DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.62597#0007
LETTER from Malia Mudaliyar L. De Zoysa to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Colombo.
Kosgoda, 7th October, 1882.
Sir,—I have the honor to inform you that I forwarded to you on the 12th April last the
first portion of the Catalogue of Pali and Sinhalese Manuscripts, consisting of (1) the Canonical
Scriptures of Buddhism, (2) their Atthakathas or Commentaries, and (3) their Tikas ; but have not
as yet received a proof.
With reference to the subjoined extracts from the Report on Burmese Manuscripts made by
Dr. E. Forchhammer, Professor of Pali in the Rangoon High School for 1879-80, 1 have re-examined
the Canonical Scriptures, and have endeavoured to account for the discrepancies pointed out by
Dr. Forchhammer ; I have also given the extent of the Atthakathas and Tikas, which has not been
done by any previous writer :—
“ Since Turnour has published in 1837 a detailed account of the Tipitaka as to its arrange-
ment and divisions, no one appears to have attempted to verify his statements by a re-examination
of the palm copies, as regards the number of angas or leaves contained. In the modern works on
Buddhism his accounts are referred to and implicitly accepted. According to these, the Tipitaka
contains from 4,200 to 4,500 palm leaves, which are from one foot eight inches to two feet four
inches long with 8 to 10 lines to a page; the length of Burmese manuscripts is in the main the same,
but with 9 to 11 lines to a page ; the Burmese Tipitaka has from 6,000 to 6,200 palm leaves,
i.e. about 2,000 leaves more than the Ceylonese, as counted by Turnour. He allows, for instance,
only 131 leaves for the Yamakan ; this cannot possibly be correct. I have examined a number of
copies ; the ten books of which the Yamakan is composed contain between 350 to 400 palm leaves,”
etc.
I now send another portion of the Catalogue consisting of (4) General Religious Works, and
(5) Historical Works. Of these works 1 have given the following particulars: 1, title of the work ;
2, the number of folia; 3, place of deposit; 4, name of author; 5, date; 6, subject; 7, remarks. Many
of these works are anonymous and the dates are not given, but I have endeavoured to supply these
omissions by the help of other works. As a specimen, I beg to invite your attention to my account
of Abhidhammattha Sangaha (enclosed), Compendium of Buddhist Metaphysics, from which it will
be seen that I have succeeded in tracing the authorship of this work, although Oriental scholars
have not hitherto been able to ascertain the nationality of the author of this great work ; some
maintaining that it was written by a Burmese, and others by a Ceylonese priest. I have shown that
the work was written by a native of Kancipura in Southern India. The dates I have collected,
I think, will be useful in any future re-adjustment of Sinhalese chronology which has been fixed
by the late Mr. Turnour in his Epitome of the History of Ceylon. In compiling the last mentioned
work the learned author, it would appear, has made use of six historical works only, but my list
contains nearly forty historical works or historical notices. Some of these, it is true, are not
histories, strictly so called, but they contain important historical data which may be utilized in
compiling a comprehensive History of Ceylon from native annals. Many of these works have never
before been brought to the notice of European scholars, and I think if analyses of these works are
made they will form a new and important contribution to the history of Ceylon.
The remainder of the Catalogue, consisting of Grammatical, Poetical and Miscellaneous
works, is ready, and will be sent to the Printer before proofs of the portions I have already sent
could reach me.
I have, &c.,
L. DE ZOYSA.
Title of Book
Folia
Place of deposit ...
Name of author ...
Date
Subject
Enclosure referred to.
Abhidhammattha Sangaha.
25 ola leaves.
Common.
A'cariya Anuruddha Thera.
Unknown.
Compendium of Buddhist Metaphysics.
Remarks.—This work stands at the head of Abhidhamma or Metaphysical literature of Bud-
dhism, and is held in the highest estimation by all Southern Buddhists.
It will be seen from the concluding verses or colophon given below, that the authorship of the
work is attributed to “A'cariya Anuruddha Thera of Mulasoma Vihara,” and that it was composed at the
request of an upasaka named “Nambi.” The work does not contain any other information respecting the
author, or the country to which he belonged, or the age in which he lived :—
The Colophon
eaabfiSgeib ssSga) eg®<s5roq@cas;.
etSdloos edS-sgisetao,
cooea^ajo cradziS™ es&iSSaaoajo.
eaaa ag g(j®e53©o,
glebes
qagdiebSStocosj <58ai« «33© ea
«Sga>o. ”
referred to.
“ Caritta sobhita visala kulodayena
Saddhabhivuddha parisuddha gunodayena
Nambavhayena panidhaya paranukampap
Yap patthitap pakaranap parinitthitap tap
Punnena tena vipulena tu Mulasomap
Dhafmadhivasamuditoditaniayugantap
Pannavadata guna sobhita lajji bhikkhu
Mannantu punna vibhavoclayamapgalaya
Iti Anuruddhacariyena racitap Abhidhammattha
Sapgahap nama pakaranap nitthitap ”
Kosgoda, 7th October, 1882.
