Thūpavaṃsaya

work by Pārakrama Paṇḍita

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July 14, 2026

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The Thūpavaṃsa is a 13th-century Buddhist text written in the Pali language by the scholar Pārakrama Paṇḍita. It is considered a significant work within the vaṃsa class of Buddhist literature, which resembles conventional histories.1

The Thūpavaṃsa specifically chronicles the history and construction of a great stupa in Sri Lanka during the reign of King Duṭṭhagāmaṇi in the 1st century BCE. This text provides valuable insights into the religious and historical narratives prevalent in Theravada Buddhism, particularly concerning the veneration of relics and the construction of sacred monuments.12

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…of such chronicles is the Thūpavaṃsaya (“Chronicle of the Great Stupa”), by Pārakrama Paṇḍita. Subsequent chronicles, or genealogies of places, comprise the history of all of the major Buddhist monuments. Several chronicles were also inspired by the Tooth Relic, received from Kaliṅga in the 4th century by King Kīrtiśrīmēghavarṇa. Such…
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…of such chronicles is the Thūpavaṃsaya (“Chronicle of the Great Stupa”), by Pārakrama Paṇḍita. Subsequent chronicles, or genealogies of places, comprise the history of all of the major Buddhist monuments. Several chronicles were also inspired by the Tooth Relic, received from Kaliṅga in the 4th century by King Kīrtiśrīmēghavarṇa. Such…
Read More