Buddhist Spectrum

September 17 is the 148th birth anniversary of Anagarika Dharmapala

Re-lighting the lamp of the Dhamma in India

Lakshman Jayawardhana

Today, lakhs of Buddhists sojourn in India on pilgrimage to Buddhist shrines such as Buddha Gaya, Saranath and Kusinara in regular ‘Dambadiva-vandanacarika’ organized by many associations including the Maha-Bodhi Society. Pilgrims from other countries too visit this ‘land of the Buddha'.

About a hundred years ago or so, Buddhists had neither opportunity nor right to do so. There weren't even demarcated, identified sites of shrines for worship. Even if some places had been located, access to them was denied. Briefly stated, even Buddha Gaya, so dear to Buddhists in the land of the Buddha, was not open to them.

Historic journey

Nor were other ancient historic sites in the Buddha's life accessible. But all this underwent a sudden change due to a historic journey undertaken by two individuals namely, Anagarika Dharmapala and a Japanese monk named Kozen Gunaratana on 20th and 22nd January, 1891. The events of those two days are recorded in the Dharmapala diaries as: “20 January 1891 – Come to Isipatanarama at Baranesa and worshipped at the dilapidated chaitya-raja. (dagaba)

22nd January 1891 – Arrived at Buddha Gaya from Baranesa. I fell on my knee in worship at the spot where the Great-Man, the Lion of the Sakya royal dynasty had sat in invincible cross-legged posture under the Bodhi tree to achieve Samma Sambodhi. I contemplated on the Great Teacher, the Buddha's virtues and placed my head in the mud where the diamond-seat would have been. Overcome with emotions of joy. I shall not leave this hallowed place, I thought and with that determination I offered my life to the Buddha”.

What Dharmapala saw at Isipatanarama were the ruins of a ‘human abattoir’ where some four thousand monks had been slaughtered after their temples had been looted by Muslim marauders. At Buddha Gaya, he saw how the hallowed site where the Buddha achieved Enlightenment turned into a Hindu kovil.

Painful sacrilege

His entire framework was a tremble at this painful sacrilege. He swore at the stone altar at the Bo-terrace to rescue Buddha Gaya from the Mahanta (the Priest) struggling if necessary, all his life.

Thereafter, the struggle started by Dharmapala paved the way to a Buddhist revival in India. And for his work, he had to remain for long sessions in India, in fact, more than half his life.

He had to face threats and recriminations, while spending much money and sweat in turn. But his objective was firm his will did not yield. Often, he had not had a square meal. He had once stated in a letter “I can remember days I did not have a cent in my pocket.

On many occasions I bought a cent's worth betel-chew and swallowed it to satisfy my hunger.” Also from a diary of his “No bed to sleep on. I'll put two benches together tonight to sleep on.” This sort of suffering made Dharmapala ill. But he wasn't daunted, by any of this suffering. He had said, Those who work in the cause of the Buddha should train themselves in suffering”.

Dharmapala was shocked to sadness on what he saw at both Buddha Gaya and Isipatana and he promptly left India, having left the Japanese monk Kozen Gunaratna to be resident temporarily at Buddha Gaya, he reported what he saw at Buddha Gaya and Isipatana to his teacher-mentor Ven Hikkaduwe Sumangala and his friends and them, had a conference convinced for the restoration of Buddha Gaya on 31st May 1891 at Vidyodaya Pirivena. Thus began the Maha Bodhi Society, which is known throughout the world today. The President of the Society was Ven Hikkaduwe, while Dharmapala remained its Chief Convener. Col Olcott was made a Director. The ‘Save Buddha Gaya” Movement inaugurated by Dharmapala under the aegis of the Maha-Bodhi Society has achieved stupendous success in Buddhist revival and can be gauged only by a visit to the ‘liberated’ sites.

In order to recruit international co-operation in his struggle to save Buddha Gaya, Dharmapala established Maha Bodhi Society branches in other Buddhist lands and to spread it further, he started an English Magazine called “The Maha Bodhi”.

He was able also, to summon a conference of international Buddhist delegates at Buddha Gaya and got a proposal to handover Buddha Gaya to the Buddhists, passed at this meeting.

Rainy retreat

After having established the Maha Bodhi Society, Dharmapala continued his struggle for Buddha Gaya by going there on the 10th July 1981 in the company of four monks: Lunuvila Chandajoti, Anuradhapura Pemananda, Galle Sudassana and Matale Sumangala. These four monks assisted by Ven Kozen Gunaratana, helped Dharmapala to conduct a religious ceremony (pinkama) there and hoist the Buddhist flag at the spot.

