlo lad oslabIislod lim-
soIf al Mgama vlon lis oIdor brollor Dovnampiya
Tissa vas ruIing al Anurdlapura. Kkavanna Tissa
and Vilramaldovi voro lis paronls.
Aflor a llorougl proparalion for var Dullla-
gmani dofoalod and kiIIod LIra in ballIo and bocamo
llo ruIor of Anurdlapura. Tlus llo sovoroignly of
llo SinlaIoso ruIors of Anurdlapura vas onco moro
oslabIislod.
Dulllagmani roignod for lvonly-four yoars. Tlo
advancomonl of llo Buddlisl roIigion vas lis main
concorn. Tlo RuvanvoIi-sya, llo mosl coIobralod
slupa in Sri Ianka, vas lis groalosl vork. Tlo mag-
nificonl odifico of nino sloroys and nino lundrod
clambors, caIIod llo Iolapsda, llo Brazon IaIaco,
vas conslruclod by lim for llo uso of llo monks.
Mirisavoli-dgaba vas anollor of lis vorks.
Dulllagmani vas nol onIy a supporlor of
24
Buddlism bul vas aIso a zoaIous foIIovor limsoIf.
Many opisodos in llo IaIi commonlarios dopicl lim
as a pious monarcl. Undor lis palronago lloro fIour-
islod sovoraI Ioarnod monks during lis roign.
16 SociaI and CuIturaI DeveIopment
due to Buddhism
Il is voII lo find oul llo sociaI and cuIluraI dovoIop-
monl of llo SinlaIoso during llo lvo conlurios foIIov-
ing lloir accoplanco of llo Buddlisl roIigion. Wo lavo
many incidonls and slorios in llo Sri Ianka clroni-
cIos from vlicl a dofinilo idoa rogarding lloso condi-
lions can bo inforrod. Ior inslanco, llo Rcsc.|ini, a
IaIi vork composod in llo llirloonll conlury of llo
Clrislian ora, conlains ovor a lundrod slorios of llo
Iifo of llo poopIo during llis oarIy poriod. Accord-
ing lo lloso slorios, among llo SinlaIoso lloro do nol
appoar lo lavo boon any caslo divisions. Bralmins aro
monlionod as Iiving aparl in lloir ovn viIIagos, and
lloy voro moro or Ioss counlod as foroign lo llo Sin-
laIoso. Tlo mombors of llo royaI famiIios voro loId
in a cIass by llomsoIvos, and lloso of sucl famiIios
vlo aspirod lo llo kingdom lad lo marry a mombor
of a royaI famiIy or al Ioasl from a Bralmin famiIy.
Tlo rosl of llo poopIo voro grilapalis (lousoloIdors
vill sollIod abodos).
25
Tlo CandIas (dospisod) voro lloso villoul a
fixod abodo, lloy voro dospisod on accounl of boing
lramps and vagranls vill no fixod rosidonco. In somo
casos llo vord CandIa vas usod in a soIf-doprocalory
mannor in ordor lo indicalo unvorllinoss. Tloro is
llo inslanco of Irinco SIi, son of King Dulllagmani,
vlo foII in Iovo vill a viIIago arlisans daugllor, Dovi
(AsokamI). In addrossing llo princo slo said llal
slo vas a CandIi as slo did nol boIong lo a famiIy
inlo vlicl a mombor of llo royaI famiIy vas aIIovod
lo marry. Tlo lvo divisions of poopIo moroIy appoar
lo bo lloso vlo lad a fixod abodo and lloso vlo lad
no fixod abodo. Tloro voro al llis limo no spociaI caslo
divisions for lrados or occupalions, for a lousoloIdor
or mombors of a famiIy voro, in gonoraI, oxpoclod lo
ongago llomsoIvos in ono of llo llroo occupalions, as
lradors, as arlisans or as cuIlivalors.
Irinco Diglblaya, vlon appoinlod as govornor
of Kaslola, roquirod allondanls and askod oacl cliof
famiIy of a viIIago lo sond ono of ils sons for sorvico
and sonl a mossongor lo Sangla, llo cliof of llo viIIago.
Tlo cliof caIIod logollor lis sovon sons. Tlo oIdor six
askod lim lo sond llo youngosl lo llo kings sorvico
as lo vas idIing lis limo al lomo villoul ongaging
in any vork. Wo six aro ongagod in sucl occupalions
as lrado, induslrios and cuIlivalion and vork lard al
our occupalions. Again, in anollor slory, llo fallor, a
26
cliof of a viIIago, addrossing lis daugllor rogarding
lor lusband, loIIs lor llal lor lusband is Iiving in
idIonoss, and Iiko lor brollors slouId ongago limsoIf
in an occupalion sucl as cuIlivalion, induslry and
commorco. Tlus il appoars aII lrados voro common,
and llo samo famiIy ongagod in vork as arlisans,
lradosmon and cuIlivalors villoul dislinclion.
Tlo roIigion of llo SinlaIoso during llis poriod
vas puroIy and onliroIy Buddlisl and llo slorios indi-
calo mucl praclicaI aclivily in roIigious affairs, boll in
ondovmonl and mainlonanco of roIigious inslilulions
and llo praclico of roIigious principIos. Tlo Ordors of
blikklus and blikklunis fIourislod during llis pori-
od, a vory Iargo numbor of mon and vomon onlorod
llo roIigious Ordors. Somo of llo vilras (monaslor-
ios) lad llousands rosiding in llom. Tloro voro aIso
Iargo numbors vlo voro praclising modilalion in for-
osls and rock cavos. Tloy voro voII supporlod by llo
Iaily. Tloro voro four cIassos of discipIos: llo novicos
(smanora), blikklus (fuIIy ordainod), lloras (oIdors)
and mallloras (cliof oIdors.) Tloro aro no Sangla-
rjas (loads of llo onliro Sangla) monlionod in any of
llo slorios and no inlorforonco by kings or minislors
in appoinlmonl or in giving ranks lo llo mombors of
llo Ordor. Tlo affairs of llo Sangla voro managod by
llo monks llomsoIvos undor voII oslabIislod ruIos of
llo Vinaya.
27
Tloro appoar lo lavo boon Iargo numbors of dis-
cipIos vlo lad allainod lo llo slalo of Aralanl, i.o.
sainls vlo lad gainod omancipalion. In addilion
praclicaIIy ovory man or voman vas an upsaka or
upsik, a dovoloo vlo roguIarIy porformod roIigious
dulios. Tlo blikklus Iivod in lloir vilras during llo
rainy soason and al ollor soasons lravoIIod far and
vido in llo counlry, visiling viIIagos, ollor vilras,
and as piIgrims vorslipping al slrinos. Boll Iaymon
and blikklus aro froquonlIy monlionod as going on
piIgrimagos lo Gay in India lo vorslip al llo sacrod
Bodli Troo lloro. Tloso parlios of piIgrims somolimos
crossod ovor lo Soullorn India and vaIkod aII llo
vay lo Gay, laking aboul six monlls on llo journoy,
somolimos lloy vonl by soa and Iandod al TmraIipli
al llo moull of llo Gangos and roaclod Gay in laIf
llo limo.
Tlo canonicaI scripluros lad nol boon commillod
lo vriling al llis limo llougl vriling vas knovn.
Tlo blikklus Ioarnod llo Dlamma and many com-
millod lo momory llo scripluros or parls of llom,
llus prosorving llo lradilion by froquonl roloarsaI.
Tlal llo arl of vriling vas probabIy inlroducod lo
Sri Ianka onIy aflor llo inlroduclion of Buddlism
sooms doducibIo from llo circumslanco llal so far, no
pro-Buddlisl vriling, Iillic or ollor, las boon idonli-
fiod. Tlo oarIiosl Iillic rocords dalo back lo llo limo of
28
King Ulliya, succossor of Dovnampiya Tissa.
Tlo blikklus voro llo inslruclors of llo poo-
pIo. Tlis vas praclicaIIy a duly. Tlo Dlamma vas
oxpoundod individuaIIy on ovory occasion and sor-
mons lo congrogalions voro aIso loId from limo lo
limo. Tloro is monlion of llo poriodicaI oxpounding
of llo Dlamma al a lompIo. Lacl lompIo in a dislricl
somolimos look ils lurn onco a yoar lo proacl llo Ari-
yavamsa Sulla,
6
vlicl vas conlinuod oacl limo for
sovon days, llo gallorings on lloso occasions appoar
lo bo vory Iargo as in inslancos monlionod il is said
llal llo crovds voro so groal llal Iargo numbors usu-
aIIy lad lo sland oulsido llo laII for llo vloIo nigll
and Iislon lo llo Dlamma, llo audionco incIuding
blikklus and llo Iaily. Tloro is aIso monlion of dis-
coursos by Iay proaclors voII vorsod in llo Dlamma
ompIoyod by llo king al laIIs of proacling.
Il is nol cIoarIy slalod vlollor bralmins vlo
Iivod in bralmin viIIagos praclisod lloir ovn roIigion.
Monlion is mado of sannysis or yogis vlo praclisod
ascolicism and somolimos Iivod in comolorios scanliIy
cIad, vill bodios covorod vill aslos, and as llo slory
says, prolonding lo bo sainls vliIo al llo samo limo
lloy Iod sinfuI Iivos. Tloro is no monlion of bralmin
lompIos or pIacos of vorslip.
Womon lad a vory ligl slalus in socioly during
llis poriod. IraclicaIIy in ovory slrala of socioly llo
29
posilion of vomon slovod no dislinclion from llal
of mon. Tloy frooIy look parl in ovory aclivily of Iifo
and lloir infIuonco is voII markod. Tloir claraclor
is dopiclod in mosl favourabIo lorms, lloy voro gon-
lIo, courloous and good nalurod, lospilabIo, londor
and inloIIigonl, ovor roady lo loIp ollors, lo prosorvo
llo lonour of lloir famiIios, dovolod lo roIigion and
counlry vill unlrammoIIod froodom of aclion. Tlo
posilion of vomon is furllor soon from llo facl llal
monogamy vas a dofinilo inslilulion. Tloro is no
monlion of any ollor form of marriago. Womon lad
froodom lo clooso lloir lusbands.
17 Vattagmani Abhaya
Aflor llo doall of King Dulllagmani lis youngor
brollor Saddllissa ruIod for oigll yoars and did a
groal doaI for Buddlism. Ho vas succoodod by lis
sons TlIalllana, Ianjalissa, KlaIIla Nga and
Vallagmani Ablaya, in succossion.
Tlo poriod of Vallagmani Ablaya, aIso knovn
as VaIagambalu, is nolovorlly in llo lislory of oarIy
Buddlism in Sri Ianka. Iivo monlls aflor lis accos-
sion lo llo llrono, in 1O3 B.C. a bralmin namod Tiya
(or Tissa) from Ruluna, Soull Ianka, rovoIlod againsl
lim. Al llo samo limo a TamiI army Iod by sovon
TamiI cliofs Iandod al Mallillla and vagod var
3O
againsl llo king. Tlo TamiI army vanquislod Tiya
and dofoalod Vallagmani in ballIo aflor vlicl llo
Iallor fIod and Iivod in oxiIo for fourloon yoars.
Tloso fourloon yoars of TamiI dominalion voro
disaslrous lo llo causo of Buddlism, ospociaIIy
bocauso llo counlry vas aIso ravagod by an unproc-
odonlod famino during llal poriod. Iood vas so
scarco during llal limo llal ovon casos of cannibaI-
ism aro said lo lavo occurrod. Many llousands of
monks and Iaymon diod of slarvalion. Tlo monaslor-
ios voro dosorlod. Tlo Malvilra of Anurdlapura
vas compIoloIy abandonod and llo Malllpa vas
nogIoclod. Troos grov in llo courlyards of vilras.
12,OOO Aralanls from llo Tissamalrma and anoll-
or 12,OOO from llo CillaIapabbala-vilra passod avay
in llo forosl duo lo Iack of food. WliIo llousands of
monks diod in llo counlry, many Iofl llo counlry and
vonl lo India.
As a rosuIl of llo doall of mosl of llo Ioarnod
monks lloro vas ovon llo foar llal somo parls of llo
scripluros vouId bo Iosl. Tlo Malniddosa of llo
Sulla Iilaka, for inslanco, vas on llo vorgo of boing
Iosl, for llis loxl vas knovn by onIy ono monk al
llal limo. Tlo monks, in lloir oarnoslnoss lo prosorvo
llo loaclings of llo Buddla, subsislod on rools and
Ioavos of lroos and rocilod llo scripluros, Iosl lloy
slouId forgol llom. Wlon lloy lad llo slrongll lloy
31
sal dovn and rocilod and vlon lloy couId no Iongor
koop lloir bodios orocl lloy Iay dovn and conlinuod
lloir rocilalion. Tlus lloy prosorvod llo loxls and llo
commonlarios unliI llo misory vas ovor.
18 The First Schism
Aflor Vallagmani Ablaya rogainod llo llrono lo
domoIislod llo monaslory of a niganlla (}ain ascolic)
namod Giri for laving mockod lim vlon lo vas
fIooing. Ho buiIl a Buddlisl monaslory caIIod llo
Ablayagiri-vilra ovor il, vlicl lo prosonlod lo a
monk namod KupikkaIa Mal Tissa vlo lad loIpod
llo king in lis oxiIo. Ialor, llo monks of llo Mal-
vilra imposod llo punislmonl of oxpuIsion on Tissa
on llo clargo of impropor conlacl vill Iay famiIios.
Tissas pupiI BalaIamassu Tissa, vlo rosonlod llo
punislmonl imposod upon lis loaclor, vas Iikoviso
oxpoIIod from llo Malvilra. Ho llon vonl avay
vill a foIIoving of fivo lundrod monks and Iivod
al Ablayagiri-vilra, rofusing lo rolurn lo llo Mal-
vilra. Tloro vas llus a group of monks vlo broko
avay from llo Malvilra and Iivod soparaloIy in
llo Ablayagiri-vilra, bul lloy did nol yol disagroo
vill oacl ollor oillor in llo lloory or llo praclico of
llo Dlamma.
Tlo acluaI sclism occurrod onIy vlon monks
32
of llo Vajjipulla socl in India camo lo Sri Ianka and
voro rocoivod al llo Ablayagiri, nol Iong aflor Tissa
and lis foIIovors occupiod llal monaslory. Tissa and
lis foIIovors Iikod llo nov monks and adoplod lloir
doclrinos. Tloncoforll lloy camo lo bo knovn as llo
Dlammaruci socl, aflor llo namo of llo groal Indian
monk vlo vas llo loaclor of llo novcomors lo Ablay-
agiri. Tloro vas no officiaI supprossion of llo nov socl,
prosumabIy bocauso llo king vas in lloir favour, bul
llo Malvilra monks opposod llom as unorllodox
and lorolicaI. Irom llis limo llo Ablayagiri oxislod as
a soparalo socl opposod lo llo Malvilra.
7
19 Writing of the Sacred Books
Il is slalod in llo oarIy clronicIos llal aflor llo accopl-
anco of Buddlism by llo poopIo in Ianka and aflor
llo formalion of a liorarcly of discipIos vlo voro
SinlaIoso, a counciI vas loId undor Malinda Tlora,
vloro aII llo Ioading lloras voro prosonl and llo
loaclings voro rocilod and aullorilalivoIy Iaid dovn,
as vas dono in llo llird convocalion loId in India
undor llo diroclion of Lmporor Asoka. Tloravda vas
llus oslabIislod in Sri Ianka and according lo lradi-
lion and cuslom llo various parls of llo Tipilaka voro
Ioarnod by llo mombors of llo Ordor, commillod lo
momory, and prosorvod as oraI lradilions. Il vas soon
33
lov, during llo famino llal broko oul in llo limo of
King Vallagmani Ablaya, a groal slrain vas pul on
llo conlinuanco of llis form of prosorving llo loacl-
ings of llo Tipilaka. Wlon condilions bocamo normaI,
llo mombors of llo Ordor considorod llal lloy couId
Ioso llo loaclings if any simiIar caIamily or caIamilios
voro lo occur in llo fuluro, and lloy docidod llal llo
limo lad arrivod for commilling lloso loaclings lo
vriling so llal lloy migll bo prosorvod for fuluro gon-
oralions. Tlo advonl of sclisms aboul llis limo migll
aIso lavo voiglod slrongIy in favour of llis docision.
Tlus llo mombors of llo Ordor assombIod al llo
Malvilra al Anurdlapura, look counsoI logollor,
and vill llo pormission and oncouragomonl of llo
king a convocalion vas loId. Tlo loaclings voro roci-
lod and scribos voro ongagod lo commil lo vriling, on
paIm Ioavos, llo IaIi canonicaI loxls (llo Tipilaka) con-
sisling of Vinaya, Sulla and Ablidlamma, and llo Sin-
laIoso commonlarios. According lo llo Ni|c Scngrc|c,
a SinlaIoso vork of llo fourloonll conlury doaIing
vill llo lislory of llo Buddlisl ordor, aflor llo convo-
calion al llo Malvilra al Anurdlapura, llo soIocl-
od numbor of rocilors and scribos, 5OO in aII, vonl lo
AIuIona (AIuvilra) cavo lompIo cIoso lo MalaIo, in llo
conlraI provinco. Tloro in roliromonl lloy compIolod
llo vork assignod lo llom and llus for llo firsl limo
brougll oul in book form llo loaclings of llo Buddla.
