Buddhist spectrum

Today is the 144th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala :

A man with untiring spiritual effort

Lakshman JAYAWARDENE

Dharmapala spent in India about 40 years of his life of 69. He worked day and night for Buddhism revival in India. He enlisted the co-operation of

influential men in India and Asian

countries those days for this effort and succeeded in establishing a strong Buddhist presence in India.

Born on September 17, 1864 as Don David Hewavitharne, the Anagarika Dharmapala, who was instrumental in reviving Buddhism in India, also played a central role in changing the minds of Sri Lankan people and made them demand freedom. He was an evangelist, religion-revivalist, social reformer, freedom-fighter and journalist all in one.

Dharmapala was drawn towards the Theosophists at a very early age. That was when he was 14 and joined the S. Thomas’ College in Colombo in 1878. He came to learn about the Theosophical Society and its founders, Colonel Olcott and Madame Blavatsky. Dharmapala frequented to the Theosophical Society, questioning and learning about religions, their philosophy and theosophy, etc.

A delegation of Theosophists came to Sri Lanka in May, 1880. Meeting them in Colombo was an event of permanent delight to Dharmapala. He listened to the speech of Col. Olcott and lost no time in expressing his desire to join the Theosophical Society. Col. Olcott was prepared to admit him even though he was under-aged, for in Dharmapala he saw a mature and sharp mind that can understand non-material/out-of-world things. Sure he was cut out for a different role in the world. The young Dharmapala began to feel that his dreams of a higher life were beginning to come true. With the permission of his parents, Dharmapala left them to do full time work in Theosophical headquarters. He worked hard for the cause of Theosophists in Sri Lanka and enriched himself.

Dharmapala went back to Colombo and was always wailing about the condition of holy places of the Buddha in India. As a first step he founded Maha Bodhi Society on May 31, 1891. The Society stands today, for the preservation of the illustrious heritage that Buddhism has donated to the world. Having started originally with branches in India and several countries of Asia, now the Maha Bodhi Societies have expanded to Europe, United Kingdom and United States of America. The society now reaches to 117 centres of service in the world.

The most momentous landmark in the journey of Buddhism to the Western World was the participation of Anagarika Dharmapala in the World’s Parliament of Religion at Chicago in 1893. The fascinating, magnetic personality of Dharmapala created a tremendous impact., and his speech on Buddha stirred the religious leaders assembled there.

After the first 25 years which he spent in Sri Lanka, Dharmapala was to live another 44 years. He spent some 90% of that period living abroad. He travelled around the world five times, visited Japan on four occasions.

In 1925 and 1926, he toured Europe and the United States before spending a considerable time in London where he established the first Buddhist temple of Europe in 1926. He never settled anywhere (except India) very long, and in a sense he did not live “abroad” at all.

His journal the Maha Bodhi, published his travel schedules and his visits so that his followers in Sri Lanka, India, Burma, Japan and the West could reach him.

Dharmapala spent in India about 40 years of his life of 69. He worked day and night for Buddhism revival in India. He enlisted the co-operation of influential men in India and Asian countries those days for this effort and succeeded in establishing a strong Buddhist presence in India.

Anagarika Dharmapala was a great patriot, who loved his country and t he Sinhala nation. For a brief period he was arrested by the British rulers and detained for five years in prison in Calcutta. He loved his religion and his people more. Both were so endangered to the point of extinction in the island that he had to concentrate all his efforts and energy on saving them. No other community or religion faced such a dire threat.

Yet his outlook was international. He was truly a world figure.

Anagarika Dharmapala died on April 29, 1933 at Saranath, Benares, India as Venerable Sri Devamitta Dhammapala. His last words are “Let me die soon, let me be reborn... I would like to be reborn twenty five times over or more times in India so as to spread the Buddha’s Dharma.” Dharmapala and his mission are of the greatest relevance to the modern world.

Dharmapala was a man with a vision, was born to carry out a greater mission, an inspiring person who carried out social reforms and religious activities simultaneously in two different countries - Sri Lanka and India.

The writer is the President of Anagarika Dharmapala Foundation (India)

The monk and the law

Sachitra MAHENDRA

Ever since the inception of Buddhism, religion has been

considered ultra venerable in Sri Lanka. Heads of state always sought the advice of the monk. This position is given since the monk was considered aloof from lay bonds.

The recent turn of events led us to contemplate on the role of the monk in the law. Should the monk respect the country’s judiciary by standing when the Judges approach? A sensitive and complicated issue that has no straight ‘yes’ or ‘no’.

In Britain, the Archbishop has to rise when the head of state arrives. The British constitution rules that the Queen or the King remains highest in the country’s echelon hierarchy. This is not so in Sri Lanka. Even in an award ceremony, whoever the layperson on stage has to step down to offer the award to the monk. Monks do not rise for the Speaker in the Parliament.

Ever since the inception of Buddhism, religion has been considered ultra-venerable in Sri Lanka. Heads of state always sought the advice of the monk. This position is given since the monk was considered aloof from lay bonds.

The history has the common story of Emperor Ashoka and Ven. Samanera Nigrodha. Emperor Ashoka asked the Venerable monk to take an appropriate seat. The Venerable monk took the Emperor’s seat. His justification was that he could not see any other suitable seat than that of the Emperor to impart Buddha’s philosophy which is far higher than the whole empire.

Even today political high-ups like President himself hardly make an official visit to a fellow lay person. But he makes official visits to any temple and rises when a monk approaches.

