Kammaṭṭhānasaṅgaha of Asgiri Mahāvihāraya, Sri Lanka: A Study with Reference to the Initiative Proceedings of Meditation
Abstract
The main purpose of this study was to examine the nature of the Kammaṭṭhānasaṅgaha of Asgiri Mahavihāraya, Kandy. To fulfill that content analysis and textual analysis was used as methodologies. A manuscript called ‘Mahāvihāra Asgirivaṃsaye Kamaṭahan Pota’ found from Medapansala of Asgiri Mahavihāraya, Kandy has published by two bhikkhus named K. Ratanapala and G. Ratanajoti in 1938. This printed version consists of three parts i.e. ‘Vimuttimaggo’, ‘Vimuttimaggo-uddānaṃ’ and ‘Bambaragale Pota’. The first two parts have written in Pali as a whole and the third one is a mixture in Pali and Sinhala. As the editors recorded in their long introduction, the aforesaid two Pali texts have been written by a one author named Mahāriṭṭha Upatissa thera who was the first Sinhalese pupil of Arahant Mahā Mahinda. But, after critical examination we can come to a conclusion that there isn't a single connection between these two texts as the editors understood. It has been shortly mentioned by Venerable Balangoḍa Ananda Metteyya thera in his forward of the text. In 1972, criticizing this Sinhalese character Vimuttimagga, P.V. Bapat has also been proved this idea made by Ven. Ānanda Metteyya thera. Therefore we should have to identify that these two texts i.e. the Vimuttimagga and Vimuttimagga-uddānaṃ as two separate texts. According to my understanding this Vimuttimagga-uddānaṃ i.e. collection of 1135 of verses can be identify as the Kammaṭṭhānasaṅgaha of the Asgiri Mahāvihāraya.
