Bódhisatta, did all things that were beneficial to beings, by every

means.

He was also endued with a noble mind, and in giving judg- 13 ment yielded not to the four evil influences that pervert justice,1 but encouraged the good and discouraged the wicked. Thus, having 14 performed divers acts of great merit, this king, whose fame as a ruler, both of the kingdom and of the church, was great, reigned only one year.

For a certain Mahinda of Kálinga, a false friend, caused his death 15 by foul means with the help of an accomplice, a cowherdess, Dípani by 16 name. But this foolish man was able to rule the kingdom with great 17 trouble for five days only, because that he succeeded not in obtaining the consent and the support of the chiefs of the army, and the men of valour, and the inhabitants of the country, and the king's ministers, who were all greatly enraged with him for the deed that he had done.

And Kitti Nissanka, who was a descendant of the race of Kálinga, 18 and the sub-king of the king Vijaya Báhu, put him to death and himself became king. And after he had been anointed king in the noble 19 city of Pulatthi, he built of stone the beautiful temple for the toothrelic, and caused the Ratanávali cétiya to be raised to an exceeding 20 great height, and adorned that shrine of surpassing beauty with a pinnacle of gold. He built a vihara also, which he called after his own 21 name, and adorned it with a hundred halls, and gave the keeping thereof to the priests, and himself ministered unto them. He built 22 the Jambukóla vihára also with polished walls and pillars dazzling with 23 gold and silver, the floor whereof was painted with vermilion and the roof covered with gilded tiles. And three and seventy gilded images of the teacher did the wise king cause to be set up therein. And being 24 moved thereto by faith, this ruler of the land went up to Samantakúta with the four divisions of his army, and worshipped at the shrine there. And he formed gardens of flower trees and fruit trees throughout the 25 island of Tambapanni, and built many beautiful mansions as it became (a king).

Thus did this king heap up merits of divers kinds day by day, and 26 rule the kingdom wisely for nine years.

His son Víra Báhu then became king. But he reigned one night only, 27 and yielded to the power of death.

Thereupon Vikkama Báhu, the younger brother of the self-same 28 king, Kitti Nissanka, held possession of the kingdom for three months, when Códaganga, the king Nissanka's nephew, slew him, and reigned 29 in his stead for nine months.

Then the great and powerful commander Kitti deposed the king and 30 plucked out his eyes, and ruled the kingdom in great security for three 31 years with the help of Lílávatí, the queen of the great king Parakkama

Báhu.

1 Catassó Agati. - Four evil states of mind that tend to pervert justice, namely, love, hatred, fear, and ignorance.

32

And after him, Sáhasamalla, the lion-hearted king, who was sprung 33 from the Okkáka race, ruled the kingdom for two years. And then Ayasmanta,1 the chief of the army, a bold and resolute man, and one 34 whose might no man could withstand, ruled the country according to law and justice for six years with the help of Kalyanavati, the chief queen of Kitti Nissanka. And he promoted the cause of his favourite royal family (the line of Kálinga).

35

Now this queen Kalyanavati was moved with a great zeal for the religion of the teacher. She built a vihara in the village of Panna36 sálaka after her own name, and in the end owing thereof gave unto it lands, slaves, the necessaries of a monastic life, and gardens and such 37 like. And with her consent, Áyasmanta, the chief of the army, born 38 of the Khandhávára family, who had the control of the affairs of the whole kingdom of Laņká, sent Dévádhikári to Valliggáma and caused him to build a vihara there, of great beauty, which he dedicated to the 39 noble Order. He also caused the famous parivéna to be built there, which was called Sarájakula-vaddhana (" Promoter of the welfare of 40 his favourite royal race") after his name; and in a time of great dearth

he gave for its support lands, in which were included gardens and other 41 necessaries of a monastic life, and slaves also. And as he desired to do good he separated the four castes which had hitherto been mingled together, and caused a treatise to be composed called Dhammadhi42 karana ("Rules of Practice"). Thereafter, a prince named Dhamma

sóka reigned one year. He was but three months old when he began 43 to reign. But Aníkanga, the chief governor, came with a large army 44 from the Cóla country and put to death the prince Dhammásóka

together with Ayasmanta, who held the city of Pulatthi; and he 45 reigned seventeen days. Then Camúnakka, even his own valiant 46 general, slew the king Aníkanga; and the fool set up Lílávatí, the

chief queen of the great king, who had reigned once before, and ruled 47 the kingdom through her for one year. Then the king Lókissara, who 48 had been wounded by a lance on his side, came up from the opposite coast with a great army of Tamils, and brought the whole land of Lanká into subjection under him, and reigned nine months in the city of Pulatthi.

