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at the time of Buddha's visit, from the Păcina wihāra to a house at the foot of the Bō-tree at Anuradhapura. The throne may have been constructed to suit the story related by Mahinda to the credulous Dēvānam-piya Tissa, by way of confirming it. The tank mentioned in the fourth inscription is a shallow one of eight or ten acres, with a straight low embankment eight or nine feet high, a typical village tank of the smaller kind, having an inferior water-supply provided merely by rainfall flowing into it from the adjoining jungle for a length of about a mile (see Fig. No. 148).

At the Naval Niravi hill where these inscriptions are cut no remains of a built wihāra or a dãgaba have been discovered. There is an earthen platform which has a supporting wall of stone, at the western side of the hill. As no traces of a building are to be seen on it it may have been the site of the Kiripalu tree of Sakra, or a Bō-tree. At the southern hill a broken statue of Buddha in a cave proves that a wihāra was there at a later time.

As this monastery is of such an early date, and without doubt one of the earliest of which traces have been discovered in Ceylon, I now give the rest of the numerous inscriptions copied by me at the three hills and two others of the neighbourhood, some few being nearly as old as those of the king and queen, according to the indication afforded by the shapes of the letters. Unfortunately all are mere dedications of caves to the use of the Buddhist monks.

Other inscriptions at Naval Nirāvi hill.

(5.) To west of the upper royal cave. Bata Sumanasa leņe sagasa dine.

The cave of the workman Sumana; given to the

Community.

(6.) To north of the last. Upasaka Nāgaha leņe sagasa dine.

The cave of the lay devotee Nāga; given to the
Community.1

1 In all cases the words of Buddhist Monks' are to be understood as following Community.'

(7) To west of No. 6. Tisa terasa lene saghasa niyate. The cave of the thera Tissa is assigned to the Com

munity.

(8.) To south-east of the upper royal cave. Damarakita terasa lene catu disa sagasa dine.

The cave of the thera Dhammarakkhita; given to the Community of the four quarters.

(9.) To north of the last. Damarakita teraha leņe sagasa (letters of first century B.C.).

The cave of the thera Dhammarakkhita; to the

Community.

(10.) To north of No. 4. Bata Sumanaha leņe cadu disa sagasa.

(11.)

The cave of the workman Sumana; to the Community of the four quarters.

To north-west of the upper royal cave. Bata Damagutaha Asatisa putaha Asadamarakita lene sagasa agata anagata catu disa.

The cave (of) Asadhammarakkhita, of the son of Asatissa, (son) of the workman Dhammagutta; to the Community present or future (of) the four quarters.

(12) Cave full of bats, below royal upper cave. (1) Sagasa; (2) Parumaka Majimaha putasa Paru

maka Sidaṭaha Parumaka Cuda Sidaha Parumaka Tisaha.

To the Community. (The cave) of the Chief Siddhattha, of the son of the Chief Majjhima; of the Chief Cuda Siddha; of the Chief Tissa.

(13) Above the last. Bata Budarakitaha matulaniya upasika Pusaya le (ne) saghaye niyate (1st cent. A.D.). The cave (of) the female devotee Pusaya, the aunt of the workman Buddharakkhita, is assigned for the Community.

The next four are cut over shelters or caves round the overhanging sides of one immense boulder, each in one line. The inscription No. 4 is also cut at this boulder in a similar position.

(14.) Matula baginiyana leņe agata anagata catu disa sagasa niyatase.

(15.)

(16.)

(17.)

The cave (of) the sisters (of) Matula; they have assigned (it) to the Community of the four quarters, present or future.

Barata Mahatisaha lene sagasa niyate; followed

by the symbols Fish, Trisūla over circle, Swastika, and Aum monogram.

The cave of the royal messenger Mahātissa is assigned to the Community.

The cave of the royal messenger Mahātissa is assigned
to the Community of the four quarters.

Parumaka Humaneha leņe (letters of first cent. A.D.).
The cave of the Chief Sumana.

Inscriptions at Tēvāndān Puliyankuļam rocks, many of them over the shelters formed under large overhanging boulders that lie on the top of the rock (see Fig. No. 149).

(18.) On west side of southern rock. Gapati Vasali puta > Maha Sumanasa.

(The cave) of Mahā Sumana, son (of) the householder Vasali.

