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the previous texts. There was not even a single word's difference among the three texts. Saṅghapāla Thera then requested him and entrusted him with the Three Piṭakas. Thus, it is stated in the Visuddhimagga that the Visuddhimagga was composed at the request of Saṅghapāla Thera. However, in the Buddhaghosuppattikathā, it is stated that it was at the request of Saṅgharāja Thera. This is a summary of the Buddhaghosuppattikathā presented according to the method found in the Buddhaghosuppattikathā. In the Cūḷavaṃsa, it is stated thus: Buddhaghosa Thera was born in a brahmin village near the Mahābodhi tree. He was skilled in all three Vedas and very clever in various debates. He, desiring to engage in question-and-answer sessions with others, wandered across Jambudīpa and reached a monastery. From there, he came and sat down as a guest. In that monastery, a thera named Revata lived. Debating with that thera, that brahmin youth, having mastered the three Vedas, asked a question. Whatever was asked, the thera answered. But the youth was unable to answer the thera's questions. Then the youth asked, "What is this mantra, venerable sir?" When told, "It is called the Buddha-mantra," desiring to learn it, he went forth under the thera and learned the three Piṭakas. Soon, he became a master of all three Piṭakas. He became known by the name Buddhaghosa, meaning, "whose voice is that of the Buddha." Buddhaghosa, sitting with Venerable Revata, composed the book called Ñāṇodaya and the book called Aṭṭhasālinī. After that, desiring to compose a commentary on the Paritta, he began. Then the teacher said, "Friend, in Jambudīpa, there is only the Pāḷi text, but there are no commentaries. And the traditions of the teachers are diverse. Therefore, the commentaries brought by Mahā Mahinda Thera, and the Pāḷi texts that ascended in the three councils, and the discourses taught by Sāriputta Thera and others, are in the island of Sihala. You should go and write them in the Māgadha script." Being thus sent forth, Buddhaghosa Thera went to the island of Sihala, entered the Mahāvihāra in Anurādhapura, and, in the presence of Saṅghapāla Thera, having heard the Theravāda tradition from the Sihala commentaries, announced, "I will compose a commentary." The Sihala bhikkhus then handed over the verses, such as "established in virtue," as mentioned before. Buddhaghosa then, condensing the three Piṭakas with the commentaries, composed the Visuddhimagga. As mentioned before, Sakka made it disappear and had it written three times. Saṅghapāla Thera also requested and handed over the three Piṭakas. Although the origin of Buddhaghosa is presented in various ways in different texts, the fact that Buddhaghosa Thera went to the island of Sihala and wrote the three Piṭakas and composed the commentaries is the authoritative account. that they should not produce any mental defilements. Buddhaghosa Thera wrote the three commentaries and returned to Jambudīpa. Thus, having translated the Pāli texts, afterwards, through the succession of teachers and disciples, the Wheel of the Dhamma in the island of Sihala shines forth as if it were the midday sun, exceedingly divine. The island of Lanka is adorned by countless millions of Stream-Enterers, Once-Returners, Non-Returners, and Arahants. Like the Tāvatiṃsa heaven with its fully bloomed Pāli flowers, like a great lotus pond with its hundred-petaled lotuses, in those various places— paths, highways, side roads, house doors, bathing places, forests, mountains, caves, temples, monasteries, and halls— there is no place whatsoever where the path and its fruits have not been attained. Even in regions where people come for alms in small numbers, they attained the path and its fruits. Due to the abundance of individuals who realized the path and its fruits, one had to point with a finger and say, "This is a worldling, this is a worldling." At one time, there were no worldling monks in the island of Sihala. As it is said in the Vibhaṅga Commentary, "At one time, there were no worldling monks." It is said that due to the coming and going of mighty ones who had attained supernormal powers, women could not find an opportunity to pound grain in the granaries, as they could not get a breath of sunlight. When Sumanasāmaṇera brought the right collarbone from the deva world to the island of Sihala, by displaying its miracle, with upward-pointing drops, it covered the entire island of Lanka for three hundred yojanas, becoming like the courtyard of a cetiya used by the Blessed One. As they went on a new journey, seeing even a coconut-sized amount of water in the great ocean, they worshipped the entire island of Lanka. Five hundred monks, along with Ariṭṭha Thera, first learned the Vinaya Piṭaka from Mahā Mahinda Thera. For these reasons, the island of Lanka became the foundation of the Wheel of the Dhamma and received the name "Excellent Island." In the island