Epic Studies
Summary
This scholarly essay investigates Buddhist vamsa literature—chronicles that narrate lineages—and its relation to the genesis of the epic Ramayana. The word “vamsa,” originally meaning bamboo and then lineage, came to denote chronicle; Buddhist texts such as Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa and Buddhavamsa record histories of kings and Buddhas. In a note published earlier, the author argued that the first volume of the Mahavastu contains, after the formula Rajavamse adi, a history of the origin of the world, the human race and castes, as well as the story of the Sakyas and Koliyas. He posits that an “old Buddhavamsa” existed, consisting of the Rajavamsa, life of the Buddha, Mahaparinibbana-sutta and Cullavagga, which later developed into the current Buddhavamsa. These fragments are found across the canons of different Buddhist schools, implying an early oral tradition. The article draws parallels between the Rajavamsa and the Ramayana: both trace the Solar dynasty, and the Rajavamsa’s story of King Kusa appears in multiple sources, including the Mahavastu and the Kusajataka. Citing H. Jacobi, the author suggests that Valmiki may have collected various epic songs about an Ikshvaku prince and fashioned them into a coherent poem called the Ramayana. He argues that the word “vamse” in Valmiki’s prologue should be understood as “chronicle” or “genealogy,” indicating that the Ramayana originated as a dynastic chronicle. The essay thus proposes a new perspective: that Buddhist and Brahmanical traditions shared narrative materials about ancient kings, and that the Ramayana evolved from such genealogical chronicles.
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Conclusion
By tracing connections between Buddhist vamsa literature and the Ramayana, the article challenges assumptions about the epic’s origins. It suggests that chronicles like the Rajavamsa, which detailed the genealogy of the Solar dynasty and included stories later found in the Ramayana, provided raw material for Valmiki’s composition. Understanding “vamse” as “chronicle” rather than “family” underscores this link. This comparative approach enriches our understanding of ancient Indian historiography and highlights the fluid exchange of narrative motifs between Buddhist and Hindu traditions.