(19.) On east side of north-west rock. Parumaka Uti puta Cuda Nagasa leņe.

The cave of Cuḍa Nāga, son (of) the Chief Uttiya. (20.) On south side of north-east rock. Gapati Damasena puta Sumana Malasa ca Gapati Majima Tisa puta Digat(i)sasa ca leņe.

The cave of Sumana Malla, son (of) the householder Dhammasena, and of Digha-Tissa, son (of) the householder Majjhima-Tissa.

Group to the north of these.

(21.) On south side of southern rock. Tebakaṭa Tisa puta Royogutasa leņe.

The cave of Royogutta, son (of) Tebakața Tissa. (22.) On east side of middle rock. Parumaka Sigiņika T(i)saha lene.

The cave of the Chief Singhiņika Tissa (Tissa of the
Nose!).

(23.) Under the last. Barata Utara Kasabaha pați ucaya. The dwelling (?) of the royal messenger Uttara

Kassapa.

(24.) On south side of north rock. Gapati Pusa..sa Tisasa lene.

The cave of the householder Pusa..sa Tissa. (25.) On east side of north rock. Dame davanipi gapati Visakaha line. The stone-cutter, evidently ignorant of Pāli and therefore possibly a Dravidian, has omitted the lower parts of the letters da and pi, and made mistakes in the vowels.

The cave of the devout householder Visakha, beloved of the Gods.

(26.) On south-east side of north rock. Parumaka Asa Adeka Veļasa jaya Tisaya leņe.

The cave (of) Tissayā, wife of the Chief Asa Adeka
Vēļa.

(27.) At south-east end of north rock. Parumaka Nuguya Vela putana Sigara Malasava Nuguya Malasava

lene.

The cave (of) Sigāla Malasava (and) Nuguya (Nudguhya) Malasava, sons (of) the Chief Nuguya Vēļa.

(28.) Under-side of east rock. Magasa lene. The cave of

Māgha.

(29.) Western cave on top of rock. Badira Mahatisa puta Maha Sumana lene.

The cave (of) Mahā Sumana, son (of) Mahātissa the
Deaf.

(30.) West side of eastern cave. Citagutasa ca Baraniya cā leņe.

The cave of Cittagutta and Bharaniya.

(31.) Southern cave.

Ramasi lene.

The cave (of) Rāmāsī.

(32.) At the side of a flight of steps cut in the rock at the north end of the hill there is an inscription in one line which may be the first instance of what is known in Ceylon as Paeraeli Bāsa, or transposition of letters in written or spoken words.

In the facsimile I first give the inscription as it stands, and then a corrected copy, that is, one with the same letters turned round horizontally or vertically or both. It must be read from right to left, and only the consonants in the word savi require transposing, making this word Siva. When thus corrected the inscription is :

Meka ni salaku savi tipaga pinuvada meda, or when

transposed-Dame davanupi Gapati Siva kulasa

nikame.

The work of the family (of) the devout householder
Siva, beloved of the Gods.

Inscriptions at Erupotāna hill.

(33.) South-east cave on south side. Parumaka Ku (4 letters) Siva puta Abayasa leņe sagasa niyate.

Trisula over circle.

The cave of Abhaya son (of) the Chief Ku . . . .
Siva is assigned to the Community.

(34.) South cave on south side. Parumaka Nadika putasa Parumaka Mitasa lene agata anagata catu disa sagasa dine.

The cave of the Chief Mitta, of the son (of) the Chief Nandika; given to the Community of the four quarters, present or future.

(35.) North side of south cave, near the tank. Tisa teraha atevahika Sumana teraha leņe agata anagata catu

disa sagasa.

The cave of the thēra Sumana, pupil of the thera Tissa; to the Community of the four quarters, present or future.

(36.) South side of south cave. Damagutaha leņe sagasa. The cave of Dhammagutta; to the Community. (37) South-eastern cave, east side. Parumaka Hadaka bariya upasika Nagaya ca puta upasaka Tisaha

ca upasaka Deva ca leņe agata anagata catu disa sagasa niyate.

The cave (of) the female devotee Nāgayā, wife (of) the Chief Saddhaka, and of the lay devotee Tissa (her) son, and (of) the lay devotee Dēva, is assigned

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