10 ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY, ( CEYLON BRANCH.) 



"In a future (age) a prince named Piyadaso, raising the um- 

 brella of dominion, will become king Asoka the righteous, and he 

 will distribute these relics." 



The Commentator further relates that 218 years after- 

 wards, when king Asoka after his conversion to Buddhism, 

 caused the relic receptacle to be opened for the purpose of 

 obtaining relics to build " Thupas," he found to his in- 

 expressible wonder and joy, the gold plate on which the 

 above prediction was inscribed, and thenceforward, he 

 became the most zealous patron that Buddhism ever had. 



In Basavdltini, which is a Collection of tales and stories 

 relating to ancient India and Ceylon, the author in his 

 account of Asoka, quotes the abovementioned prediction, and 

 also mentions the fact that Asoka in his youth was named 

 prince " Piyadaso." 



The Saddharmalanhara, which by some is supposed to be 

 a Sinhalese version of the Rasav&hini, and by others its 

 original, gives the following interesting and additional 

 particulars, which are not found in any other work I 

 have met with. It states that Asoka, on his birth, received 

 the name of prince " Piyadasa," " because his countenance 

 was radiant as the polished surface of a mirror and pleased 

 all beholders; " * " that when he held the Government ot 

 1 Avanti ' under his father Bindusara, he was known as 

 prince ( Asoka,' "f That he was afterwards surn tuned 

 " Chandasoka," or "Asoka the Cruel," on account of his 

 putting his brothers to death, and finally " Dharm asoka. " J 

 or " Asoka the righteous,'' on bis conversion to Buddhism, 

 and becoming a zealous patron of religion. 



L, De Z. 



* Vide selections from Saddharmalankara, p. 4. 

 t Ibid, p. 5. 

 } Ibid, p. 14. 



