Page:The Mahāvaṃsa or the Great Chronicle of Ceylon.djvu/56

lii Introduction I can only incidentally, where it appears to me to be absolutely necessary, take up a position with regard to views of other inquirers, and must avoid many explanations which suggest themselves, in order not to overstep the space allotted to me.

First, with regard to the SOUTHERN BUDDHIST SOURCES for the history of the Councils, the principal, both in age and importance, are Khandhaka XI and XII of the Cullavagga in the Vinaya-Pilaka l which deal with the First and Second Council.

Then follow the Dip. and Mah. with accounts of the three Councils 2 and also the historical Introduction to Buddha- ghosa's Samantapasadika. 3 Moreover, Buddhaghosa treats of the First Council, frequently with the same wording, in the Introduction to his Sumahgalavilasinl. 4 As secondary sources we may mention the Mahabodhivamsa fi and Sasanavamsa, 6 and also in the Sinhalese language principally the Nikaya- Samgraha. 7

The NORTHERN BUDDHIST ACCOUNTS will be mentioned in treating of the several Councils.

The account in C.V. is this :

Mahakassapa, travelling with his disciples from Pava to Kusinara, hears of the death of the Buddha. The monks are profoundly grieved, but Subhadda comforts them with the frivolous utterance that they can now do what they will, and that they are freed from an irksome control.

Thereupon Mahakassapa proposes to undertake a samglti of the Dhamma and the Vinaya, that the doctrine may thus

1 OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. ii, p. 284 foil. Cf.S.B.E. xx, p. 370 foil.

2 GEIGEB, Dtp. and Mah. p. 108 foil. In the Dip. there is a double account of each Council.

3 See OLDENBERG, Vin. Pit. in, p. 283 foil.

4 Ed. RHYS DAVIDS and CARPENTER, i. (P.T.S. 1886), p. 2 foil.

5 Ed. STRONG (P.T.S. 1891), p. 85 foil.

6 Ed. M. BODE (P.T.S. 1897s p. 3 foil.

7 Ed. WICKREMASINGHE, 1890, pp. 3, 4, 8.