Saddhammopayana

Abstract

Saddhammopayana, a didactic poem of 629 verses, is the only known Buddhist epistle in Pali. It was written by a Buddhist monk in Sri Lanka to his 'dear fellow-student Buddhasoma'. There is a tradition that the author hoped to dissuade Buddhasoma from renouncing the monkish life (PLC p.212; Saddhatissa 1965, p.32). The poem is still held in high regard in Sri Lanka: parts of it are very frequently quoted by monks in the course of their sermons (PLC p.212); and there are a great many entries for it in Somadasa's catalogue of palm-leaf manuscripts held in temple libraries in Sri Lanka (Somadasa [1959], p.98; 1964, pp.74,187).Although the poem gives no evidence of its authorship, the colophon to the Sinhalese commentary (Saddh-s) and also the introduction to a commentary called Saddhammopayana-viggaha give the author as Abhaya-giri Kavi-cakravarti Ananda Maha-Thera (PLC p.212; SL p.4) Saddhatissa 1965, pp.31-2). However, others claim that the author is unknown (Geiger 1943, p.46), make no comment regarding authorship (Banerji 1964, p.98), or even give the author as Buddhasoma (Law 1974, p.626).