In 1923, ninety-one inscribed copper votive tablets were found among the ruins of the Indikatuseya stupa at Mihintale. The tablets were discovered by the Archaeological Department of Ceylon during the restoration and rebuilding of the dome of the stupa. It appears that they were originally deposited in the relic chamber but became scattered when the stupa was raided by treasure-seekers, which would also explain the presence of some Dutch stivers in amongst the medieval copper tablets. Most of the tablets are about 0.8 mm in thickness and are inscribed on one side only. Some bear traces of gilding. The majority are completely intact but a few are broken or have missing corners. On palaeographic grounds, they can be dated to the eighth or ninth century A.D. The inscriptions on the tablets are extracts from Buddhist texts of the Mahāyāna school. Indeed, forty-six have been connected with specific passages in the Pañcaviṁśati-sāhasrikā Prajñāpāramitā (nos. 1–46). A further fifteen have been found to quote from various passages in the Kāśyapa-parivartta (nos. 47, 48, 50–54, 57, 58, 61, 63, 67, 69, 76 and 79). The language of the inscriptions is Sanskrit but they are written in Sinhalese characters. The tablets are therefore significant epigraphical rarities, since there are few surviving examples from the medieval period that show the transcription of Sanskrit in Sinhalese script. However, the scribe does not appear to have been overly familiar with Sanskrit and, as a result, the inscriptions on the plaques often diverge slightly from their source texts.
No. 1
[line 1] Pratthavāhe-
[line 2] -na ca Naradatte
No. 2
[line 1] Guhagupte-
[line 2] -na ca lndrade
No. 3
[line 1] krāmāṇi ca
[line 2] Nittyodyu
No. 4
[line 1] yuta śa-
[line 2] -tasaha
No. 5
[line 1] praṇidhāya
[line 2] abhimukhi[ṁ*]
No. 6
[line 1] Ye ca sattv[ā*]-
[line 2] -s⸗tena rasmy[a]
No. 7
[line 1] jihvendri[yen⸗ā*]-
[line 2] -cchādayāmā[sa*]
No. 8
[line 1] [ga*]ndha-mālya-vile-
[line 2] -pana-dhūpa cū[rṇṇa*]
No. 9
[line 1] ja-jala . . . . . . . .
[line 2] -s⸗Tath[ā*]
No. 10
[line 1] ma⸗vakiranti
[line 2] smā⸗bhiprakira
No. 11
[line 1] sigghāsane
[line 2] niṣaṇṇaḥ punar-[e*]
No. 12
[line 1] va smitam⸗aka-
[line 2] -rod⸗yena smi
No. 13
[line 1] ś[i*] paścima-
[line 2] -m⸗uttarasyāṁ d[i*]
No. 14
[line 1] [rddhaṁ] bhikṣu-sa[ṁ*]-
[line 2] ghena a
No. 15
[line 1] tra Rannākaro
[line 2] nāma Tathāga
No. 16
[line 1] pasaṁkrāma[d*]⸗upa-
[line 2] -saṁkramya evam⸗e
No. 17
[line 1] Rannākara-Tathā-
[line 2] -gatam⸗etad⸗avo
No. 18
[line 1] ko bhaga-
[line 2] -vaṁ hetu[ḥ]
No. 19
[line 1] nāya evam⸗u-
[line 2] -kte Rannākara
No. 20
[line 1] raśmi[ṁ*]Bodhi-
[line 2] -satvam⸗etad⸗a
No. 21
[line 1] tatra Śākyamu-
[line 2] -nirn⸗nāma Ta
No. 22
[line 1] gata [s*]⸗tisṭha-
[line 2] -ti dhritiy
No. 23
[line 1] Bodhisatve-
[line 2] -bhya[ḥ*] prajñāpāra[mitāṁ]
No. 24
[line 1] [sa*]mprakāśa-
[line 2] -yati ta
No. 25
[line 1] s⸗taṁ Rannā-
[line 2] -kara[ṁ*] Tathā
No. 26
[line 1] Śākyamunirn⸗nā-
[line 2] -man⸗darśśanāya
No. 27
[line 1] ya paryyupā-
[line 2] -sanāya t[ā]ṁś⸗ca
No. 28
[line 1] satvān ma-
[line 2] -hāsatvān
No. 29
[line 1] tri yasy⸗edānī-
[line 2] -ṁ⸗kālam⸗manyase
No. 30
[line 1] khalu Rannā . . . . . .
