720 Examination of the Pali Buddhistical Annals. [Sept. 



of the date assigned for the landing of Wijayo : and for considering 

 it a fiction. 



1st. The improbable coincidence of its occurrence on the precise 

 day that Sakya died. 



2nd. The aggregate period comprised in the 236 years from the 

 landing of Wijayo to the accession of Dewananpiyatisso is apportion- 

 ed for the most part on a scale of decimation, among the six rajas 

 ■who preceded Dewananpiyatisso. 



3rd. One of these six rajas, Panduka'bhayo, according to the 

 Mahdwanso, married at 20 years of age ; he dethroned, when he was 

 37 years old, his uncle Abhayo ; and reigned thereafter 70 years. He 

 must therefore have been 107 years old when he died, having been 

 married 87 years : and yet the issue of that marriage Mijtasiwo suc- 

 ceeded him, and reigned 60 years ! 



It is obvious, therefore, if the foregoing numerical succession of 

 rajas be correct, that as regards the personal history of the two kings 

 last named, their portion of the whole term of 236 years, which is 

 represented to have intervened between the landing of Wijayo and 

 the accession of Dewa'nanpiyatisso, is inadequately filled up by the 

 historical incidents furnished by the Mahdwanso ; and that a curtail- 

 ment of at least 60 years is required to adjust the narrative to any 

 admissible duration of human existence. 



Before, however, any conjecture can be afforded as to whether that 

 curtailment should be effected by bringing forward the landing of 

 Wijayo, or throwing back the accession of Dewananpiyatisso, it 

 will be requisite to examine the ensuing portion of the Ceylonese 

 table ; for the purpose of ascertaining whether that portion also of the 

 Ceylonese history exhibits any chronological incongruity ; and if it 

 does, whether the incongruity demands dilation or contraction for the 

 adjustment of its chronology. 



It will there be found that four of Dewa'nanpiyatisso's brothers, 

 severally, succeeded to the monarchy, and each of them also reigned a 

 term of precisely ten years. Between the accessions of the third and 

 fourth brothers, Su'ratisso and Aselo, two foreigners named Seno and 

 Guttiko usurped the throne, and retained their power for 22 years. 

 Aselo put these usurpers to death, and after his decennial rule, Elaro 

 invading Ceylon from the Chola country deposed Aselo. 



Now this Aselo is stated to be the ninth son of the above mention- 

 ed Mutasiwo, who enjoyed a long reign of 60 years, after succeeding 

 his father Pandukabhayo, who at his demise, as noticed above, had 

 been married to Mutasiwo's mother for 87 years. As Mutasiwo 

 is not represented to be a minor, supposing him to have only attained 



