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| Wednesday, 25 August 2004 |
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Our underlying tendencies by Kingsley Heendeniya In conventional and in Dhamma usage, the body [rupa] and mind [citta] are regarded as one. They are taken apart and discussed for purposes of description and understanding. In the teaching of the Buddha, this is done in several ways. For example, rupa is defined as earth, water, fire and space elements invested with consciousness where citta is an integral part of vinnana. Or, in terms of dukkha, it is regarded as the totality of matter, feelings, perceptions, determinations and consciousness [khanda] all of which are affected by clinging to them [upadana]. Another skillful description is when it is regarded in terms of the five senses, plus the mind as an entity apart and additional to the five senses [salayatana]. But however it is described, the body and mind are never discussed apart from consciousness. Why is this? It is vinnana that distinguish the living from the non-living and the central problem of dukkha lies in consciousness. In the untaught commoner [assutava puthajjana], consciousness is purposive or teleological. Conditioned by the senses and the mind, it is forever seeking continuity in time. This has been going on for millennia. How did it all begin? The first or the primary state of the consciousness is not described or discussed by the Buddha because that would be regarded speculative. But chiefly, for the purpose of understanding the present arising of dukkha and strive to escape from its hold upon the body, it is not relevant to know how it all began. In order to understand the present state, The Buddha describes primordial consciousness as being pure and radiant like an unstained white cloth. One can speak of cleaning and restoring a cloth only if it is originally pure. Present vinnana is stained and requires striving to clean it. Throughout millennia of coming, going and re-becoming, consciousness has become defiled by the very act of coming and going. So the Buddha thus said immediately after his enlightenment, escaping from the round of birth, ageing and death, There is now no more of this to come. When the Buddha analysed the present state of vinnana, he discovered that whatever is arisen is invariably conditioned. The problem at hand is therefore the problem of conditioning. All things necessarily affect vinnana. There is no experience of phenomena without vinnana. Thus all things affect through conditioning of vinnana. He called this paticcasamuppada or the fundamental structural principle of arising, and consequently, of ceasing, from direct knowledge [abhinna] and full understanding [parinna] about rise and fall of phenomena in consciousness. When there is this this is. When this arises this arises. When there is not this this is not. When this ceases this ceases. [Note: It is inaccurate to say when this is that is because that can mean any number of things whereas this means particularly this, as for example feelings.] The base determinent of dukkha The Buddha realised for himself that the basic determinant of dukkha is craving which manifests in vinnana in a myriad of ways, from information streaming in from the five senses and the mind, when they make contact [phassa] with a supposed self that living beings possess. This self reacts and determine the determinants of this contact. Contacted one feels, contacted one perceives, contacted one intends. It is this self that monitors and interprets and is affected by the multitudinous contacts to produce experience and delight in contacts, to cause sorrow, lamentation, pain, grief and despair, when in truth, there is no such entity as self. So the Buddha says, This world, tormented by contact, calls a disease [this body and mind] self, for however it [the body and mind] is understood it [the body and mind] is ever other than self. [Paraphrased]. The world is the same as vinnana because there can be no experience of the world without it. When therefore, contacts torment us, it must be distressful because vinnana causes it to be thus. Whatever is experienced by contact, everything is therefore felt. It follows that since contacts torment, then whatever is felt is dukkha. The Buddha now makes a leap in thinking and understanding of this fundamental structure of experience to state that delight is the root of everything and attention [manasikara] provides their being [of delight]. That is say, in other words, when no attention is given to contacts, there is no arising of dukkha. In Dhamma terms, this is the state of phassanirodha of the arahat. The arahat is pancakkhanda. There is no upadana. Nevertheless, there is contact in the arahat because the sense faculties and mind are intact. But the significant achievement of the arahat is that all notions of self are extirpated. There are intentions because the paticcasamuppada principle, the fundamental structure of arising and ceasing is intact. But his intentions or determinants do not affect or arise from contact with a self. There is no arising of action. It is the end. How can contacts contact a groundless one? asks the Buddha. The ground is the false notion of self that the arahat has abandoned. It is this false notion in vinnana that assail everyone not an arahat. It is the source of all the underlying tendencies in vinnana that pervasively prevent experiencing things as they actually are [yathabhuta nana dassana]. It is the source of lobha and moha. It is this belief in a non-existing self that is the mainspring of kama-raga [sensuous desire], of patigha [ill will], of ditthi [wrong view], of vicikiccha [skeptical doubt], of mana [conceit], of bhavaraga [craving for being], and collectively, of avijja [ignorance]. These seven things [anusaya] underlie vinnana of the asatuva puthajjana and trap him by their defiling affect. Attenuating, cleansing, removing and expunging them from vinnana are the tasks of practicing the Dhamma. ############## Traditions revived - new Mahanayake of Malwatte Chapter by S. B. Karalliyadda