[line 2] s⸗Taśā
No. 31
[line 1] Bodhisatvā-
[line 2] -ya prādād⸗eti
No. 32
[line 1] Bhagavantam⸗a-
[line 2] -lpābākṣi
No. 33
[line 1] kha-sparśśa-
[line 2] viharatāñ⸗ca
No. 34
[line 1] jānakārī ca
[line 2] [tvaṁ] kulaputra ta
No. 35
[line 1] gavann⸗alpā-
[line 2] -batatā[m*] la
No. 36
[line 1] sparśśa vi-
[line 2] -haratīñca pa
No. 37
[line 1] suvarṇṇa-
[line 2] nirbhāsā[ni]
No. 38
[line 1] taiś⸗ca padma-
[line 2] -yis t[e*] lo
No. 39
[line 1] s⸗tāś⸗ca
[line 2] dārikās⸗ta
No. 40
[line 1] mūlair⸗Bhagava-
[line 2] -nta[ṁ] satkṛ[tya*] gu
No. 41
[line 1] [jya] ekānte
[line 2] nyaṣīdat
No. 42
[line 1] [Vi]gataśokoya[m*]
[line 2] Bodhisattva
No. 43
[line 1] [Aśo]kaśriyas⸗Ta-
[line 2] -thāgatam⸗e
No. 44
[line 1] nāva ta-
[line 2] -tra Śākya-
[line 3] munirn⸗nā
No. 45
[line 1] bādhatān
[line 2] pariprāccha
No. 46
[line 1] . . . . nyaṣi . .
[line 2] atha kha.
No. 47
[line 1] ti tat kim⸗ma-
[line 2] -nyase Kā
No. 48
[line 1] -śyapa kaści(ka)-
[line 2] -d⸗eva puruṣa śa
No. 49
[line 1] [pu*] ruṣo māyā-
[line 2] kṛtam ahi[ṁ*] ni . .
No. 50
[line 1] dharmmān⸗asvabhā-
[line 2] -vān⸗karoti dha
No. 51
[line 1] vā strata[ṁ] jñāna[ṁ]
[line 2] draṣṭavya[ṁ] tad⸗yath[ā]
No. 52
[line 1] ti aṣṭānā-
[line 2] -m⸗bhikṣu-śata
No. 53
[line 1] ṣena sārddha[ṁ]
[line 2] vipratipadye
No. 54
[line 1] mitaṁ sarvvam⸗eka-
[line 2] rasam⸗bhavati yad⸗u
No. 55
[line 1] pamā Buddha-
[line 2] kṣetro
No. 56
[line 1] [e*]va[ṁ] hetuka-
[line 2] pratyaye
No. 57
[line 1] rśā abhāsam⸗ā-
[line 2] -gacchanti te
No. 58
[line 1] nā avatīrṇṇ[ā]
[line 2] grāma-nagara
No. 59
[line 1] śa-manas⸗ka-
[line 2] -rmma-pariśuddhi
No. 60
[line 1] to Bodhi-
[line 2] -satva-ni[ṛ]jjātā
No. 61
[line 1] tvā namaskartta-
[line 2] -vyā na thāta
No. 62
[line 1] kta-yuktatā-
[line 2] -yāṁ viharanti
No. 63
[line 1] pariśuddhi
[line 2] pratilasya
No. 64
[line 1] d⸗abhūvan mava Ta-
[line 2] -thāgata-pura
No. 65
[line 1] [sa*]hasra[ṁ*]Bhaga-
[line 2] -vatā⸗kare
No. 66
[line 1] ya mātsyā-
[line 2] -yamādha
No. 67
[line 1] vanaya-gupto
[line 2] sthitaḥ sa[ṫ*] kaya-dṛ
No. 68
[line 1] niṣṭe . . . .