Sir,—I have the honor to inform you that I forwarded to you on the 12th April last the
first portion of the Catalogue of Pali and Sinhalese Manuscripts, consisting of (1) the Canonical
Scriptures of Buddhism, (2) their Atthakathas or Commentaries, and (3) their Tikas ; but have not
as yet received a proof.
With reference to the subjoined extracts from the Report on Burmese Manuscripts made by
Dr. E. Forchhammer, Professor of Pali in the Rangoon High School for 1879-80, 1 have re-examined
the Canonical Scriptures, and have endeavoured to account for the discrepancies pointed out by
Dr. Forchhammer ; I have also given the extent of the Atthakathas and Tikas, which has not been
done by any previous writer :—
“ Since Turnour has published in 1837 a detailed account of the Tipitaka as to its arrange-
ment and divisions, no one appears to have attempted to verify his statements by a re-examination
of the palm copies, as regards the number of angas or leaves contained. In the modern works on
Buddhism his accounts are referred to and implicitly accepted. According to these, the Tipitaka
contains from 4,200 to 4,500 palm leaves, which are from one foot eight inches to two feet four
inches long with 8 to 10 lines to a page; the length of Burmese manuscripts is in the main the same,
but with 9 to 11 lines to a page ; the Burmese Tipitaka has from 6,000 to 6,200 palm leaves,
i.e. about 2,000 leaves more than the Ceylonese, as counted by Turnour. He allows, for instance,
only 131 leaves for the Yamakan ; this cannot possibly be correct. I have examined a number of
copies ; the ten books of which the Yamakan is composed contain between 350 to 400 palm leaves,”
etc.
I now send another portion of the Catalogue consisting of (4) General Religious Works, and
(5) Historical Works. Of these works 1 have given the following particulars: 1, title of the work ;
2, the number of folia; 3, place of deposit; 4, name of author; 5, date; 6, subject; 7, remarks. Many
of these works are anonymous and the dates are not given, but I have endeavoured to supply these
omissions by the help of other works. As a specimen, I beg to invite your attention to my account
of Abhidhammattha Sangaha (enclosed), Compendium of Buddhist Metaphysics, from which it will
be seen that I have succeeded in tracing the authorship of this work, although Oriental scholars
have not hitherto been able to ascertain the nationality of the author of this great work ; some
maintaining that it was written by a Burmese, and others by a Ceylonese priest. I have shown that
the work was written by a native of Kancipura in Southern India. The dates I have collected,
I think, will be useful in any future re-adjustment of Sinhalese chronology which has been fixed
by the late Mr. Turnour in his Epitome of the History of Ceylon. In compiling the last mentioned
work the learned author, it would appear, has made use of six historical works only, but my list
contains nearly forty historical works or historical notices. Some of these, it is true, are not
histories, strictly so called, but they contain important historical data which may be utilized in
compiling a comprehensive History of Ceylon from native annals. Many of these works have never
before been brought to the notice of European scholars, and I think if analyses of these works are
made they will form a new and important contribution to the history of Ceylon.
The remainder of the Catalogue, consisting of Grammatical, Poetical and Miscellaneous
works, is ready, and will be sent to the Printer before proofs of the portions I have already sent
could reach me.
I have, &c.,
L. DE ZOYSA.
Title of Book
Folia
Place of deposit ...
Name of author ...
Date
Subject
Enclosure referred to.
Abhidhammattha Sangaha.
25 ola leaves.
Common.
A'cariya Anuruddha Thera.
Unknown.
Compendium of Buddhist Metaphysics.
Remarks.—This work stands at the head of Abhidhamma or Metaphysical literature of Bud-
dhism, and is held in the highest estimation by all Southern Buddhists.
It will be seen from the concluding verses or colophon given below, that the authorship of the
work is attributed to “A'cariya Anuruddha Thera of Mulasoma Vihara,” and that it was composed at the
request of an upasaka named “Nambi.” The work does not contain any other information respecting the
author, or the country to which he belonged, or the age in which he lived :—
The Colophon
eaabfiSgeib ssSga) eg®<s5roq@cas;.
etSdloos edS-sgisetao,
cooea^ajo cradziS™ es&iSSaaoajo.
eaaa ag g(j®e53©o,
glebes
qagdiebSStocosj <58ai« «33© ea
«Sga>o. ”
referred to.
“ Caritta sobhita visala kulodayena
Saddhabhivuddha parisuddha gunodayena
Nambavhayena panidhaya paranukampap
Yap patthitap pakaranap parinitthitap tap
Punnena tena vipulena tu Mulasomap
Dhafmadhivasamuditoditaniayugantap
Pannavadata guna sobhita lajji bhikkhu
Mannantu punna vibhavoclayamapgalaya
Iti Anuruddhacariyena racitap Abhidhammattha
Sapgahap nama pakaranap nitthitap ”