Saturday, April 29, 2017
Thursday, April 27, 2017
104TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF HIKKADUWE SRI SUMANGALA MAHA NAHIMI- THAT HONOURED VOICE AND A RENOWNED BEACON OF LIGHT IN A BYGONE DARK ERA by Prof. Ananda Abeysiriwardena- Chief Editor of the Sinhalese Dictionary Rendered into English by Hemantha Situge
104TH DEATH ANNIVERSARY OF
HIKKADUWE SRI SUMANGALA MAHA NAHIMI- THAT HONOURED VOICE AND A RENOWNED
BEACON OF LIGHT IN A BYGONE DARK ERA
by
Prof. Ananda
Abeysiriwardena-
Chief Editor of the
Sinhalese Dictionary
The 104th death anniversary of Thripitaka Vagishwaracharya
Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Maha Nahimi the founder of the Vidyodaya Pirvena - who
carved a niche in the annals of Buddhist revivalism in Ceylon through his deep
scholarship, vast intellect and as a guiding light for a long line of pupils heralded
a new era - falls on the 29th April.
The 17th century was a dark era of Buddhism where later
Welivita Sri Sangaraja Mahimi’s indispensable role and his name in the latter
era is etched in gold in gold in resuscitating the lost decline. His erudite pupils
that moved hither and thither of the country rejuvenated the lost religious and
intellectual scholarship which inevitably resulted in regaining the lost
enthusiasm. But one could foresee that there was a void and the indispensable requirement
of an intellect of repute in these religious and intellectual spheres. It was a
boon to Ceylon, that Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nahimi who was ingrained in Bodisatva
qualities could aptly fill up this void as the tower of strength.
Ordaining
He was born on 1827
in Hikkaduwa belonged to govi caste with the lay name of Don Nicolas Abeyweera
Goonewardena and was ordained as a monk in 1840 on the Telwatte Wijayaba Maha Pirivena a
‘Hikkaduwe Sumangala’. The young monk had vistas of opportunity of learning
under Walane Siri Siddartha of Parama Dharma Chethiya Pirivena of Ratmalana who
was the leading authority and resonance accounted the monk of the times. The
young monk Sumangala was conferred the ordination of Upasampada at the Malwatta
Maha Viharaya of Kandy. Apart from this he leant Sanskrit, under the
Batuwantudawe Pandit and from the Kachinatha Vidyalankara Brahmin Pandit. He
also cultivated English, Arithmatics and other languages from various other
teachers.
Young Ven.
Hikkaduwé Sumangala with the guidance of his teachers cultivated a remarkable
position. He also became erudite in Sinhala Pali, Sanskrit and Prakrit
languages grammar, astrology and history and an accomplished author of these
fields. The Mahawansa edited together with Batuwantudawe pandit became a
renowned work. His facile pen wrote Sidat Sangara Sannaya, Balavathara, Brahma
Kavya Sannaya and Kavyasekara. His masterly unsurpassable works were Warna
Reethiya, Masarthu Lakshakaya, Sathya Sangrahaya, Sandi Vigrahaya, Seema Vibhagaya
and Akyatha Viyakyawa.
The Balavatara
teekawa his magnum opus bears ample testimony for his deep intellect of par
excellence. He devoted his whole life for intellectual scholarly pursuits which
was his forte. He played a pivotal role in establishing Lankopakaraya Press and
starting Lankaloka Samaya magazine, and the Sarasavi Sandaresa newspaper.
Debates
Hikkaduwe Sumangala
Maha Nahimi was not only instrumental in writing works of dhamma he also took
part in intellectual debates. These debates were of languages and of literary subjects. Among them were Savusathdam debate,
Panadura debate, NNaLLa debate, Parupana debate and Adi Masa debate. It is recorded
in history that all these debates were in pursuance of truth. The Maha Nahimi never took part in them
only to gain victory until truth was realized he aspired to make them realize
same. His skills of debate, logical presentation, rapier thrust, incised
rhetoric, razor sharp intellect, fearlessness were compact of indomitable
innate qualities, which made him to refute to lead to cross swords against his
formidable opponents.
The yeoman services
to Dhamma rendered by him was to learn Dhamma locally and to the foreign
countries. He managed to build up a large circle of pupils. Among them were :
Kojin Gunaratne, Kojima Kondagngna and Sumana Tavubana priests and erudite
Pandit named Satho from Japan, Rev. Kõsambika Dhammananda, Pandith Sathichandra
Vidya Vibhushana from Bharatha, two Chitagong Buddhist Bhikkus Bewaradasa and
Hara Govinda, N. K. Bhagavat and Visharada Gnanananda Bhikkhu from Gujarat.
