The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c35.s12: Chapter XXV. The Early History of Ceylon

The Cambridge History of India, Vol. I: Ancient India v1.c35.s12

Language: English

Chapter XXV. The Early History of Ceylon

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For the Mahāvaṃsa and the Dīpavaṃsa see Bibl. to Ch. VII, 1. There are other translations of the Mahāvaṃsa by G. Turnour (Colombo, 1837), and C. Wijesinha (Colombo, 1889).

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Dāṭhāvaṃsa [a history of the Tooth Relic written by Dhammakitti c. 1200 A.D.]. Kelaniya, 1883.

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Mahābodhivaṃsa [a history of the Bo Tree by Upatissa]. Ed. S. A. Strong. P.T.S. London, 1891.

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Attanagalu-vihāra-vaṃsaya [a Pāli and Sinhalese history of the Attanagalu Monastery]. Ed. and trans. J. Alwis. Colombo, 1878 and 1887.

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Daḷadā-pūjāvaliya [a history of the Tooth Relic written in 1295 A.D.]. Colombo, 1893.

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Mahābodhivaṃsa [trans. from Pāli]. Colombo, 1891 etc.

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The Mahāvansi, the Rājaratnācari [by Abhaya-rāja of Valgam-pāya], and the Rājāvali. Ed. E. Upham. London, 1883.

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Nikāya-saṅgraha [a history of Buddhist sects by Dhammakitti]. Ed. Don M. de Z. Wickremasinghe. Colombo, 1890.

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Pūjāvaliya [a collection of legends and stories of worship by Mayūra-pāda Thera]. Ed. V. Dhammānanda. Colombo, 1903–8.

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Rāja-ratnākaraya [a history of Ceylon by Abhaya-rāja Thera of Valgam-pāya, c. 1542 A.D.]. Ed. S. de Silva. Colombo, 1907.

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Rājāvaliya [a history of Ceylon]. Ed. B. Gunasekhara. Colombo, 1899–1900.

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Thūpavaṃsa [a history of the sanctuary of Ruvanväli by Parākrama Paṇḍita]. Colombo, 1889 etc.

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Much of the historical material is still unpublished. The following Sinhalese works may be mentioned:

Daḷadā-pūjāvaliya, a history of the cult of the Tooth Relic, written c. 1300 A.D.; Daḷadā-sirita, on the same subject, by a priest of the Pärakumbā Pirivena, written c. 1325; Daḷadā-sirita, on the same, by Kitsiri Mevan Rājasundara, in 1485–6; Lakrajalō-sirita, a work on the rules of succession, constitutional powers etc., of the kings of Ceylon; Mahābodhivaṃsa (*v. sup.*) [of this work there are two Sinhalese translations, viz. by Vilgammula Thera (c. 1300) and Saraṇaṅkara (1725), besides a Sinhalese commentary called Dharma-pradīpikāva or Bodhivaṃçaparikathāva by Guruḷu-gomi. There is also a Chūla-bodhivaṃsa by Sumaṅgala (1798)]; Mahāsammata-rājāvaliya, a history of Ceylon; Narendra-charitāvalokanapradīpaya, a modern compilation on Sinhalese history, which however contains some old materials; Rājāvaliya [several histories bearing this name are existent, besides a Rājāvali-saṅgrahava or abridgment, and two works in the British Museum styled respectively Suḷu Rājāvaliya or Rājavaṃça and Rājāvaliya or Suḷu Rājavaṃçaya]; Rājavaṃça-saṅkshepaya, an abridged history; Rājavikramapravṛittiya, another history; Ruvanväli-kathāva; Saddharma-ratnākaraya, on Buddhist doctrine and legends, by Vimalakīrtti or Siddhārtha (c. 1410); Suḷu Thūpavaṃsaya, a history of the Ruvanväli sanctuary, also known as Ruvanvälisäya-kathāva; Vijaya-rājāvaliya, a history of Ceylon; Vijaya-rājavaṃçaya, another history; Vijitavelli-rājāvaliya, a modern local chronicle by Yaṭihalagala Polvattē Vidānē, but containing some ancient material.

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The Kaḍaim-pot, or local geographies, sometimes give data of some historical interest. Mention may be made also of Vāchissara's Pāli version of Parākrama Paṇḍita's Thūpavaṃsa, and of the Pāli commentary on the Mahāvaṃsa.

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There is a copious popular ballad-literature concerned more or less with the legends of Vijaya, Paṇḍuvas, and Mala Raja, the legendary hero who is said to have healed the 'perjury-sickness' of Paṇḍuvas with the aid of the Väḍḍas. Through him this saga is brought into connexion with the legend of Rāma. Among these poems may be mentioned the following: Uru-dānaya; Vijayindu-haṭanē; Laṅkā-bodhi-vastuva; Kuveni-asnē; Vijalindu-divi-dos-upata; Vijayindu-puvata; Palavāla-dānē; Simhala-vistarē; Simhavalli-kathāva; Oḍḍisa-upata; Maha-asnē; Väḍi-yak-yādinna; Malalu-kumaru-kavi; Yāga-alaṅkāraya; Kaḍavara-vidiya; and Irugal-baṇḍāra-kavi.

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3. Inscriptions. Epigraphia Zeylanica. Ed. Don M. de Z. Wickremasinghe. Oxford, 1904 etc. Müller, E. Ancient Inscriptions in Ceylon. London, 1883.

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4. Coins. Rhys Davids, T. W. Ancient Coins and Measures of Ceylon. London, 1877.

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MODERN WORKS.

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5. Ethnology. Seligmann, C. G. and B. Z. The Veddas. Cambridge, 1911. See also the bibliography given by A. Baines, Ethnography (Grund. d. indo-ar. Phil., 1912), pp. 210–1.

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6. Language and Literature. Geiger, W. Dīpavaṃsa und Mahāvaṃsa. Leipzig, 1905. —— Eng. trans. Ethel Coomaraswamy. Colombo, 1908. —— Litteratur und Sprache der Singhalesen. Grund. d. indo-ar. Phil., 1900.

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7. Archaeology. Archaeological Survey of Ceylon, Annual Reports. Burrows, S. M. Buried Cities of Ceylon. Colombo, 1894. Cave, H. W. The Ruined Cities of Ceylon. 2nd edn. London, 1900. Fergusson, J. History of Indian and Eastern Architecture. 2nd edn. London, 1910. Parker, H. Ancient Ceylon. London, 1909. Smith, V. A. A History of Fine Art in India. Oxford, 1911. Smither, J. G. Architectural Remains, Anurādhapura. London, 1894.

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8. History, Religion, Folk-lore. Geiger, W. Ceylon. Wiesbaden, 1898. Kern, H. Manual of Indian Buddhism. Grund. d. indo-ar. Phil., 1896. Parker, H. Village Folk-tales of Ceylon. London, 1910 etc. Rhys Davids, T. W. Buddhism. London, 1878. [Many later editions.] —— Buddhist India. London, 1903. Tennent, J. E. Ceylon. 5th edn. London, 1860. Turnour, G. An Epitome of the History of Ceylon. 1836.

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The Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, the Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the R.A.S., and the Indian Antiquary contain articles on the history of Ceylon.