34
20 The Growth of Dissentient SchooIs
Aboul lvo conlurios aflor llo formalion of llo Dlam-
maruci socl al llo Ablayagiri-vilra, in llo days of
King Volrika Tissa (214-36 A.C.), llo monks of llo
Ablayagiri-vilra adoplod llo VailuIyavda. Tloro-
upon llo monks of llo Malvilra, laving com-
parod il vill lloir ovn loxls, rojoclod llo VailuIya
doclrinos as boing opposod lo lradilionaI doclrino.
Tlo king, vlo lad llom oxaminod by a Ioarnod min-
islor namod KapiIa, burnl llom and supprossod llo
VailuIyavdins.
Dospilo llo supprossion by Volrika Tissa, llo
VailuIyavdins bogan lo assorl llomsoIvos again and
a fov yoars Ialor, in llo limo of King Gollblaya
(Moglavanna Ablaya, 253-266 A.C.), llo Dlammaruci
monks of Ablayagiri again accoplod VailuIyavda.
Wlon llis lapponod, aboul llroo lundrod monks
Iofl llo Ablayagiri-vilra lo rosido al llo Dakklina-
vilra, founding a nov socl knovn as SgaIiya. Tlo
king, laving assombIod llo blikklus of llo fivo
groal monaslorios of llo Tloriya Nikya (Malvilra
Nikya), lad llo VailuIya books oxaminod, ordorod
llo books lo bo doslroyod, and oxpoIIod llo VailuIya
monks. Sixly of llom Iofl for llo CloIa counlry in
Soull India.
Tlo slruggIo did nol ond loro, for llo adloronls
of llo nov doclrino voro firmIy oslabIislod in Soull
35
India and lloy pIannod lo undormino llo Malvilra
Nikya in Sri Ianka. Will llis objocl a vory Ioarnod
monk by llo namo of Sanglamilra camo lo Sri Ianka
and oblainod llo posl of lulor lo llo kings lvo sons.
Sanglamilra gainod considorabIo infIuonco ovor llo
young pupiI, Malsona, and vas abIo lo insliI inlo
lim llo nov doclrino and mako lim a foIIovor of
lis viovs. Wlon Malsona ascondod llo llrono, llo
opporlunily Iookod forvard lo by llo VailuIyans
camo. Tlo nov king bocamo a groal supporlor of lis
lulor and as sucl porsoculod llo Malvilra monks.
Tlo king, al llo insligalion of Sanglamilra Tlora,
ordorod llal no ono slouId givo food lo llo monks
of llo Malvilra. Tlo Malvilra, as a rosuIl, lad
lo bo abandonod for nino yoars. Tlo supporlors of
Sanglamilra doslroyod llo buiIdings of llo Mal-
vilra and carriod avay lloir maloriaI lo conslrucl
nov buiIdings for llo Ablayagiri-vilra.
Tvo porsons, a minislor and a quoon, camo for-
vard llis limo lo suppross VailuIyavda and savo
llo Malvilra. Tlo minislor, Moglavannblaya by
namo, managod lo porsuado llo king lo robuiId llo
Malvilra. Tlo quoon causod Sanglamilra lo bo
pul lo doall and burnod llo VailuIya books.
Bul llo king, vlo vas yol favourabIo lovards llo
foIIovors of Sanglamilra, buiIl and gavo llo }olavana-
vilra lo a monk namod Tissa. Tissa, vlo vas Ialor
36
clargod by llo Malvilra monks of a gravo offonco,
vas oxpoIIod from llo Ordor. Tlo monks of llo Saga-
Iiya socl al Dakklina-vilra llon camo lo rosido in
llo }olavana-vilra. In llo roign of SiIkIa (522-35)
a VailuIyan book caIIod llo D|crmc!|iu, vlicl vas
brougll lo Sri Ianka from India, vas kopl al llo
}olavana-vilra and vonoralod. Tlus from llis limo
llo monks of }olavana-vilra loo bocamo adloronls
of VailuIyavda.
In llo roign of King Aggabodli I (575-6O8) a groal
monk and loaclor namod }olipIa, coming from India,
so oxposod llo faIIacios of llo VailuIya doclrinos
llal in lis day lloy foII inlo disropulo and disap-
poarod from Sri Ianka. Sinco llal limo llo monks of
llo Ablayagiri and }olavana vilras vlo adlorod lo
VailuIyan doclrinos, abandonod lloir prido and Iivod
in submission lo llo monks of llo Malvilra.
Inlorcourso vill India vas so froquonl llal from
limo lo limo ollor unorllodox doclrinos occasionaIIy
found favour vill corlain monks, bul lloso lad no
markod offocl on llo gonoraI progross or llo slabiIily
of llo Malvilra Nikya.
Ior noarIy llroo conlurios aflor llo limo of Agga-
bodli I llo clronicIos mako no monlion of llo VailuIya-
vda or any ollor lorolicaI loacling, unliI in llo roign
of King Sona I (833-53) a monk of llo Vjraparvala
Nikya camo lo Sri Ianka from India and inlroducod
37
Vjiriyavda, convorling llo king lo lis doclrinos. Il
vas al llis limo llal loaclings Iiko llo Ralnakla-
slra voro aIso inlroducod lo Sri Ianka and anollor
lorosy caIIod NiIapala-darsana appoarod. Sona II (853-
87), vlo succoodod Sona I, managod lo suppross lloso
nov doclrinos. Irom lis limo unliI llo CloIa conquosl
in llo oarIy oIovonll conlury lloro is no monlion of
any lorolicaI socl in Sri Ianka. Hovovor, a survoy of
llo roIigious monumonls of llal poriod cIoarIy slovs
llal lloir loaclings survivod sido by sido vill llo
loaclings of llo Tloravda.
21 The Nature of the New Doctrines
Il is opporluno loro lo onquiro aboul llo naluro of
llo nov doclrinos llal voro monlionod in llo provi-
ous claplor as laving boon inlroducod inlo Sri Ianka
from limo lo limo sinco llo firsl conlury A.C. Il vas
llo monks of llo Vajjipulra socl in India vlo voro llo
firsl lo inlroduco a nov loacling. Tlo Vajjipulra socl
is monlionod in llo Sri Ianka clronicIos as ono of llo
groups llal parlod from llo Tloriya Nikya aflor llo
Socond Buddlisl CounciI lo form a nov socl. Tloy
llus ovidonlIy loId somo viovs difforonl from lloso
of llo orllodox loaclings. Buddlaglosa monlions in
llo IaIi commonlarios llal llo Vajjipulrakas loId llo
viov llal lloro is a porsislonl porsonaI onlily, vlicl is
38
opposod lo llo accoplod lloory of cncii of llo Tlora-
vda loaclings. Tloy aIso boIiovod llal Aralanls may
faII avay from lloir allainmonl.
Tloso foIIovors of llo Vajjipulraka doclrinos,
rosiding al llo Ablayagiri-vilra, bocamo adloronls
of llo VailuIya doclrinos aboul lvo conlurios aflor-
vards, and unliI llo boginning of llo sovonll conlury
VailuIyavda bocamo cIosoIy associalod vill Ablaya-
giri-vilra and }olavana-vilra.
Iiko llo Vajjipulra socl llo VailuIyavda is mon-
lionod in llo Ni|c Scngrc|c as ono of llo socls llal
aroso in India aflor llo Socond Buddlisl CounciI. Tlo
Ni|c Scngrc|c aIso slalos llal llo VailuIya Iilaka
vas composod by lorolic bralmins caIIod VailuIyas
vlo onlorod llo Ordor in llo limo of King Asoka lo
doslroy Buddlism. Il las boon nolicod llal llo lorms
VailuIya, VaipuIya and VaidaIya aro commonIy usod
as a dosignalion for Malyna slras and lonco llo
lorm VailuIyavda is usod in llo Sri Ianka clronicIos
lo donolo Malynism in gonoraI villoul laving a
parlicuIar Buddlisl sclooI in viov.
Tlo VailuIyavdins voro considorod ovon moro
lorolicaI llan llo Vajjipulrakas. Tlo IaIi commonlarios
monlion somo of lloir lorolicaI viovs. Tloy loId llo
viov llal llo Buddla, laving boon born in llo Tusila
loavon, Iivod lloro and novor camo dovn lo oarll and
il vas onIy a croalod form llal appoarod among mon.
39
Tlis croalod form and Ananda, vlo Ioarnod from il,
proaclod llo doclrino. Tloy aIso loId llal nolling
vlalovor givon lo llo Ordor boars fruil, for llo Sangla,
vlicl in llo uIlimalo sonso of llo lorm moanl onIy llo
pall and fruilions, doos nol accopl anylling. Accord-
ing lo llom any luman pair may onlor upon soxuaI
inlorcourso by muluaI consonl. Tlo Dipc.cmsc usod
llo lorm Vilandavda in pIaco of VailuIyavda and llo
IaIi commonlarios monlion llom as loIding unorllo-
dox viovs rogarding llo sublIo poinls in llo Dlamma,
parlicuIarIy llo Ablidlamma.
Buddlaglosa aIso rofors lo llo VailuIyavdins as
Malsuavdins. Tlo pliIosoply of llo Malyna as
oxpoundod by llo groal Malyna loaclor Ngrjuna
vas Snyavda. Tlus llo facl llal llo firsl appoar-
anco of VailuIyavda in Sri Ianka look pIaco slorlIy
aflor Ngrjunas loaclings sproad in Soull India, and
llal VailuIyavda is aIso idonlifiod vill Snyavda of
Ngrjuna, suggosls llal il vas llo loacling of Ngr-
juna llal vas rocoivod by llo monks of Ablayagiri-
vilra in llo days of Volrika Tissa.
Tlo book caIIod D|crmc!|iu, vlicl vas brougll
lo Ianka in llo roign of SiIkIa, is doscribod in llo
clronicIos as a VailuIyan book. Tlo monks of llo
Ablayagiri-vilra and llo }olavana-vilra aro con-
noclod vill llo lonours paid lo il. Il las bocomo ovi-
donl llal a book namod D|crmc!|iu vas knovn and
4O
loId in ligl osloom in llo lonll conlury in Ianka and
il is quilo probabIo llal llis book vas a Malynislic
lroaliso doaIing vill llo doclrino of llo llroo bod-
ios of llo Buddla found among llo loaclings of llo
Malyna.
Vjiriyavda vas inlroducod in llo roign of King
Sona I by a monk of llo Vajraparvala Nikya. ScloI-
ars lavo poinlod oul llal llo Vjiriyavdins aro idon-
licaI vill llo Vajraynisls, a sclooI of Buddlism
vlicl fIourislod in oaslorn India aboul llis limo
and vlicl vas an oxpononl of llo vorsl plasos of
Tanlrism. Tlo Ni|c Scngrc|c doscribos lloir vril-
ings as socrol loaclings and llo Gdlavinaya, i.o.
llo socrol Vinaya, is ono of llo composilions of llo
Vajraynisls.
Tlo Ni|c Scngrc|c monlions llal aboul llis limo
llo Ralnakla-slra vas inlroducod lo Sri Ianka. In
llo Clinoso Canon llo socond of llo sovon cIassos
of llo Malyna-slras is caIIod llo Ralnakla. Tlo
NIapala-darsana, vlicl vas aIso inlroducod aboul
llis limo, vas aIso an oxlromo form of Tanlrism. BIuo
las boon a coIour oflon favourod by Tanlrisls.
22 The Sacred Tooth ReIic
An imporlanl ovonl in llo oarIy lislory of Buddlism
in Sri Ianka is llo arrivaI of Buddlas Tooll RoIic, llo
41
Iofl oyo-looll, from India aboul 8O5 B.E. (311 A.C.), dur-
ing llo limo of King Sirimoglavanna, son and succos-
sor of King Malsona. Lvor sinco llis Sacrod Tooll
RoIic vas rocoivod in Sri Ianka il las boon a nalionaI
lroasuro of groal vaIuo and a langibIo lokon of llo
allaclmonl of llo SinlaIoso lo llo doclrino of llo
BIossod Tallgala. King Sirimoglavanna loId a groal
foslivaI for llo Tooll RoIic and docrood llal il slouId
bo brougll ovory yoar lo llo Ablayagiri-vilra and
llo samo coromoniaI slouId bo obsorvod. Today il is
onslrinod in goIdon caskols in llo TompIo of llo Tooll
RoIic (DaIad MIigva) in Kandy, vlicl las bocomo
llo conlro of dovoul piIgrims from aII ovor llo isIand
and from Buddlisl Iands oIsovloro.
Ancionl cusloms and coromonios aro scrupuIousIy
kopl up, offorings aro mado daiIy, and in lonour of
llo Sacrod RoIic an annuaI foslivaI Iasling fourloon
days is loId in Kandy ovory yoar during Augusl. Tlo
Ioralora, or procossion, on lloso occasions is conducl-
od by llo lompIo aullorilios vill oIoplanls, Iiglls,
music and dancors, and is vilnossod by llousands of
dovoloos. Cliofs in fuII ancionl alliro accompany llo
procossion. Iargo lracls of Iand lavo boon sol aparl
as foos for sorvicos al llis lompIo and llo lonanls
of lloso Iands lavo various sorvicos apporlionod lo
llom. Tlo oxlibilion of llo Sacrod RoIic ilsoIf lakos
pIaco al raro inlorvaIs vlon lons of llousands of piI-
42
grims find lloir vay lo llo TompIo lo vorslip and
viov llo RoIic. A modiovaI clronicIo, cliofIy of llo
oaslorn parl of llo isIand, monlions llo oxislonco of
llo rigll oyo-looll and ils onslrinomonl in Somavali
Coliya in pro-Clrislian limos.
Tlo Sacrod Tooll RoIic vas in llo possossion of
King Gulasiva of KIinga boforo il vas brougll lo Sri
Ianka. Wlon lo vas aboul lo bo dofoalod in ballIo lo
onlruslod il lo lis daugllor HomamI: HomamI
vill lor lusband Danlakumra brougll llo Sacrod
Tooll lo Ianka and landod il ovor lo King Sirimogla-
vanna al Anurdlapura. Irom llis dalo llo Sacrod
Tooll RoIic bocamo llo caro of llo kings of Ianka,
vlo buiIl spociaI lompIos for il. During llo many
vicissiludos of llo forlunos of llo kings of Ianka, llo
Sacrod RoIic vas convoyod from pIaco lo pIaco vloro
llo forlunos of llo king lapponod lo lako lim. Rop-
Iicas of llo Sacrod Tooll voro mado al various limos
and voro ovnod by princos cIaiming llo llrono.
Aboul llo yoar 1O71 King Anavralla (Anuruddla)
of Burma sonl various prosonls lo King Vijayablu I
of Sri Ianka and in rolurn rocoivod a dupIicalo of llo
Sacrod Tooll RoIic, vlicl lo rocoivod vill groal von-
oralion, and a slrino vas buiIl for il in Burma.
Tlo Iorluguoso, in ono of lloir oxpodilions lo Sri
Ianka, cIaim lo lavo caplurod llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic
al }affna in llo yoar 156O. }affna vas an oulIying porl
43
avay from llo slrongloIds of SinlaIoso kings and
llo roIic said lo lavo boon found by llo Iorluguoso
in a lompIo al }affna appoarod lo bo ono of llo sovoraI
dupIicalos vlicl lad boon mado al various limos. On
llis quoslion Irof. Rlys Davids vrolo in llo Acc!cm
of Soplombor 1874: }affna is an oulIying and unim-
porlanl parl of llo CoyIon kingdom, nol oflon undor
llo povor of llo SinlaIoso monarcls, and for somo
limo boforo llis il lad boon ruIod by a polly clioflain,
lloro is no monlion of llo Tooll brougll by Danla-
kumra laving boon lakon lloro an ovonl so unIiko-
Iy and of sucl imporlanco llal il vouId corlainIy
lavo boon monlionod lad il roaIIy occurrod. Wo lavo
ovory roason lo boIiovo lloroforo llal llo vory Tooll
roforrod lo in llo Di|.cmsc is prosorvod lo llis day
in Kandy.
In 1815 llo Brilisl occupiod Kandy. As usuaI llo
Sacrod Tooll RoIic lad boon lakon lo llo mounlains
for socurily and ono of llo oarIiosl lasks of llo Agonl
of llo Brilisl Govornmonl in llo Kandyan Irovinco
vas lo arrango for llo bringing back of llo RoIic vill
duo coromony. Tlo lousos and slrools of Kandy voro
docoralod, llo surfaco of llo slrools vlilonod, and llo
RoIic vas brougll in a magnificonl procossion. In 1818
lloro vas a roboIIion in llo Kandyan provincos and
llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic vas lakon avay from Kandy
and liddon in a forosl. Aflor llo supprossion of llo
44
roboIIion llo Brilisl voro abIo lo find llo Sacrod
Tooll RoIic and bring il back lo Kandy. Tlo Sacrod
Tooll RoIic conlinuod lo bo in llo cuslody of llo Bril-
isl Govornmonl liII 1853, vlon by ordor of llo Soc-
rolary of Slalo for llo CoIonios, llo clargo vas givon
ovor lo llo Diyavadana NiIamo (Iay cuslodian) and
llo cliof monks of MaIvallo and Asgiriya monaslor-
ios in Kandy.
