We Reveal for you to Revel. Our Land, Our Nation & Our Faith will Prevail.
bunpeiris

Sri Lanka's non-stop epic

The Mahavamsa or Great Chronicle, Sri Lanka's non-stop epic

The oldest, continuously recorded history in the world is still being continued.B. Upul N. Peiris ( bunpeiris ), Moratuwa, Sri Lanka, 30^th Dec 2007

“Do thou, O lotus-hued One, protect with zeal Prince Vijaya & his followers, & the Doctrine that is to endure in Lanka for full five thousand years.” Mahavamsa

Sri Lanka, Sinhalese & Buddhism (543 BC- 2007 AD = 2550 years). Our nation will last for another 2450 years.

1815-1948 "The Sinhalese voluntarily surrendered their island to the British Sovereign with full reservation of their rights & liberties. They may thus claim to be one of the few ancient races of the world who have not been conquered."
(Sketches of Ceylon History by Sri Lankan-then called Ceylonese-Tamil scholar Ponnambalam Arunchalam, 1906)

Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/ancient-glory.html

“My effort is not for the joy of sovereignty; it is for the establishment of the Faith of the Buddha forever” King Dutugamunu (161BC-137BC), the hero of the nation waging war against Dravidian invader Elara

Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/sri-lankan-history.html

Each in their own way, each in their own degree.

Sri Lanka’s recorded history of unbroken Aryan Sinhalese civilization begins in 543BC. The year is disputed by the scholars: an argument has emerged to proclaim the beginning of Sinhalese nation was in 486 BC. In that case Buddha Jayanthi is yet to arrive: 2500-486BC=2014BC. Poetical verses written by Buddhist monk Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula during the reign of Parakrama Bahu the sixth of Kotte (15^th century), a prince named Diyasena is destined to establish a Buddhist Kingdom in Sri Lanka when the Buddhism shall have completed 2500 years. Diyasena or no Diyasena, we need the revival of Deep Penetration Unit (betrayed by the traitor–treason) some bunker buster bombs, top of the flight intelligence , high level of security all round, continued military offensive & far reaching counter propaganda–local & overseas in the year 2008. Everybody must contribute his two penny’s worth.

1 Mythology prior to the recorded history of Sri Lanka
A. Kingdom of Lanka founded in the island by Malyavath, Sumalin, & Malin of Yakka (demon) tribe. Such were the crimes & sins of those rulers, they were evicted from the island by god Vishnu.

B. Reign of King Kuvera with great splendor & immense grandeur. Descending mythological heights to history, it is also believed flamboyant King Kasyapa (479-497AD) aspired to be the god king with Lion Rock Citadel Sigiriya (WHS) as the very personification of his divinity, to rule his kingdom up high, like the king Kuvera

C. Reign of Yakka tribe King Ravana (a grandson of Malyavath or Sumalin or Malin) of epic Ramayana most possibly around 1810 BC according to Sir William Jones (1746-1794 AD)

D. No legend for another 1200 years

E.6^th Century BC Reign of Yakka tribe kings Chulodara & Mahodara & three visits of Gauthama Buddha to the resplendent island of Lanka

2 The Living Historical Tradition.
1 The continually growing mass of myth, legends, ballads, eulogies, heroic poems, biographies, ecclesiastical histories, tales of sacred objects & places, personal records of good deeds, quasi-historical records
2. Sinhala Atthakatha – Historical records of Sangha (Buddhist monks) activities from the earliest times in old Sinhala & Pali
3 The Dipavamsa, the earliest extant chronicle of Sri Lanka believed to be the work of two Buddhist nuns Sivala & Maharuha from India.
4. Samantha Pasadika- narration on introduction of Buddhism
5. Mahavamsa (Great Chronicle)
6. Vamsatthappakasini -Tika or Commentary on the narration in Mahavamsa
7 Extended Mahavamsa

3 Mahavamsa or Great Chronicle of Sri Lanka
"One of the greatest contributions of the Sinhalese people to the cultural development of South & South East Asia & to world literature is the creation of a historic literature. It is well-known that on the Indian sub continent before the invasion of the Islamic conquerors virtually no historic literature had developed... Sri Lanka tells a different story. In the Dipavamsa & Mahavamsa & in various other Sinhalese texts, we are given an account of the political & cultural history of the island from earliest times until the present-time”
(Wilhelm Geiger - His Life & Works, Heinz Bechert, 2nd ed., 69)

4 The failure to study Mahavamsa
Mahavamsa is probably the least known of all the world’s chronicles.
Reasons are as follows.
(a) It was not readily available until many centuries after it was first inscribed.
(b) Until about the first century BC the writing of religious scriptures was considered a sacrilege.
(c) During the Ceylonese colonial era, the Pali language of the original suttas was so obscure that few Dutch or British bothered to learn it. Hence Mahavamsa was largely the preserve of monks & elite Sinhalese until philologists became interested in it following the discovery of the Tika (commentary) in 1826. The Tika provided scholars with authenticating information which allowed the Mahavamsa to be fully understood as a work of great epic literature.

