96 JOURNAL R. A S. CEYLON. [Vol. VII., Ft. II. 



natural construction, I think, is to connect it with the noun 

 sambhavo (norm sing, ru.) "origin." 



I discovered this erroneous rendering many years ago, but 

 for obvious reasons I have refrained from calling public atten- 

 tion to it. The truth is, I was extremely reluctant to do so 

 from fear that I might unwittingly lead others to think that 

 Tumour's translation of the Mahawanso is generally incorrect. 

 Such is not my opinion. The few mistakes found in this great 

 work are mere " spots on the sun," and I do not think there is 

 a better translation of a historical work in the East. It is not 

 too much to say that this "gifted Englishman" has, by his 

 writings and researches, undoubtedly done more for the develop- 

 ment of the historical literature of India and Ceylon than all 

 his predecessors and successors, both European and native. 



My belief is, that Mr. Tumour's Kandyan Pandits, not know- 

 ing the meaning of this unusual word iC QQ&$"[Pulinda] which, 

 as I stated above, is not found in the Pali vocabulary, erro- 

 neously interpreted it to mean " Yakkho " instead of " Veddd" 



I may here add that I have had the satisfaction of discover- 

 ing that my reading is confirmed by the Commentary on the 

 Mahawanso, which has the following gloss on the passage in 

 question : — 



"gg3^£Doo5 ese&^So^ dsSGSasia^dS tsx6<efi<5?& casdsfo 

 gg^^)o ep§g5ceo cg££)o xs)& £)S ^ bicsSa 



a Pulinddnan hi sambhavotL Etthahikaro karanattke. Yasmate 

 Puliudanan adi purisa hutva tattha vasiiisu. Tasma ettha Pidindanan 

 eso sambhavo ayuppattiti vinneyyo ahosi ti attho." 



{(i Pulindcman hi samhhavoti.'- — Here the letter ' hi ' signifies 

 4 cause' or 'reason.' On what account did they, becoming the pro- 

 genitors {adi purisa) of the Pulindd, reside here (Malaya Division), 

 on that account it should be known that this is. the origin, first 

 existence, of the Pulindd" 



