Page:The Mahāvaṃsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon.djvu/26

xxii Introduction mentioned, who is said to have been Mutasiva's second son, although he was no longer young when he ascended the throne. But to him succeeded three younger brothers, Uttiya, 1 Mahasiva and Suratissa, each of whom reigned ten (= thirty) years. Nay, after the intervening rule of the two Damilas, Sena and Guttika, which lasted twelve years, a fourth brother, Asela, ascends the throne and also reigns ten years.

The reigns of the sons of Mutasiva, who himself occupied the throne for sixty years, would then cover a period of ninety-two years !

We see clearly that also in the period between Devanampiya- tissa and Dutthagamani there were still gaps in the tradition which were filled in with fictitious construction. For the line of Devanampiyatissa we have again the remarkable round numbers 40 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10.

In the later periods we encounter no such difficulties and impossibilities. The chronology is credible, the numbers appear less artificial and more trustworthy.

But even in that first historical period one fact stands out clearly and distinctly from the wavering traditions concerning the times immediately before and after. That is the reign of Devanampiyatissa and the arrival of Mahinda in Ceylon. And with this we approach the general standpoint from which we have to judge the historical tradition as to the earliest and earlier times in our Chronicles.

We have to do with a monkish tradition. The starting- point of its chronological statements is the year of the Buddha's death. For this tradition naturally not every event iior every historical personage is important to an equal degree, but chiefly in so far as they were of importance for the development of the Buddhist community. There are isolated occurrences and personalities connected, even in early times,

1 The name of Uttiya and his consort is confirmed by an inscription in Periya-Puliyankulam (Northern Province). See Archaeological rey of Ceylon, Annual Report, 1905 (xx. 1909), p. 45.