The Mahawanso. Namó Tassa, Bhagavate, Araható, Samma, Sambuddhassa! /Namassitwána Sambuddhań, susuddhań, suddhawańsajań; MAHAW AŃSAŃ pawakkhámi, ndnunánádhikarikań Poránéhi katópésó, atiwittháritó kwachi, atíwakwachi sańkhittó, anéka punaruttakó ; Wajjitan téhi dóséhi, sukhaggahanadháraṇań, pasádasańwégakarań, sutitócha upagatań, CHAP. I. ADORATION to him, who is the deified, the sanctified, the omniscient, supreme BUDDHO! Having bowed down to the supreme BUDDHо, immaculate in purity, illustrious in descent; without suppression or exaggeration, I celebrate the MAHAWANSO. That which was composed by the ancient (historians) is in some respects too concise, in others, too diffuse; abounding also in the defects of tautology. Attend ye to this (Mahawanso) which, avoiding these imperfections, addresses itself to the hearer (in a strain) readily comprehended, easily remembered, and inspiring sentiments both of pleasure and of pain; giving rise to either pleasing or painful emotion, according as each incident may be agreeable or afflicting. Our vanquisher (of the five deadly sins) having, in a former existence, seen the supreme Buddho DIPANKARO, formed the resolution to attain buddhohood; in order that he might redeem the world from the miseries (of sin.) Subsequently, as in the case of that supreme Buddho, so unto KONDANNO, the sage MANGOLO, SUMANO, the Buddho REVATO, and the eminent sage SOBHITO, the supreme Buddho ANOMODASSI, PADUMO, NARADO the vanquisher, the supreme Buddho PADUMŪTTARO, and SUMEDO the deity of similar mission, SUJATO and PIADASSI, the supreme ATTHADASSI, DHAMMADASSI, SIDDHATTHO, TISSO, and, in like manner, the vanquisher PHUSSO, WIPASSI, the supreme Buddho SIKHI, the supreme Buddho WESSA BHUWIBHU, the supreme Buddho KAKUSANDHO, in like manner KONAGAMO, and KASSAPO of felici Sujatam-Piyadassincha, Attahadassincha náyakań, Dhammadassincha, Siddhatthań, Tissań, Phussajinan tatha, Wipassin Sikhisambuddhań, sambuddhań Wessabhúwibhuń, Kakusandhancha sambuddhań, Konágamanamé10 Kassapań sugatanchémé sambuddhé chatuwisatí, árádhetwá Maháwíró, téhi bódháya wyákató. [wacha, Púretwá páramí sabbá, patwá sambódhimuttamań, uttamó GOTAMO BUDDHO satté dukkhá pamóchayé. Magadhésu Uruwéláyań bódhimúlé, Mahámuni, wisákhapunnamayan, só pattó sambódhimuttaman. Satta háni tahin satta, só wimuttisukhań parań windantam madhurattancha dassayantó, wasi wasi. Tató Báráṇasin gantwá, dhammachakkappawattayi ; tatha wassań wasantówa, saṭṭhin arahatań aká. 15 Te, dhamman désanatthaya, wissajjetwana bhikkhawó, winetwacha tató tińsa saháyé Bhaddawaggiyé. Sahassa Jatilé Náthó winétuń Kassapádiké, hémanté Uruweláyań wasité paripáckayań. Uruwélakassupassa mahayanné upaṭṭkité, tassattano nagamané ichchháchárań wijániya, Uttarakurutó bhikkhań áharitwárimaddanó, Anótattadahé bhutwá, sáyanhasamayé, sayań, Bódhitó nawamé másé, phussapunṇamiyań, Jinó, Lańkádí pań wisódhetuń, Lańkádípamupágamí. tous advent, unto all these twenty four supreme Buddhos likewise, (in their respective existences), the indefatigable struggler having vouchsafed to supplicate, by them also his admission into buddhohood was foretold. The supreme GOTAMO BUDDHO (thus in due order) fulfilled all the probationary courses, and attained the supreme omniscient buddhohood; that he might redeem mankind from the miscries (of sin.) At the foot of the bo tree, at Uruwéláya, in the kingdom of Magadha, on the day of the full moon of the month of wisákho, this great divine sage achieved the supreme all-perfect buddhohood. This (divine) sojourner displaying the supreme beatitude derived by the final emancipation (from the afflictions inherent in the state of transmigration) tarried in that neighbourhood for seven times seven days. Proceeding from thence to Báránesi, he proclaimed the sovereign supremacy of his faith; and while yet sojourning there during the "wasso" he procured for. sixty (converts) the sanctification of "arahat." Dispersing abroad these disciples, for the purpose of promulgating his doctrines, and, thereafter, having himself converted thirty (princes) of the inseparably-allied tribe of Bhadda, the saviour, with the view to converting Kassapo and the thousand Jatilians, took up his abode at Uruwéláya, during the "hemanto,❞ devoting himself to their instruction. When the period had arrived for celebrating a religious festival (in honor) of the said Kassapo of Uruwéláya, perceiving that his absence from it was wished for, the vanquisher, victorious over death, taking with him his repast from Uttarakuru, and having partaken thereof at the lake of Anotattho (before mid-day) on that very afternoon, being the ninth month of his buddhohood, at the full moon of the constellation pusso, unattended, visited Lanká, for the