Literature in Anuradhapura Period

Jetawana Stupa
captured by the author

           This article intends to provide a brief exposition of the few literary works written during the Anuradhapura period, providing substantial information about the early history of literature in Sri Lanka.

          The earliest attested records of the Sinhalese script belong to the Anuradhapura period, specifically, to the 3^rd century BC. These are the inscriptions written in the Brahmi script which depict the gradual development of the Sinhalese alphabet, and the literary language. The first reference in historical sources to any written work is about 80 BC, but both Sinhalese and Pali literature is believed to have existed at least two centuries before this. There are evidence of three books belonging to the early Anuradhapura period which do not exist any longer. They are ‘Asak Daa Kawa’ (අසක් දා කව), ‘Porana Miyuru Sandesa’ (පොරණ මියුරු සඳෙස), and ‘Helatuwaa’ (හෙළටුවා). Even though the original works are lost, some quotations taken from them appear in various later works. Only three literary works and Sigiri graffiti belonging to this period available today. They are introduced below in a bird’s eye view:

1.      Sigiri Graffiti (සීගිරි ගී)
                       The oldest poetic works of the ancient Sinhalese are found among the graffiti on the mirror wall of Sigiriya. These poems written by the average literate folk of the day, range from the 6^th century to the 10^th century AD. Most of these verses are describing or even addressed to the female figures depicted in the frescoes of Sigiriya. The majority of these poems have been written between the 8th and 10th centuries. The late Dr. Senarath Paranavithana conducted an extensive research on these verses and compiled a voluminous work including a substantial commentary on them.

2.      Siya Bas Lakara (සිය බස් ලකර) 
                     ‘Siya Bas Lakara’ written in the 9^th or 10^th century is the earliest extant book in the annals of the Sinhalese literature. It is a translation of the popular Sanskrit treatise on poetics known as Dandeen’s ‘Kaavyaadarsha’. The authorship of this translation is attributed to an ancient Sinhalese king bearing the name ‘Sena Salamewan’ (සේන සලමෙවන්). He is also known as ‘Aba Salamewan’ (අබා සලමෙවන්) by some. ‘Siya Bas Lakara’ put forth the norms and traditions of classical Sinhalese poetry, and remained the handbook of Sinhalese poets until the decline of the Kotte period.

3.      Dampiyaa Atuwaa Gatapadaya (දම්පියා අටුවා ගැටපදය) 
                     ‘Dampiya Atuva Gatapadaya’ a prose work, which indeed is a glossary for the Pali Dhammapadattha Katha, providing Sinhalese words and synonyms for the Pali words appearing in the original work. It is considered to be a work of king Kashyapa V. This is significant not only as the oldest available glossary (ගැට පදය) in the annals of the Sinhalese literature, but also as a work which depicts the gradual development of the Sinhalese prose style. Sir D. B. Jayatillake has published a commendable edition of the work with explanatory notes and comments.

4.       Mul Sikha Haa Sikha Walanda Winisa (මුල් සිඛ හා සිඛ වලඳ විනිස)
                     ‘Mul Sikha’ (also known as ‘Sikha Walanda) and ‘Sikha Walanda Winisa’ have been written during the last two centuries of the Anuradhapura period. This is evident from the fact that they depict a rather advanced variety of the Sinhalese prose style in comparison to that of ‘Dampiyaa Atuwaa Gatapadaya’. These were not for the laymen, since they were manuals written on the disciplinary rules of the Buddhist monks. ‘Mul Sikha’ is a Sinhalese translation of the Pali work ‘Moola Sikkhaa’ (මූල සික්ඛා), whereas ‘Sikha Walanda Winisa’ is a commentary which further elaborates on the disciplinary rules given in ‘Mul Sikha’. These two books have always been treated together as a single work, and the authors of both works remain unknown.

           Apart from these Sinhalese works, the few Pali books written during this period are also of grave importance. During the reign of king Valagamba, the ‘Pali Tripitaka’ (පාලි ත්‍රිපිටකය) was written in palm leaves. Several commentaries on Buddhism, known as ‘Atthakatha’ (අට්ඨකථා) have also been written during the reign of king Mahanama. Pali chronicles such as ‘Dipavamsa’ (දීප වංසය) and ‘Mahavamsa’ (මහා වංසය) have been written during the Anuradhapura period, and are still useful as resources for studying the history of the country.

          However it is evident from this exposition that the few Sinhalese and Pali books written in Anuradhapura period should neither be disregarded nor neglected for they are simply a handful in number. They mark a golden era of the early Sri Lankan literature.