It was two hundred and fifty one years ago on the Esala full moon day of 1,753 that Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe appointed Venerable Welivita Sri Saranankara as the first Sangaraja of Sri Lanka and appointed on the same day Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddartha Buddarakkitha as the chief of Poya Malu Viharaya. The post of Chief Priest of Poya Malu Viharaya subsequently became the post of Mahanayake. The most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddartha Sumangala Thera is the 26th Mahanayake of the Siam Maha Nikaya and the 4th Mahanayake of the Thibbatuwawe lineage. Three other priests of this lineage held the prestigious and dignified post of Mahanayake before. The Thibbatuwawe clan are history-makers of this little island going back to the reign of Maha Parakrama Bahu. The Matale Kadaimpotha records that during the time of Chola invasion it was General Dandanatha (army commander in today's parlance) of Matale who commanded the Sinhala army of Parakrama Bahu. He not only defeated the Chola army but also brought several captives who were settled in the area. General Dandanatha's young son was also a warrior that he accompanied his father to the battle field and died in action. The last two phrases of the poem described the child. This is how patriotism was inculcated into the descendants of this clan according to the Kadaimpotha. (When disaster strikes the country Sinhalese give your life for its course, think not of your lives lost in it, consider it a great good fortune to give your life for your country). The Thibbatuwawe priests upheld the traditions and expectations of the people. The first Mahanayake Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddaratha Buddha Rakkitha was an erudite scholar who was one among the first five to receive Upasampada or higher ordination at the feet of Venerable Upali Maha Thera from Siam. His scholasticism was such that it was accepted that he was second only to Sangaraja in his knowledge and memory power at that period. Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe was so impressed with the learning and knowledge in Pali and Sinhala that he was made the Chief Incumbent of Ridi Viharaya in Sath Korale. The Ridi Vihara Monastery was responsible for propagating the Dhamma in Sath Korale and Satara Korale. Rev. Daramitipola Dhamma Rakkitha the pupil of the high priest was in charge of Dhamma Monasteries in Satara Korale while the Mahanayake himself was in charge of Sath Korale. The revival and rejuvenation of the Dhamma got a new life after long neglect during the Portuguese invasions followed by the rule of Rajasinghe I of Seethawaka. It would be no exaggeration to mention that Buddhism survived due to the untiring efforts of Sangaraja Welivita Sri Asarana Sarana Saranankara ably assisted by his chief pupil Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddartha Buddha Rakkitha. Another high priest of this clan was arrested by the British Government on the orders of W. Woodehouse the Agent of the Central Province on 19th July 1834 and was charged for high treason. The trial commenced on the 12th January 1835 at the Kandy historic Magulmaduwa before Puisne Judge Hon. W. Norris. The case was conducted on behalf of the British Government by the King's Advocate Osle Carr assisted by the Deputy King's Advocate J. Ferrings. The trial was lengthy and lasted for nine days at a stretch. Mr. Staples the Counsel for the defence addressed the jury for five hours after which the accused was exonerated and discharged. Such are the credentials of the Thibbatuwawe clan. The present Mahanayake was born on 30th May 1944 in the Thibbatuwawe village in Matale. His father was Samarakkodi Wijesundara Bandaranayake Wasala Mudiyanse Ralahamilage Tikiri Banda and the mother was Karalliyadde Idama Walawwe Loku Kumarihamy. Loku Banda as a child had his early education at Werapitiya school close to his grandfathers ancestral home. He had his primary education at the Christ Church College Matale. On the 10th June 1957 at a young age of 13 years he entered order under the pupilage of Venerable Purijjala Sri Siddartha the High Priest of Malwatte and Ven. Siddartha Medankara high priest of Ridi Vihara.
He was a brilliant pupil of the Sangaraja Pirivena Kandy where he excelled in Dhamma Vinaya, Philology, Linguistics and passed the Pirivena final examination. In 1964 he received higher ordination or Upasampada from the then Mahanayake of Malwatta Ven. Amunugama Vippassi. The exalted position in the Karaka Saba came to him in appreciation of his versatility in the traditions and the age old customs treasured in this holy institute of learning. Never did he ran after fame and glory. He was appointed to be in-charge of the Thewawa of the tooth relic, a member of the Karaka Sangha Saba, Assistant Secretary of the Karaka Sangha Saba and finally the Secretary to Sangha Saba. In 1992 he was appointed the Anunayaka of the Chapter. Subsequently he declined the offer of Mahanayake post to give way for a senior and an elderly monk about a decade ago setting an example to all those who are clamouring for power and position. Improvements to Ridi Viharaya, providing over one hundred jungle caves in the land belonging to Ridi Viharaya for meditation, provision of vocational training for the youth of the area are among the various services of the Mahanayake. The atrocious rule perpetrated on the Sinhalese by Kalinga Maga for 21 years was ceded by Keerthi better known as Maha Vijayabahu. It was Vijayabahu III a native of Dumbara who ruled from Dambadeniya from 1232 who once again brought the country under a unitary rule. The new Mahanayake with roots in Dumbara has the onerous task and responsibility of uniting the Sinhalese and the Maha Sangha to defeat the separatist divisive elements and unite all the forces against such operations overtly and covertly. May the Triple Gem bless the New Mahanayake Thera for health and long life to achieve the aspirations of the people. |
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In keeping with the centuries old tradition of appointing the
Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter by the ruling monarch, on the 16th
August the Executive President of Sri Lanka presented the act of
appointment to the new Mahanayake of Malwatte chapter the most Venerable
Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddartha Sumangala.
