Mahavamsa Myths About Leonine Ancestry Of Sinhala People
By Dr.Lankamithra Fernando
Over the years, Sinhala Buddhist nationalistic politicians and closely linked Buddhist clergy have been successful in implanting the belief that the Sinhala Buddhists are the ‘chosen people’ and the real custodians of Sri Lanka and of Theravada Buddhism. This, many Sinhala Buddhists believe, is their ‘birth right’ by virtue of the origin of their ethnicity as depicted by the Mahavamsa. According to many Sinhala speaking Buddhists, their birthright to the ‘custodianship’ of the island and Buddhism is sacred and unquestionably legitimised for eternity by the Mahavamsa.
Any discussion based on facts against the Sinhala Buddhist birthrights argument is often condemned as an anti-Sinhala Buddhist conspiracy or Tamil terrorist propaganda. It is often the one who raises the questions who becomes the target of wrath and condemnation, sometimes leading to dangerous consequences.
It is therefore quite important, at the beginning, to clarify my ‘partiality’ to the scientific facts and also to reveal my ethnic religious background. I hail from a very pious Sinhala Buddhist family and was brought up in an environment of strict Sinhala Buddhist traditions. The extent of my family’s Sinhala Buddhist credentials was vast, so much so that my father’s uncle used to be a custodian of one of Buddha’s disciple’s relics, which he kept in a gold casket in a shrine room in his house in Colpetty. He and the whole family used to pay regular homage to the sacred relics, placing offerings and carrying out religious rituals three times a day, without fail.
My own father’s father was a native doctor and I was under pressure from my young age to learn the art of native medicine, which is usually associated with Buddhist rituals, and I was expected to memorise prescriptions written in Pali on ola leaves.
Sunday classes in Budhhism at the temple, observing sil (adhering to the set of eight rules of conduct), Buddhist pilgrimages during school holidays and numerous other regular rituals were compulsory for all of us and I, along with my two elder sisters and two younger brothers, excelled in our religious studies by achieving distinctions of Baudhyacharya (teacher of Buddhism) and also in the mandatory subject of Buddhism at the secondary school exams.
This background, I believe, should clear any doubts of me having a vested interest in peddling conspiracy theories against Sinhala Buddhist beliefs and arguments.
**
The main problem with the widespread claims of Sinhala Buddhist genealogy is that they are often based on the obvious embellishments and out of this world fantasies written in the Mahavamsa. This longest and the oldest chronological, but mythical, record of Sri Lanka seems to be the main source of all Sinhala Buddhist claims. The Mahavamsa is only an historical poem, originally written in Pali, over centuries and spiced up with epic and with fascinating things the authors could imagine. The believers of Sinhala Buddhist birth rights to the island and Theravada Buddhism, are oblivious to the great academic studies of the original Mahavamsa, published by eminent academics of history who also were experts in Pali.
Some of the great historians – such as Prof. Wilhelm Geiger, who completed the first translation of the Mahavamsa from Pali to German in 1912; Prof. V.A. Smith, who published a number of studies on the history of India, Emperor Asoka and the conversion of Lanka to Buddhism, including The early History of India, in 1957; Prof. Herman Oldenberg (1854-1920) German scholar of Indology, whose 1881 study on the Buddha based on Pali texts, contributed immensely to popularise Buddhism; Prof. Thomas William Rhys Davids (1843-1922) , a British academic of Pali and the founder and first President of the Pali Text Society -Â deserve the highest acclaims for their outstanding academic studies on the original Mahavamsa.
The greatest irony is neither the names of these academics nor their studies on the history of Sri Lanka are known to the majority of the Sinhala Buddhists, who base their ‘birthrights’ and ‘custodianship’ arguments on the very text of the Mahavamsa!
The Sinhala Buddhist mindset has been nurtured in isolation, far away from the scientific historical facts. The mythical stories of the Mahavamsa have implanted in a large portion of the Sinhala Buddhist population a strong, deeply rooted and unreserved belief in their origin – exactly as it is depicted in the chronicle.
Casting doubts on the mythological stories narrated in the Mahavamsa is condemned as an act of treason. In the context of the ongoing ethnic war such doubts will automatically qualify as LTTE or Tamil nationalistic propaganda, and the person raising the doubts as a Tamil Eelam supporter. The Sinhala Buddhist nationalistic argument of the custodianship is simple: “If you are a Sinhala speaking Sri Lankan, you either have to believe in the mythical Leonine ancestry -your ‘blood relation’ to a lion as depicted in the Mahavamsa – or consider yourself a traitor – an ‘outcast’!'”
It is sometimes amusing, surprising and saddening at the same time to see the enormous pride that some Sinhala nationalists take in the belief that they have ‘leonine blood’ running in their veins. I wonder which group of blood this would be? One wonders how on earth sane people of one of the most literate countries in the world, could still continue to base all their arguments of ‘birth rights’ of the Sinhala race on the mythological imagination of the Mahavamsa?
For the Sinhala Buddhists nationalists, who have become myopic over the years of misinformation or lack of information, the Mahavamsa constitutes a sacred unquestionably legitimate proof of their original Sinhala Buddhist heritage and ownership of the island. According to the Sinhala nationalism the Mahavamsa mythology provides proof beyond doubt that the Sinhala race was the chosen people, the predestined custodian of the island and the guardian of Buddhism. Take this platform away, and the Sinhala nationalistic politicians will have no ground to stand on, as they know no other means to secure their leadership.
**
An objective glimpse of the narratives in the Mahavamsa is therefore pertinent to separate the myths from the facts, the nationalistic interpretation of the history from the factual scientific historical events and chronology.
The original Mahavamsa, or Mahawansha, is an historical poem written in Pali, which covers a period starting from the arrival of Vijaya (543 BC) to the time of Mahasena’s rule (334-361 BC). This section of the Mahavamsa was written in Pali by the Venerable Mahanama Thero, an uncle of King Dhatusena in the 6th century AD. Mahanama Thero compiled the first part of the Mahavamsa from a collection of historical records (diaries) of Sri Lanka, starting from 300 BC, kept by the Buddhists monks of the Mahavihara.
The Mahavihara is the Buddhist monastery that King Devanampiya Tissa built for Mahinda Thero, who is believed to have brought Buddhism to Sri Lanka from India in 300 BC. In compiling the Mahavamsa, Mahanama Thero relied also on an earlier set of documents known as the Mahavamsa Atthakatha and another earlier compilation of chronological records of Lanka known as the Dipavamsa.
Later, Sinhalese Buddhist monks added a sequel to the Mahavamsa, which is known as Culawamsa (Lesser Chronicle), to cover the period from 4th century AD until the military occupation of Lanka by the British in 1815.
Thus the combined full volume of the Mahavamsa constitutes a continuous historical record, spanning a period of over two millennia of Sri Lankan history. This is why the collective volumes of the Mahavamsa are treasured as the world’s longest unbroken historical record.
Mahanama Thero’s writing of the first part of the Mahavamsa was, as we wrote, greatly influenced by the Dipavamsa (Chronicle of the Island) – the earliest extant chronicle of Sri Lanka. It is believed that the Dipavamsa was the work of two authors, bhikkunis (nuns) Sivala and Maharuha from India, and was written a century earlier. B.C. Law the English translator Dipavamsa had to say the following about the accuracy of the chronicle:
“The Dipavamsa contains many stages of development concluding at different important historical events. There is an apparent lack of uniformity, an unevenness of style, incorrectness of language and metre and numerous repetitions, apart from many other imperfections which indicate it to be the outcome of a series of traditions collected together as a first attempt to record a connected history of the island”.
In his work titled On the Chronicles of Ceylon, B.C. Law states that the ‘happy coincidence’ of the date of the Buddha’s demise and the date of arrival of Vijaya, and the miraculously accurate prediction of this event by the Buddha prior to his demise, is nothing but a fabrication:
“The chronology must begin from a certain definite date, which in the case of the Ceylon chronicles is the year of Buddha’s demise, marking the starting point of the Buddha era.” […] A happy coincidence is imagined and availed to build a systematic chronology of the kings of Ceylon, the coincidence of the day of Buddha’s demise with that of the landing of the exiled prince Vijaya on the island of Lanka. A prediction is put into the mouth of the Buddha to raise the importance of his appearance on the island as the founder of the first Aryan race.”
