A History of Pali Literature v2.c19.s3.28

v2.c19.s3.28

Owing to the want of a large number of priests well versed in Tripiṭaka, learned, wise and able, and who could after meeting and consulting together, investigate as to what was proper or not, disputations arose amongst the Buddhist Order of Pegu with regard to the performance of ecclesiastical ceremonies, such as the consecration of a sīmā and the upasampadā ordination. Each thera gave his own interpretation, and the king himself joined in the disputations. In course of these disputations citations were made from various Buddhist authorities, most important of which was the Aṭṭhakathā. The following tracts collected here were incidentally made use of by the theras and the king in their discussion as to the performance of ecclesiastical ceremonies of consecrating a sīmā and upasampadā ordination.