Dathavaja (by Mrs Piris)

This chronicle is also called the Dantadathuvajsa. It is about the history of the Buddhas tooth
relic. The chronicle is written in mixed Sanskrit and pali. Some scholars considered that there
are beautiful descriptions just like in the manner of Sanskrit poems. These poems exhibit
simplicity and beauty of rhythm of pali poetry. The lanuae is very rich. There are no hih
flown metaphors and elaborated ideas. It is very rich in vocabulary. It ives the history of the
Tooth relic of the Buddha. Datha means tooth! vajsa means tradition. Dhammakitti thera was the
author of the Dathavajsa. It is said that this chronicle was written accordin to ancient tradition
therefore it is important with reard to the reliious backround of Sri "anka.
The Dathavajsa ives the history of tooth relic of the Buddha which was brouht to Sri "anka
from Dantapura! the capital of #alina in the $
th
year of #ittisirimehavana by %emamala and
Dantakumara! the dauhter and son&in&law of 'uhasiva! kin of #alina.
There are five chapters in this chronicle. In the first chapter! there is an account of Dipajkara. (t
the imitation of the people of )amavaviti! he came to that city. (ll the people were very busy
preparin the road for the Buddha. (t that time! a sae called Sumeda re*uested to clean a
portion! but unfortunately he was unable to clean that portion before the Buddha arrived.
Instantly he lay himself on the road so that the Buddha and his disciples may walked over his
body. (t that time! Buddha Dipajkara ranted Sumeda that he would become a Buddha in the
future. +or the purpose of becomin a Buddha! he fulfilled ten paramitas of perfection. The he
was reborn in the heaven after that he came to the human world. %is birth&place was
#apalavatthu and the parent were ,aha ,aya and Suddhodhana. %is name was Siddhartha.
Thereafter he was brouht up amidst luxury but he was not satisfied with all these material
comforts! then he saw the four sihts and decided to leave the household life. %avin left the
household life for six years! he underwent severe austerity. (fter reat effort in followin the
middle&path! he attained -nlihtenment on the full moon day of .esak. Thereafter he met his first
dhammadesana in Isipatana of Benares.
The /
nd
chapter describes the nine months after his attainment of Bodhi. The Buddha! then!
visited Sri "anka. %e came to Sri "anka thrice. The Buddha passed away at #usinara and the
dead body of the Buddha was completely burnt accordin to his desire. (ccordin to the
Buddhas desire! the bones became separated acceptin the four of the head two collar bone and
teeth. Sarathu! a disciple of Sariputta took one of the collar bone of the Buddha and went to
,ahiyanana in Sri "anka and built a cetiya there. #hema was an arahant and he took the left
tooth relic of the Buddha. There was a *uarrel amon the kins of eiht countries over the
remainin relics. (t that time! there was a Brahmin called Dona! he somehow or other settle the
disputes and distributed the bones e*ually amon the eiht countries. The kins took the relics
and built cetiya over the relics in their own kindom. In this manner! the Dathavajsa explained
how the relics were distributed.
The Dathavajsa then ives an account of the Tooth relic of the Buddha at Dantapura 0in
#alina1. (ccordinly it ives a description of the #alina #in from Brahmadata to 'uhasiva
to Buddhism. #hema took one tooth relic and he ave it to the kin of #alina who was known
as Brahmadatta. %e built a cetiya over it and worshipped it. 'uhasiva who was a descendent of
the royal family was a devout follower of the Buddha. Durin this kinship! he draws the
2iantha out of the #indom. Thereafter the 2ianthas went to 3ataliputta where #in 3andu
reined. They told him aainst 'uhasiva. #in 3andu then sent an army to arrest 'uhasiva with
the tooth relic and to brin him to his kindom.
The 4
rd
chapter describes 'uhasivas *uarrel with the kin of 3ataliputta. It mentions that
'uhasiva came to 3ataliputta with the Tooth relic on his head. The 2ianthas then told the kin
3andu to set fire to the Tooth relic. The kin threw it into the fire but nothin happened to it and
it was not damaed. Then the kin wanted to destroy it by stone but found the relic found its
place in the sky. The tooth relic was then kept in a casket and the kin asked them to take it out
and threw it away but none was able to do so. The #in announced that he would ive a reward
to a person who would be able to take out the tooth relic. (nathapindikas reat randson went to
take the tooth relic out of the casket. %e pressed the tooth and then it went up to the sky and
came to stay on (nathapindikas reat randsons head. The kin 3andu accepted Buddhism as
his reliion and worshipped the tooth&relic. %e received 'uhasiva cordially and after that both of
them performed many meritorious works.
The 5
th
chapter deals with %emamalas marriae with Dantakumara. #in 3andu re&established
peace in his kindom. %e sent back 'uhasiva with the tooth relic to #alina. Dantakumara who
was the son of #ins 6jjain came to #alina to worship the tooth relic. 'uhasiva accepted him
warmly and ave his dauhter %emamalas marriae to Dantakumara. The Dathavajsa then
describes the history of the tooth relic and how it was brouht to Sri "anka. (fter the visit of
Dantakumara! his nephew came to Dantakumara to take away the tooth relic by force. Then
'uhasiva advised Dantakumara and %emamala to o to Sri "anka with the tooth relic. (t that
time "anka was the place where Buddhism was flourishin well. Thereafter both of them
reached Sri "anka.
The 7
th
chapter of the Dathavajsa narrated the arrival of tooth relic to Sri "anka durin the rein
of #ittisirimehavana. The relic was brouht to the royal palace and was placed on the throne
with reat devotion. The kin then built a temple for the Tooth&relic spendin lots of money.
Thereafter the kin who succeeded #ittisirimehavana worshipped the tooth relic and protected
it well.