NO. 47. — 1896.] ANCIENT CEYLON. 



125 



THE INAUGURATION OF THE KING IN ANCIENT 

 CEYLON. 



By C. M. Fernando, B.A., LL.B. Cantab., M.R.A.S. England. 



The word " abhiseka " literally meant " sprinkling," and 

 as the sprinkling of the sacred water of the Ganges formed 

 the chief feature of the ancient ceremony of the royal 

 inauguration, the ceremony itself was called abhiseka. 

 The present description of it is contained in the Pali com- 

 mentary of the Mahdwansa, known as the Mahdwansa 

 Tikd, to which it has been embodied from an ancient 

 Buddhistical work. Apart from its inherent interest, it 

 affords an instructive glimpse into the constitution of ancient 

 society in Lanka. 



The original Pali text is as follows : — 



Majjhimasangitiya cullasihanadasuttavannanaya slhalatthakathaya 

 vuttam, katham ? Pathamam tava "abhisekam ganhantanam rajunam 

 suvannamayadini tmi samkhani ca, gangodakanca khattiyakafmafica 

 laddhum vattati ti " vatva rajunam abhisekakaranavidhi ca vutto. 



Abhisekamangalasseva alankatapatiyattassa mandapassa antokatassa 

 udumbarasakhamandapassa majjhe suppatitthapite udumbarabhadda- 

 pithamhi abhisekaraham abhijaccam khattiyam nisidapetva pathamam 

 tava mangalabharanabhusita jdtisampanna khattiyakanfia gangoda- 

 kapunnam samuddikam dakhindvattasankham ubhohi hatthehi sakkac- 

 cam gahetva tassa sisopari ussapetvatassa muddhani abhisekodakam 

 abhisificati, evanca vadeti " deva tarn sabbepi khattiyagana attanama- 

 rakkhanattham imina abhisekena abhisekitam maharajam karonti, tvam 

 rajadbammesu thito dhammena samena rajjam karehi, etesu khattiya- 

 ganesu tvam puttasokanugatanukampasahita citto ca hitasamametta- 

 citto ca bhava, rakkhavaranaguttiya tesam rakkhito ca bhavahiti." 



Tato puna purohito porohiccatthanalankarehi alankatapatiyatto 

 gangodakapunnam rajatamayasamkham ubohi hatthehi sakkaccam 

 gahetva tassa sisopari ussapetvana tassa muddhani abhisekodakam 

 abhisificati, evanca vadeti. 



"Deva tarn sabbepi brahmanagana attanamarakkhanattham imina 

 abhisekena abhisekitam mahdrajam karonti, tvam rajadhammesu thito 

 dhammena samena rajjam karehi, etesu brahmanaganesu tvam putta- 

 sokanugatanukampasahitacitto ca hitasamamettacitto ca bhava, rak- 

 khavaranaguttiya tesam rakkhito ca bhavahiti." 



