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| Sunday, 26 October 2003 |
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Deep insight into nature of human psyche A well spring of wisdom - "Sitivili Kanda" - Vol. 6 by Dr. E. W. Adikaram Published by Adikaram Foundation Reviewed by S. W. L. Bandara P.C. One of the most genuinely forthright and profound thinkers and dedicated educationists born in the last century in this country was, without a doubt, Dr. E. W. Adikaram. Articulate as a protoganist against the drug, alcohol and tobacco habit and as a scientific advocate of vegetarianism, he particularly addressed the youth of this country through the youth societies called 'Sitivili Samajayas' - i.e. Young Thinkers' Forum. Dr. Adikaram as a prolific pamphleteer of our time used his learning and experience as an educationist, teacher of science and eminent Buddhist Scholar to write and speak on a variety of subjects in lucid and simple Sinhala, under the "Situwili" or "Thoughts" series. His writings and transcripts of his many public talks have been compiled into several volumes. The sixth volume in the series entitled "Sithuwili Kanda" Six, has been just published by the Dr. Adikaram Foundation. It is an invaluable compilation containing deep insights into not only the subjects mentioned above, but also into highly sensitive and debated subjects like the nature of the human psyche, the human thought process, the human mind, worship, ritual, supplication, the nature of time, rebirth, the truth and the search for the truth. The remarkable feature in Dr. Adikaram's discussion of these subjects, is that he deals with them without making them controversial, complicated or without delving into metaphysics. This indeed is the hallmark of a very clear and orderly mind. He rarely quotes from authorities and relies on very clear and simple reasoning to make the reader see for himself the truth of what is said. It is said that truth is simple and its very simplicity makes it difficult to comprehend. Thus if one finds it difficult to comprehend these writings of Dr. Adikaram, it is probably because the reader approaches these matters with preconceived conclusions. Therefore one is advised to read these essays with an open mind without any preoccupation with one's own notions about them. Dr. Adikaram's deep understanding of the teachings of J. Krishnamurti (1895-1986) is reflected in most of these essays. Dr. Adikaram was a contemporary and a close associate of 'Krishanji' as he affectionately referred to him, and made regular visits to India to listen to J. Krishnamurti. He was instrumental in inviting J. Krishnamurti to Sri Lanka several times for public talks. He founded the Krishnamurthi Centre of Sri Lanka. Dr. Adikaram likens J. Krishnamurti's teaching to a mirror for others to see their own nature in their true perspective without any distortion. The Buddha and Jesus Christ, he says, too were such persons. In the essay entitled "The Example" he says "The modern world too is on the brink of destruction again due to excessive self-indulgence and violence. For such a world a human mirror of this nature is essential. Fortunately the present world too is not empty of such a mirror and one can think that a new human civilization can come into being as a result of those who have been able to see their faces in this mirror. I have been fortunate enough on several occasions to stand before that mirror and see my ownself reflected on it. This reflective mirror is J. Krishnamurti who is now past 80 years of age, but still travels throughout the world for the good of the many on which reflective surface, I hope many in this world would be able to see their own faces'. 'Sitivili Series-6/P84(1978) In the essay entitled "Is the mind material" he demonstrates that thinking is a material process. He further shows that we are unaware of the mind independent of thinking and therefore the mind is also material. Then he discusses whether the developing of the mind will help one reach the ultimate and questions whether one can go from a material state to a state beyond the material. In another essay "Loaded Words", he unravels the pitfalls of the network of words that are used by human beings and shows how human beings are being manipulated as puppets by our enslavement to words. He discusses time and whether all time is now, phychologically, and the illusion of the thinker, in the essay on "The Thinker" - "Although we have divided time into three stages as the Past, Present and Future, and in the gradual progression of natural events there exists such three stages in time, all animate and inanimate things exist in this moment in the present only. In the seeing of this present instant, the division between the thinker and the thought, the doer and the doing or the experiencer and the experience does not arise. This is not a conclusion arrived at by logical reasoning but a seeing that is clear even for a brief moment". (page 187) The essay titled the "Search for truth" ends with the following insightful thought: "When we look at the relationship between the truth and the searcher for truth, what is regarded as the objective, is not the truth, but what is conceived in the mind of the searcher, as truth. Thus it