Sinhala Commentaries

It is obvious that Sri Lankan Buddhism was introduced by Mahindathera, son of the great
Asoka, who came to Sri Lanka in 3 rd BC. Pali canon may have been brought along with Arahant
Mahinda and his companions ever since. In the 5th AD, Budhaghosa came to Sri Lanka to
translate the Sihalatthakatha into Pali. Sihalatthakatha was the name given to the Sinhala
translation of the commentaries. Hence, Sihala commentaries were displaced by the Pali
commentaries and became famous.
Upon the arrival of Buddhaghosa, there was a very rich commentarial literature mainly in
Sinhala and a few in other language such as Pali and Andhaka. Buddhaghosa had the
opportunity of using these and this is evident from the references he makes in his works.
Buddhaghosa, has made use of a number of sources for his works. He rendered himself
with translating Sinhala-Atthakathas of the Vi. DN. MN. SN. and AN into Pali. He is also
credited with a few of KN and the commentaries on Abhidhamma. It is accepted the
commentaries on the (4) major Nikaya and the Vinaya are his works. In compiling these, he
utilized many sources available at the time. The sources, Atthakathas referred to are:
(1) Maha or Mula, also referred to as Atthakatha. (11) Suttanta
(2) Uttaravihara
(12) Abhidhamma
(3) Mahapaccariya
(13) Sihalamtik
(4) Kurundi
(14) Digha
(5) Andhaka
(15) Majjhima
(6) Sankhepa
(16) Samyutta
(7) Agama
(17) Anguttara
(8) Porana
(18) Jataka
(9) Pubbo-padosa or Pubba
(19) Vibhangappakaranassa Sihala
(10) Vinaya
Among these, the most important was Maha-atthakatha containing the Mahavihara
tradition. The Uttaravihara-atthakatha, was belong to Abhayagiri. Then, Mahapaccari and
Kurundi-atthakathas were also in Sinhala and perhaps originated in Sri Lanka. The Andhakaatthakatha could be in the Andhaka language. The Sankhepa-atthakatha was of south Indian
origin.
There are other three groups of Atthakathas: the gama, dealt with the Nikayas. Porana,
were very much used by Dhammapala. Pubbapadesa were followed by Upasena and Mahanama.
Besides these various specific atthakathas such as: Majjhima, Anguttara, are also to be used as
sources. Apart from these Buddhaghosa makes use of several other sources.
Some scholars are in the opinion that the commentarial period of Sihala Atthakatha
started about the 3rd BC up to the time before 5 th AD, it covers the period of 800 years.
Therefore, the Sinhala Commentaries, which may be regarded as the earliest literary works in
Sri Lanka.
But, some of them have been lost and we cannot trace of their existence. However, in the
Buddhaghosuppatti, it is stated that when Buddhaghosa completed his task of translating, the
commentaries into Pali, the Sangharaja of Mahavihara had caused the works of the Atthakatha to
be piled up and burnt.
The Atthakatha or commentaries have many aspects: Direct translations from Sinhala
sources, the Quotations coming from different sources and Incorporation of their own opinions
in the commentaries itself. Later on, the Sihala Commentaries were superseded by the Pali

commentaries, which in addition were used more extensively and were benefit to students in Sri
Lanka. (500)