23 Buddhaghosa Thera and the CompiIation
of the PaIi Commentaries
Tlo compiIalion of llo IaIi Alllakall (common-
larios) by Buddlaglosa Tlora is anollor imporlanl
ovonl in llo annaIs of Sri Ianka, vlicl marks llo
progross of Buddlism. As las aIroady boon slalod,
llo Iilakas or llo loaclings of llo Buddla vlicl
voro boing landod dovn oraIIy voro commillod lo
vriling in 397 B.E. (89 B.C.) and llo commonlarios on
lloso, composod in SinlaIoso, voro aIso commillod lo
vriling al llis limo. Sinco llis poriod mucl by vay of
oxogolicaI vorks in SinlaIoso vas addod from limo
lo limo and during llo noxl fivo lundrod yoars Iilor-
ary aclivily progrossod considorabIy. By aboul 896 B.E.
(41O A.C.), vlon King Malnma roignod al Anur-
dlapura, llo famo of Buddlisl Iiloraluro in Sri Ianka
vas voII rocognizod llrougloul India and lradilion
45
monlions SinlaIoso Buddlisl monks visiling India,
Clina and ollor counlrios and inlroducing llo Iilora-
luro producod in Sri Ianka. Monks from India and
Clina aIso visilod Anurdlapura during llis limo lo
procuro Buddlisl books.
Il vas aboul llis limo llal Buddlaglosa Tlora
camo lo Sri Ianka in llo roign of King Malnma
(41O-432). Malnma succoodod lo llo llrono 79
yoars aflor llo doall of King Sirimoglavanna, dur-
ing vloso roign llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic vas brougll
lo Sri Ianka, and llroo ruIors, namoIy }olllalissa II,
Buddladsa and Upalissa I, roignod in bolvoon. Tlo
slory of Buddlaglosa is givon in dolaiI boll in llo
Mc|.cmsc and llo SinlaIoso vorks composod in
Ialor limos. According lo lloso sourcos Buddlaglosa
vas a bralmin youll vlo vas born in llo vicinily
of Buddla Gay and bocamo voII knovn as an oxpo-
nonl of Voda and pliIosoply. Ho vas sucl a profi-
cionl scloIar llal in lis youll lo vas abIo lo assorl lis
knovIodgo among llo groal scloIars of llo limo. Ho
lravoIIod from pIaco lo pIaco, from ono soal of Ioarn-
ing lo anollor, from ono sol of loaclors lo anollor, lri-
umplanlIy assorling lis knovIodgo and scloIarslip.
Al a voII-knovn Buddlisl monaslory al TamIuk,
lo mol Rovala Malllora, ono voII vorsod in llo
doclrinos and pliIosoply of Buddlism. Tloro lo
onlorod inlo discussions and found nol a poor bul
46
ono suporior lo lim in knovIodgo and undorslanding.
Tlis mado lim join llo Ordor of Buddlisl monks as
a pupiI of Rovala Malllora. Al llis vilra lo slud-
iod Buddlisl pliIosoply diIigonlIy and producod a
lroaliso on Buddlism, nc!cc, lo aIso pIannod lo
composo commonlarios on llo Ablidlamma and llo
sullas. His loaclor al llis slago advisod lim lo go lo
Anurdlapura boforo undorlaking llis vork, as lo
said llal in Ianka voro prosorvod nol onIy llo Tipi-
laka, llo loaclings of llo Buddla limsoIf, bul aIso
llo SinlaIoso commonlarios and various oxposilions
of llo loaclings vlicl voro vory vaIuabIo and of
ligl ropulo.
Buddlaglosa Tlora procoodod lo Sri Ianka and
slayod al llo Malpadlnaglara of llo Malvilra.
Ho llon askod llo monks al Anurdlapura for accoss
lo books for llo compiIalion of commonlarios. Tlo
Ioarnod lloras al Anurdlapura loslod lis knovI-
odgo and abiIily by solling lim a llosis on vlicl lo
compiIod llo voII-knovn Visu!!|imcggc. Tloy voro
so pIoasod vill llis vork llal lo vas givon faciIilios
for lis projoclod vork and books voro pIacod al lis
disposaI for llo proparalion of IaIi commmonlarios.
Tlo oId SinlaIoso commonlarios from vlicl
Buddlaglosa drov maloriaI for llo compiIalion of
lis IaIi commonlarios aro occasionaIIy namod in
lis vorks. Tlo Mal (or MIa) Alllakall occupiod
47
llo foromosl posilion among llom vliIo llo Mal-
paccari Alllakall and llo Kurundi Alllakall
voro aIso imporlanl. Tloso llroo major vorks prob-
abIy conlainod oxogolicaI maloriaI on aII llo llroo
Iilakas. Aparl from lloso lloro voro ollor vorks
Iiko llo Sanklopalllakall, Vinayalllakall, Abli-
dlammalllakall and soparalo commonlarios on llo
four Agamas or Nikyas, namoIy, llo Dgla Nikya
Alllakall, Majjlima Nikya Alllakall, Samyulla
Nikya Alllakall, and llo Angullara Nikya Allla-
kall. Roforoncos lo numorous ollor sourcos Iiko llo
Andlakalllakall, llo Acariy (or Toaclors), and llo
Iorn (or Ancionl Maslors) aro aIso found in Buddla-
glosas vorks.
UliIising llo copious maloriaI of lloso com-
monlarios and ollor sourcos, vlicl somolimos
conlainod confIicling viovs and conlradiclory assor-
lions, Buddlaglosa compiIod lis IaIi commonlar-
ios incIuding aII aullorilalivo docisions, somolimos
giving lis ovn viovs bul Ioaving oul unnocossary
dolaiIs and ropolilions as voII as irroIovanl mal-
lor. Tlo firsl of sucl commonlarios vas llo Scmcnic-
ps!i| on llo Vinaya Iilaka. Tlo Kcn||.iicrcni on
llo Ilimokkla of llo Vinaya Iilaka vas compiIod
Ialor. Tloso books voro foIIovod by llo commonlar-
ios on llo four Nikyas, llo Sumcngc|c.i|sini on llo
Dgla Nikya, llo Pcpccc-s!cni on llo Majjlima
48
Nikya, llo Srcii|cppc|sini on llo Samyulla Nikya,
and llo Mcncrci|cprcni on llo Angullara Nikya.
Tlo D|cmmcpc!cii|c|ci| on llo Dlammapada, llo
jic|cii|c|ci| on llo }laka, and llo Pcrcmcii|cjcii|
on llo Kluddaka Nikya, aro aIso ascribod lo lim.
On llo books of llo Ablidlamma Iilaka, Buddla-
glosa compiIod llo Aii|cs|ini on llo Dlammasan-
gan, llo Scmmc|c.inc!cni on llo Viblanga, and llo
Pcccppc|crcncii|c|ci| on llo ollor fivo books.
Tlo voIuminous Iiloraluro vlicl Buddlaglosa
producod oxisls lo llis day and is llo basis for llo
oxpIanalion of many cruciaI poinls of Buddlisl pliIo-
soply vlicl villoul llom vouId lavo boon unin-
loIIigibIo. His commonlarios bocomo aII llo moro
imporlanl sinco llo oId SinlaIoso commonlarios
graduaIIy vonl oul of voguo and voro compIoloIy Iosl
aflor llo lonll conlury. Buddlaglosas aclivilios gavo
an impolus lo llo Ioarning of IaIi in Sri Ianka vlicl
rosuIlod in llo produclion of many ollor IaIi com-
monlarios and ollor Iilorary vorks, and aIso oslab-
Iislod llo pro-ominonco of Sri Ianka as llo lomo of
Tloravda Buddlism.
24 The PaIi ChronicIes
Somo limo boforo and aflor llo compiIalion of llo IaIi
commonlarios by Buddlaglosa lvo imporlanl Iilor-
49
ary vorks of a difforonl lypo voro producod in Sri
Ianka. Tloy aro llo Dipc.cmsc and llo Mc|.cmsc,
doscribod in llo forogoing pagos oillor as llo Sri
Ianka clronicIos or llo IaIi clronicIos. Tloso lvo
vorks aro llo oarIiosl oxlanl Iilorary rocords giving a
conlinuous lislory of llo aclivilios of llo kings of Sri
Ianka from pro-Buddlislic limos up lo llo ond of llo
roign of King Malsona. Boll vorks aro composod in
IaIi molricaI vorsos.
Tlo Dipc.cmsc is llo oarIior of lloso lvo clroni-
cIos. Il is nol a compiIalion of ono individuaI aullor
bul is llo oulcomo of sovoraI provious vorks lo vlicl
addilions lavo boon mado from limo lo limo, laking
ils prosonl form aboul llo fourll conlury A.C. Tlo
clronicIo doos nol namo any aullor bul il las boon
loId by somo scloIars, from llo abundanl maloriaI
il conlains aboul nuns, llal llo Dipc.cmsc is a vork
compiIod and conlinuod by nuns from limo lo limo.
Tlo Dipc.cmsc consisls of 22 claplors. Tloy con-
lain accounls of llo llroo visils of llo Buddla lo Sri
Ianka, llo ancoslry of llo Buddla, llo llroo Buddlisl
counciIs and llo difforonl Buddlisl sclooIs vlicl
aroso aflor llo Socond CounciI, llo aclivilios of King
Asoka, llo coIonisalion of Sri Ianka by Vijaya, lis
succossors, llo inlroduclion of Buddlism in llo roign
of King Dovnampiya Tissa and llo aclivilios of lis
succossors, ospociaIIy Dulllagmani, Vallagmani
5O
and Malsona. Tlo narralivo onds vill llo roign of
Malsona (276-3O3).
Tlo Dipc.cmsc las oblainod ils maloriaI from dif-
foronl sourcos of vlicl llo SilaIa Mc|.cmscii|c|ci|
(aIso caIIod llo SilaIalllakall or Iornalllakall
or moroIy Alllakall) vas pro-ominonl. Bosidos llis
lloro voro sovoraI ollor sourcos Iiko llo Ullaravilra
Malvamsa, Vinayalllakall and llo Dipavamsal-
llakall. By lloso namos voro knovn llo rocords
coIIoclod and prosorvod in llo Malvilra and llo
ollor monaslorios.
Tlo Mc|.cmsc, vlicl is llo bollor vork in ils
comprolonsivonoss, arrangomonl of facls and ligl
Iilorary slandard, vas compiIod by a llora namod
Malnma oillor in llo Ialo fifll conlury or llo oarIy
sixll conlury A.C. Il aIso covors llo samo poriod of lis-
lory and ils maloriaI is dravn from llo samo sourcos
as llo Dipc.cmsc, bul il conlains mucl moro addilion-
aI maloriaI prosonlod in a bollor form.
Tlo Mc|.cmsc conlains 37 claplors in aII. Tloy doaI
mainIy vill llo samo ovonls as lloso of llo Dipc.cmsc,
bul lloro aro mucl Iongor accounls and groalor dolaiIs
of llo aclivilios of sovoraI kings sucl as Iandukblaya
and Dulllagmani and ovonls Iiko llo oslabIislmonl
of Buddlism and llo riso of nov sclooIs.
Tloso lvo clronicIos conlain many mylls and
Iogonds. Yol lloy aro among llo primary sourcos for
51
llo roconslruclion of llo oarIy lislory of Sri Ianka for
lloy conlain a groal doaI of lisloricaI facls, ospociaIIy
in llo narralivos doaIing vill llo poriod aflor llo 2nd
conlury B.C., corroboralod by opigraplicaI, arclaoo-
IogicaI and ollor ovidonco.
Tlo Mc|.cmsc las boon conlinuod in Ialor limos,
al llroo slagos, giving a connoclod lislory of llo
isIand up lo modorn limos. Tlis conlinualion of llo
clronicIo, vlicl is in llroo parls, is caIIod llo C|c-
.cmsc. Tlo firsl parl brings llo lislory dovn lo llo
lvoIfll conlury, llo socond parl lo llo fourloonll con-
lury and llo llird parl lo modorn limos.
25 PoIiticaI Unrest and the DecIine of Buddhism
Tlo poIilicaI silualion in Sri Ianka from aboul llo mid-
dIo of llo fifll conlury A.C. unliI llo llird quarlor of
llo oIovonll conlury A.C. vas nol favourabIo lovards
llo progross of Buddlism. Tlis poriod of Sri Iankan
lislory is markod vill conlinuous varfaro bolvoon
llo roigning king and lis rivaI cIaimanls or llo foroign
invadors. Oflon vlon llo roigning king vas dofoalod
in ballIo lo fIod lo India and camo back vill a TamiI
lroop lo rogain lis Iosl llrono, and as a rosuIl llo
TamiIs vlo llus sollIod dovn in Sri Ianka from limo
lo limo aIso bocamo an imporlanl oIomonl ovon povor-
fuI onougl lo soizo poIilicaI povor for llomsoIvos.
52
Sucl a poIilicaI silualion ovidonlIy did nol givo
llo ruIors an opporlunily lo vork for llo roIigion and
as a rosuIl llo communily and llo monaslorios voro
nogIoclod. Somo ruIors Iiko Aggabodli III and Dllo-
palissa I ovon rosorlod lo llo oviI praclico of robbing
monaslorios of lloir goId imagos, procious goms and
ollor vaIuabIos vlicl lad accumuIalod lloro for
conlurios, for llo purposo of financing lloir miIi-
lary oporalions vlon llo royaI lroasury lad bocomo
omply. Dllopalissa I aIso romovod llo goId finiaI
of llo Tlprma and llo gom-sluddod umbroIIa of
llo coliya. RoIic clambors of slpas voro oponod and
vaIuabIo offorings voro romovod. Tloir TamiI soIdiors
voro aIIovod lo burn dovn monaslic buiIdings Iiko
llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic TompIo and lako avay llo vaIu-
abIos. Tlo Iandya and llo CloIa invadors from Soull
India vlo aIso allackod Sri Ianka sovoraI limos dur-
ing llis poriod ransackod llo monaslorios and car-
riod avay vasl lroasuros. Tloso condilions nocossariIy
vorsonod vlon Sri Ianka passod inlo llo lands of
llo Soull Indian CloIas in 1O17 and romainod a parl
of llo CloIa ompiro unliI 1O7O.
Amidsl llis poIilicaI unrosl and llo rosuIlanl roIi-
gious docIino sovoraI ovonls imporlanl in llo lislory
of Buddlism in Sri Ianka occurrod. In llo roign of
MoggaIIna I (495-512) llo Sacrod Hair RoIic of llo
Buddla vas brougll lo Sri Ianka from India and llo
53
king pIacod il in a cryslaI caskol in an imago louso
and loId a groal foslivaI. Tlo vriling of llo Mc|.cmsc
by a Malvilra monk is ascribod lo llo roign of lis
succossor Kumra Dllusona (512-52O). In llo roign
of SiIkIa (522-535) llo Malyna book, llo Dlarma-
dllu, vas brougll lo Sri Ianka and in llo roign of
Aggabodli I (575-6O8) llo monk }olipIa dofoals llo
VailuIyavdins in a pubIic conlrovorsy. Aparl from
lloso spociaI ovonls sovoraI ruIors purifiod llo Ssana
and ropairod llo oId and nogIoclod monaslorios. Tloy
aIso oncouragod llo rocilaI of Dlamma.
26 Vijayabhu I and the RevivaI of Buddhism
In llo yoar 1O7O Vijayablu I succoodod in dofoal-
ing llo CloIas and bocoming llo king of Sri Ianka.
Rosiding al IoIonnaruva, vlicl lo mado llo capi-
laI of lis kingdom, lo lurnod lis mind lo llo nobIo
lask of ropairing llo damago llal lad boon infIiclod
upon llo nalionaI roIigion by llo invadors. Tlo groal
roIigious odificos, llo pirivonas and llo monaslorios
vlicl voro in ullor doslruclion voro roslorod and
nov onos voro buiIl. Bul llo groalosl of lis lasks vas
llo rosloralion of ordinalion of monks. Wlon lo found
llal llo fivo ordainod monks roquirod lo carry oul an
ordinalion coromony couId nol bo found in llo vloIo
isIand, lo sonl an ombassy lo lis friond and aIIy, King
54
Anuruddla (i.o. Anavralla) of Burma, soIiciling lis
loIp in rosloring llo Ssana in Sri Ianka. King Anu-
ruddla sonl a numbor of ominonl lloras vlo ro-oslab-
Iislod llo Ssana in Sri Ianka and inslruclod a Iargo
numbor of monks in llo llroo Iilakas and llo com-
monlarios. Tlo king aIso brougll aboul a roconciIialion
of llo llroo Nikyas of llo Malvilra, Ablayagiri
and }olavana and roslorod lloir ancionl monaslorios lo
llom. Tlousands of Iaymon joinod llo Ordor.
Tlo roIigious rovivaI inauguralod by King Vijaya-
blu Iod lo a groal inloIIocluaI ro-avakoning and a
Iargo numbor of roIigious Iilorary vorks in IaIi and
Sanskril voro vrillon. King Vijayablu aIso oncour-
agod Ioarnod mon lo como and sollIo dovn in Sri
Ianka and aIso inducod lis courliors lo ongago in
Iilorary pursuils. Tloso aclivilios sufforod lomporar-
iIy vill lis doall in 111O, bul voro rovivod aflor llo
accossion of Iarkramablu llo Groal in 1153.