This was the first occasion of a pinkama at this spot since the time of King Asoka. Dharmapala was able to lease a small piece of land near the Bo-terrace, build a temporary shed as a sanghavasa (monks’ residence) and arrange for the vas (rainy season) retreat by monks in the avasa.

In September 1891, Dharmapala spent his father's money and monies obtained from well-wishers in Calcutta to establish the Calcutta Maha Bodhi Society. Initially, the building was on a lease, but after the Head-quarters of the Indian Maha Bodhi Society was established at the adjoining Dharmarajita Vihara, Dharmapala bought it outright.

Careful preparation

Dharmapala's frequent visits to and sojourns in India helped him to learn more about the country, meet and associate with men and women of all ranks in India, whose assistance was of immense use to him in his Buddha Gaya struggle as well as the revival of Buddhism in that country. Also, he obtained the goodwill and assistance of the royal families and rulers who espoused his cause.

Dharmapala's recipe for success seems a lot tilted towards the careful preparation of plans for any venture. He knew well that his campaign for Buddha Gaya was not an easy one. But he took on the task, going step by step, relent only towards the intended goal. That was how he proceeded in confirming the rights of Buddhists to Buddha Gaya. His first step was to have Buddha Gaya always as a place where monks were available for religious needs. This he ensured by having some Japanese, Burmese and Sinhala monks to reside at Buddha Gaya as from July 1891.

Dharmapala also sought the assistance of scholars, University personnel, journalists and the elite of India, and to win their goodwill, he presented public lectures in Calcutta and other cities, which were well attended and most popular.

In addition to the goodwill he won, and the friendships thus made, his own prestige as a speaker, an erudite, and exponent of Buddhism and an indefatigable Dharmaduta spread in India and Asian lands. The co-operation from the Indian Press was significantly fruitful. Even editorials were written to warn the Mahanta against his behaviour. Such newspaper support, unbiased as to race and religion, went a long way to create a smooth passage for Dharmapala's ventures.

In all, Dhammapala would have spent about forty years in his efforts to revive Buddhism in India, what a laudable aim and aspiration, it has been of his, to restore, to revive the Buddha Dhamma back in India after some two thousand and three hundred years of strong life in Sri Lanka, fostered and taken care of by the Sinhalese.

Very likely, he saw it as an act of gratitude on the part of the Sinhala people, and he was destined to be its promoter: But he never saw it as an easy task; for he has said once: “many are the obstacles to our success in the programme of work in Dambadiva”.

Anagarika Dharmapala did make an effort to convey the Buddha message to Hindus and the Bengalese, but they were not so amenable. He knew that the 140 or so millions of Harijana in India had a tendency towards Buddhism, but he was precluded from any steps in that direction as he was already tired and mapped out in the earlier tasks, and he was also getting old. But his suspicions of the readiness of the Harijana to receive the Buddha's message were proved 23 years after his death, when in 1956, come five lakhs of Harijana led by Dr B R Ambedkar embraced Buddhism as one group. The momentous occasion was graced by Brahmacari Devapriya Valisingha’ Dharmapala's successor.

In November 1925, a group of pilgrims led by Dharmapala took part in the very first pilgrimages to Buddha Gaya.

Buddhist Literary Festival 2012:

Literature through Buddhist eyes

Daya dissanayake

The Buddhist Literary Festival 2012 will be held on September 20 organized by the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress at the ACBC hall (BAH William Hall) on Bauddhaloka Mawatha at 2.30 pm. The festival is to recognize and honour the authors who contributed to the nourishment of Buddhist literature during the year 2010.

Prof G P. Malalasekara Commemoration Award will be presented to Ven. Koswatte Ariyawimala Thera.

Solias Mendis Commemoration Award will be presented to the veteran artist Gunasiri Kolambage for their contributions to our cu

lture and our society.

The award for the best novel with a Buddhist theme will be to Sachitra Mahendra for his book 'Didulana Duhuvilla'. Awards will also be made for creative and academic works published in 2011: 'Mihindu Giren Hima Giata' by Ven Missaka Kamalasiri Thera, 'Lekhana Sameeksha' by Prof. A. V. Suraveera,

'Sri Lankave Nuthana Baudda Nikaya by Ven. Dr. Urugamuwe Vangeesa Thera and Sri Maha Bodhi Varnanava by Gayan Chanuka Vidanapathirana.

Ven. Kotugoda Dhammavasa Thera has been invited as the Chief Guest, and the key note address will be made by Prof. Mudiyanse Dissanayake on 'Buddhist Ritualistic Literature in Sri Lanka'.

Ministers T B Ekanayake and Dr. Jagath Balasuriya will also grace the occasion.

A journal will also be released on the occasion containing many interesting and valuable articles.