‘Servants of the Buddha’ celebrates its Centenary
Source:Island
The meeting at the Maitriya Hall adjacent to the Mettaramaya Temple on Lauries Road, Bambalapitiya, on April 23, 2021, was a landmark for the group of Buddhists who have formed a collective and call themselves ‘Servants of the Buddha’. It is also a notable event for Buddhism in Sri Lanka and for the country itself. The centenary meeting on April 23 commemorated 100 years of continuous meetings on Saturday afternoons of Buddhists within their organization – ‘Servants of the Buddha’, uninterrupted by WW II, our civil war and JVP uprisings. Unfortunately Covid 19 stymied weekly meetings; but they continue as virtual meetings via Zoom called ‘Dhamma Chats with the Servants of the Buddha’.
Who are the Servants of the Buddha? “A group of individuals who strive to learn, practice and preserve the Buddha’s teachings in its pristine purity.” Their Vision is the pursuit of enlightenment while Mission is “the study, practice and dissemination of the teachings, taking great care not to stray from the authentic word of the Supreme Buddha.” A clarification of the term ‘servants’ is offered since the Buddha did not tolerate subservience. Here ‘servants’ denotes those committed to free thinking, questioning and investigation (ehipassiko) of the Buddha Dhamma. Servant connotes service to the Buddha and his Dhamma. This is a life’s practice; consolidation and shared commitment and investigation are accommodated during Saturday afternoon meetings which are conducted in English, when an erudite bhikkhu or bhikkuni, or a learned lay person addresses those gathered at the Maitriya Hall. Many a young monk has gained experience speaking in English at these meetings and some have gone overseas to spread the Buddha’s Word.
The expression that comes to mind when considering this group of dedicated Buddhists is ‘small is beautiful’ with the added term ‘sustained and durable’. It is a small society in numbers, funding itself and meeting weekly, but extensive in its integrity and dedication to its Vision and Mission. We congratulate it on its hundredth year and know it will continue for very long – another 100 years and more!
Beginnings
The Society was founded in 1921 by Dr Cassius Pereira who later ordained as Ven Kassapa in Vajiraramaya. Other founders were Messrs W J Soysa, W A Silva, Hema Basnayake – the first Sinhalese Chief Justice. The inaugural public meeting was on April 23, 1921. Thus the centenary celebration this year.
On a personal note I say I have regularly attended Saturday meetings from the time Alec Robertson was President and then Rajah Kuruppu and now Anoja Wijeyesekera. The benefits are you sit in pin drop silence on comfortable pew benches, part of a dedicated group of truth seekers and feel welcome and completely at ease; you give ear and mind to an always valuable Buddhist talk in English which is appreciated by older persons whose first language is English. Metta is spread to all; and one comes away calm and serene.
Those who donated their time and commitment selflessly were all the patrons and office bearers, more especially those who held the office of President starting with Dr Casssius Pereira and consequent to his ordination, his son Ananda Pereira (Crown Counsel). Alec Robertson was president for 30 years and Rajah Kuruppu for 10. Drs. Gamini Jayakuru, Kosala De Silva and Ranjini Ratnapala followed by Anoja Wijeyesekera, the present President. I need to say more about Anoja. She was associated with the Society for long and served as Hony Secretary. After her return from UN service in Afghanistan and Bhutan she took on the responsibility of being President and then again after an assignment in Malaysia. She is dedicated and dynamic, with excellent organizational and interpersonal skills.
Patrons of the Society have usually been head monks from Vajiraramaya Temple. Ven Kassapa was followed by Ven Narada and Piyadassi Theras and the present Patron is Ven Siri Vajiraramaye Nanasiha Thera (formerly Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera of the Ceylon Civil Service)
A deep friendship that benefited generations
Like most historical facts a touching story buttresses the Servants of the Buddha. Allan Bennett was an Englishmen born in 1872; this being the time when the West was awakening to Buddhism. Britain had its colonized Empire stretching over much of Asia; Edwin Arnold in India had composed his epic poem – The Light of Asia; and Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution debunked the creation of the world and man by an almighty god. Scientist Allan Bennett, curious about the world’s second oldest major religion, decided to come East. He learnt Pali in a temple in Kamburugamuwa and ordained as a monk in Burma. Returning to Colombo as Ven Ananda Maitriya, he so impressed Ellenson Pereira and others with his sermons, they inaugurated The Buddhist Aid Association, bought a piece of land adjoining the Mettaramaya Temple and in 1903 built a hall for delivering bana and named it Maitriya Dhamma Sala. Thus also the strong friendship of the English monk with medical doctor Cassius Pereira, son of Ellenson Pereira. The Servants of the Buddha evolved from the Buddhist Aid Association, and is unique. So is the Maitriya Hall in its resembling a church inside and out in English Gothic Revival architectural style. As Anoja pointed out, we who attended the centenary ceremony sat on the pews that furnished the original Salawa; more than a hundred years old.
The Centenary commemorative meeting
The meeting under strict Covid restrictions was held in the Maitriya Hall on 23 April starting at 4.00 pm. The Chief Guest was Most Venerable Uda-Eriyagama Dhammajiva Thera, Chief Meditation Master of Meetirigala Forest Monastery. Guest of Honour was Prof Kapila Gunawardene, Secretary, Buddha Sasana Ministry. They were both at a meeting with President Rajapaksa. The venerable monk arrived just in time to make his keynote address, but not Prof Gunawardena. A paper sent by him was read. To benefit those unable to attend, proceedings were live-streamed online, unfortunately interrupted by short power outages.
The entire proceedings were well managed and kept sharp to time. This, Anoja said, was due to the willingly cooperative effort of all the office bearers of the Society. A plaque at the entrance to the hall was unveiled after which many distinguished monks and Servants of the Buddha Board of Management and office bearers entered in procession. Preliminary remarks were made by Vice President Prof Kolitha Sellahewa after which Pansil was administered by Ven Olande Ananda. The traditional oil lamp was lit.
President Anoja Wijeyesekera
delivered a long though succinct and very interesting “Looking back over one hundred years.” A 140 paged, large sized volume – ‘ 100 years 1921-2021 Dhamma Gems’ was presented to the monks and other distinguished invitees which included important persons of the other three religions.
Next on the agenda was the address by the Patron of Servants of the Buddha – Ven Siri Vajiraramaye Nanasiha Thera who had, with Prof Manouri Senanayake, edited ‘Dhamma Gems’ on which he commented, including historical facts about the Society.
Most Ven Uda-Eriyagama Dhammajiva Maha Thera
spoke about how he became a monk from being a university student who broke all five precepts. He chose living as a forest bhikkhu. We know he is in demand overseas and assists Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi in New Jersey in his meditation retreats. He now stresses very much on Sathi – Mindfulness, and directs retreats of one day or more for students of Grades 5 and 6. Kids of all religions participate. Mindfulness is introduced as secular and therapeutic, and could lead to religiousness. He has proposed to the country’s President to include Sathi in school curriculums. He stressed on the excellence of the book on mindfulness by Ven Nynaponika.
An official from the Buddha Sasana ministry read out the script sent by Prof Kapila Gunawardena in which were listed 20 identified deviations (malpractices) carried out by a few radicals who call themselves Buddhist monks and also conversions to Christianity, and what the Buddha Sasana Ministry hopes to do to combat these.
Prof Manouri Senanayake
spoke on ‘Venturing into the next century’ and Secretary Samudra de Zoysa presented the vote of thanks. Pirit chanting brought the ceremony to a close.
Gilanpasa was offered the monks present; fellowship and refreshments followed. A copy of Dhamma Gems was given to each one present.
