Hatthavanagalla Vihara‑Vamsa
By Unexhibited
Summary
The final and most extensive contribution of the volume is an annotated translation of the Hatthavanagalla Vihāra‑Vaṃsa, a Sinhalese chronicle associated with the monastery of Hatthavanagalla. The introduction explains that although the title suggests a monastery history, the main subject is the story of Sirisāṅghabodhi, a revered saint‑king whose self‑sacrifice led to the founding of the monastery. The translator summarises the Mahāvaṃsa version of events: three Lambakaṇṇa chiefs live amicably at Mahāvihāra; one becomes king, another heads the army and the third tends cattle. When they start trampling crops, the king punishes them, prompting one to flee and eventually rescue the king during a rebellion. In gratitude, the king abdicates, enters the monastic life and later offers his own life to save a peasant. The Hatthavanagalla narrative elaborates on this tale, depicting Sirisāṅghabodhi’s extreme generosity. The translation is accompanied by extensive notes that clarify place names, identify characters and compare the story with parallel versions in the Mahāvaṃsa and Dīpavaṃsa. The translator points out that the text sheds light on the Lambakaṇṇa clan, the politics of Anurādhapura and the interplay between kingship and monasticism. The later sections provide the Pali text alongside the English translation, preserving the original metre and rhetoric. The study concludes that the Hatthavanagalla Vihāra‑Vaṃsa is both a devotional work and a valuable historical source for Sri Lanka’s medieval period.
Conclusion
By translating and annotating the Hatthavanagalla Vihāra‑Vaṃsa, the author makes accessible a little‑known chronicle that intertwines legend and history. The work illuminates ideals of kingship, renunciation and monastic patronage in medieval Sri Lanka. It also demonstrates the connections between Sri Lankan and South Indian historical traditions. Such editions are essential for comparative studies of Theravāda Buddhism and for understanding how narratives of sacrifice and piety were used to legitimise religious institutions.