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| Tuesday, 6 April 2004 |
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Building close links with Mahayana countries by Nemsiri Mutukumara Buddhists in Mahayana countries yearn to visit Sri Lanka to pay homage to the colossal images of the Buddha in the Eastern Province. Gigantic Buddha statues sculptured within one thousand and one thousand five hundred (1000 to 1500) years are part and parcel of the Mahayana tradition. In some places statues of the Bodhisatta are also sculptured. The Japanese Buddhists Kamakura Buddha statue fame the Korean Buddhists paintings of Sokkuram colossal seated image fame and Dung Huang wall Chinese Buddhists and Vajrayana Buddhists of Tibet with their standing and seated colossal show a deep and devout interest in worshipping the statues. The colossal standing Buddha statue on the bunds of Kalaveva, the monumental Buddha statue lying face downwards for several centuries in Maligavila and a gigantic Bodhisatta statue in Dambegoda which had been reduced to bits and pieces and put together by a German sculptor are some of the most treasured Buddhist monuments that reveal the close association Sri Lanka had with Mahayana countries. With the devotion the Mahayanists attach to these Buddha images, Sri Lanka stands to benefit in many ways. Firstly, the age old association between the land of the Theravada Buddhism in its pristine form ad the Mahayana countries came to be strengthened with the establishment of the World Fellowship of Buddhists - the world body in 1950. Almost all Mahayana countries, the Vajrayana Tibetan lamas, of His Holiness the Dalai Lama attended and participated in the World Fellowship of Buddhists - the W.F.B. which unanimously elected Professor Gunapala Piyasena Malalasekera as President. During the conference days which were continued for about a week, the Mahayanists gained a first hand knowledge of the close links between Sri Lanka and their countries during their visits to our viharas and Buduge. The wall paintings, the sculptors and architectural styles depicted many close similarities. The post conference towards included in the program and arranged by the host country provided further information and education between Sri Lanka and Mahayana countries. From that time small groups began to visit our ancient viharas and dagabas. Now that the Government has stepped in to provide the infrastructure - roads internal air-links, comfortable and modernised pilgrim centres for large parties and hotel accommodation at concessionary rates, the Mahayanists have formed their own pilgrimage groups within their own temples. That is the other benefit - which is of course economic. Either the state level - Ministry of Buddha sasana, Ministry of Education, Human Resources and Culture should initiate a dialogue with these Mahayana pilgrimage groups which are absolutely formidable in those countries. For instance, countries like Japan, Korea, China are able to provide training facilitates to our youth and students in high technology, organise youth and student exchange programs, language training facilities and all Bhavana programs as well. In all Mahayana countries, Bhavana, meditation is given a high position in the religious and spiritual activity. Our three Nikayas - the Asgiriya and Malvatta chapters of the Siyam Maha Nikaya, the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha and the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya should initiate a dialogue - a discussion with the pilgrimage groups. The three Maha pirivenas, the Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maligakanda, the Vidyalankara Pirivena, Kelaniya and the Balagalle Sarasvati Pirivena will stand to profit immensely with a planned program. All these past years, the Maha Sangha, their fraternities and the Great seats of Buddhist learning have not taken good and proper facilities the other economically and technically rich Buddhist nations are prepared to offer. Now is the time, venerable Sirs! Dialogues on Dhamma between Bogoda Premaratne and Kumar de Silva This book is authored by Desabandu Bogoda Premaratne - of the "Daham Asa" fame. The "Daham Asa" he says is sold out within a very short time. Anybody interested in reprinting the voluminous publication can do so by writing a letter to the following address. Bogoda Premaratne, 296/2C, Santi Mavata, Off High Level Road, Colombo 06. Telephone: 2810685 Mr. Premaratne informs that the "Daham Asa" was given at such a reduced price because it was printed as a Dhamma dana by his grand son Tharanga Darshana Perera at Nuwara Eliya printers. Referring to the present work, "Dialogues on Dhamma" Mr. Premaratne says: The Dhamma that reveals the deception (The self) behind our living experience is what is being written into Dialogues on Dhamma. Quoting the Venerable Nyanatiloka Mahathera the German-born scholar, Mr. Premaratne says "Non-Ego, Not-self, that is the fact that neither within these bodily and rental phenomena of existence, nor outside of them, can be found anything that in the ultimate sense, could be regarded as a self-reliant, real, 'Ego-entity' or personality. The Venerable Nyanatiloke Mahathera says, "This is the central doctrine of Buddhism, without understanding of which a real knowledge of Buddhism is altogether impossible. It is the only real specific Buddhist doctrine with which the entire Buddhist structure stands and falls; The Anatta doctrine has been clearly and unreservedly taught only by the Buddha. Whosoever has not penetrated this impersonality of all existence and does not comprehend that in reality there exists only this continually self-consuming process of arising and passing bodily and mental phenomena and no separate Ego-entity within or without this process, he will not be able to understand Buddhism. Mr. Premaratne in his summary on Liberation or Nibbana says: "The ultimate objective of the Buddha's exposition of the Dhamma is to help people attain Nibbana which amounts to emancipation from all suffering. Attainment of Nibbana is nothing more or nothing less than the complete liberation of one's mind from the deluded notion of 'personality' (sakkaya ditthi), to begin with, and eventually culminating in complete removal of all traces of "I" - "Mine" and my 'self' or 'conceit I - am' (asmi-mana) with their eradication will vanish all manifestations of self in the form of craving, conceit, and false views etc. the fetters that bind an individual to continuity of existence. Life of Arhat sustained by the five aggregates absolutely free of being held by concerns of self, is lived solely as service to humanity, radiating compassion and 'Santi' another word for peace. The "Dialogues on Dhamma" is well expounded. Mr. Premaratne has chosen a one time Daily News journalist Kumar de Silva who is quite knowledgable of the religion and the Buddhist philosophy. He has learnt from the authoritative books written by learned scholars. Mr. Premaratne has found the correct person who is now in the media in a very effective way - profitable to the sasana. Now a word about the author Mr. Premaratne. He learnt Vipassana Meditation from the Venerable Sumatipala Mahathera. The Prelate was the Chief Meditation Master of the Siyane Vipassana Bhavana Madhyasthanaya, Kanduboda. Mr. Premaratne's "Daham Asa" is a commentary on the Venerable Nyanavira Mahathera's work on "The Law of Dependent origination." The proceeds and the publishing rights of "Daham Asa" were gifted to the Kanduboda Bhavana Madhyasthanaya, in appreciation of the spiritual education imparted by the centre. The new book "Dialogues on Dhammas" is released with blessings on his Eighty-third (83) birthday March 15, 2547-2004. Sukho Dighayokho bhava! |
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