27 RevivaI of Buddhism under
Parkramabhu the Great
King Iarkramablu llo Groal (1153-1186) ascondod
llo llrono aflor a groal slruggIo vill rivaI cIaim-
anls and ovon aflor lis accossion lo lad lo suppross
many roboIIions. Boing a groal Ioador of mon lo vas
abIo lo rosloro ordor and ovon carry lis provoss as
55
a conquoror lo foroign Iands incIuding Soull India
and Burma. Ho robuiIl llo cily of IoIonnaruva. King
Iarkramablu aIso undorlook llo rosloralion of
llo ancionl capilaI cily of Anurdlapura vlicl lad
boon nogIoclod and abandonod aflor llo CloIas lad
caplurod and dovaslalod il aboul a conlury and a
laIf oarIior. Tlo four groal llpas voro ovorgrovn
vill lroos, and boars and panllors dvoIl lloro. Tlo
king roslorod aII llo imporlanl monumonls al Anur-
dlapura and llo onliro MilinlaIo monaslory.
Bul llo mosl imporlanl lask vlicl llo king por-
formod for llo oslabIislmonl of llo Ssana vas ils
purificalion and llo unificalion of llo Sangla. In spilo
of llo aclivilios of King Vijayablu I lloro voro by
llis limo mombors of Sangla vlo voro unfil lo Ioad
llo monaslic Iifo. Somo of llo monks aro said lo lavo
ovon supporlod vivos and cliIdron. Will a Ioarnod
llora namod Mal Kassapa of Udumbaragiri Vilra
(DimbuIgaIa noar IoIonnaruva) al ils load, llo king
convonod a CounciI of llo Ioading monks of llo dis-
sonlionl sclooIs and vas convincod llal llo loaclings
of llo Malvilra voro corrocl and lloir cIaims voro
in kooping vill llo Dlamma. ConsoquonlIy vill
groal caro and palionco, llo king mado invosligalions
inlo llo mombors of llo sclismalic sclooIs. Many of
llo unvorlly monks voro porsuadod lo Ioavo llo
Ordor and lloso vlo voro nol opon lo porsuasion
56
voro oxpoIIod. Somo monks voro mado lo rolurn lo
llo slalus of novicos. Aflor llal llo llroo fralornilios
of llo Malvilra, llo Ablayagiri-vilra and llo
}olavana-vilra romainod unilod.
Subsoquonl lo llis purificalion of llo Sangla llo
king, vill llo assislanco of llo Ioading monks, pro-
cIaimod a codo of roguIalions for llo guidanco of llo
blikklus. Aflor llo procIamalion of llal codo llo
inlornaI discipIino of llo Sangla vas in llo lands of
llo monks llomsoIvos and llo king aclod onIy vlon
a nocossily aroso. Tlo codo of roguIalions onforcod
by King Iarkramablu bocamo a royaI procIama-
lion. Il gavo diroclions for llo propor obsorvanco of
llo Vinaya ruIos and doaIl vill llo procoduro llal
slouId bo foIIovod by lis subjocls vlo lad bocomo
or vlo vislod lo bocomo Iay pupiIs, novicos and
subsoquonlIy ordainod monks. Tlo king aIso causod
llis procIamalion lo bo ongravod on llo rock surfaco
of llo Ullarrma, prosonlIy knovn as GaI-vilra,
vlicl oxisls lo llis day. Il is nov knovn as IoIon-
naru-kalikvala or llo Iarkramablu-kalikvala.
Tlo groal inlorosl lakon by llo king in llo affairs
of llo roIigion coupIod vill inlornaI poaco and pros-
porily brougll aboul a rovivaI of Buddlisl Ioarning
vlicl croalod a ricl Iiloraluro during llis poriod.
57
28 CompiIation of ReIigious Treatises
Il las boon monlionod oarIior llal Buddlaglosa Tlora
compiIod llo IaIi commonlarios lo many of llo loxls
of llo Tipilaka in llo oarIy parl of llo fifll conlury.
Buddlaglosa vas, lovovor, nol abIo lo compiIo com-
monlarios lo aII llo books of llo Tipilaka duo porlaps
lo llo facl llal llo iIInoss of lis loaclor Rovala in India
causod lim lo Ioavo Sri Ianka boforo lo finislod llo
onliro vork. IorlunaloIy, lloro voro sovoraI ollor
scloIars vlo look up llo vork Iofl undono by Bud-
dlaglosa, and in llo succooding yoars lloy compiIod
commonlarios lo llo rosl of llo loxls of llo IaIi Canon.
Tlus llo commonlalor DlammapIa Tlora com-
piIod llo commonlarios lo llo Udna, Ilivullaka,
Vimnavalllu, Iolavalllu, Tloragll, Tlorgll
and Cariypilaka of llo Kluddaka Nikya, aII lloso
commonlarios aro knovn by llo namo Pcrcmcii|c-
!ipcni: Upasona Tlora compiIod llo Sc!!|cmmcppcj-
jcii| on llo Niddosa. Malnama Tlora compiIod
llo Sc!!|cmmcppc|sini on llo Ialisamblidmagga,
and Buddladalla Tlora compiIod llo Mc!|urcii|c-
.i|sini on llo Buddlavamsa. Tlo aullor of llo
VisuddlajanaviIsin, vlicl is llo commonlary on
llo Apadna, is nol knovn. Of lloso commonlalors
Buddladalla vas a conlomporary of Buddlaglosa,
Upasona and Malnma fIourislod aboul llo Iallor
parl of llo sixll conlury, and DlammapIa aboul llo
58
Iallor parl of llo lonll conlury.
Tlo poIilicaI dislurbancos from llo limo of King
Dllusona unliI llo roign of Vijayablu I groalIy
lamporod Iilorary aclivilios and as a rosuIl onIy a
fov roIigious vorks voro composod during llis
poriod. Aboul llo ond of llo lonll conlury, a llora
namod Kloma vrolo an oxposilory vork on llo Abli-
dlamma, caIIod llo Pcrcmcii|c!ipcni. To llo samo
poriod boIongs aIso llo IaIi Mc||c!|i.cmsc, vlicl
givos primariIy llo lislory of llo Sacrod Bodli Troo al
Anurdlapura and llo coromonios connoclod vill il.
A poom onlilIod Angcic.cmsc on llo fuluro Buddla
Molloyya is aIso ascribod lo llis poriod. To llo lonll
or llo oarIy parl of llo oIovonll conlury boIongs a IaIi
poom of 98 slanzas, caIIod llo ToIakallagll, in llo
form of roIigious oxlorlalions of a groal oIdor namod
KaIyniya Tlora, vlo vas condomnod lo bo casl inlo
a cauIdron of boiIing oiI.
King Vijayablu I, in vloso roign occurrod a groal
inloIIocluaI ro-avakoning, vas limsoIf a groal palron
of Iiloraluro and a scloIar of ligl ropulo. Many Sin-
laIoso vorks incIuding a SinlaIoso lransIalion of llo
Dlammasangan aro allribulod lo lim bul nol ono
of llom oxisls loday. Aboul llis limo a monk namod
Anuruddla composod llo Anuru!!|cscic|c, llo A||i-
!|cmmcii|c-scngc|c, llo Nmcrpc-pcricc|c!c and llo
Pcrcmcii|c-.inicc|cc. Tlo firsl is a Buddlisl dovolion-
59
aI poom of 1O1 slanzas, in oIoganl Sanskril. Tlo socond
vork is a compondium on llo loaclings of llo Ablid-
lamma and is loId in ligl osloom by aII Buddlisls
of llo soullorn sclooI. Tlo llird and fourll aro lvo
slorl vorks in vorso on llo Ablidlamma, giving llo
roador a gonoraI idoa of llo subjocls doaIl vill in llo
Ablidlamma Iilaka.
Tlo roign of King Iarkramablu llo Groal usl-
orod in anollor groal opocl of Iilorary aclivily. Tlroo
groal scloIarIy monks fIourislod in lis roign, namoIy,
Mal Kassapa of DimbuIgaIa Vilra, MoggaIIna
Tlora and Sripulla Tlora. Mal Kassapa vas llo
aullor of a SinlaIoso paraplraso (scnnc) lo llo Scmcnic-
ps!i|, vlicl is nov Iosl. Ho is aIso ropulod lo lavo
vrillon a sub-commonlary lo llo A||i!|cmmcii|c-
scngc|c. Il is probabIo llal lo vas aIso llo aullor of
sovoraI ollor vorks sucl as llo Mc|c.icc|c!cni, vlicl
is a lroaliso on llo Ablidlamma, and Vimcii.inc!cni,
vlicl is a commonlary on llo Vinaya. MoggaIIna, a
conlomporary of Mal Kassapa, vas llo aullor of llo
IaIi grammar, Mcggc||nc V|crcnc. Ho is aIso crod-
ilod vill llo aullorslip of llo A||i!|ncppc!ipi|,
vlicl is llo onIy ancionl IaIi diclionary in Sri Ianka.
Sripulla vas llo mosl prominonl scloIar of llo
roign of Iarkramablu llo Groal. A cIovor Sanskril
scloIar as lo vas, Sripulla compiIod lvo vorks on
Sanskril grammar. Anollor vork by lim, llo Vincc-
6O
scngc|c, vas a summary of llo Vinaya Iilaka. Tlis vork
vas knovn by sovoraI lilIos and vas vidoIy knovn in
Burma. On llis vork Sripulla limsoIf vrolo a sub-
commonlary (ii|) and a SinlaIoso paraplraso. Tlo
mosl comprolonsivo and lloroforo imporlanl vork of
Sripulla is llo maslorIy sub-commonlary caIIod llo
Srcii|c!ipcni, vlicl lo composod on Buddlaglosas
commonlary on llo Vinaya, llo Scmcnicps!i|. Tlo
immonso and vaIuabIo informalion il conlains slovs
llal lis knovIodgo vas oxlonsivo and profound ovon
as llal of llo groal commonlalor Buddlaglosa.
Ho furllor vrolo a SinlaIoso paraplraso lo llo
A||i!|cmmcii|c-scngc|c of Anuruddla Tlora and
llis paraplraso is sliII loId in ligl osloom by mod-
orn scloIars. Sripulla is aIso crodilod vill llo
aullorslip of lvo ollor lks, llo Scrcii|cmcjs
on llo Mcncrci|cprcni and llo Iincii|cppc|sini on
llo Pcpcccs!cni, vlicl aro commonlarios on llo
Angullara and Majjlima Nikyas, rospoclivoIy, by
Buddlaglosa. To llis poriod aIso boIong llo lks on
llo ollor llroo Nikyas of llo Sulla Iilaka, coIIoclivo-
Iy knovn as llo Scrcii|cmcjs-ii|.
Il slouId bo monlionod loro llal llo lks namod
abovo formod ono of llo major groups of IaIi Iilora-
luro compiIod during llis poriod. As doscribod in llo
Sc!!|cmmc-scngc|c, a IaIi vork of llo 14ll conlury,
Mal Kassapa and a Iargo congrogalion of monks
61
vlo assombIod al llo }olavana Vilra al IoIonnaruva
docidod lo composo oxogolicaI commonlarios sinco llo
oxisling sub-commonlarios on llo oId Alllakalls
voro uninloIIigibIo. Acling on llis docision lloy com-
piIod lks, namoIy, llo Srcii|c!ipcni on llo Vinaya
Iilaka, llo Scrcii|cmcjs in four parls on llo firsl
four Nikyas of llo Sulla Iilaka, and llo Pcrcmcii|c-
!ipcni in llroo parls on llo Ablidlamma Iilaka.
Tloso lks or sub-commonlarios voro vorks
conlaining oxposilions of poinls in llo Alllakalls
compiIod by Buddlaglosa and ollor commonlalors,
vlicl noodod furllor oIucidalion for lloir corrocl
inlorprolalion. Tloro voro lks compiIod from limo
lo limo subsoquonl lo llo compiIalion of llo commonl-
arios, and vlal llo counciI loadod by Mal Kassapa
porformod vas llo bringing of lloso various lks
logollor and making a synllolic summary of llom.
Tlougl llo Sc!!|cmmc-scngc|c doos nol givo any
prominonco lo llo parl pIayod by Sripulla al llis
counciI, il is voII knovn llal sovoraI lks voro com-
piIod oillor by lim or undor lis suporvision.
SovoraI roIigious vorks vrillon in SinlaIoso aIso
boIong lo llis poriod. Tlo SinlaIoso oxogolicaI vorks
on vlicl llo IaIi commonlarios voro basod voro
prosorvod in llo Malvilra as Ialo as llo lonll con-
lury. Iikoviso lloro voro llo coIIoclions of }laka slo-
rios and llo slorios connoclod vill llo vorsos of llo
62
Dlammapada, in llo SinlaIoso Ianguago. A coIIoclion
of slorios from vlicl llo IaIi Rcsc.|ini drov malo-
riaI and a vork caIIod llo Si|c|cii|c|ci| Mc|.cmsc,
on vlicl llo IaIi clronicIos voro basod, aIso oxislod
in SinlaIoso. Nono of lloso vorks is nov oxlanl. Sov-
oraI SinlaIoso roIigio-Iilorary vorks vlicl voro com-
posod in or aboul llo lvoIfll conlury aro popuIar
ovon loday. Among llom aro llo Scsc!.cic, vlicl is
a poom on llo Sasa }laka, llo Mu.c!c.!.cic, vlicl
is a poom on llo Makldova }laka, and llo Kc.si|u-
minc, vlicl is a poom on Kusa }laka. GuruIugomis
Am.ciurc and D|crmcprc!ipi|.c and Vidycakra-
varlis 8uiscrcnc aro aIso gonoraIIy ascribod lo llo
lvoIfll conlury.
29 DecIine of Buddhism after Parkramabhu I
and Restoration by Parkramabhu II
Aflor llo doall of Iarkramablu llo Groal lloro vas
mucl inlornaI dislurbanco in llo counlry causod by
rivaI cIaimanls lo llo llrono and invasions by for-
oignors. As a rosuIl Buddlism vas on llo docIino
again. Iarkramablus immodialo succossor, Vijaya-
blu II, promolod lrado and roIigious roIalions
bolvoon Burma and Sri Ianka bul vas sIain aflor a
yoars ruIo by a usurpor. Tlo usurpor vas, lovovor,
sIain fivo days Ialor by NissankamaIIa, vlo lloro-
63
aflor roignod for nino yoars (1187-96). NissankamaIIa
vas a groal bonofaclor of Buddlism. Ho buiIl sovoraI
nolabIo roIigious odificos in IoIonnaruva, lis capilaI.
Somo of lloso, Iiko llo RuvanvoIi-dgaba (nov caIIod
Rankol-volora), llo boaulifuI Valad-go, llo Sacrod
Tooll RoIic TompIo (Holadgo), and llo NissankaIal-
mandapa oxisl lo llis day. Ho mado occasionaI lours
in lis kingdom, visiling pIacos of roIigious signifi-
canco Iiko llo Sumanakla (Sri Ida, or as caIIod by
llo LngIisl, Adams Ioak) and llo DambuIu-vilra.
Ho buiIl aIms-lousos al sovoraI imporlanl pIacos and
purifiod llo Ssana by oxpoIIing corrupl blikklus
from llo Ordor.
Tlo poriod of lvo docados llal foIIovod llo doall
of King NissankamaIIa vas ono of llo mosl dislurbod
poriods in Sri Ianka, during vlicl limo occurrod
sovoraI assassinalions of ruIors and invasions by for-
oignors. In 1214 a foroignor namod Mogla invadod,
dofoalod llo SinlaIoso ruIor and roignod for 36 yoars
(1215-51). His roign vas ono of llo mosl disaslrous
for Buddlism, for lo pIundorod llo monaslorios and
mado llom ovor lo lis soIdiors lo dvoII in. Tlo poo-
pIo voro porsoculod by lorluro and voro forcod lo
adopl a difforonl faill. Ho aIso doslroyod Iibrarios
conlaining many vaIuabIo books. Tlo silualion vas
lomporariIy savod by Iarkramablu II, vlo ruIod
from Dambadoniya from 1236 vliIo Mgla vas sliII
64
dominaling norll Ianka. Iarkramablu II, vlo vas
a ruIor of groal Ioarning, oarnod for limsoIf llo lilIo
KaIikIa Salilya Sarvaja Iandila. Ho mado offorls lo
rosloro llo Ssana by bringing ovor monks from llo
CloIa counlry in Soull India and loIding a foslivaI lo
admil monks lo llo liglor ordinalion. Ho oslabIislod
sovoraI monaslorios and pirivonas and oncouragod
Ioarning. Tlo king aIso loId a groal counciI of monks
undor llo Ioadorslip of llo groal llora Aranyaka
Modlankara and purifiod llo Ssana. SubsoquonlIy,
Iiko Iarkramablu I, lo formuIalod ruIos for llo
propor conducl of llo monks, llo codo of lloso ruIos
boing knovn by llo namo Dambadoni Kalikvala. Al
IaIbalgaIa lo conslruclod a groal monaslory for llo
lormil-monks vlo voro fuII of virluo and voro abIo
lo undorgo slricl auslorilios. Tvo succooding kings,
Vijayablu IV (127O-72) and Iarkramablu III (1287-
93), look mucl inlorosl in mainlaining Buddlism and
consoIidaling llo offorls of lloir prodocossor.
30 The Literary RevivaI
Tlo roIigious rovivaI brougll aboul by Iarkrama-
blu II conlinuod unliI aboul llo fifloonll conlury,
llougl lloro vas nol mucl poIilicaI slabiIily in llo
counlry during llal poriod. Tlo oulslanding foaluro
of llo poriod is llo compiIalion of a Iargo numbor
65
of roIigio-Iilorary vorks. Iarkramablu II limsoIf
oblainod loaclors from India lo loacl Iankan monks.