The original Mahavamsa was first translated into German from Pali by Wilhelm Geiger in 1912, and then into English by Mabel Haynes Bode, and revised by Geiger. The first revised edition of the English translation of the Mahavamsa was published in 1837 by George Turnour, an historian and officer of the Ceylon Civil Service. Wilhelm Geiger, whose German translation of the Mahavamsa contained more than 1500 pages, summed up his opinion about the trustworthiness of the Mahavamsa as follows:
“We must not forget that the Mahavamsa is not a dry chronicle in the modern sense of the word, but a poem. In a poem embellishments and sometimes also exaggerations may occur. But within these limits I have the strong impression and whoever reads the Mahavamsa without prejudice will have the same—that the author at least wished to tell the truth. He is perhaps sometimes misled by his education and by his conviction, on account of his priestly mode of viewing things, but he never tells a falsehood intentionally”
**
According to the Mahavamsa, Lord Buddha visited the island three times during his life, nine months, five years and eight years after his Enlightenment. The sole purpose of his each visit, as narrated in the Mahavamsa, was to cleanse evil spirits from the island of Lanka, where he foresaw his teachings were destined to flourish under the custodianship of the ‘chosen people’ the Sinhala race.
The genesis of this Sinhala race – the ‘chosen’ custodians of the Buddha’s teaching, according to the Mahavamsa – starts with the sexual union between a lion and a very pretty princess called Suppadevi, who was the daughter of the King of Vanga (modern Bangladesh) and his consort the Queen of Kalinga (a region in Orissa). In the Dipavamsa, the same princess was given the name Susima.
One day when Suppadevi was travelling to Magadha country, the country where Lord Buddha lived, she fell in love with a lion. The union between princess Suppadevi/ Susima and the lion bore twins, a daughter Sinhasivali and a son Sinhabahu. Given below is the mythical episode in the Mahavamsa:
“In the Lala country a lion attacked the caravan in the forest, the other folk fled this way and that, but she fled along the way by which the lion had come. When the lion had taken his prey and was leaving the spot he beheld her from afar, love (for her) laid hold on him, and he came towards her with waving tail and ears laid back. Seeing him she bethought her of that prophecy of the soothsayers which she had heard, and without fear she caressed him stroking his limbs.
The lion, roused to fiercest passion by her touch, took her upon his back and bore her with all speed to his cave, and there he was united with her, and from this union with him the princess in time bore twin-children, a son and a daughter.
The son’s hands and feet were formed like a lion’s and therefore she named him Sinhabahu, but the daughter (she named) Sinhasivali.”
(Mahavamsa, Chapter VI The Coming of Vijaya) The highlights of the text are mine. Online access to complete Mahavamsa is available at http://lakdiva.org/mahavamsa/)
Â
Obviously, the idea of Suppadevi becoming pregnant by a lion is purely mythical. So are the many other legends and events described in the Mahavamsa. There have been no shortages of attempts to interpret this story as the princess actually becoming pregnant by a rebel with the name Sinha, meaning lion. However, the exact English translation of the original Pali text of the Mahavamsa -’waving tail and ears laid back’-Â leaves no doubt about the lion’s non-human identity.
When he reached sixteen years, Sinhabahu killed his father the lion for a reward and was offered the throne of Vanga. He declined the offer and built his own city Sinhapura in his native country Lala (modern Gujarat). Then he made his own twin sister Sinhasivali his consort – this is an act of incest, a crime punishable by law in a civilised society. It is out of this act of incest that the originator of the Sinhala race and the custodian of Buddhism, prince Vijaya, was born as the eldest of 32 children (16 twins). His younger twin brother was Sumitta.
The story of a lion mating with a human female to produce human twins, a son and a daughter and then the act of incest between the twins to produce 16 twins is not only mind-boggling but also defies wildest fantasies. This material of the Mahavamsa no doubt deserves an adults-only rating. One can only marvel at the extent of the imagination of the authors, the celibate bhikkus of the Mahavihara, who wrote these lines for the consumption of the pious general populace.
**
Then the Mahavamsa story continues with Vijaya’s banishment by his father King Sinhabahu and Vijaya’s arrival in Sri Lanka with 700 of his men, on the day of Gautama Buddha’s passing away.
The arrival of Vijaya in Sri Lanka is narrated in the Mahavamsa as follows:
“Vijaya was of evil conduct and his followers were like himself, and many intolerable deeds of violence were done by them. Angered by this the people told the matter to the king; the king, speaking persuasively to them, severely blamed. his son. But all fell out again as before, the second and yet the third time; and the angered people said to the king: `Kill thy son.’
Then did the king cause Vijaya and his followers, seven hundred men, to be shaven over half the head and put them on a ship and sent them forth upon the sea, and their wives and children also. The men, women, and children sent forth separately landed separately, each [company] upon an island, and they dwelt even there. The island where the children landed was called Nagadipa and the island where the women landed Mahiladipaka. But Vijaya landed at the haven called Suppäraka, but being there in danger by reason of the violence of his followers be embarked again.
The prince named VIJAYA, the valiant, landed in Lanka, in the region called Tambapanni on the day that the Tathagata lay down between the two twinlike sala-trees to pass into Nibbana.
Here ends the sixth chapter, called The Coming of Vijay of the Mahavamsa, compiled for the serene joy and emotion of the pious.”
(Mahavamsa Chapter VI The Coming of Vijaya)
Vijaya was the first king of Sri Lanka and ruled for 38 years from 543 BC to 504 BC. The Sinhala race is believed to have originated from King Vijaya, who first produced two children with Kuveni – a pretty witch or yakkini and who was Queen of Yakkas, whom he met on his arrival. Later Vijaya chased Kuveni and his children from the kingdom and married a princess from South India, the daughter of a Pandu King.
The Kuveni-Vijaya myth has its parallel in the encounter of Odysseus with Circe. Odysseus or Ulysses is a hero and Circe is a pretty goddess from the island of Aeaea, according to the Greek mythological poem written by the great epic poet Homer, who lived in Ionia (present day Turkey) in the 8th century BC.
**
There is archaeological and scientific evidence that humans have existed in various parts of India during the past million years. During this period Sri Lanka’s land mass was connected to India from time to time. Separation of this connection had taken place owing to the rise and fall of sea levels resulting perhaps also from global climatic changes. Sri Lanka’s last land separation from India has occurred at 7000 BP (BP stands for Before Present, which is a unit of uncalibrated time, determined by the radiocarbon dating method, according to which time is counted in years backwards from the year 1950 AD).
As BP dates are based on the level of atmospheric radiocarbon 14C or Carbon 14, which is not consistent for a given duration of time, the dates in BP are not equivalent to the dates of the Gregorian calendar, which we use. However, raw BP dates can be converted to calendar dates by using other independent methods of dating such as dendrochronology (examination of tree growth-rings).
It is evident that Sri Lanka had her first settlers from India at least as early as one million years ago. Human remains dating back to 36,000 BC were found in Sri Lanka in the Fa-Hien Cave in Balangoda, which are known as of Balangoda people, who colonised the island. Further evidence of pre-historic settlements in Sri Lanka has been discovered in two other caves, Botadomba Lena and Kitulgala Beli Lena.
The human remains discovered in these caves date back to 28,500 years and 12,000 years respectively. Numerous anthropological and archaeological similarities as shown by similarities of certain burial rites, and numerous decorative artefacts, which were discovered at historical sites in Sri Lanka, provide proof of continuous close links between the first inhabitants of the island and the early Dravidian inhabitants of Southern India.
