KAMALIKA PIERIS

 TEMPLE LIBRARIES        

Special mention must be made of the extensive palm leaf manuscript collections found in the   Buddhist temples in the island.  The collections were mostly on Buddhism but they also had manuscripts which yield   valuable primary information on other matters.

Sirancee Gunawardana has looked at the collections in the following temples as they had the largest collections. Dalada Maligawa Pattirippuwa ,  Raja Maha vihara, Malwatte in Kandy; Mulkirigala Raja Maha vihara; Potgul vihara Hanguranketa; Raja Maha vihara Pelmadulla; Raja Maha vihara Kelaniya; Raja Maha vihara   Hittetiya; Katarangala vihara Halloluwa, Kandy; Netolpitiya Vihara Ranna; Uthurupaw vihara Mawanella; Madampe vihara; Sudarmaramaya Denipitiya; Sudarmaramaya Maduwela near Matara. Ariyakara vihara, Mihiripenna  and   Valikara Ambarukaramaya Balapitiya.

University  of Kelaniya has digitized the collections at the following temples (date not gven): Hanguranketha Pothgul Maha Vihara; Araththana Raja Maha Vihara; Vijayasundararama Raja Maha Vihara Dambadeniya; Bowala Rajamaha Vihara; Pallebowala, Bambaragala Vihara Pallebowala; Kande Vihara Heenapita Ekiriya;  Ranpathge Purana Vihara Kithulpe; Rankirimada Vihara Doluwa; Kumbukwewa,   Kheththarama Purana Vihara Karahampitigoda; Dewanagala, Sulugal Rajamaha Vihara, Peddawa Mahamukalanyaya;   Dembawa Purana Vihara, Mādipola, Galewela;  Huruggamuwa Rajamaha Vihara Huruggamuwa, Narammala; Sri Susilarama Vihara, Aludeniya, Eraminigammana;  Bhāthikābhaya Thumbarup Rajamaha Vihara Kapirikgama, Kallanchiya, Anuradhapura; Ruwangiri Rajamaha Vihara Kokmaduwa, Kahatagasdigiliya; Shaila Bimbarama Vihara, Kallanchiya, Anuradhapura;  Gonagiri Rajamaha Vihara Kahatagasdigiliya; Thirappankadawala Raja Maha Vihara  Horowpothana; Sri Wardhanarama, Ginipenda, Kalugamuwa, Narammala;  Godagamwela Purana Vihara, Horombawa, [1]

The National Library  team researching Sinhala numerals   looked at manuscripts in the  following temples (2025) Kumara Kanda Rajamaha Viharaya, Dodanduwa   627 manuscripts , Ethkanda Rajamaha Viharaya, Kurunegala 780, Nikawewa Raja Maha Viharaya, Nikawewa 531, Ginipenda Viharaya, Kalugamuwa 532 ,Madawala Shilabimbaramaya, Madawala 235, Viharegama Raja Maha Viharaya, Narammala 350, Vidyananda Piriwena, Nittambuwa 390, Vidyalankara Pirivena, Kelaniya ,480 Bothale Raja Maha Viharaya, Mirigama Vidyalankara Pirivena, Kelaniya 480 Purana Mirigama Viharaya, Mirigama 218

These three lists, with little overlap, indicate the large number of temples that have palm leaf collections. The popular notion was that the temples did not look after these manuscripts properly and they were deteriorating. But Sirancee Gunawardene who has visited many  temples, said the collections were well looked after.  Ganegodella Purana Raja Maha Vihara, Kosgoda had 825 manuscripts ,Dalada Maligawa Pattirippuwa library had 564 , Ariyakara vihara, Mihiripenna  had 195 . 

Historical Manuscripts Commission (HMC) issued its first report in 1933. HMC found several very old manuscripts in temple libraries. Neluva Potgul vihara had the oldest ola found by the Historical Manuscripts Commission. It was dated 1538 AD. The Commission found   olas dated to 1550 and 1595 at Atkande vihara. They are well preserved after a period of 300 years, said the report. One gave information on the Dissaves in charge of the Kurunegala district at that time.

Pelmadulla Raja Maha vihara   was the venue of the Dhamma sangayanaya held in the 18 century. Pelmadulla has  one of the most valuable collections of ola manuscripts   in the island, said Gunawardana.   it has a Visuddhimagga in an archaic script datable to approximately 400 years ago.  There was also   a ‘Raja parampara vistarayak,’ which gives the ancestry of kings .