is clear "the truth" is not separate from the searcher, but a part of his own thought. Therefore the final aim and the traveller in search of the aim, are one. Therefore the way and the way-farer are one. Thus what is really seen in the search for the truth is only the searcher". (p309) In another interesting essay on "Rebirth" (more correctly "Rebecoming") he discusses the desire for the repetition of a thought or the repelling of the repetition of a thought which is the root cause for the rebirth or re-becoming in the mind. He also discusses the flux in "The stream of life" which phrase he uses to describe the state of flux in animate and inanimate things and also the thoughts pertaining to those things. He states "We saw that the re-becoming of thoughts arise due to our own urge for its need. If thoughts arise again and again due to this need, we can presume that if the need does not arise, the coming into being of re-becoming, of thoughts may cease". The purpose of this review is not to assess the contents of this invaluable well-spring of wisdom which the writer of this article is totally incapable of, but to introduce, to the English reading public (interested in the subjects discussed by Dr. Adikaram in the Sitiwili Series-6) a glimpse of the insights contained therein. It is a volume which should be read with great care by every serious human being who wishes to understand the human mind and the human condition. It is also high time that someone who has the competence and capacity to select some of the essays in all these volumes and render them into English as "Selected Writings of Dr. Adikaram" which will indeed be warmly received by the discerning reader both here and abroad. ############ Insights into the lives of literary personages "Who's who in Literature" by R. S. Karunaratne First Printing - 2003 Printer and Publisher: Prabha Publishers & Printers Reviewed by : Anton J. Jesuthasan - (Sajj) R. S. Karunaratne's "Who's who in Literature" presents to the Sri Lankan literati, and indeed to everyone versed in the English language, a rare and eclectic insight into the lives and characters of men and women who have left for posterity their "footprints on the stands of time". Volumes have been written by many a biographer on literary personages, which an average reader often abandons after the first few pages, if he had picked one up at all in the first place! Even to the assiduous or scholarly, biographies prove heavy going, often with commentary, criticism, appreciation and life history all rolled into one. Here, however, the author, who had spent over thirty years, as mentioned in his preface, reading many such biographies and other related material, has distilled and extracted for the reader the essence most relevant to the purpose, and condensed each biography into mostly one and two pages of his book. That a person could have successfully persisted for such a length of time on this task shows the dedication, determination, commitment and patience that have gone into his work. Although a slim volume, the book is remarkably informative, drawing attention to many an associate or related personality beside the subject of each piece, and will serve as a book of reference, leading a reader to many of the most interesting of works of almost every writer mentioned in the book. The style of writing and the presentation of the content are simple and easy-flowing, free from verbosity or bombast that one often encounters in works associated with literature, the veteran 'editor' and 'mass-communicator' in the author coming to the fore here, also in his commissioning the most expressive, and as in the front cover-page, instructive, illustrious to broaden interest in the book. The reader is made to feel like he is listening first-hand to the author soon after his personal meeting and photo-session with this subject! The author modestly claims that the book is designed to be biographical rather than critical. The book is actually much more. While each chapter's subtitle itself is an aphorism and a biography in microcosm, there are many crisp comments on writers' style and content. The book also contains, in a lighter vein, anecdotes that are salutary and memorable: if the Bates method of eye exercises that Aldous Huxley introduced to the great Indian Philosopher J. Krishnamurthy was good enough for Krishnamurthy to continue practising till the end of his life, might it not surely be of value to the readers of this book as well? The book also opens our mind to the reality that human beings, however great, are full of contradictions and foibles, that no one escapes or is above criticism, and no one is ever able to please everyone. Some of those not included in the book may raise a voice of protest from yonder if they could, some women writers, such as Felicia Hemans for one, who richly deserve mention, some ethnic writers from the Asian continent such as R. K. Narayan, my favourites Alexander Pope, who only gets an honourable mention in the preface, Thomas Grey with his 'Elegy', and William Blake with The Tiger and The Lamb, but you cannot please everyone, as we have seen above. The subject is vast, space limited, and the number has been limited to fifty. The author may yet one day fill the void