Unique vihara dedicated to Atavisi Buduvaru

By Surekha GALAGODA

Chanting and listening to the Dhammachakka Pavattana Sutta takes the mind of Buddhists to a calm and serene world. Until last week I thought that we have to travel to Isipathanarama in India to listen to the sutta but I was proved wrong since it is chanted by all the devotees clad in white led by Ven Rathnapura Nanda Thera every Sunday and Poya day during the Vas season seated in front of the Visiata Buduvaru and the different sacred trees that helped them attain Nirvana.

Sri Sariputhra Vihara, Narahenpita is the first temple in the Buddhist world to have all the 28 trees that helped the Atavisi budurajananvahanse attain Nirvana. Even all the gathas are written in Sinhala and printed in book form. All devotees who visit the place of worship are given a book. When looking at the book and chanting the gathas it is a form of meditation, said the chief incumbent of the temple Ven Rathnapura Nanda Thera.

The late Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera and I went all over the country in search of these sacred trees. Some of them had even been brought from India 20 years ago. The trees were planted on a wish made by Ven Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera as he wanted all Buddhists to know the history of Buddhism. Ven Rathnapura Nanda Thera the first pupil of the late Ven Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera has been entrusted with the responsibilities relating to the temple as well as his own discipline of arts.

Pirith

Ven Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera well versed in chanting pirith, went to Kerala in India with Ven Mapalagama Vipulasara Thera to learn sculpture and different forms of art.

"We were ordained at Imaduwa Ganegoda Kodagoda Purana vihara in Galle but subsequently the government gifted this land to our teacher Ven Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera in 1978. Our teacher sculptured the Japan Sama Chetiya at Siripada and the Japanese Theras gave him a gift from which he built this temple.

Our teacher and Ven Wattala Seelarathana Thera were the first two bhikkhus who chanted the Dhamma Chakka Pavaththana Sutta at Isipathanarama in India after the Buddha. It was a historic occasion aired as a special program globally.

"On January 28, 1994 we had a special Bodhi pooja and Buddha pooja before planting the 28 saplings for the Atavisi Buduvaru. We made the ashtavida pana using amba, damba, jambu, ugurassa, atikehel, maskehel as well as olu seeds boiled water. Even the deheth known during the Buddhas days as pas pala vatha which includes kapukinissa, heenenasaal, bulath, puvak was found and offered while the pan for the Bodhi was brought from Siripada the source of four main rivers.

Though the auspicious day was January 28 we thought that we could never make it as it was raining heavily, yet we fulfilled everything as planned and after that only it started raining again", said the Thera.

The Thera passed away on October 28, 2003 while we had the Katina Pooja and the ordaining of a samanera on October 27," Thera said.

"From 2000 the Katina Pinkama was made a special event and follows the traditional method of weaving the robe as well as all other rites. After the passing away of our teacher Ven Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera we hold the Katina Pooja and the commemoration pooja on the same day and this is the eighth time that we are conducting the same", said Ven Rathnapura Nanda Thera.

This year too the devotees can take part in all the programs including the Atavisi Buddha Pooja, Upahara Pooja, Pindapatha Pooja offering of alms in the morning, Muruthan Pooja as well as the Japan Buddha Pooja. On October 27 at 9 a.m. events such as a medical camp, blood donation camp and the distribution of spectacles will be held. In the evening the Atavisi Buddha Pooja procession will come to Sri Sariputhra Vihara from the Abayarama starting at 6 pm. The procession will be headed by 30 samaneras. They come from Thanamalwila Athiliwawa Bodhirukkarama. It is a remote temple and as we have rendered our patronage they could engage in the dissemination of dhamma in a better atmosphere.

Offering of ashtavida Paana, pirikara, lighting of lamps as well as other rites will be performed at 6.30 while the Japan Buddha Pooja to invoke merit on the late Yugothshuka thera of Japan who died at the hands of the LTTE will be held at 7 p.m.

"The Chief Sanganayaka of the Kolamba Navakorale Ven Diviyagaha Yasassi Thera will deliver an anusasana while there will be a Upahara Pooja for bhikkhus known to the late Basnagoda Wimalarathana Thera. As they are old and feeble I thought it appropriate to hold the pooja to invoke blessings", said the Ven Thera.

The Katina Cheevara will be woven in the traditional way under the guidance of Munidasa Hettiarachchi in the early morning of October 28.Leaves, barks and roots will be boiled to colour the robe using a Pandu Oruwa. The robe is not even dried on a line instead it is dried by people in the traditional manner. Around 4 in the morning people who practise vegetarianism will start making the Kiripidu as well as the 32 dishes and the rice to be offered to the Buddha and the Atavisi Buduvaru.

A salient feature of the tradition is that all the vegetables and rice are grown in the temple premises. The temple even has a small paddy field to get the rice.

All devotees who visit the temple have been called upon to be vegetarians during this time as it is a Pooja performed with much care and devotion, said Ven Rathnapura Nanda Thera.