5 Composing Mahavamsa in Pali language & publication
Mahavamasa Part 1
Period of narration: 543 BC- 362 AD -history of Ceylon from its legendary beginnings to the end of the reign of Mahasen
Time of the works: about the sixth century A.D.
Place: Mahavihara Buddhist monastery in Anuradhapura ,
Composer: Buddhist bhikkhu, or a monk by the name Thera Mahanama

When the Mahanama’s author, Thera Mahanama composed it, the Buddhist monk was relying on over four centuries of oral transmission followed by three centuries of laboriously hand written editions.Its text was more or less fixed by a tika, or commentary, written about the 12^th century AD.

Mahavamasa Part 2 (Chulavamsa consisting 3 parts)
Part 1
Period of narration: 362 AD-1186 AD continues the story to the end of the reign of King Parakramabahu the great
Time of the works: early in the 13^th century
Place: Polonnaruwa
Composer: Buddhist bhikkhu called Dharmakirti

Part 2
Period of narration: 1186 AD- 1333AD continues the story end of the reign of King Parakramabahu the fourth
Time of the works: later than 1333 AD
Place: not known
Composer: not known

Part 3
Period of narration: 1333 AD - 1781 AD
Time of the works: in the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinha 1747-1781 AD
Place: not known
Composer: Buddhist bhikku Tibbotuvava Sumangala

Mahavamsa Part 3
Period of narration: 1781 AD -1815 AD
Time of the works: British colonial governor Sir William Henry Gregory (1872-1877AD)
Place: Colombo
Composer: Buddhist bhikku Panditha Hikkaduwe Shri Sumangala & Panditha Don Andres De Silva Batuwantudawe (1874)

Mahavamsa Part 4
Period of narration: 1815 AD -1922 AD
Time of the works: British colonial governor Sir William Henry Gregory (1872-1877AD)
Place: Colombo
Composer: D. H. S. Abeyratne

Mahavamsa Part 5 : Modern times
Period of narration: 1923AD-1948AD
Time of the works: President J. R. Jayawardene
Place: Colombo
Composer: Dr. Nandadeva Wijesekara (1986)

Above indicated part 5 in no way do justice to the period concerned. To say the least, it is not a satisfactory narration at all, by any stretch of credulity.
Information relevant to publications
1815 Sinhalese chieftains in Kandy, who despised king Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe, voluntarily submitted to the British in 1815 by signing a pact with British at "Magul Maduwa" which stands to date close to "The Holy temple of Tooth Relic" by the Kandy lakeside.

Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/holy-tooth-relic-temple.html

1815-1948 "The Sinhalese voluntarily surrendered their island to the British Sovereign with full reservation of their rights & liberties. They may thus claim to be one of the few ancient races of the world who have not been conquered."
(Sketches of Ceylon History by Sri Lankan-then called Ceylonese-Tamil scholar Ponnambalam Arunchalam, 1906)

1815- 1948 During the Ceylonese colonial era, Pali language of the original Suttas (sutras) was so obscure that few British bothered to learn it. As a result Mahawamsa (Great Chronicle) written in Pali language was largely the preserve of Buddhist monks & elite & erudite Sinhalese.

1826 Interest in Mahawamsa by the philologists following the discovery of Ceylon’s Rosetta Stone, long lost commentary, called “Tika” at Mulgirigala rock monastery, Sri Lanka by George Turnour, a British Colonial civil servant in Ceylon. The Tika established the factual nature of much of what the Mahawamsa related. http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/mulgirigala.html

1837 First translation of Mahawamsa by Turnour (Englishman)

1889 Second translation by L. C. Wijesinha (Sinhalese)

1908 A Critical edition in Pali was made by Prof. Wilhelm Geiger Ph. D. (German) published by the Pali Text Society

1910 Translation into German by Prof. Geiger of his own revised critical edition published by the Pali Text Society in 1908

1912 Translation of German edition into English by Dr. Mabel Haynes Bode

1948 End of British Colonial rule: Ceylon gains independence

1990 Translation by Dr. W. P. Ananda Guruge (Sinhalese) M. P. Birla Foundation, Calcutta

2003 English language Reprint by offset in Great Britain ISBN: 955-8540-83-8

6 Confirmation of Mahavamsa by means of literary works
A large number of Pali & the Sinhalese literary works, such as the Mahabodhivansa, the Pujavaliya & the Nikaya Sangraha not only confirm, but also add to the information in the Mahavansa.

