Buddhaghosuppatti or The Historical Romance of the Rise and Career of Buddhaghosa

Buddhaghosa stands out as a grand figure in the annals of Buddhism. The colossal nature of the work accomplished by him as a translator and expounder of Buddha’s words, the profound scholarship brought to bear upon that work, and the almost superhuman zeal and self-denial manifested by him to execute it, evoke the highest esteem and admiration on the part of those who have made Pali literature a study. But that very little should be known of his personal history beyond his literary labours is indeed a matter for regret. The priest Mahamangala has given a more detailed account of him than any other author, and we have to be thankful to him for the beautiful legend by means of which we gain an insight, or, we may rather say, a kaleidoscopic glimpse, into the life of that great divine. The legend is contained in his Buddhaghosuppatti, which is also known as the Mahabuddhaghosassa Nidanavatthu. The narrative is intensely interesting, and one is reluctant to dissociate the legendary fancies from the meagre historical facts which underlie them. It reads, in fact, like an Arthurian romance. I here give an epitome of it.