Anagarika Dharmapala, the greatest hero of modern era

The text of the 148th Anagarika Dharmapala birth anniversary commemoration lecture delivered by Senior Minister of International Monetary Cooperation Dr. Sarath Amunugama at the Maha Bodhi Hall recently.

At the outset, I wish to express my gratitude to the Maha Bodhi Society for inviting me to deliver the Anagarika Dharmapala memorial oration. Anagarika Dharmapala is also referred to as Ven Devamitta Dharmapala Thera because he was a Bhikkhu who was ordained in the name of Devamitta Thera.

Anagarika Dharmapala

When we analyse our recent history, we observe that there had been two persons who had rendered yeoman service towards Buddhism and Buddhist society in this country. The first and foremost among them was Most Ven Asarana Sarana Sarannankara Sangharaja Thera and the second was Anagarika Dharmapala Thera.

If not for the two of them, there would not have been Buddhism or a Sinhala Buddhist society existing in the country today. Both of them lived at a time when the identity of Sinhalese and Buddhism had suffered degeneration. Most Ven Welivita Asarana Sarana Sangharaja Thera studied Pali with difficulty and endevoured to create a Sangha generation in keeping with Buddha’s teachings.

He brought the Upasampada from Siam and created a major transformation in the Sangha society which had degenerated. With the help of the then King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe, he sent a large number of Bhikkuhus to Siam to obtain Upasampada and re-established the Sangha society in Sri Lanka with their support. Not only did he brought down Upasampada but he also created temples in the hill country and low country, made Bhikkhus reside in them and did a great amount of service including the painting of temple murals, writing Ola manuscripts for Bhikhhu education and obtaining lands from the King for the maintenance of temples.

Great leaders

A large generation of clerical and lay pupils was born throughout the country due to the Sasana educational awareness created by him. Several years after the demise of Sangharaja Thera, the Sinhala society encountered various challenges once again. In this instance attention was drawn towards halting the degeneration of the Buddhist lay society and taking laymen towards a new position rather than purifying the Sangha Society.

It was late Anagarika Dharmapala who sacrificed his entire life to reach that target. When we look at the country’s history, we can say that these two leaders were responsible for establishing the Sinhala Buddhist society in this manner. When Most Ven Welivita Asarana Sarana Saranankara Sangharaja Thera paid attention to the Sangha Cooperation Ven Dharmapala criticized the weakness of the Sinhala lay society during the colonial period and took great pains to direct them on the correct path.

Although focus was laid on two great leaders who brought about a major transformation in the Sangha society on one side and the lay society only Anagarika Dharmapala is much talked about today.

Buddhist philosophy

Before speaking on Anagarika Dharmapala we should identify the cross roads in his life noted down by him. Today most of the people are unaware about what he did. Although many people made rough statements about him they do not have any knowledge about the special role played by him. Therefore I wish to explain some facts Anagarika himself had written in his own handwriting. He had noted down in his diary that he retired from government service in January 1886 and joined the Buddhist Theosophical society which was a powerful union of Budddhists at that time.

Col Henry Steel Olcott and Mrs. Blavatsky, a Russian national who landed in Galle later arrived in Colombo and assisted a Buddhist revival. What induced them to come to Sri Lanka was the information published in New York newspapers about the Panadure Debate which made them interested after reading them.

Senior Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama

Thereafter they established close contacts with Ven Migettuwatte Gunannanda Thera and established a Buddhist branch of the Theosophical Society here. Later establishing close links with Ven Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayake Thera they transformed the Theosophical Society into a major national force.

It is stated that Anagarika Dharmapala who realized the importance of the Theosophical society from the age of 16 or 17 dedicated his whole life to its cause. When Col Olcott travelled the length and breadth of the country and started delivering lectures he got disgusted over the absence of a person to interpret his English speeches into Sinhala and got ready to leave the country. Anagarike Dhamapala resigned from his job and accompanied Col Olcott to translate his speeches into Sinhala.

