| Show tha sacred baalu of ceylon there are three books regarded as sacred ay buddhists of ceylon the first called the Maha vanso is the most highly venerated it has been very carefully handed down from generation to generation the most ancient copies not varying in the least from those of modern date the Maha vanso contains the doctrine race and lineage of besides ahe authentic annals of ceylonese buddhism neat to the Maha vanso in point of veneration is the learned priests history of buddha called the cari this book also contains extracts from other antique works besides record of tho erection of the various temples and shrines of the island and a history of the kings from the year B 0 the third of the ceylonese backed books is called the bajadali Ba javali or light giver it is simply a modern sop 1 ment of the other two y records down to date the main r tion is given up to recording events in ceylonese Jey lonese history since the advent of the the dutch especial attention being given to that portion of the work which tells of the expulsion of the portuguese st louis republic |
