Indian Antiquary Vol 09

Author(s): Jas Burgess
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 17

JANUARY, 1880.]
CEYLON INSCRIPTIONS.
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written is the oldest form of the Asoka character, | Mihintale, just as we find it related concerning only for 8 we always find the Greek digamma, Meghawanya Abhaya in Mahdwarso, p. 232. as described in Goldschmidt's report, Ind. Ant. The finest specimen of these inscriptions is vol. VI. p. 318. I however believe that this is that from the Ruwan wali da goba, quite accidental, and that there is no difference Anuradhapura, now in the Colombo Museum, of sound between the two s's, as in other inscrip- of which I annex a copy and translation, as it tions equally old--for instance, that at Gallena has never been published :-we find the round form throughout.
(1) Sidha Wahaba rajaha manumaraka T[i]s& Regarding the language of this inscription, maharajaha puti maharaja we find in (6) several instances of the ancient (2) Gayabâ hu Gâmiņi Abaye Dakiņi Abaya Magadhi nominative in e as raje, pite, wiyate; this araba wihera karaya wa rakawiya termination is also used for the feminine gender (3) bajika patisa wanak tiri kota papa(?) in wapi......dine. Niyate I have translated first takarahiya Jina patisatara by ordered,' afterwards by established,' ac- (4) Kotu dine dakapati bikusagaha ataya cording to the context. It has the same meaning chatari paceni paribujanak kotu dine. in Påli; for instance,"porúnarájaniyatam puñía. Hail! The great king Gaja bahu Gakammam," meritorious practices established miņi Abhaya, grandson of king Wahaba, by former kings.' (Mah. 213.) Wisara in the son of king Tisa, having built (or restored) last line of (6) stands probably for wapisara or the Dakshiņa Abhaya and other wiharas, and wawisara, which occurs frequently in later in- having protected them, made them inhabited (?), scriptions.
having strengthened the faith, having made We now proceed to the inscriptions of the obeisance to the faultless Jina, after having first centuries of the Christian era. They are given the wiháras), he gave to the priesthood much more numerous than the oldest, but as the enjoyment of the four pratyayas.' the letters are not cut very deep, some of them According to Mah. p. 206, the Dakshina and are much damaged by rain, and besides they Abhaya giri] wiharas were already built under are full of mistakes and clerical errors of all the reign of Wattag âmiņi, B.C. 89,60 kinds.
that we must either assume that Gaja bahu The alphabet in which they are written is was also one of the names of Wattagâmini, or that of the Western caves, as given in Prinsep's that karaya is to be translated restored,' not Essays, but in addition to this I found several built.' The latter seems more probable, as the letters which apparently do not occur in India. names of Gajabảhu's father and grandfather It is to this period that the inscriptions belong are given, and from the whole appearance of of H a bara neand Tissamaharama (now the inscription in general. in the Colombo Museum), which were published Among the inscriptions in the North-Westby Dr. Goldschmidt in his last report, but none ern Province, one of the oldest is at Pajaof the inscriptions in the North-Western Pro- gala three miles from Hiripitiya (on the road vince are so well preserved as these. Also the from Kurunegala to Anuradhapura) on the top large inscription at Mihintale is of the same of a rook. It bears the name of a son of the date-not that which is alluded to in Alwis's minister Mahînîga, but there are too many Introduction to the Sidatsangaráwa, p. xxxvi., words and letters effaced to allow of a translaand translated by Armour in the Ceylon Almanac tion. One letter in this inscription is of peculiar for 1834, and which is much later, but that interest, as I have found it nowhere else; it ic which was published by Captain Chapman in very much like the modern Tamils, but I could 1850. Goldschmidt ascribed this inscription to not yet make out the meaning of it. Gaja bahu Gâmiņi (cf. his Report, Ind. Ant. Nearly as old as this is the inscription at vol. VI. p. 319), but I think it belongs to Megha. Ridi wihara (Ambatthakola lena) between vanna Abhaya (A.D. 248), not only because Kur nægala and Matale. This wihara was the king mentioned is said to be the grandson built by king Amandagâmiņi (21-30 A.D.), of king Tisa, which alone would not be conclu- but I do not think that the inscription is quite sive, but because it is stated that he repaired as old. It begins: Siddhisaddhamake siri. ... the abode of Mahidatera and Badusalatera at After this comes most probably the name of the