By-Dr.Sripali Vaiamon

 On the 25^th of July(2020) President had held a meeting with MAHA SANGA and also with the new Director General of the Department of Archaeology. According to news papers very important matters have been discussed. Results could be expected without much delay. In view of this other responsible  officers will furnish more detailed matters required.

It is paramount to look into the religious misconceptions involved in Buddhism due to unbelievable historical misadventures procreated by authors without paying any heed to evidence and facts. Even with regard to the origination of the Sinhala community is based on purely on an unbelievable folk tale adventurously portrayed in the Mahavansa..We are the products of woman and an animal. These misadventures once and for all should be cleared. Otherwise these are insults to the Sinhala Buddhist nation. Before trying to investigate misadventures of the previous regime present President should enthusiastically look into and ameliorate these yarns within the power that he possessed now.

At the inception of the new Government it is very appropriable to look into the history of our little Island which has been obtusely mislead the people and made them ignorant masses to believe all what ancient historians have  written without evidence and facts as historical relations. We all must live in this little island in unity irrespective of ethnic, religious or political susceptibilities. But we must have a clear and acceptable history of the country for our children to familiarize with. Somme times back it has been taken out from the school curriculum. Although Lanka is supposed to be a country with a long documented history, it is not being taught in schools. It was appeared in one of the tabloid published in Canada–DASATHA,by Professor.Padmasiri Kannangara  in the month of August in 2016 where history has been taken out of the school curriculum in 1972,when Badurdeen Mohommed was in charge of the portfolio of Education. When people kicked up a row it was reintroduced in 1995.What amendments they have made no one knows. It is worth look into. Students for over twenty odd years could not learn HISTORY of the country.

This article is addressed to Buddhist intellectuals only, because they have neglected their fundamental duty to ameliorate the historical and biographical situations relevant to compassionate Buddha who had no regard for falsifications.

IT IS TIME TO APPOINT A PANEL COMPRISED WITH ERUDITE SCHOLARS TO INVESTIGATE THE HISTORY OF THE ISLAND AND REFORM IT IN CORRECT PERSPECTIVE.

This is something imperative and should be reformed in such a way not to hurt the susceptibilities of masses, particularly that of Buddhists but fully convince them representing the truth to a possible extent. In future they will observe the history in a correct perspective. . Buddhists in the country who are majority should live with other citizens amicably and in broad unity. Present President of the country definitely desires to live with everyone of them more closer in executing all the functions of a good

 Government. But sad to say they give more publicity for misconducts of the members of the previous government without even basically ascertain that there is a wee-bit of truth of their huge allegations. After proper investigation if there is something legal actions should be initiated and announce to the public. Then only must shout about it. Otherwise those will sound as old widows allegations!

Buddhists should fully realize what is Buddhism is. It is a profound philosophy of the Buddha who treated everyone alike, irrespective of their religious differences, ethnicities or political affiliations. To Buddha  all are human beings with same anatomy.. His ardent follower  after the conversion,, who sent his son and daughter to Sri Lanka to establish Buddha Sasana. King Dharmasoka in his Piller Edicts # 6 and 7 where he had given specific instructions to his administrators to allow and help others to profess their religious views in their own way and further he has engraved in the Girinar Edict #12, by an aphorism that whoever honour his own religion and condemn the religions of others wholly from devotion to his own religion, in acting thus, injures more gravely his own religion. Every Buddhist must bear this in mind more profoundly.

TERM SINHALA IN MAHAVANSA.

Prof. Hema Ellawala, who made an extensive research on Mahavansa, the great chronicle, affirmed as an established historical document but Mahavansa’s fallings are many and it contains much is myth and legend. Wilhelm Geiger who did a yeoman service to SL history comments in his,’The Culture of Ceylon in medieval times,’- It would be too rash simply to set aside these ancient legends which contain a kernel of history wrapped up in the tales and inventions of pious traditions.

As a matter of fact, Mahavansa has given more prominence to create adventures and legends on religious basis in order to create more piety. As the author was a Buddhist monk he promulgated  Buddhist aspect of adventures formed in order to create piety. At the end of 37 chapters of Mahavansa he boldly made a notion to say he compiles this for the serene joy and emotion of the pious-  That suggests not to establish only facts or evidences but to create some pious fulfillments.  Ancient kings who were the very embodiment of piety highly taken this up as truth as crystal.  This has grossly misled the public and ultimately removed History” from school curriculum a few decades back. Those who come out from educational institutions are lack of historical knowledge.  

