________________
९१
श्रमण विद्या
Buddhism as well as in other religions. And also they were made well. versed in the other sciences. The Thera Dharmakirti that lived at Palabatgala (Puţabhatta-sela) and the Thera Coliya Buddappiya were some of the scholars that arrived in Sri Lanka by his invitation. The King who was a scholar in the same scale with the contemporary scholars entertained the title "Kalikala-Sahitya-Sarvajña-Pandita".
The King even though under the pressure of royal duties wrote several works of great significance, such as the commentary on the Visuddhimagga and the Nissandeha, the Sinhalese commentary on the Vinaya Vinicchaya. The Sinhalese epic poem named Kav-Silumiņa (Kāvya Cūḍāmaṇi) also is ascribed to him.
His contemporaries were the emminent figures in Buddhist clergy such as: Sangharakṣita Mahāsvāmi, Anavamadarśi Sangharāja Mahāsvāmi, Aranyaka Medhankara Mahasvāsmi, the Theras. Buddhapriya, Vanaratana Ananda, Vedeha, Buddhaputra, the principal of the Mayurapada Parivena etc.
Thus we can see that the Hatthavanagalla-Vihāravamsa was composed at a time when the Sri Lanka was illumined by the advancement of learning.
The name given to this work by the author is Hatthavanagalla Vihāravamsa. Although it is stated that Anavamadarsi Sangharāja Mahasvami has invited to write the book, the author's name is not mentioned here. Neither it is known from any other source.
This work is important not only as an eulogy of a noble character but also as a poem of the category of Campu-a poetical work mixed with verse and prose. The prose style is akin to that of Kadambari and the author has been influenced by the very same work as well as Jātakamālā by Aryaśūra.
संकाय पत्रिका - १
Jain Education International
-Bhadant Somaratano Thero
For Private & Personal Use Only
www.jainelibrary.org
