Prof. Manique Gunasekera:

We've lost an honourable lady

I got to know Manique when I started my university life at Kelaniya in 1973. Manique had also joined the university but to pursue a different academic path, in the English stream. I was on the other hand, pursuing a mass communication degree in the Sinhala medium. Manique had joined from the Holy Family Convent in Bambalapitiya, with a strong Catholic upbringing. Some of her qualities I cherish to this day. Although she held high positions, she never lost her common touch and was known by everyone as a down to earth person.

As we began our campus career, within a short time she swept away many differences between the students of the two streams. Manique was the bridge between us. During our time at Kelaniya, there was no Students' Union for the UNP. Manique and I were among the pioneers in the UNP Students Union who went on to take control of the University in our final year.This was the only time a UNP students' movement had taken control of student politics at the University.

Hearing of Manique's demise had a profound impact on me. Not only did I lose a good friend, but our country lost an honourable lady.

After completing her Degree, Manique pursued an academic career at Kelaniya University, and she went on to Head the English Department. Finally, she rose to the top position in her field by being the Head of the Postgraduate Department at Kelaniya.

Manique's departure from this world adds to the grief of losing another batch mate from Kelaniya only a few years ago. Romesh Jayasinghe, Sri Lanka's former Foreign Secretary, passed away in 2011. Romesh, Manique and I were at Kelaniya at the same time.

I had the privilege of associating with these two great personalities, who excelled in their respective fields, and made our nation proud.

Going back to our time in Kelaniya, Manique extended her fullest support in campus politics, especially during election time at university. All our Sinhalese language posters were translated by Manique. She always took on the leadership in bringing the English medium students to union meetings. It was a great success for the UNP Union.

Once some of our batchmates wanted to go to a well-known fortune teller in Bambalapitiya, Manique also accompanied them. Unfortunately, however many forecasts by him did not materialize.

However, Manique managed to forecast good relationships. She had the rare quality of bringing together compatible partners for life, as I am sure many who read this will agree.

- Imthiaz Bakeer Markar

Fourteenth death anniversary of Deshabandu Alec Robertson:

An outstanding propagator of the Dhamma

It is fourteen years since Deshabandu Alec Robertson – preacher, writer and broadcaster of the Dhamma and one-time Member of Parliament – passed away.

Alec Robertson was born in Gampola on October 30, 1928, and died on the last day of 2002, at the age of 74. His working life was dedicated mainly to the Buddhist cause – propagating the Dhamma through talks, discussions, books and articles to Buddhist journals and newspapers.

Propagating the Dhamma

One of his most significant contributions was the popularisation of the weekly Dhamma discussions in English at Maitri Hall, Lauries’ Road, Bambalapitiya. He was closely associated with the Servants of the Buddha Society, which has conducted Buddhist discussions on Saturday evenings for almost half a century. He started taking part in these meetings while he was still at school. He became the society’s Assistant Secretary when he was just 21 years. Later, he became secretary, and served as president for an uninterrupted 30 years, from 1969.

He relinquished this office only when he realised that declining health would not permit him to discharge the duties of this office effectively. But he continued to be associated with the society as its adviser until his demise.

Broadcasting

His voice and personality reverberated in the Maitri Hall, where he chaired the society’s meetings and gave a Dhamma talk every first Saturday of the month. When the scheduled speaker could not turn up, Alec Robertson would give the talk himself, often asking the audience to suggest a topic.

Mr. Robertson had a prodigious memory. His knowledge of the Dhamma was extensive, based on his studies of Pali, the Dhamma, the Abhidhamma, and commentaries, as well as through his association with Buddhist scholars, monks and laymen.

Robertson was also for many years associated with broadcasting, giving Dhamma talks on the radio and participating in Dhamma radio discussions. For several decades he participated in one of the most popular Buddhist radio programmes at that time, namely, the “Buddhist Forum”. In this forum, a number of Buddhist scholars discuss various aspects of the Dhammaand entertain subjects for discussions from listeners. Participants in this forum apart from Mr. Robertson included at that time the Late S. R. Wijayatilake, a former Judge of the Supreme Court and the late Austin De Silva, a dedicated Buddhist worker. Mr. Robertson became the Chairman of the Buddhist Forum later and continued to perform the task, except for brief intervals, until his death, a period of two and half a decades.

Publications

As a writer, Mr. Robertson had many Buddhist publications to his credit. These include the “Buddhist Attitude To Christianity”; “Nibbana – Happiness Supreme”, “The Triple Gem and the Uposatha”, and “Buddha, the Healer Incomparable”. He also regularly contributed articles to the newspapers, Buddhist journals and the Buddhist annual, Vesak Sirisara. Although known largely as a promoter of the Dhamma among English-speaking people, Alec Robertson also had a good command of the Sinhala language. As a young man he travelled to different parts of the country giving talks, usually in Sinhala, at the invitation of Buddhist organisations in the outstations.

He strived to share his knowledge about the latent power in the human mind. His messages were directed at awakening people to recognize this great untapped and unseen capacity within them and to introduce the teachings of the Dharma as the path to greater self-awareness. Deshabandu Robertson masterfully used the Dhamma to explain the most abstract concepts such as the doctrine of impermanency that has even posed challenges to Western psychologists. Deshabandu Robertson was well read in the discipline of Western psychology. He openly challenged eminent western scholars like Dr J. B. Reihn’s conceptualization of the human mind as inconclusive on the strength of the deeper understanding he had developed through the teachings of the Dhamma. continually asserting his belief that the Buddha was the greatest ever psychologist the world had ever seen.

Parliament

His outstanding services in the cause of the Dhamma were recognised by the State when the J.R. Jayewardene administration conferred on him the title of Deshabandu. Later, the Premadasa government appointed him as a Member of Parliament. He served for five years as an MP, focusing largely on Buddhism, social welfare and education. The UNP assigned him to the Avissawella electorate, and his addresses to the constituents were mainly on the Dhamma and its practice.

Commemorative Stamp

In recognition of the yeoman service rendered to the nation and Buddha sasana by him . A commemorative stamp was issued on October 30, 2013 under the National Heroes category. This was arranged to mark his 85th birthday and 10th anniversary of his demise.

He pursued his mission in life with determination, courage and commitment.

May his onward journey in Samsara be smooth and brief, and may he realise early the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana.

-Rajah Kuruppu