Origination of term Sinhala from Vijaya is not at all justifiable. Mahavansa made him the progenitor of the Sinhala community. He goes as the FIRST king in the country according to Mahavansa..When Vijaya met Kuveni it was discovered that there was a king of yakka tribe who was known as Mahakalasena and his kingdom was Sirasawasthu. Then he should be the first king in the country. Yakka was one of the tribes out of the four ancient Sinhala tribes, viz. Yakka, Deva, Naga and Raksa. Vijaya was a Gujarathian,  a foreigner. Moreover Vijaya was a plunderer. He robbed country people with his followers. He was a crook and that is why he was ousted from the country!

Vijaya was supposed to be a son of Sinhabahu and Sinhaseevali, both were the products of a lion and a  woman. The author didn’t know a lion and a woman cannot procreate human children. Late Dr.Ananda Guruge and historian, John M Senaviratna revealed it was not a lion but a human being who had a name Sinha. Then why on earth, it was taken so seriously to stabilized a community as Sinhalese. Mahavansa says, Sinha lunathi Seehalo.It was the reason the author adduced. Author was Rev.Mahanama of Deegasanda Senapathi Pirivana, Anuradhapura. Veteran archeologist, Siran Deraniyagala revealed from his recent excavation at Anuradhapura that there was a civilization 300 years prior to the advent of Vijaya. In several ancient Sanskrit literature before Vijaya the term Sinhala has been given explicitly. .Markadyapurana, Brahath Sanghitha, Bhagawatha, much prior to that in Mahabaratha more prominently.       

          I came across the term Sinhala in the second parva (bk) of Mahabaratha. Mr.K.M.Ganguli who translated all the 18 books of Mahabaratha says Sinhala is given in bk2,ch33,and ch51, bk 3 ch51and in bk 7 . According to Monier Monier Williams who compiled the very first English Sanskrit Dictionary, commented Mahabaratha commenced its compilation in 1200 B.C.Intrnet says it was in 900 BC. Dr.B.J.Perera who contributed an article to Ceylon Historical Journal vol 2, says Sinhala is mentioned in the Sanskrit Commentaries of Jaina Canonical works.  Ravana in Ramayana authored by Valmiki, had written several books in Sinhala, the language obviously seems to be Sanskrit. That suggest the language used by the people of the country at that time probably could be Sanskrit which was known as Sinhala..Perhaps it could be surmised thus: when Panini introduced his grammar book, Asthadayi with three thousands odd grammatical rules even in India the flow of writing became lethargic. Writers may have thought involving in literary work without grammar is not congenial. Thereafter releasing of books became very slow. In Lanka instead of jaw breaking terms they may have introduced Illu as a simple language in place of Sanskrit.

Ravana who was supposed to be a king of Lanka according to Valmiki had written a few books in Sanskrit( Sinhala) such as Nadi Pariksha,Uddisa Chikithsa, Rasarathnakaraya, KumaraTantra, Vatika Prakarna and Herth Chikithsa.( late M.H.Sirisoma,Commissioner of archaeology- Well read personality.

Dr.Paranavithana in the foot note of his Seegiri Gee affirmed the term Sinhala is Sanskrit, in Pali it is Seehala, in Prakrit Sainhala and the term Hela occurred in the Graffiti as an equivalent of Illu  or Elu. The late Mr.Arisen Ahubudu had expressed that the four tribes,viz. Deva, Naga, Yakka and Raksa in the Island earned the term Siv+hela=Sihala and that was the equivalent of Sanskrit Sinhala.

Our archaeologists reveled the first discovery of a human bone in Sri Lanka was   125,000 years old and it was discovered from Pathirajawela, down south. Second was 80,000 years. At that era there were lions in this country. So our archaeologists should make further research to find out whether there was any relationship to lions and thereby Sinha concept crept into  our language.

Sinhala Guru,Munidasa Cumaratunga commented in Prabhasodaya in 1936,Sinhala was the term in ancient time used to the language and the country.

Sinha names were given to some kings in Akkad in Babylonia where there was a Sinha Dynasty. In 2488 BC. There was a great ruler in Akkad, known as Narang Singh,and another king by the name  Bhur Sinha who was in Akkad in 2331, Gimal singh was in 2222 BC. Today nearly 95% of males in Punjab have Singha title at the end of their names. Because these people are the descendants of those who came to Mohanjo daro around 2500 BC.