Sinhala Buddhist nationalism, based on mythical narrations covering mere hundreds of years, has locked up and enslaved hundreds of thousands of years of island’s multicultural, multilingual and even international history. The time has come to provide our younger generation with the knowledge of the true history based on scientific facts, so that the cycle of nationalistic hatred and enslavement could be stopped, hopefully with the next generation.
It is the lack of scientific knowledge of our true history that has made generation after generation of Sinhala Buddhists myopic due to an over-strong sense of superiority and illusive legitimacy of their birthrights to the custodianship of the Island.
Yet Sri Lankans do not have to search far to find wisdom to guide them to peace, harmony and prosperity!
The great Bengali poet, philosopher, novelist, playwright, visual artist and composer Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore is just one of many who can provide this wisdom. He has written in his famous 1912 Nobel Prize winning work Gitanjali about his dreams of a free India to be. The time has been long overdue in Sri Lanka too, for people of all breeds and creeds, to free themselves from the chains of nationalistic enslavement!
Rabindranath Tagore’s own English translation reads:
     Where the Mind is Without Fear (Chiito Jetha Bhayshunyo).
“Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high; Â
Where knowledge is free;
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by domestic walls;
Where words come out from the depth of truth;
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection;
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert sand of dead habit;
Where the mind is led forward by thee into ever-widening thought and action–
Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake.”
(Gitanjali, Gurudev Rabindranat Tagore , 1912)
Gurudev Tagore’s words of wisdom have made the lyrics of the popular old Sinhala song that was written and sung by that most prominent Sinhala Buddhist singer, musician and maestro, Pandit W.D. Amaradeva. Indeed the people of Sri Lanka need to be awoken to that Haven of Freedom, where the mind will be free of nationalistic slavery and hatred.
**
The indigenous history of the Island thus dates back to many thousands of years into pre-Vijaya time. Vijaya arrived on the Island to find it inhabited by not only Kuveni and the Yakkas, but also by many other various mythical inhabitants, the Nagas, the Rakshas and the Devas. Sri Lanka has a written history of over 2500 years and archaeological evidence has shown that her unwritten history dates back to 125,000 years.
Historical records on Sri Lanka are found in the two great Indian chronicles: Mahabharata, the major Sanskrit epic of ancient India and the longest epic poem in the world containing 90,000 verses, and the other Sanskrit epic, Ramayana , with 24,000 verses dating back to a period of 500 BC-100 BC.
The ship carrying the exiled prince Vijaya and his 700 men is believed to have been swept ashore near a place called Mahanthitha (also known as, Mahavoti , Mahaputtu, Mahappattana, Lankapattana, , Mahanthota, Mataottam, Mantota, Man-ara – meaning ‘the river flowing to Mantota’ – that may have finally given the name Mannaram.) Mannaram (or Mahanthitha) has been an important ancient port, long before prince Vijaya’s arrival. It linked the Indian coast with the Persian Gulf. This ancient port has served as the Island’s window to the outside world and vice versa.
The Babylonians (people from the ancient civilization of Babylon, in 2300 BC, in the south of Mesopotamia, in modern day Iraq), the Phoenicians (ancient civilization from 1200 BC, having an enterprising maritime trading culture, in modern day Lebanon, Syria and northern Israel) and the Sumerians (the Ancient Near East or otherwise known as Ancient Orient civilization of 4000 BC, in modern day Iraq, Turkey and Egypt), and other civilizations have used the ancient port of Mannaram.
Many evidence of ancient ties of the island with the outside world make many historians believe that any one of the ancient civilizations – the Babylonians, Phoenicians or Sumerians – could have been ancestors of Kuveni and also of the Nagas, Yakshas, Rakshas and Devas, who lived on the Island long before Vijaya’s arrival.
Therefore the Sinhala race, its originator the Aryan prince Vijaya, his first wife the Yakka Queen Kuveni, and their descendants, their language that later came to be known as Sinhala, from the very start had multicultural, multilingual, multiethnic and even international backgrounds. This is not the genealogy of the ‘Arya-Sinhala Race’ that Sinhala Buddhist nationalists want to hear. Unfortunately for them these are the facts, and they are supported by scientific, historical, archaeological and anthropological studies.
Like the Sinhalese people, their language is also a cross breed of the languages that were in use on the island long before Vijaya’s arrival, and also of the Indo-Aryan language that Vijaya and his 700 companions used and brought with them. Sinhala has many words of Sumerian, Prakrit, Pali, Maghada, Sanskrit, Dravidian, Dutch, Portuguese and English origin.
The family of Dravidian languages alone consists of 70 languages, 30 -70% of which consist of Sanskrit words. The impact of Dravidian grammar on the Indo-Aryan languages is considered to be far greater than the Indo-Aryan grammatical impact on the Dravidian languages.
Similarly the written Sinhala has its origins in Brahmin script, an ancient writing system known as Abugida. More than 50% of the writing systems in the world are Abugidas – which are alpha-syllabic or syllabic writing systems in which a consonant is always followed by a vowel. The Brahmin script which provided the base for Sinhala written language was used in South Asia, Southeast Asia, Tibet, Mongolia and Manchuriya.
The concepts of a ‘thoroughbred Sinhalese race’ and a ‘thoroughbred spoken and written Sinhalese language’ are therefore nothing but myths, as obvious as the Mahavamsa myths of the leonine ancestry.
**
As the original Mahavamsa was written in Pali, only a few Sinhalese who knew Pali had access to it until its Sinhala translation appeared in 1877. The Sinhala translation of the original Mahavamsa was later updated and edited in 1935 and then in 1978. The use of the Mahavamsa as a tool for rallying Sinhala Buddhist nationalism started to become widespread as it was interpreted as a true historical chronicle of Sri Lanka and the origin of the Sinhala ethnicity.
Historians use the Mahavamsa with caution and do not use its narrations as facts of history. Alongside with many myths such as the adults-only tale of princess Suppadevi’s union with a lion and the Indian Emperor Asoka’s son (or relative, according to other records) arriving in Sri Lanka by zooming through the air, obviously were fantasies to glorify Buddhism and, as Wilhelm Geiger thought, due to the author’s Buddhist convictions ‘on account of his priestly mode of viewing things.’
However, alongside fantasies the Mahavamsa also contains some elements of facts i.e accurate details of the kings of ancient Anuradhapura. With the spread of the Sinhala translation came a dangerous escalation of the Sinhala nationalistic fervour that was built on the blind belief in the legendary mythical accounts and narrations about the heroes and kings in ancient Sri Lanka.
This lead to the strong feelings of nationalism that are still widely prevalent among the misinformed Sinhala Buddhists, who genuinely believe that the only true Sri Lankans are the Sinhala Buddhists. This means the Tamils, Muslims, Malays,Burghers, Sinhala Christians and other minorities can never be considered as true full-fledged Sri Lankans.
Lawrence J. Zwier has written a number of books as part of a series called World in Conflict. In his 96 page book titled Sri Lanka: War-Torn Island he explains how the Mahavamsa has been used by the Sinhala Buddhist nationalistic politicians to implant the idea of justification of their birth right to rule the Island.
“Even in translation, the chronicles were difficult to use as historical sources. The Mahavamsa was written hundreds of years after some of the events it describes. Alongside passages that seemed factual – the name of the king or location of his court – were such obviously nonfactual accounts as the story of a person zooming through the air. The Mahavamsa and other chronicles sometimes contradicted one another, with different accounts of Vijaya and his origins, for example. The biggest problem was that the chronicles were written mainly to glorify Buddhism in Sri Lanka, not to record objectively what happened.
The greatest importance of the Mahavamsa is not as history but as a symbol.- and as a motivating force behind Sinhala Nationalism. A Sinhalese politician speaking in public is likely to mention incidents from Mahavamsa as evidence of the long and distinguished history the Sinhalese have in Sri Lanka. But Sinhalese political and religious leaders also use Mahavamsa stories as evidence that the whole island should be ruled by Sinhalese Buddhists.”