As expected, temple libraries had many manuscripts on Buddhism. Manuscripts of writings of  Valvita Saranankara  are available at Gallengolla Potgul vihara, Angunawala vihara in Udunuwara , Kumbiyangoda  vhara in Matale, Raja maha vihara, in Hanguranketa and the Rajamaha vihara at Attaragamuwa.[2]    

 The temple libraries held valuable information on the political history of the island.  Historical Manuscripts Commission found a copy of Mahavamsa and Mahabodhivamsa at Nagolle vihara. Copies of the Rajavaliya were available in many temples. The copy at Sri  Vardhanarama library Mohotimulla, is one of the oldest. Copies were found at Subadrarama vihara, Balapitiya,  Sellawala Raja Maha vihara located at Halloluwa, Katugastota, Potgul vihara Handuranketha ,Pravachanda temple, Molligoda, Kandavihara at Attabage and Yogilalena temple, Sandalankara.

Yapahuwa temple had an ola giving the dates of the coronation, deaths and other events in the life of the kings of Kandy.Sadhananada Pirivena, Doranegoda, Alutkuru korale had an ola giving the history of the Doranegoda village.

The temple libraries retained documents relating to land and land disputes. The library at Aluwihare, Matale has a manuscript on the litigation pertaining to the temple.  Uthurupaw vihara has a manuscript giving the judgment in a land dispute in the 15 century. Atkande vihara had a deed of transfer which said Pahalavela kumbura was offered to Atkande vihara by Teliyaskatuwe lekam and Maddumaya. Netolpitiya Purana vihara has the contract sent by the Dutch agreeing to give financial support for renovating the temple.

 At Lankatileke HMC  found an architectural ground plan of a royal palace, a raja valiya salasma, dated 17 or 18 century.  the design is rectangular with   ornate triangular and circular buildings inside. The Sinhala names for the different apartments and special buildings are of considerable value   as these words are rarely seen. They showed the functions assigned to each apartment as well.

Kosgoda Ganegodalla  raha maha vihara has a collection of 825 manuscripts. The collection   contains copies of Salalihini, Kokila, Gira, Savul and Mayura sandesas    Alutnuwara Raja Maha Vihara had two manuscripts on music.  One was called Pada Natuma,  the other contained music notations.  Gunawardana said she has not seen anything else like it. She has included a photo  in her  book on p 169’

Temple libraries had manuscripts on medicine. Copies of Besajja Manjusa ,  the oldest medical mss in Sri Lanka are held in Dalada Maligawa Patirippuwa library,  Galvene purana vihara Angoda, Valukaramaya  at Pamburana, Matara and Mettaramaya, Bambalapitiya, Colombo.  Copies of king Buddhadasa’s Saratha sangrahaya are held at Katavitigodella purana vihara, Wellampitiya,  Galgane vihara, Devundera, Pudalangalla Purana raja maha vihara, Ratnapura.   There is a beheth vattoru pota in Kosgoda temple library.   Medical manuscripts were found at Embili vihara and Sri Maha Vijayasundara Aramaya, Matale.

Pelmadulla had several   unique medical manuscripts.  HMC (1933) found a manuscript on surgical specialties written in Sinhala, copied in 1862.  There a another on eye ailments  Sinhala- rajjuruvange- as-beheth -pota has illustrations of the surgical instruments used. There is also a 12-century manuscript in Sinhala on acupuncture with acupuncture points. This is shown in full in Gunawardana, p 150-154.

 Pelmadulla also has a manuscript on veterinary medicine, with treatment for bulls, horses and cocks.This is shown in Gunawardene p 155. Harakola Anandarama  in Gampola has two manuscripts   on elephants, one      is on elephant charms and sensitive spots and the other is an ali- veda- pota .[3] ( continued)

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[1] https://ss.kln.ac.lk/units/plmsrl/index.php/component/content/article/84-news/89-digital-collection?Itemid=437

[2] HAP Abeyawardana.  Heritage of Kandurata  2004 p 83

[3] Sirancee Gunawardana Palm leaf manuscripts of Sri Lanka .  (1977) p 1  ,5 , 6, 51 ,52, 129,132, 139 , 147,  148, 155, 169 , 248 , 292,  296

First report of the Historical Manuscripts Commision. (1933) SP 9 of 1933. p 34,20,25, 31,32,53,56, 57,59, 123.