OF THE

CEYLON BRANCH

OF THE

ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY,

1856-58.

VOLUME III.

No. 10.

EDITED BY THE HONORARY SECRETARY.

THE DESIGN OF THE SOCIETY 18 TO INSTITUTE AND PROMOTE ENQUIRIES INTO THE HISTORY,
RELIGION, LITERATURE, ARTS, AND SOCIAL CONDITION OF THE PRESENT AND FORMER
INHABITANTS OF THE 18LAND, WITH ITS GEOLOGY, MINEROLOGY, IT8 CLIMATE
AND METEOROLOGY, ITS BOTANY AND ZOOLOGY."

COLOMBO:

PRINTED AT THE "CEYLON OBSERVER" PRESS.

CONTENTS.

On the Principles of Sinhalese Chronology.-By the
Rev. C. ALWIS

...

PAGE.

163

Remarks on the Supposed Identity between Nágaséna and Nágárjuna.-By JAMES DE ALWIS, Esq., Assistant Secretary

...

...

An Introductory Paper on the Investigation of Siphalese Music.-By LOUIS NELL, Esq. ...

176

...

181

A Synopsis of the "Sâiva Siddântam."-By M.
COOMARASAMY, Esq., Advocate

...

...

187

Terms of Address and Modes of Salutation in use amongst the Sinhalese.-By JAMES DE ALWIS, Esq., Assistant Secretary

...

APPENDIX :-Proceedings of Meetings, &c.

198

i

...

ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY,

CEYLON BRANCH.

ON THE PRINCIPLES OF SINHALESE

CHRONOLOGY.

BY THE REV. C. ALWIS.

TIME is that abstract duration which pervades all ages, without either a commencement or conclusion. It partakes of many of the most sublime attributes of the Supreme Being, such as eternity, invisibility, omnipresence, immaterialism, and so forth. There is some method of computing it amongst every nation. This computation and adjustment of time form the principles of Chronology.

The most natural division of time seems to be into that of days. Day is called in Sinhalese dawasa. The interval between two successive risings of the sun is a dawasa. Seven dawasas are reckoned into one satiya "week." The days of the week, as among many other nations even in the West, are appropriated to seven gods, and are called by their names : thus Iridá "Sun's-day," Sandudá "Moon's-day," Angaharuwádá “Mar's-day,” Badádá “Mercury's-day," Brahaspatindá "Jupiter's-day," Siku ádá "Venus'-day," and Senasurádá "Saturn's-day,"

Dawasa is divided into dawála "day time," and rátriya "night time." Dawála is from the rising to the setting of the sun; and rátriya, begins with the setting of the sun and continues till his rising. From the rising of the sun to his arrival at the meridian is called pera-waruwa "forenoon" and the interval between the meridian and the setting of the Sun is termed pas-waruwa "afternoon." "Noon" or "midday" is called maddahana.