Ho porsuadod lis youngor brollor Bluvanokablu lo
bocomo a scloIar and bo a loaclor lo many llousands
of oIdors. Tlo kings minislor Dovapalirja vas a groal
palron of Ioarning. To Iarkramablu II is ascribod
llo aullorslip of llo SinlaIoso lransIalions lo llo Vis-
u!!|imcggc and llo Vincc Vinicc|cc, llo SinlaIoso
poom Kc.si|uminc, llo maslorpioco of SinlaIoso pool-
ry, basod on llo Kusa }laka, and llo SinlaIoso proso
vork Dc|c!-siriic. In llo roign of Iarkramablu II
Iivod llo llora Dlarmakirli vlo vas llo aullor of
llo IaIi poom Dllvamsa and llo firsl parl of llo
Cic.cmsc.
Tlo 1|pc.cmsc on llo oroclion of slpas in Ianka,
llo Hcii|c-.cncgc||c-.i|rc-.cmsc on llo lislory of llo
ancionl vilra al AllanagaIIa, llo Rcsc.|ini vlicl
is a coIIoclion of slorios aboul ancionl India and Sri
Ianka, llo Scmcnic|ic-.cnncn on llo Buddlas visil
lo Sumanakla (Adams Ioak), llo Kcsc!|iu.cmsc
on llo lislory of llo lair-roIics of llo Buddla, llo
Prcmi-mc|scic|c on llo lon porfoclions (pcrmii),
llo Sc!!|cmmc-Scng|c vlicl givos an accounl of llo
lislory and dovoIopmonl of Buddlism in Ianka, aro
sovoraI of llo roIigious vorks of moril composod in
IaIi from llo limo of Iarkramablu II unliI llo fif-
loonll conlury.
66
A Iargo numbor of SinlaIoso vorks on roIigious
subjocls loo boIongs lo llis poriod. Tlo Sc!!|crmc-
rcin.c|i, vlicl narralos llo slorios of llo IaIi
Dlammapadalllakall in SinlaIoso, llo Pjc.c|i
vlicl roIalos llo lonour and offorings rocoivod by
llo Buddla, llo Pcnsic-pcncs-jic|c basod on llo IaIi
}laka commonlary, llo SinlaIa 8c!|i.cmsc on llo lis-
lory of llo Bodli Troo, llo ||u-Aiicncgc|u.cmsc vlicl
is a lransIalion of llo IaIi vork, llo Sc!!|crm|cn|rc,
basod on llo IaIi Rcsc.|ini, llo Guiii|c|.cc basod
on llo GulliIa }laka, llo K.csc||crcc, basod on
llo Sallublalla }laka, llo 8u!ugun|cn|rcc, vlicl
narralos llo dispoIIing of llo caIamily in VosIi by
llo Buddla, and llo Ic.c!c-scngcr.c, conlaining roIi-
gious inslruclions for llo Iaily, aro llo slandard vorks
among llom.
31 Embassy from Burma to Obtain Ordination
As a rosuIl of llis roIigious rovivaI, llo ropulalion of
llo Sangla in Sri Ianka bocamo so voII oslabIislod
llal in llo yoar 1476 King Dlammacoli of Burma
docidod lo sond lvonly-lvo soIoclod blikklus lo
Ianka lo oblain ordinalion and bring back lo Burma
llo lradilions of Ianka. Ho sonl lloso blikklus vill
numorous prosonls in clargo of lvo minislors, Cil-
radla and Rmadla. Tloy camo in lvo slips. Tlo
67
firsl slip vill oIovon blikklus and lloir allondanls,
in clargo of llo minislor Cilradla, arrivod in CoIom-
bo and llo ollor slip in clargo of Rmadla vill
oIovon blikklus and allondanls arrivod al WoIigama
on llo soullorn coasl of Ianka. Tloso dopulalions
voro rocoivod vill duo coromony and givon a cordiaI
rocoplion by King Buvanokablu VI (147O-78), vlo
roignod al Kollo (}ayavardlanapura), six miIos from
CoIombo.
Tlo king of Burma sonl llo foIIoving mossago
lo llo cliof lloras of Ianka: My Iords, I am sond-
ing many arlicIos lo bo offorod lo llo Sacrod Tooll
RoIic, olc. and I roquosl you lo mako an ondoavour lo
offor lloso lo llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic. May llo nobIo
onos oblain faciIilios for llo lvonly-lvo blikklus
and lloir pupiIs and llo lvo minislors, Cilradla and
Rmadla, vlo aro allonding on lloso blikklus lo
assisl llom in vorsliping, lonoring and vioving llo
Sacrod Tooll RoIic if lloy aro so forlunalo as lo gol an
opporlunily lo do so, aflor vlicl may llo NobIo Onos
bo pIoasod vill lloir ondoavour lo onabIo llo lvonly-
lvo blikklus and lloir pupiIs lo bo ordainod in llo
communily of succossion from Malvilra fralornily
foundod by llo groal llora Malinda by soIocling sucl
blikklus vlo loId an oslabIislod ligl ropulalion
and giving llo ordinalion of Upasampad in llo Sm
(ordinalion laII) in llo rivor KaIyni, vlicl las boon
68
mado sacrod by ils associalion vill our Groal Iord.
Tlo roquosl mado by llo king of Burma vas duIy
granlod, llo blikklus voro ordainod in llo Sm in
llo KaIyni Rivor. Tlo minislor Rmadla vill lvon-
ly blikklus and llirly-llroo pupiIs, duIy ordainod,
rolurnod lo Burma. Tlo ollor minislor, Cilradla, and
lis parly of blikklus voro slipvrockod and six of
lloso blikklus mol vill lloir doall. Tlo romaining
onos roaclod lloir counlry.
32 EstabIishment of Mahvihravamsa in Burma
In Burma King Dlammacoli buiIl an ordinalion laII,
knovn as KaIyni Sm, and llo blikklus ordainod
lloro vonl by llo namo of KaIynivamsa. Al a Ialor
poriod ordinalion of llis Nikya vas carriod lo Siam
from Burma. Tlo connoclion vill Burma al llis
poriod las an imporlanl boaring on llo forlunos of
Buddlism in Sri Ianka, for llrougl lloso ombassios
llo books llal oxislod in Ianka voro lakon lo Burma,
Siam and Cambodia and llo Malvilra Nikya vas
oslabIislod in lloso counlrios. Tlis loIpod Ianka lo
rooblain llo books and llo ordinalion al a subsoquonl
poriod, vlon ordinalion lad disappoarod in llo
isIand and llo books voro Iosl.
69
33 The ArrivaI of the Portuguese and
the Persecution of Buddhism
Tlo poIilicaI slabiIily llal vas mainlainod by
Iarkramablu II and lis succossors unliI aboul llo
fifloonll conlury bogan lo voakon by llo ond of llal
conlury. Al llis limo llo SinlaIoso king vlo ruIod
al Kollo vas llo load of a vory smaII lorrilory. Tlo
inlorior rogions of llo counlry voro in llo lands of
sovoraI polly cliofs vlo did nol caro aboul llo roIi-
gion or llo voIfaro of llo poopIo. Tlo Moors on llo
ollor land conlroIIod llo lrado of llo coaslaI rogions.
LconomicaIIy loo llo counlry lad sunk lo sucl a vory
Iov IovoI llal by llis limo Sri Ianka lad bocomo
dopondonl on India ovon for food.
Sucl vas llo condilion vlon llo Iorluguoso, vlo
voro ongagod in discovorios and conquosls in llo Lasl
and voro in pursuil of Laslorn lrado, Iandod in Ianka
in 15O5, vlon Vira Iarkramablu VIII (1484-15O8)
vas ruIing al Kollo. Tlo Iorluguoso promisod lim
miIilary aid againsl lis rivaIs and groal riclos from
llo lrado vlicl lloy proposod lo oslabIisl. Tloy llon
gainod a foolloId in Ianka by orocling a forlross on
llo rocky boacl in CoIombo and oslabIisling many
lrading sollIomonls. Boforo Iong llo onliro coaslaI
rogion passod inlo llo lands of llo Iorluguoso and
llo kings of Kollo voro onliroIy al llo morcy of lloir
aIIios. Tloy ovon mado sovoraI assauIls on llo inlo-
7O
rior of llo counlry in ordor lo bocomo maslors of llo
vloIo isIand.
Tlo Iorluguoso arrivod in CoIombo in 15O5 and,
graduaIIy occupying aII marilimo provincos, romainod
in lloir possossion up lo 1658. Tlo Ianka clronicIos
as voII as llo rocords of lloir friondIy lislorians
doscribo llom as cruoI, inluman, rapacious, bigolod
and savago porsoculors of Buddlism in lloir ondoav-
our lo imposo lloir ovn faill Roman CalloIicism
on llo poopIo of Sri Ianka.
A fov docados aflor llo arrivaI of llo Iorluguoso,
King Bluvanokablu VI (1534-1551), vlo ruIod al
Kollo, sougll llo assislanco of lis aIIios, llo Iorlu-
guoso, lo onsuro llo succossion of lis grandson
DlarmapIa lo llo llrono. Ior llis purposo an ivory
imago of DlarmapIa vas sonl lo IorlugaI vloro a
coronalion of llo offigy vas loId by llo Iorluguoso
omporor. Wlon llo SinlaIoso ambassadors rolurnod
lloy voro accompaniod by a parly of Iranciscans vlo,
undor llo diroclion of llo Iorluguoso omporor and
vill llo pormission of llo king of Kollo, proaclod
llo Clrislian GospoI in Ianka. Tlus for llo firsl
limo Clrislian communilios voro organizod in llo
marilimo provincos of Ianka. DlarmapIa, vlo lad
bocomo a baplizod Clrislian undor llo namo of Don
}uan DlarmapIa, as an oxprossion of llankfuInoss
lo llo Iorluguoso gavo llom a dood of gifl (scnncs)
71
aflor lis accossion, lransforring lo llom llo DaIad
MIigva (i.o. llo TompIo of llo Tooll), llo lompIo al
KoIaniya and aII llo lompIo rovonuos in llo isIand for
llo mainlonanco of llo missionary oslabIislmonls.
Tlus lloro vas llo nocossary assislanco givon lo
llo Iorluguoso by llo ruIors of Kollo lo suppross llo
nalionaI roIigion of llo SinlaIoso and propagalo lloir
ovn roIigion CalloIicism. Will llis supporl lloy
sol aboul lloir lask. In lloir convorsions lloy adoplod
lvo dislincl mollods, namoIy, inducomonl by officos
and ollor lomporaI favours, and brulaI punislmonl
vloro inducomonl faiIod. IoopIo vlo vislod lo
oblain ligl officos undor llom and vlo vislod lo
oarn llo goodviII of lloso in povor roadiIy adoplod
llo nov faill and look up nov BibIicaI namos. Oll-
ors vlo losilalod lo givo up lloir nalionaI faill and
slovod rosislanco voro brulaIIy punislod.
Tloro aro Iurid accounls of mon llrovn inlo riv-
ors lo bo oalon by crocodiIos, babios spillod on llo soI-
diors pikos and loId up boforo llo paronls, or cruslod
bolvoon miIIslonos boforo llo oyos of lloir mollors
vlo Ialor voro lo bo lorlurod lo doall. Tloso vlo darod
lo vorslip in pubIic or voar llo yoIIov robo voro pul
lo doall. Buddlisl monaslorios and inslilulions voro
doslroyod and lloir lroasuros Ioolod. Iibrarios voro sol
on firo. Tlus did llo poriod of Iorluguoso ruIo bocomo
ono of llo darkosl poriods of Buddlism in Sri Ianka.
72
34 Persecution of Buddhism by Rjasinha I
Tlo Iorluguoso voro nol llo onIy onomios of
Buddlism al llis poriod. King Rjasinla I (1581-
1592), vlo vas llo son of Maydunno, a brollor of
Bluvonokablu VI, ruIod from Silavaka vlon llo
Iorluguoso voro loIding povor al Kollo. A gaIIanl
Ioador as lo vas, Rjasinla succoodod in gaining llo
confidonco of llo SinlaIoso vlo opposod llo Iorlu-
guoso ruIo and vinning sovoraI ballIos againsl llo
Iorluguoso, llo ballIo al MuIIoriyva boing llo mosl
famous. Bul, as llo clronicIos monlion, lis popuIar-
ily vas slorlIivod. Tlo fooIisl king, in lis llirsl for
povor, sIov lis oId fallor vill lis ovn lands. Ialor,
boing soizod vill llo foar of lis crimo, Rjasinla
sougll llo advico of llo monks for solling limsoIf
froo from llo sin. Wlon llo monks oxpIainod lo lim
llal il vas loo groal a crimo lo bo absoIvod, llo king
vas provokod lo angor.
Ho llon bocamo a foIIovor of llo Saivilos, in
vloso advico lo look rofugo, and bocamo an onomy
of Buddlism. Tlo cliof Buddlisl oIdor vas slonod lo
doall, and many ollor monks voro buriod nock-doop
in llo oarll and lloir loads pIouglod off. Somo oll-
ors voro pul lo llo svord. Tlo sacrod odificos and llo
monaslorios voro puIIod dovn, and llo sacrod books
voro roducod lo aslos. Tlo Iands vlicl lad boon
ondovod in oarIior limos lo llo monaslic oslabIisl-
73
monls voro lakon avay and Sri Ida, llo Sacrod Iool-
prinl of llo Buddla on Adams Ioak, vas landod ovor
lo llo Saivilos. Tloso monks vlo managod lo oscapo
from llo kings vrall disrobod llomsoIvos and fIod.
35 VimaIa Dharmasuriya's Attempt at
Restoring Buddhism
In 1592, llo yoar in vlicl Rjasinla diod, a SinlaIoso
ruIor, VimaIa Dlarmasuriya I, ascondod llo llrono
of llo liII capilaI, Kandy, and ruIod for lvoIvo yoars.
Tlougl lo lad boon oducalod by llo Iorluguoso and
vas originaIIy favourod by llom, llo king soon aflor
lis accossion lurnod againsl llom oul of lis Iovo for
llo counlry and llo roIigion.
VimaIa Dlarmasuriya I vas a groal palron of Bud-
dlism of llal limo. Aflor lis vars vill llo Iorluguoso
lo sol lis loarl on ropairing llo damago dono by
Rjasinla. SovoraI Buddlisl monumonls voro roslorod.
Iinding llal lloro vas lardIy a singIo monk Iofl in llo
counlry vlo vas proporIy ordainod, VimaIa Dlarmas-
uriya sonl an ombassy lo llo counlry of Arakan (nov
parl of Burma) lo oblain monks lo rosloro ordinalion in
Sri Ianka. Tlo mission vas succossfuI, sovoraI monks
Iod by llo oIdors Nandicakka and CandavisIa camo
lo Kandy and in llo yoar 1597 an ordinalion coromony
vas loId in llo Udakukklopa Sm al Golambo, noar
74
Kandy, many mon of nobIo famiIios onloring llo Ordor
on llis occasion. Tlo king aIso buiIl a sloroyod paviI-
ion and, bringing back llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic from llo
DoIgamuvilra vloro il vas liddon, doposilod il in
llo paviIion. Tlo conlroI of Sri Ida vas lakon from
llo Saivilos and landod ovor lo llo Buddlisl monks.
36 Successors of VimaIa Dharmasuriya I and
the ArrivaI of the Dutch in Sri Lanka
VimaIa Dlarmasuriya vas succoodod on llo llrono of
Kandy by Sonaral, a man zoaIous in roIigious vorks. In
lis roign llo Iorluguoso invadod Kandy and llo king
carriod avay llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic lo Maliyangana
for safoly. Sonarals son and succossor Rjasinla II
(1634-1687) vas a groal varrior bul vas nol zoaIous. In
lis roign ondod llo Iorluguoso ruIo in llo marilimo
provincos of Ianka, a foal vlicl llo king accompIislod
vill llo aid of llo Dulcl in }uno 1658.
Il vas as oarIy as 16O2 llal llo Dulcl visilod llo
courl of Kandy, in llo roign of VimaIa Dlarmasuriya
I, sooking an aIIianco. In 1612 a lroaly vas agrood upon
bolvoon llo Dulcl and King Sonaral, llo llon king
of Kandy, and in accordanco vill llis agroomonl, in
1638 Rjasinla II sougll Dulcl assislanco againsl llo
Iorluguoso. Irom llal limo llo lvo Luropoan nalions
fougll oacl ollor unliI in 1658 llo Iorluguoso voro
75
oxpoIIod from llo counlry and llo Dulcl camo lo
occupy lloso rogions vlicl formorIy voro occupiod
by llo Iorluguoso. Tloy romainod in possossion unliI
1796, in vlicl yoar lloy voro ouslod by llo Brilisl.
Tlo Dulcl, vloso roIigion vas Iroloslanl Clrisl-
ianily, foIIovod a poIicy vlicl vas in markod con-
lrasl lo llal of llo Iorluguoso. Lxlonsion of commorco
vas lloir main concorn and sinco poaco vas ossonliaI
lo acliovo llis ond, lloy ovon ondurod vill subduod
lumbIonoss and palionco vlalovor insuIl and provo-
calion camo from llo SinlaIoso. Tloy ovon assislod
llo SinlaIoso in lvo ombassios lo Siam vlicl voro
sonl lo oblain monks lo oslabIisl liglor ordinalion in
Sri Ianka.
