How you define the Hindu faith? IAFIK you people tend to see anything that linked to India or Indian in origin before the known times to be Hindu in religion. Maybe that because you people think that Hindu religion has so many forms. But that does not count here.
Also why you only going to the Mauryan times. What about the times before that? Wasn't there any religion called Buddhism prior to that?
And I have not contradict my self I say no one can be certain about the religion of pre-Buddhist SL.
The thing is that you only try to see the past with Hindu perspective. You cannot label everything Hindu.
That doesn't count cuz no Indian dynasty could hold the island for no more than a century. Hence they couldn't impose their faiths on Sinhalese.
Hindu faith does not have any dictionary meaning but boardly u can say that people who believe in the principles of Vedas n Geeta or in simpler terms believe in Hindu Gods n rituals can be termed as people of Hindu Faith.
I mentioned Mauryan Empire bcoz it was only during the reign of Ashoka Buddhism flourished n truly expanded beyond the boundardies of Indian subcontinent.
N Buddhism was introduced into Sri Lanka in the 4th century BCE by Venerable Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka, during the reign of Sri Lanka's King Devanampiya Tissa of the Vijaya Empire.
So, yes u can conclude that there was no Buddhism in SL before the Mauryans Empire.
Before that Hinduism was the only prominent faith in this region.
I asked u simple question as to name the faith that was dominent in SL during that period, do u got answer to that question??? No.
When the entire subcontinent was Hindu dominent at that time u want me not to connect things of that period with Hinduism.
Sri Lanka being an Island with no other neighbour than India n u expect that there was no cultural impact there.
I may even it further to the Hindu Mythology of Ramayana but since its not practically possible for me prove it so i'll leave it.
But anyways u may believe what u want i m not forcing to believe me i just told u the facts n the reason for my belief.
I remember it well it was u who was claiming that Sinhala word has Chinese origin untill i proved u wrong. Same was the case with other SL member about Buddha being a Hindu by birth.
I see the same denial approach adopted by u guys as the Pakistanis when it comes to Hinduism.
So lets agree to disagree as i don't see any point in carrying this argument any further.