7 Confirmation of Mahavamsa by means of Inscriptions
Inscriptions, both Ceylon & Indian, records a good deal of information about kings, wars, & the maintenance of Buddhist viharas (monasteries). These epigraphic and archaeological records indeed collaborate & prove a significant part of the text of Mahavamsa.

Epigraphica Zeylanica
The University of Cambridge, England has 274 volumes of 'Epigraphica Zeylanica' with over 3000 inscriptions from Ceylon (that is more inscriptions than the whole of mainland China has, even though Sri Lanka is only 1/2 the size of the state of New York), including one dating back to 6th century BC. Over 2000 of these have been deciphered, indicating the consistent development of the Sinhalese language.

Epigraphia Zeylanica being Lithic & other Inscriptions of Ceylon Published for the Government of Ceylon by Humphrey Milford Oxford University Press, Amen House, E.C 1934 English Language Editions

Vol 1 (1904-1912) & Vol 2 (1912-1927) Edited & translated to English by Don Martino De Zilva Wickremasinghe (Sinhalese)

Vol 3 (1928-1933) Edited & translated to English by Don Martino De Zilva Wickremasinghe (Sinhalese) & H. W. Codrington (Englishman)

Vol 4 (1933-1934) Edited & translated to English by H. W.Codrington (Englishman) & S. Paranavitana (Sinhalese)

8 Historigraphic value of Mahavamsa
It is in the sense of Historigraphic value that the Mahawamsa differs from the Indian epics Mahabarata, Ramayana and others which have no direct historiographic value. If not for the Mahawamsa, the story behind the large stupas in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka such as Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya, Abhayagiri, and the ancient construction & irrigation engineering works would never have been known.

{Click here for Anuradhapura, Ruwanwelisaya, Jetavanaramaya} http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/anuradhapura.html

http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/golden-sand-stupa.html

http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/jetavana-dagoba.html

9 The Mahavamsa’s sweeping narration describes

(A) Origin of the Aryan Sinhalese civilization

(B) The introduction of Theravada Buddhism into Lanka

(C) The great reservoir-based irrigation system of the island

http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/ancient-sinhalese-irrigation.html

(D) The waves of marauding Dravidian invasions from Southern India

(E) The gentle sway of Buddhism that has been instrumental in

(a) the commonwealth that developed between ruler, religion, & populace

(b) the tolerance towards Jainism, Brahmanism & Hinduism

(c) the dilution of the caste system by removing its religious proscriptions

(d) forging a culture of compassion which became the nucleus of the sense of United Biology (live & let live harmony with all living beings, i.e. conservation of wildlife, & wetlands; perseverance of landscape & terrain ; protection of woods & forests; reservations of wildlife sanctuaries & vegetation oases of medicinal herbal plants; development of architecture that ran with the site)

“We have a marvelous tradition of building in this country that has got lost. It got lost because people followed outside influences over their own good instincts. They never built right ‘through” the landscape… You must ‘run’ with the site; after all, you don’t want to push nature out with the building” Geoffrey Bawa (1919-2003)
http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/geoffrey-bawa-hotels.html

10 Ancient Sri Lanka’s tolerance of other faiths
King Valagambahu (104-76 BC) had lost his throne to an army of marauding Dravidian invaders from South India. Whilst escaping from the city, the king was taunted by a Jain priest of the Giri Monastery, who shouted: "The great black Sinhala lion is fleeing". An Indian Jain monk having a Jain hermitage in then capital of Buddhist Lanka is an outstanding indication of the religious tolerance of ancient Lanka. In spite of the religious tolerance in the island, the contempt of the Jain monk towards the Sinhalese & the Sinhalese king brought nothing but the downfall of Jain monastery. The king even while fleeing, vowed to regain his kingdom & built a Buddhist monastery over the Jain hermitage. Fourteen years later, the lion-hearted king rescued his island from the marauding Dravidian invaders, razed the Jain hermitage to the ground & established a Buddhist monastery.

http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/abhayagiri-dagoba.html

11 Historical Importance of Mahavamsa to India
As it often refers to the royal dynasties of India, the Mahavamsa is also valuable for historians who wish to date and relate contemporary royal dynasties in the Indian subcontinent. It is very important in dating the consecration of the Maurya emperor Asoka, which is related to the synchronicity with the Seleucids and Alexander the Great. Thus it was the Mahawamsa’s account of the Empire of Asoka that lead to important Indian excavations in Sanchi and other locations, confirming the account. The accounts given in the Mahawamsa are also amply supported by the numerous Stone inscriptions, mostly in Sinhala, found in the Island.