There are quite a number of discrepancies in the Mahavamsa compared to other historical, archaeological and scientific records. Thus Dr. G.C. Mendis, Lecturer in History, University of Ceylon, in his foreword to the 1950 edition of The Mahavamsa (The Great Chronicle of Ceylon), translated into English by Wilhelm Geiger, assisted by Mable Haynes Bode Ph.D, discusses at length these discrepancies as quoted below. Defrayed by the Ceylon Government Information Department, this edition of the Mahavamsa was published in 1950 (and is available on line at: http://www.sinhalanet.com/Introductionpart1.pdf )
On the trustworthiness of the Sri Lankan chronicles Dr. Mendis writes:
“A very trenchant verdict is pronounced by V.A. Smith in his “Asoka”, on the Ceylonese Chronicles. He says in the plainest fashion: ‘in this work ( i.e. in the Asoka) the Ceylonese chronology prior to B.C. 160 is absolutely and completely rejected, as being not merely of doubtful authority but positively false in its principal propositions.’ (V.A. Smith: Asoka the Buddhist Emperor of India, page 57) […]
“These Sinhalese stories the value of which has been sometimes overestimated, demand cautious criticism at least as much as do other records of popular and ecclesiastical tradition” ( Dr. V.A. Smith: Early history of India, 2nd edition 1908, page 9)
Dr. Mendis agrees:
“The warning to handle critically, which the excellent historian considers necessary with regard to the Ceylonese Chronicles, is certainly justified. It applies to all historical documents, and I have no intention at all disputing the justice of it.” ( page XIII , Introduction, Mahavamsa 1950 edition published by the Ceylon Government Information Department)
According to the Mahavamsa and the Dipavansa, the son (Mahinda) and the daughter (Sangamitta) of the Indian Emperor Asoka were responsible for converting the King of Lanka and his people to Buddhism. However, Dr. V.A. Smith names the story in the Mahavamsa, related to this conversion as nothing but a ’tissue of absurdities’ (V.A. Smith, Asoka page 45)”.
Prof. Herman Oldenberg (1854-1920), the great German scholar of Indology and professor, studied and researched the Buddha and his teachings in Pali. His study on the Buddha, published in 1881, helped popularize Buddhism and still remains continuously in print. In association with Thomas William Rhys Davids (1843 -1922), the British scholar of the Pali language, he founded the Pali Text Society in 1881. Professor Oldenberg translated three volumes of Vinaya Pitakaya texts and many other Pali texts and sutras into English. Thus the contributions made by these German and British scholars in providing broader access to the Buddhist scriptures written originally in Pali, (the language in which the texts of the Theravada school of Buddhism is preserved) are enormous.
In Herman Oldenberg’s assessment the stories related to the conversion of Sri Lanka to Buddhism by Mahinda and Sangamitta are pure inventions. As referred to by G.C. Mendis in The Mahavamsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon (1950 edition, page xvi and xvii) there are doubts as to why Asoka in his 13th century Rock Edicts, in the Rock-Edict XIII in particular, has failed to mention his own son Mahinda and daughter Sangamitta being handed over to the temple, and also their role in converting the Sri Lankan king to Buddhism.
Asoka, the Mayura emperor, whose imperial name was Devanampriya Priyadarsi, ruled from 273 to 232 BC. His Rock Edicts belong to the 13th year (260 BC) of his rule and the conversion of the Sri Lankan King to Buddhism took place – according to Sri Lankan chronicles – in the 18th year (255 BC) of Asoka’s rule. The contradiction is that there is a five year discrepancy between Asoka’s edict entries about the missionaries having already been dispatched to Sri Lanka, and the Mahavamsa records of the actual arrival of the missionaries in Sri Lanka. This is beyond comprehension.
Although the Mahavamsa says that Asoka handed over his own children to the temple and sent them to Sri Lanka to convert the King of Sri Lanka to Buddhism, Asoka has made no mention of this in his own Edicts.
The question that begs an answer is: if Mahinda and Sangamitta were really handed over to the temple to become Buddhist missionaries, and if they did really convert the Sri Lankan King Devanampiya Tissa to Buddhism, why would Asoka their father have neglected to record these important events in his own edicts? The name Sangamitta is, as V.A. Smith thinks, suspicious from its very meaning.
**
As long as the mythical stories of Mahavamsa are being elevated to reverence as historical proof of the origins of the Sinhala race and their historical mission as custodians of Buddhism, there will be no true understanding of our common true history.
The teaching of our history should not be twisted and turned to inspire illusive nationalistic superiority of one ethnicity against the other. All those who are born in Sri Lanka, who live and breathe on the paradise island of Sri Lanka today, do descend from shared common origins and are entwined together with one common history, common dreams, hopes for a peaceful prosperous future. We all have collective ownership of our common heritage. We all, with no exception!, should have equal birth rights to get inspiration from our common history and common heritage.
The Mahavamsa with all its historical importance, enormity and glory, should be only treated as the oldest and longest mythical chronicle, a historical poem written by great creative authors.
The wild fantasies of ’Lion Ancestry’ and the myths about the origin of the Sinhala race as pre-destined, true custodians of the island of Sri Lanka and guardians of Buddhism – should be put to rest among the other mythical fairy tales. This needs courage and wisdom from grass root level, as it takes a lot to stand against the nationalistic agenda and the divisive nationalistic culture driven by Sinhala political leadership at the top.
The sooner we gather courage to start this process, the better it would be for this generation and many generations to come, as this is the only way to save Sri Lanka from the strangling stronghold of the evil twins of nationalism and terrorism on each side of the ethnic divide, and their profiteers.
[This article written by Dr. Lankamithra Fernando has been published elsewhere earlier. Acceding to a request, the author sent this directly to the FederalIdea]
In Picture: Sri Lanka flag during a midday summer breeze at the Rockefeller Center, New York City, July 2007 – by TK
Gamini said,
July 23, 2007 @ 11:27 pm
The Mahavampsa is an impressive chronicle of our country, any fool who picks up the Geiger transaltion knows that it is not a dry chronicle in the traditional sense beacsue it is wriiten in the first two pages ! give me a break.
If you think we need to write 5000 word articles on why the Sinhalese need to be careful about beleiving every word in Mahavampsa & Dip you are treating ordinary people with contempt !
To the author I say dont be embarassed about your cultural heritage, embrace it !
Lodhi said,
July 23, 2007 @ 11:28 pm
Why is it that the authors such as yourself don’t questions and mock the millions of literate and presumably sane Jews & Muslims when they claim to be the “chosen people” based on the Torah and Koran which historians agree have also been re-interpreted many times through history and contain the odd miraculous event.
Jeronimo Azavedo said,
July 23, 2007 @ 11:45 pm
The Lion myth is no different to the Roman myth of the wolf and the Romulous and Remus story about the founders of Rome.
The Mahavamsa has not been read by even 10% of the Sinhala population of Sri Lanka and it is doubtful if it even enters the conversation of rural folk even once a year.
As for nationalism, I would think that white Americans are more nationalistic that the Sinhalese.
kind regards
Jeronimo Azavedo
MONI FERNANDO said,
July 24, 2007 @ 12:08 am
Most Sri Lankans believe that we are pure Aryan. Why is it that our physical characteristics and appearance is more Bangladeshi than North Indian.
The above article is an absolute gem. I will require to read and re read this and then understand and accept all of this.
Dr. Gasbanda Fenando said,
July 24, 2007 @ 12:20 am
Who is Dr.Lankamithra Fernando
Jude said,
July 24, 2007 @ 12:49 am
Dr. Fernando’s article is an eye opener. Unfortunately, it is in English and in Internet, thus, it does not reach the common Sinhala populace to whom it is intended to.
