Dīpavamsa ［島史］ (Pali;  Tōshi): “The History of the Island.” The Pali word dīpa means island, and vamsa means tradition or history. This is the oldest extant historical record of Sri Lanka, written in Pali verse. It was compiled during the period from the late fourth through the early fifth century, and is generally attributed to multiple authors. This record consists of twenty-two sections and describes the birth of Buddhism, the introduction of Buddhism into Sri Lanka, the successive rulers of Sri Lanka, and the Buddhist history of the country, beginning with the time of Shakyamuni Buddha and ending with that of the king Mahāsena who reigned from the late third through the early fourth century. It is valued as a reference for the study of the early history of India and Sri Lanka and the development of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.