Buddhist Spectrum

Development plan for Buddha Gaya:

Main road named after Anagarika Dharmapala

Rohan L. Jayatilleke

The pre-Buddhistic India had sixteen kingdoms or republics, viz. Anga, Magadha, Kasi, Kosala, Vajji, Malla, Cheti, Vatsa, Kuru, Panchala, Machhaja, Surasena, Assaka, Avanthi, Gandhara and Kamboja.

The ancient Magadha kingdom was situated in the area south of river Ganges. Ganges had the tributaries Sona, Neranjara/Nelanjala (bluish water) now called Phalagu. This kingdom in its periphery had Gayasirsa and Rajgir hill ranges. Rajgir was belted by five high rise hilly ranges of Gijjakuta, Isigili, Vehara, Pandava and Vepulla.

Thus Magadha kingdom, which now is composed of the States of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh of the Union of India, then and now was rich with water resources and greenery clothed hills. The hills were abodes of meditative pre-Buddhitic ascetics, Jains (Digambara and Svetambara) and the break away group of Jains the Ajivakas.

In the eastern sector of Magadha was Anga kingdom and on the west was Kosala. Thus the entire area traversed on foot by Gautama Buddha in the 6th century BC, approximates to the area composing the present Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, and once the Buddha had proceeded to Kurukehstra (modern old Delhi) which then was inhabited by the most intelligent people Kurus, to discourse the Satpattana-sutta.

Archaeological Survey of India

The site is now sponsored by the Archaeological Survey of India, amidst a sprawling garden with a concrete flat roofed structure with an iron-railing running around the garden.

Thus the claims of the Buddha visiting Sri Lanka twice, and as Burmese claim to have been visited once and leaving his shadow there, are debatable as there are no scriptural evidences or suttas in the Sutta Pitaka, that have been discoursed by the Buddha in these two countries.

Gaya distric

The Buddha Gaya site is now in the Gaya district of Bihar State, the capital of which is Patna, Pataliputra of the Buddha’s times. The place name Gaya was used with the prefix Buddha, meaning supra mundane wisdom, attained by Prince Siddhartha, under the foot of the peepal tree (ficus religosia) at Gaya.

During the time of the Buddha all the areas of north India were interconnected with roadways for trading caravans and others to travel. Of these trade routes the chief was the port of Tamralpita, near modern Kolkata (Calcutta) at the estuary of the Ganges river.

The trading city of Champa was situated on the upper reaches of the Ganges river and a roadway existed through Champa to Pataliputra and Varanasi (Benares, reaching Kaushambhi. From Kaushambhi there was a by road to Vidisa (in modern Madhya Pradesh near Sanchi and Udeni, which roadway ran through the estuary of Narmada river to Bharukacchi, modern Sopra on the western coast of India.

Jamuna

The main road from Kaushambhi ran along the riverside of Jamuna (Yamuna) right bank to Mathura.

Thus Gaya was centrally situated in all these trading routes, which was higher in elevation and Buddha Gaya situated in a depression of about 150 ft. from the road level. Gaya was a small township in ancient Magadha kingdom, beside Neranjara (Phalagu) river. The mountain Gayasirsa or Brahamayoni, which was an abode of ascetics was beside the Gaya city.

In the Buddhist literature of the Tripitaka Gaya is described as follows: “Those who have committed sins come to Bahuka river, Adhikkaka river ford, Gaya ford, Sundarika river and Saraswati river to take the holy dip to cleanse them of their sins.”

Even in modern times too millions of Hindus congregate to the Vishnupadma shrine beside the Phalagu river for the holy dip Matangavapi and Gayavapi are synonymous. Gaya Kasyapa, Nadi Kasyapa, Urvela Kasyapa, who entered the Sangha under the Buddha were living in this area.

Presently the upper section of the Buddha Gaya complex is cluttered with beggars, small shops and the northern end with steps leading to a shabby Gaya market place, where the Gaya sub post office too functions.

This writer since 2004 has been making written representations to the Chief Minister of Bihar Srimath Nitish Kumar to redeem the entire complex of these ugly sites and the writer’s proposals too have been included in the Bodh Gaya Heritage Led Perspective Plan for year 2005-2031.

The main components of the plan as follows. The plan envisages proper development of roads, paths, hotels and green areas which would enhance the ambience of Buddha Gaya.

Two Traffic Interchange Nodes, one on main road leading to Buddha Gaya Complex and another along the Neranjara River now under construction where all incoming traffic at a distance of one Km. before Mahabodhi Vihara will be intercepted and the devotees will be allowed to travel on battery operated buses or rickshaws, so that the Mahabodhi Vihara premises are kept pollution free.