S Jayasinghe said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:16 am
Dr Fernando main assumption is that the Mahawansa plays a key role in Sinhala Buddhist nationalism. Is this correct? It maybe one factor. I shall be very grateful if he could submit studies to prove his assumption. Are there any qualitative studies to support it? Any surveys? I too have no such studies to prove the contrary, however, this line of thinking was repeatedly stated in the recent past by Mr Anton Balasingham.
dhanushka said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:18 am
……. a normal buddhist dont think any of these.. some people just try to post anti sinhala, anti buddhist posts so their writings will get promoted in Tamil websites.. who are always on the look to attack sinhalese or buddhists..
shanka said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:28 am
Silly
citizen of srilanka said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:33 am
Dr.Fernando,
Please do not bring your childhood saga to tell a story. You realy sound as of a depressed child who is trying to rebel against your parents.
Why not try telling an american america belongs to indians and not for the white american, try telling an australian to whom their country belongs to. Please do not try to look smart by spitting on your own face
Ranjith Subasinghe said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:41 am
This whole thing is a rubbish one. This fellow only qouting certain books and paras which are critical about Budhism and Sinhalese. Therefore, do not worry about this guy’s imaginations. He should have a good sleep. When you read this you can see the true colours of tigers. He just tried to pretend that he is a Sinhalese. Sinhalese are more advanced than you think. Whatever it is Sri Lanka should be ruled by the majority giving due right to the minority. That is the true democracy. A country who ruled by a minority is not sustainable. i.e. former South Africa.
Ananda Markalanda said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:43 am
There is no need to bash Mahavansa mentality of Sri Lankans as most of the Sri Lankansm don’t read the European translations but the local translations. The empathy of “Lankamithra” Fernando confuse the reader. Mahavansa is not a textbook in Sri Lankan schools.
Ultimately though, this is where heritage lies. In the minds and customs of those who are alive today.
The concept eluding the word ‘heritage’ is an attitude to place, a respect for memory and an ease with the long history of forms and flows which can make design resonate. We need to revive a thought process which loves to understand how we got here and uses it as a spring board for the understanding Sri Lanka’s unique culture coined by many influences on this small Island. It’s an inspiration. The historical monuments of Sri Lanka reflect the ultimate realization of the country’s impressive past lives in the evidence even today. Perhaps our historical ruins has evoked as much awe and admiration from academis and travellers alike as recorded in Mahavansa.
Heritage uses historical traces and tells historical tales. These tales and traces are stitched into the fabric of identity of many nations .
Historians’ revisions must conform with accepted tenets of evidence while heritage is more flexibly emended. Everyone accepts and knows this.
Ananda said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:58 am
This is a good article. Both Sinhalese and Tamils believe in their ethnic superiority.
To achieve peace in Sri Lanka both communities should understand that they have common heritage.
They should also understand that both Sinhala speaking Sri Lankns, and Tamil speaking Sri Lankans are one ethnic group.
jan said,
July 24, 2007 @ 2:10 am
Unfortunately the sinhala western educated people continue to accept that the sinhala people are the cause of the present crisis.Do I hear anything from the tamils about there behavior of favoratism and there unjust demands such as 50-50.No never.The main problem in the present crisis is the arragonce with which the tamils behave , wishing a dominant position they held during the colonial regimes.Unless there is compromise and dialog there will never be a solution to this crisis.
s.sraik said,
July 24, 2007 @ 2:17 am
The period 500 B.C has been extensively accepted as the period Buddha was born.This timing has been questioned lately.This is due to the reason that ,The hindu titual and practises prevailing at that time was one of the reasons,which was not acceptable to Siddharta.This period where these hindu rituals were introdued to replace 200-300 years B.C.Hence there is already a call to revise the timing of buddhas existence to this period.
This supports the point brought about by the author that the timing of Vijya/Buddha is a myth.
ongratulatios tor.Lankamithra Fernando for writing this detailed essay,very indepth analysis with researched facts.A must read for both the communities in Sri-lanka and their respective diaspora.
Sanjaya Prasad said,
July 24, 2007 @ 2:34 am
Dear Federalidea,
It is quite interesting topic and i would really appreciate the effort you have put up to write this.
As it is the case i am also a sinhala buddhist where i do not agree 100% on what you have written. I am not a historian nor i have attended Sunday scholls nor my relatives is renowned in the Sinhala Buddhist activities.
For me “Mahavansaya” is a history which is written in more story telling, mythical way. If you read through it most of can understand most of the facts are illaberated exceeding the actual reality. But no body can wholehertedly deny it’s findings. If you compare all the historical books which is related to sri lankan history you can understand the true picture.
For me Nationalism is good as long as you respect other people. In here you have quoted renowned FORIEGN scholars. I would surely go through local and other asian people before making my mind as they are correct.
For one last thing regarding King Asoka refer to indian hitory books also before making any comment on mahinda and Sangamitta thero. According to my knowledge in one of his carvings (Asoka Stupa) he has mentioned about mahinda and sangamitta thera.
For me we have far more greater history than Mahavansaya is telling. Like from King Ravana. Do not put your self in a box and think about history.Just go beyond and think it in a free mind set.
Roy said,
July 24, 2007 @ 4:16 am
Hi Sir
You could have given the same advise or the message easily to the readers without talking about the book call Mahawah.. and the religion called Buddhism. I thoroughly accept the fact that the unity is important among all the parties but instead of taking about it you were, in some ways trying to provoke some part of the population.
Thanks
Roy.
S.B. Atugoda said,
July 24, 2007 @ 4:22 am
Before criticizing a Doctrine and a Philosopy the learned professor should have made an in-depth study of it. Half-baked intellectualism makes noises like hollow pot.
Theshara Jayasinghe said,
July 24, 2007 @ 4:59 am
then what would you call the Bible ??Is it a great .Philosophical writing or a bogus mythology or (conical in your terms)! One chapter of Mahavamsa yet has more evidence to prove itself than that of whole bible (which I believe kind of a “Chronicles of Narnia” ).So how many religious text you want to make out of Mahavamsa is your call.
wassa said,
July 24, 2007 @ 5:01 am
am sorry to hear about the strict way you were brought up by your parents.Psychologically you were in a very bad state and in your mind you wanted to get revenge for that.Anyway in all countries there are myths and legends people carry from generation to generation.
There are no historical facts about the feeding of two babies by a wolf when you study about Roman history.But if you go to Rome then you can observe how the wolf became the symbol of Rome along with Rmeo and Remu(In Italian language).Many places in Rome you can see the symbol of Wolf and also the two babies sucking milk from it.The famous Rome foot ball team (A.S.Roma)has the head of the wolf in their flag.Nobody ever challange these kind of things which are realted to myths and legends of a country.It is the same like the miracles of Jesus or Buddha or any other founder of a religion.
But what it hurt you most is your strict up bringing and the revenge against the lost childhood by trying to attck all the mythological or legendary background of a nation.Unfortunately some people use very strict ways in handling issues for political reasons.But instead of trying to attack their personal views it is much more damaging to the society to try to destroy legendarical and mythological beliefs.
Not only in Sigiriya but all along the Singhalese history you can see the way they venerated Buddhism and defend Sri Lanka making our legends and myths as a glue to protect all of us.Had it not been for the for the legends and myths acted as a glue to protect our nation(to make Singhalese as a nation and the protectors of Buddhism then you would not been here to critsise Singhalese historians!Thank them. My great grand dad’s brother was a Sangha Raja but our buddhist families never acted in tyrant ways like your’s in brought us up.Remeber that it was Singahalese kings who let moors to settle down in our country and also let Tamils to construct Kovils in Sri lanka.So if you read our history in a different view point than the revenge in your mind you will understand how many Singahalese kings respected other religions.But if you study European history you can read about inqusition and other massacres as well as the Jews fighting for their promised land according to their legendaries.
Thank you.
wassa said,
July 24, 2007 @ 5:09 am
I strongly suspect your credentials and your ethnic group because the names you used in the Buddhist sunday school are not very common.There are many people who are not Singhalese use Singhala names to attack the Singahlese history and legends these days.
They never talk about the wrong or right about the myths of Kataragama or other things.One who talked about king Devanampiyatissa did not even know he believed in Sun god and Moon god.People like Dr.Hoole said King Kashyapa was tamil because his name was Kasiappa.He did not even know that Kassapa is a sanscrit name and Buddha had a disciple called Kassapa!
gMARALA said,
July 24, 2007 @ 5:30 am
The Mahavamsa is lie and there is fabricate history.
