Vamsa Literature:

Vamsa Literature is known as chronicle there are historical record of important incident that
occurred in Sri Lanka. The Dpavamsa is the oldest literally source, it ives a description of the
reliious historical and political !ackround of Sri Lanka since it is the earliest chronicle we can
assume that it is not written in a very ood lanuae. The "#li lanuae of Dpavamsa is very
archaic $old% the e&pressions are very dull. 't was written !y nuns. They have written it from time to
time and therefore we do not see a flowin lanuae.
Dpavamsa can !e appreciated as the oldest chronicle in Sri Lanka. 't !ecame useful to write
the (ah#vamsa, Dpavamsa include what happened in Sri Lanka !efore )uddhism was !rouht
here and it also recorded the advent of (ahinda Thera. There are also description a!out various
kins and what they did, therefore we can conclude !y sayin that Dpavamsa is important as the
main chronicle of Sri Lanka.
(ah#vamsa is the most important chronicle of Sri Lanka. 't was written !y (ah#n#ma Thera of
(ah#vih#ra.
(ah#vamsa is the most important historical source !ook written in a very lucid lanuae. The
lanuae of this chronicle is very much !etter than Dpavamsa. 't also includes historical and
political fact of Sri Lanka and 'ndia. 'n the (ah#vamsa there are descriptions a!out the Three
)uddhist *ouncil. This chronicle ave a description of the pre+)uddhist condition of Sri Lanka it
e&plains the comin of Vi,aya the rule of -in "anduk#!haya and also the reliious condition of Sri
Lanka !efore )uddhism was !rouht to *eylon. 't also e&plained the )uddha Three visit to Sri
Lanka.
Mahvamsa
The term (ah#vamsa denotes the reat dynasty of Sinhalese kin. 't e&plains the rule of
various kins who were responsi!le to develop the country. The author of (ah#vamsa was a Thera
called (ah#n#ma. .e served Therav#da )uddhism. Therefore whatever fact he included in the
chronicle !elon to Therav#da )uddhism.
The author was very well+versed in "#li lanuae. Therefore his work was written in a lucid
lanuae. .e can !e called a poet with very ood skill. Therefore we accepted (ah#vamsa as an
epic $(ah#kavya%.
/lthouh he sometimes !rouht material from Dpavamsa, he deals with them critically. .e
saw a short comin of Dpavamsa and critically deal with them. (ah#n#ma did a split work
includin various facts. Therefore we can compare (ah#vamsa to a arland with variety of flowers
rich in colour taste and scent.
The contain of Mahvamsa
The (ah#vamsa !ein with the story of 0otama )uddha. 't deals with the three leends a!out
the )uddhas visit to Sri Lanka. while writin a!out these three visits he mentioned a!out the
people who lived at that time. The country was inha!ited !y 1akasasas, 2akkhas, )isacas and
3#as. The (ah#vamsa descri!e a!out the )uddha three visits to Sri Lanka. This first visited to
(ahiyanana, second visited was to 3#adpa, and his third visited was to -elaniya. 't is stated in
the (ah#vamsa, after his visited many tri!es who e&isted at that time were converted to )uddhism.
The (ah#vamsa then mentioned the history of )uddhism in 'ndia. 't refers to a lon list of
-ins, which !eins will (ah#sammada, thereafter continuin this dynasty he referred to
Suddhodana and (#y#, then he mentioned a!out )haddakacc#na, Siddhattha, and 1#hula. 'n this
manner we o!served that (ah#vamsa deal with the political condition of 'ndia durin the period of
the )uddha.
/nother outstandin description iven !y (ah#vamsa is a!out the Three )uddhist *ouncils.
The first Buddhist council was held in Sattapanni *ave at 1#,aaha. /fter three months of the
passin away of )uddha. 4p#li and 5nanda Thera took chant of Vinaya and Dhamma.
(ah#kassapa Thera was presided this council and /,#tasattu was patroni6ed.
The second Buddhist council was held durin the rein of -#l#soka a!out a century after the
(ah#parini!!#na of )uddha. The 2asi )hikkhus $Va,,iputtaka% wanted to introduce the ten
unlawful rules. They assem!le at Ves#l and held the second council, as a result of this council they
arose two schools of )uddhism namely7 Therav#da and (ah#sanhika.
The third Buddhist council was held durin the rein of /soka at /sok#r#ma in "#taliputta.
The president was (oaliputtatissa Thera. Durin this council a purification of the S#san#
occurred the most important result of this council was sendin )uddhist mission to nine different
countries. 't was durin this council )uddhism was !rouht to Sri Lanka !y (ahinda Thera.
Thereafter the (ah#vamsa deal with the political of Sri Lanka. The coloni6es of Sri Lanka !y
kin Vi,aya, the introduction of )uddhism to the island !y (ahinda Thera durin the rein of -in
"anduk#!haya and also the rein of Dev#nampiyatissa and Duttha#mini. )uddhism was !rouht
to *eylon durin the rein of Dev#nampiyatissa, the kin !uilt the (ah#vih#ra for (ahinda Thera.
.e also made his kindom very prominent !y puttin up reliious institution. 't was durin his
rein Sanhamitt# Ther !rouht the )odhi+tree. Thereafter his work continued !y kin
Duttha#mini who !uilt the (ah#th8pa and deposited relic in it. The kin could not live to see the
completion of the (ah#th8pa after he passin away his !rother Saddh#tissa completed it.
The author of (ah#vamsa had written many chapters descri!in a!out Duttha#mini he had
supported, this kin especially !ecause he favored Therav#da )uddhism.

(ah#n#ma also descri!es a!out -in (ah#sena, this kin did not favor Therav#da )uddhism.
.e told his peoples not to ive any food to any monk of the (ah#vih#ra. The monks were in
trou!les and they left the Vih#ra. There was not a sinle monk in the (ah#vih#ra for nine years.
-in (ah#sena was a follower of the /!hayairivih#ra. The kin did many wron actions. .is
minister (ehavanna!haya !ecame anry and wanted to fiht aainst it. Durin (ah#senas rein
(ah#vih#ra was powerless. There were a lot of trou!les in the country. The kin finally met his
minister and had a discussion. Then he understood his wron doin. .e re!uilt the (ah#vih#ra and
thereafter he supported the Therav#da )uddhism.
This chronicle ives a description a!out the political condition and historical condition of Sri
Lanka and 'ndia. 't ives the introduction the esta!lishment and development of )uddhism in Sri
Lanka.
This chronicle ives an arranement of facts well. 't has a hih literally standard. 't is a master
pieces produced !y (ah#n#ma Thero who is poetically ifted. (ah#vamsa ives the facts in a
loical manner. There no repetition, all the facts are iven in a concise $short% manner. The diction
is very ood. /lthouh there are mytholoical and leendary stories, there are many useful political
and reliious facts. They are very useful to trace the history of Sri Lanka.