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| Sunday, 25 April 2004 |
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Dinamina Vesak Kalapaya 2548/2004 - Truth in living - the central theme Dinamina Vesak Kalapaya (2548/2004) The Dinamina Vesak Annual will be available to the readers soon to provide them with interesting and thought-provoking material that will put them in the right frame of mind to think about values of Buddhism. The Publications Division of ANCL Ltd. has consistently carried out the service of distributing this valued journal to promote the study and enhancement of understanding of Buddhism in this present period of stress and strain the country is facing. In preparing the publication with its diversified contents the editor of the Annual, Dr. Ranith L. Abeywickrama, has kept in mind the essential need to concentrate on the fundamental doctrines of Buddhism and the bearing their influence would have on daily life. A major part of the Annual is devoted to the observations and views of both the laity and the priesthood, who are well-versed in the knowledge and interpretation of the Dhamma. Although it would have been more appropriate for the doctrinal and philosophical essays and critical estimates of certain teachings and concepts to be grouped together to emphasise the essential tome of the Annual and thus make it look academic and religious the editors have offered a mixture of the light and heavy content. Therefore, after reading an essay on Buddhist institutions such as the Order of the Sangha or the Role of Forest Monks and Early Buddhist Attitudes, a poem of light verse or a prayer addressed to a Holy Personage or even a stimulating composition of elegant verses for worship often follows each such discussion. Evidently, the purpose of such interpolations is to give the opportunity to all types of readers and especially the ordinary adherents of the faith a chance to appreciate the literary quality of the teaching. In fact the editor has continuously adopted this practice of appending verses, views of writers, extracts from Buddhist scriptures which help the readers to ponder more seriously on the moral or message of an assessment on a topic by a competent writer. Out of the 59 titles listed in the Contents nearly half of the items are short or long versifications on selected themes which undoubtedly serves the purpose of satisfying the average readers who are content and find it enjoyable reading. Surveying the titles at a glance one is able to observe the heavy weightage given to the themes and topics on the doctrine and the fundamental teachings of Buddhism. The Editor's main essay sets the tone as it were for the doctrinal essays to follow. It carries the caption, Bodhiya ha Buddhatvaya (The Bodhi Tree and the meaning it conveys as 'Enlightenment' which the Buddha achieved in 'Buddhahood' (Buddhatva)). The brief essay interprets the significance of the concept which also emphasises the great virtue of gratitude the Buddha showed towards the great Tree (under which He attained the Highest State) setting a noble example for all others pursuing the Path. In several essays the fundamental need to discover the Truth in living seems to be the central theme discussed. The topic Sara Garbha Satya explains the methodology adopted by the Buddha to teach the doctrine to the disciples. The Buddha had admonished the two disciples, Ven. Sariputta and Ananda, to advise the rich citizen Anatha Pindika, who felt depressed and sick in old age to abandon attachment to wealth and status and concentrate on Impermanence of the body and achieve peace of mind through meditation. The devotee followed the advice of the noble monk and after a session of concentration on the message of the sermon, expressed that he had been rid of undesirable thoughts and was able to recover from his malady. The purification sought in Buddhism is only attainable by the practice of morality, gaining wisdom and right living and not from one's high position or accumulation of wealth. Sanskrutiya ha Cintanasvabavaya 'Culture and the Nature of Human Thought' is a well-argued exposition of the concept of Culture as interpreted by M. Wickramasinghe, Piyadasa Sirisena and other Sinhala writers and thinkers. It examines also the different phases in the history of the country and the influences observed in the foreign intrusions, inescapable as well as acceptable, which produced a complex structure in the cultural diversity the impact left behind. The writer refers to the changes in the thought development of the people, the political and economic progress and decline as well as the ethical, social, domestic ways of living and the transformations that occurred are brought into focus. Despite the foreign influences which exercised a decisive force in the attitudes and reactions of the people the basic foundation of Sinhalese culture has remained unchanged due largely to the overpowering and humanising values of Buddhism and also the Hindu and Tamil traditional religious practices which were introduced and accepted by communities subscribing to the Dravidian and Buddhist faiths. Ekamsa Anekamsa Dharma (Varieties of Doctrine) is a factually heavy exposition of the varieties of questions and enquiries which can be raised on the content of the Buddhist Canonical Texts. The contributor examines the nature of the problems posed in the