IN REMEMBRANCE OF ANAGARIKA DHARMAPALA

By Rohana R. Wasala

(The 156th birth anniversary of the Anagarika fell on September 17, 2020. The following lines are in celebration of the event)

The pioneer of true national thinking

Was none other than the historical

Hate-figure of anti-nationalists

Great Anagarika Dharmapala

Who engineered social reform through it

To kindle hopes of freedom from foreign rule.

History will recognize Dharmapala

As perhaps the first ideological-

Champion of the unarmed fight for freedom,

And the first proponent of modernity

Truly based on the Buddhist tradition.

Though Brits and colonial parasites

Projected him as a Don Quixote

Tilting at windmills against an empire

Through their vile  malicious propaganda.

Being a leader gifted with great foresight,

He warned the majority Sinhalese

Of a racially divided country

Where they would be at the receiving end

When the foreigner would leave them at last

Unless they were united as a race.

Today, as we can see, that prophecy

Has come true, sad though it is to say this.

Yet the Anagarika’s life mission

Was passing on the word of the Buddha

Across the world for all peoples’ wellbeing.

He was convinced that Sinhala Buddhists

Had a unique responsibility

To protect Buddhism for the whole world

As Lanka is the repository

Of the Dhamma in its first pristine form

The hallowed Theravada tradition

Committed to writing at Matale,

Central Sri Lanka, one hundred plus-

Years Before the Common Era began.

Though religions are anachronistic

In the human reason ruled world today

Their ethical teachings are relevant

To their politically organized

Adherents, while not being so to others,

A situation that causes friction

Usually with unholy repercussions

That endanger the very survival

Of the future of civilization.

The Buddha preached an ethical doctrine

Whose essence is wisdom and compassion,

Something that Albert Einstein chose to call

A cosmic religion in the sense that

All humans could embrace its moral code

Based on kindness, reason, and mind culture,

And work to create a safe peaceful world.

Dharmapala knew this before Einstein

As he showed in his great dedication

For spreading the Dhamma across the globe

Without any proselytizing aim.

Being a true disciple of the Buddha

He didn’t seek to convert non-Buddhist people.

But he believed that the Dhamma was

The Sinhala Buddhists’ gift to the world

As custodians of the pure Teaching.

Meanwhile he was passionately concerned

About their material wellbeing as well

As any good Buddhist leader would be

He advocated the education

Of the young for acquiring good life skills

And the study of science and technology

In addition to cultural subjects.

Lanka’s freedom movement and its leaders

And all patriotic politicians

That followed in the subsequent decades

Were deeply influenced by this great man.

All our prime ministers and presidents

Have been inspired by his nationalism.

Had the Anagarika been living-

Today, he would have highly commended

The current president Gotabhaya

For his moral uprightness, gracefulness

And his commitment to Buddhist values.

All Members of Parliament on both sides,

If they really want to serve the nation

Ought to forget their self-centred concerns

And serve the nation from opposite ends

Through synergetic accommodation

So that this fourth decisive surge that we-

Are in the middle of making since the Year-

The Buddha Jayanti was observed

Towards independence from foreign sway

In order to stand on our own two feet,

Will not be suppressed like the previous three.

May Peace and Progress Bloom in our Troubled Land

Fresh and pure out of its muddy waters!