Bangsa Literature

Bangsa Literature chronicles from the fourth century AD onwards on a variety of subjects such as Buddhist religion, history, politics, society, geography etc, composed by the monks of Sri Lanka and Burma. In Dipabangsa, Mahabangsa and Chullabangsa, the history of buddhism and the kings of India and Sri Lanka are narrated. Mahabodhibangsa (c 10th AD) deals mainly with the history of the Bodhi tree, saplings of which were taken to Sri Lanka by Ashoka';s daughter Sanghamitra. Thupabangsa consists of the history of stupas, Dathabangsa narrates the history of the tooth relic, and Chha-kesa-dhatubangsa contains the history of the six hair relics of the Buddha. Hatthavanagallaviharabangsa concerns the erection of a large monastery on the spot where the Ceylonese king Sri-Sanghabodhi sacrificed his life. Sasanabangsa narrates the history of Buddhism in Burma, while Gandhabangsa contains the history of books. [Binayendra Chaudhury]