Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Year commemorating the 2600th anniversary of the Enlightenment of the Buddha ends on Vesak full moon poya – May 5. The year has seen a resurgence of Buddhism with a closer relationship between the temple and the village, with neglected temples being renovated and monks actively engaged in an effort to build a better society.
The Saliya Aranyaya is in Maha Wilachchiya Section 6 in the heart of the Wilpattu National Park, at one time infested with LTTE terrorists. The monk, however, roughed it out and survived.
When the Dhammadeepa Foundation launched a programme to mark the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi, this was one of the temples in the remote areas off Anuradhapura selected to revive an ancient tradition. The tradition is Giribhanda Pooja which means 'offering of goods to the height of a mountain' dating back to the days of King Mahadathika Mahanaga who ruled from Anuradhapura.
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| The first offering by Ven. Chandakitti Thera after donating a Buddha statue |
On the initiative of the Foundation's patron, Ven. Talalle Chandakitti Thera, more than 20 temples were provided with over a hundred items each, ranging from beds, tables and chairs, cooking utensils, crockery and cutlery sufficient to offer alms to 10 monks, robes, mosquito nets, sheets and pillows, a gas cooker, a blender, a lantern, dry rations – the list being endless. Mammoties and other agricultural implements were also provided, with each temple being donated a bicycle for the monk to send someone to get whatever he needs.
Apart from these special offerings, the Foundation also assisted hundreds of temples to meet their needs. "We covered temples from the north to the south and the west to the east," Ven. Chandakitti said, adding, "We gave books, clothes, stationery and other essentials to the students of dhamma schools as well. Copies of the Tripitaka were donated to the temples."
Clad in white, devotees in neighbouring villages thronged to the temple whenever the presentations were made with Ven. Chandakitti delivering a sermon highlighting the need to lead simple lives and practise pansil.
'The Buddhist' TV channel
A positive sign of the resurgence is the vast increase in viewers of the 24-hour Buddhist TV Channel and the interest shown by people to sponsor dhamma sermons and other programmes.
Under the guidance of Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Nayaka Thera, founder of 'The Buddhist' TV channel, a programme is also underway to resurrect temples in the north and the east which had been neglected during the war. In most of these temples, the Bodhi trees are neglected and work to restore the bodhigara or protective walls around them is being carried out at the Dighavapi temple at Ampara, Mudu Maha Vihara at Pottuvil, Sri Buddha Jayanthi Vihara at Batticaloa, Sri Sambuddha Raja Maha Vihara at Kanagarayam Kulam off Vavuniya, Nagiri Aranya Senasanaya at Lunubokka near Padiyatalawa and a temple at Lolugawewa, Medawachchiya. Once the walls, estimated to cost Rs. 450,000 each, are built four Buddha statues are to be placed on the four sides so that devotees can offer flowers.
The Buddhist TV channel, with the assistance of the army, conducted a survey of temples in the Eastern Province and selected 50 of 268 temples where even the basic needs were not available. The resident monks of these temples were invited to a special pooja arranged at the Mahiyangana Vihara where the goods were donated to them.
"Each temple was given requirements ranging from a ball of thread to beds and cupboards. One temple even got a three-wheeler for the monks to get about in," the channel’s Programme Director Sashika Jayatilleka said, explaining that “a record crowd estimated at 150,000 observed ata sil”. Three thousand Buddha statues were distributed among the people to commemorate the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi.
Aadivaasin (indigenous people) were also given stocks of dry rations and clothes on that occasion, he added.
Observance at home
These are only two organisations which planned activities for the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi. There were many more. Small groups of devotees also made contributions in numerous ways, with some in Colombo donating Buddha statues to 50 homes in the remote village of Hulannuge near Siyabalanduwa. A well-designed wooden box with a glass door was given with each statue so that these humble families could place it on the wall, creating a small place of worship in their homes.
"This was a most welcome gesture. Homes which did not even have a picture of the Buddha were given the statues on the undertaking that they would offer flowers and the family would gather every evening and observe pan sil," Chief Monk of the area temple, Ven. Kurundugolle Sarananda Thera said.
He visits five homes in the village every evening and is happy with the progress. "It is heartening to note that at least 50 men have given up consuming kasippu," the Thera said.
As Ven. Sarananda finds it difficult to get guest monks to participate in poya activities in the village as it is in a remote area, he has arranged to broadcast The Buddhist TV channel’s dhamma sermons which he feels are drawing more villagers to the temple. "Sil is compulsory for daham pasal students. When the mothers bring the children their daval dana, they see the TV programmes and now come to the temple more often," he says.
Impact
Commenting on the impact of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi, Ven Tiricunamale Ananda Anu Nayaka Thera, a member of the Steering Committee appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that a resurgence of Buddhism is being seen. However, he is disappointed that such a significant event has not created a wider impact, particularly to bring about a moral regeneration of society and the protection of the Buddhist cultural identity.
"The 2500th Buddha Jayanthi had a much bigger impact. The crime rate dropped significantly, proving that a religious awakening can reduce crime and enhance moral behaviour in our society. It is sad that such an impact is not visible although the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi was a more significant occasion," he said.
In Colombo city, the symbol of the Sambuddhatva Jayanthi is the multi-storey building at Thunmulla Junction housing the Buddhist Cultural Centre. Havelock Road has been renamed Sambuddhatva Jayanthi Mawatha but whether the new name is being used is left to be seen. Although a 20-point action plan was drawn up by the Steering Committee three years ago, not much has been achieved except the initiatives taken by numerous Buddhist organizations.
The Secretary of the Jayanthi Secretariat, K. Kalupahana, said that the government has spent around Rs. 100 million in providing facilities to temples. Several Cabinet sub-committees had been appointed to implement some of the suggestions, but he was unaware of the progress made.
Meanwhile, a 700-page book covering the state of Buddhism in 40 countries published by the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs is to be released on Vesak poya. |
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