Buddhism and Psychiatry
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The eminent consultant psychiatrist late Dr. D. V. J. Harishchandra’s Buddhism and Psychiatry “Manovidyawa Saha Buddadarmaya” edited by Dr. Tolusha Harischandra is a splendid book published in Sinhalese by the Vijitha Yapa publications that unravels the hitherto unknown confluence of Buddhism and Psychiatry.
The foreword of this book is aptly written by a long-standing associate of the late eminent psychiatrist, the Chief Sanganayake of North America, Maharagama Siri Dammasiri Thera from the City of Washington in the USA whilst an impressive preface is written by Tolusha Harishchandra herself. The epilogue of the book is by Ranjith Jayawardene another consultant specialist in psychiatry. The book contains an appendix - a compendium - that provides the pros and cons on the ingress and digress of this Psychiatrist of repute.
This authors’ magnum opus in Sinhalese is a compact of ten chapters. They are : Viyoduka (bereavement), Balaporottu Kadaweema hevath Ichchabangathwaya (Frustration), (Lord Buddha as a psychiatrist of eminence) Buddunwahanse Mano Chikithsakawarayaku Lesa, Maranaya Saha Viyoduka (death and grief counseling) Bheethika (Phobias), Danathmaka Mano Vidyawa (Positive psychology), Pasuthevilla (Regret) Grantha Chikithsawa (Bibiliotheraphy), Sihina Vigrahaya (Analysis of dreams) and Mano Ranga Chikithsawa (group psychotherapy). The cover is adorned with an excellent photograph of Dr. Harischandra by Teemathi Weerarathne, that photographer of repute. The back cover contains a word of appreciation by Ven. Bandarawela Amithananda Thero.
The book is dedicated to Mrs. Padmi Harishchandra who was the soul mate of Dr. Harischandra and for all those who associated him with a quotation from Appamada Vagga 12 of Dhammapada “Those who are not late are not dead; those who are late are the dead”. The book has been compiled in keeping with his last wishes from a series of articles by Dr. Harischandra that appeared in Budu Sarana”, a Sinhalese newspaper.
Dr. Harishchandra’s razor sharp intellect and tenacious memory and the yeoman services that he rendered to popularize Buddhism, psychiatry and Hindi music are legendary. It was not of the distinguished class of men of Harischandra’s caliber that Alexander Pope wrote - “One science only one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.”
Dr. D. V. J. Harishchandra has displayed the hallmark of a legendary genius. He has envisioned a legendary philosophy. One who would read Harishchandra’s latest treatise will find that he displays the prowess of a philosopher profusely quoting eastern and western philosophy and Shakespeare’s literature - which is a feat of no ordinary caliber. Quoting from eastern and western philosophy in the same work was done by Nehru in his ‘Discovery of India’, by NE Weerasooria in ‘Ceylon and her people’, by Vijaya Dissanayake in ‘New Vistas of early history of Sri Lanka’. But Harishchandra has taken it a step further. For instance in page 16-7 he quotes from Charles Dickens’s ‘A Tale of two cities’, how Lucy’s father Dr. Maney’s shock was cured by an abreaction. He compares it with an old Hindi Film “Andas” where the shock of Neena (Nurgees) caused by the death of her father Rajan (Raj Kapoor) is cured through an abreaction. At page 51 the counseling provided in the ‘Vishudhi Marga’ by Rev. Buddagosha during the reign King Mahanama (circa 410AD) incorporates several jataka stories recommended for one who is in a fit of rage. Those Jataka stories are : Maha Seelawa, Kshanthiwadi, Chulla Dharmapala, Chaddantha, Mahakapi, Booridatta, Vampeiya and Sankapala. In 1993 Canada’s Katz and Watt released a book entitled: ‘Bibiliotherapy, the use of books in psychiatric treatment’ which contains the very same advice given by Rev. Buddhagosha. At page 79-80 Shakespeare is compared with Hisapushpa, Latutika, Hilarawarta Jatakas and at page 182 Shakespeare’s verses are analyzed comparatively with Makhadeva jataka.
Harishchandra’s passionate love for classical Hindi music was amply portrayed by his audio DVD and the book “Jathaka Geetha Sangrahaya”. Some drawings are reproduced from this work. Harishchandra was endowed with a sixth sense as a result for his deep knowledge of music. It was Joseph Addision who once said “A man that has a taste of music, painting and architecture, is like one that has another sense, when composed with such as have no relish of those arts.”
T o a few is known Harishchandra’s whirlwind romance with ‘Hela Hawula’ of Munidasa Kumaratunge. His lyrics provide another example of his deep abiding ability to rhyme the gist of Jatakas to sing them as songs.
From pages 90 to 130 this book is a miscellany of Dr. Harishchandra’s profile and his flambuoyant career - some culled from the recollections of his sister - some from the appreciation of this colleagues. - all “foot prints of the sands of time”. I advocate this book as a ‘must’ read, a composite prescription of bibiliotheraphy for people of all walks of life
Dr. Harishchandra has blazed a trail in drawing out the confluence of Psychiatry with Theravada Buddhism that run in veins of the Sri Lankans. His perceptions in these fields have carved a niche in the annals of Buddhism our country.
Cruel ironies of fate have snatched away Dr. Harishchandra in the most unexpected moment. Fever of life is over for Dr. Harishchandra the eminent psychiatrist who healed the minds that ailed. His contribution lives on in our minds irresistibly.
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- 5
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The eminent consultant psychiatrist late Dr. D. V. J. Harishchandra’s Buddhism and Psychiatry “Manovidyawa Saha Buddadarmaya” edited by Dr. Tolusha Harischandra is a splendid book published in Sinhalese by the Vijitha Yapa publications that unravels the hitherto unknown confluence of Buddhism and Psychiatry.
The foreword of this book is aptly written by a long-standing associate of the late eminent psychiatrist, the Chief Sanganayake of North America, Maharagama Siri Dammasiri Thera from the City of Washington in the USA whilst an impressive preface is written by Tolusha Harishchandra herself. The epilogue of the book is by Ranjith Jayawardene another consultant specialist in psychiatry. The book contains an appendix - a compendium - that provides the pros and cons on the ingress and digress of this Psychiatrist of repute.
This authors’ magnum opus in Sinhalese is a compact of ten chapters. They are : Viyoduka (bereavement), Balaporottu Kadaweema hevath Ichchabangathwaya (Frustration), (Lord Buddha as a psychiatrist of eminence) Buddunwahanse Mano Chikithsakawarayaku Lesa, Maranaya Saha Viyoduka (death and grief counseling) Bheethika (Phobias), Danathmaka Mano Vidyawa (Positive psychology), Pasuthevilla (Regret) Grantha Chikithsawa (Bibiliotheraphy), Sihina Vigrahaya (Analysis of dreams) and Mano Ranga Chikithsawa (group psychotherapy). The cover is adorned with an excellent photograph of Dr. Harischandra by Teemathi Weerarathne, that photographer of repute. The back cover contains a word of appreciation by Ven. Bandarawela Amithananda Thero.
The book is dedicated to Mrs. Padmi Harishchandra who was the soul mate of Dr. Harischandra and for all those who associated him with a quotation from Appamada Vagga 12 of Dhammapada “Those who are not late are not dead; those who are late are the dead”. The book has been compiled in keeping with his last wishes from a series of articles by Dr. Harischandra that appeared in Budu Sarana”, a Sinhalese newspaper.
Dr. Harishchandra’s razor sharp intellect and tenacious memory and the yeoman services that he rendered to popularize Buddhism, psychiatry and Hindi music are legendary. It was not of the distinguished class of men of Harischandra’s caliber that Alexander Pope wrote - “One science only one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.”
Dr. D. V. J. Harishchandra has displayed the hallmark of a legendary genius. He has envisioned a legendary philosophy. One who would read Harishchandra’s latest treatise will find that he displays the prowess of a philosopher profusely quoting eastern and western philosophy and Shakespeare’s literature - which is a feat of no ordinary caliber. Quoting from eastern and western philosophy in the same work was done by Nehru in his ‘Discovery of India’, by NE Weerasooria in ‘Ceylon and her people’, by Vijaya Dissanayake in ‘New Vistas of early history of Sri Lanka’. But Harishchandra has taken it a step further. For instance in page 16-7 he quotes from Charles Dickens’s ‘A Tale of two cities’, how Lucy’s father Dr. Maney’s shock was cured by an abreaction. He compares it with an old Hindi Film “Andas” where the shock of Neena (Nurgees) caused by the death of her father Rajan (Raj Kapoor) is cured through an abreaction. At page 51 the counseling provided in the ‘Vishudhi Marga’ by Rev. Buddagosha during the reign King Mahanama (circa 410AD) incorporates several jataka stories recommended for one who is in a fit of rage. Those Jataka stories are : Maha Seelawa, Kshanthiwadi, Chulla Dharmapala, Chaddantha, Mahakapi, Booridatta, Vampeiya and Sankapala. In 1993 Canada’s Katz and Watt released a book entitled: ‘Bibiliotherapy, the use of books in psychiatric treatment’ which contains the very same advice given by Rev. Buddhagosha. At page 79-80 Shakespeare is compared with Hisapushpa, Latutika, Hilarawarta Jatakas and at page 182 Shakespeare’s verses are analyzed comparatively with Makhadeva jataka.
Harishchandra’s passionate love for classical Hindi music was amply portrayed by his audio DVD and the book “Jathaka Geetha Sangrahaya”. Some drawings are reproduced from this work. Harishchandra was endowed with a sixth sense as a result for his deep knowledge of music. It was Joseph Addision who once said “A man that has a taste of music, painting and architecture, is like one that has another sense, when composed with such as have no relish of those arts.”
T o a few is known Harishchandra’s whirlwind romance with ‘Hela Hawula’ of Munidasa Kumaratunge. His lyrics provide another example of his deep abiding ability to rhyme the gist of Jatakas to sing them as songs.
From pages 90 to 130 this book is a miscellany of Dr. Harishchandra’s profile and his flambuoyant career - some culled from the recollections of his sister - some from the appreciation of this colleagues. - all “foot prints of the sands of time”. I advocate this book as a ‘must’ read, a composite prescription of bibiliotheraphy for people of all walks of life
Dr. Harishchandra has blazed a trail in drawing out the confluence of Psychiatry with Theravada Buddhism that run in veins of the Sri Lankans. His perceptions in these fields have carved a niche in the annals of Buddhism our country.
Cruel ironies of fate have snatched away Dr. Harishchandra in the most unexpected moment. Fever of life is over for Dr. Harishchandra the eminent psychiatrist who healed the minds that ailed. His contribution lives on in our minds irresistibly.
The foreword of this book is aptly written by a long-standing associate of the late eminent psychiatrist, the Chief Sanganayake of North America, Maharagama Siri Dammasiri Thera from the City of Washington in the USA whilst an impressive preface is written by Tolusha Harishchandra herself. The epilogue of the book is by Ranjith Jayawardene another consultant specialist in psychiatry. The book contains an appendix - a compendium - that provides the pros and cons on the ingress and digress of this Psychiatrist of repute.
This authors’ magnum opus in Sinhalese is a compact of ten chapters. They are : Viyoduka (bereavement), Balaporottu Kadaweema hevath Ichchabangathwaya (Frustration), (Lord Buddha as a psychiatrist of eminence) Buddunwahanse Mano Chikithsakawarayaku Lesa, Maranaya Saha Viyoduka (death and grief counseling) Bheethika (Phobias), Danathmaka Mano Vidyawa (Positive psychology), Pasuthevilla (Regret) Grantha Chikithsawa (Bibiliotheraphy), Sihina Vigrahaya (Analysis of dreams) and Mano Ranga Chikithsawa (group psychotherapy). The cover is adorned with an excellent photograph of Dr. Harischandra by Teemathi Weerarathne, that photographer of repute. The back cover contains a word of appreciation by Ven. Bandarawela Amithananda Thero.
The book is dedicated to Mrs. Padmi Harishchandra who was the soul mate of Dr. Harischandra and for all those who associated him with a quotation from Appamada Vagga 12 of Dhammapada “Those who are not late are not dead; those who are late are the dead”. The book has been compiled in keeping with his last wishes from a series of articles by Dr. Harischandra that appeared in Budu Sarana”, a Sinhalese newspaper.
Dr. Harishchandra’s razor sharp intellect and tenacious memory and the yeoman services that he rendered to popularize Buddhism, psychiatry and Hindi music are legendary. It was not of the distinguished class of men of Harischandra’s caliber that Alexander Pope wrote - “One science only one genius fit; so vast is art, so narrow human wit.”
Dr. D. V. J. Harishchandra has displayed the hallmark of a legendary genius. He has envisioned a legendary philosophy. One who would read Harishchandra’s latest treatise will find that he displays the prowess of a philosopher profusely quoting eastern and western philosophy and Shakespeare’s literature - which is a feat of no ordinary caliber. Quoting from eastern and western philosophy in the same work was done by Nehru in his ‘Discovery of India’, by NE Weerasooria in ‘Ceylon and her people’, by Vijaya Dissanayake in ‘New Vistas of early history of Sri Lanka’. But Harishchandra has taken it a step further. For instance in page 16-7 he quotes from Charles Dickens’s ‘A Tale of two cities’, how Lucy’s father Dr. Maney’s shock was cured by an abreaction. He compares it with an old Hindi Film “Andas” where the shock of Neena (Nurgees) caused by the death of her father Rajan (Raj Kapoor) is cured through an abreaction. At page 51 the counseling provided in the ‘Vishudhi Marga’ by Rev. Buddagosha during the reign King Mahanama (circa 410AD) incorporates several jataka stories recommended for one who is in a fit of rage. Those Jataka stories are : Maha Seelawa, Kshanthiwadi, Chulla Dharmapala, Chaddantha, Mahakapi, Booridatta, Vampeiya and Sankapala. In 1993 Canada’s Katz and Watt released a book entitled: ‘Bibiliotherapy, the use of books in psychiatric treatment’ which contains the very same advice given by Rev. Buddhagosha. At page 79-80 Shakespeare is compared with Hisapushpa, Latutika, Hilarawarta Jatakas and at page 182 Shakespeare’s verses are analyzed comparatively with Makhadeva jataka.
Harishchandra’s passionate love for classical Hindi music was amply portrayed by his audio DVD and the book “Jathaka Geetha Sangrahaya”. Some drawings are reproduced from this work. Harishchandra was endowed with a sixth sense as a result for his deep knowledge of music. It was Joseph Addision who once said “A man that has a taste of music, painting and architecture, is like one that has another sense, when composed with such as have no relish of those arts.”
T o a few is known Harishchandra’s whirlwind romance with ‘Hela Hawula’ of Munidasa Kumaratunge. His lyrics provide another example of his deep abiding ability to rhyme the gist of Jatakas to sing them as songs.
From pages 90 to 130 this book is a miscellany of Dr. Harishchandra’s profile and his flambuoyant career - some culled from the recollections of his sister - some from the appreciation of this colleagues. - all “foot prints of the sands of time”. I advocate this book as a ‘must’ read, a composite prescription of bibiliotheraphy for people of all walks of life
Dr. Harishchandra has blazed a trail in drawing out the confluence of Psychiatry with Theravada Buddhism that run in veins of the Sri Lankans. His perceptions in these fields have carved a niche in the annals of Buddhism our country.
Cruel ironies of fate have snatched away Dr. Harishchandra in the most unexpected moment. Fever of life is over for Dr. Harishchandra the eminent psychiatrist who healed the minds that ailed. His contribution lives on in our minds irresistibly.
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