The Pāli Chronicles of Sri Lanka

The book begins with an examination of the Pāli chronicles themselves, especially their textual formation, source traditions, and the scholarly debates surrounding their relationship to one another. It discusses how the Dīpavaṃsa, Mahāvaṃsa, and related texts drew upon earlier Sinhala commentaries, oral traditions, and monastic historical memory. The next major section studies the chronology of the early Pāli chronicles. Mendis analyzes the dating systems used by the chroniclers, including the chronology of the Buddha Era, the Parinibbāna, the succession of Magadha kings, and early Ceylonese royal genealogies. This section highlights the difficulties of reconciling chronicle dates with broader Indian and Buddhist historical traditions. The later chapters focus on legendary and narrative traditions, including the commencement of the Buddha Era, the Vijaya legend, and the use of Mahābhārata-related legends in the Mahāvaṃsa. Through these studies, the book shows how Sri Lankan Buddhist historiography combined religious memory, dynastic legitimacy, literary tradition, and historical reconstruction.