with a second volume? Omission of some very popular works such as Dylan Thomas' Under Milkdwood or Shelley's Ozymandias from the list included in the book may make some readers wonder, but likes and dislikes vary, which is the beauty of literature and the freedom of choice enjoyed by a writer! The book makes up for any omission by the inclusion of some of the lesser known, though by no means less renowned, names and works. Some may fault the title, especially the Asian readership whose mother tongues are replete with lofty literature of the highest merit, but to an English writer literature is obviously English Literature! The Printer/Publisher, although they have let the obtrusive printer's devil much free play, have been foresighted in bringing to the world a quality book. It is difficult for a limited review to do full justice to the writer or readers, for no reviewer can presume to know all about each of the fifty distinguished figures included in the book, but the author's repute is sufficient warranty in this regard. ############# Captivating mix of exciting narrative, picturesque descriptions The Road From Elephant Pass by Nihal de Silva 360 pages Printed by Piyasiri Printing Systems Vijitha Yapa Publication Nihal de Silva's maiden effort is a captivating mix of exciting narrative and picturesque descriptions. The descriptions sometimes overshadow the dramatic story line almost to the point of annoyance. It is difficult to believe that what has been set in print is fiction and Nihal has an eye for the minutest detail that has enhanced the quality of the production. Throughout, the author resorts to the device of describing the landscape of northern Sri Lanka, the dry, arid shrub jungle with authoritative information on the avifauna of the country as the two characters - escapees from the turmoil of the war, trek it to civilisation and release after a tortuous fortnight of physical strain and mental trauma. The story begins on 26 March 2000 at a checkpoint near Pallai in Jaffna peninsula where Captain Wasantha Ratnayaka is to rendezvous with the LTTE 'deserter' and informant a woman Kamala Velaithan. It is just before the fall of Elephant Pass and Kamala is to trade vital information - where her 'thalaivar' the Tiger warlord Velupillai Prabhakharan will be, at a given date, time and place. For this Kamala expects safe passage to Canada. The two of them, Wasantha and Kamala are thrown into a whirlpool of tortuous events and are compelled to adopt subterfuges - even robbery and murder to escape the prying and pursuing members of both communities who are in turn oblivious to the identities of the runaways but are bent on petty pillage and plunder, amour and sex. Nihal has the knack of building up to a crescendo a multiplicity of events and the suspense created keeps the reader enthralled, eager that the narrator gets on with the job of unravelling the story. The diversions of describing the 'villus' and the birds are at times too tortuous for the reader keen to untangle the web of uncertainty that is spun around the fleeing characters. For those to whom the North is a mere name and the topography unfamiliar, Nihal's account is a veritable storehouse of information for a nature lover and the uninitiated. Italicised words, another device adopted by the writer, is to let the reader into the innermost thoughts of the narrator - an army officer. Those expletives so familiar to the serviceman that surface from time to time add to the naturalness of the narrative. The story ends with Wasantha being listed as Missing In Action (MIA) and Kamala on the verge of realising her dream of migrating. The deep emotional entanglement that underlines their relationship leaves the reader yearning for a happy ending but the tragedy of war overtakes them. The tragedy surfaces in a most telling way with the debacle at Elephant Pass and the sad demise of the narrator who does not heed the advice, nay plea of Kamala, whose feelings towards Wasu are poignantly expressed thus: "I volunteered for this mission because I had nothing to live for. I have a reason now. Please Wasu, please take care! Don't try to be a hero. Just come out of there alive." But that is not to be. Wasantha who with Kamala, among other travails, escape the wrath of a stampeding elephant so ably pictorially represented in the front cover finally succumbs to man's onslaught of mortar fire. Very vivid descriptions and a moving narrative "The Road from Elephant Pass" is a compelling read. The author cannot be a mere 'bottler' of mineral water! A wonderful narrator with a powerful drive of the quill Nihal de Silva will hopefully entertain readers with more in time to come in the epic mould. FACTOTUM ############# The little hamlet in Colombo "History of Sirimal Uyana" Author: P. V. Jayaratne. Printer: Sunpic Graphics, Ratmalana. Publisher: Ratmalana Airport Building Society (RABS) Price: Rs. 100 Reviewed by U. Cecil Perera Sunday the June 29 was a red letter day in the annals of the Sirimal Uyana saga when a large number of residents gathered in the Maliban Sama Mandiraya, to witness the presentation of the first copy of the book "History of Sirimal Uyana" to the Chairman of the Maliban Biscuits Manufactories Ltd. Speeches were made, crackers were