________________
104
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[APRIL, 1888.
Pâli; but this, as already pointed out," is penetrate at this time, and that others were due to a palpable error. It is, moreover, at obtained from Southern India. However this variance with the subsequent traditions that may be, we are here clearly in contact with the Ceylonese atthakatha were written in the the earliest written books of Ceylon, of which Sinhalese language, into which Mahinda had the local memory had any cognizance at the translated them. The largaage of the books of time when these legends were written in their this Abhayagiri revival cannot be determined present form. at present; though the drift of the present evi- To this period belongs the thrice-repeated dence points rather strongly towards Sanskrit, destruction of the books of the heretical Vaiand the sources from which the new recension tulyas, the first occasion being in the beginof the Pitakas and their commentaries was ning of the third century A.D." They made made must also remain over for future investi- head again during the succeeding half century, gation,
and their books were again committed to the The Rájávali has no reference whatever to flames." From the way they are spoken of, this remarkable event of Vattagamani's reign; these books seem to have been numerous; but although it relates the principal circumstances there is no clue to the language in which they of his reign much like the other authorities. were written. But, if the legend is a corrupted survival of The Rájaratnákari** states that king Mahathe same tradition, it transfers the transaction sens, A.D. 275 to 302, caused a complete copy to the reign of Vattagamani's successor, and of Buddha's sermons to be written, which converts it into the more commonplace forma- occupied 30,000 volumes; and that he deposited tion of a central library, into which he gathered these books in a chest or bookcase made a good many Buddhist religious books, which purposely to contain them. He also brought were heretofore scattered abroad. "The a learned monk from a foreign country to next king was Maha Dileyaw Tissa Rajah. Ceylon, with a retinue of thirty-five comHe entertained five hundred rahatoons, and panions or disciples, for the purpose of instructcaused the books concerning the religion of ing the monks of his own monasteries in the Buddha to be collected and deposited in one Vinaya and the Pali language. None of the place." The Dipava isa and the Mahavarisa other authorities mention this legend. This do not mention this library, and the Raja- circumstance takes something out of the weight ratnákari omits this king's reign.
of the record ; and it may possibly be only It is quite possible that some of these books an anticipation of the legend of Buddhawere recovered from the monasteries of the ghosha, placed by mistake in the reign of southern and eastern districts of the island, into Mahasena, instead of in that of Mahanama. which the power of the invaders did not
(To be continued.)
FOLKLORE IN SALSETTE.
BY GEO. FR. D'PENHA.
(Concluded from p. 54.) On the following day, disguised as a vaid, he came and after setting the hand in its place came near the old woman's house and said applied some stuff or other and the hand was aloud that he could heal any sort of wounds, again whole like before. Rajáchê Masthiâ then replace hands, and cure diseases. One of the old discovered himself to the old woman. She woman's daughters heard him and stopped him, fell at his feet in gratitude and asked him to and running to her mother told her that there name his reward. Râjâchâ Masthiâ said: "In was a vaid outside who said he could replace reward for the services I rendered you I do hands cut off. The old woman told her not ask for gold or silver, but the hand of her daughter to call in the pretended vaid, who whom I cured for my friend here," pointing ante, p. 101.
232) records the reported suppression of this sect; but * Upham, II, 294. “Upham, I. 231; II. 61, 65ff. it does not mention the books. es Ibid. I. 234; 11. 65. Turnour's recension (p. 227, Upham, II. 129.