Shifting of small shops

The plan also envisages shifting of small shops and vendors beyond 1 Km of the Mahabodhi Vihara near the traffic interchange node. A shopping complex is now being constructed to accommodate the displaced shopkeepers.

Near the International airport of Gaya a modern Gold Course over 200 acres of land with provisions of two 5-7 star hotels, club houses and cottages are coming up which will provide comfortable accommodation to the tourists.

Buddha Gaya’s anglicized name is Bodh Gaya which has now being changed to Buddha Gaya. On a proposal of this writer as regards seven places the Buddha spent after Enlightenment around the Sacred Bodhi tree, the Chief Minister has requested the Temple Management Committee to put up appropriate sinages at these points, in other foreign languages of Buddhists, including Sinhala.

Further on a suggestion of this writer a main gateway is under construction and the main road is named after Anagarika Dharmapala, the name board in Hindi-Sinhala-English.

On completion of the plan Buddha Gaya will become an international attraction.

Falling leaves - parable on death

Probably the hardest of deaths for us to accept is that of a child. On many occasions I have had the honour to conduct the funeral service for a small boy or girl, someone not long set out on their experience of life. My task is to help lead the distraught parents, and others as well, beyond the torment of guilt and through the obsessive demand for an answer to the question, ‘Why?’

I often relate the following parable, which was told to me in Thailand many years ago.

A simple forest monk was meditating alone in the jungle in a hut made of thatch. Late one evening, there was a very violent monsoon storm. The wind roared like jet aircraft and heavy rain thrashed against his hut. As the night grew denser, the storm grew more savage.

First, branches could be heard being ripped off the trees. Then whole trees were uprooted by the force of the gale and came crashing to the ground with a sound as loud as the thunder.

The monk soon realised that his grass hut was no protection. If a tree fell on top of his hut, or even a big branch, it would break clean through the grass roof and crush him to death. He didn’t sleep the whole night. Often during that night, he would hear huge forest giants smash their way to the ground and his heart would pound for a while.

In the hours before dawn, as so often happens, the storm disappeared. At first light, the monk ventured outside his grass hut to inspect the damage.

Many big branches, as well as two sizeable trees, had just missed his hut. He felt lucky to have survived. What suddenly took his attention, though, was not the many uprooted trees and fallen branches scattered on the ground, but the many leaves that now lay spread thickly on the forest floor.

As he expected, most of the leaves lying dead on the ground were old brown leaves, which had lived a full life. Among the brown leaves were many yellow leaves. There were several green leaves. And some of those green leaves were of such a fresh and rich green colour that he knew they could have only unfurled from the bud a few hours before. In that moment, the monk’s heart understood the nature of death.

He wanted to test the truth of his insight so he gazed up to the branches of the trees. Sure enough, most of the leaves still left on the threes were young healthy green ones, in the prime of their life. Yet, although many newborn green leaves lay dead on the ground, old bent and curled up brown leaves still clung on to the branches. The monk smiled; from that day on, the death of a child would never disconcert him.

When the storms of death blow through our families, they usually take the old ones, the ‘mottled brown leaves’.

They also take many middle-aged ones, like the yellow leaves of a tree. Young people die too, in the prime of their life, similar to the green leaves. And sometimes death rips from dear life a small number of young children, just as nature’s storms rip off a small number of young shoots. This is the essential nature of death in our communities, as it is the essential nature of storms in a forest.

There is no one to blame and no one to lay guilt on for the death of a child. This is the nature of things. Who can blame the storm? And it helps us to answer the question of why some children die. The answer is the very same reason why a small number of young green leaves must fall in a storm opening the door of your heart.

(Courtesy: Opening the Door of Your Heart)

Chief Sanghanayake of Western Province

“Yo hothi Viyaththocha Visaradotha
Bahussutho dhamma Dharotha hothi
Dhammassa hothi anudhamma chari
Sotha diso vuchchathi sangha sobhano”

Any Bhikhu of profound wisdom, extraordinary veracity, attitude intellectually accomplished, deeply religious, actively participating in religious activities adorns the Sangha community.

The Buddha who established the Bhikkhu fraternity for the development of the individual and for imparting values to the world over, stated what characteristics should constitute a Bhikkhu for his glorification.

Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala was the great Mahanayake Thera, who inaugurated Vidyodhaya Pirivena, his sole ambition was to produce great scholars to disseminate dhamma in the villages. Concurrently to that, temples in the neighbourhood flourished, so that with the provision of accommodation of Bhikkhus, the aforesaid noble ambition was achieved.

