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| Sunday, 19 May 2002 |
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The yellow sheen spread over Asia by little Lanka by PADMA EDIRISINGHE The long drawn out war now making its exit from the battered scenario earned many an uncomplimentary sobriquet to our little island as "A killer field in Asia". Foreigners meeting Sri Lankans on alien soil when being told that they hail from Lanka shrug their shoulders, the shrug almost articulating the thought, "Ah, that killer field where the two major races are massacring each other! I would not go there for gold." In fact in this aspect it nearly ranked next to Cambodia, the No. 1 Killer Field of Asia, thanks or no thanks to the atrocities of the Pol Pot regime.
The Shakespearean line that informs that the good that men do, is often interred with their bones but, the evil remains, seems to have its greatest validity here. The courage displayed by this little island in times of adversity, the role it chose to play when Buddhism's mother - country disowned it treacherously have all been forgotten. This article focuses attention on some highlights of this role especially with regard to neighbouring Asian countries, in the stupendously noble task of contributing to spread the yellow sheen of Buddhism in South East Asia and also the Give and Take that the process entailed. Looming above the whole scene is king Asoka's Buddhist mission to Lanka in the 3rd century BC. But alas, maybe the philosophical aspects of Buddhism went over the heads of the teeming millions of Indians that soon it was replaced by another religion. But the wisdom of those at the helm of Lanka made them realize that here in Buddhism was a spiritual treasure that would guide the nation along a righteous path for millennia to come and so they chose to make the country its custodian. Its religious venues as the Mahavihara soon became the inter-Asian training ground for Bhikkhus from all over Asia Fa Hien, that indefatigable traveller and writer of the 5th Century has recorded that there were 5000 such student monks at Mahavihara at that time. Thera Buddhagosha himself came here to translate the Sinhala commentaries to Pali and take them back with him. Though India claims Buddhagosha as a prelate of Bhaarthadesha, Burmese Buddhist chronicles strongly claim him for Burma or Myanmar. In fact these chronicles state that Buddhagosha "returned to Burma" with the Pali chronicles thereby leading to a re-efflorescence of Buddhism in Burma or Myanmar. Remarkable There is also evidence of the very remarkable influence effected by Lanka on Asian countries as Laos and Cambodia in the missionary aspect. It is clear that Lanka had by this time elevated itself to the position of being the beaconlight in the mission of spreading Buddhism. As if acutely sensitive to the role it had assigned to itself the island had rehearsed to play it effectively in myriad ways. Despite the hazards of sea travel many a Buddhist monk had ventured out to other Asian countries and they were so erudite that they ended up as tutors to crown princes in these countries. In fact the percolation of Buddhism to Laos or Lang Chang or Lauxang (the Land of a thousand elephants) is initially attributed to a Samanera who was tutored by a prelate named Udumbara Swamy gone over from Lanka. The tale of entrenchment of Buddhism in Laos sounds almost like a fairy tale and is again bonded to Lanka. A prince of Laos had been a fugitive in the Cambodian Court. Cambodia was already a Buddhist country ruled by a king called Parameswara who had a daughter. While a fugitive fleeing the wrath of his father in the style of our own Vijaya, the prince had fallen in love with this princess who was a strong Theravada Buddhist and when he wedded her and returned to the Land of a Thousand elephants to live happily ever after, the princess now elevated to queen status exerted herself to turn whole of Laos to a Buddhist country. Her husband now king of Laos, concurring with her plan wholeheartedly, invites his old teacher, Maha Samaha to Laos. He arrives with a Buddha statue, Buddhist texts and Bhikkhus from Kampuchea. Who were these monks? None other than Sinhala Buddhist monks, by name Mahadeva Lanka Cao, Pra Mahadeva Lanka and Maha Nandipanna Cao. Probably the original names had been subject to "Kampucheanisation" or Cambodanisation! Homage But those were the good old days when Lanka was building its mighty sky scraping statues and dagobas in homage to the Great One. Then