THE MAHÁVANSI,

THE RÁJÁ-RATNÁCARI,

AND

THE RÁJÁ-VALI,

FORMING THE

Sacred and Historical Books of Ceylon;

ALSO,

A COLLECTION OF TRACTS

ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE DOCTRINES AND LITERATURE
OF BUDDHISM :

Translated from the Singhalese.

EDITED BY

EDWARD UPHAM, M.R.A.S. & F.S.A.

AUTHOR OF THE HISTORY AND DOCTRINES OF BUDDHISM, THE HISTORY OF THE
OTTOMAN EMPIRE, &c. &c.

PARBURY, ALLEN, AND CO. LEADENHALL STREET.

M.DCCC.XXXIII.

THE

RĀJA RATNACĂRI.

CHAPTER I.

THE History of Budhu, as recorded by Mihidu-Maha, a priest who came from Jambu-dwipa to the main continent of Ceylon. Before the coming of Budhu, and before his religion was promulgated, the island was an abode of the devils, but when his religion was preached and followed, it became an abode of men; and this book proceeds to shew how the devils were banished from the same. Some Budhus who undertook that service, although they in person did not leave Jambu-dwipa, yet by their power they expelled the devils from Ceylon, as the influences and rays of the sun pervade the darkest recesses; but other Budhus came in person to cast out the fiends, and to make the island of Ceylon a habitation for men, by depositing in consecrated places the dawtoo, or

bones of Budhu, and the branch which grows in the right side of the tree called Bogaha; by which means the island of Ceylon became a grand magazine of the most precious things, viz. the said dawtoo, the said Bogaha-tree, and the religion of Budhu: and hence it follows that this island can never be governed by a king who is not of Budhu's religion. And should it happen that a king of a different religion should ascend the throne by force, he would soon be driven from the rule by the same virtue by which the devils were expelled; and that is the cause why kings of the Budhu's religion continue on the throne of Ceylon, and why the kings are faithful, and persevere in the

same.

First Budhu.-In the time of the first Budhu, called Cookoosanda, the island of Ceylon was known by the name of Ojadeep; and the place which is now called Anaradhe-pura (one of the consecrated places of Budhu) was then called Abaya-pura, and the king who reigned at that time was called Abaya Rajooroowo.*

The garden which now goes by the name of Mahawmaywoo-naw Uyana was then called

*

Abaya Rajooroowo signifies fearless king.

Mahatirtawawa Uyana, and the city called Peyal Cooloo was situated to the east thereof; and the place which is now called Meheentalawgala was then called Daywakoota; and all the said places abounded with plenty; but on account of a pestilential fever, which became general throughout the island, more dreadful than the plague which broke out in our own Budhu's time, in the city called Wisawla Maha Nuwara, all flesh began to die; and the devils, catching the smell of the dead, made an attempt to enter the island, but by the power of Budhu Cookoosanda, they were prevented, so that they stood in the sea around the shore, and looked with envy; and so great was the pity of Budhu, who was then in Jambu-dwipa, upon the miserable inhabitants of Ceylon, that he took flight through the heavens, attended by 40,000 ministers, and, like the full-orbed moon surrounded by glittering stars, alighted on the mountain of Daywa Coota in resplendent glory, while the rays of six different colours issued from his person, and darted to the ten different parts, and proclaimed," Let all the inhabitants of this island behold me! and whosoever beholdeth me, let all diseases be banished, like as darkness vanisheth before the solar ray, and let sorrow instantly be done away from all who cleave to me."