12 Literary value of Mahavamsa
The literary value of Mahawamsa places it right among the best of literature in the subcontinent of India. Besides being an important historical source, it is the most important epic poem in the Pali language. Its stories of battles and invasions, court intrigue, great constructions of Stupas and water reservoirs, written in elegant verse suitable for memorization, caught the imagination of the Buddhist world of the time. While Ruvanwelisaya was the tallest edifice in the world in that age, the engineering works of King Parakramabahu the great were the greatest hydraulic works in the world in those times.

13 Lion ancestry of the Sinhalese narrated in Mahavamsa
The chapter of "Lion ancestry” narrated in Mahavamsa is no more wondrous than the legend of ancestors of the Roman civilization, the twins Romulus and Remus being suckled by a wolf. Almost each & every ancient civilization do have their own share of myths and legends. Egyptian, Roman, Greek, Norse, and Indian mythology have gone beyond the oral record and have actual ancient written records. If the legend of Romulus & Remus isn’t a good enough analogy, we still have the tales of England’s king Arthur with all those sins & crimes of Patricide, Adultery & Incest supplemented by Merlin & Excalibur.

Some Indian Hindus take the Hindu mythological story of the Ramayana literally even today. Likewise, the references in the Mahabharatha to the famous dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna at Kulukshetra, in which the latter is tormented being having to wage war against his relatives (an allegoric intellectual discourse on the conflict between good and evil thoughts and the necessity to destroy evil thoughts), is taken literally by some Indian Muslims to mean that Lord Vishnu (Krishna) actually instructed that one’s enemies, even if they were one's relatives, must be killed!

The name Sinhala or Sinhale means “of Sinha (Lion) blood”. However “Sinha" with Indian variations of Sigha, Singh, Simha, all meaning the "Lion’ is ubiquitous in Northern India even today among the people who would claim they belong to “Lion’s people”. Every race has a right to proclaim of its ancestry, mythology or otherwise.

14 Establishment of factual nature of the chronicle
In 1826, a British civil servant discoverd the long-lost commentary, called a Tika, at Mulgirigal in the south of the island. The Tika provided scholars with authenticating information & established the factual nature of much of what the Mahavamsa related.
Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/mulgirigala.html

15 Priceless contribution to the survival of Sri Lanka
“My effort is not for the joy of sovereignty; it is for the establishment of the Faith of the Buddha forever” King Dutugamunu, the hero of the nation waging war against Dravidian invader Elara
The Mahavamsa relates that the Buddha, on the day of Mahaparibbana, addressed Sakra, the king of the gods
"When the Guide of the World, having accomplished the salvation of the whole world and having reached the utmost stage of blissful rest, was lying on the bed of his nibbana; in the midst of the great assembly of gods, he, the great sage, the greatest of those who have speech, spoke to Sakka' who stood there near him: "Vijaya, son of king Sihabahu, is come to Lanka from the country of Lala, together with seven hundred followers. In Lanka, O lord of gods, will my religion be established, therefore carefully protect him with his followers and Lanka.
Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/ancient-glory.html

On receiving the Buddha’s command, Sakra summoned Vishnu; “Do thou, O lotus-hued One, protect with zeal Prince Vijaya & his followers, & the Doctrine that is to endure in Lanka for full five thousand years.’

Quote The Revolt in the Temple
GBP 18.00 = appr. US$ 36.504 Offered by: G. & J. Chesters - Book number: 83983 VIJAYAVARDHANA DC] The Revolt in the Temple. Composed to Commemorate 2500 Years of the Land, the Race and the Faith
Colombo: Sinha Publications, 1st edn, 1953** 700p, hardback, a VG/VG ex-library copy, dustwrapper. The half-title gives a somewhat different title: “Dharma-Vijaya (Triumph of Righteousness); or, The Revolt in the Temple”. {2500 years of the Buddhist faith, the Sinhalese race, and the land of Ceylon.} http://www.antiqbook.co.uk/boox/che/83983.shtml ANTIQBOOK

The Buddha’s blessing of Vijaya & his band of followers & the land which they “went forth to possess,’ foreshadowed the initimate connetion of the Land, the Race & Buddhist Faith. Vijaya himself was a Brahamin in faith, & the best authorities’ opinion is that Buddhism was not actually established in Lanka, & not adopted by the Sinhalese people, until the coming of the Arhath Mahinda Thero, nearly three hundred years later than Prince Vijaya’s landing in the island. Nevertheless the blessing of the Buddha was there; the prophecy was in due course fulfilled; the land & the race flourished, & the arts of civilization were fostered; & through all the vicissitudes of their fortunes from that day to this, the Sinhalese race as a whole 9& therefore the vast majority of Ceylon’s inhabitants), have remained faithful to the Buddha & Buddhist percepts, on which their ancient kings founded their legislation & social organization. Unquote the Revolt in the Temple

