The unique life and vision of Marie Musaeus Higgins

Visakha TILLEKERATNE

July 10, marks the 82nd death anniversary of the founder of Musaeus College, Colombo, our beloved Marie Musaeus Higgins lovingly known as ‘Sudu Amma’.

All people are born unique. However some are more unique than others. Insights into the life and times of Mme Musaeus brings this fact very close.

Marie Musaeus, the daughter of a judge in Macklenberg, Wismar in Germany, was born in 1855 when the world was going through many changes such as the industrial revolution. Though these changes were occurring, the life of women were very far from being emancipated and seldom considered as entities in their own right.

In fact voting rights for women at least in some parts of the world would only come after the first World War in the next century.

Therefore women university graduates were not prolific. Miss Musaeus graduated at such a time and was known as Frau Professor. She not only excelled in academia but was also proficient in the arts and could play many instrument.

With several changes in the socio-political landscape of the world at large and in Europe in particular. Ms Musaeus ventured on a long journey to the USA by steamer to join her brother, who had already migrated.

This itself showed courage, when women seldom venture further than their town or village. It was in the US that Ms Musaeus became Mrs. Musaeus Higgins. Even then, she retained her maiden name and thus her individuality though within the institution of marriage.

Being an intellectual and the daughter of a judge, she believed in freedom of thought and expression, going beyond the regular frame of thought, believed in the sovereignty of nations and national identity, emancipation and gender equity.

The man in her life Mr. Higgins was a good foil for her as he too believed in the same and was a Theosophist. Thus began her journey into exploring philosophical thoughts and beliefs, particularly this doctrine of Theosophy.

‘Theosophy’ is a compound Greek word: theos, a ‘divine being’, a ‘god’, sophia, ‘wisdom’; hence divine wisdom. Theosophy is the majestic Wisdom-Religion of the archaic ages and is as old as thinking man.

The Theosophical Society is a worldwide association dedicated to practical realisation of the oneness of all life (Pantheism) and to independent spiritual search (Gnosticism). It was founded in New York City in 1875 by Helena P. Blavatsky, Henry S. Olcott, William Q. Judge, and others. Blavatsky (1831-1891) is the primary force behind the modern theosophical movement.

These were the people who supported the underdogs especially in the colonial world, believed in the resurgence of religions which were in practice before colonials suppressed independent thoughts and beliefs.

This movement was the inspiration for Mme Marie Musaeus Higgins to come to Sri Lanka to start an educational institution for Buddhist girls. The founding of Musaeus College and the events associated have been written about, many times. Without dwelling further on this aspect, but rather on the analysis of the vision of forming such a school.

Traditions and Buddhism were to be safeguarded and the students of Musaeus were to use these as a solid platform from which to spring into a new world order. In fact with all the inventions of the modern age, globalisation was beginning in the late 19th century.

Mme Musaeus Higgins wanted the girls of Musaeus to be fully geared to meet these challenges. Therefore it was a hybrid between Eastern values and Western style education, that was her vision.

To achieve this combination she gave her utmost to set up an English medium college, kindergarten on modern lines, training college for women and even a practising school.

This practising school also served the purpose of educating under privileged students in the neighbourhood. Not only that, during her many travels to the rural areas of Sri Lanka, she set up rural schools as well. This aspect is not widely known as Musaeus College in Colombo is the only institution with which she is identified.

A rather formidable figure, with great courage and resilience, the side that is warm and tender was also only known to her students and colleagues. The little ones in the kindergarten were known as ‘my rosebuds’. She was also a genuine friend to many. Especially those ‘unique’ ones such as Sr. Uppalawanna.

An example of this was that she was a true friend to Else, later Sr. Uppalawanna, and gave her all the help, protection and encouragement to ordain herself as a nun.

On May 26, 1926, Baroness Fraulien Else Buchcholz, renounced the world, in the serene and holy environment of the Sri Maha Bodhi, the tree that grew from sapling of the bo-tree under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment, she observed the Ten Precepts of a Dasa Sil Matha (Buddhist Nun).

Perhaps Else’s blue eyes inspired her Teacher Priest to name her Uppalavanna - Blue Lotus. This help was given when Mme Musaeus Higgins was nearing her own end in July 1926, and was not in very good health herself.

As a writer of historical tales and religious stories, she had internalised the religion and culture of this land to such and extent that her words in the story about how Buddhism came to Sri Lanka sounded thus, “King Asoka who was an ally and friend of the King of Lanka, Devanam-Piyatissa, wished that he should become a Buddhist as himself.

So Asoka asked his son Mahinda, who was a great Buddhist Arahat, to go to Lanka and preach the Dhamma to King Tissa and his people. Asoka spoke to Mahinda and his Theras thus: “Ye shall found in the lovely island of Lanka the wonderful religion of the Conqueror (Lord Buddha).”

What is described above is but a fraction of the colourful tapestry of the life of Mme Musaeus Higgins. Musaeus College too lives on, growing stronger each day, in its own unique hybrid fashion, under the able guidance of generations of Principals.

It is pertinent that we at Musaeus revere this great lady and the 10th of July is Remembrance Day in memory of her death anniversary. May the gloried name of Mrs. Marie Musaeus Higgins and Musaeus College live for many more centuries.

The writer is a past student, Musaeus College