49

Now at this time Parakkama of the Kálanágara race, the chief of the army, and a man of great power and might, even the first among 50 the men of valour, again anointed the queen Lílávatí who was sprung

from the race of the sun and moon, and in whose form was to be seen 51 the majesty of kings. And when about seven months of this queen's 52 reign had passed, Parakkama, the famous king of Pandu, landed from the Pandu country with a great army of Pandians, and deposed the queen and Parakkama, the chief of her army. And he delivered 53 Lanká from the foes that were like thorns in the kingdom, and reigned three years in the noble city of Pulatthi, and transgressed not the laws of Manu.

And it came to pass that, because of some wicked and cruel and 54 grievous deeds that the inhabitants of Laņká had done, the gods who 55 had been placed in different parts thereof to watch over them and to protect them cared no longer for the country, and looked not any more after their safety. Thereupon a certain wicked prince of the Kalinga 56 race, Mágha by name, invaded the country at the head of twenty 57 thousand strong men from Kálinga and took possession of the island of 58 Laņká. And he was a follower of false faiths, and had a mind only to 59 do mischief. Like unto a wild fire that consumeth the tender plants of the forests of charity, and like unto the sun when he closeth up the petals of the sacred lily of justice, and the moon when she obscureth the splendour of the lotus pond of patient endurance1-even so was his mind wholly enslaved by ignorance. And this Mágha, who was like 60 unto a fierce drought, commanded his army of strong men to ransack the kingdom of Lanká, even as a wild fire doth a forest. There- 61 upon these mighty men, wicked disturbers of the peace of mankind, stalked about the land hither and thither crying out boastfully, "Lo! we are the giants of Kérala." And they robbed the inhabitants of 62 their garments and their jewels and everything that they had, and violated even the chastity of families that had long been preserved inviolate. They cut off also the hands and feet of the people, and 63 despoiled their dwellings. Their oxen and buffaloes also, and other beasts, they bound up and carried them away forcibly. The rich men 64 they tied up with cords and tortured, and took possession of all their wealth, and brought them to poverty. They broke down the image 65 houses and destroyed many cétiyas. They took up their dwellings in the viháras and beat the pious laymen therein. They flogged children, 66 and sorely distressed the five ranks of the religious orders. They compelled the people to carry burdens and made them labour heavily. Many books also of great excellence did they loose from the cords that 67 bound them and cast them away in divers places. Even the great and 68 lofty cétiyas, such as the Ratanávali which stood like the embodiment of 69 the glory of all the pious kings of old, they spared not, but utterly destroyed them, and caused a great many bodily relics to disappear thereby, which were unto them as their lives. Alas! Alas!

Even so did those Tamil giants, like the giants of Mára, destroy the 70 kingdom and the religion of the land.

1 The water-lily opens at night and closes at dawn: the lotus opens at dawn and closes at night.

* Ordained priests and nuns, novitiates of both sexes, and candidates for priesthood.

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And then they surrounded the city of Pulatthi on every side, and 72 took Parakkama Pandu captive, and plucked out his eyes, and robbed all the treasures that were therein, with all the pearls and precious stones.

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Thereafter Máņábharana and the chief of the strong men anointed 74 Kálinga Mágha king over the glorious kingdom of Lanká. And when he had thus brought the country into subjection under him, he dwelt 75 in the city of Pulatthi. This king caused the people to follow after false faiths, and contrived to mingle the four castes that had hitherto 76 not mingled themselves. To the Kéralites he gave fields and pastures, houses and gardens, servants and oxen and buffaloes; yea, everything 77 that pertained to the Sinhalese. The viháras and parivéņas, and many 78 sacred places also, did he give as dwelling places to his strong men, and despoiled the possessions that had been dedicated to Buddha and the Dhamma and Sangha, that so he might heap a multitude of sins to go 79 down to hell. Even thus did Mágha the king act like a tyrant, and reign twenty-one years over the kingdom of Laņká.