Thus the Mahavamsa synchronizes the parinibbana (final extinction) of Buddha with the founding of the Sinhalese race. The central theme of Mahavamsa was the historic role of the island as a bulwark of Buddhist civilization. The intimate connection between the land, the race & the Buddhist faith foreshadowed the intermingling of religion & national identity which has always had the most profound influence on the Sinhalese

16 Hero of the nation & survival of Sri Lanka
“My efforts is not for the joy of sovereignty; it is for the establishment of the Faith of the Buddha forever” King Dutugamunu (161BC-137BC), the hero of the nation waging war against Dravidian invader Elara

In the long epic war of Lanka, King Dutugamunu's army was commanded by ten mighty warriors, Nandhimitta, Suranimala, Mahasona, Gothaimbara, Theraputtabhaya (formerly a Buddhist monk, he gave up the Buddhist order for the sole purpose of saving the Sinhalese & Buddhism from the marauding Dravidian invaders), Bharana, Velusumana, Khanjadeva, Phussadeva & Labhiyavasaba, all of them of superhuman strength & courage sans Achilles heel. Those ten mighty ambidextrous warriors of great strength & courage were ably assisted by great battle elephants. Foremost in strength, beauty, shape & the qualities of courage & swiftness & of mighty size of body was the royal elephant Kandula, who broke open the mighty door of impregnable Dravidian fortress at Vijithapura (city of victory), Anuradhapura.
Click here http://www.mysrilankaholidays.com/kataragama.html

Declaring to the great beat of drums, “None but myself may strike Elara”, King Dutugamunu sought out his rival in the battlefield & challenged him to single combat. Mounted on mighty charging elephants the two warriors fought with long ashen spears; Elara hurled his long spear, Dutugamunu evaded it & led his royal elephant, mighty Kanduala to pierce Elara’s elephant with tusks. While Elara’s wounded elephant crouched bringing his rider closer to his opponent, Dutugamunu unleashed his long ashen spear with mighty force piercing the armour of Elara. Elara fell.

Then was enacted a deed of chivalry which has been commemorated through the centuries. Dutugamunu had the body of his foe cremated on the sot where he fell, built a tomb over the ashes & decreed it royal honors. Whoever passed that spot, were he even king of Lanka, must silence music & pass on foot-a custom that long outlived Dutugamunu’s day

Quote Revolt in the Temple. Dutugamunu liberated the nation from the galling thrall of a foreign yoke, which the whole country feared was going to last for ever. So when he accomplished the task of freeing the country, he was almost deified, & his name has endured throughout the centuries in the affectionate remembrance of his countrymen. Dutugamunu found his people helpless & dejected with little or no courage &, as was thought no future. In few years he left the country full of fire & full of spirit. He projected his own tremendous personality into brain & arm of every Sinhalese from Ruhuna to Rajarata. He fired the country with a new spirit & made the Sinhalese once more conscious of themselves & their destiny. Unquote

17 Buddhism’s humanizing influence in Lanka
Quote the Revolt in the Temple
Buddhism has been throughout a humanizing influence in Lanka history. There have been times of retrogression when the sacred precepts were forgotten or ignored; times when alien conquerors imposed on portions of the country their faith & their manners. But again & again these alien kings are to be found adopting the Buddhist faith & ethics, & identifying themselves with the Sinhalese people. And through all these vicissitudes, the teaching of the Doctrine & the practice of faith went on in the temples, the monasteries & the schools. All the materials for the history of Ceylon are to be found in Buddhist chronicles & Buddhist monumental inscriptions

Thus it is clear that the unifying, healing, progressive principle in the entity called Ceylon was the Buddhist faith. This is said with no intention of denying or belittling the contributions of other faiths-each in their own way, each in their own degree. But when all has been taken into account, the outstanding fact is the unbroken continuity, for 2500 years, of interaction of the land & the people & the faith on each other, & their resultant contribution to civilization.
Unquote the Revolt in the Temple

18 Center of Buddhism
The record of the introduction of Buddhism to Sri Lanka from India, the survival of Buddhism in the backdrop of waves of marauding Dravidian invaders who rampaged & pillaged, among other edifices, Buddhist stupas, temples, viharas, monasteries, Buddhist repositories & libraries and the manner in which Buddhism took root, flourished and remained in the island of Lanka, despite it being lost to India through the resurgence of Hinduism is a matter of great significance to the heritage of the world.

Many scholars the world over, in Europe, the US, Japan, etc. make it their undisputed choice to visit Sri Lanka to learn about Buddhism. As much as Rome could be considered the center of Catholicism, India the center of Hinduism, England the center of Anglican Church, there is no doubt that Sri Lanka with its 2000+ years of Buddhist heritage & repository of Buddhist literature could well be considered as the center of Buddhism.

