Funday Times

Gaveshaka takes a look at the introductory texts
The value of learning
There are several Sinhala texts written for beginners during the time of Pirivena education prior to the establishment of schools by the British. The first is the ‘Sinhala Hodiya’ where the letters in the alphabet are taught. We have all learnt the Sinhala alphabet, which consists of 18 vowel letters and 36 consonant letters.

After the ‘Hodiya’ comes the ‘Nam Pota’ - a book of names. As the title suggests, the book is a collection of names each comprising a few letters. They are names of places where there were prominent Buddhist temples. The list has around 275 place names - not all were names of villages, some are names of temples.

These include names of places of worship in Anuradhapura like Sri Maha Bodhin Vahanse, Mirisaweti Viharaya, Abhayagiri Viharaya, Ratnamali Chaitya, Thuparama Chaitya and Lova Maha Prasada Sthanaya. The text is meant for the reader to learn words, at the same time getting to know names of temples. The ‘Nam Pota’ is believed to have been written during the time of King Parakramabahu VI, a 15th century monarch.

‘Magul Lakuna’ is the third book. It describes the numerous features seen in the lines in Buddha’s hands and feet. In all, the book lists out 216 such characteristics. Another early book is ‘Ganadevi Hella’. As we have already seen, our elders have always been used to doing things at an auspicious time. While leading a life according to what the Buddha had preached, the people believed in astrology, checking out horoscopes and locating auspicious times as well.

This was in accordance with Brahmin practices showing Hindu influence. As the name indicates, ‘Ganadevi Hella’ was a collection of verses referring to Hindu gods. There are 49 verses in the book. A typical verse in the book popular even today reads: Ganadeviyan nuwana denna
Sarasawathi pahala venna
Siyalu roga durukaranna
Nitara vandimi thunuruvanna

‘Vadan Pota’, which comes next, is considered an exceptional work. It is also a collection of verses - 74 in all - arranged in a methodical way. It starts with the worshipping of the Buddha, Dhamma and the Sangha. The first five verses are devoted for this. The next seven introduce the alphabet in verse. Thereafter, up to the 28th verse is an examination of the individual letters. Advice to students on the value of learning follows. Explaining how knowledge cannot be stolen by thieves, the writer says:
Thubu thenaka sora sathuran gatha nohena
Esada manavath vaturen vala noyana
Kopa wuvath raja mathindun gatha nohena
Ugatha mana shilpaya mei mtu rakina

Several of these verses are still being taught in order to stress on the need for students to study diligently. You should be familiar with one verse, which explains the need to learn the letters even under the most trying conditions. It reads:
Allata singavath rasanethi kevili kaka
Val kola bima athuta nidi nolaba duk thaka
Kal giya redi vereli anda deli kunen vaka
Almen akuru iganivu idiri veda thaka

Students are advised to be punctual in coming to school thus:
Vewel kotu narang siyambala athu
Kitul pol iratu vel kasambiliya athu
Me hema ipal mage dethata nopa yuthu
Pama novi emi akurata meyin mathu

The author has been identified as Pandit Attaragama Bandara Rajaguru who lived during the time of the Kandyan king Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1742-1777). Two more works, also attributed to this author, are the final ones in the list of texts for the early learners. They are ‘Buddha Gadyaya’ and ‘Sakaskada’. Scholars prefer to call the first book as ‘Buddha Padyaya’ since it describes the qualities of the Buddha in verse. ‘Sakaskada’ is again on the Buddha tracing the life story of the Buddha. The abundant use of Sanskrit words in the text makes it rather difficult for the average reader to go through it although the usefulness of the book is described in a verse commonly uttered by the elders:
Sakas kata
No kivu kata
Uge kata
Humbas kata

The intention of the book has been to get the young ones to pronounce the words correctly and make them get used to the use of the language.
The learned monk, Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitirya Maha Nayaka Thera has compiled all the seven texts, which has been published in a single volume (around 40 pages) by Modern Book Publishers.

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