From the Mysoor desa Wimalabuddhi Bhikku a Tamil priest and a Pandit Nithyananda
Gosswamy. Two who hail from were: Siam Vukum Amarabhirakkita and Pramaha
Kantachara and from the Tibet Subahu were well-known among them. Kosambika
Dhammananda and Sathichchandra Vidyabhushana were reputed as students who
excelled from Mahanahimi Among his local students Heiyyantuduwe Sri Dewamithra
Nayaka Mahimi, Mahagoda Sri Gnaneshwara Nayaka Mahimi, Bihalpola Sri
Dewarakshita, Kahawe Sri Ratanasara, Baddegama Sri Piyaratne were acclaimed as
prominent pupils. Apart from those pupils Pandit Paul Darlké the German scholar
Pandit who posed queries from the Sumangala Maha Nahimi on the philosophy of
Mahayana his authoritative seholarly eminence were widely accepted. Colonel
Henry Steel Olcott arrived Ceylon as a theosophist but he left the island as a
Buddhist Upasaka who sans Atma. This was learnt as a result of extensive
discussions and in depth that study and learning together he had with Sumangala
Maha Nahimi.
Vidyodaya Pirivena
In 1867 Hikkaduwe
Sumangala Maha Nahimi played a prominent Buddhist revivalist role is Dhamma
Sangayanawa in Pelmadulla. In 1873 he was instrumental in establishing the
Vidyodaya Pirivena of Maligakanda the prominent Oriental seat of learning of
Dhamma. This institution led a pioneering role in preserving national heritage
for posterity. The Vidyodaya Pirivena institution played a pivotal role in
rejuvenating the indolent Sinhalese with fresh mode of thoughts that infused a
new lease of life in every nook and corner of the country. Predominantly the
Maha Nahahimi elevated the level of the mother tongue Sinhalese. Vidyodaya
became the seat of learning for oriental scholars who learnt their languages,
writers with articulate pens Sinhalese and which brought a promising future to
the country. Also for the Ayurvedha and traditional medicine in medical fields
and for astrology this institution rendered a remarkable service which entwined
scholarship and tradition.
The other
invaluable facet was Vidyodaya became the mother institution which was destined
to nurture Ceylon as the cradle of oriental learning for a large circle of
pirivenas in all parts of the country. Therefore it is our prime duty to
protect the future of the Vidyodaya Pirivena as devout Buddhists.
Hikkaduwe Sri
Sumangala Maha Nahimi The founder of Vidyodaya Pirivena was a sui generis,
famed for the recent Buddhist revivalism in Ceylon May he attain the Supreme Bliss
of Nirvana !
REPLY OF VIDYAJOTI WALTER MARASINGHE EDITOR JRAS NS 2016 VOLUME 61 PART 1 AND 2 ON THE REVIEW BY HEMANTHA SITUGE RECEIVED BY HIM VIA E MAIL ON 20 th APRIL 2017
Editor's
Reply to Hemantha Situge's Review on RASSL Journal Vol. 61, Parts 1 & 2
A review on the latest issues
of the RASSL Journal Vol. 61, Parts 1 & 2 (2016) has been released by Mr. Hemantha
Situge, a former Treasurer of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. The learned reviewer has taken to task almost
all the articles and the two obituaries published in these issues. While I deeply appreciate the few
constructive criticisms he has made, I regret to say that the majority of his
comments have no firm ground to stand.
As the Editor of the Journal, I take full responsibility
of the contents of the articles and would like to place on record what I have
to say about some silly remarks made by the reviewer, leaving it to the
respective authors to reply to them more authoritatively.
First, the article by Prof. Mahinda Somathilake on Ajanta
murals and their chronology. As to the
date of discovery of the paintings, there is a difference of just two years
between that of Somathilake and that of Benjamin Rowland. The latter however does not substantiate his
statement, but Somathilake provides some evidence for his date. Which view are we to accept? Are we to accept
Benjamin Rowland just because he is a Britisher? We must also note that Somathilake's article is not on Ajanta murals
but an endeavor to establish their chronology.
In this attempt the scholar does not depend on the paintings per se and
their stylistic differences and has given valid reasons for excluding them as
unreliable criteria. He considers
inscriptional, paleographical and architectural factors more reliable. We cannot, therefore, blame Somathilake for
not referring to scenes from the Sinhala Avadana, which are quite outside his
purview.
