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Easy to see are others’ faults
Easily seen are
others’ faults, hard indeed to see are one’s own. Like chaff one winnows
others’ faults, but one’s own faults one hides, as a crafty fowler
conceals himself by camouflage. Mala Vagga - The Dhammapada
50th Anniversary of Sri Lanka Vipassana Bhavana Samithiya :
Impressions of an Insider-Outsider
The Buddha once said that a lake of clear, pure, blue water in a
remote rugged uninhabited region would not benefit mankind but that a
lake in the vicinity of a well-populated village would.
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Chief Incumbent, Sri Lanka International Vipassana Meditation
Centre Ven. Harispattuwa Ariyawansalankara Thera |
The International Vipassana Meditation Centre is like that bountiful
lake. As a meditator using the Centre's facilities from 1990 and from
last year as an intermittent resident, I cite this analogy with much
gratitude.
The Centre is essentialy and primarily a meditation Centre with
meditating bhikkhus and student bhikkhus in residence, the Meditation
Master being the Abbot of the Centre. It caters to all and sundry
following the true Buddhist egalitarian principle besides making its
facilities available to a few other 'extra curricular activities' as
well. In this respect, the Centre is responsive to the needs of the
community within limits. Its accommodating spirit springs, no doubt,
from the Buddhist principle of generosity and compassion.
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The Sri Lanka International Vipassana Meditation Centre, Colombo
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Besides groups of yogis coming for meditation retreats, there are
also regular meditators coming daily, whether in the morning or evening,
before or after work. About a thousand come on a full moon day, about a
hundred on a Sunday.
A new feature seen at the Centre is the presence of foreign Buddhist
nuns (strictly on a transit visa, of course!). Foreign nuns come not
only to meditate but also to engage in other legitimate activities such
as Buddhist studies, research and even service work for the tsunami
victims. Occasionally there is an influx of them when there is an
international Buddhist conference being held in Colombo, especially at
the BMICH.
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a meditation programme |
The Centre can cater for only a few foreign nuns at a time but until
well-equipped Centres come up to take over the role of hosting them, the
International Vipassana Meditation Centre is rendering a valuable
service which is greatly appreciated.
The importance of forging links with the international Buddhist
community, whether with the Sangha or the laity cannot be
underestimated. After all, why do foreigners wish to come to Sri Lanka,
in the first place, in search of the Dhamma and meditation practice?
This Centre make a valiant attempt to meet a fraction of that demand in
whatever way it can and this again is following the Buddhist tradition
of welcoming and affording hospitality - A few Nights' shelter - to
fellow religious visitors.
The Centre is ideally situated to render such a service, being in
close proximity to Buddhist book shops, the Narada Information Centre,
and other Buddhist institutions such as the Dharmavijaya Foundation, and
All Ceylon Buddhist Congress and the All Ceylon Women's Buddhist
Congress.
A Dhamma school also functions under the aegis of the Centre and the
children's voices blend with the sound of birds in the trees of the
premises. Early morning meditation in the hall is an extremely pleasant
experience, for the myriad bird songs from surrounding trees give one
the impression of being in the open air.
In more ways than one does the Centre keep the 'Truth Wheel' turning
round. During the Tewavas, the voices chanting in unison assume the tone
of Tammattama beating the 'drum of deathlessness'. This is not a mere
grand eloquent flourish of the pen for I know of two Australians, a
father and a son, who visited the Centre one evening and were profoundly
affected by the chanting. The son is a musician-in-the-making.
Members of the public seeking individual spiritual advice from the
Ven. Chief monk are given a hearing between 3-6 on Thursdays, on which
occasions the Centre takes on the appearance of a hospital OPD. This
again is an aspect of Buddhist service. The Buddha, as we know, set the
example. Not for nothing was he called 'Bhisakko' or 'Besajja Guru'.
What is surprising is that the Centre seems to take all its
activities in its stride and apparently runs on well oiled invisible
wheels. This speaks volumes for those in charge of the management. It
also speaks volumes for the Buddhist principle of generosity being put
into practice day in and day out, month after month, year after year by
silent Dayaka-dayika(s).
This is the great principle of Dana, whether in kind or in voluntary
service, the principle that supports the Buddha Sasana. Long may it
flourish! Ciram titthatu Saddhammo, loko hotu sukhi sada!
- Samaneri Suvimalee
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Venerable Nyanaponika Maha Thera :
A Bhikkhu with intellectually
convinced vision of Dhamma
by Rohan L. Jayetilleke
The evening is chilly in the Udawattekelle Forest Reserve of Kandy.