purpose of sanctifying Lanká. It was known (by inspiration) by the vanquisher, that in Lanká filled by yakkhos, and therefore the settlement of the yakkhos,—that in the said Lanká would (nevertheless) be the place where his religion would be glorified. In like manner knowing that in the centre 20 Sasanujjótanan thanań Lańká natá Jinénahi, yakkhapunnaya Lańkaya, yakkhá tibbásiyáticha ; → Giridipań, tató Náthỏ ramman tésań idháneyí, tésú tatthá pavitthésú, yatháṭtháné thapésicha. of Lanká, on the delightful bank of a river, on a spot three yojanos in length, and one in breadth, in the agreeable Mahanaga garden, in the assembling place of the yakkhos, there was a great assemblage of the principal yakkhos in Lanká; the deity of happy advent, approaching that great congregation of yakkhos,-there, in the midst of the assembly, immediately above their heads, hovering in the air, over the very site of the (future) Mahiyangana dágoba, struck terror into them, by rains, tempests, and darkness. The yakkhos overwhelmed with awe, supplicated of the vanquisher to be released from their terror. To the terrified yakkhos the consoling vanquisher thus replied: "I will release ye yakkhos from this your terror and affliction: give ye unto me, here, by unanimous consent, a place for me to alight on." All these yakkhos replied to the deity of happy advent, "Lord, we confer on thee the whole of Lanká, grant thou comfort (in our affliction) to us." The vanquisher, thereupon, dispelling their terror and cold shivering, and spreading his carpet of skin on the spot bestowed on him, he there seated himself. He then caused the aforesaid carpet, refulgent with a fringe of flames, to extend itself on all sides;they, scorched by the flames (receding) stood around on the shores (of the island) terrified. The saviour then caused the delightful isle of Giri to approach for them. As soon as they transferred themselves thereto (to escape the conflagration) he restored it to its former position. Immediately, the redeemer folded up his carpet, and the devos assembled. In that congregation, the divine teacher propounded his doctrines to them. Innumerable kotis of living creatures received the blessings of his doctrines: asankhyas of them attained the salvation of that faith, and the state of piety. The chief of the devos, Sumano, of the Sélésumano mountain, having acquired the sanctification of" sótápatti" supplicated of the deity worthy of offerings, for an offering. The vanquisher, out of compassion to living beings, passing his hand over his head, bestowed on him a handful of his pure blue locks, from the growing hair of his head, Receiving and depositing it in a superb golden casket, on the spot where the divine Sótapattiphalań patwa Sélésumanakúṭaké Mahásumanadéwindó pújiyáń gáchi pújiyań. 3 Só tan suwannachańgóṭawarénádáya, Satthunó nisinnaṭṭhánarachité nánáratanasanchayé, Mahákáruniko Satthá, sabbalókahitérató, bódhito panchamé wassé, wasań Jétawané, Jinó teacher had stood, adorned (as if) with the splendor of innumerable gems, comprehending (all) the seven treasures, he enshrined the lock in an emerald dágoba, and bowed down in worship. The théro Sarabhú, disciple of the théro Sáriputto, at the demise of the supreme Buddho, receiving at his funeral pile the "giwatthi" (thorax bone relic) of the vanquisher, attended by his retinue of priests, by his miraculous powers, brought and deposited it in that identical dágoba. This inspired personage, causing a dágoba to be erected of cloud colored stones, twelve cubits high, and enshrining it therein, departed. The prince Uddhnachulabhayo, the younger brother of king Déwananpiatisso, discovering this marvellous dágoba, constructed (another) encasing it, thirty cubits in height. The king Dutthagamani, while residing there, during his subjugation of the malabars, constructed a dágoba encasing that one, eighty cubits in height. This Mahiyangana dágoba was thus completed. In this manner, the supreme ruler, indefatigable as well as invincible, having rendered this land habitable for human beings, departed for Uruwélaya. The visit to Mahiyangana concluded. The vanquisher (of the five deadly sins), the great compassionating divine teacher, the benefactor of the whole world, the supreme Buddho, in the fifth year of his buddhohood, while residing at the garden of (the prince) Jeto, observing that on account of a disputed claim for a gem-set throne, between the nága Mahódaró and a similar Chulódaró, a maternal uncle and nephew, a conflict was at hand, between their respective armies; on the last day of the last quarter of the moon of the month chitta, at day light, taking with him his sacred dish and robes, out of compassion to the nagas, visited Nágadipo. |