Critical Studies on the Early History of Buddhism in Sri Lanka

The book is organized into five principal essays. The first essay, “Texts and Traditions Warped and Distorted,” critiques modern reinterpretations of Buddhist and Sri Lankan historical materials, especially where textual evidence has been selectively used or mistranslated. The second essay, “Dutugemunu Episode Re-examined,” provides an extended reassessment of Dutugemunu’s historical role, the conflict with Elara, and the later ideological readings attached to this episode. The third essay, “Religion in the Making of a Nation – Sri Lanka,” studies the relationship between Buddhism, cultural identity, and the formation of Sri Lankan national consciousness. The fourth essay, “Sri Lankan Chronicle Data – Recording, Translating and Interpreting,” focuses on the methodological problems involved in reading chronicle literature, including the need for linguistic precision and historical caution. The final essay, “The Concept of Sri Lanka for Sri Lankans,” reflects on the meaning of Sri Lanka as a cultural, religious, and civilizational space. Together, the essays present a defense of disciplined Buddhist historiography against speculative, ideological, or inadequately grounded interpretations.