The Day is October 18th, 1994. Sister Nyanasiri (American Dasa Sil Matha,
formerly Helen Wilder) who entered the Sil Matha Order under Nyanaponika
Maha Thera, as usual brings the evening 'Gilanpasa'.
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Venerable Nyanaponika Maha Thera |
She walks path strewn with dead leaves leading from the main point of
entry to the Forest Reserve, above the Trinity College junior
playground, passing the Tapovana and the Senanayake Asrama of Bhikkhus
to the little colonial cottage, the abode of Nyanaponika Maha Thera,
about 100 metres away.
She arrives at the Silvan abode bereft of running water or
electricity, where only a lantern keeps the abode alight in the night.
The Maha Thera is feeble and blindness too framing him. Reverently she
offers the 'Gilanpasa'. Maha Thera partakes of the 'Gilanpasa'.
The abode his residence since 1952, engaged in writing, studying and
meditating. Maha Thera joyfully says "Nyanasiri, you need not bring me 'Heeldana'
(breakfast) tomorrow morning. I am passing away tomorrow, right on the
dot at 5.30 a.m." She bursts out in laughter. Maha Thera too joins.
Nyanasiri remarks, "Venerable Sir, you must be an Arhant, certainly
you are one to foretell the exact day and time of passing away as was
done by the Buddha at Capala Cetiya in Vesali, three months before the
final passing away (Mahaparinirvana) at Kusinara between two Sala
trees". On the following morning right at 6.00 a.m. Nyanasiri walks
through dewed path through the Forest Reserve to the abode of the Maha
Thera.
The agitated caretaker comes forward, falls at her feet and says "Maniyo,
Maha Thera got up at 5.00 a.m. Had a glass of hot water, washed his face
sat on the bed cross legged at 5.15 a.m, then stretched himself on the
bed and passed away at 5.30 a.m.
This episode was narrated to me by Sister Nyanasiri, with whom we
were associated for many years.
Sister Nyanasiri passed away about an year ago, bequeathing all her
assets to the Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy, which her preceptor
Ven. Nyanaponika Thera founded in 1958.
The person (German) who was to become Ven. Nayanapoinika Maha Thera
was born in Hanau, Germany on July 21, 1901 as Siegmund Feniger, the
only child of a Jewish family.
In 1922, he moved with his parents to Berlin, where he met with other
German Buddhists and also had access to Buddhist literature in German
language. He first came across the writings of Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera
(1878-1957), the former German violin virtuoso Anton Gueth, which had
already been published in Germany. Young Siegmund had learned Ven.
Nayanatiloka Thera had established a monastery for Western Monks on an
island lagoon (opposite the Railway station) Polgasduwa, Dodanduwa named
Island Hermitage. This news stirred his conscience to come to Asia and
become a Buddhist Monk.
However this expectation did not concretecize for some time. In 1932,
his father passed away and did not wish to leave his widowed mother in
the lurch. Then Adolf Hitler, came to power in Germany. Millions of Jews
were gassed to death in gas chambers.
Knowing he and his mother too would end up in gas chambers in
November 1935, he left Germany along with his mother to Vienna, where
they had relatives. Having arranged his mother to stay in Vienna, in
early 1936 he left Europe for Sri Lanka and joined Ven. Nyanatiloka
Thera at the Island Hermitage, Polgasduwa, Dodanduwa.
After several months of studies in June 1936 he was ordained as a
novice under the name Nyanaponika and in 1937 was conferred Higher
Ordination (Upasampada), under the Tutelage of Nyanatiloka Thera.
In 1939, after the Nazis invaded Austria, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera
arranged for his mother and other relatives to come over to Sri Lanka.
She passed away in Colombo in 1956. Through the influence of his son and
the generous hosts she embraced Buddha Dhamma and became a devoted
Buddhist lady.
Then the Second World War broke out in 1939, and the British
Government had all German males resident in their colonies consigned for
interment suspecting them to be German spies. The interment was first at
Diyatalawa Army cantonment in Sri Lanka and later at Dehra Dun in
northern India.
Despite these traumatic experiences as prisoner of war, during this
period, Ven. Nayanaponika Thera completed the German translations of the
Sutta Nipata, the Dhammasangani (the first book of the Abhidhamma Pitaka)
and its commentary. He also compiled an anthology of texts on
Satipattana Meditation. That was when at Diyatalawa and the balance
writing of what Ven. Nyanaponiak Thera began was concluded at Dehra Dun,
India.
With the cessation of war, the two Bhikkhus were released from
interment at Dehra Dun and returned to Sri Lanka in 1946 and resided at
the Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa. In early 1951 they were conferred
citizenship of Sri Lanka.
