A true Buddhist she loved all beings

Ranee Gomes

In the Samyutta Nikaye, it is stated,
“All creatures have to die. Life is but death,
And they shall fare according to their deeds,
Finding the fruit of merit and misdeeds;
infernal realms because of evil works,
Blissful rebirth for meritorious acts”

On May 15, I saw smoke emit from the tall crematorium chimney at the General Cemetery, Borella. I was then reminded of the above verse. A vast gathering of relations and friends, the rich and the poor, the educated and the not so educated had gathered there to pay their respects to the noble lady of Fifth Lane, Kollupitiya, who had at the ripe age of 84 years passed away the day before.

Ranee Gomes (nee Wijewardene), wife of the late George Gomes, and a daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. D.R. Wijewardene, had, to use the Christian phrase, "passed through the pearly gates to Heaven”.

It was my good fortune to be associated with her and her family in numerous ways, for over three decades, during which span of friendship we enjoyed each other’s company. As Chairperson of the age-old A.B. Gomes Trust, a Buddhist charity, she for several years guided me as the Trust Secretary to investigate and prudently donate funds for deserving Buddhist charities.

Something that always touched her heart dearly was caring for animals and pets. In fact, about 70 years earlier, there was a group of Colombo ladies who called themselves the “Dumb Friends League”, and two of the most active of them were the mother of Ranee Gomes and Lady A.E. de Silva. Ranee followed the footsteps of her mother. Annual donations to the Animal Welfare and Protection Society were made by the Gomes Trust, and also in her personal capacity.

She wouldn’t sit down at the table each morning to enjoy her breakfast without doing a “small tour” of her large and beautiful garden, to personally feed the dogs, the cats, the fish in the garden pond, the squirrels and the birds.

Ranee Gomes was always full of life and laughter. She was a good housewife and mother of three - Janaki Wijewardene, Rajitha Gomes and Shalini Hurulle. She had a large number of grandchildren who entertained her.

One day, I happened to enquire what she recalled as the happiest events of her life. She recalled her grandmother, the devout Buddhist and philanthropist of Sedawatte, Helena Wijewardene offering to the Buddha Sasana and the Buddhists of the world, the new Viharage - she built at the historic Kelani Raja Maha Vihare, where wall murals of Solias Mendis are to be seen. Incidentally, it would interest readers to learn that Solias Mendis, stood on scaffoldings for 18 years to complete his master work.

Another event that took pride of place in her life was when as a schoolgirl though being a Buddhist, she was appointed the Head Girl of Bishop’s College- a Christian institution. She was the first Buddhist to hold that office.

Ranee Gomes was the benefactor of the Wehergodella ancient temple at Sedawatte, the Gangaramaya in Colombo and the Potgul Vihare in Heenetiyana Minuwangoda.

After a brief illness she passed away on May 14.

Those who were dear to her know well what the Dhammapada states:

“Those who take refuge in the Buddha
Shall not go to the woeful doom.
After casting human life away
They will fill the world of heaven”

By Upali Salgado