Explanation:

The meaning of Dipavamsa is “Chronicle of Island”. It is the oldest historical record of Sri Lanka. It is believed to have been compiled around 3rd or 4th century BC somewhere in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Dhatusena of Sri Lanka, the first Mauryan King of Sri Lanka. The Avukana Buddha statue was erected by King Dhatusena in Sri Lanka. Dipavamsa is one of the most important works in Pali Literature. It details the tooth relic and Bodhi Tree’s arrival in Sri Lanka. It also deals with the arrival of Buddha’s teaching and preachers in Sri Lanka. It mentions that Buddha visited Kelaniya and Dighavapi in Sri Lanka. Mahavamsa is the most important Pali epic poem. Mahavamsa means “Great Chronicle”. It’s a historical poem in Pali Language which deals about the Kings of Sri Lanka. The first version of Mahavamsa dates back to 3-4th century BC during the reign of King Vijaya.

Dipavamsa is considered to be one of the main sources drawn upon by the author of the later and more comprehensive historical chronicle the Mahavamsa. In its emphasis on ecclesiastical (Buddhist) rather than political history and in the time span of its narrative, the Dipavamsa is similar to the Mahavamsa. Unlike the Mahavamsa, however, the Dipavamsa is a crude, unpolished work—perhaps the first attempt of the Sinhalese people to write in Pali, the sacred language of Buddhism. Because of its lack of organization and a heterogeneity of style, it is generally considered the product of multiple authorship.