Tlo Dulcl, lovovor, lad an oslabIislod syslom
of oducalion llrougloul lloir lorrilorios. Tlo sclooI
buiIding vas boll clurcl and sclooI, llo sclooI-
maslor vas boll loaclor and roprosonlalivo of llo
roIigion. Sorvicos voro loId roguIarIy al lloso pIacos,
birlls and marriagos voro rogislorod according lo
Clrislian rilos. Wlon llo agonl of llo Clurcl vas so
disposod, lo vas abIo lo gol lloso vlo did nol allond
clurcl punislod for llo aIIogod offonco. AII civiI
riglls and inlorilanco dopondod on a porsons clurcl
affiIialion. No porson vlo vas nol a Clrislian couId
loId ovon a minor offico undor govornmonl, no por-
son vlo vas nol a Clrislian couId gol marriod IogaIIy
76
or rogislor llo birll of a cliId.
Tloro vas, lovovor, ono rodooming foaluro of llis
syslom. Tlo organizalion vas so oxlonsivo llal lloy
lad lo ompIoy SinlaIoso as lloir loaclors and agonls
of roIigion. Tlo vasl majorily of lloso Iroloslanl
agonls voro al loarl Buddlisls, lloy voro Clrislians
onIy in llo sonso of lloir offico. Tlo poopIo llomsoIvos
foIIovod llis pIan: lloy voro Buddlisls invardIy bul
voro officiaIIy Clrislians, for llo purposo of rogislor-
ing lloir marriagos, llo birlls of lloir cliIdron, for
loIding offico, olc. Tlus llo offorls of llo Dulcl in llo
propagalion of lloir roIigion did nol affocl Buddlism
mucl. On llo ollor land llo Iorluguoso, vloro lloy
lad priosls and vloro lloy lad oslabIislod clurclos
undor llo dirocl conlroI of lloso priosls, voro abIo lo
Iook aflor llo congrogalions and graduaIIy oslabIislod
lloir roIigion in sucl conlros. Mosl of llom voro zoaI-
ous and oarnosl in lloir dulios and look a gonuino
inlorosl in llo voIfaro of lloir fIocks.
37 VimaIa Dharmasuriya II and his Successors
Wlon llo Dulcl voro occupying llo marilimo prov-
incos, sovoraI SinlaIoso ruIors of llo Kandyan kingdom
mado allompls lo rosloro Buddlism. Ono of llom vas
VimaIa Dlarmasuriya II (1687-17O6), son and succossor
of Rjasinla II. Ho conslruclod a llroo-sloroyod paviI-
77
ion for llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic. Tlo king aIso mado a
piIgrimago lo Sumanakla (Adams Ioak) on fool. Soo-
ing llal llo slalo of llo Ordor of monks vas unsalis-
faclory again lo sucl an oxlonl llal nol moro llan fivo
ordainod monks voro found in llo vloIo counlry, llo
king sonl an ombassy lo Arakan and oblainod monks
for an ordinalion coromony. Will llo loIp of lloso
monks an ordinalion coromony vas loId al Golambo,
al llo pIaco vloro a simiIar coromony lad boon loId
formorIy in llo roign of VimaIa Dlarmasuriya I. Al
llis coromony llirly-llroo novicos voro givon liglor
ordinalion and anollor ono lundrod and lvonly por-
sons voro admillod lo llo Ordor.
VimaIa Dlarmasuriya II vas succoodod by lis
son Sri Viraparkrama Narondrasinla (17O6-1739), a
jusl ruIor, mindfuI of llo voIfaro of llo roIigion. Ho
conslruclod a lvo-sloroyod buiIding for llo Sacrod
Tooll RoIic, providod llo monks vill lloir roquisilos,
and inducod sovoraI mombors of llo Iaily lo onlor llo
Ordor. Hovovor, during lis roign many a monk lad
rosorlod lo scandaIous praclicos.
His succossor Sri Vijaya Rjasinla (1739-1747), aIso
a pious ruIor, inducod many a young porson lo join
llo Ordor and aIso loId sovoraI roIigious foslivaIs. Ho
sponl monoy on golling roIigious books vrillon, causod
proacling laIIs lo bo conslruclod al sovoraI pIacos, and
look moasuros lo oducalo llo poopIo in llo doclrino.
78
Discovoring llal llo Ordor of llo Sangla vas aImosl
oxlincl in llo isIand, lo sonl lvo missions lo Siam, vill
llo loIp of llo Dulcl vlo Ionl a slip for llo voyago. Tlo
firsl oxpodilion provod disaslrous duo lo slipvrock,
and boforo llo socond mission rolurnod llo king diod.
Tlus lis allompl lo rosloro liglor ordinalion faiIod.
38 The Reign of Kirti Sri Rjasinha
Sri Vijaya Rjasinla vas succoodod by King Kirli Sri
Rjasinla, vloso roign provod lo bo ono of llo mosl
inspiring poriods for Buddlism in llal conlury. Al
llo limo of lis accossion llo Ordor of monks lad
sunk lo vory Iov IovoIs of dogonoracy. Tloro vas nol
a singIo monk in llo vloIo isIand vlo lad rocoivod
llo liglor ordinalion. Tloro voro pIonly of novicos
(i.o. smanoras), bul aparl from a fov skiIfuI and
pious onos among llom llo majorily voro Ioading a
Iifo unbocoming lo monks. Tloy sol asido llo sludy
of Dlamma and Vinaya and rosorlod lo llo sludy of
aslroIogy, modicino and doviI vorslip, Iod scandaI-
ous Iivos and ongagod in cuIlivalion of Iand and in
lrado. Tlo oIdor smanoras ordainod onIy llo sons of
lloir roIalivos so llal lloy couId oblain llo immonso
voaIll vlicl llo gonoralions of kings and minislors
lad dodicalod lo llo sorvico of llo Ordor.
Kirli Sri Rjasinla vas dolorminod lo sol rigll
79
llis slalo of affairs. Will llo aid of llo Dulcl vlo
gavo a vossoI for llo voyago, llo king sonl an ombassy
lo King Dlammika of Siam and ro-oslabIislod llo
liglor ordinalion in Sri Ianka. SovoraI lundrods
voro ordainod and oducalion vas foslorod. Tlo king
aIso procIaimod a codo of conducl (|cii|.cic) for llo
guidanco of llo monks.
39 VeIivita Sri Saranankara
In aII lloso roIigious aclivilios of King Kirli Sri Rja-
sinla lo vas inspirod and guidod by a groal porson-
aIily, a smanora vlo vas dislinguislod for lis pioly,
onllusiasm, Ioarning and dolorminalion. Ho vas
VoIivila Iindaplika Sri Saranankara. Born in 1698
al VoIivila, a viIIago noar Kandy, lo bocamo a novico
al llo ago of sixloon as a pupiI of an oIdor smanora
caIIod Sriyagoda. Will groal offorl and dovolion lo
sludiod llo IaIi Ianguago and llo doclrino, for vlicl
purposo lo lravoIod from pIaco lo pIaco in soarcl of
books and lulors. Ialor lo vonl aboul proacling llo
Dlamma, llus oncouraging ollors lo riso up for llo
voIfaro of llo roIigion. Tloso aclivilios of Saranankara
Smanora soon mado lim popuIar as a loaclor of groal
ronovn vlo dovolod lis Iifo lo lis ovn voIfaro and
llal of ollors, a pool, proaclor and conlrovorsiaIisl.
Aparl from lis skiII as a scloIar lo vas aIso
8O
knovn for lis ausloro praclicos. Wlon lo vonl round
llo counlry Ioarning or proacling, lo dopondod for
lis suslonanco on llo ancionl praclico of a blikklu,
caIIod pin!cpic, galloring lis food from louso lo
louso in lis aImsbovI. Ior llis lo bocamo knovn
as Iindaplika Saranankara. Wlon King VimaIa
Dlarmasuriya II roignod lo vas a smanora, bul lis
sincoro dovolion lad pIoasod llo king so mucl llal
lo mado a giIl caskol sol vill sovon lundrod goms
and prosonlod il lo Saranankara Smanora, vill
many books. Tlis king aIso providod llo monk vill
llo roquisilos and inducod lim lo vrilo sovoraI Iilor-
ary vorks.
Wlon King Sri Vijaya Rjasinla camo lo llo
llrono il vas al llo roquosl of Saranankara Smanora
llal llo king sonl lvo ombassios lo Siam. In llo roign
of King Kirli Sri Rjasinla, Saranankara Smanora
offorod lis fuIIosl co-oporalion in lis aclivilios in llo
rovivaI of Buddlism and llo king dopondod upon llo
smanora for guidanco, advico and inspiralion. Ho
urgod llo king lo sond llo ombassy lo Siam and lim-
soIf vrolo llo mossagos llal voro lakon lo llo Siamoso
king and llo Sanglarja of llal counlry. Tlo kings
minislors vlo conslilulod llo ombassy voro closon
on lis advico and llis mission vas succossfuI mainIy
duo lo lis oxorlions. Aflor llo rolurn of llo ombassy
Saranankara Smanora vas givon liglor ordinalion
81
and vas appoinlod Sanglarja of Sri Ianka, llo ligl-
osl offico conforrod on a monk.
Tlo aclivilios of Saranankara Tlora nol onIy
roslorod llo liglor ordinalion and llo purily of llo
Sangla bul aIso brougll aboul a Iilorary rovivaI as a
rosuIl of llo impolus givon by lim lo llo sludy of llo
IaIi Ianguago and llo Buddlas loaclings.
Saranankara Tlora limsoIf compiIod sovoraI
imporlanl roIigious vorks sucl as llo Munigun|cn|rc,
a SinlaIoso poom in praiso of llo Buddla, llo Srri|c
Scngrc|c, a lroaliso on various doclrinaI loaclings
in Buddlism. A||iscm|c!|i-c|cn|rc, a IaIi poom in
a lundrod slanzas on llo Iifo of llo Buddla from
llo limo of Dipankara up lo lis onIigllonmonl, llo
Mc!|urri|c Prc|scni, vlicl is a SinlaIoso common-
lariaI paraplraso lo llo IaIi Mc||c!|i.cmsc, and llo
Rpcm|, a vork on IaIi grammar. SovoraI ollors
vlo voro pupiIs of Saranankara Tlora aIso composod
many Iilorary vorks. Tlo groal monk diod in 1778 A.C.
al llo ago of 81.
Tlo succossors of Sri Saranankara Tlora aro
knovn as boIonging lo llo SymopIi Nikya, nov
popuIarIy caIIod llo Siyam (Syma) Nikya. OnIy
lloso vlo boIongod lo vlal vas rogardod as llo
liglosl caslo couId oblain liglor ordinalion in llal
Nikya. In llo yoar 1799 a smanora namod Amba-
galapiliya NnavimaIalissa, vlo did nol boIong lo
82
llal caslo, vonl lo Amarapura in Burma lo oblain
liglor ordinalion and on lis rolurn lo oslabIislod
llo Amarapura Nikya in 18O3. SubsoquonlIy, in 1863
Ambagalavallo Sri Saranankara Tlora oslabIislod
llo Rmaa Nikya. Tloso llroo Nikyas oxisl up lo
llis day, vill no doclrinaI difforoncos bolvoon llom.
40 The ArrivaI of the British and
the End of SinhaIese RuIe in Sri Lanka
King Kirli Sri Rjasinla, vloso roign, as vas soon
abovo, vas ono of llo mosl fruilfuI for llo causo of
Buddlism, vas succoodod by lis brollor Rjdli
Rjasinla. A scloIar of IaIi, Sanskril and SinlaIoso as
lo vas, llo king limsoIf composod llo boaulifuI Sin-
laIoso poom Asc!isc-!-|c.c and vorkod for llo roIi-
gion by laking nocossary slops lo prosorvo llo purily
of llo Ssana. His noplov, Sri Vikrama Rjasinla,
vas llo noxl and Iasl king of Ianka. Tlis ruIor, vlo
vas in conslanl foar of llo inlriguos of lis Adigar
IiIima TaIavo and lis aIIios, lad rocourso lo inloxi-
caling drinks, loping llus lo forgol lis sorrovs, and
lorlurod aII lis onomios vill appaIIing cruoIly. Tloro
vas gonoraI unrosl in llo kingdom and lloso condi-
lions voro ovidonlIy nol conducivo lo llo progross of
Buddlism.
Il vas in 1796, during llo roign of Rjdli Rja-
83
sinla, llal llo Dulcl, vlo voro dofoalod in ballIo, sur-
rondorod lloir lorrilorios lo llo Brilisl coIony and Sir
Irodorick Norll vas sonl as llo firsl Brilisl govornor.
Boforo Iong Norll roaIisod llal llo opporlunily
vouId como soon for llom lo possoss llo vloIo isIand,
for IiIima TaIavo, llo Adigar of King Sri Vikrama
Rjasinla of Kandy, discIosod lis pIans lo ruin llo
king lo llo Brilisl govornor limsoIf. Hovovor, llis
pIan of IiIima TaIavo vas rovoaIod lo llo king, and
llo Adigar vas boloadod in 1812. LloIopoIa, vlo
bocamo llo noxl Adigar, vas doloclod in an allompl lo
organiso a gonoraI roboIIion againsl llo king, and as
punislmonl, llo king lorlurod lis vifo and cliIdron
cruoIIy. SubsoquonlIy llo king punislod aII vlom lo
suspoclod and as a rosuIl, unrosl and disordor bocamo
llo ordor of llo day.
In lloso circumslancos, LloIopoIa appoaIod lo
llo Brilisl for loIp. In }anuary 1815 a Brilisl army
marclod lo llo capilaI cily of Kandy and look llo Sin-
laIoso king caplivo. On llo 2nd of Marcl 1815, al a soI-
omn assombIy of llo Kandyan cliofs and llo monks,
llo king vas doposod and lis dominions voro voslod
in llo Brilisl Crovn. Tlus ondod llo gIamour of llo
Kingdom of Kandy vlicl lad villslood llo inva-
sions and allacks of llo Iorluguoso and llo Dulcl and
for somo limo llo LngIisl. Tlus ondod loo llo Iino of
llo Buddlisl kings of Ianka vlo for 23O1 yoars, from
84
llo accossion of Vijaya in 486 B.C., brougll gIory and
famo lo lloir counlry and roIigion.
41 The British Attitude towards Buddhism
Il vas soon in llo provious claplor lov llo Brilisl
occupiod llo Iov-counlry of Ianka in 1796 and llo
Kandyan lorrilorios in 1815. Tloso lorrilorios romainod
in lloir lands unliI 1948, in vlicl yoar Sri Ianka
rogainod lor indopondonco.
Monlion las aIroady boon mado of llo soIomn
assombIy of llo 2nd of Marcl 1815 loId in Kandy. Al
llis assombIy a lroaly vas signod bolvoon llo Brilisl
ruIors and llo Kandyan cliofs, by vlicl llo cliofs
landod ovor llo counlry lo llo Brilisl and llo Brilisl
promisod lo safoguard Buddlism, docIaring ils rilos
and coromonios sacrod and invioIalo.
Tlo incIusion of llis cIauso roforring lo Buddlism
in llo vory lroaly by vlicl llo cliofs landod ovor
llo counlry lo llo Brilisl is vory significanl. On llo
ono land, il indicalos lov concornod llo SinlaIoso
Ioadors voro aboul llo fuluro of Buddlism ovon in
llo lour of lloir misforluno. On llo ollor land, llo
Brilisl lad obviousIy considorod llal ils omission
vouId bring disaslrous rosuIls.
Hovovor, llo Brilisl alliludo lovards Buddlism
soon causod dissalisfaclion among llo SinlaIoso
85
cliofs. Tlo cliofs and llo Buddlisl monks roaIisod
llal llo Brilisl lad no dosiro lo rospocl llo cIauso of
llo lroaly roIaling lo Buddlism, and llal lloy voro
koon lo convorl llo poopIo lo lloir ovn faill.
During llo oarIy yoars aflor llo signing of llo
lroaly llo Brilisl govornor look parl in llo annuaI
coromonios connoclod vill llo Sacrod Tooll RoIic
and appoinlod llo cliof lloras, as lad boon dono
by llo SinlaIoso kings in formor limos. Tlis croalod
rosonlmonl on llo parl of llo Clrislian missionarios
in Sri Ianka and llo Clrislian aullorilios in LngIand,
and soon boll praclicos voro droppod, sovoring
vlalovor connoclion lloy lad vill Buddlism. Irom
1847 llo blikklus voro roquirod lo oIocl and appoinl
lloir ovn cliofs and in 1853 llo Brilisl govornmonl
landod ovor llo Tooll RoIic from lloir cuslody lo llo
Diyavadana NiIamo and llo cliof monks of llo MaI-
vallo and llo Asgiriya monaslorios.
WliIo llus vioIaling llo lroaly of 1815 llo Brilisl
ruIors ovon prolibilod llo Buddlisls from onjoying
somo of llo priviIogos llal voro granlod lo llo foIIov-
ors of llo Clrislian faill. Tlus, for inslanco, ovon as
Ialo as 18O5 no cliId couId bo IogaIIy rogislorod vill-
oul provious baplism by a Clrislian minislor, and
llo cIorgy did nol soIomnizo llo marriago of unbap-
lizod individuaIs. Iurllor, onIy lloso vlo adoplod
llo Clrislian faill voro favourod vill govornmonl
86
ompIoymonl. Tlis alliludo of llo Brilisl mado vasl
numbors of Buddlisls adopl llo nov faill villoul
any undorslanding of ils loaclings. Tloso poopIo
sav in Clrislianily nol onIy lappinoss in llo vorId
vlicl is lo como, bul, vlal vas moro imporlanl lo
llom, llo promiso of llis Iifo as voII!
