DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49708#0089
SESSIONAL PAPERS, 1881.
In this connection should not be omitted Mr. Gray’s comparison (J. R. A. S., Vol. X., n.s.,
p. 179), of the Maidive festival “poycacan (Pyrard) celebrated at the full moon of April or May” with
“ the ‘ dep6ya> (full moon) of Wesak, when the Singalese commemorate the attainment of Nirwana
by Gautama”; but, as Mr. Gray himself adds, “ the Maldivans attribute the origin of the festival to
the first introduction of rice to the islands, which would connect it rather with the Alut Sal, or ‘new
rice,’ festival of Ceylon (held in January) than with the thoroughly Buddhistic holiday of May.”
Whilst, therefore, the evidence available is both insufficient, and of a nature too vague, to
warrant any definite conclusion, it is far from improbable that a close scrutiny of names of islands,
of non-Muhammadan customs and festivals, and, above all, an archaeological survey, will make it
abundantly clear that Buddhist missionaries, in the spirit of the Asoka edicts, departing ‘to inter-
mingle among all unbelievers, teaching better things,’ carried their doctrine across the sea even to
the despised and little known Maldives.
, THE
MALDIVES.
Inhabitants.
Notes.
[Since the above note was penned important evidence has come to hand in favour of the
contention of “an intervening Buddhism” on the Islands :—
(a) The strikingly Buddhistic title “ Darumavanta,” (S. Dharmmavanta ‘ Reli-
gious,’‘ Just’) applied by the Maldivians to their first Sovereign converted to Muhammadanism.
(Z>) Similarly, the undeniable significance of such island names as Muhha-furhi (? S. Muni-
pura, ‘ Buddha’s city’) in Haddumati Atol, Huludeli (S. saladala ‘ Bd tree’ isle) in
Nilandu Atol, Vihama-furhi and Vihamand-furhi (‘the island of the. delightful Wihares,’ Gray)
in Ari and Male Atols.
(c) According to the reliable assertion of resident natives, on the island of Fua Mulaku
(lat, 0° 7' S.) exist the jungle-covered ruins of a tope qy ddgaba, and amid them the stone image
of a Buddha in the sth ana-mud rd or standing position. This tope is described as resembling the
solid bell-shaped ddgabas, rising from platforms, usual in Ceylon.
Such ruins the Islanders of the Southern Atols term astabu (Addu Atol), havitta (Fua
Mulaku), and vere (Atols further north), in which it is easy to recognise the Sanskrit stupa,
chaitya, and vihdra.
“It may be that during long centuries no life was imparted to Maidive Buddhism from Cey-
lon, and that the religion of ‘the Blessed One’ at last flickered to extinction, while the barbarous
rites and superstitions of the Dewales and the groves remained connected in the native mind with
those purely temporal ills from which in their daily life men sought deliverance.”]*
Chess.—Sir W. Jones assigns the invention of chess to the Hindus (‘ Asiatic Researches,’
Vol. 7, 1803), and Major Forbes (‘ Eleven years in Ceylon,’Vol. II., p. 265), mentions the Hindu
belief that it was originated by Havana’s Queen, Wandodari, during the tedious mythical seige of
Sri-Lauka-pura.
The Sanskrit name for the game is Chaturanga, i.e., ‘the four members of an army,’ which,
according to Amarakosha, are hasti (elephants), asva (horses), ratha (chariots), and pddatan (‘foot
soldiers.’) The same names are employed in India at this day.
Pieces.
English Gama. Sanskrit.
King ... ... Raja
Queeu ... ... Mantri
I Hasti )
Bish°P . \PUu I.
Knight ... ... Arm
f Ratha )
Castle or Rook ... i 7 >
fltoka j
C Paddti)
PaWH . \ Pad fl.
Chess ... ... Chaturanga (cf. S. sivu-
ranga keli, ®^>g)
Maidive chess-men are of wood, roughly carved into the simplest of forms, in accordance with
the Muslim prohibition against the making an image of anything that has life.
Maidive.
Rodu.
Mantiri.
Bodu-bo.
As.
Riya.
Mdnd^
Sipai.j
Rdzuvd kuli. (cf. S. Rdja-
vil keli, dedSg ©sag.)
Chess.
Gray, J. R. A. S., Vol. X,, N.S., 1878, p. 180.
