SLAFF 17th scholarship program:

Expansion for Buddhist studies

Sri Lanka Agonshu Friendship Foundation (SLAFF) was founded in 1986 and has been offering scholarships since then. SLAFF Director General Somasiri Addara Pathirana recalled the beginnings.

"The Japanese Embassy wanted my services as a freelance interpreter to a monk arriving from Japan. Only later on I came to know it was Ven. Kiriyama Thera. He made good friends with me and was willing to offer me funds for a business," Pathirana said.

Ven. Kiriyama had extensively travelled across the globe, but he was quite impressed about Pathirana. He was making enough living as a freelance interpreter, but he wanted to channel funds in a proper way. But this could be channelled in a proper way, he thought. Towards the latter half of 1993, Pathirana invited a monk to his place to discuss as to what can be done with the funds.

"Finally we decided set up an organization to support temples, schools, social service institutions, vocational training institutions and students with low income. So that's how SLAFF was founded with the blessings of Ven. Kiriyama Thera in 1993."

Pathirana however could not fully occupy with the Foundation because of his busy schedules as an interpreter. He was its Treasurer initially. An Advisory Board was set up by Ven. Kiriyama to provide necessary guidance. Apart from the Board, Divisional Coordinators were appointed throughout the country on voluntary basis. Scholarship program is their major program.

"I know the value of scholarship, because I myself had the Grade V scholarship. Now we have given over 700 scholarships."

Scholarships are given following a strict procedure. Educational capacity of the student will be examined apart from their low income background. Divisional Coordinators will be monitoring the education progress of the scholarship holders. At least four scholarships have been terminated upon examination that they were being misused. There are scholars including doctors and engineers who also support SLAFF in this endeavour.

The form of Buddhism that is prevalent in Japan and other Far Eastern countries is the Northern or the Mahayana Buddhism. Having studied and practiced Mahayana Buddhism in its various traditions and schools deeply for years, Ven. Kiriyama Thera admitted that what he learned is very useful to his life even today and that in those traditions and schools there are matters of great value. But the objective of his search - which is also the objective of all Buddhists, the path towards Nirvana or Enlightenment, which enables on to end the cycle of birth and death, was not to be found in the Mahayana Buddhism.

Ven. Kiriyama Thera was born on January 5, 1921. He had a troubled childhood with constant ill health. He was not even recommended for conscription, since Army Medical Board could not draft a proper health record for him. Doctors in fact predicted he would not live long. Giving the lie to the physicians' prediction, Ven. Kiriyama Thera is now an octogenarian.

As a young, Ven. Kiriyama Thera had so many hardships to undergo. Once he was on the verge of committing suicide. As luck would have it, he came across a Buddhist Sutta that changed the course of his life. He took up a different path, as a monk.

That Sutta was strong enough ward off depression in him. It inspired to face life with energy. He was becoming interested in the Buddha and then different branches of the Buddha's teachings.

"We have a Pirith ceremony every year to celebrate Ven. Kiriyama's birthday. No one had done that before."

Apart from the Pirith ceremony, Pathirana was also instrumental in taking a Bo Sapling and get it planted in Agonshu temple. Strange it may sound, but Ven. Kiriyama has built a separate house with Sri Lankan climate to offer the atmosphere for the sapling to grow up.

"When you look down from the garden in the temple, you will see the valley below for yards. It will take your breath."

The heart of Agonshu Buddhism preached by Ven. Seiyu Kiriyama Thera contains the truth of the Agon Sturas. While developing Agonshu branch, other traditions of Buddhism evolved over centuries. They are Northern Mahayana tradition, Southern Theravada tradition and the Tibetan esoteric Buddhism.

SLAFF's 17th Agonshu Scholarship awarding ceremony will be held at the BMICH at 2.30 pm on November 29. Maha Nayaka of the Sri Rohana Chapter of the Siyam Maha Nikaya and Chancellor of the Ruhuna University Rajakeeya Panditha, Sahityasooree Most Ven. Attudawe Siri Rahula Nayaka Thera will preside. A delegation from the Agonshu temple headed by Ven. Toshikazu Nakai, Senior Priest of Agonshu Temple will also be present. Agricultural Development and Agrarian Services Minister Maithripala Sirisena, Sports and Public Recreation Minister Gamini Lokuge, Plan Implementation Minister P. Dayaratne, Industrial Development and Ranaviru Welfare Minister Kumara Welgama, Ratnapura District Parliamentarian Thalatha Athukorala, Kegalla District Parliamentarian A. D. Champika Premadasa and other distinguished guests are expected to attend this occasion.

- Sachitra