of Sihala itself, the Three Piṭakas were established in written form, and from then on, In the time of the king named Coranāga, the entire island of Laṅkā was afflicted by the fear of famine. The bhikkhus, upholding the Three Piṭakas, came to Jambudīpa. And the bhikkhus who did not come, but remained there, afflicted by the fear of hunger, tied their belly-cloths, placed their stomachs on heaps of sand, and upheld the Three Piṭakas. In the time of King Kuṭa Kaṇṇatissa, the fear of famine having ceased, bhikkhus from Jambudīpa went again. Together with the bhikkhus who remained on the island of Sīhaḷa, in the Mahāvihāra, without causing disagreement regarding the Three Piṭakas, they made them equal and established them. And having established them, they upheld them well, right there on the island of Sīhaḷa. Right there, the Elder Buddhaghosa translated the commentaries into the Māgadha language and composed them. And afterwards, mostly right there, they made sub-commentaries, glosses, and interlinear notes on the commentaries. Again, the Dispensation shone forth like the sun in the sky. There, the Elder Buddhadatta made the Buddhavaṃsa commentary. The teacher, Elder Dhammapāla, made the commentaries on Itivuttaka, Udāna, Cariyāpiṭaka, Theragāthā, Therīgāthā, Vimānavatthu, Petavatthu, and Netti. And that teacher, Elder Dhammapāla, because he resided in Badaratittha in the Damiḷa country near the island of Sīhaḷa, should be included and spoken of as being from the island of Sīhaḷa itself. The Elder named Mahānāma made the Paṭisambhidāmagga commentary. The Elder named Upasena made the Mahāniddesa commentary. But the Elder Ānanda made the Abhidhamma sub-commentary. And because it was the origin of all sub-commentaries, it is known as the Mūlaṭīkā. The great sub-commentary on the Visuddhimagga, the sub-commentary on the Dīghanikāya commentary, the sub-commentary on the Majjhimanikāya commentary, and the sub-commentary on the Saṃyuttanikāya commentary — these were made by the teacher, Elder Dhammapāla. The Vinaya sub-commentary named Sāratthadīpanī, and the Aṅguttaranikāya sub-commentary, were made by the Elder Sāriputta, requested by King Parakkamabāhu. The Vinaya sub-commentary named Vimativinodanī was made by the Elder Kassapa, a resident of the Damiḷa country. But the Anuṭīkā was made by the teacher, Elder Dhammapāla. And it was made due to the unclarity of the Mūlaṭīkā... These are clear, being explained, are called sub-commentaries. Certain elders composed the minor commentary and the Madhudīpanī of the Visuddhimagga. And it, explaining the remaining meanings and the unclear meanings of the main commentary, having been made by comparing it with the main commentary, and having a sweet sound, is called Madhudīpanī. But Elder Kassapa made the Mohavicchedanī, a treatise on characteristics. But Elder Buddhadatta (made) the Abhidhammāvatāra, the Rūpārūpavibhāga, and the Vinayavinicchaya. Elder Sāriputta (made) the Vinayasaṅgaha. Elder Dhammasiri (made) the Khuddasikkhā. Elder Anuruddha (made) the Paramatthavinicchaya, the Nāmarūpapariccheda, and the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. Elder Dhammapāla (made) the Saccasaṅkhepa. Elder Khema (made) the Khema. And these, because they are explained briefly, and easily characterized, are called treatises on characteristics. But among their explanations, Elder Navavimalabuddhi made the ancient commentary of the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha. Elder Vācissaramahāsāmi (made) the ancient commentary of the Saccasaṅkhepa, Nāmarūpapariccheda, Khema, and Abhidhammāvatāra. Elder Mahābodhi (made) the ancient commentary of the Paramatthavinicchaya. Elder Sumaṅgalasāmi (made) the new commentaries of the Abhidhammatthasaṅgaha and Abhidhammāvatāra. Elder Araññavāsi (made) the new commentary of the Saccasaṅkhepa. Elder Mahāsāmi (made) the new commentary of the Nāmarūpapariccheda. A certain elder (made) the new commentary of the Paramatthavinicchaya. Elder Revata (made) the commentary of the Vinayavinicchaya. Elder Mahāyasa (made) the old commentary of the Khuddasikkhā. And of that very (Khuddasikkhā), Elder Saṅgharakkhita (made) the new commentary. Elder Vajirabuddhi (made) the Vinaya Gaṇṭhipadattha named Vajirabuddhi. Elders residing in the island of Sri Lanka (made) the Cūḷagaṇṭhi, the Majjhimagaṇṭhi, and the Mahāgaṇṭhi. And these, because they are explained only for unclear meanings, without explaining word by word, are called glossaries of difficult words. But Elder Mahāmoggallāna (made) the Abhidhānappadīpikā. Elder Cūḷabuddha (made) the Atthabyakkhāna. The Vuttodaya, the Sambandhacintanā, and the Subodhālaṅkāra (by) Saṅgha... Arakkhita Thera. The grammar by Moggalāna Thera. The Mahāvaṃsa, Cūḷavaṃsa, Dīpavaṃsa, Thūpavaṃsa, Bodhivaṃsa, and Dhātuvaṃsa were by the elders residing in the island of Sihala. But the Dāṭhādhātuvaṃsa was made by Dhammakitti Thera. These, being composed outside of Pāli, are called other texts.