A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.110

v2.c19.s5.110

Not long after Buddhaghosa, Dhammapāla wrote his commentary Paramattha-Dīpanī, "Elucidation of the True Meaning," on those texts of the Khuddakanikāya which Buddhaghosa had not explained: the Itivuttaka, Udāna, Cariyāpiṭaka, Thera-Gāthā, Vimāna-Vatthu and Peta-Vatthu.⁴ Padaratittha on the southern coast of India nearest to Ceylon, is mentioned as his native town, but in any case he must have studied at Anurādhapura too; for, like Buddhaghosa, he refers to the Aṭṭha-Kathās of the "great monastery" of Anurādhapura. Moreover, both commentators have similar conceptions throughout, and follow the same method of explanation. For this reason it is impossible that any considerable period of time could have elapsed between these two.¹ In the commentary on the Therī-Gāthās we find a few legends about the Therīs, which are also to be found in the Manoratha-Pūraṇī; portions of the Therī-Apadāna are included in this commentary, and it contains some traditions which are undoubtedly of great antiquity. The legend of Bhaddā Kuṇḍalakesā, for instance, is reminiscent of conditions such as we imagine must have been prevalent at the time of the Buddha and his first disciples when the adherents of various sects travelled about from place to place, in order to challenge scholars and ascetics to philosophical contests: