The grate didactic point of the Mahvasa

The objective for the compilation of Mahvamsa is repeated at end of each

each of the chapters as "Sujanappasdamsamvegatthya". Both pasda and samvega
are term with strong religious connections which go beyond the ordinary meaning of
joy or delight and emotion or affliction. They are states of mind which arise
from certain experience. Mentioned in commentarial literature are eight object
including emotion, Namely, birth, old age, illness, death, misery in the apyas and
misery cause by samsra in past, present and future stages. The quality of this emotion
is it the realization of the unwholesomeness of life and the acceptance of the urgent
need to strive for ones deliverance from suffering. George Turnour has translated that
complete term as for the delight and affliction of righteous man. Geigers translation
is as for the serene joy and emotion of the pious. With the employment of these two
terms, pregnant with meaning, and with identification of the target group as good
people (sujna), the author of Mahvamsa has emphasized the didactic point of his
work. The concluding verses of most chapters highlight a didactic massage.

The central doctrine of Iperanence (Anicc)

In the end of most chapters, has some kind of doctrinal point to didactic to the
people. Among those doctrinal points, can be seen the fundamental Buddhist doctrine
of Anicc.
1. Tathgato sakalalokaggatam gato
Aniccatva samavaso upgato
Itidha yo bhayajananim aniccatam
Avekkhate sa bhavati dukkhapragti
(Mahvasa 2. 33)
"The thatgata, who had reached the summit of all virtue, succumbed though not
subject to control to the power of impermanence. Here he who contemplated the
frightening impermanence thus attains the end of suffering"
This is not directly a part of Suttas but there is mentioned that this doctrinal point in
various Suttas in tripit aka. Some suttas can be compared with this with the opinion.
anicc sabbasakhr, uppdavayadhammino
uppajjitv nirujjhanti, tesam vpasamo sukho
(SN, vanasamyuttam, upat t hnasuttam)
"Each and every essential condition are impermanence, it is the nature that risings will
be expenditure. Everything having birth will be ceases" when these are compared,

can be seen that Mahvamsa directly explains the impermanence. Like these, there
can be many places which explained impermanence as follows,
2. Therpi te matipadpahatandhakr
Lokandhakrahananamhi mahpadp
Nibbpit maran aghoramahnilena
Tenpi jvitamadam matim jaheyyti
(Mahvamsa 3.42)
Even these theras, great light in the conquest of worlds darkness, who by the light of
wisdom had overcome darkness, where extinguished by the dread tempest of the
death. Even so should the wish renounce the arrogance of life
This meaning is familiar with janthu suttam in Sanyukta nikya.
sukhajvino pure sum, bhikkh gotamasvak
anicch pin d amesan, anicch sayansanam
loke aniccatam atv, dukkhassantam akamsu te
(SN devaputtasamyuttam, nntitthiyavaggo, jantusuttam)

3. Iti paramamatnam pattipattabbaknam

Tibhavahitakarnam lokantherasnam
Sumariyamaran am tam sakhat srakattam
Parigan iyamasesam appamatto bhaveyyti
(Mahvamsa 4.66)
"Thus remembering the demise of the son of the saviour of the world, who were
exceptionally wise, who had attained all that is to attain and who strove for benefit of
the three fold existences, one should consider, without exception the futility of
aggregates and be diligent"
4. Bahussut mahpa, vinaydijngamam
Jotayitvna klena, paytniccatvasam
(Mahvamsa 20.57)
Dasavassni so rj, rajjam kresi uttiyo
Evam aniccat es, sabbalokavinsin
(Mahvamsa 20.58)
"Such is impermanence, the destroyer of all worlds. A man who though knowing
impermanence to be impetuous, overwhelming ineluctable, is not disgusted with
process of existence and so disconnected, does not feel any delight in virtue is indeed
deluded despite his knowing, such is the enormity of the net excessive delusion"

5. Ete tenekakot i idha manujagan e ghtite cintayitv

Kmnam hetu etam manasi ca kayir sdhu dnavam tam
Sabbesam ghtanim tam manasi ca kayir niccatam sdhu sadhu
Evam dukkh pamokkham subhagati mahav ppun eyycrenti
(Mahvamsa 25.116)
"If one were here to think of and bear in mind very carefully that impermanence is the
murder for greed and the evil consequence thereof and also bear in mind very
carefully that impermanence is murder of all, one will before long attain thus the
liberation from suffering or else an auspicious existence"

The central doctrine of the exhortation of Diligent (Appada)

Various Buddhist doctrinal points are generally explained in Mahvamsa in
various situations. This is the basic admonition of the Buddha to be delight called
Appamda
1. Hitv set t ham brahmavimnampi manuam
Jeguccham so ssanahetunaralokam
gammk ssanakiccam katakicco
Konmao ssanakiccamhi pamajjet
(Mahavamsa 5.285)
"He, (Ven. Moggaliputtatissa thera) who obligation had been fulfilled, abandoned the
eminent and lovely brahma world, came to the loathsome world of men for the sake of
the faith and accomplished the duty the faith" (it is the duty of diligently one)
And end of this, emphasized that Konmao ssanakiccamhi pamajjet "Who else
verily may neglect the duty to the faith?" in Dhammpada mentioned that earnestness
is the way of heaven.
appamdena maghav, devnam set t hatamgato
appamdam pasamsanti, pamdo garahito sad
(KN Dhammapada, Appamdavaggo, 3)
"Earnestness is the way of Divines whos gone to more excellent. Earnestness is
commendable and neglect is reproached in every place"
2. Mahjanasspi jinassa kad d hanam
Vihya pattam amatam sukhampite

Karimsu lokassa hitam tahim tahim

Bhaveyya yo lokahite pamdavti
(Mahavamsa 12.55)
"Emulating the renunciation of the supremely compassionate conqueror, they
renounced the immortal bliss which they had attained the worked for the welfare of
the world in different the places. Who should be headless (or be neglect) as regards
the welfare of the world?"
This is Wisemans actions. Mahvamsa advises to others to be earnestness. In
Itivuttaka also explain that earnestness is an attainment of Wisemans.
appamdam pasamsanti, puakiriysu pan d it
appamatto ubho atthe, adhigan hti pan d ito
(KN Itivuttaka, ekakanipto, ubhayatthasuttam)
Appamda is praised by wise ones who behave in wholesome actions. There is a
double welfare in Appamda, and appamda is an attainment of wise ones.

Ephasis on the Accuulation of erits (pua)

In most time, Mahvamsa present kind of merits and advantage of
accumulation merits. Authors of Mahvamsa have tried to make people behave in
Merits. Therefore, in many time, merit (pua) is explained as lessons in Mahvamsa.
1. Agatigamanadoso muttamattena eso
Anupahata kudit t hipdisim ppun ddhim
Agatigamanadosam suddhadit t hisamno
Kathamidhahi manusso buddhim no jaheyyti
(Mahavamsa 21.43)
"Even though not liberated from false views, by being free of the blemish of resorting
to injustice, he attained this short of miraculous power. How, therefore, may not a
Wiseman here, who is establish in pure vies, abandon the blemish of resorting to the
injustice"
What is noteworthy here is how kudit t hi (heretical views) and suddhadit t hi (pure
views) are contrasted as a criterion of ethical action. In tripit aka, there many places
explained pure views of Buddhissm. Sometime it gives a meaning as merit, sometime
as correct view belonging to eight fold of noble path. However both of idea connected
to righteous of the world. In Dganikya mentioned, sammdit t hi as a kind of
tenfold of wholesome

dasa kusalakammapath - pn tipt veraman , adinndn veraman ,

kmesumicchcr veraman , musvd veraman , pisun ya vcya veraman ,
pharusya vcya veraman , samphappalp veraman , anabhijjh, abypdo,
sammdit t hi
(DN sagtisuttam, dasakam)

2. Calcalyam gatiyahi pn ino

Upenti puena yathrucim gatim
Itti mantetv satatam mahdaro
Bhaveyya puapacayamhi buddhimti
(Mahavamsa 22.88)
"In this fickle and changing existence, indeed begins through merit attain an existence
as desired. Considering it to be so, many the wise be excessively zealous in the
acquisition of merit"
In vimana vattu, advantage of merits and fruits of merits are revealed by various
monks and nuns. This is a one of revealed,
akkhmi te bhikkhu mahnubhva, manussabht yamaksi puam
tenamhi evam jalitnubhv, van n o ca me sabbadis pabhsat
(KN Vimnavattu, itthivimnam, guttilavimnam)
"I say you monk, I have collected many merits in I was a human being, as result of
that I got this lighting beauty which great majesty and radiance of surrounding"

3. Iti sucaritajtabbhutam
Sun iya naro matim sukhattiko
Akusalapathato parammukho
Kusalapathebhirameyya sabbadti
(Mahavamsa 23.102)
"May wise man, desirous of happiness, having heard thus the marvel wrought by
pious life, takes delight constantly in the path of virtue desisting from the path of evil"
In anguttara nikaya, explained like this doctrinal point under attdipateyya.
so attnamyeva adhipatim karitv akusalam pajahati, kusalam bhveti, svajjam
pajahati, anavajjam bhveti, suddham attnam pariharati. idam vuccati, bhikkhave,
attdhipateyya
(AN pat hamapan n sakam, dhipateyyasuttam)

"Someone having consider his life, throw unwholesome, and

cultivate
wholesomeit is called attdipateyya" as well as under many wholesome, merit
has explained in Mahvamsa as follows.
4. Iti veramanekavikappacitam
Samayanti bahum api sappurisam
Iti cintiya kohi naro matim
Na bhaveyya paresu susanta manoti
(Mahavamsa 24.59)
"Thus do grate men appease even grate hatred, accumulated though various means.
Contemplating this, which wise man will not be of a well-appeased mind toward
others?"

5. Khedampi kyajamasayhamacintayitv
Puam pasannamanaso pacita hi evam
Sdheti sdhana satni sukh karni
Tasm pasannamanasova kareyya puanti
(Mahavamsa 28.44)
"Merit that is acquired with a faith-inspired mind without thinking that the misery
born of the body is unbearable, bring in thus hundred results which are mines of
happiness. Therefore, should one acquired merit with a faith-inspired mind"

6. Evampapasannamatim ratanattayamhi
Cgmimuttamanasjanathi tena
Lokatthasiddhi param bhavatti atv
Saddhdinekagun ayoga ratim kareyyti
(Mahavamsa 29.70)
Thus may the wise, being pleased in Triple Gems, be attached to the practice of
many such virtue like faith, with us mind inclined to liberality and intent on the
welfare of the people, knowing that it will be the highest fulfillment of the benefit to
the world"
7. Puni evamamalni sayacasanto
Kubbanti sabbavibhavuttamapatti hetu
Krenti cpihikhil parisuddhacitt
Nnvisesajnat parivrahetti
(Mahavamsa 31.125)

In this manner do the pious perform by themselves blemish less meritorious deeds
for the purpose of attained the highest of all treasures, and, being of purified mind, get
also others to do so for the purpose of gaining a flowing of various eminent people.
8.

Evam yo kusalaparo karoti puam

Chdento aniyatappakam bahumpi
So saggam sakale rami vo payti tasm
Sappao sa tatarato bhaveyya pueti
(Mahavamsa 32.84)

"Whoever, being intent on good acquired merit covering even in a plenty quasi-evil to
heaven as though it were his own home. Therefore may the wise be constantly
attached on merit"