The Ancient Geography of India. I. The Buddhist Period, including the Campaigns of Alexander, and the Travels of Hwen-Thsang c9.2

c9.2

In the seventh century of our era Ceylon was known by the name of *Seng-kia-lo*, or *Sinhala*, which was said to be derived from the lion-descended *Sinhala*, whose son Vijaya is fabled to have conquered the island on the very day of Buddha's death, in B.C. 543. Its original name was *Pao-chu*, or "Isle of Gems," in Sanskrit *Ratna-dwípa*. Its existence was first made known to the European world by the expedition of Alexander, under the name of *Taprobane*. The popular Pâli form is *Támba-paṇṇi*, or "red-handed," in allusion to the "red palms" of the hands of Vijaya's sick companions, who, on landing from their vessel, touched the red ground with their hands. The true form, however, would appear to be *Túmba-panni*,* or "red-leaved," from the Sanskrit *Támra-parni*. Lassen also gives *Tambra-pani*, or the "great pond," or "pond covered with the red lotus," as a probable derivation. In later times it was known to the western world as *Simundu*, or *Palai-Simundu*, which Lassen thinks may have been derived from Pâli-*Simanta*, or "head of the holy law." As Pliny applies the latter name to the city containing the royal palace, it has been supposed to be only another appellation for the capital *Anarajapura*, or *Anuragrammon*, of Ptolemy. No explanation is offered of *Andrasimundu*, which Ptolemy gives as the name of a promontory on the western coast of Ceylon, opposite Anarajapura. From its position it may be only another name for *Palasimundu*.