Somo of llo Brilisl govornors in lloir allompl lo
disrupl llo Buddlisl organizalion ovon lriod lo bring
aboul disunily bolvoon llo monks and llo Iaily and
aIso lo vin ovor somo of llo Ioading Buddlisl monks
lo lloir sido. Ior lloy roaIizod llal llo monks voro
llo main obslacIo lo lloir convorsions and llal as
Iong as llo monks and llo Iaily romainod unilod lloir
allompls vouId nol mool vill groal succoss.
IaslIy, llo Brilisl ruIors gavo aII possibIo supporl
lo llo Clrislian missionarios lo carry oul lloir oduca-
lionaI and missionary aclivilios. Hov lloso mission-
ary bodios allomplod llo Clrislianizalion of Ianka
viII bo discussod in llo noxl claplor.
42 The Christian Missionary Activities
Irom llo boginning of llo poriod of Brilisl ruIo sov-
oraI Clrislian missionary bodios ongagod llomsoIvos
aclivoIy in missionary aclivilios in Sri Ianka. Tlo Bap-
lisls lad aIroady slarlod lloir aclivilios in 1792. Tloy
voro foIIovod by llo WosIoyan Mollodisls in 1814,
87
llo Amoricans in 1816, and llo Clurcl of LngIand in
1818. Tloso missionary bodios rocoivod ovory oncour-
agomonl and assislanco from llo govornmonl.
Tlo oslabIislmonl of missionary sclooIs in vari-
ous parls of llo isIand vas ono of llo principaI undor-
lakings of lloso missionary bodios. Tloso sclooIs
voro mannod and managod by llo missionary socio-
lios vill llo assislanco of llo Brilisl govornmonl and
voro parlIy financod by pubIic funds. Tlo sclooIs
allraclod Iargo numbors of Buddlisl cliIdron bocauso
lloy voro llo conlors vloro young mon voro lrainod
for ligl govornmonl officos. Hillorlo llo lompIo
lad boon llo viIIago sclooI and llo monks voro llo
inslruclors of llo viIIago cliIdron in socuIar Ioarning
as voII as in spiriluaI visdom. Bul undor llo Brilisl
govornmonl lompIo oducalion couId nol provido llo
Ioarning nocossary for govornmonl ompIoymonl. Tlus
llo Buddlisl paronls vlo vislod lo soo lloir cliIdron
in ligl govornmonl officos viIIingIy sonl llom lo llo
nov missionary sclooIs.
In lloso sclooIs llo cliIdron voro mouIdod
according lo llo roquiromonls of llo missionary bod-
ios. Tlo aullorilios did nol insisl llal ono slouId
bocomo a Clrislian boforo admission, bul oacl slu-
donl vas roquirod lo Ioarn llo Clrislian roIigion and
lo parlicipalo in llo morning and ovoning roIigious
sorvicos in llo sclooI. Tloy lad no opporlunily of
88
parlicipaling in lloir ovn roIigious obsorvancos.
AImosl ovory sclooI lad ils ovn clurcl. Tlo Iossons
imparlod lo lloso cliIdron voro arrangod vill a viov
lo undormining lloir Buddlisl roIigion. Tlo loacl-
ing of llo Buddla vas crilicizod and condomnod and
llo Buddlisl praclicos voro ridicuIod. Buddlism vas
loId up as a roIigion of llo vuIgar massos as opposod
lo llo Clrislianily of civiIizod poopIo.
Tlis disparagomonl in courso of limo naluraIIy lad
ils oxpoclod rosuIl. IoopIo graduaIIy bogan lo givo up
lloir nalionaI faill for llo nov faill vlicl lloy voro
lrainod lo llink of as moro rofinod and cuIlurod. Il
nov bocamo llo faslion lo adopl llo Clrislian faill
and Clrislian namos and cusloms. Lvon lloso vlo
did nol ombraco Clrislianily bocamo indifforonl lo
lloir ovn roIigion. Wlon lloy grov up lloy did nol
ovon mind lloir convorsion lo any roIigion.
Tlo missionarios aIso did nol nogIocl llo odu-
calion of llo girIs. Convonls voro oponod up vill
boarding faciIilios and in llom llo girIs voro brougll
up and oducalod vill llo ulmosl caro unliI lloy voro
marriod in duo limo, vill llo sanclion of llo Clris-
lian guardians.
Tlo foIIoving labIo onumoraling llo assislod
sclooIs in Sri Ianka in 1886 boIonging lo llo difforonl
donominalions slovs llo oxlonl of missionary aclivi-
lios in Ianka in llo sploro of oducalion:
89
NUMBER OF ASSISTED SCHOOLS IN 1886
EngIish Bi-IinguaI VernacuIar TotaI
Wesley Miss. 18 18 170 206
Rom. Cath. 25 5 175 205
C.M.S. 28 18 178 224
Amer. Miss 8 9 116 133
Baptist 1 5 32 38
Private 7 5 13 25
Hindu 0 0 5 5
Buddhist 0 1 11 12
Aparl from llo Clrislianizalion carriod oul llrougl
sclooIs lloso missionary bodios sougll convorsion
by dislribuling books and pamplIols vlicl crilicizod
and ridicuIod llo Buddlisl roIigion and sang llo
praisos of Clrislianily. Ior llis purposo llo mission-
arios llomsoIvos sludiod llo doclrinos of Buddlism
and llo Buddlisl Iiloraluro and aIso llo SinlaIoso Ian-
guago, llus onabIing llom lo vrilo lracls in SinlaIoso
allacking llo Buddlisl roIigion and oxloIIing llo vir-
luos of Clrislianily. Clrislian proaclors vonl aboul
from viIIago lo viIIago dislribuling lloso books and
pamplIols and donouncing Buddlism and oxlibiling
llo supromacy and llo divino origin of Clrislianily.
9O
43 Mohottiwatte Gunnanda Thera and
the Buddhist Re-awakening
Wlon llo Clrislian missionarios voro llus aclivo
in lovns and viIIagos propagaling lloir gospoI and
convorling llo Buddlisls lo lloir faill, llo Buddlisl
monks voro nol abIo onougl lo offor mucl rosislanco.
Wlon llo viIIagors assombIod in llo lompIo on Ioya
(upcsci|c) days, lloy allomplod lo rofulo llo argu-
monls of llo Clrislian proaclors in llo courso of lloir
sormons, bul llis mollod vas nol vory offoclivo.
Il vas al llis limo, aboul 186O, llal a young Buddlisl
smanora namod Molollivallo Gunnanda appoarod
on llo scono and claIIongod llo Clrislian missionar-
ios lo mool lim in opon-dobalo. Tlis young novico lad
oblainod lis oarIy oducalion in Clrislian sclooIs and
lad llus sludiod llo Clrislian scripluros and vas aIso
voII vorsod in llo Buddlas loaclings. Ho vonl from
viIIago lo viIIago making pubIic spooclos and loId
moolings in sovoraI Clrislian slrongloIds, oflon claI-
Ionging llo Clrislian cIorgy lo faco lim in opon dobalo.
Soon lo oarnod a groal ropulalion for lis oIoquonco
and poopIo fIockod in llousands lo loar lim.
Tlo Clrislian cIorgy al firsl look no nolico of llo
claIIongo of llis monk, bul Ialor, quilo confidonl
of lloir succoss lloy accoplod llo claIIongo. Tlis
rosuIlod in llroo pubIic conlrovorsios, ono al Udanvila
in 1866, anollor al GampoIa in 1871 and llo Iasl al
91
Ianadura in 1873.
Tlo Ianadura conlrovorsy, vlicl Iaslod for a vook,
vas llo mosl imporlanl of llom aII. Il vas llo cuImi-
nalion of lis offorls and il Iod lo a Buddlisl roavakon-
ing. Tlo conlrovorsy vas lo lako pIaco in llo prosonco
of Ioading SinlaIoso Clrislians and Buddlisls. RuIos
voro Iaid dovn so llal llo mooling couId bo loId in
a fair mannor. Tlo Ioading LngIisl novspapor of llo
limo, 1|c Cc|cn 1imcs, sonl a spociaI roprosonlalivo lo
roporl llo procoodings. A compIolo roporl of aII llo
spooclos corroclod by llo spoakors llomsoIvos vas
pubIislod in LngIisl day by day.
Tlo conlrovorsy ondod vill viclory for llo
Buddlisls. Tlo Buddlisl oralor nol onIy ropIiod offoc-
livoIy lo llo faIIacios of llo Clrislian spoakors, bul
aIso onIigllonod llom on llo principIos and lonols of
llo Buddlisl doclrino. Wlon llo Clrislians rolirod
from llo dobalo dofoalod, llo Buddlisls voro ovor-
joyod. Ioslivilios voro loId in ovory lompIo lo mark
lloir lriumpl and llo offigy of Gunnanda Tlora
vas carriod in procossion in ovory viIIago.
Tlo lriumpl of llo Buddlisls ovor lloir Clrislian
advorsarios al llo Ianadura conlrovorsy fIuslod inlo
lloir voins vigour and onllusiasm lo vork for llo
rocovory of lloir Iosl gIory.
92
44 CoIoneI OIcott and Buddhist Activities
An Amorican scloIar namod Dr. IoobIos, vlo lap-
ponod lo bo in Sri Ianka on a visil aboul llo limo of
llis Ianadura conlrovorsy, vas so improssod vill il
llal lo pubIislod ils procoodings in book form on lis
rolurn lo Amorica. Tlo allonlion of CoIonoI Honry
SlooIo OIcoll vas firsl dravn lovards Buddlism by
llis roporl of llo conlrovorsy vlicl lo lapponod
lo road in a pubIic Iibrary in Amorica. OIcoll vas
an Amorican by birll vlo lad sponl lis oarIy Iifo
as a vory succossfuI farmor and a coIonoI of boll llo
army and llo navy. Al an oarIy ago of 43 yoars in 1875
lo gavo up aII vorIdIy forlunos and logollor vill
Madamo BIavalsky formod llo TloosoplicaI Socioly
for llo quosl of lrull in aII roIigions. Having road llo
roporls of llo Ianadura conlrovorsy, lo roaIizod llo
imporlanco of llo loaclings of llo Buddla and in 188O
lo camo ovor lo Ianka aIong vill Madamo BIavalsky
lo gain a firsl-land knovIodgo of Buddlism. Wlon
lis sludios soon convincod lim of llo loaclings of
llo Buddla, lo ombracod Buddlism and vorkod for
llo upIiflmonl of llo Buddlisls in Ianka.
OIcoll slovod llo Buddlisl Ioadors of Sri Ianka
llal if Buddlism vas lo raiso ils load againsl llo
Clrislian missionary aclivilios, lloy slouId opon up
Buddlisl sclooIs lo oducalo lloir cliIdron. Undor lis
guidanco and Ioadorslip, and vill llo supporl of aII
93
llo Ioading Buddlisl monks, llo Iay Buddlisl Ioadors
in Sri Ianka al llal limo foundod llo Buddlisl Tloo-
soplicaI Socioly on 17ll }uno 188O. Tlo primary objocls
of llo socioly voro llo oslabIislmonl of Buddlisl
sclooIs, and llo bringing logollor of Buddlisl vork-
ors in a co-oporalivo body villoul dislinclion of caslo
or posilion for llo purposo of promoling llo voIfaro
of llo Buddlisls of Ianka.
Al llo limo of OIcolls arrivaI lloro voro onIy llroo
Buddlisl sclooIs in Sri Ianka vlicl oblainod govorn-
monl granls, ono al Dodanduva, anollor al Ianadura,
and llo llird al Bandaragama. In 1897, lvoIvo yoars
aflor llo oslabIislmonl of llo socioly, lloro voro 25
boys sclooIs, 11 girIs sclooIs, and 1O mixod sclooIs
foundod by llo socioly. In 19O3 lloro voro 174 sclooIs
undor llo managomonl of llo socioly vill an allond-
anco of aboul 3O,OOO cliIdron. In 194O llo numbor of
sclooIs lad rison lo 429.
OIcoll and lis supporlors vonl from viIIago lo viI-
Iago appoaIing lo llo poopIo lo donalo subscriplions
for llo mainlonanco of lloso sclooIs, and funds voro
roadiIy forllcoming. SovoraI Ioading oducalionisls of
lis day mado lis oducalionaI pIans a groal succoss.
Monlion slouId bo mado among llom of C. W. Ioad-
boalor, BovIos DaIy, I. I. Woodvard, A. L. BuIljons
and Mrs. M. M. Higgins. Mrs. Higgins vas parlicu-
IarIy rosponsibIo for llo succossfuI oducalion of llo
94
Buddlisl girIs. Tlo Ioading Buddlisl sclooIs of llo
prosonl day sucl as Ananda and NaIanda CoIIogos
in CoIombo, Dlarmaraja in Kandy, Malinda in GaIIo,
Dlarmasoka in AmbaIangoda, Visakla in BambaIa-
piliya, and Musous in CoIombo aro oulslanding oxam-
pIos of llo succoss of lis offorls.
OIcoll poinlod oul lo llo SinlaIoso Buddlisl Ioad-
ors of lis limo llal lloy slouId lavo lloir ovn pub-
Iicalions lo givo pubIicily lo Buddlisl and nalionaI
opinion. Ior llis purposo llo Buddlisl Tloosopli-
caI Socioly slarlod llo SinlaIoso novspapor, Scrcsc-
.iscn!crcsc, in Docombor 188O, and Ialor ils LngIisl
suppIomonl, 1|c 8u!!|isi, nov a monllIy of llo YMBA,
CoIombo. CoIonoI OIcoll vorkod lard lo vin back for
llo SinlaIoso lloir Iosl riglls. Il vas as a rosuIl of lis
offorls llal llo Buddlisls of Ianka gainod froodom
lo loId lloir Buddlisl procossions and llal llo fuII-
moon day of Vosak vas docIarod a pubIic loIiday. Tlo
prosonl Buddlisl fIag is aIso a croalion of OIcoll vlicl
lo appoaIod lo llo Buddlisls lo loisl on aII imporlanl
Buddlisl occasions. His offorls aIso rosuIlod in llo
appoinlmonl of Buddlisl rogislrars of marriagos.
Of llo Ianadura conlrovorsy and llo consoquonl
arrivaI of CoIonoI OIcoll, il couId juslIy bo said llal
lloso lvo ovonls joinlIy cIosod dovn a dark poriod in
Iankan Buddlism and uslorod in a nov brigll ora.
Tlis nobIo porsonaIily vlo avakonod llo Sin-
95
laIoso Buddlisls and slovod llom llo pall on vlicl
lloy slouId procood passod avay in 19O7 vliIo lo
vas in India.
45 Other Activities of the Buddhist
Renaissance Movement
Aparl from mooling llo Clrislian oppononls in opon
dobalo, Molollivallo Gunnanda Tlora and lis com-
panions lad pIannod ollor dovicos lo counloracl llo
anli-Buddlisl propaganda of llo Clrislian mission-
arios and rovivo llo Buddlisl faill in llo counlry.
Ono of lloso dovicos vas llo oslabIislmonl of a prinl-
ing pross vloroby lloy couId ropIy lo llo crilicisms of
llo Clrislians and aIso pubIisl books for llo sludy of
Buddlism.
Tlus llo firsl pross, conlroIIod by SinlaIoso
Buddlisls, vas oslabIislod in 1862 undor llo namo
of Iankopakra Iross. Il vas a donalion by llo king
of Siam. In llo samo yoar Molollivallo Gunnanda
Tlora oslabIislod llo Sarvaja-ssanblivurddli-
dyaka Iross al Kolalona, noar CoIombo. Conso-
quonlIy llo Iakrivikirana Iross vas oslabIislod in
1863 and llo Iankablinavavisrula Iross in 1864.
In llo moanlimo Ioarnod monks of llo poriod,
vill llo assislanco of Iay foIIovors, brougll aboul a
rovivaI of Buddlisl Ioarning. Iionoors among llom
96
voro llo vonorabIo Hikkaduvo Sri SumangaIa, vlo
foundod llo Vidyodaya Iirivona of MaIigakanda in
CoIombo in 1874 and llo vonorabIo RalmaIno Sri
DlammIoka, vlo foundod llo VidyIankara Iirivo-
na of IoIiyagoda in CoIombo in 1875. In lloso lvo
groal conlors of Ioarning a vasl numbor of monks and
Iay poopIo rocoivod oducalion and in a slorl limo llo
famo of lloso lvo pirivonas sproad ovon in foroign
counlrios.
Tlo scloIars vlom lloso lvo conlors producod
oponod up ollor pirivonas in difforonl parls of llo
counlry and aIso conlribulod lo Buddlislic sludios by
compiIing and odiling numorous books. Il vas aIso
aboul llis limo llal dovolod scloIars from foroign
counlrios vlo lapponod lo bo in Sri Ianka ovincod
a groal inlorosl in Buddlism, ils cuIluro and Iilora-
luro, and croalod an inlorosl in lloir kinsmon in llo
Wosl llrougl lloir vaIuabIo lroalisos. Turnor, Tonnanl,
CliIdors, Rlys Davids and Goigor voro bul a fov
among llom.
