BUDDHIST SPECTRUM

Story of the white-clad Buddha

And the man behind its making:

Sajitha PREMATUNGE

In the busy outskirts of the city there is a place for quietude. You probably pass it on your way to work. And you may even be the kind of Buddhist who stands up from your seat on the bus, to pay homage to this serene, white-clad statue. But did you stop to think who might have carved that tranquil smile on to the statue or painted-in those calm eyes?

“This is a rare type of Buddha statue, in it that it is a statue with the eyes displayed,” said Sama Vihara Chief Incumbent Ven Athapaththukande Ananda Thera. Built in the 1950s by the Wellawatta Spinning and Weaving Mills, Buddhist Society, the statue in question, the Sama Vihara Buddha statue in Havelock Town, is one of the very few such statues by the roadside, not to mention the most lifelike.

Ahangama Baas Unnehe, now aged 81, is the only one alive of the three entrusted with the task of building the statue. He was working in the Bogala flats, at the age of 27, when the Loku Baas Unnehe, by the name of Eliveris, 70 years old at the time, commissioned him and another for the work. “We knew from the very beginning that this was going to be special” said Noris Ahangama reminiscing.

The statue is believed to possess special spiritual powers, its soothing whiteness inspired by the Samadhi Buddha Statue. Ahangama claimes that this is due to the fact that the building was done in keeping with the auspicious times. The construction was carried out with the utmost piety. “Even the sand used, was washed and sprinkled with turmeric.”

There is an unwritten tradition among the sculptors, that work on a Thupa or a Buddha statue should not conclude the same year it commenced. Eliveris, Ahangama and the other were able to finish its construction, without a hitch, within the time frame assigned.

That it is a very attractive statue is a plain fact. Eliveris has claimed that he intended it to be the lifelike statue it is. Ahangama who has always been a pious Buddhist has worked on Thupas and Buddha statues all his life. “This statue was different from anything else I have worked on before or since” said Ahangama.

A huge cobra had been seen on site just before the commencement of the construction. Eliveris apparently took this as a positive singe, because he promptly conducted the pooja required prior to the building of the statue.

Chief Incumbent Ven. Ananda Thera explained that the introduction of an open economy in the late 1970s tolled the slow but sure death knell of the Sri Lankan garment industry at the time.

“All the land was sold for a fraction of their worth. Not to mention the equipment and metal sold for scrap by the government.” But for some inexplicable reason they could not move the statue as was their original intention.

Ven. Ananda Thera explained that the Sama Vihara was born out of a revolution. “The Wellawatta Mills were a workplace for people of all races and religions. Everybody unanimously objected to moving the statue.”

Apparently the Trade Unions were no match for the authorities. He explained that the Maha Sangha also intervened with a huge protest, for which they were bitterly punished.

In fact the Sama Vihara was built nearly two decades ago with the intention of protecting the Buddha statue as well as to represent Buddhist rights in a multi-religious setting. It may be a small place but do not be misguided. All the religious and cultural rituals are performed as in any other place of worship. Monks spend their rain retreat in the Vihara and the statue is white-washed annually.

According to Ananda Thera many a pedestrian, students of the adjacent Lumbini Maha Vidyalaya and even foreigners prostrate before the statue.

It is believed that the statue possesses such power that it would bring any passer by to his knees. Even devout Hindus are known to stop and prostrate at the feet of the statue, on their way to the kovil.

“This is because we live in such religious harmony” said Ven. Ananda Thera. Nestled between several places of religious worship, such as the nearby Mayurapathy Kovil and the mosque, Sama Vihara stands for Buddhist identity.

Ananda Thera claimed that although the Vihara and the Buddha statue is in fairly good condition, it requires the immediate attention of the public as well as that of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana. “Nowhere else will you encounter such a statue that would soothe your mind.”
 

Buddhist Information Centre almost complete

Priyanka KURUGALA

The construction program of the Sambuddha Jayanthi Memorial has moved forward in several steps. The memorial could be seen in its complete structure in the vicinity of Tunmulla Junction, Colombo. The organizing committee anticipates to open the building on Vesak full moon poya day in 2011.

Buddhist Cultural Centre Director Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera has taken steps to construct this building to mark the Sambuddha Jayanthi anniversary as a step to fill a void in the Theravada Buddhist world. The building will be the only Theravada Buddhist information centre in the world.

All Sri Lankans should therefore be familiar with the importance of this construction. The noble monks have been conserving the pure Theravada tradition all throughout. They did so by memorizing the teachings.

In other parts of the world monks protect the teaching by acquiring more knowledge. It is recorded, however, that the pure Dhamma remains only in Sri Lanka. The present generation should conserve the teachings to the future generations too. It is their duty.

Well versed Buddhist scholars opine that Buddhism is the greatest world heritage one can see. It is the way to live in peace. It is the way to live a relaxed life. It is the way to face death in peace.

Since the day the Buddhist culture was established, Sri Lankans practised it as their own lifestyle.

Even following the introduction of many other cultures such as Hindu, Portuguese, Dutch and English our people still continue to practice their customs. The open economy, globalization and urbanization have mainly changed our people’s attitudes.

Now we have lost about half our core values and it’s time we had reformed our crumbling society. The construction of the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandira is one main avenue to reach the target of rehabilitation in the Sri Lankan society.

To make this objective come true the Buddhist Cultural Centre has been launching numerous programs since 1999. Publication of books is one leading program organized by the Centre. A large number of Buddhists was inspired to read, as a result. They shall continue reading these books, which are of a high quality.

According to the Centre’s agenda, they have implemented a number of training programs for newly ordained monks. As a first step books have been published giving guidelines for education. Publication of books for the students of Dhamma schools is also another program.

Of the programs they have recently launched Dhamma training programs for Bhikkunis and Dasasil Mathas, and donation programs for temples in difficult areas take a lead role.

The construction of the Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Mandiraya is the pinnacle of all these programs. It will be the single roof under which all Theravada Buddhist information is gathered, especially with its large conference hall with the 600-seating capacity. Besides studies on Mahayana, Wajrayana and Thanthrayana Buddhism is also possible.

Half the construction is now complete. Rs. 200 million – the total estimate is Rs. 300 million - will be required to cover the rest of the construction, the organizing committee said.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who provided the land for the memorial, laid the foundation stone at the request of Ven Kirama Wimalajothi Thera. Former Urban Development and Sacred Area Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardana guided the construction project.

Interested citizens are requested to fund this program of national importance. This is quite a beneficial opportunity both local and foreign-settled Buddhists. Donations could be deposited at the Sampath Bank Plc, Nugegoda Branch, Sri Lanka Account No. 000360001601.

All cheques/ bank drafts should be drawn in favour of the Buddhist Cultural Centre crossed ‘Account Payee’. Credit Card payments can be made through the website: www.buddhistcc.net.

Hellenistic Greek influence in Buddhism

Lionel Wijesiri

Buddhism, as it propagated through many countries in the world in the past centuries, had always coexisted and adapted to, and never dominated, the local cultures. In Japan Buddhism existed well alongside Shintoism.

In China it coexisted and harmonized with the native Confucians. In Thailand Buddhism embraced the native spirit worship. In Sri Lanka, too, Buddhism has adapted alongside the practice and culture of the Sinhalese and Tamils.

The interaction between Hellenistic Greece and Buddhism started when Alexander the Great conquered Asia Minor and Central Asia in 334 BC, going as far as the Indus, thus establishing direct contact with India, the birthplace of Buddhism.

The length of the Greek presence in Central Asia and northern India provided opportunities for interaction, not only on the artistic, but also on the religious plane.

When Alexander conquered the Bactrian and Gandharan regions, these areas were under Buddhist and Jainist influence. Several philosophers, such as Pyrrho, Anaxarchus and Onesicritus, are said to have been selected by Alexander to accompany him in his eastern campaigns.

During the 18 months they were in India, they were able to interact with Indian ascetics. Pyrrho returned to Greece and became the founder of the school named Pyrrhonism.

The Greek biographer Diogenes Laertius explained that Pyrrho’s equanimity and detachment from the world were acquired in India. Few of his sayings are directly known, but they are clearly reminiscent of Buddhist, thought:

“Nothing really exists, but human life is governed by convention” “Nothing is in itself more this than that” (Diogenes Laertius IX.61)

Another of these philosophers, Onesicritus, is said to have learnt in India the following precepts: “That nothing that happens to a man is bad or good, opinions being merely dreams” “That the best philosophy [is] that which liberates the mind from [both] pleasure and grief” (Strabo, XV.I.65)

These contacts initiated the first direct interactions between Greek and Buddhist philosophy, which were to continue and expand for several more centuries.