19 Political significance of Mahawamsa
The Mahawama has, especially in modern Sri Lanka, acquired significance as a document with a political message. The British historian Jane Russell has recounted how a process of "Mahawamsa Bashing" began in the 1930s, especially from within the Tamil Nationalist movement. The Mahawamsa, being a history of the Sinhala Buddhists, presented itself to the Tamil Nationalists and the Sinhala Nationalists as the hegemonic epic of the Sinhala people.

Mahavamsa was attacked by demagogue G. G. Ponnambalam hell bent on the continued occupancy of the box seat to which the populace of minority Tamils was favoured to the disadvantage of majority Sinhalese by the British colonialists. The primary cancerous virus of Tamil Racism, G. G. Ponnambalam in the year 1937 & again in 1946, gained notoriety for his infamous 50-50 proposal to Soulbury commission of British colonialists for 25% of representation of the National Assembly to Ceylon Tamils (11.2% of the population) & 25% of representation to other minorities of Moors (7%) & Burghers (0.6%) & remaining 50% of representation to the majority of 69.2% Sinhalese. All the Tamil speaking minorities inclusive of Indian Tamils (Plantation Tamils) amounted to only 30.1%. The outrageous proposal was rejected with sarcasm by the Soulbury Commission chaired by Lord Soulbury.
“The moors did not subscribe to the fifty-fifty theory nor do they want any special privileges. They have faith in the Sinhalese” Sir Razeek Fareed, a leader of other Tamil speaking minority (7% of the population) of Moors (of Islamic faith) of Sri Lanka at F. R. Senanayake memorial meeting, 1^st Jan. 1950. Neither did Tamil speaking Plantation Tamils.
An inflammatory speech attacking the Sinhalese and the Mahawamsa by G. G. Ponnambalam in 1939, in Navalapitiya leads to the first Sinhala-Tamil riots

An eminent Tamil historian Karthigesu Indrapala argued that the presentation of the Mahawamsa as a work of Sinhala Buddhist Chauvinism is incorrect, and that the Mahavamsa writer was singularly fair in his presentation.

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Hydraulic Engineering vs. Water & Soil Conservation Ecosystems in Sri Lanka Part 2
Ancient Sinhalese of Sri Lanka, the protectors of United Biology

Following is an excerpt from “Separate Opinion” of Christopher Weeramantry of Sri Lanka, then Vice president of the International Court of Justice at Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project case between Hungary & Slovakia in relation to the harnessing of the waters of the Danube.

The concept of reconciling the needs of development with the protection of the environment is thus not new. Millennia ago these concerns were noted and their twin demands well reconciled in a manner so meaningful as to carry a message to our age.

I shall start with a system with which I am specially familiar, which also happens to have specifically articulated these two needs–development and environmental protection-in its ancient literature. I refer to the ancient irrigation-based civilization of Sri Lanka.

It is a system which, while recognizing the need for development and vigorously implementing schemes to this end, at the same time specifically articulated the need for environmental protection and ensured that the technology it employed paid due regard to environmental considerations. This concern for the environment was reflected not only in its literature and its technology, but also in its legal system, for the felling of certain forests was prohibited, game sanctuaries were established, and royal edicts decreed that the natural resource of water was to be used to the last drop without any wastage.

This system, some details of which I shall touch on, is described by Arnold Toynbee in his panoramic survey of civilizations. Referring to it as an "amazing system of waterworks”, Toynbee describes how hill streams were tapped and their water guided into giant storage tanks, some of them four thousand acres in extent from which channels ran on to other larger tanks. Below each great tank and each great channel were hundreds of little tanks, each the nucleus of a village.
The concern for the environment shown by this ancient irrigation system has attracted study in a recent survey of the Social and Environmental Effects of Large Dams, which observes that among the environmentally related aspects of its irrigation systems were the "erosion control tank" which dealt with the problem of silting by being so designed as to collect deposits of silt before they entered the main water storage tanks. Several erosion control tanks were associated with each village irrigation system.
The significance of this can well be appreciated in the context of the present case, where the problem of silting has assumed so much importance. Another such environmentally related measure consisted of the "forest tanks" which were built in the jungle above the village, not for the purpose of irrigating land, but to provide water to wild animals.

This system of tanks and channels, some of them two thousand years old, constitute in their totality several multiples of the irrigation works involved in the present scheme. They constituted development as it was understood at the time, for they achieved in Toynbee's words, "the arduous feat of conquering the parched plains of Ceylon for agriculture. Yet they were executed with meticulous regard for environmental concerns, and showed that the concept of sustainable development was consciously practiced over two millennia ago with much success.

Under this irrigation system, major rivers were dammed and reservoirs created, on a scale and in a manner reminiscent of the damming which the Court saw on its inspection of the dams in this case. This ancient concept of development was carried out on such a large scale that, apart from the major reservoirs of which there were several dozen, between 25,000 and 30,000 minor reservoirs were fed from these reservoirs through an intricate network of annals.