came the bad times. The Sinhalese began deserting their great habitats around Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa in fear of increasing South Indian attacks and began trekking Southwards. Buddhist scriptures committed to writing in the 1st Century were disappearing just as the mighty shrines were disappearing under the mantle of the jungle. In the lowlands the White-skinned races greedy for riches and land, were creeping in. The monks swathed in yellow and held in high esteem plummeted to mere Ganinnanses. The upasampada ordination became defunct. Greatness lies in not only rising above others and maintaining that greatness to the optimum, but when misfortunes set in, in trying to rise from that debris and ruin. Now Lanka from the role of Giver turned recipient. It is rather paradoxical that it was not the Sinhala kings but the Nayakkar kings who now shouldered the resuscitation process. For Buddhism to come back to its original glory its mainstay the Sangha had to be resuscitated to its original position and for that Upasampada had to be restored. It was king Kirthi Sri, a Nayakkar king who exerted himself over this. He loaned a Dutch ship to get down monks from Thailand (Siam) to restore Upasampada and decided to send some chieftains to Thailand for this mission. The story of this sea-voyage stands out as a glowing tribute to the courage of Lanka. The whole voyage up and down had taken four years (1750-1753) including 13 days on the trip from Senkadagala (Kandy) to Trincomalee harbour. The leader of the mission was one Vilbagedera, perhaps the most uneulogised travel writer in the world for despite the numerous hazards encountered on the turbulent waters and connected to 18th century sea travel, he had maintained a travel diary that records all the travails and incidents. The writer was able to read this account as it appears in "Madhyamlanka pravrththi" in its original archaic Sinhala. The team begin their journey on July 12, 1750 from Kandy, and through Godapola, Minneriya and Gantale arrive at Trincomalee in August to find the VOC ship damaged by a fierce storm. After repairs the ship sails weeks later by Nicobar Islands, Achchi and Sumatra. Now it comes in view of the country of the Malaysikarayas and fearing attack retraces journey. Then it gets grounded in shallow waters and party is sent by boat to Malacca. Again resumes journey only to be blocked by mountain ridges beyond which looms a massive and fearful forest area. Winds fail and the ship is again stalled at Malacca for six months. Next year it resumes journey and passing Rio rata, Jojoru rata, Lugoru rata and Muwan rata finally arrives at the port of Siam. Through sheer fatigue Pattepola Rala, a member of the team breathes his last here after landing. His death spoils all the ceremonies prepared for the grand reception of the Sri Lankan team. The retinue returns with another Dutch ship for escort. But they lose track of each other on the high seas. The Dutch ship arrives in Malacca only to find out that the other ship has been hauled back to Lakor rata in Siam due to some defects. It is only in May 1753 after four years that Wilbagedera finally returns with the Siamese monks and the travel diary, to be showered with titles by a grateful king who gushes that were he to hand half the kingdom to Wilbagedera that it would not recompense him enough. This Lankan sea voyage was recounted in detail as it seems almost symptomatic of Lanka's courage displayed in a time of adversity. Never say die, the island seems to say. In desperate times it never faltered but sought the help of others to help itself. When the need arose it always rose to its full height. When India rejected the great religion of Buddhism it gallantly rose to act as its custodian. Not only that many centuries later a great man named Anagarika Dharmapala became the figurehead behind the restoring of all the dilapidated Buddhist shrines in India including those at Buddhagaya, Saranath, Sanchi and Kusinara. The Maha Bodhi Society was his chief tool in this task. He was also the person mainly responsible for making the Indian state cognizant of its duties to the greatest son Jambudeepa ever produced. What a proud past we have in this respect! Maybe the very thought that this little island with such a limited land space served to spread the bright yellow sheen of Buddhism, a religion with the noblest spiritual lessons for mankind, will propel Sri Lanka towards a great future ahead. |
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