Interaction

Since their arrival to India under Alexander, Greeks have established their presence in the urban areas around present day Punjab and the Hindu Kush. Alexander himself established at least five known sizeable Greek settlements in the subcontinent including Taxila and Caucasus.

Buddhism was received well and spread quite rapidly among the Greeks of Alexandria of the Caucasus and Taxila to the point that in Asoka’s time (269 BC) these were main Buddhist centres.

For example, Mahavamsa says that one of the high monks present in the devotion of Ruwanweliseya to the Sangha in 137 BC was a Yona (Greek) monk called Dharmarikkita who brought 30,000 Greek monks from Alexandria on the Caucasus to join him.

Yet despite the rise and rise of Buddhism in these cities we also find that in both cities there was a strong following of the traditional Hellenic religion. As much as people took refuge in the Dhamma they also continued to worship the Greek gods.

In fact with the rise of Greco-Buddhist arts we suddenly see representation of the Greek gods either acting as guardian to the Buddha or are represented as Devas present during the great events in life of the Buddha’s, like the Devas in support of the Buddha during the Great Departure.

Culture

During the two centuries of their rule, the Indo-Greek kings combined the Greek and Indian languages and symbols, and blended ancient Greek and Buddhist religious practices, as seen in the archaeological remains of their cities and in the indications of their support of Buddhism, pointing to a rich fusion of Indian and Hellenistic influences.

The Greeks in India even seem to have played an active role in the propagation of Buddhism, as some of the emissaries of Ashoka such as Dharmaraksita or the teacher Mahadharmaraksita, are described in Pali sources as leading Greek (“Yona”) Buddhist monks, active in Buddhist propagation (the Mahavamsa).

It is also thought that Greeks contributed to the sculptural work of the Pillars of Ashoka, and more generally to the blossoming of Mauryan art.

Although there is still some debate, the first anthropomorphic representations of the Buddha himself are often considered a result of the Greco-Buddhist interaction. Before this innovation, Buddhist art was “aniconic”: the Buddha was only represented through his symbols (the Bodhi tree, the Buddha’s footprints).

In many parts of the Ancient World, the Greeks did develop divinities that could become a common religious focus for populations with different traditions: a well-known example is God Sarapis, introduced by Ptolemy I in Egypt, which combined aspects of Greek and Egyptian Gods.

In India as well, it was only natural for the Greeks to create a single common divinity by combining the image of a Greek God-King , with the traditional attributes of the Buddha.

Historians believe that many of the stylistic elements in the representations of the Buddha point to Greek influence: the Greco-Roman toga-like wavy robe covering both shoulders, the stance of the upright figures. A large quantity of sculptures combining Buddhist and purely Hellenistic styles and iconography were excavated at the Gandharan sites..

Hellenic Buddhism

To understand the true perspective of this issue, first we must understand what ancient Greek religion was? The ancient Greek religion was mostly an orthopraxis religion: a system which adheres to a common practice. This differentiates the Greek religion from modern religions of the world.

The ancient Greeks would therefore have no determent learning a new philosophy or worshiping a God unknown to the Greek pantheon if they were to go to a different country. What they would be unwilling to do however would be to break customs.

Greco-Buddhism therefore is a form where the Buddhist religious and philosophical belief is practiced and integrated alongside Greek customs and reverence to the Greek Gods but also Greek philosophies.

In fact as Buddhism became more and more integrated into the life of the Indo-Greeks and some Greek Gods became seen as guardians of the Buddha and thus Guardian Gods of Buddhism.

The Greeks being a culture that adopted Buddhism also had Greek Gods who were associated as guardian Gods of Buddhism.

From a Hellenic viewpoint the Greek Gods can be guardian over many things, from guardian of cities to guardian of philosophies and for a Greek God to be a guardian of a philosophical and religious idea popular amongst the Greeks is not in contradiction to the general approach of the ancient Greek religion.

Hellenism and Buddhism are unique in that both that place equal emphasis on both the individual and on society.

Hellenism emphasizes a lot on an individual’s personal development but also on the individual’s duty to society and also the society’s duty back to the individual. Hellenism and Buddhism place a lot of onus on parents, teachers, elders, and society in general to develop an individual.

At the same time both view that every individual needs to contribute back and be a functional member of the society they belong to. Individuals at the very least are supposed to participate in the local economy and local civic duties whenever possible and to be good citizens or good community members.