According the Mahavamsa , all the people and the religions came from India. The only matter is who came first.
Still some Sri Lankan carry the DNA of the lions – their for-father.
They are not interested in solving the problem
Rohitha Prasanna said,
July 24, 2007 @ 5:55 am
When I read this article what I felt was all Mahavansa/deepavansa/chulawansa are utterly false fairy tailse and all western or non Sri lankan prfessors, poets etc. and their studies, publications are great even if those studeis, thisis were based on our own Mahawamsa/chuylawamsa etc. You can see all western people named as ” great”.
Mahawamasa might have some exagerations but I do not believe that hundred percent fabrications were included.
I could not understand what he really wanted to convince us. I have some doubt whether this article is part of his thisis of which would be submitted for his doctorate in due course.
I wish i had a astrel body by which i could be able to search his wordrobe for rest of the article.
K.R.J.Silva said,
July 24, 2007 @ 6:49 am
?
2ndClassTamil said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:10 am
My early education was in Matara – in Sinhalese only. I am familiar with the brainwashing in history that went on in schools there 50 years ago. Add Dhutugamunu & Co.; it’s high TNT stuff (with which I was humiliated in the classroom). But one always knew how laughably untrue the stories were and I suspect the average Johnny thought so too. But you can’t deny the political purpose behind these mythical stories. In that sense I suspect they are serving the purpose very well & will be hard to dispel. I applaud Dr Fernando for his courage; not so much for educating the public, but for taking on the politicised clergy & the opinion makers.
Ravi Randeniya said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:13 am
Anyone who calls Kollupitiya – Copetty is traitor and it is pure bs to hypnotize a theory that has no bearing on who we were and who we are today. This is an attempt to undermine the Sinhala position in the current ethnic conflict.
P.Nathan said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:24 am
It is refreshing to see the myths of Mahavamsa being exposed/demolished by a sinhalese scholar.
Anonymous said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:53 am
good article
sisira jayasuriya said,
July 24, 2007 @ 8:40 am
Thanks for writing this. At this time when not just the Sri Lankan press but also the expatriate Sri Lankan newspapers and websites are full of stories about the glorious (and very recent) animal origins of our ancestors there are Sinhalese who can be rational, objective and sensible. I ahope your article can be translated and published in Sinhalese and Tamial – I am just reading Prof indrapala’s “Evolution of an Ethnic Identity” and wish that it too can be translated and published in both Sinhalaese and Tamil. I must confess that the behaviour of some of our fellow members of the ethnic group does suggest that their cliamed recent animal orgin myth may have some validity after all!
Ranjan said,
July 24, 2007 @ 8:43 am
This writer, Dr.Lankamithra Fernando is an ignorance person who has no any knowledge on the basis of Buddhism or the Singhalese living in the Island. This person is only talking according to an agenda .
Harshana said,
July 24, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Dr.Lankamithra Fernando,
You have produced a very unbalanced article with a premeditated attempt the undermine the historical significance of
Mahawamsa. You have tried to highlight the obviously mythical stories in Mahawamsa. You have mischievously forgotten that all ancient epics belonging to most of the ancient civilizations were full of mythical stories. Eg. Mahabharatha, Ramayanaya, The Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature – Cilappatikaram, Manimegalai, Civaka Cintamani, Valayaapathi and Kundalakesi .
Sinhalese history is not built on Mahawamsa, BUT on abundant archaeological findings spread throughout the island, which support the details in Mahawamsa. There are thousands of inscriptions to build our history upon.
Today no Sinhalese Buddhist believe that they are the sons of Vijaya. We believe that we are a mixture of Aryans+Dravidians+Veddas.
Dr.Lankamithra Fernando, you cannot deny that this mixed nation has built one of the greatest civilizations of ancient world. If you don’t trust Mahawamsa, go to our great cities like Anuradhapura or Polonnaruwa and see the wonders of ancient Buddhist civilization that existed in Sri Lanka.
But the problem is that being a member of this mixed community why don’t I understand Tamil at all.
That is because, this mixed nation went downwards after great famine and malaria epidemic spread after the invasion of Magha. Some also went to North.
Later Tamils from south India came to Northern parts of the island and due to less interactions with the south, the mixing process halted and Sinhalese became a distinct nation.
This fact is known to all of us and that does not undermine the
rights of the Sinhalese to this island, as today they are a completely different community with a unique culture and a language. (otherwise there could not be a misunderstanding between Sinhalese and Tamils)
By undermining the Sinhala Buddhist civilization, you cannot build ethnic harmony. What should be done is to respect it while making an understanding of the true history of other communities of Sri Lanka. This should be done with the aim of building a mutual respect not a mutual hatred.
In my opinion, Dr.Lankamithra(!?) Fernando, your article produce the latter of the two.
B Dhanapala said,
July 24, 2007 @ 12:17 pm
My simple comment is that this is a political article.
The Italinns have a myth about Rome being founded by foster children of wolves, the Hindus have a myth about coming from the shoulder of the Brahma; the Catholics beieve, every Sunday, that a piece of bread becomes flesh, and the wine becomes blood, and then you don’t become a cannible by eating this flesh. Every country and every faith has its own myth. What does Mr. Fernado and his Catholic ancestors beieve in? memebership in the chosen race or anger towards the chosen race?
This artcile has NO HISTORICAL SCHOLARLY VALUE, it is a POLITICAL POLEMIC.
Nissanka said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:11 pm
I am a Christian and descended from what is so called sinhalese origin. I have a long family history and was proud to be Sri Lankan. But now from what I hear from the so called highly erudite Buddhist monks day and night I feel disgusted to call myself a sinhalese. According these so called educated proffessors who bark over the tv very specially you are not sinhalese unless you are Buddhist. I have been in foreign countries and I know how it is to a foreigner. But now I feel it is better to be in a foreign country than to be in Sri Lanka where your birth right is not recognized or at least demanded to be not recognized by the Buddhist fanatics (not the uneducated or less educated)
Concerned Canadian said,
July 24, 2007 @ 1:57 pm
Do not dwell in the past nor the history books. Preach non-violence and coexistance. Do not try to divide peoples, but try and unify them. It is good history lesson but I do nt see the significance w.r.t. what is happening today. Your fellow contymen are enslaved in the middle-east due to inaction from your government. Stop this violence and be productive.
s.sraik said,
July 24, 2007 @ 2:06 pm
Dr.Fernando
Do not get disheartened by reading these comments.you have produced enough analysis,and some people do not want to understand or accept,when it hurts their wish.Take for example the e myth of RAmar’s bridge across the Sethu Samudram,the fanatic hindus are objecting.This is also a myth..
Most of the commetators has missed totally the points you have put across.
Please continue your good work,it will be better if you can translate this article in Sinhalese and Tamil.Perhaps someone should publish abook and make it available to all the tamils and sinhalese.
Suresh M said,
July 24, 2007 @ 3:27 pm
Wow, what a ‘Talibanic’ response to Dr. Fernando’s article!!. Honestly, I didn’t expect this kind of response from so many civilized people. I thought most of the Sri Lankans are well read, and rational people.
2550 years ago, Siddhartha became enlightened one, or Buddha and helped suffering mankind with his teachings. Now, in Sri Lanka, only scholars who has courage can enlighten the masses of this madness that is let out in the name of Mahavamsa. Only change in Sinhala Buddhist attitude towards minorities would enable to attain a lasting peace in the Island.
You can’t expect any Sinhala leaders, or Buddhist Monks to speak out as they are the prime beneficiary of these madness.