46 Anagrika DharmapIa and
the Buddhist CuIturaI RevivaI
A difforonl lypo of rovivaIislic aclivily vas carriod oul
by a group of Iay Buddlisl Ioadors jusl al llis limo, llo
foromosl of llis group boing Anagrika DlarmapIa.
97
Tlo famo of llis groal porsonaIily Iios in lis succossfuI
offorl of roforming llo Buddlisl socioly in Sri Ianka,
vlicl lad faIIon inlo a vory Iov moraI slalo, and aIso
in lis aclivilios in India for llo purposo of roviving
Buddlism in llal counlry and for vinning back llo
Buddlisl sacrod pIacos lloro for lloir rigllfuI ovnors,
llo Buddlisls. Wo aro prosonlIy concornod onIy vill
lis sociaI roformalion in Sri Ianka.
Anagrika DlarmapIa, formorIy knovn as David
Hovavilarana, vas born in 1864 as llo oIdosl son of a
Ioading businossman in CoIombo vlo lad migralod
lo llo capilaI cily from Malara in soull Ianka. Tlo
fallor, mollor and llo grandfallor of llo cliId voro
dovolod Buddlisls vlo voro cIoso associalos of llo
vonorabIo Hikkaduvo Sri SumangaIa Tlora. Al lomo
llo cliId vas llus brougll up in a Buddlisl onviron-
monl llougl lo rocoivod lis oducalion in Clrislian
sclooIs. Tloso voro llo days vlon Molollivallo
Gunnanda Tlora vas ongagod in vorbaI ballIos
againsl llo Clrislian missionary aclivilios, and young
DlarmapIa lad nol onIy Iislonod lo llo oralions of
llo groal spoakor vill mucl inspiralion, bul aIso lad
bocomo a favourilo of llo monks by lis conslanl visils
lo llo lompIo al Kolalona. Wlon CoIonoI OIcoll and
Madamo BIavalsky arrivod in Ianka in 188O, Dlarma-
pIa, llon a youll of 16 yoars, naluraIIy bocamo a
groal favourilo of llo lvo foroignors llrougl lis asso-
98
cialion vill Gunnanda Tlora.
Tlo spooclos and aclivilios of CoIonoI OIcoll
groalIy inspirod llo young onllusiasl. In 1883, con-
soquonl upon a brulaI assauIl on a Buddlisl procos-
sion by a CalloIic mob al Kolalona, DlarmapIa Iofl
lis CalloIic sclooI and in llo foIIoving yoar bocamo
a mombor of llo Buddlisl TloosoplicaI Socioly in
CoIombo, of vlicl lis grandfallor vas llo prosidonl.
Al llo ago of 2O DlarmapIa oblainod pormission
from lis fallor lo Ioavo lomo and Ioad a coIibalo Iifo
as lo vislod lo dovolo aII lis limo lo llo voIfaro of
llo Ssana. Irom llal limo lo slayod al llo loadquar-
lors of llo Buddlisl TloosoplicaI Socioly.
In 1886 vlon CoIonoI OIcoll rolurnod lo Sri Ianka
aflor a slorl slay abroad and pIannod lo go round llo
counlry addrossing pubIic gallorings and coIIocling
monoy for llo Buddlisl LducalionaI Iund, Anagri-
ka DlarmapIa joinod lim as lis inlorprolor. Ior
llis purposo lo oblainod Ioavo from llo Lducalion
Doparlmonl vloro lo vas vorking as a junior cIork
and subsoquonlIy vacalod lis posl in ordor lo dodi-
calo aII lis Iifo lo llo good of llo roIigion.
As llo inlorprolor of CoIonoI OIcoll, DlarmapIa
gainod immonso oxporionco as a spoakor. Ho nov
lravoIod llrougloul llo counlry vill or villoul lis
companion, OIcoll.
Tloso voro llo days vlon llo Buddlisls of Ianka
99
voro roIuclanl lo docIaro llomsoIvos Buddlisls, for
Buddlism vas considorod lo bo llo faill of llo
unurbanisod massos. Il vas llo faslion al llal limo lo
bocomo a Clrislian, lo sludy LngIisl and ollor aIIiod
subjocls, lo adopl a foroign namo and lo imilalo llo
dross of llo foroignors and lloir cusloms and man-
nors. Buddlism and Buddlisl cuIluro voro subjoclod
lo ridicuIo and voro llo lorilago of viIIagors in llo
inlorior.
Anagrika DlarmapIa vas llo foromosl among
lloso vlo roso againsl llis monlaIily of llo Buddlisls.
Tlrougl lis pubIic spooclos and numorous arlicIos
in novspapors and journaIs lo volomonlIy opposod
llo labil of imilaling foroignors in roIigion, namos
and cusloms. Ho omplalicaIIy poinlod oul llal llis
londoncy lo imilalo vas a cIoar manifoslalion of a
Iack of llo primary oIomonl of soIf-osloom. In koop-
ing vill lis proacling lo limsoIf clangod lis namo
from David lo DlarmapIa. Tlo poopIo Iislonod lo lis
sormons and allonlivoIy road lis arlicIos in journaIs
and novspapors and voro convincod of llo lrull of
lis pliIosoply. GraduaIIy lloro camo aboul a cuIluraI
rovivaI. Tlo poopIo bogan lo lako prido in lloir roIi-
gion, lloir Ianguago and lloir cusloms.
Abovo aII, sovoraI youngor mon of lis limo joinod
llo Buddlisl forvard movomonl lo guido llo dosli-
nios of fuluro gonoralions of Buddlisls in Sri Ianka.
1OO
Tlis groal porsonaIily, vlo indofaligabIy gavo lis
sorvicos for llo rovivaI of Buddlism in Ianka, India
and ollor parls of llo vorId, in lis Iasl days onlorod
llo Ordor as llo vonorabIo Dovamilla DlammapIa
Tlora. Ho passod avay in llo yoar 1933, vliIo lo vas
in India. To porpolualo lis momory Sri Ianka and
India coIobralod lis birll conlonary in 1964-65.
47 Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the First HaIf
of the Twentieth Century
Tlo Ioading mon in llo Buddlisl communily al llo
boginning of llo lvonlioll conlury voro inspirod
by llo aclivilios of Anagrika DlarmapIa and lloy
formod inlo organizod bodios for llo promolion of
llo Buddlisl rovivaIislic movomonl. Among llom
voro groal porsonaIilios sucl as Sir D. B. }ayaliIIako,
I. R. Somnayako, VaIisinla Harislclandra and W. A.
do SiIva. To llom llo Buddlisl rovivaI vas llo nalion-
aI rovivaI. Tloso prominonl mon, vloso namos lavo
gono inlo lislory, bocamo aclivo mombors of Ioading
Buddlisl associalions Iiko llo Buddlisl Tloosopli-
caI Socioly (foundod 188O), llo CoIombo Young Mons
Buddlisl Associalion (1898), llo Mala Bodli Socioly
(1891), and llo CoyIon Buddlisl Congross (1918), and
vorkod vill romarkabIo succoss lo acliovo llo aims
and objocls of lloso organizalions. Tlrougl sucl
1O1
organizalions lloso Buddlisl Ioadors voro abIo lo
unilo and bring logollor aII Buddlisls in Sri Ianka,
lo inspiro llom lo bo aclivo, lo coIIocl funds for odu-
calionaI and ollor roIigious purposos, lo givo llo
Buddlisl cliIdron a sound roIigious and socuIar odu-
calion, lo do a groal doaI of sociaI vork and lo raiso
llo spiriluaI and moraI slandard of llo poopIo.
A groal doaI of Iilorary vork vas producod dur-
ing llis poriod. Tlo Vidyodaya and llo VidyIankra
Iirivonas and lloir affiIialod inslilulions, vlicl num-
borod aboul 2OO, lad producod many scloIars vlo
odilod sovoraI canonicaI and commonlariaI vorks in
llo oarIy lvonlioll conlury. Simon Hovavilarana, llo
youngosl brollor of Anagrika DlarmapIa, lad Iofl
a Iargo Iogacy vlicl vas lo bo usod for llo prinling
and pubIisling of IaIi books, and llis groalIy faciIi-
lalod llo produclion of books al llis limo. Irom aboul
193O many modorn scloIars, boll monks and Iaymon,
lavo odilod and pubIislod many moro loxls of IaIi
Buddlism and lavo aIso compiIod sovoraI socondary
vorks on llo difforonl aspocls of Buddlism. To namo
lloso scloIars and lloir pubIicalions is nol nocossary
sinco lloy and lloir vorks aro vory voII knovn.
A groal onllusiasm vas aIso croalod for llo
robuiIding of ancionl Buddlisl slrinos in llo oId
capilaIs of Sri Ianka. Tlo RuvanvoIi Dgaba vas llo
firsl lo rocoivo allonlion. Tlo ollor slrinos loo voro
1O2
ronovalod ono by ono and loday llo oId cily of Anur-
dlapura las onco moro bocomo a sacrod cily vill llo
CalloIic Clurcl and llo commorciaI silos vlicl voro
in llo cily boing movod lo ollor pIacos.
Sri Ianka las nol onIy roorganizod lor Buddlisl
aclivilios villin llo counlry bul las aIso lakon a
Ioading parl in sonding D|cmmc!ics, mossongors of
llo Dlamma, abroad. In 195O llo WorId IoIIovslip
of Buddlisls vas sol up in ordor lo bring aII Buddlisl
counlrios logollor, and sovoraI conforoncos voro loId
in llo subsoquonl yoars.
Il is a vory significanl facl llal llis rovivaI of
Buddlism in llo lvonlioll conlury vas accoIoralod
lovards llo middIo of llal conlury as a rosuIl of llo
SinlaIoso Buddlisl Ioadors of llo limo gaining con-
lroI of llo roins of govornmonl. UIlimaloIy in 1948
Sri Ianka rogainod ils indopondonco aflor a poriod of
Brilisl ruIo of 133 yoars. Tlo Buddlisl Ioadors vlo
vorkod indofaligabIy for llo causo of Buddlism voro
aIso llo SinlaIoso nalionaI Ioadors vlo Iod llo slrug-
gIo for Iiboralion from foroign ruIo. Il vas lloroforo lo
bo oxpoclod llal vlon lloso Ioadors gainod nalionaI
froodom and look ovor llo roins of govornmonl from
llo Brilisl ruIors, lloy voro mindfuI of lloir nalionaI
faill and ils cuIluro and lloroforo look llo nocossary
slops lo sol llings rigll so llal Buddlism vouId onco
moro rocoivo ils rigllfuI pIaco.
1O3
48 The Buddha Jayanti and After
In llo yoar 1956, on llo 23rd of May, vlicl vas llo
Vosak fuII-moon day of llal yoar, llo Buddlisls in
Sri Ianka and ollor parls of llo vorId coIobralod llo
Buddla }ayanli. Tlal vas llo 25OOll annivorsary of
llo Buddlas Iarinibbna, a day spociaIIy significanl
lo llo Buddlisls llo vorId ovor on accounl of llo
lradilion llal il conslilulos laIf llo Iifo-span of llo
Ssana and llal from llal yoar llo Dlamma vouId
fIourisl and sproad far and vido.
Tlo lislory of Buddlism in Sri Ianka from llo
cIosing yoars of llo Iasl conlury las cIoar indicalions
llal llo proplocy, as far as Ianka is concornod, is
coming lruo. In ollor parls of llo vorId loo il is soon
llal moro and moro poopIo vlo voro nol Buddlisls
by birll aro bocoming inloroslod in Buddlism.
Tlo govornmonl of Sri Ianka, on ils parl, undor-
look numorous aclivilios in commomoralion of llo
Buddla }ayanli. A commilloo of Ioading Buddlisl
monks and Iaymon vas appoinlod lo adviso llo gov-
ornmonl on aII mallors roIaling lo llo Buddla }ayanli
coIobralions. Arrangomonls voro mado lo lransIalo
llo Tripilaka inlo SinlaIoso and compiIo an LncycIo-
paodia of Buddlism in LngIisl and ono in SinlaIoso
as voII. Il vas aIso docidod lo compiIo ollor books
doaIing vill llo biograply of llo Buddla, lis loacl-
ings and llo lislory of Buddlism. Tlo compIolion of
1O4
llo ronovalion of llo DaIad MIigava (llo TompIo of
llo Tooll) in Kandy, boforo llo Buddla }ayanli and lo
aid llo roconslruclion of llo Maliyangana Tlupa voro
among ils ollor undorlakings. A subslanliaI granl vas
aIso givon lo llo organisalion vlicl vas landIing
llo conslruclion vork of a Sanglrma for llo Bud-
dlisl monks al llo Univorsily of CoyIon, Ioradoniya.
Arrangomonls voro mado lo loId a WorId Buddlisl
Conforonco in CoIombo in llo foIIoving yoar.
Irom llo Buddla }ayanli yoar il vas nolicoabIo
llal llo Buddlisls in Ianka appIiod llomsoIvos moro
koonIy lo llo praclico of moraIily laugll in Buddlism
vliIo sloving inlorosl in llo coIobralion of Buddlisl
foslivaIs. Moro and moro poopIo obsorvo llo oigll pro-
copls on llo Ioya days and young cliIdron aro givon
a sound roIigious oducalion. Tlo govornmonl on ils
parl las givon llo nocossary oncouragomonl for llis
roIigious ro-oslabIislmonl. In }anuary 1959 llo Vid-
yodaya and llo VidyIankra Iirivonas voro mado
lvo univorsilios. Tlo privalo Buddlisl and Clrislian
sclooIs voro lakon ovor in Docombor 196O and aro
nov managod by llo govornmonl. Tlo four Ioya days
of llo monll (i.o. fuII and nov moon, and llo lvo
quarlor moon days) voro mado llo vookond loIidays
in 1966, insload of Sundays as in provious limos. Il las
aIso boon pIannod lo slarl a nov Blikklu Univorsily
in Anurdlapura.
1O5
Sri Ianka las loday aboul 6.5 miIIion Buddlisls,
vlicl is aboul sixly-fivo porconl of lor lolaI popuIalion.
Tloro aro noarIy 6,OOO Buddlisl monaslorios aII ovor
llo isIand vill approximaloIy 15,OOO monks. AImosl
aII llo monaslorios in llo isIand lavo lloir Dlamma
sclooIs vloro Buddlisl cliIdron aro givon roIigious
inslruclion on llo Ioya days (proviousIy on Sundays).
Tlo CoIombo Young Mons Buddlisl Associalion con-
ducls an isIand-vido oxaminalion annuaIIy for llo
pupiIs of lloso Dlamma sclooIs. Tlo cliIdron aro
providod vill froo books, by llo Minislry of CuIluraI
Affairs and prizos aro givon lo lloso vlo pass lloso
oxaminalions, incIuding ono on llo Dlammapada,
and llis associalion sponds annuaIIy a Iargo sum of
monoy on llo roIigious oducalion of cliIdron. In 1956-
57, 163,18O cliIdron sal for llo Dlamma oxaminalion.
Tlo forogoing accounl viII loII llo roador of llo
vicissiludos llal llis groal roIigion, Buddlism, lad lo
faco during ils lislory of ovor 2,OOO yoars in llis isIo
of Sri Ianka. Il lad ils lidaI obb and fIov. During llo
four conlurios of foroign dominalion Buddlism vill-
slood aII llo assauIls llal aImosl cruslod il.
Sinco Sri Ianka gainod ils indopondonco in 1948,
lloro las boon a rovivaI of llo Buddlisl roIigion and
cuIluro in llo counlry, and llis roavakoning vas
parlicuIarIy nolicoabIo vlon llo Buddla }ayanli vas
coIobralod in 1956.
1O6
Tlo progross acliovod sinco llo oigllios of llo
Iasl conlury may voII bo caIIod romarkabIo. Yol, lo
llo Buddlisls of Ianka, llis slouId nol bo a causo of
compIaconcy, for vlicl lloro is no room in a vorId of
clango. Il romains llo duly of llo prosonl gonoralion
and llo coming onos lo prosorvo and slrongllon lloso
acliovomonls againsl llo corrosivo forcos of a malori-
aIisl ago, and lo vork dovolodIy so llal llo Buddlas
mossago of Wisdom and Compassion may lako sliII
firmor and doopor rools in Ianka and aIso sproad ils
bonoficiaI infIuonco ovor llo vorId.
1O7
Notes
1 According lo llo lradilion curronl in Sri Ianka,
llo dalo of llo Buddlas Iarinibbna is 543 B.C.,
bul mosl modorn lislorians lond lo pIaco il al
486 B.C., vlicl las loro boon adoplod.
2 A mombor of llo ruIing caslo in llo Indian caslo
syslom.
3 Soo llo arlicIo on Anurdlapura by D. T. Dovon-
dra, in llo |ncc|cpcc!ic cj 8u!!|ism, pp. 754-765.
4 Tlo Groal ClronicIo of Sri Ianka, soo Cl. 24.
5 Tlo Iossor Discourso on llo LIoplanls Iool-
prinl SimiIo (Bodli Ioavos B 5).
6 TransIalod in Wii| Rc|cs cn! 8cu| by Blikklu
KlanlipIo (WlooI No. 83/84).
7 Soo llo arlicIos on Ablayagiri in |ncc|cpcc!ic
cj 8u!!|ism, VoI. 1, pp. 21-28.