Temple of Mercy and Peace

Jayanthi Liyanage

Ven. Thalawathugoda Saddhamangala Thera has subdued his grief resulting from the loss of his loved ones by being of service to Buddha Sasana. The mercifulness inherent in the Thera has perhaps found deeper springs through the harrowing experiences he has had, convincing him all too well of the violent and vanishing nature of sansara

Young monks play with guinea fowl. Pictures by Saman Sri Wedage

It is an incontestable fact that temples are usually regarded as sanctuaries of creatures of sky, earth and at times, even water.

Just as parents of depleted means seek a refuge for their children in dharma and offer them to Buddha Sasana, people sympathetic towards shelter-deprived and fugitive animals and birds, bring them to temples to that they can lead a life liberated from the ceaseless drudgery of having to search for food, water and a resting place for weary limbs.

Shri Lumbini Viveka Senasana Temple at Battaramulla, Koswatta is one such temple where a couple of peacocks and guinea fowl have found a haven. The interchange of these winged creatures and the young monks at the temple are a pleasure to behold. The birds trail the youngsters, appealing to their playfulness not subdued by the robes. At time, they spread their plumage and stride about the temple premises much like devotees in homage to the shrine. At other times, they embrace a perch on a near-by tree and contemplate on visitors to the temple.

The peacocks have arrived from a Devale in Embilipitiya. “They are not from the wilds but hatched and reared in the Devale,” said Ven. Thalawathugoda Saddhamangala Thera, chief incumbent of the temple. “I was asked to take over the birds before mischief-makers

stole them. We brought them here in a vehicle. Now they are free to roam about they way they desire.”

Not stopping at birds, people now bring fish to thrive in the watery refuge of the temple pond, said the Thera, adding that recently he freed three cattle from slaughter and gave them away for fostering.

The mercifulness inherent in the Thera has perhaps found deeper springs through the harrowing experiences he has had, convincing him all too well of the violent and vanishing nature of sansara.

The tragedy at Situlpawwa

In 2004, Ven. Thalawathugoda Saddhamangala Thera was Deshabandu Athauda Ranasinghe, a millionaire businessman, running the successful ‘Three Singha’ bakery establishment in Thalawathugoda. Hailing from his parental origins in Kundasale, Pilawala, he had a staff of 152 and a vehicle fleet of about 20.

He had secured good marriages and housing for his two young daughters and handing over his business to them, prepared for a retreat as he wished to enter monkhood to bestow merits on his parents. The idea was not welcomed by his family.

On December 25, 2004, eight members of his family went on a pilgrimage to Situlpawwa. The troupe consisted of his two daughters, their husbands, two brothers of one husband and their wives. 

The last message to reach home from them was that they were staying the night and would be in Yala the next day. From morning, Ranasinghe was troubled by TV news that sea had run inland. But nothing was heard of Yala.

He waited until his wife, who had observed Sil came home in the evening. Both approached a son-in-law who had missed the trip, to do something about the missing persons. Three vehicles were dispatched in search of the missing. The Wild Life Department in Yala remembered the inmates of the jeep that had come and not wishing to blurt the bad news, ventured that the eight was in hospital. Until the vehicles neared Colombo with the dead, Ranasinghe did not know that his loved ones had passed to the beyond.

“The tragedy hastened my becoming a monk,” said Ven. Saddhamangala Thera for whom the shock of bereavement has not subsided yet. A major business of his, sold to another, did not bring in the money expected. He had to bear a loss of Rupees 3.5 million. Ultimately, the business did not run well and was acquired by a bank.

“After the manner I lost my children, I thought it was futile to go to courts to redress my losses,” is the pensive observation of the Thera. Some of his trading establishments were handed over to traders who worked in them.

On becoming a Buddhist monk two years ago, under the guidance of Ven. Kolonnawe Siri Sumangala Thera of Amarapura Siri Sumana Nikaya, Ven. Saddhamangala Thera siphoned his millions for the betterment of Buddha Sasana. His wife too became a Buddhist nun under the name Sasana Seva Kirthi.

Tsunami Commemorative Peace Buddha Statue

When Ven. Tahlawathugoda Saddhamangala Thera first came to the land at Koswatta, it was a muddy paddy field. The land was an offering from Ven. Kolonnawe Siri Sumangala Thera from land donated to him. Only the ancient Bo tree was there.

Ven. Saddhamangala Thera first built the now resplendent structure around the Bo tree. Then began the work on a shrine room.

The third to manifest was the 65 feet tall Tsunami Commemorative Peace Buddha Statue, resembling the Avukana statue, declared open by the First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa and government Ministers on December 26 last year. "The feat was to bestow merits on all perished during the tsunami," explained the Thera. The Rupees 2.72 million spent on the statue came from his own earnings.

The Thera being a Chief Organizer of Shrimath Anagarika Dharmapala Paropakara Foundation, a statue of Anagarika Dharmapala was unveiled at the same time and the first stone was laid to build Dhampal Dagoba. It is expected to be completed at next Wesak Poya.

All this work has been achieved in the span of two years. Six Samaneras, two Upasampada ordained monks and two Bangladesh monks live in the temple under the guidance of the Thera.

"I have no dearth of children to enter into monkhood as mothers come and offer their children to me," said the Thera. "Three who have been so offered are still with their mothers as they are too young still."

The Thera hopes to complete the temple's main building and teach Buddhism in English as he says, "Our monks do not have an adequate knowledge in English. If they know English, they can deliver sermons overseas."

People whose relatives perished in the tsunami, flock to the temple, seeking solace from the Thera. "I try to help them in whatever way I can. But I cannot do much as I am committed to work in my temple," he regrets.

The Thera has built 13 shrine rooms in his lay days. He has built a temple named "Mansuwa Asapuwa" in Kosgama in which three monks are resident. He has also built a shrine room in Sankassa, India. Recently, he accompanied a group of 110 to Shri Pada and offered a Ghantara (bell) weighing 50 kg. The Thera is of a truly amazing mental constitution as he has subdued the grief resulting from the tragic loss of loved ones by being of service to Buddha Sasana.