The History of the Buddha’s Relic Shrine: A Translation of the Sinhala Thūpavaṃsa

The introduction explains the vaṃsa tradition in Theravāda Buddhism, the place of the Sinhala Thūpavaṃsa within Sri Lankan Buddhist literature, and the importance of relic worship in Buddhist practice. Berkwitz discusses how the text reflects medieval Sinhala literary culture, the rise of vernacular Buddhist historiography, and the relationship between historical narrative, ritual recitation, merit-making, kingship, and collective Buddhist identity. The translated text is organized into thirteen chapters: The Career of the Bodhisattva; The Story of Prince Siddhārtha; The Defeat of Māra; The Awakening of the Buddha; The Enshrining of the Relics; The Story of King Aśoka; Establishing the Dispensation in Laṅkā; The Early Career of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī; The Victory of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī; The Commencement of the Relic Shrine; The Description of the Relic Chamber; The Relic Deposit; and The Death of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇī.