Dīpavaṃsa
The oldest extant PÄli Chronicle of Sri Lanka. Like the MahÄvaṃsa, it was based on the Aá¹á¹hakathÄ handed down in the MahÄvihÄra of Sri Lanka. It gives the impression not of an evenly worked out whole, but rather of a stringing together of fragments, a composition of whole lines, sometimes whole stanzas, borrowed from the Aá¹á¹hakathÄ. It is generally agreed that the DÄ«pavaṃsa assumed its present form about the fourth century A.C. It is stated (Cv.xxxviii.59) that DhÄtusena made endowments for the regular recital of the DÄ«pavaṃsa.
The work was edited and published by Oldenberg in 1879. For details see Geiger: DÄ«pavaṃsa and MahÄvaṃsa.
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