lit, while a musical fiesta was going on, as arranged by the Board of Directors of the "Ratmalana Airport Building Society (RABS). Sirimal Uyana is a little hamlet in Ratmalana, having a fine network of roads, and its main feature is that all its roads are named after flowers. Its name was De Soysa Estate before the RABS took it over. The book "History of Sirimal Uyana" consists of 8 Chapters and 3 appendixes, the most important being Chapter III Names of roads, with a map of roads of Sirimal Uyana. Chapter IV Pipe borne water supply and Chapter VII Directory of residents. The road map and the directory of residents will be a boon to visitors, who find it difficult to locate houses as the assessment numbers have been given by the Dehiwela-Mt. Lavinia Municipal Council in a very haphazard manner. Although the book is dedicated to the gentle and peace-loving people of Sirimal Uyana, who have always been a source of strength to the RABS, it will interest even those who are outside, as it reveals how the pioneer settlers had to fight tooth and nail to get the various facilities, which are a "sine qua non" for a tolerable existence. The present generation, which is enjoying such facilities and amenities, should be grateful for their forefathers, who had to fight off and on against an indifferent, Lethargic and bungling bureaucracy to procure them. ############## Concise, easy read Why should I give a damn For the Global Economy? by Gerard Dilhan Muthukumaru 136 pages Printed by Piyasiri Printing Systems Vijitha Yapa Publication 2003 This is a pre-and post-September 11 perspective of the global economy. Gerard Dilhan Muthukumaru exhorts careerists, employers, community, country, world, family, children and yourself to read this short commentary of the global economy which affects everyone. But the focus is on his appeal to the country of his adoption - America. "America, the cradle and crucible of capitalism is a great country; a great country built by immigrants from all over the world. It must today retrace its soul and be a great force for good. Let America listen to its own icons. Respect for other cultures and beliefs are paramount." An interesting anecdote is a veritable eye-opener to the state of play in the country considered to be the leading power steering the global economy. "Several years ago, a pastor friend of mine asked me to drive to Ensenada, Mexico, from Los Angeles and bring a missionary who was to address his church that Sunday. On our drive back to the US border, the missionary and I had an intense discussion on race, several international issues and, because of my teaching in executive education, corporate America's role in this very troubled world. As I pulled up at the US border post, the immigration officer came up. I greeted him. He asked me for my citizenship. I told him I was a US citizen. He kept looking at me. "I said: "You don't believe me, do you officer?" "He answered, "Can I see your passport?" "I pulled out my passport and gave it to him. He returned it and said, "Have a nice day," (the all-American greeting, whether we mean it or not!), and glanced briefly at my passenger. As we drove off into the US, my missionary friend was shocked and said to me: "Good God! I never understood the role of colour and pigmentation till now." I am brown-skinned. My friend was Irish, white, blonde, blue-eyed and unshaven - and he was entering the US without a visa or papers. Yet, I was asked for proof of citizenship! Not he! Rounding off his appeal to all and sundry to give a damn to the global economy Gerard reserves his fervent appeal to the sole superpower in the aftermath of 9/11. "I hope this book helps the USA, its elected and other leaders, its agents and ambassadors, representatives at home and overseas to stop and think about how it acts in the post 9/11 world. Perception, it is said, is reality. Perception, right or wrong, it is also said, is everything. If the entire global community focuses its energies on what caused 9/11 and prevents similar tragedies without alienating the very people we need to be working with, then may be, just may be, it may never happen again. As this book was going into print, the Head of the United Nations in Baghdad and others were killed in a bomb attack. It is my hope and prayer that we have not reached a point of no return. We must act together, today." Redeemingly concise this book contains a spread of quotations and a flood of comments that make the book an easy read. FACTOTUM ############## Buddhist heritage of Sigiriya Sigiriya Bauddha Urumaya (Buddhist Heritage of Sigiriya) authored by Ven. Diyakaduwe Somananda Thera will be launched at Kotelawela Rajamaha Viharaya, Raigama on November 1. The Archaeological remains at Sigiriya are more important from a Buddhist point of view than the popular perception that it flourished as a unique citadel for over eighteen years. Rajakeeya Panditha Ven. Horana Vajiragnana Thera, Chief Sangha Nayake of Salpiti, Raigam and Hewagam Korales will be the principal speaker at the launching ceremony. Gamini Dela Bandara, Senior Lecturer, Department of Sinhala at Kelaniya University and well-known writer Gunadasa Amarasekera will also address the occasion. |
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