In 1946, Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera was offered a hermitage in the
Udawattekelle Forest Reserve, and being advanced in age preferred the
cooler climate of Kandy rather than to the hot and stuffy sea - coast
climate of Dodanduwa. In 1947, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera too joined him at
the new Kandy Hermitage.
In 1952, both Venerable Nyanatiloka Thera and Nyanaponika There were
invited by the Burmese (Myanmar) Government for consultation in
preparation of the Sixth Buddhist Council, to be convened in 1954 to
re-edit and reprint the entire Pali Canon and its commentaries. On the
conclusion of the consultations Ven. Nyanaponika Thera stayed on in
Burma for a period of training in Insight Meditation (Vipassana) under
the well renowned meditation teacher Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw Thera.
The experience he gathered motivated him to write his best known
Magnum Copus, 'The Heart of Buddhist meditation' published by Buddhist
Publication Society with many editions and translated into more than
seven languages. This is a prescribed text in universities in the Study
of Buddhism.
In 1954, the teacher and the pupil returned to Burma for the opening
ceremonies of the Council, which was held in a cave - structure built
similar to the Sattaprani Caves in Rajagaha (Rajgir) of India, where
first Buddhist Council was held. For the closing ceremonies in 1956 Ven.
Nyanaponika Thera went to Burma alone as his teacher was indisposed.
In 1957, the health of Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera deteriorated and he
moved to Colombo for easy and ready medical attention. Finally on May
28, 1957, the great pioneering scholar monk passed away and was accorded
a State Funeral at the Independence Square, Colombo attended by the
Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, many State officials, both the
laity and religious dignitaries and prelates of all Nikayas.
His ashes were enshrined at the Polgasduwa Island Hermitage,
Dodanduwa and a tombstone was built to perpetuate his memory. Ven.
Nyanaponika Thera, thereafter keeping up to the request of his teacher,
revised Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera's German translation of the complete
Anguttara Nikaya, retyping the five volumes in full by himself, and also
compiling a forty paged index to the work.
Six months after the death of his teacher, the career of Ven.
Nyanaponika Thera was to be launched in a new direction, a permanent
contribution to the spread of Buddhism worldwide. A prominent lawyer in
Kandy A.S. Karunaratne suggested to his friend, Trinity College teacher
in retirement Richard Abeysekera, that they start a society for the
publication of Buddhist literature in English, mainly to be distributed
abroad. The unanimous decision was Ven. Nyanaponika Thera in the
Udawattekelle Forest Reserve Aramaya would be the best director of the
Institution. Thus on the New year's Day of 1958, the Buddhist
Publication Society (BPS) was born.
Devoting his entire time and energy to writings of the society, he
wrote tracts, encouraged others to write, collated important Suttas,
translated them and had them published.
In addition to his own writings he had 200 wheel titles and 100 Bodhi
Leaves (booklets) authored by numerous scholars and books were issued
during his editorship of the BPS. Ven. Nayanaponika Thera's biography is
completely submerged in his writings. With advancing age having a heavy
toll on his strength, in 1984, Ven. Nayanaponika Thera retired as editor
of BPS and in 1988 he retired as President, accepting appointments as
BPS's distinguished Parton. His fame and recognition as an exponent of
authentic Theravada Buddhism reached all corners of the globe.
In 1978, the German Oriental Society appointed him an honorary member
in recognition of his combination of objective scholarship with
religious practice as a Buddhist Monk. In 1987, the Buddhist and pali
University of Sri Lanka at its first convocation, conferred on him its
first ever Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Literature.
In 1990, he received the Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor of Letters
from the University of Peradeniya. In 1993, The Amarapura Maha Sangha
Sabha to which he belonged for 56 years, conferred on him the honorary
title of Amarapura Maha Mahopadhyaya Sasana Sobhana (The Great Mentor of
the Amarapura Maha Sasana Sabha, Ornament of Teaching).
His last birthday which fell on July 21st 1994, was celebrated by his
friends and the BPS staff with the release of the BPS edition of his
book. The Vision of Dhamma, a collection of his writings from Wheel and
Bodhi leaves series. On the 19th of October 1994, the last day of his
58th Rains Retreat as a Bhikkhu, he breathed his last in the pre-dawn
quietude of the Udawattekelle forest hermitage.
His body was cremated at Mahiyawa Cemetery Kandy at which a large
gathering of religious and lay dignitaries as well as his many friends
and admirers. On the 29th of January after the traditional of Buddhistic
three-month Alms Giving, his remains were interred at the Island
Hermitage in Dodanduwa, where he spent his formative years as a Bhikkhu.
His tombstone lies in close proximity to that of his teacher Ven.
Nyanatiloka Thera.
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