And so did one king after another, moved thereto by the lust of wealth and power, murder his predecessor, though by reason of this crime none enjoyed long life, or even the sovereignty of the kingdom after they had attained unto it. Let the prudent man, therefore, abstain from taking life and renounce the desire for wealth and power.

Thus endeth the eightieth chapter, entitled "The Reigns of Sixteen Kings," in the Mahavansa, composed equally for the delight and amazement of good men.

1

2

3

Now

CHAPTER LXXXI.

in the reign of that king (Mágha) there dwelt, scattered in the beautiful cities and hamlets that they had built for themselves in the great strongholds and mountainous parts of the country, some great and good men who defended the people and the religion from the disturber.

Subha Sénápati (a chief of the army) built a city like unto Álaka4 mandá on the top of Subhapabbata, a mountain difficult of access to the enemy, and dwelt there like unto Vessavana, keeping at a distance the Kéraļa demons, and defending that portion of the country and the religion thereof.

5

Bhuvanéka Báhu, the ruler and governor of the land, whose fame 6 had spread abroad throughout the country, also built himself a fortress on the top of Govinda, a rock which the enemy could not easily approach; and he dwelt there, and defended the Róhana country and its religion and its priesthood.

7

In like manner also, Sankha, the chief of the army, built himself a 8 fortress of great beauty on the lofty mountains Gangádóni, which is in 9 the Manimékhalá country, and abode there. And though the cruel hosts of the king Mágha were but a distance of two leagues from him, yet cared he not for them even so much as a blade of grass, but valiantly defended that country and the religion thereof.

Now at that time there lived a man of great might, the renowned 10 king Vijaya Báhu, a prince who was in truth of the lineage of king Siri Sanghabódhi. And through fear of the enemy he concealed himself 11 for a great while, at times in a forest and at other times in a fortress, 12 until he had gained the sovereignty over all the Vanni country and 13 brought the chief men among the Sinhalese into allegiance with him. Whereupon this mighty king went forth with a great Sinhalese army, and dispersed the four hosts of the enemy which had been ready to battle, like unto a great cloud of glory as it dispelleth the darkness. And he drove all the mighty men among the Tamils from the hamlets 14 and houses wherein they dwelt according as it pleased them, and deli- 15 vered that beautiful country of Máyá from the foes who were like thorns unto it. And on the highest top of the Jambuddóņi mountain he built 16 a pleasant city with walls and gates of great beauty; and the wise and valiant lord of the land dwelt there in ease and comfort, and governed the kingdom.

Now in those troublous times yet another thing had come to pass. 17 For before (the invaders had entered the city and taken it) Vácissara 18 and all the other great elders had departed from the city of Pulatthi, 19 and, taking with them the bowl-relic and tooth-relic of the teacher, had assembled themselves together in the Máyá country, and, in a certain place on the Kotthumala1 mountain, buried the two relics there 20 in a place of safety. And of these priests, Vácissara and certain other 21 great elders crossed the sea, even though it was then boisterous, and went to the country of Pandu and the country of Cóļa and other countries also to seek for protection for Lanká, wherein depended the welfare of religion.

But king Vijaya Báhu, who was like unto a mine in mercy, sent his 22 ministers after them, and brought them back from thence. And when 23 they were come he saluted the great elders, and inquired of them where the two relics, the tooth and the bowl, had been kept. And when 24 they had replied unto him that they were in such a place, the king was filled with exceeding great joy, and causing the elders to go before him 25 in a body, the lord of the land followed after them with his army to the Kotthumala mountains; and having caused a great festival to be held 26 round the rock, he beheld with great delight the two relics of the tooth and the bowl. And the king's joy on that day was exceeding great, 27 as if he had gotten himself the cakka jewel, or a great treasure, or as

1 Kotmalé.

3

* Pañcavannáyapitiya. With the five degrees of joy. These are described as 1, slight joy; 2, momentary joy; 3, sudden joy; 4, transporting joy; 5, allpervading joy.

3 The magic car of a Cakkavatti monarch, which carries him from one continent

to another.

2G

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