Re: Ten Bodhisattas

Dear Ven. Dhammanando,

I've since read several of the 49 pages of H. Saddatissa's interesting
introduction and can report a bit more. His guess is that the
Dasabodhisattuppattikathaa (DBK) belongs to the late 14th cent. and that the
idea of the ten bodhisattas came from either South India or Thailand or both
(19ff). His edition is based on 5 MSS (presumably all in Sinhalese script)
and an earlier printed edition and translation in Sinhalese. On page 20 he
says that King "Srii Suuryava.msa Raama who ascended the throne of Sukhothai
in 1347 AD was aware of the ten bodhisattas as they are listed in one of his
inscriptions (which can be read in BEFEO XVII 1917, No. 2, p. 30f).

Minayeff in the introduction to his edition of the Anaagatava.msa describes
a Burmese MS of DBK held at the Shwe Downg library in Prome (JPTS 1886 pp.
39-40). The work was requested (yaacita) by a Dhammasenaapati. He also
mentions an incomplete Khmer script MS in the Bibliotheque Nationale at
Paris. On pages 3-4, Saddhatissa describes an unsuccessful search to obtain
an MS from Thailand and contacting the National Library in Bangkok with the
help of Ven. Khantipaalo. He thinks that an MS is more likely to be found in
the old Cambodian or Khom script.

Best wishes,
Jim

> Thanks for this. A Thai monk has also directed me to the
> Anaagatava.msa, which so far seems to be the earliest extant
> source of this conception.
>
> Best wishes,
> Dhammanando



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