Ven. Karandeniye Wimalasiri the founder of the Dematagoda Mallikaramaya bought the land for the benefit of Bhikkhus coming from villages to Vidyodhaya Pirivena. To this day that noble objective is being achieved by that act. Therefore Ven. Karandeniye Wimalajothi Incumbent Bhikkhu fulfilled that task, by contributing to the rapid development of Dematagoda Mallikaramaya.

As you pass the city of Deraniyagala, you come across an exquisite rural village named Boralankade. In the village was born a fortunate child named K. P. Gunatilaka, the sixth in a family of seven children to noble parents K. P. Simon and H. Maginona. From his early childhood Gunatilaka was a very pious child. He received his elementary education at Boralankade government school.

This beloved child displayed an interest in the Dhamma and he evinced a desire to enter the Sasana. With the permission of his parents and on the advice of the Incumbent Bhikkhu in his village temple, he was handed over to Dematagoda Mallikaramaya in 1952.

Having mastered the doctrine the young K. P. Gunatilake was ordained a Bhikkhu on the 4th August 1958, receiving the name Boralankade Wimalasiri, under the patronage of the Incumbent Bhikkhu of Mallikaramaya. Ven. Wimalasiri, admitted him to Vidyodhaya Pirivena of Maligakanda.

Fulfilling the expectations of his Guru he successfully passed all examinations and was admitted to Vidyalankara University of Kelaniya. Graduating from University, he entered the Government service as a teacher and served successfully as a teacher for 26 years in varied capacities as Assistant Teacher and Deputy Principal until retirement on 06.03.2003. During the period he was serving in government institutions.

When the Incumbent Bhikkhu passed away he filled in the position. It was an indefatigable task, with his inborn melodious voice, chanting pirith, performing Bodhi pujas, addressing general audiences on the Dhamma with simplicity and direction.

He was a versatile poet. He became known as a Bhikkhu preaching dhamma utilising the technique of narrative poetry. He composed poems of blessings (seth kavi) to those in distress as well as to those with high expectations and aspirations. He excelled in astrology too and tributes to his predictions were much.

His life story produces a broad portrait of a remarkable Bhikkhu, contributing to religious and national activities of the area.

He displays immense kindness to visitors of the area and he is responsible for the aesthetic splender created in the temple premises. In appreciation of the outstanding services rendered by Ven. Boralankande Wimalatissa Thera, he has been honoured with Chief Sanghanayake Position of the Western Province. A felicitating ceremony for the occasion will be held at Mallikaramaya, Dematagoda at 8.30 a.m. on March 06.

I earnestly wish and pray good health, long life to Ven. Boralankande Wimalatissa on this occasion.

Ven. Dr. Walasmulle Siri Susumana Thera

Viharadhipathi Ottawa Buddhist Temple, Canada

On the banks of Mahi River

Dhaniya Gopala:

With meals cooked and cows milked
With the newly thatched house and fires crackling
On the Mahi river bank I do reside
Oh! the rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

Exalted One:

Without hatred and springing desires
With fires extinct, a ceased house builder
On the Mahi river bank one night I bide
Oh! you rain cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

DG:

Without gad flies and stinging insects
My cattle grazing on lush fields
Where the river floods can not penetrate
Oh! the rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

EO:

In Dhamma-raft I crossed the flood-tide
To reach the shore without any other shores
with mission fulfilled the raft is jettisoned
Oh! the rain cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

DG:

A wife submissive not want on in ways
A desire-kindling comely night... bride
Without any flaw a real angel
Oh! the rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain.

EO:

With mind subdued and purged desires
For long have I in Dhamma do bide
The ways evil have I vanquished
Oh! the rain cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

DG:

For my larder do I labour to tend my flocks
My lovely sons are hail and hearty
Of them no evil tidings do I hear
Oh! You rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

EO:

I am no ones paid hireling
The whole world is my free range
Alone I fare with no wage to sustain
Oh! the rain-cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

DG:

Steers untamed and calves suckling
Cows in calf and heifers to mate, have I
A breeder bull to lead the herd
Oh! You rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

EO:

No steers untamed no calves sucklings
No cows in calf no heifers to mate
No breeder bull have I lead
Oh! You rain cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

DG:

With stakes well driven and held firm
with tight new ropes that cannot give way
No calf suckling can break free and escape
Oh! You rain-god the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

EO:

Like a breeder bull that breaks free of ropes
Like an elephant who shatters free of shackles
Freed myself never to lie in a womb
Oh! you rain cloud the way you lord over
Rain, rain and rain

In the midst of the lively exchange
A mighty rain cloud burst forth with
Flooding river land high and low
I’m Dhaniya Gopala the eyes opened

From Dhaniya Gopala Sutta

G. H. A. Suraweera