Indian Antiquary Vol 53

SR No.: 032545
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications
Publication Year: 1985
Total Pages: 392
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 17 MB

Page 30

24
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ FEBRUARY, 1924
Suppâra, the Good Shore, must be looked for there and not on the West Coast of India : say, "at Tamluk at the mouth of the Rūpnåråyan. The story further adds that Vijaya got womenfolk for his men from the Pandya country of Madura. All this means that the Northern part of Ceylon was oolonised partly from Bengal and partly from the Tamil country which is likely enough."
The date of this civilisation is not clear, and the Professor with some hesitation places it at the commencement of the Maurya Dynasty : say, at the end of the fourth century B.C. It is interesting to note that it is in this folktale, based on historical events, that the Pandya country first comes in contact with the history of Ceylon.
The next mention of South India in the Mahdvansa occurs in 177 B.C., when "two horse-traders from the Tamil country" usurped the Bengali kingdom in Ceylon for 22 years. Soon after this "a Tamil of noble descont came from the Chola country, seized the kingdom, and ruled for a petioa of 44 years with even justice towards friend and foc on occasions of disputes at law." The Mahavamsa calls him Elara and Tamil tradition Elêlasingham, Ho never adopted Buddhism, and from this time onwards the feeling between Sinhalese and Tamil was one of hostility.
Again following the Mahavainsa, about 44 B.C., Tamils again ousted the native king Vatta Gåmaņi for 14 years, and during the second century A.D. one "Vasablia of the Lambakanna (pendant-eared) raco" overthrow the reigning king and ruled for 42 years. The Lambakannas are an important Tamil people in the Pandya country. Among these Lambakanna kings was Gajabahuka Gåmani (Gajabahn), the contemporary of the Red Chêra, whose reign" is of great importance in South Indian History, as he was the ruler of Ceylon who was prosent at the completion of the ceremony of the institution of the templo to Pattini-Dévi in the Chêra capital of Vañji." It is also important, because for the first time we have dates, which can be verified as lying in the middle of the second century A.D.
Next, there is mention of tho eka-nalika Famind of Sinhalese History, when rice went to ono nafikd for the main unit of currency, t.e., to eight times its ordinary value. The Siñhalese dates for this is A.D. 183-184, which is near the date of a great fainine in the Påndya country. In the next reign the Buddhist Vêtulya heresy became important and was suppressed, to rise again into importance in the great Abhayagiri Vihara. This heresy held that the Budgha was a supernatural being and that the Law (Dharma) was not preached by him but by his disciplo Ananda. Tho date given for its rise is A.D. 209. Here the Professor remarks : "this seems to give a clear indication of the connection between this School of Buddhism and the School of Bhakti in Hinduism, thus apparently harmonising somowhat with this rising-school of Hindu thought, such harmonising being one of the spocial features of Mahâyâna Buddhism." He then makes the important observation that "if the date A.D. 209 can be regarded as the correct equivalent, it would lead us a long way towards settling the date of Nagarjuna."
Taking us up thus to the commencement of the fourth century A.D., the Professor remarks that the Tamil connection with Ceylon did not bring that people to sympathise with the Buddhists. "The religious condition of South India was one of complete freedom, and while Buddhists and Jains had license to follow their respective faiths, Hinduism was the dominant religion. In time the Tamil country became the seat of orthodox Hinduism. At first, sacrifices were a most important feature of it, and the Brahmars came to have great honour as the celebrants," the rest of the community looking forward, in the security that the Brahman was discharging bis duties to the community as a whole, to the attainment of earthly prosperity in this world and salvation in the next, by a comparatively easier method of devotion, cach to the god of his heart. The notions of God and of a ininistering priest