[line 2] . . . ṣa niṣpu
No. 69
[line 1] [Tathā*] gatena
[line 2] Sākyamuninā
No. 70
[line 1] [Bo*] dhisatvam⸗eta-
[line 2] -d⸗avoca[t*] putra
No. 71
[line 1] varṇṇa[ṁ*] bhava-
[line 2] -ti prabhā[ṁ*] bhavati
No. 72
[line 1] [pratī*] tya samutpādaḥ
[line 2] sarvva-dṛṣṭi-kra[meṇa*]
No. 73
[line 1] sarvva-lokadhā-
[line 2] -tu-cāturdvīpā . .
No. 74
[line 1] Naimākara-
[line 2] -Bodhisatva
No. 75
[line 1] grāhataḥ ha utti
[line 2] gataḥ parāṣmābhi
No. 76
[line 1] vattara[ṁ] tair⸗
[line 2] bbodhisa-
No. 77
[line 1] Indradeva bhu-
[line 2] -vaddeva na
No. 78
[line 1] [Bo*]dhisatve-
[line 2] -[bhya*]s⸗Tathā[gato]
No. 79
[line 1] iti Kāśyapa
[line 2] āryasy⸗ai
No. 80
[line 1] . . . . . saśra . .
[line 2] . . . bodhi . . . . .
No. 81
[line 1] abhūvan mā . .
[line 2] pana Tathāgata
No. 82
[line 1] . . . . tañ⸗ca bha . .
[line 2] . . Tathāga[ta*]
No. 83
[line 1] . . . loke
[line 2] . . loka . . .
No. 84
[line 1] cara sama . . .
[line 2] mātreṣ⸗va
No. 85
[line 1] . . . bhaḥ amṛta
[line 2] . . . . si . . . .
No. 86
[line 1] . . . . tatra . . . .
[line 2] . . . . tā la . . . .
No. 87
[line 1] . . . . rvva
[line 2] . . . . . sya
No. 88
[line 1] . . . . . d⸗avoca
[line 2] . . . . . lo śrī
No. 89
[line 1] . . . . tavyam . . .
[line 2] . . . m⸗eka
No. 90
[line 1] . . . . tvasya . . .
[line 2] . . na dakṣi . . . .
No. 91
[line 1] . . . . syā . . . . .
[line 2] . . . darśśanāya . . . .
No. 1
[line 1] Pratthavāhe-
[line 2] -na ca Naradatte
No. 2
[line 1] Guhagupte-
[line 2] -na ca lndrade
No. 3
[line 1] krāmāṇi ca
[line 2] Nittyodyu
No. 4
[line 1] yuta śa-
[line 2] -tasaha
No. 5
[line 1] praṇidhāya
[line 2] abhimukhi[ṁ*]
No. 6
[line 1] Ye ca sattv[ā*]-
[line 2] -s⸗tena rasmy[a]
No. 7
[line 1] jihvendri[yen⸗ā*]-
[line 2] -cchādayāmā[sa*]
No. 8
[line 1] [ga*]ndha-mālya-vile-
[line 2] -pana-dhūpa cū[rṇṇa*]
No. 9
[line 1] ja-jala . . . . . . . .
