--- title: "The Story of Siṃhala" story_id: "3793ca09-e840-4ae5-acf4-500a7d1afb5e" text_id: "bad16f94-21b3-4b3c-9d67-c3db91d3a4f8" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-story-of-simhala" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-story-of-simhala" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # The Story of Siṃhala > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-story-of-simhala) Version: Modernized In this Buddhist origin legend associated with Sri Lanka, recorded by the monk Xuanzang, the merchant Siṃhala and his companions reach the Island of Gems. The women who welcome them so warmly are hiding a terrible secret. **Content warning:** Demons devour people and animals. The story includes death threats, a massacre and deaths by drowning. The records of the Buddhist religion say: In the middle of a great iron city on Ratnadvīpa, the Island of Gems, was the dwelling of the Rākshasīs, female demons who ate people. On the towers of this city they set up two high flagstaffs. They showed lucky or unlucky signals according to the circumstances, to lure sailors when merchants came to the island. Then they changed themselves into beautiful women, holding flowers and scents, and with the sound of music they went forth to meet them, and gently invited them to enter the iron city; then having shared with them all sorts of pleasure, they shut them up in an iron prison, and devoured them at their leisure. At this time there was a great merchant of Jambudvīpa, the continent that includes India, called Siṃha whose son was called Siṃhala. His father had grown old, so the son was put in charge of the family’s business. He therefore set sail with 500 merchants to seek precious stones. Driven by the winds and waves, they came to Ratnadvīpa. Then the Rākshasīs, displaying the lucky signal, began to wave it, and went forth with scents and flowers and the sound of music to meet them, and invite them to enter the iron city. The leader of the merchants became the partner of the queen of the Rākshasīs and gave himself up to pleasure and indulgence. The other merchants also selected each one a companion, and so, in the course of time, a son was born to each. After this, the Rākshasīs, feeling tired of their old partners' love, were preparing to shut them up in the iron prison, and to seek new companions among other merchants. At this time, Siṃhala had a bad dream in the night. Taking it as a warning, he sought a way to escape. When he came to the iron stronghold, he heard pitiful cries from within. At once he climbed a great tree and called to them, "Who are you, tied up like this, and why are you crying so miserably?" They replied, "Do you not know then that the women who occupy this place are all Rākshasīs? In former days, they allured us to enter the city with festive sounds of music, but when you arrived, they shut us up in this prison, and are eating us one after another. Half of us have already been eaten; your turn too will soon come." Then Siṃhala said, "How, then, can we escape this danger?" They replied, and said, "We hear that on the seashore there is a divine horse, and he will carry anyone safely across if they pray with complete faith." Siṃhala having heard this, secretly told the merchants his companions to assemble altogether on the sea-shore and there to pray with all their hearts to be rescued. Then the divine horse came and addressed the men and said, "Each of you must grasp my coat and not look behind. Then I will rescue you and carry you across the sea, away from danger. I will lead you back to Jambudvīpa, to your happy homes in your own country." Each merchant obeyed his directions exactly. They seized the divine horse’s coat. Then he soared up, travelled through the clouds, and crossed the sea to the other side. Then the Rākshasīs, perceiving all at once their husbands had escaped, spoke to one another in surprise, and asked where they had gone. Then, taking each her child, they flew to and fro through the air. Perceiving, then, that the merchants had just left the shore, they called to one another to fly after them together. Not an hour had passed but they encountered them, and then, with mingled joy and tears, they came, and for a time restraining their grief they said, "We thought ourselves happy when first we met you, and made it our care to provide you homes, and for long have loved and cherished you, but now you are departing and deserting your wives and children, leaving them desolate. Who can bear the terrible grief that afflicts us! We beg you to stop and come back with us to the city." But the merchants were still unwilling to agree. The Rākshasīs, seeing their words had no effect, used sweet words and all their charms to stir the merchants’ feelings. Unable to hold back their affection, the merchants lost their resolve. They hesitated, stopped, and at last returned with the Rākshasīs. The women, greeting and congratulating each other, closely holding to the men, went back. Now the wisdom of Siṃhala was deep, and his firm purpose remained unchanged, and so he succeeded in traversing the ocean, and thus escaped the danger. Then the queen of the Rākshasīs returned alone to the iron city; on which the other women addressing her said, "You have neither wisdom nor cunning, and so you are abandoned by your husband; since you have so little cleverness or capacity you cannot dwell here." On this the Rākshasī queen, taking her child, hastened her flight after Siṃhala. She showered him with sweet words and