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JUNE, 1906.]
THE DIPAVAMSA AND THE MAHAVAMSA.
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The Dhātuvamsa) belongs to the myth-cycle of Malays and Rohana. It contains mach popular tradition wanting in the works of the Atthakathả cycle. Otherwise, its dependence on the Mahāvamsa is easily recognised. The Dhātuvamsa, however, does not seem to be au
independent work, but corresponds to a Pāli work existing only in manuscript, 2 entitled Nalātadbātuvamsa : it is only a Singhalese translation, then, of this work, sike those of the Mabābõdhivanga and Thüpavamsa. The author of the Singhalese Dhātavamsa is Kakusandha : when he lived is not ascertainable. From several chronicles, especially the Rājāvali, Rājaratnākara, and Püjä vali, we have
accounts of the early history till Vijaya. The Rājāvali, the most recent of . 103-107. these, belongs probably to the beginning of the 18th century, and shews that its author made copious use of older sources. The introduction and the mythological parts are original. After a cosmological and geographical review, the dynastic list of kings follows down to Siddattha, the Buddha. It is, however, the introduction of new material not hitherto utilised in the epics that gives to the Räjávali an independent value. For instance, the reign of Mahāsammata is depicted as a "golden age." Of king Chetiya it is told that he was the first to bring falsehood on earth and that as a punishment the earth swallowed him. Under Mahāpratāpa, murder and other crimes forced their way in, and the span of life of the princes was from that time shorter. After an account(taken from the Mahāzarosa-Commentary, 84, 4 ff.) of the founding of the Sakya dynasty, an episode from another source follows: The eldest sister of the exiled sons of Aritta, "the third Okkāka," attacked by leprosy, is placed by her brothers in a deep grave and covered with brushwood. The king of Benares, stricker by the same disease, had sought refuge in the same forest. He cures himself by an herb, finds the princess, cures her and makes her his wife. Rāma's son hearing of his father's abode bailds there the town of Koliys. The 32 sons of Rāma and the princess marry the 32 daughters of the four kings of Kapilavatthu, and thenceforward the princes of Koliya and Kapilavattha were united into one clan. The rest of this work is taken from the Mahāvamsa. The Rajaratnākara, belonging probably to the middle of the 16th century, is likewise
specially detailed upon the history of Vijaya. The general scheme corresponds
13 to that of the Rājāvali, and adds nothing to the Vijaya myth. The Pūjävali in Chapter XXXIII. treats the Vijaya history quite briefly, disposing of it in a single section. Generally, it may be said that, of the three chronicles, the Räjaratnākara stands nearest to
the Mahāvamsa and draws upon it most largely. The other two stand in closet P. 115.
se relation to one another, as follows from several important coincidences. We can see, also, that the Rājaratnākara has had recourse to the Pujāvali, and occasionally copied from it and likewise from the Nikāyasangraha. The Räjävali shews some originality, and adds details bearing the mark of popular origin, as in the Kuveni-legend. It also brings new particulars to the story of Kävantissa, the father of Dutthagamani, while following in the main the narrative in the Mahavamsa, XXII. 13 ff. Popular accretions are visible in the history of the Beminifi famine under Coranāga, when, as the result of a curse, Jambadvipa was visited for twelve years with famine. Finally, in the story of the death of Siri Sanghabodhi, 40, 22 f., are several features absent from the account in the Mahavamsa XXXVI. 92, e.g., the allusion to the future Buddhahood of Sanghabodhi, and the recognition of the severed houd as his. The Räjävali, moroover (like the Mahābod hivamsa), mentions after the king Pandukābhaya a king Ganatissa, who is absent from the lists in the Dipavarsa and the Mahāvamsa. He is given a reign of 40 years, while Pandukābhaya is given one of 30. According to the Mahavamsa and also to the Pūjāvali, Pandu kābhaya reigned the whole 70 years.
The Dhamangaya of the Thera Kakugandhs, edited by Gintot Dhammakkbandhs, Dudanluwa, A. B 2483 = A. D. 1890. DoZoys, Catal, p. 17.