texts and takes up examples of such statements and states the alternate answers to be supplied from established standpoints. Such thoughtful discussions are not meant for the ordinary reader as a thorough familiarity with the texts and study can only help the reader to benefit from the discussion. The condensed singlepage account on the title Citta Damanaya (Mind Control) is a very readable summing-up of conditions and factors dealing with the tensions and stresses of present-day life and the methods in Buddhist meditation to provide healing and mental health. An account of the 'Bodhi Tree and Right Knowledge' also reminds us of the significance of the concept for the attainment of Enlightenment. A detailed assessment of ethical values which had a bearing on the female folk in the past lists the duties and qualities on womenfolk in the varied vocations extending from the order of bhikkhunis to diverse secular occupations where a strict code of ethics guided them. The ideas and arguments are presented in a methodical fashion tracing the stages in the development of organised and disciplined system through the ages. The article bearing the title Batahira Darsanaya ha Bauddha Chintanaya, a contribution by Prof. A. D. P. Kalansuriya, first reminds the readers about the observations he made in the Annual issues of 2000 and 2001 regarding the absolute need for examining Buddhist concepts methodologically to understand the significance and value of such ideas. In this essay he regrets that Buddhist scholars who have written and published their major writings on Buddhist Epistemology, Causality, Theory of Karma etc. have not adopted a conceptual Analysis philosophically although Buddhist thought is examined. He refers to the works, also, and states that even in the observations on the Four Noble Truths, for instance, there is comment on the aspect of Buddhist thought, but no proper philosophical analysis using philosophical Techniques and Methodology in connection subject matter on a logical basis (according to the writer). He goes on to cite authorities, Western philosophers and their views on these matters and lists his guidelines for examining the concepts in order to bring out the true nature of Buddhist thought and philosophical concepts (18). The above article deals with important topics related to the fundamental teachings of Buddhism and their philosophical significance, but apparently the Annual's aim being the dissemination of Buddhist teachings and the improvement of knowledge at all levels, the average reader would find it too learned and profound to grasp. It can, also however, be argued that the Annual should attempt to introduce such discussions on Buddhist topics to enhance their abilities to grasp the fundamental findings and critically understand them. The Annual also carries several articles on the institutions such as the Sangha during the times of Kings (63) and the Social Concept of Buddhism as the Highest Ideal, Historical News on Saranath (40), The Location of Kapilavastupura (90) and as usual, a few articles on archaeological structures and artefacts (20). Another interesting account of the 'Half-female Lord of Dance', a sculptural figure dug up from the Abhayagiri site (29) indicating S. Indian influence in local sculpture, invites the special attention of the reader. Mention must also be made of the account of the Royal Emissaries who went on a mission of inviting monks for higher ordination to Rakkhanga (76), Political Ideas in Buddhism (49) Social Insight through the Mahaparinirvana Sutra (79) contain subject matter of varied content to satisfy the curious reader. The Brahmadanda and the Family Revolt as the highest punishment meted out to Channa, the charioteer of the Prince an entertaining account (81) should instruct the reader on the Great Renunciation. The semi-scientific, well-illustrated topis, Investigation into Rebirth through Hypnosis, comes at the end of the Annual where Amarasiri Weeraratna, reviews the work done by psychologists, medical men, scientists and others engaged in research into the subject, referring to the experimental work done by foreigners as well as by local Buddhist monks and leaders as well as through institutions. The writer brings to light the present state of knowledge on the subject for the education of the readers. The Annual, therefore, maintains the aims and purposes of the institution in the laudable effort to distribute knowledge of the Dhamma among the public by means of essays, articles, poems, quotations from scriptures and prayers, which will lighten their burden of living and enable them to think and meditate on the highest goal of religion. ************* The revolutionary Hulugalla - who straddled Lanka's writing field by Padma Edirisinghe Arjuna Dictionaries has brought out a book, "Selected Journalism" to commemorate Mr. H. A. J. Hulugalla, an outstanding son of Lanka. Though a lawyer by profession H. A. J.'s first love was journalism. Editor of the Ceylon Observer in 1930 and editor of the Ceylon Daily News from 1931 to 1948 he also performed as Director of ANCL Ltd. In 1954 in recognition of his services he was appointed Envoy to Italy. Later he took on the posts of ambassadors of Italy and Greece respectively. Having returned in 1959 he put out a large number of books especially woven around his travels. Claiming to be "a wanderer at heart" travel