[line 2] -s⸗Tath[ā*]
No. 10
[line 1] ma⸗vakiranti
[line 2] smā⸗bhiprakira
No. 11
[line 1] sigghāsane
[line 2] niṣaṇṇaḥ punar-[e*]
No. 12
[line 1] va smitam⸗aka-
[line 2] -rod⸗yena smi
No. 13
[line 1] ś[i*] paścima-
[line 2] -m⸗uttarasyāṁ d[i*]
No. 14
[line 1] [rddhaṁ] bhikṣu-sa[ṁ*]-
[line 2] ghena a
No. 15
[line 1] tra Rannākaro
[line 2] nāma Tathāga
No. 16
[line 1] pasaṁkrāma[d*]⸗upa-
[line 2] -saṁkramya evam⸗e
No. 17
[line 1] Rannākara-Tathā-
[line 2] -gatam⸗etad⸗avo
No. 18
[line 1] ko bhaga-
[line 2] -vaṁ hetu[ḥ]
No. 19
[line 1] nāya evam⸗u-
[line 2] -kte Rannākara
No. 20
[line 1] raśmi[ṁ*]Bodhi-
[line 2] -satvam⸗etad⸗a
No. 21
[line 1] tatra Śākyamu-
[line 2] -nirn⸗nāma Ta
No. 22
[line 1] gata [s*]⸗tisṭha-
[line 2] -ti dhritiy
No. 23
[line 1] Bodhisatve-
[line 2] -bhya[ḥ*] prajñāpāra[mitāṁ]
No. 24
[line 1] [sa*]mprakāśa-
[line 2] -yati ta
No. 25
[line 1] s⸗taṁ Rannā-
[line 2] -kara[ṁ*] Tathā
No. 26
[line 1] Śākyamunirn⸗nā-
[line 2] -man⸗darśśanāya
No. 27
[line 1] ya paryyupā-
[line 2] -sanāya t[ā]ṁś⸗ca
No. 28
[line 1] satvān ma-
[line 2] -hāsatvān
No. 29
[line 1] tri yasy⸗edānī-
[line 2] -ṁ⸗kālam⸗manyase
No. 30
[line 1] khalu Rannā . . . . . .
[line 2] s⸗Taśā
No. 31
[line 1] Bodhisatvā-
[line 2] -ya prādād⸗eti
No. 32
[line 1] Bhagavantam⸗a-
[line 2] -lpābākṣi
No. 33
[line 1] kha-sparśśa-
[line 2] viharatāñ⸗ca
No. 34
[line 1] jānakārī ca
[line 2] [tvaṁ] kulaputra ta
No. 35
[line 1] gavann⸗alpā-
[line 2] -batatā[m*] la
No. 36
[line 1] sparśśa vi-
[line 2] -haratīñca pa
No. 37
[line 1] suvarṇṇa-
[line 2] nirbhāsā[ni]
No. 38
[line 1] taiś⸗ca padma-
[line 2] -yis t[e*] lo
No. 39
[line 1] s⸗tāś⸗ca
[line 2] dārikās⸗ta
No. 40
[line 1] mūlair⸗Bhagava-
[line 2] -nta[ṁ] satkṛ[tya*] gu
No. 41
[line 1] [jya] ekānte
[line 2] nyaṣīdat
No. 42
[line 1] [Vi]gataśokoya[m*]
[line 2] Bodhisattva
No. 43
[line 1] [Aśo]kaśriyas⸗Ta-
[line 2] -thāgatam⸗e
No. 44
[line 1] nāva ta-
[line 2] -tra Śākya-
[line 3] munirn⸗nā
No. 45
[line 1] bādhatān
[line 2] pariprāccha
No. 46
[line 1] . . . . nyaṣi . .
[line 2] atha kha.
No. 47
[line 1] ti tat kim⸗ma-
[line 2] -nyase Kā
No. 48
[line 1] -śyapa kaści(ka)-
[line 2] -d⸗eva puruṣa śa
No. 49
[line 1] [pu*] ruṣo māyā-
[line 2] kṛtam ahi[ṁ*] ni . .