In the case of the Judiciary, the Judges are expected to treat both lay and monk equally. Even when monks do not rise for them, they cannot stick to ‘ultra-venerable’ theory. If the Judge has to rise in the temple for the monk, the monk’s role in the Judiciary premises should be reconsidered. The Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter, Ven. Udugama Buddharakkhitha Thera, in this backdrop, has declared that monks should respect the law by which they set a model to the lay people.

On the other hand, Judges represent the Judiciary. So rising means respecting the Judiciary, not the Judges individually. Quite similar to the situation when Buddhists worship the individual monks out of reverence to the whole ‘Sangha’ community.

The President is to issue a directive that clergy should be reserved a separate enclosure in courts. However the issue on which is higher is yet to be solved. Whether it is Buddha’s representatives considered as ‘ultra venerable’, or the Judiciary representatives in this Buddhist country.

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Two Buddhist books from a biographer

Composing a biography is not a hard task for Ranjith Amarakeerthi Palihapitiya who has authored a large number of the type. Palihapitiya’s writing exhibits his fluency in classical Sinhala, a rare occurrence in modern-day writing.

His biography on Ven. Akuratiye Amarawansa relates interesting events from the Thera’s life. The Thera was a born Christian, with an initial goal to be a physician. His attitude changed because of the the association with Buddhist monks. Having got ordained in the tender age, the Thera got frustrated at some point and decides to leave the robe.

He fondly recollects how his teacher-priest reacted sympathetically encouraging him to stay in the robe. The book was first published in 1989, and this year sees the fourth print. It also contains the messages from other dignitaries such as the President. Palihapitiya has edited a book by Ven. Ganegama Saranankara titled as Sinhala Bhikshun Vahanse with Ven. Valahanduwe Mahinda.

The book deals with how the ancient monks were actively engaged in politics, and how they supported the lay morale. Interestingly as the book notes, when laypeople get promotions only monks who remain without being jealous. The book is published to celebrate the birth centenary of Ven. Ganegama Saranankara. – SM

The Five Sense organs

Shamika SOYSA

The first five immoral resultant consciousness and moral resultant consciousness are together called as Dvipanchavinnana as they arise on five sensual organs

at the time they acquire objects related to them

Mind or consciousness is not a single entity. So far some classes and types of consciousness have been elaborated. It has already been explained that consciousness arises in six places: eye, ear, nose, tongue, body (panchindriya) and mind (mano).

When an object is captured by eye, consciousness arise and similar with other places. However, it is not that only one consciousness arises when one of these sensual faculties met with an object. There is a series of chiththas arising and that process is called “Thought Process” (Chiththa Vithi) which is to be explained in future.

Rootless Consciousness (Ahethuka Chiththas)

Out of 89 types of consciousness 2 moha mulika chiththas are caused by one root (ekahethuka) of delusion or ignorance (moha). Rest of the 69 are caused by 2 (dvihethuka) or 3 (thrihethuka) of the six roots (lobha, dwesha, moha or alobha, adwesha, amoha) and thus 71 of them arise with roots (Sahethuka). Remaining 18 chiththas are called Rootless Consciousness (Ahethuka Chiththas) by means as they arise without any of the six roots (hethu). Thorough knowledge on ahethuka chiththas is necessary in understanding the thought process as they arise during a thought process.

18 types of ahethuka chitthas are categorised into three classes:

1. Immoral Resultant Consciousness (Akusala Vipaka Chiththa) - 7

2. Moral Resultant Consciousness (Kusala Vipaka Chiththa) - 8

3. Functional Consciousness (Kriya Chiththa) - 3

An object of a visible form interacts with eyes. There is a particular piece of eye which acquires the visible object and the consciousness arise at that point is known as Eye-consciousness (Chakkhu Vinnana). Similarly when ear, nose, tongue and body met with objects of sound, odour, taste and touches the corresponding vinnana chiththas arise.

When one sees a beautiful painting, his or her mind fills with happy feelings. Conversely seeing some ugly scenery makes ones mind filled with unhappy feelings.

When five sensual organs acquire desirable objects the rootless resultant consciousness becomes moral (kusala vipaka) else they are immoral (akusala vipaka).

The first five immoral resultant consciousness and moral resultant consciousness are together called as Dvipanchavinnana as they arise on five sensual organs at the time they acquire objects related to them. When acquiring an undesirable object by the body the body-consciousness (chakkhu vinnanaya) is accompanied by pain (dhukkha sahagatha) and for a desirable object it is accompanied by happiness (sukha sahagatha). Other 4 pairs of dvipanchavinnas are accompanied by indifference (upekkha sahagatha).

Dvipanchavinna chiththas arise at the moment of sense-object interaction and then consciousness arises to receive or accept the object. That moment of consciousness is called Receiving-consciousness (Sampatijjana) which arises with indifference feeling (upekkha sahagatha). Thereafter the object received by sampatijjana is investigated and that consciousness is called Investigating-consciousness (Santhiranaya).

While immoral resultant consciousness (akusala vipaka chiththa) consists of only one investigating-consciousness accompanied by indifference feeling (upekkha sahagatha), investigating-consciousness in moral resultant consciousness (kusala vipaka chiththa) contains one more accompanied by pleasurable feeling (somanassa sahagatha).

All above 15 rootless resultant consciousnesses (akusala vipaka chiththas) arise without any of the six roots and at the early stage of a thought process. They are followed by either of the two adverting consciousness (dhvaravajjana chiththas) in the 3 types of rootless functional consciousness (ahethuka kriya chiththas).

Reference

Abhidharma Margaya by Ven. Prof. Rerukane Chandhawimala Thera,

A Manual of Abhidhamma by Ven. Narada Maha Thera