and people fascinated him. "Selected Journalism" is a collection of articles by him and on him. Rather than attempt, a discussion of this large 550 paged very informative and inspiring book, the writer will limit herself to the essay on unconventional somersaults indulged in HAJ almost disclaiming his age old Wayamba heritage and marrying into a low country Soysa family. This essay written by Harris Hulugalle, further is almost a window on the Hulugalla family, which (if the facts mentioned are accepted in toto) runs an incredibly span of 1728 years. However the bold steps taken by HAJ have even been taken by his forefathers as the conversion of his ancestor to Christianity after British occupation of the Kandyan provinces. Titled 'The beginnings', this essay however comes at the end. "The beginnings" of the Hulugalla family is entwined with two tanks, the Mahagala tank and the Sulugala (Hulugalla) tank built by King Mahasen (276-303 AD), that great tank builder of ours. In the proximity of the smaller Hulugalla tank settled down a family that came to be known by the name of the tank. The line emerges now and then in different periods of our history even earning mention in historical cum literary texts as Saddarmalankaraya (according to the writer) and disappears completely for centuries. No family for that matter can do a steady and unbroken run of power and prosperity. Perhaps the rather resistant nature of the Hulugalla family that grew into prominence over the years owes itself to it being deliberately dormant at crucial time and making its stakes at the opportune time. Such an opportune time is the time of the British conquest of Kandy. The actions of the Kandyan chieftains at this juncture are viewed from different angles. Some condemn them as treacherous, yet others term them opportunistic. Hulugalla Ratemahaththaya of Deva Meda Hatpattuwa not only helped the British to overthrow the rule of Sri Wickrema Rajasinghe but embraced Christianity. But he had been executed by the British suspecting of his complicity in the 1818 rebellion. However the Government Agent's wife taking pity on his son, had taken him under her wings launching the Anglophile trend of the family. The Ratemahaththaya had been conferred the title Jayatileka due to his victorious skirmish with the king's forces and now the son assumed the name Graham Jayatileka Hulugalla. Either during his time or earlier the family had moved on to Kurunegala from Nikewaratiya where the hamlet Hulugalla was to enjoy better amenities and due to the shrewd acumen of the subsequent Hulugallas the family estate became larger and larger accommodating the progeny. Graham Hulugalla proved himself such a loyal supporter of the king who reigned 1000s of oceanic miles away that he had even been gifted with an inscribed sword of William IV. That was how subtly the British Empire spread its wings breeding its own loyalists. Dragged on five centuries of the Hulugalla saga.. Christian influence...White tie and tails.. And later Trinitian education to whom William Hulugalla was first subject to.. And now enter the Rekawa family to join forces with the Hulugalla family. The Rekawa family earns mention in our history due to the turmoil in the Kandyan Kingdom. It was the custom of the Nayakkar kings to admit daughters of reputed Sinhala families as lesser queens or to put it in less style as concubines on Yakada Doli while the main queen or Ran Doli was always from their own lineage. Thus a Rekawa lady found herself in the royal Court of Rajadhi Rajasinghe. Either in the days when Sri Wickrema went berserk after consuming English wine and ordering massacre of whole families, or during the uncertain days of the British invasion this female had fled with her son to Ruhuna where she had gifted her fortunes to a temple there. According to Harris Hulugalla the palanquin she rode is yet in that temple. Once the British conquest had been staged and a more peaceful aftermath followed the Rekava family came back to the highlands. William Hulugalla married into this Buddhist family. So HAJ had a Christian father and a Buddhist mother. Education at Trinity opened a strange new world to him making him enamoured of the English language and Western culture. Colombo was again the Mecca of those Lankans longing to step into new adventures and HAJ with his love for languages, for writing and fascinated by travel and oddities and specialities of people got more and more drawn away from his regular profession into the starkly interesting field of journalism. In his personal life he turned starkly unconventional by disclaiming his Wayamba heritage and abandoning lands entitled to him. He opted to marry out of caste from a Soysa family in the lowlands, a marriage that had been very successful. Meanwhile rid of the tentacles of feudally owned land and other restrictions he wielded his pen so deftly that he rose to one of the highest positions in the mansion by the Lake, his friendship with those who matter as the D. R. Wijewardena family facilitating it all. When diplomatic careers came his way he took them on but his love for writing and people and travel never left him till he breathed his last in 1982. W. S. Senior was a writer and poet he admired. Senior sang thus, hoping Lanka would find a poet. 'Of thine own children born of thy womb |
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