කාම්බෝජය හා හෙළදිව
Some writers such as the writer of Mahavamsa (Mahāvamsa) did their level best to record this Heladiva in the Buddha’s time as a land of Yakshas i.e. the demons and they collected the false information to support their argument. The Yakshas lived in this Heladiva were not capable enough to attend in to the fruitions of the supramandane path, they recorded. (Māhavamsa, Teekā. Page 59). All these authors were very passionate over their writings, worked as a team and very strange creations were made by suppressing the economical, social and cultural development experience by the ancient Heladiva. But attempts of these authors were not successful and available inscriptions acted as a pathway to realize the truth.
The ancient texts such as Divyāvadana (දිව්යවදානය) and also the inscriptions proved that the ancient business community had used ships and maintained connections with the other parts of the world. Because of this, above mentioned story of Yaksha becomes useless anymore. The inscriptions enhance the facts that there had been very close relationships in trade with foreign countries such as Cambodia and in ancient times they had lived in Heladiva. This can be proved by some inscriptions as follows.
553 " කබොCèය මහපුගියන මනපදශනෙ
අගත අනගත චතුදිශ ශගශ " (I.C.P. 42)
“ kabojhiya mahapugiyana manapadashane
Agatha anagatha chathudisha shagasha” (I.C.P. 42)
aves for the Bhikkus lived in Heladiva in Buddha’s time. Not only that, there are facts to prove that they had entered in to marriages and lived in Heladiva. The inscriptions numbered as 622, 623, 624 and 625 can be used to identify their social status and religious backgrounds. Not only that, the inscription numbered as 990 says that they had got married to the women in Heladiva and engaged in animal husbandry.
And also it can be proved using the facts found in inscriptions that the Bhikku Punna who was one of the great eighty disciples of the Buddha, had lived in Heladiva before entering in to the Order. The respective inscription for this matter is as follows.
" පරුමක පුණ පුත පරුමක තිශහ
ලෙණෙ ශගශ " (I.C No. 893 - B)
“parumaka puna putha parumaka thishaha
lene shagasha “ (I.C No. 893 - B)
The symbol of the commercial shipping company called “Kāmboja Vanig Puga” (කාම්බෝජ වණිග් පුග) helped to read this inscription. This is evident that Bhikku Punna had lived in Heladiva as a layman. Hence, based on many facts, we can assume that the chief in trade called Punna had met the Buddha lived in Heladiva and entered in to the life of a Bhikkhu. There are inscriptional evidences that Bhikkhu Punna had travelled in Heladiva with the Buddha and this information adds more lights to the truth. This is explained in the inscription called number 02. The Attha Kathā say that the Bhikkhi Punna had travelled in the southern parts in Heladiva. Not only that he had travelled to places such as Ambahattha Pabbatha (අම්බහට්ඨ පබ්බතය), Samuddhagiri Vihara (සමුද්ධගිරි විහාරය), Makulakaaraama Vihara (මකුලකාරාම විහාරය) and Maathula Giriya (මාතුල ගිරිය). (Punnovaada Suththa Vannā, Page 211)
This explains that Bhikkhu Punna had travelled across the island to preach Dhamma. There is an inscription which says Bhikku Punna had shared one cave with Bhikku Sanghrakkhitha who was a pupil of the most venerable great Arahath, Sāriputta. The inscriptions found in Gonaagala (ගොණාගල) depict this story.
668 " පුණ තෙරහ ශදිවිහරිය බත ශගරකිතහ
ලෙණෙ ශගශ " (I.C.P. 50)
668 " puna theraha shadivihariya batha shagarakithaha
Lene shagasha " (I.C.P. 50)
Based on the facts disclosed by these inscriptions, we can assume that Heladiva had been honored from the ancient times as a land which is flourished with Buddha Dhamma in the time of the Buddha. In order to erase off this greatness, the authors of Indian origin had attempted to establish the identity of their nation and had done the alterations.
The ancient texts such as Divyāvadana (දිව්යවදානය) and also the inscriptions proved that the ancient business community had used ships and maintained connections with the other parts of the world. Because of this, above mentioned story of Yaksha becomes useless anymore. The inscriptions enhance the facts that there had been very close relationships in trade with foreign countries such as Cambodia and in ancient times they had lived in Heladiva. This can be proved by some inscriptions as follows.
553 " කබොCèය මහපුගියන මනපදශනෙ
අගත අනගත චතුදිශ ශගශ " (I.C.P. 42)
“ kabojhiya mahapugiyana manapadashane
Agatha anagatha chathudisha shagasha” (I.C.P. 42)
aves for the Bhikkus lived in Heladiva in Buddha’s time. Not only that, there are facts to prove that they had entered in to marriages and lived in Heladiva. The inscriptions numbered as 622, 623, 624 and 625 can be used to identify their social status and religious backgrounds. Not only that, the inscription numbered as 990 says that they had got married to the women in Heladiva and engaged in animal husbandry.
And also it can be proved using the facts found in inscriptions that the Bhikku Punna who was one of the great eighty disciples of the Buddha, had lived in Heladiva before entering in to the Order. The respective inscription for this matter is as follows.
" පරුමක පුණ පුත පරුමක තිශහ
ලෙණෙ ශගශ " (I.C No. 893 - B)
“parumaka puna putha parumaka thishaha
lene shagasha “ (I.C No. 893 - B)
The symbol of the commercial shipping company called “Kāmboja Vanig Puga” (කාම්බෝජ වණිග් පුග) helped to read this inscription. This is evident that Bhikku Punna had lived in Heladiva as a layman. Hence, based on many facts, we can assume that the chief in trade called Punna had met the Buddha lived in Heladiva and entered in to the life of a Bhikkhu. There are inscriptional evidences that Bhikkhu Punna had travelled in Heladiva with the Buddha and this information adds more lights to the truth. This is explained in the inscription called number 02. The Attha Kathā say that the Bhikkhi Punna had travelled in the southern parts in Heladiva. Not only that he had travelled to places such as Ambahattha Pabbatha (අම්බහට්ඨ පබ්බතය), Samuddhagiri Vihara (සමුද්ධගිරි විහාරය), Makulakaaraama Vihara (මකුලකාරාම විහාරය) and Maathula Giriya (මාතුල ගිරිය). (Punnovaada Suththa Vannā, Page 211)
This explains that Bhikkhu Punna had travelled across the island to preach Dhamma. There is an inscription which says Bhikku Punna had shared one cave with Bhikku Sanghrakkhitha who was a pupil of the most venerable great Arahath, Sāriputta. The inscriptions found in Gonaagala (ගොණාගල) depict this story.
668 " පුණ තෙරහ ශදිවිහරිය බත ශගරකිතහ
ලෙණෙ ශගශ " (I.C.P. 50)
668 " puna theraha shadivihariya batha shagarakithaha
Lene shagasha " (I.C.P. 50)
Based on the facts disclosed by these inscriptions, we can assume that Heladiva had been honored from the ancient times as a land which is flourished with Buddha Dhamma in the time of the Buddha. In order to erase off this greatness, the authors of Indian origin had attempted to establish the identity of their nation and had done the alterations.
{The English translation of 'බුද්ධෝත්පත්තිය හෙළදිවයි' (Buddha was born in Heladiva) - Part – 12}
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
Translated by Amal Meemanage (amalmeemanage@gmail.com)
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