In two great Hindu epics of Mahabharata, and Ramayana there are far more unbelievable stories were written. Except for a few hardcore Hindu fundamentalist, most of the Hindus read them for fun. Do they belive them? Example in Ramayana (1) Ram had built the ‘Sethu’ or Adam’s bridge between Mannar and Thanuskodi in India. (2) The evil king Ravan (Eela_Venthan) who had ruled from Trincomalee as his capital, owned float ( Airborne vehicle) called ‘Pushbuck_Vimanam’ means aero plan made out of Flowers. He flew all the way to middle part of India to kidnap Ram’s wife Seetha.
rohana arambewala said,
July 24, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
It is sad to read such article written by a scolar. He should know the basic in getting a Docterate is thorough research and prove your hypothesis beyond any doubt with facts. He has not presented any evidence to prove his points. So i would like to challenge him to provide the evidence on what he is talking about or he should be willing to face a debate with people who has better knowledge about buddhism. I would also like to challenge him to say the same thing about Christianity and Islam.
I would like attach a qoute by Mr. Charles Perera I read about his article here.
” The display of his ignorance of Buddhism is apparent, when he says, “…….Buddhism as a philosophy is contradictory and illogical within itself. On one hand according to Buddhism this life is nothing but suffering. The reason for the suffering is “Vana” or craving. Get rid of the craving and you will arrive at “Nirvana” the utmost stage in Buddhism the enlightenment and your cycle of reincarnation will stop. The contradiction is-without craving, desires to interact with the world, the mankind will cease to exist. If our ancestors followed real Buddhism, any one of us would not have been here. The world would have ended long back. ”
He with his doctorate in philosophy of technical science, is philosophically an ignoramus. Therefore, no amount of commenting on his essay will help him rid himself of his prejudice towards Buddhist philosophy, and the teachings of the Buddha. The advice one could give him is to come to Sri Lanka and study Buddhism, before he makes further comparisons of Greek Philosophy and the teachings of the Buddha’.
KASSYAPA said,
July 24, 2007 @ 6:47 pm
Lankamithra
First of all my hats off to you, as you may have read still there are LOONIES still thrive on histroy and superiority. Still there are people who call them self “SINGHA -LAY” obviously reffering to animal origins. What readers should understand is histroy is some thing either mythical or events happend in the past no need to thrive on it now if that’s not beneficial for a country or for her people.
I wish more and more moderate , constructive and people of any ethnic origin should publish good articles which will may people think twice before they open their mouth and pens.
janani said,
July 24, 2007 @ 7:57 pm
Interesting article. many sri lankan buddists would not want to objectively evaulate your viewpoints, let alone accepting it.
But from what I have seen in 1983 and then later in jaffna during my childhood, many buddists will kill, torture and rape in the name of Budda. so I am not surprised that there so much of hate comments.
Raj said,
July 25, 2007 @ 12:52 am
Every year we see a few article of this nature by so called Sinhalese intellectuals who feel the need to belittle their own culture and history by making false assumptions and assertions. Intentionally or otherwise they are attempting to do what the colonialists never managed to do, and that is to bury our history, culture and heritage.
Despite your rigorous Buddhist education you don’t seem to understand that Sinhalese Buddhists adhere to the “the teaching, the teacher and the taught” not the Mahavhampsa or Dipvhampsa or Culvhampsa, these are not apart of the Pali cannon.
The value of these documents is historical, they chronicle the arrival and propagation of Buddhism in the island we now call Sri Lanka. Many noted historians (Shaw etc) agree that all though the chronicles contain embellishments which are to be viewed as “ornaments or decorations” to the key narration consistent with the contemporary style, the chronicles provide the most valuable account of the island with substantial body of evidence in their favour.
Mahinda said,
July 25, 2007 @ 2:38 am
This man seems to be lost in his claimed one sided education which is West sided, tramplled by Western Imperialism (Duped Democrazy and One Sided Conceptual Science)
No race despite ample evidance of Archelogical to prove there ws a SInhala Civilization. According to his argument, there acnnot be a Nation called American all powerfull by now on the globe with their fire power, emposing iron fist on other secular nations.
Then the Australian nation, those British invaders, virtually persecuted, killed and sent to extintion the Aborigins and own the land and with scuh a shorth history the Americans,. The Australians claim that they are superior to other nations, but what the write should understand is that Sri lanka had a mach longer civilization coupled with fine irrigation and engineering and a self satisfied and contended society under the kings who rulled this land and the archelogical evidence is all there to prove it while there is nothing for those calimed to be most powerfull and cillized on the earth who use their fire power and military against other secular nations.
Your much claimed Science is nothing other than a crap which cannot find any permanent solution to the human conflicts or problems, not it can offer any salvation to the recycling of life.
Please do not disgrace your own Nation, Your own Religin or Philosophy. I know what the American, Australian or Western way of looking at others.
Try to see some light than dark
May you be happy and well,
MAHINDA
L Bandara said,
July 25, 2007 @ 3:33 am
You have written nearly 300 words trying to reiterate that you are a ?Sinhala Buddhist?. Also you use a (probably assumed) Sinhalese first name. That does not prove anything as you could have changed your religion
Sanjeewa said,
July 25, 2007 @ 5:53 am
Dear Dr. Fernando
I would like to discuss this subject with you. But I am studying for an exam mid August hence very busy.Could you kindly send your e mail address to sanjee203@yahoo.com.au I would be most grateful
Regards
Sanjee
Melbourne
anu Liyanage said,
July 25, 2007 @ 11:35 am
Is he a Dr of the calibre of Dr Senarath Paranwithana or of Dr Mervyn Silva the Parlimentarian?
Ruwan Amarakoon said,
July 25, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
Good! Sri Lanka doesn’t belong to Sinhala Buddhists according to Frnando. Then similarly, Tamils do can’t claim home lands (because accoring to Frnando Sinhala too doesn’t have a land to claim as their own!). It means there should not be Eelam. Sri Lanka for all communities.
Luckey said,
July 25, 2007 @ 7:53 pm
A regurigitated collection of psuedo analysis that is neither scholarly nor fair or balanced.
I’am gald to see people have seen it for what it is.
Ron Jeremy said,
July 26, 2007 @ 7:24 am
Mahavamsa is true
NAOMI said,
July 26, 2007 @ 8:09 am
I wish to comment on this
NAOMI said,
July 26, 2007 @ 8:29 am
This guy is not a doctor. He starts with a big bang about his ancestors devotion to Buddhsm but does not reveal him self.If SLd oes not belong to Sinhalese people to whom does it belong? If you reveal yourself I will explainthe real facts behind the so called myth in Mahawansa.When some body wins a gold medal that countrie’s flag is hoisted and national anthem sung.ButUS does not hoist the Red Indian flag or Aussies the Aboroginal flag.This guy has not studied political science and does not know how a nation gets ownership of a country.Leaving aside historical evidence why don’t this guy demand US and Aussies to immediately vacate US and Australia respectively and go back to UK.He has obviously not watched the Maha Sinhalaye Wansa Kathaawa telecasted by Swarnawaahinee where true professionals discussed this issue.Being a doctor my self I think he is wrong.
Sanjeewa said,
July 26, 2007 @ 9:57 pm
This gentleman whose entire family tree has been Sinhalese Buddhists and also claiming to be a doctor has totally forgotten to site the interpretations of prominent and world famous Historians and archeologists in the likes of Prof Senarath Paranawithana. Dr. Shiran Daraniyagala, Prof Mandis Rohanadeera,Prof J.R.P. Suriyapperuma. It is obvious that he is biased.What is better than getting a person acting like Sinhalese Buddhist to criticise his own nationso that no body can question it. 3 cheers.On my flight to Australia I found a person very much similar to this.By the way did you all see the Lord Buddha’s statue (Only releigous leader to preach total non violence) being printed on Nestle’s Beef flavoured Maggie Noodles?
Amitabh Anthonypillai said,
July 27, 2007 @ 8:02 am
Very interesting indeed; its not too hard to comprehend how fast the healing process would begin when one goes through the comments.
Eric Nirmalan said,
July 28, 2007 @ 10:52 pm
Mitra Fernando has certianly lost the wood for the trees. By attempting this academic and philosophical discourse, he would certainly be derailed.