The philosophy underlying this gigantic system which for upwards of two thousand years served the needs of man and nature alike, was articulated in a famous principle laid down by an outstanding monarch that "not even a little water that comes from the rain is to flow into the ocean without being made useful to man”. According to the ancient chronicle these works were undertaken "for the benefit of the country" and "out of compassion for all living creatures”. This complex of irrigation works was aimed at making the entire country a granary. They embodied the concept of development par excellence.

Just as development was the aim of this system, it was accompanied by a systematic philosophy of conservation dating back to at least the third century BC. The ancient chronicles record that when the King (Devanampiya Tissa, 247-207 BC) was on a hunting trip (around 223 BC), the Arahat Mahinda, son of the Emperor Asoka of India, preached to him that sermon: "O great King, the birds of the air and the beasts have as equal a right to live and move about in any part of the land as thou. The land belongs to the people and all living beings; thou art only the guardian of it."

This sermon, which indeed contained the first principle of modern environmental law - the principle of trusteeship of earth resources- caused the king to start sanctuaries for wild animals - a concept which continued to be respected for over twenty centuries. The traditional legal system's protection of fauna and flora, based on this Buddhist teaching, extended well into the eighteenth century. The sermon also pointed out that even birds and beasts have a right to freedom from fear.

The notion of not causing harm to others and hence sic utere tuo ut alienum non luedus was a central notion of Buddhism. It translated well into environmental attitudes. "Alienurn "in this context would be extended by Buddhism to future generations as well, and to other component elements of the natural order beyond man himself, for the Buddhist concept of duty had an enormously long reach.

This marked concern with environmental needs was reflected also in royal edicts, dating back to the third century BC, which ordained that certain primeval forests should on no account be felled. This was because adequate forest cover in the highlands was known to be crucial to the irrigation system as the mountain jungles intercepted and stored the monsoon rains. They attracted the rain which fed the river and irrigation systems of the country, and were therefore considered vital. Environmental considerations were reflected also in the actual work of construction and engineering. The ancient engineers devised an answer to the problem of silting (which has assumed much importance in the present case), and they invented a device (the bisokotuwa or valve pit),the counterpart of the sluice, for dealing with this environmental problem, by controlling the pressure and the quantity of the outflow of water when it was released from the reservoir were also built, as in the case of the construction involved in this case, for raising the levels of river water and regulating its flow.

This juxtaposition in this ancient heritage of the concepts of development and environmental protection invites comment immediately from those familiar with it. Anyone interested in the human future would perceive the connection between the two concepts and the manner of their reconciliation. Not merely from the legal perspective does this become apparent, but even from the approaches of other disciplines.

Thus Arthur C. Clarke, the noted futurist, with that vision which has enabled him to bring high science to the service of humanity, put his finger on the precise legal problem we are considering when he observed:

"the small Indian Ocean island . . . provides textbook examples of many modern dilemmas: development versus environment and proceeds immediately to recapitulate the famous sermon, already referred to, relating to the trusteeship of land, observing, "For as King Devanampiya Tissa was told three centuries before the birth of Christ, we are its guardians - not its owner
The task of the law is to convert such wisdom into practical terms
For Part 1 click here

Sri Lanka is a classic example of the "hydraulic civilization" which had developed in the ancient period.

Sri Lanka Holidays

Sri Lanka

Ceylon is unique as the home of Pali literature & southern Buddhism, & as possessing a conscious chronicle invaluable as a check upon the uncertain data of Indian history. Ceylon is a more perfect window through which to gaze on India’s past than can be found in India itself…

Ananada Kentish Coomaraswamy (1877-1947)

Click here http://www.my-srilankaholidays.com/ to read the origin of Sinhalese from Northern India

Sri Lanka Holidays: Total Holiday Experience (THE) - Part 2

Sri Lanka Holidays:

Total Holiday Experience (THE) - Part 2

Sri Lanka Holidays: High Value, High Definition Holidays

Top ten aspects of THE: High Value, high definition Sri Lanka Holidays

By B. Upul N. Peiris (bunpeiris.com)

1. Sanctuary

The consummate combination of pristine tropical beaches, a wide range of fine accommodation at beaches & at all tourist attractions, Eco tourism, Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga & Buddhism in Sri Lanka set up an ideal sanctuary for physical & spiritual recuperation.

2. Comfort

(a) The compact island provides easy access to the main tourist attractions & off the beaten track attractions. While a network of well maintained roads provide access to all the tourist attractions, railway lines (diesel locomotive trains) too reach the main cities of plains, central highlands & western & southwestern coastal belt.

