H. C. P. Bell discovered the present inscription in 1910 in what was then believed to be the Jētavanārāma dāgaba. This dāgaba has since been shown to be part of the Abhayagiri vihara. The record consists of 16 lines of the top side of a slab, which has been reused to form one of the flag-stones of the pavement at the south altar of the dāgaba. Written in the Southern Brāhmī alphabet of the latter part of the 2nd or the first half of the 3rd century A.D., it records donations from the king Maḷu-Tisa to the Utara-maha-ceta, identified with the Abhayuttara-mahā-cētiya of the Abhayagiri-vihāra, as well as water regulations.
Wickremasinghe notes that his translation “is offered tentatively”, its accuracy depending on the correctness of his interpretation of certain obscure words and phrases in the text.
[Lines 1-2] [Hail!] The great king Maḷu–Tisa, [son of the great king Naka] . . . . . . . at Utara–maha–ceta granted . . . . . . . . . exempting [the same] from all recognised taxes.
[Lines 2-4] The great king Maḷu-Tisa, son of [the great king Naka] granted . . . . . . . in the tract of field [called] Upala, and eight karīsas in . . . . . (-rahaṇaka-gaḷiya) . . . . . providing [thereby] money for oil and (offerings) at the Utara-maha-ceta.
[Lines 5-9] The great king causing four gateways (?) to be built at the [Utara-maha-]ceta, dedicated free of tax the income derived from the waters of the great tanks (Ko)mata(ḷa) and (Sumita) situated in Majata-gamaṇa-kiriya, the tank . . . . . . . . . . . the tank Niṭilaviṭiya, the tank Naḷi(bi)-aviya, the tank (Tamaḷa)-vari, the tank . . . . . . the tank Utara, the tank . . . . . . . . . the tank Kubigamika, the supplying tank Mahabaṭi, (the ‘anicut’ Mahaniḷadaraka, and the ‘anicut’ . . . . the tank Micataki) for the purpose of effecting repairs of dilapidated [buildings] . . . . . . . . . and as an endowment for the maintenance of the ‘Great Refection’ for the great congregation of monks at . . . . . . .
[Lines 9-12] The great king (Maḷu-)Tisa, son [of the great king Naka] granted free of tax [the income derived from the waters of] the tank Visaḷa-gamika in Vihira-bijaki unto the congregation of monks and unto . . . . . . . . . at the Abhayagiri-mahā-vihāra.
[Lines 12-14] The great king Maḷu Tisa, son of the great king Naka, causing the construction of Nilarajiya and Gamiṇi-Tisa . . . . . . granted free of tax the income derived from water and the income enjoyed by the bhojika as an endowment for the maintenance of the ‘Great Refection’ at the great Abhayagiri Monastery.
[Lines 14-16] The great king Maḷu-Tisa, son of the great king Naka, causing to be built a ‘sitting-hall’ . . . . . . . . . . . at the four . . . . . . . . granted free of the uta grain-tax, twelve karīsas [sowing extent] of (Mahale-ketaka) and twelve karīsas [sowing extent] of . . . . . . , as well as the two [kinds of] income for the purpose of effecting repairs of dilapidated [buildings].