A History of Indian Literature v2.c19.s5.126

v2.c19.s5.126

As it has never been the Indian way to make a clearly defined distinction between myth, legend and history historiography in India was never more than a branch of epic poetry. Thus the Buddhists regarded as history not only all the legends about the Buddhas of previous ages and the former births of Gotama Buddha in the Buddhavamsa,¹ Cariyāpiṭaka and the Jātaka-book, but the whole of the Buddha legend as well. Taking a pattern from these legendary compositions and following on from them, the monks of Ceylon told the story of the introduction of Buddhism on the island, in the historical sections of the Aṭṭhakathās. They concocted legends² which were to connect the Buddhist community of Ceylon not only with that of India, but with Buddha himself, edifying legends telling how the Exalted One visited the island which was, at that time, inhabited only by demons and snake deities, how he flew over to it, accompanied by gods, in order to let the light of his doctrine shine forth, and to prepare for the subsequent greatness of the church of Ceylon. Pious legends of this nature led to mythical accounts of the first kings of Ceylon and also to semi-historical records of Asoka, Mahinda, the councils and the transmission of the sacred texts to the island. The nearer these records approach to the historical period, the more predominant do the real historical accounts become, though the legends are never altogether supplanted by history. Popular, secular narratives and anecdotes were also added to the ecclesiastical traditions.³ Thus the historical sections of Aṭṭhakathās became, as it were, treasuries of ecclesiastical and secular traditions of all kinds, as well as of actual historical records.