103 



talents he displayed, that the priests to whom he presented himself 

 at the Mahaviharo, at Anuradhapura, exclaimed "Most assuredly 

 this is Metteyo, Buddho himself." Upon the completion of the 

 task he had undertaken, "all the theros and acharayos held his 

 compilation in the same estimation as the text (of the Pitakattaya.)" 

 — Mahawanso, ch. xxvii. 



Now, it is in this compilation by Buddhaghosa, that the first 

 mention of the Foot-print occurs ; although there is absolutely 

 nothing in the sacred Text to lead to or call for any such notice. 



Whence then did Buddhaghosa obtain his information ? During 

 the 4th century, the Kings qf Ceylon, successors to Maha Sen, were 

 eminently pious sovereigns, looked at from a Buddhist point of 

 view ; their reigns were long and peaceful, and religion flourished 

 under their fostering care. In the ninth year of the reign of Kitsiri 

 Maiwan 1st (302—330), the tooth relic was brought over from 

 Kalinga, and the Mahawanso relates many particulars of events, 

 other than this, tending to the extension and glorification of Bud- 

 dhism in the land ; but there is not in the annals of the century 

 a single syllable respecting either the Sumana mountain or the 

 Sri-pada. Not until six centuries later is the former referred to, 



the expulsion or death of the persecuting rulers, embassies had to be sent to Siam 

 and Burmah to procure copies of the sacred writings, and obtain priests, and ordi- 

 nation, with a view to the revival of the national faith. It thus happened that up 

 to a very recent period a large proportion of the sacred books were in the Pali Ian- 

 guage. As however but few in the priesthood understand Pali, this was felt to be a 

 serious drawback ; to remedy which Maha Nissaya Karaka chariya Pafmasiha 

 Terunnanse, principal pupil of the late learned Lankagoda Siri Saddhamawansapala 

 Dhirananda Nayaka, high priest of the Amarapura fraternity (d. Jan. 25, 1871), 

 undertook the translation into Sinhalese of the Samanta pasadika,,or commentary 

 on the five books of the Vinaya Pitaka, a work which he completed about 1864. 

 This translation having been read and approved in a convocation of priests, he'd 

 in Sabaragammuwa, the original copy was deposited at Welitota vihara in 

 K ep p in a- m u d ali- ar am a near B al a pi t i m 6 d ar a . 



