A life-long commitment to spreading the Dhamma

By Pramod DE SILVA

T.Y. Lee, the internationally famous Buddhist scholar and philanthropist from Singapore, is a man with a noble mission: spreading the message of Buddhism all over the world.

Lee was in Colombo last week on his Buddhist Dhammadutha work, going to sacred places of worship and meeting Ven. Theras, prominent lay Buddhists and Government officials. Among the highlights of his visit here was delivering a lecture at the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL).

The lecture focused on the importance and relevance of Buddhism to everyday life whether at work or at home. He stressed the Buddhist concept of Viriya (courage, perseverance, inner strength) in the face of adversity to get ahead in life. Anyone can benefit from having and practising Viriya at all times. It gives strength and purpose to life.

Lee noted that Buddhism was rapidly gaining ground even in non-Buddhist regions including the West. This is evident from the huge demands for his books and websites from around the world.

He also receives regular inquiries from those following other religions.

"Yes, Buddhism can be followed by anyone regardless of religion and age. It is a philosophy for good conduct in life. This is why others are discovering Buddhism," he said. Lee pointed out that lessons from Buddhism can and should be applied to whatever situation life demands.

He expressed his gratitude to scholars and philanthropists from all over the world who had come forward to translate and publish his books free.

More than one million copies of his three books were in circulation, most of which have been distributed using his own funds.

He was especially proud to have been associated with ANCL in the publication and distribution of his book The Island of Light, a guide to Buddhist sites in Sri Lanka, through the Sunday Observer to mark 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi. He paid glowing tribute to Bhikkuni Bodhichitta (who was present at the event), who paved the way for his partnership with ANCL.

He said he has a special place in his heart for Sri Lanka and its rich Buddhist heritage, despite travelling all over the Buddhist world. It is also one place where Buddhism survives in its purest form. This was one reason why he decided to write The Island of Light.

The Sunday Observer spoke to him after the lecture to find out more about his dedication to Buddhism. Excerpts from the interview:

Q: How did you become interested in Buddhism?

A: Although being born into a traditional Chinese family that respected the Buddha, I became a Christian during my younger days. However, I did not find much satisfaction and turned my attention to Buddhism. I then discovered that Buddhism had the answers that I was looking for in life. I became more interested and subsequently took up the YMBA and Buddhist and Pali College courses in Singapore.

Q: What led you to write the book The Island of Light and what spurred your interest in Sri Lanka and its Buddhist sites?

A: During the course my Buddhist studies in Singapore, I discovered that Buddhism had a rich and varied history in Sri Lanka. I never realised that it had gone through so many periods of decline and revival. Thus, I went on to do more research into this subject so that I could write a book and share this fascinating story with others. After a truly enjoyable and eye-opening trip to Sri Lanka, I started to write the book and completed it in 2010. As for its publication in Sri Lanka, Ven. Bodhichitta Therani introduced the book to ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara, who then contacted me, actively pursued the idea and published it through the Sunday Observer. It was a very proud moment.

Q: How will this book benefit Buddhists, especially pilgrims?

A: I think it is very important for Buddhist pilgrims to know not only about the sacred places but also about the history of Buddhism in regard to these places. It is only by knowing the history of Buddhism, the challenges that it faced and how it overcame these challenges to survive and grow, that Buddhists and pilgrims can truly appreciate the wonderful opportunity we have now to learn and practice the Dhamma. My book explains all these in a concise form and easy-to-understand language so that more and more people can know about the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and about its holy places too.

Q: How did your collaboration with the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited come about?

A: It is due to the efforts of a very dedicated nun, Ven. Bodhicitta Therani, that I came into contact with ANCL Chairman Bandula Padmakumara. She arranged for my book to be handed to Mr. Padmakumara and the rest is history.

Q: What was the significance of releasing this book in SL to coincide with the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi 2600?

A: To be honest, I did not plan this but it is a truly happy coincidence for me to be able to launch it during such a momentous and meaningful year for Buddhism. As such, I hope that through my book, more and more people everywhere, can understand the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka and know about its sacred sites.

Q: Have you travelled to other Buddhist sites all over the world?

A: Yes, I have been on the Buddhist circuit in India twice, have also visited Myanmar, Thailand and Bhutan and also the sacred Buddhist mountains of China.

Q: Do you have any other projects in mind?

A: Right now, I am focusing on the distribution of my two other books "Just Be Good" and "A Life of Blessings". These have been translated to several languages including Chinese, Indonesian, Spanish, Hindi and Marathi. So far more than one million copies have been printed and distributed worldwide and I am planning more large scale printings and distributions, especially for China and India.

Q: What, in your opinion, is the most interesting Buddhist site in Sri Lanka and in the world?

A: For me, I would say that I found the sites in and around Mihintale the most interesting, especially the Aradhana Gala at Mihintale where Arahat Mahinda was said to have addressed the King of Sri Lanka Devanampiyatissa and his entourage. It was a very significant moment in Sri Lankan history where they all embraced Buddhism.

The other site very interesting to me would be Bodh Gaya in India, the place where the Buddha attained Enlightenment.