Through his lectures Col Olctott emphasized the value of Buddhism and the Buddhist philosophy to the people with reasons. Anaghrika Dharmapala who accompanied him as his interpreter later blossomed into an eloquent speaker. In his notes the Anagarika has said as a 16 to 17 years old youth he had stage fear and trembled in his speech. Col Olcott had advised him to speak without fear imagining the people before him as a heap of potatoes.

Not only did Anagarika Dharmapala accompany Col Olcott on his tours but also became an active and front line member of the Thesophical society. Owning to him the society faced some friction. At that time the Theosophical Society considered all religions as equal but Anagrika Dharmapala said he cannot subscribe to that view. He insisted that they should give prominence to Buddhism in its activities. But people like Annie Bessant gave prominence to Hinduism.

On July 10, 1891, Anagarika Dharmapala went to India. This has been recorded as a crossroad in modern Buddhist history. He was 24 year old then. After going to India he took a decision to save Buddhagaya from the grip of Hemanarayana Giri Mahantha who was Hindu devotee. He put this decision into action throughout his life and more over he had an administrative capability to suit it.

The chief objective of the Mahabodhi society was to save Buddhist places of worship throughout the world, especially those in India from the custody of other religionists and bring them under the control of Buddhists. The Mahabodhi society was inaugurated in 1891.

Originally it was named Buddhagaya society. But later on, it became popular as the Mahabodhi society. The society was formed in May 1891 and by June that year four Buddhist monks were taken to reside in Buddhagaya. The first Bhikkus were Ven Matale Sumangala Thera, Ven Hunuwila Chandrajothi Thera, Ven Anuradhapure Pemananda Thera and Galle Sudassana Thera. They established Buddhist ownership by undergoing untold difficulties and suffering. Maha Bodhi temple had been acquired by Mahantha.

There was Burmese temple nearby which was open to all Buddhists and Sri Lankans. That Burmese temple was the only Buddhist sign in proximity to the Bodhi. Later Anagarika Dharmapala was instrumental in taking a Buddhist statue and installing it at the Burmese temple. But Mahantha threw it. A case was filed in court against this action spending several lakhs of rupees.

Anagarika Dharmapala lost the case and everyone deserted him thereafter as stated in his diary. He has written down that all the wealthy people and even relatives who helped him earlier abandoned him and he was subjected to unpleasant criticism. Despite all this, Anagarika Dharmapala pursued his goal relentlessly with great self-confidence.

After a long time a team led by Devapriya Walisinghe held discussions with the Indian government and a committee comprising Hindu and Buddhist devotees was appointed to administer the Bodhi precincts. What we should remember is that Anagarika Dharmapala was a person with wisdom.

There was no other person with such deep knowledge about Buddhism at that time. He acquired knowledge by constantly reading about religious languages and various philosophies. He had a better knowledge than even a professor. He could argue with any person. He could face any challenge because he had acquired enormous knowledge through reading. Buddhism acquired international knowledge owing to his knowledge and great character.

Religious upheavals

Anagarika Dharmapala’s great creations can be seen at Isipathana which is situated 6 km off Benares, which is the centre of Hinduism. Hinduism and Benares were synonymous. Dharmapala was able to create an alternative philosophy relating to Buddhist culture, philosophy and thought a few kilometers away from this place. It is a startling accomplishment. He had strength to create a symbol of Buddhism a few kilometres away from the centre of Hindusim. He received funds for it from the Foster Foundation and his father.

He did at Saranath what he was unable to do with those funds at Buddha Gaya. He was able to develop Mulagandakuti Viharaya and the adjacent 40 acre mangrove which is one of the greatest Buddhist creations not only in India but the whole world. He was able to obtain almost 30 acres of this 40 acres plot as a donation following discussions with the British administration and the Indian department of Archaeology.

To be continued