H.A. Vincent Soysa:

A hundred years of a worthy life

Hennedige A. Vincent Soysa (HAV) having lived a good healthy life, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2012.

He celebrated his 100th birthday on April 21st with friends and relations. There was a Buddhist sermon for the occasion delivered by an erudite monk. It was a sermon most appropriate for the occasion.

HAV led an exemplary life in joy, happiness and comforts which only a very few can ever get. His life and work is worthy of recording not merely as an eulogy but as an inspiring piece of history of a person who led an exemplary life style achieving worldly success following the Buddha's teachings.

His entire life and work stretching over several decades provide standing proof of how one can achieve great success in lay-life.

He enjoyed Santhustis - paramadana in full measure. Leading an active but virtuous life, earning riches through fair means Samma Kammantha and enjoying family life. HAV was a role model for many in today's confused world. Hailing from a leading Buddhist family in Panadura, HAV married the daughter of a leading Buddhist family in Moratuwa which had played a prominent role in the restoration of the Ruwanweliseya Chaitiya in Anuradhapura. Their marriage bore three children.

He had three friends Wilmot Rodrigo, Roland Abeyrathna and Bunty Gunathilake and the foursome engaged in various sports including tennis tournaments, in various clubs in the country. HAV was a strict teetotaler and a non-smoker throughout his life. After graduating from the university he joined the Education Department. After teaching for a few years he joined the inspectorate of the Department and was later promoted as Regional Educational Director. Later he was appoint ed as the Asian Regional Director of the Asian Institute of School Building Research, a UNESCO appointment which he held for several years. He had a strong attachment to nature's charm and beauty. On a visit to Gartmore tea estate at the foot of Siri Pada which he acquired jointly with his brothers from a British planter, he showed this writer a few water falls on the boundary and commented how their beauty added to the value of the tea estate. His comment ended philosophically: 'Water falls are beautiful to watch and water is the spring of life' The Gartmore stands as testimony to his great enterprise and his immense interest in agriculture.

Having acquired Gartmore Estate HAV and his brothers set about developing their proud possession to a prime level, generating good income and paying taxes to the government dutifully. The crop yield of tea were increased more than three fold by their hard efforts. At the same time effective steps were taken to improve the living conditions of the resident labour and thereby their productivity. All aspects of the estate worked out well for them for the period upto mid 1970s.

He was a great believer in traditional Buddhist values and family unity and his life and work show how these can be galvanised to establish successful family enterprises in modern times. He led an exemplary life and showed how Samma Kammantha can achieve great success under good management. Contrary to the popular view that the Buddhist value system slows down material success in world life life, HAV's life and work shows that Buddhist morality can indeed bring forth great success and happiness in one's life. This indeed is his shining example for others to follow. May he attain the Supreme Blisss of Nirwana!

Bernard W. Dissanayake

Ransiri Jayalath Fernando:

The humble flocked around him

Ransiri Jayalath Fernando was called home after a great service to his Lord on March 30, 2012. He was a devoted preacher of the Methodist Church who touched the lives of many people in misery.

He met the common humble people subjected to various atrocities and did what he could to mend their difficulties with prayers and advice and even visited homes and hospitals.

Ransiri was elected as the 41st Vice President for the period 2004/2005, the highest office a layman can hold in the Methodist Church.

He was always willing to help the people who were in need of shelter and livelihood. In 2005 we visited a remote area in Weligama to initiate a tsunami housing project. We worked till late evening even without a proper meal and at around 7.00 p.m. were ready to drive back home but Ransiri was missing.

We later found him with a group of children, discussing about their education. Hunger did not bother him and he simply did not care about the time when attending to the needs of the poor and deserving.

Ransiri was a very popular local preacher who was capable of explaining deep theologies in a simple and interesting manner. Considering his capabilities, the church appointed him to the very responsible and demanding post of Secretary for Local Preachers Affairs. This is the only instance a layman has been appointed to this post.

In November 2011 he was solely responsible for organizing a three day trilingual seminar for local preachers in Jaffna, which was well appreciated by all who attended. He was also a respected author who wrote many books on Christianity which have been very helpful to those who sit for Theological College entrance exams and local preachers' exams. Last January he was appointed as the editor of the Methodist Church record journal. But he was able to write only one article and an editorial before he was called home by his creator, maybe for a higher service in Heaven than on earth.

He was also a preacher in Davase Sithuwili of the SLBC and an active members of the National Christian Council. He served on the Board of Directors of Wesley College, where he was an old boy. He was a standing committee member of the Methodist Church. He was a writer to the newspapers, a teacher and a lecturer at the Hotel School.

Ransiri was always willing to share his vast knowledge and experiences. He had the habit of discussing the points intended to be preached during the holy week etc. with others prior to the Service.

People gathered vast knowledge from him. Ransiri Jayalath Fernando is no more. Yet, we thank the Almighty Lord for his wonderful life.

May his soul Rest in Peace!

Jeffry Fernando, Annesley Fernando, Chinthaka Warnakulasuriya, Srilal Guneratne, Simley Peiris, Irwin Fernando, Wilhelm De Mel and Nalinda Guneratne.

Prematileka Mapitigama:

Very congenial in his personal dealings

Months back the country lost a very useful citizen whose demise will be commemorated on June 13th.

Prematileka Mapitigama hailed from Mattamagalle in Kegalle, known in ancient and medieval times for state officers who never let their literary activities be overshadowed by their official duties.

Perhaps Prematileke would be best known as the author of Saarthka Vivaha Jeevithayakata Maga (Cues for a successful marriage) that is very popular today and read by many a couple before tying the knot.

His career was almost a metaphor of an officer grown in the enclaves of village life who later imbued English education and rapidly skipped from one administrative post to another till he reached the very top echelons. From Kachcheri officer to Assistant Secretary of the Defence Ministry he ascended then joined the Land Development and Mahaweli Ministry ending up as additional Secretary there. He was appointed as the Secretary to President J.R. Jayewardena which position he held till 1996.

He also officiated as Secretary General of the JRJ Cultural Centre.

Despite all the heavy work aligned to his many posts his contribution to Sinhala culture and literature was vast.

With one English book titled 'Longest Years' he put out about 10 books in Sinhala too.

Very congenial in his personal dealings he helped many showing interest in the careers of his associates.

Whenever a piece on my career changes, official or literary appeared in the media, he would be the first to congratulate me. His wife the Kumarihamy, lost a life's companion, his children, a devout father and the country a committed citizen.

No one lives for ever but very few are those who make the most out of their lives.

May he attain the Bliss of Nirwana!

Padma Edirisinghe