No. 50
[line 1] dharmmān⸗asvabhā-
[line 2] -vān⸗karoti dha
No. 51
[line 1] vā strata[ṁ] jñāna[ṁ]
[line 2] draṣṭavya[ṁ] tad⸗yath[ā]
No. 52
[line 1] ti aṣṭānā-
[line 2] -m⸗bhikṣu-śata
No. 53
[line 1] ṣena sārddha[ṁ]
[line 2] vipratipadye
No. 54
[line 1] mitaṁ sarvvam⸗eka-
[line 2] rasam⸗bhavati yad⸗u
No. 55
[line 1] pamā Buddha-
[line 2] kṣetro
No. 56
[line 1] [e*]va[ṁ] hetuka-
[line 2] pratyaye
No. 57
[line 1] rśā abhāsam⸗ā-
[line 2] -gacchanti te
No. 58
[line 1] nā avatīrṇṇ[ā]
[line 2] grāma-nagara
No. 59
[line 1] śa-manas⸗ka-
[line 2] -rmma-pariśuddhi
No. 60
[line 1] to Bodhi-
[line 2] -satva-ni[ṛ]jjātā
No. 61
[line 1] tvā namaskartta-
[line 2] -vyā na thāta
No. 62
[line 1] kta-yuktatā-
[line 2] -yāṁ viharanti
No. 63
[line 1] pariśuddhi
[line 2] pratilasya
No. 64
[line 1] d⸗abhūvan mava Ta-
[line 2] -thāgata-pura
No. 65
[line 1] [sa*]hasra[ṁ*]Bhaga-
[line 2] -vatā⸗kare
No. 66
[line 1] ya mātsyā-
[line 2] -yamādha
No. 67
[line 1] vanaya-gupto
[line 2] sthitaḥ sa[ṫ*] kaya-dṛ
No. 68
[line 1] niṣṭe . . . .
[line 2] . . . ṣa niṣpu
No. 69
[line 1] [Tathā*] gatena
[line 2] Sākyamuninā
No. 70
[line 1] [Bo*] dhisatvam⸗eta-
[line 2] -d⸗avoca[t*] putra
No. 71
[line 1] varṇṇa[ṁ*] bhava-
[line 2] -ti prabhā[ṁ*] bhavati
No. 72
[line 1] [pratī*] tya samutpādaḥ
[line 2] sarvva-dṛṣṭi-kra[meṇa*]
No. 73
[line 1] sarvva-lokadhā-
[line 2] -tu-cāturdvīpā . .
No. 74
[line 1] Naimākara-
[line 2] -Bodhisatva
No. 75
[line 1] grāhataḥ ha utti
[line 2] gataḥ parāṣmābhi
No. 76
[line 1] vattara[ṁ] tair⸗
[line 2] bbodhisa-
No. 77
[line 1] Indradeva bhu-
[line 2] -vaddeva na
No. 78
[line 1] [Bo*]dhisatve-
[line 2] -[bhya*]s⸗Tathā[gato]
No. 79
[line 1] iti Kāśyapa
[line 2] āryasy⸗ai
No. 80
[line 1] . . . . . saśra . .
[line 2] . . . bodhi . . . . .
No. 81
[line 1] abhūvan mā . .
[line 2] pana Tathāgata
No. 82
[line 1] . . . . tañ⸗ca bha . .
[line 2] . . Tathāga[ta*]
No. 83
[line 1] . . . loke
[line 2] . . loka . . .
No. 84
[line 1] cara sama . . .
[line 2] mātreṣ⸗va
No. 85
[line 1] . . . bhaḥ amṛta
[line 2] . . . . si . . . .
No. 86
[line 1] . . . . tatra . . . .
[line 2] . . . . tā la . . . .
No. 87
[line 1] . . . . rvva
[line 2] . . . . . sya
No. 88
[line 1] . . . . . d⸗avoca
[line 2] . . . . . lo śrī
No. 89
[line 1] . . . . tavyam . . .
[line 2] . . . m⸗eka
No. 90
[line 1] . . . . tvasya . . .
[line 2] . . na dakṣi . . . .
No. 91
[line 1] . . . . syā . . . . .
[line 2] . . . darśśanāya . . . .