The collective Sri Lankan soul suffered a benumbing shock, just a couple of weeks ago. This was brought on, by the sudden and tragic demise of Ven. Prof. Bellanvila Wimalaratana Anunayaka Thera, Chancellor, Sri Jayawardhanapura University.
Before those tears could have the time to dry up, destiny was poised to deal the Sri Lankan mass mind, yet another shattering blow. It fell on the elitist Buddhist Missionary Monk, Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera, whose name had entrenched itself in popular memory indelibly. It was widely known that he was ailing for quite a while and that Mara (death) was not at all in a mood, to relax his stranglehold. But, when the Ven. Monk's life came to an end early on Saturday, his fervent devotees could not help but feel vastly devastated.
I have known him for quite a long while and have been profoundly impressed by his phenomenal dexterity to be innovative and to organise institutions and events, displaying skills that are rare.
When he took over the monastery which has now become a centre for ceaseless spiritual activities it was a fairly austere place of worship. The late prelate, Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera, transformed it into a Buddhist shrine with a spiritual personality of its own.
He metamorphosed the “Sambodhi Vihara”, he found, into a glowing gem of spirituality, that emanated a serene glow of religiousness, exerting an overpowering fervour on the visiting devotees.
Buddhist programmes
One major factor that determined this transformation, was his own unique character. The subdual tone of voice, in which he presented his sermons and recited the price and the verses of Buddhist texts, held a special allure for the ardent devotee. He organised discussion sessions, both in Sinhala and in English and took an initiative in introducing Buddhist programmes that had an intimate relevance to the daily lives of the devotees.
He organised a solid campaign to sensitize the people to the social threat posed by contaminated food.
He conducted authoritative discussions, on this theme, inviting experts to participate in them.
Taking a further and pragmatic step, he organised stalls, for those who had uncontaminated food items to market.
He initiated Dhamma teaching in the English medium, for the benefit of those children who were more familiar with that language than with Sinhala.
He was fully aware of the appeal of the “spectacle” to the average devotee. He organised pageants and processions, and fabulous forms of mass religious rituals in the holy cities, with hundreds of thousands of devotees, participating.
The 24x7 Buddhist TV Channel he founded, has led to an impressive Buddhist Resurgence.
His influential Buddhist Channel has become strongly integrated into the Sri Lankan ethos as a steady and unshakeable destitution and a social force, to be reckoned with.
Buddhist missionary monk
As an exceptionally active Buddhist missionary monk of our day, he supervised a system of two-way pilgrimages.
On occasion, the Ven. Monk would lead a team to a selected destination abroad. When the country that is focussed on becomes China, the modern Sri Lankan pilgrim has to play a reverse “Fa-Hsien role” - as it were. As is quite extensively known, the Chinese pilgrim monk Fa-Hsien came over to Sri Lanka, about 400 PD with the specific intention of studying Buddhist texts and rituals in our land.
Reversing this “Fa – Hsien role,” Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera would lead an occasional Sri Lankan Buddhist team to China, enabling them to familiarize themselves, with the status of Buddhism in modern China (The ancient Cathey Empire). Such visits, which were considered valued cultural gestures, received due reciprocation by the teams of Buddhist leaders, who came over from China to Ven. Kusaladhamma's spiritual centre – now and again.
As an extension of his missionary work, Ven. Kusaladhamma, established a branch in London, to spread the eternal Buddha word.
I had the good fortune to travel with him to Mysore in India and to Thailand.
While visiting the fabulous Palace of the Maharaja of Mysore, the Ven. Monk observed that the grandeur of the Mysore Palace is solid proof that the stories of the three places, constructed by the doting father – King Suddhodana, for his son Prince Siddhartha, were not at all exaggerations.
In Thailand, we visited the temple from which Ven. Upali Thera began his voyage to Sri Lanka, to revive the weakening Buddhist practise in Sri Lanka, by re-introducing higher ordination to our land.
These instances are quoted, merely to indicate the many-faceted personalities of the late prelate, Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera. He set up the state of the art printing equipment, to help his envisaged publications project.
When I visited him, when he was ailing, his longtime devotee, associated and friend, Sashi Jayatilake, who had been at his site for quite a long while, presented to the Venerable, a copy of my Sinhala translation of the great Buddhist epic ‘The Light of Asia’ authored by Sir Edwin Arnold. I did this authoritative translation at the request of Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera.
Buddhist cultural initiatives
He was immensely pleased to see the completed work. He stroked my hand in appreciation, as words would not come to him. He wrote a little note: “Please show this to the President.” I was profoundly moved, though I did not know, that this was the last time we would meet him.
When he passed away, at 54, he had a well thought out agenda, for the restoration of the fading glory of Buddhist cultural initiatives, in this sacred land. The fulfilment of his noble dream will have to be the holy duty and spiritual responsibility of those who would inherit his tradition.
With all that, he possessed a quiet disarming sense of humour, as well. He is, to my mind, a re-incarnation of Ven. Anagarika Dharmapala.
When death, sadly prevented the continuation of his spiritual mission, we are filled with an immense sorrow.
But, once again, relief comes to us from the timeless words of the Supreme Buddha:
“There is no device, by which, one who is born can escape death.”
While wishing the Great Buddhist Leader and outstanding spiritual communicator, Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera, the Eternal Bliss of Nibbana, we cannot but, selfishly hope, he will be reborn here, to complete his unfinished mission.
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