Buddhist Manuscripts
This palm leaf manuscripts collection includes the Saddarmaratnawaliya, Saddarmalankaraya, Manorathapuranaya, Pirithpotha, Gihi Piritha, Buddhawandanawa, Siri Dalada Puwatha, Sathipattan Suthraya, Chula Kamma Vibanga Suthraya, Arahath Vandanava, and various kinds of Buddhist manuscripts. Manorathapuraniya is a commentary (Atuwawa) for the Anguttara sect of the Suthra Pitakaya containing Buddhism (19th century A.D).
Indigenous Medicine
Rare indigenous medicine palm leaf manuscripts are available in our collections, such as Besajjamanjusa Sannaya, Waidyalankaraya, and Saraswathi Niganduwa (drugs recipes) of indigenous medicine. These manuscripts are on medication and prescriptions for various diseases. It is assumed that specific prescriptions are for the illnesses which are considered as that could not be cured in the present day. Besajjamanjusa Sannaya contains the therapeutic prescription for monks written in Sanskrit (19th century A.D). Saraswathi Niganduwa written in Sanskrit and Sinhala contains verses. It belongs to the 19th century and contains information on trees, flowers, plants, spices and fruits. There are some manuscripts on medications and medicines for treating various diseases like fever, children’s worms’ pain (ringworm), toothache, boils, stomachache, cough, strangulation, diarrhoea, rickets, hypochondria, catarrh, headache and skin diseases.
Veterinary science
This collection also includes remedies and medicines for animal diseases belonging to veterinary science.
Shanthikarma (Rituals)
In addition, the collection also contains palm leaf manuscripts on Shanthikarma (Rituals) to cure specific ailments such as the fear of inhumanity. Since this indigenous knowledge is valuable in the present context, the preservation of palm leaf manuscripts is pivotal.