As a corollary to Mitra’s comments which is being lapped up by some, we have to accept that there are extreme elements in every ethnic/ social group. That does not make the Sri Lankan Tamils to either swallow all that is propogated by the racist elements in the LTTE lobby or gulp down Mitra’s attack on a few Sinhalese.
The Sinhalese in the present form are a mix of the aborigines and the many settlers and the visitors to the island. There is no debate about it. Even in the recent centuries many European, Indian, African, Javanese and Malay troops and administrators stayed back and made their home both in the north and the south. However a handful of us are very concious of our lineage, whether be Tamil, Sinhalese or Moors or others, and we have to accept that position as they are able to show historical records in proof, out side of a DNA test.
Attacks on symbols is a clear way to create controversy and make ones presence felt to the community, or to the world at large. What difference do I see in Mitra’s trashing of the Sinhaese historical traditions of the Mahavamsa and the Taliban detroying the majestic Buddha statues created by their ‘own’ ancestors.
But for others, leaving aside the vituperous and blown up ‘academic discourse’ red herring on the Leonine ancestory, none would really care very far in the their own history or about their lineage. Do we know what our own ancestors were doing on a particular day the e.g. 29 July 1888 to trace anyone purity !
Using simple mathematics and working backwords over the centuries, if our anestors were a floating population we will have some genetic connection to 100,000 persons who lived circa 1500 AD. But as we were more caste based and village based that number will reduced very much due to kinship marriage.
So, the world is not that unrealistic as Mitra makes it to be. He has first chosen his answers,and then found a scapegoat of the Mahavamsa to unload it on. So,Mitra’s attempt to launch on to the academic circuit will only see a still birth, soon.
Where the present Sri Lankan conflict is concerned, other than a handful, all Sinhalese accept that it is not an issue of checking on the DNA or blood sampling, rather an issue of whether all Sri Lankans can provide an environment to live as a island single nation, based on proven historial facts.
Those historical facts are only needed on a ‘as needed basis’ to counter fictitious claims that have menaced and destroyed several generations of our innocent Tamil youth. The Tamil Homeland concept or the Areas of Traditional Habitation where other Sri Lankans are treated as outcasts is one such claim. It is not the Mahavamsa that comes to the aid on this matter, but many other historial records.
The historical documents on Lanka are treasures to all Sri Lankans irrespective of ethnicity, and need to be proud of as only a few nations have this luxury. Verbal poetic tradition and not computers or word processing was in vogue at the time in all cultures, whether be India or in Jaffna as late as the Dutch period. Jaffnaptnam’s Yalpana Vaipava Malar was the first dedicated document on Jaffnapatnam, and was poetic. Similarly so, with the the ancient Mahavamsa on the Sinhlese tradition with a Buddhist focus.
When people get too dazzled by western modernities they tend to go blind to reason, and tend to make a noises.
Gajan said,
July 30, 2007 @ 1:41 am
I look forward to this authors treatment debunking other mythologies such as the Koran, bible, ramayana etc should be fascinating.
Of course this will never happen because unlike the sinhalese who tolerate this kind of nonsence these other communities wont stand for misguided scholars trampling on their basic beleifs & philosophies.
Saravanaraj said,
July 30, 2007 @ 11:19 am
Dear Dr Fernando and Federalidea,
I am not here to dispute the authenticity of the article by so called Dr Fernando but I think this kind of articles will further widen the much damaged relation between two communities.
You don’t need to be a historian to know that Tamils and Sinhalese were lived in this country for more then 1000 years. Being a Tamil, I too have Sinhalese relations and I believe all most all Tamils and Sinhalese having some sort of relationship or friendship between each other, Let us build the understanding relationship between each other not insulting the communities like this article.
I would like to read articles which will strengthen the relation between two major communities
Dr Leo Fernando said,
July 30, 2007 @ 2:21 pm
Mahawansa is not a book on Sri Lanka’s history it was done to glorify the works of the kings of Lanka
Insulting another culture, religion and people does not make you a better person.
You dont have to be a Sinhala Buddhist to be a proud Sri Lankan. Buddha was not a Sri Lankan nor a Sinhalese.
Bavantha said,
July 31, 2007 @ 1:25 pm
This is a great article. Just because I am sinhalese I do not have to beleive in sinhalese mythology(which is bull crap).No, most muslims&jews dont beleive in their mythology(only radicals do). let us be normal human beings and treat everyone equally.
Tilak said,
August 3, 2007 @ 12:13 pm
Why should we get upset when someone points out the obvious myths in Mahavansha such as Lion mating a woman and giving birth to 2 children who themselves mate and giving 32 children-the ancestors of our race. Lets be reasonable and sensible and shed our superiority complex treat the fellow countryman like our brothers and sisters.
Darren said,
August 5, 2007 @ 7:25 pm
If this guy thinks Sinhalese takes Mahavansa literally then what is the point of even reading this article. I skimmed through most of this rubbish article and I must say you can sense this is rather aimed at stirring controvesy rather than present a valid argument.
Like the holy bible Mahavans depicts true historical facts utilising a bit of fantasy to make the story more interesting.
Half the golbes population including 99% of the western world believe that christ resurrected after dying on the cross. And you blame Sri Lankans believing mythical stories? This was standard practice among scholoars around that time. It is called story telling. Just because it is glamourised it does not mean it is not true. You have to read between the lines to get the essence of it.
I don’t even rely on Mahavansa to determine who the true rulers of Sri Lanka should be.
Anyway..bottom line. Over 70% of the population majority is Sinhalese!! SInhalese is only unique to this Island. Rich cultural heritage and countless archeological relics to support our civilisation. Put your phd aside and think sceintifcally and rationally. Objectivity is purity!
So Mr. Fernando? Where did you get your PHD? I am curious….
Thamilan said,
August 11, 2007 @ 8:18 am
Darren,
If the Sinhalese wants to be unique then we should help out. Wipe you all out and you will go down in history as unique and will be talked about everyday.
Archeological evidence? People who embraced Buddism long before the Sinhalese are Tamils and its a proven fact.
The Sinhalese are unique in one and one way only. SInhalese are a mix of Tamils, Bengali and the Veddhas.
Raj said,
August 12, 2007 @ 9:15 pm
Thamilian comment 59.
Thanks for your warped history lesson, please keep this type of B/S for your family which you can brainwash in way you want and they can continue to believe some people are more equal than others.
Sri Lankan are proud of history, we won’t be beaten down by extremists such as yourself to apologise for our history.
It seems to me the thing that really galls (some) Tamils about the Mahavamsa is that it exists at all, unlike this mythical flourishing Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka which has about as much documentary evidence as the Yetti.
I think it makes your blood boil that you can’t point at a similar document in Tamil and this despite your glorious poetry and literature which we have been told has very deep traditions, could it be even all the poets and scholars were all still in Tamil Nadu ?
Lester said,
August 13, 2007 @ 10:03 pm
In response to comment 59.
Wow what a stunning revelation you make that the Sinhalese are actually mix of several ethnicities, truly remarkable observation.
By contrast I guess you are implying that the Tamils are a pure race of people that evolved of their own accord and are untouched by other ethnic influences, you should write this up into formal anthrpological paper and submit it to the journal nature, as most people seem to think homo sapiens evolved in Africa and spread to the rest of the world !
Sinhaya said,
September 3, 2007 @ 9:07 am
This guy cant be a sinhalese, he is a wetern based NGO funded anti-sinhalese agent. Funny thing is these kind of clowns think they can make a difference.
Thamilan said,
February 6, 2008 @ 10:51 am
Comment # 61,
I never said that Tamils were untouched by other ethnicity. Tamils have a mix of the north as well, even I cannot identify by blood as pure Tamil although I was brought up as a Tamil.
sunimal said,
June 9, 2008 @ 1:46 am
Interesting.
Not even one of the comments above by a sinhalese insists that the Mahawansa is the literal truth, but agree that it has some mythical elements.
But a significant no of tamils writing in have a distorted and unverified interpretation of their own history.
What does that say doc Lankasathuru