(b) For a small island, Sri Lanka has a wide range of accommodation. International class hotels, Boutique hotels & villas, Colonial-era hotels, Resort hotels, Guesthouses, Ayurvedic resorts, Government rest houses, National park accommodation, Plantation bungalows and Circuit bungalows. Among the hotels in the island are 69 classified star class hotels & 140 unclassified hotels (2005)

Eco Concept hotels: VilUyana, Elephant corridor, Heritance Kandalama, Deer Park & Bawa Hotels are prime eco-concept properties among numerous other eco-oriented accommodation options.

Hotels in Cultural Triangle | Hotels in Central Highlands | Beach Hotels | Geoffrey Bawa Hotels | Eco Hotels & Lodges | Tea Bungalows | Resorts & Spa's

3. Diversity of terrain

Sri Lanka is a tropical island with diverse terrain. The compact island is home to some of the finest tropical beaches in the world. Rolling central highlands is home to verdant vegetation & waterfalls. North Central plains are home to several thousand rainwater reservoirs.

4. Diversified climate & cultivation

Tropical beaches of lowland plains are hot & humid. Central Highlands from Kandy (500m Mediterranean climate) to Nuwara Eliya (1800m salubrious climate). The diversified climate allows for trees, tropical as well as temperate. Low country: coconut plantations, rubber plantations, paddy fields & vegetables & fruits. Hill Country (Central Highlands): tea estates, vegetable & fruit cultivation

5. Diversity of Ecosystem

The major natural ecosystems of Sri Lanka are forests, grasslands, inland wetlands, & coastal & marine ecosystems, Inland wetlands, forests & grasslands. It also includes agricultural eco systems.

Forests vary from wet evergreen forests (both lowland & montane), dry mixed evergreen forests to dry thorn forests. Grasslands are found in montane & low country. Lion King (Sinharaja) Tropical Rain Forest is a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, a world heritage site (1989).

Inland wetlands include a complex network of rivers & freshwater bodies. Marine ecosystems include sea-grass beds, coral reefs, estuaries & lagoons & mangrove swamps.

6. Biodiversity

Western Ghats of south-western India & Sri Lanka is one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots of the world recognized by Conservation International.

Mammals, birds, Butterflies, frogs, fish, reptiles, marine turtles

Classical bio-geographic theory predicts that small islands do not have large animals. Sri Lanka defies that theory too. The largest terrestrial mammal, the elephant takes the pride of place among the 86 species of mammals. Sri Lanka’s with its abundance of bird life with over 250 resident species makes it an ornithologist’s paradise.

To the naturalist, Sri Lanka offers a tantalizing array of interesting & unique butterfly forms. No less than 244 species of butterflies occur in Sri Lanka. With 200 new species of tree frogs awaiting scientific description Sri Lanka could surpass countries like Costa Rica in the number of tree frog species, making it the frog capital of the world. This is a result of Sri Lanka being a Waterworld: Ancient Sinhalese irrigation & Modern irrigation Projects of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka is one of the major nesting sites of the world for of marine turtles. Of the seven species of marine turtle in the world, five return to lay their eggs in the natal beaches of the Sri Lanka.

7. Conservation of water

Rivers & waterfalls; the island is blessed with 103 rivers radiating from central highlands, rushing down rocky precipices forming more than 400 waterfalls , all ending up loosing the momentum at the Indian Ocean.

Storage of water for agriculture

73 major irrigation reservoirs (ancient) covering an area of 70850 ha
160 Medium scale reservoirs (ancient) covering an area of 17004 ha
10000 minor irrigation reservoirs (ancient) covering an area of 39271 ha are supplemented by modern irrigation schemes which also supply hydro electric power to the island.

8. Conservation of wildlife

No less than 13% of the land of the island is designated for wildlife & nature conservation. In addition to the tourist attractions of 16 National parks reserved for wildlife, Sri Lanka has numerous strict natural reserves, nature reserves & sanctuaries.

9. Conservation of Enriching Culture

Spiritually, 2550 years of Sinhalese culture with its triple prime features of Rainwater reservoir, Buddhist Temple & Stupa enrich the minds of all visitors.

Historically & geographically, Sri Lanka today is a cultural treasure trove of intact & restored ancient monuments & preserved ruins, a living world heritage of ancient conservation of water, protection to all living beings & harmony with environment–United Biology & irrigation. Sri Lanka’s 6 World Heritages sites include two entire ancient cities.

10. Unique attractions

Adam's Peak
Kandy Esala Perahera pageant

For Part 1 click here

Ancient Renown of Ceylon

Wassaf, a Persian poet, says it was so arranged by the Almighty, in order to break the force of a sudden change from the best to the worst; because if Adam had been expelled from Eden to a bad climate, it would have been the death of him.{Click here to read the complete post}

Tour the island of Sri Lanka, The Land of Delights with My Sri Lanka Holidays, Sri Lanka. Total Holiday Experience awaits you in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka.