Thursday, March 19, 2015 (All day)
[Buddhist Spectrum]
BOOK REVIEW
Psychiatric liaison with Buddhism
Title: Buddhism and Psychiatry
Author: Consultant Psychiatrist D. V. J. Harishchandra
Editor: Tolusha Harishchandra
Publisher: Vijitha Yapa
Author: Consultant Psychiatrist D. V. J. Harishchandra
Editor: Tolusha Harishchandra
Publisher: Vijitha Yapa
An 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 Thero from the City of Washington in 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 on this Psychiatrist of repute.
This authors’ magnum opus in Sinhalese is 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 counselling) 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 reproduced from a series of articles appeared in Budu Sarana “Sinhalese newspaper written by late Dr. Harischandra in keeping with his last wishes.”
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 or Harischandra’s caliber that Alexander Pope who 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 avidly Harishchandra’s latest treatise will find that Harishchandra portrays the prowess of a philosopher profusely quoting eastern and western philosophy and Shakespeare’s literature - which means of no ordinary caliber. Quoting from eastern and western philosophy at the same point is found in by Nehru in his Discovery of India, NE Weerasooria in Ceylon and her people, Vijaya Dissanayake’s New Vistas of early history of Sri Lanka. But Harishchandra has trod on a virgin terrain as a true son of the soil of Sri Lankan Buddhism Psychiatry. For instance at page 16-7 he quotes from Charles Dicken’s A Tale of two cities, the daughter Lucy her father Dr. Maney’s shock was cured by an abreaction. Similarly he compares it with an old Hindi Film “Andas” Rajan (Raj Kapoor), the shock owed from the death of her father Neena (Nurgees) is cured through an abreaction. At page 51 the counseling provided in Vishudhi Marga by Rev. Buddagosha during the reign King Mahanama (circa 410AD) there are 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 : Bibiliography 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 he comparatively analyse Shakespeare’s verses with Makhadeva jataka.
Harishchandra’s passionate love for classical Hindhi 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 it is known, Harishchandra’s whirlwind romance with ‘Hela Hawula’ of Munidasa Kumaratunge the Sinhala language society. His lyrics is another example of his deep abiding ability to rhyme the jist of Jataka’s to sing them as songs.
From pages 90 to 130 this book is a miscellany of Dr. Harishchandra’s profile and on 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 trial the blaze in drawing out the confluence in Psychiatry and Theravada Buddhism that run in veins of the Sri Lankans. The perceptions/ foresight of his 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 in the minds of us irresistibly to enrich and live in the heart of generations to generations that yet to be born undoubtedly, void has been created by his digress which cannot for see to be fulfilled in the near future.
- HEMANTHA SITUGE.
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