In this connection should not be omitted Mr. Gray’s comparison (J. R. A. S., Vol. X., n.s.,
p. 179), of the Maidive festival “poycacan (Pyrard) celebrated at the full moon of April or May” with
“ the ‘ dep6ya> (full moon) of Wesak, when the Singalese commemorate the attainment of Nirwana
by Gautama”; but, as Mr. Gray himself adds, “ the Maldivans attribute the origin of the festival to
the first introduction of rice to the islands, which would connect it rather with the Alut Sal, or ‘new
rice,’ festival of Ceylon (held in January) than with the thoroughly Buddhistic holiday of May.”
Whilst, therefore, the evidence available is both insufficient, and of a nature too vague, to
warrant any definite conclusion, it is far from improbable that a close scrutiny of names of islands,
of non-Muhammadan customs and festivals, and, above all, an archaeological survey, will make it
abundantly clear that Buddhist missionaries, in the spirit of the Asoka edicts, departing ‘to inter-
mingle among all unbelievers, teaching better things,’ carried their doctrine across the sea even to
the despised and little known Maldives.
, THE
MALDIVES.
Inhabitants.
Notes.
[Since the above note was penned important evidence has come to hand in favour of the
contention of “an intervening Buddhism” on the Islands :—
(a) The strikingly Buddhistic title “ Darumavanta,” (S. Dharmmavanta ‘ Reli-
gious,’‘ Just’) applied by the Maldivians to their first Sovereign converted to Muhammadanism.
(Z>) Similarly, the undeniable significance of such island names as Muhha-furhi (? S. Muni-
pura, ‘ Buddha’s city’) in Haddumati Atol, Huludeli (S. saladala ‘ Bd tree’ isle) in
Nilandu Atol, Vihama-furhi and Vihamand-furhi (‘the island of the. delightful Wihares,’ Gray)
in Ari and Male Atols.
(c) According to the reliable assertion of resident natives, on the island of Fua Mulaku
(lat, 0° 7' S.) exist the jungle-covered ruins of a tope qy ddgaba, and amid them the stone image
of a Buddha in the sth ana-mud rd or standing position. This tope is described as resembling the
solid bell-shaped ddgabas, rising from platforms, usual in Ceylon.
Such ruins the Islanders of the Southern Atols term astabu (Addu Atol), havitta (Fua
Mulaku), and vere (Atols further north), in which it is easy to recognise the Sanskrit stupa,
chaitya, and vihdra.
“It may be that during long centuries no life was imparted to Maidive Buddhism from Cey-
lon, and that the religion of ‘the Blessed One’ at last flickered to extinction, while the barbarous
rites and superstitions of the Dewales and the groves remained connected in the native mind with
those purely temporal ills from which in their daily life men sought deliverance.”]*
Chess.—Sir W. Jones assigns the invention of chess to the Hindus (‘ Asiatic Researches,’
Vol. 7, 1803), and Major Forbes (‘ Eleven years in Ceylon,’Vol. II., p. 265), mentions the Hindu
belief that it was originated by Havana’s Queen, Wandodari, during the tedious mythical seige of
Sri-Lauka-pura.
The Sanskrit name for the game is Chaturanga, i.e., ‘the four members of an army,’ which,
according to Amarakosha, are hasti (elephants), asva (horses), ratha (chariots), and pddatan (‘foot
soldiers.’) The same names are employed in India at this day.
Pieces.
English Gama. Sanskrit.
King ... ... Raja
Queeu ... ... Mantri
I Hasti )
Bish°P . \PUu I.
Knight ... ... Arm
f Ratha )
Castle or Rook ... i 7 >
fltoka j
C Paddti)
PaWH . \ Pad fl.
Chess ... ... Chaturanga (cf. S. sivu-
ranga keli, ®^>g)
Maidive chess-men are of wood, roughly carved into the simplest of forms, in accordance with
the Muslim prohibition against the making an image of anything that has life.
Maidive.
Rodu.
Mantiri.
Bodu-bo.
As.
Riya.
Mdnd^
Sipai.j
Rdzuvd kuli. (cf. S. Rdja-
vil keli, dedSg ©sag.)
Chess.
Gray, J. R. A. S., Vol. X,, N.S., 1878, p. 180.