tenderly begged him to return. But Siṃhala recited some magic charms and, brandishing a sword, he said, "You are a Rākshasī and I am a man, humans and demons belong to different worlds and cannot be married; if you keep troubling me with your pleas I will take your life." The Rākshasī woman, knowing that more talk would be useless, darted through the air and disappeared. Coming to Siṃhala's house, she addressed his father Siṃha, and said, "I am a king's daughter belonging to such and such a country. Siṃhala took me as his wife, and I have borne him a son. Having collected gems and goods, we were returning to my lord's country when the ship, driven by the winds and the sea, was lost, and only I, my child, and Siṃhala were saved. After crossing rivers and mountains with great difficulty, hungry and worn out, I said something that displeased my husband, and I found myself deserted, and as he left me he spoke bitterly and raged at me as if he were a Rākshasa. If I attempt to return, my native country is a very long distance off; if I stop, then I am left alone in a strange place: staying or returning I am without support. So I have dared to tell you what really happened." Siṃha said, "If your words be true, you have done right." Then she went to live in Siṃha’s house. Not long after Siṃhala came, and his father addressing him said, "Why did you value riches and gems so much and care so little for your wife and child?" Siṃhala said, "This is a Rākshasī." Then he related the whole previous history to his father and mother; then his relatives angry on account of the whole affair, turned on her to drive her away; on which the Rākshasī went to the king and entreated him. The king wished to punish Siṃhala, but Siṃhala said, "A Rākshasī has great power to deceive." ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/cf0ea9ee-beca-47d1-8075-57c3be6c213b) But the king thought Siṃhala was lying. Bewitched by her beauty, he addressed Siṃhala and said, "Since you have decided to reject this woman, I will now protect her in the private rooms of my palace." Siṃhala said, "I fear she will cause you some misfortune, for the Rākshasas devour living creatures." But the king would not listen to Siṃhala's words, and accordingly took her as his wife. In the middle of the night following this, flying away, she returned to Ratnadvīpa, and calling together 500 Rākshasa demon women, they all came to the king's palace. There, by destructive spells, they killed and devoured every person and animal in the building. They carried what remained back to the Island of Gems. The next day, early, all the ministers were assembled at the king's gates, which they found tightly shut, and not able to be opened. After waiting a long time, and not hearing any sounds of voices within, they burst open the doors and gates, and rushed into the building together. Coming to the palace hall, they found no living creature there, only bones. The officers looking at one another in astonishment, then bent down their heads in their confusion, and uttered lamentable cries. They could not understand what had caused the disaster, so Siṃhala told them the whole story from beginning to end. The ministers and people then saw where the evil had come from. On this, the ministers of the country, the aged men and different officers, considered in turn who was best suited to become king. All turned to Siṃhala, so outstanding in religious merit and wisdom. Then speaking together, they said, "Choosing a ruler is no small matter; he needs to be devout and wise, and also quick-witted. If he be not good and wise, he would not be able to bring honour to the throne; if he has no skill or tact, how could he direct the affairs of state? Now this Siṃhala appears to be such a man: he discovered in a dream the origin of the calamity; by the effect of his virtue he encountered the divine horse, and he has loyally warned the king of his danger. By his prudence he has preserved himself; the succession should be his." ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/af50e531-db4f-4882-9c10-c60ba8a27937) The result of the deliberation being known, the people joyfully raised him to the honourable position of king. Siṃhala wished to decline the honour, but was not able to do so. Then keeping to the middle course, he respectfully saluted the different officers of state, and at once accepted the kingship. On this, he corrected the former abuses, and promoted to honour the good and virtuous; then he made the following decree, "My old merchant friends are in the country of the Rākshasīs, but whether alive or dead I cannot tell. But in either case I will set out to rescue them from their danger; we must equip an army. To avert calamities and to help the unfortunate, this is the merit of a kingdom; to preserve treasures of precious stones and jewels, is the advantage of a state." ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/2e3c2904-8947-4d82-b820-74febace8606) On this he assembled his troops and set sail. Then on the top of the iron city the flag of misfortune began to wave. Then the Rākshasīs seeing it, were filled with fear, and using their charms, went out to lure and deceive them. But the king, knowing all their tricks, commanded the soldiers to recite some charmed words and to show their strength as warriors. Then the Rākshasīs were driven back, and fled in haste to rocky islets of the sea; others were swallowed up and drowned in the waves. On this they destroyed the iron city and broke down the iron prison; they delivered the captive merchants, obtained large stores of jewels and precious stones, and then Siṃhala called on the people to move there. He founded his capital in the "island of gems," built towns, and so found himself at the head of a kingdom. Because of the king's name the country was called Siṃhala. This name is also connected with the Jātakas, stories of the Buddha’s former lives. ## Modernization notes - Then she entered the king's house to dwell there. → Then she went to live in Siṃha’s house.: Corrects Beal’s confusion: the Chinese says she enters the father’s house. Siṃha is a merchant, and the king enters the story later. The printed error remains in Original. - the Rākshasī women (Lo-t'sa) → the Rākshasīs, female demons who ate people: Explains the creatures before their disguise and their cannibalism become important. - Moreover, the king, regarding his son's words as untrue, and being moved in his mind (feelings) by her fascination, → But the king thought Siṃhala was lying. Bewitched by her beauty, he: Corrects the mistaken relationship in Beal: the speaker is not the king’s son. The Chinese and Julien identify him as the merchant’s son; the original wording is preserved. - At this time there was a great merchant of Jambudvīpa → At this time there was a great merchant of Jambudvīpa, the continent that includes India,: Explains the traditional geographical name; it is not the island of Sri Lanka. - the Jātakas, relating to Śākya Tathāgata. → the Jātakas, stories of the Buddha’s former lives.: Explains the literary and religious terms in the conclusion. - no living thing therein but only gnawed bones → no living creature there, only bones: Exceptional removal of the graphic gnawing detail; preserves the evidence found by the ministers. - in my after-palace → in the private rooms of my palace: Explains the old term for the inner palace. - the Rākshasas eat only flesh and blood → the Rākshasas devour living creatures: Exceptional softening of blood imagery; retains the concrete warning of devouring. - In the middle of a great iron city of this Ratnadvīpa (P'ao-chu) → In the middle of a great iron city on Ratnadvīpa, the Island of Gems,: Explains the island’s name at its first mention and gives the narrative a self-contained opening. - and are gradually devouring our flesh. Now we are half eaten up; → and are eating us one after another. Half of us have already been eaten;: Clarifies that half the prisoners have been eaten, as the Chinese says, rather than that each surviving prisoner is half eaten. Removes the graphic wording while preserving the danger. - , and there, by means of destructive charms and sorceries, they killed all living things within the building and devoured their flesh and drank their blood, whilst they carried off the rest of the corpses and with them returned to the "island of gems." → . There, by destructive spells, they killed and devoured every person and animal in the building. They carried what remained back to the Island of Gems.: Exceptional softening of graphic flesh, blood drinking and corpse details; preserves the massacre, devouring, victims and removal of the remains. ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text Si-yu-ki: Buddhist Records of the Western World, Volume II, 1884, Trübner & Co., London - author: Xuanzang - author: Bianji - translator: Samuel Beal ## Illustration [John Griffiths](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/cf0ea9ee-beca-47d1-8075-57c3be6c213b) — The Paintings in the Buddhist Cave-Temples of Ajanta, Volume I, 1896, W. Griggs, London [John Griffiths](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/af50e531-db4f-4882-9c10-c60ba8a27937) — The Paintings in the Buddhist Cave-Temples of Ajanta, Volume I, 1896, W. Griggs, London [John Griffiths](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/2e3c2904-8947-4d82-b820-74febace8606) — The Paintings in the Buddhist Cave-Temples of Ajanta, Volume I, 1896, W. Griggs, London ## Reading music Raga Kirwani — Alap, Jor and Vilambit Gat Soumitra Lahiri (sitar) Shailendra Mishra (tabla) Rob Weisberg (radio host) WFMU (source) [CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 US](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/) ## Quiz ### In which ocean is Sri Lanka? - The Atlantic Ocean - The Indian Ocean (Correct answer) - The Arctic Ocean Sri Lanka is an island in the Indian Ocean, south of India. Sea voyages and merchants play a large part in this legend. [Sri Lanka Tourism — About Sri Lanka](https://www.srilanka.travel/about-sri-lanka) ### Which blue gemstone is Sri Lanka particularly known for? - Sapphire (Correct answer) - Emerald - Ruby Sri Lanka is famous for blue sapphires. Sapphire and ruby are varieties of the same mineral, corundum: its red variety is called ruby. [National Gem and Jewellery Authority — Gemstones Found in Sri Lanka](https://ngja.gov.lk/gems/gemstones-found-in-sri-lanka/) ### At Ajanta in India, where did ancient artists paint Buddhist stories? - On ships’ sails - On blocks of ice - On cave walls (Correct answer) The Ajanta caves were cut into rock and decorated with paintings and sculptures. This story’s illustrations reproduce paintings from their walls. [UNESCO World Heritage Centre — Ajanta Caves](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/242/) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/the-story-of-simhala?format=markdown) - [简体中文](https://www.openclassics.org/zh/stories/the-story-of-simhala?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)