University mate dons robes
View(s):It was May 18, 1989. I watched my sub-warden at Jayatillaka Hall at Peradeniya campus, Dr. Jotiya Dhirasekera walking down the steps at BowalawattaVajiraramaya in the Hantane hills with shaven head, dressed in white as a ‘upasaka’ to sit at the feet of the Most Venerable Madihe Pannaseeha Mahanayaka Thera requesting that he be ordained. Within minutes he moved out and was soon back in the saffron robe to observe the precepts to become a monk as Bhikku Dhammavihari.
Olcott Gunasekera at the ordination
On Medin Poya day last week, Dr. Dhirasekera’s pupil, Olcott Gunasekera followed suit and was ordained at the Siri Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya as Bhikkhu Gnanaseeha. Following Vajirarama tradition, he will not be using the name of his birthplace in front. Instead he will be called ”Vajiraramavasi (resident monk of Vajiraramaya) Gnanaseeha Thera’. The name was selected by Tiricunamale Ananda Mahanayaka Thera, present head of Vajiraramaya, picking parts from the names of two most illustrious Mahanayaka Theras– ‘gnana’ from Vajiramaya founder Pelene Sri Vajiragnana and ‘seeha’ from Madihe Pannaseeha – who were chief prelates of Vajiraramaya. The new monk was closely associated with both Mahanayaka Theras.
Dodampahala Chandrasiri MahanayakaThera, President Amarapura Sanga Sabha, ordained him and is his ‘Mahoupadyaya’. He is under the tutelage of Most Venerable Ampitiye Rahula Maha Thera.
Being away from Sri Lanka, I missed the ordination ceremony which I am told, was simple and dignified. The occasion, however, brought back memories of our friendship dating back to 1953 when we met for the first time as freshers at Peradeniya and as hallmates as Jayatillake. Olcott was studious, soft-spoken, religious and serious-minded, quite in contrast with some of us whose priority was to have fun as undergraduates. He joined the Faculty of Oriental Studies and most of us were in the Arts Faculty. But we always met at the Hall.
Having a deep interest in Buddhism and being closely associated with Vajiraramaya, Olcott was the natural choice as President of the Buddhist Brotherhood. I remember him inviting Ven. Narada Maha Thera to the campus for a Dhamma talk and the Ven. Thera publicly announcing that one day Olcott would don robes. From that day onwards we started teasing him and he took our comments in good spirit with a soft smile.
I met Olcott sometime in January at the Narada Centre and during our conversation he told me that he would be at Vajiraramaya from a date he mentioned – his 80th birthday. At first, I couldn’t catch what he meant but soon realised why. Then I reminded him of what Narada Thera said 62 years ago, “Rane, how you remember!” he said. “How can I forget,” I answered.
If I remember right, he got a first class and got into the Ceylon Civil Service where he was head of several departments. His interest in Buddhist activities continued, mostly with Madihe Mahanayaka Thera. When the Mahanayaka Thera did a global tour arranged by the Asia Foundation, Olcott went as his ‘kepakaru’ and interpreter. One of the highlights of the tour was the opening of the Washington Buddhist Vihara.
He was president of the Sasana Sevaka Samitiya at Maharagama Dharmayatanaya and both of us later served in the committee of the Samitiya’s Colombo branch. We were involved with the publication of the first ever World Buddhist Directory on the initiative of the Mahanayaka Thera.
More recently, his guidance was of much help in planning a book on Madihe Mahanayaka Thera which is to go into print very soon.
His contribution to social welfare work as president of the Dharmavijaya Foundation founded by the Mahanayaka Thera, for many years has been immense.
As I reflected upon the decision of a senior civil servant who had wide experience both here and abroad, to leave a well spent, successful life as a layman, I was reminded of a gem of advice my ‘guru’ Dr Dhirasekera gave me a few days before he donned robes.
“My friend, renounce the world before the world renounces you,” he said.
-D.C. Ranatunga