Article Two. The
reviewer finds fault with Chandana Jayawardana for not mentioning whether he is
dealing with unpublished or published literature. Is it really necessary? Any one who reads through the article will
find that Chandana's review is based on the published Buddhist literature in
Pali. I, therefore, do not see any
reason why he should give a long list of catalogues of unpublished material in Sanskrit,
Pali and Sinhala, which are quite irrelevant to his study. A. B. Keith's book deals with the history of
classical Sanskrit literature from Asvaghosa downwards. What is the relevance of that book to this
study? In my opinion, Chandana has done an excellent job, and a
word of appreciation would have been an encouragement to that young researcher.
Article Three.
Using 'Veragala' for 'Veheragala' is not a mistake. 'Veheragala' becomes 'Veragala' by a rule of
euphonic combination. Chandrajeewa
personally told me that he was sticking to the commonly used term 'Veragala'.
Review article on Anand Singh's book. I personally do not think that mentioning the
reviewer's email address at the end of the article is a serious violation of
tradition. It is given there actually
for the purposes of communication, for he is a foreign scholar. On the other hand, tradition should change
with times. Tradition is not to be
deified as a perpetual legacy. When an
age-long practice becomes no longer
relevant, there is no point in preserving it.
Euripides is acclaimed as a great dramatist mainly because he fought
against the established order based on meaningless tradition. We have violated tradition this time by
changing 'PUBLISHED BY THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA, COLOMBO' to
'BIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA, COLOMBO' on the Cover and Title Pages of the Journal!.
Now articles in Part 2.
The title of the first article appearing as 'Uri Lanka's . ..' is
actually a printer's devil. As soon as
it was detected it was brought to the notice of the Printer He was very apologetic and took immediate
steps to rectify the error. But
unfortunately a few copies of the Journal were issued at the AGM before the
correction was done. We apologize to
those members who received their copies before it was corrected.
I admit that it would have been better if the author had
mentioned the museum inventory numbers of the several statues. But this lapse has no bearing on the contents of the article.
Ulrich von Schroeder' s book, The Golden Age of Sculpture in Sri Lanka,
is hard to find. Since it is a catalogue
published for the Exhibition of Sri Lankan bronze images held at the
Smithsonian Institution from November 1992 to September 1993, British Museum
Tara Devis are not included in it. But I
brought it to the notice of the author that a number of references to Tara and
other Buddha saktis and architectural
details of the pabbata-viharas to
which Vijayarama belonged are found in the Vastuvidyasastra
and Citrakarmasastra of Manjusri,
which had escaped her notice. Shanti
expressed her gratitude for pointing them out and gave me full permission to
include those details suitably.
Unfortunately, by the time the article had gone to the printer and I was
unable to comply with her request.
We have taken note of the absence of photo accreditations
in all the articles as pointed out by the reviewer, and we shall discuss this
matter at the next meeting of the new Publications Committee to arrive at a
decision. I personally agree with the
reviewer to look into the possibility of publishing colour photographs, but
there is also a view that an academic journal need not publish colour photos,
which would also add to the cost of the Journal.
The reviewer has no comments on the next article by Prof.
Mathilal de Silva, except that his title Attorney-at-Law appears along with his
name. He is not only an Attorney-at-Law
but a retired Professor in Law at the Management Faculty of University of Sri
Jayewardenepura. His title was used in
consideration of the highly specialized nature of the article. The author of the next article, Ramla
Wahab-Salman, is a talented young member
of the RASSL, and I am sure that she will take the reviewer's comments in good
spirit. However, Ramla's main concern
has been the contribution made by the Journal Muslim Nesan during the eight years from 1882 to 1889, to which topic
she has done ample justice, I believe.
It is easy to criticize.
Today a thousand of references can be found on any topic in a few
moments. So it is very easy for a
reviewer to find a loop-hole in any article.
But what is more important and expected of a reviewer is, while pointing
out shortcomings, to appreciate any good points by way of encouragement for the
researcher. Nowadays it is very
difficult to obtain good articles for the RASSL Journal, and I am afraid sheer criticism might tend to discourage
even those few researchers who take great pains to write articles for the
Journal, from doing so.
Walter Marasinghe,
Hony. Editor/RASSL Journal.
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Sunday, April 16, 2017
Hemantha Situge: JOURNAL REVIEW TITLE: JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATI...
Hemantha Situge: JOURNAL REVIEW TITLE: JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATI...: JOURNAL REVIEW TITLE : JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 59, PART I EDITOR : DR...
JOURNAL REVIEW TITLE: JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 59, PART I EDITOR : DR. HEMA GOONETILAKE BA (Hons), Phd (Lond) PUBLISHER: THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA, COLOMBO, 2014 Reviewed by Hemantha Situge
JOURNAL
REVIEW
TITLE :
JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA.
NEW
SERIES, VOLUME 59, PART I
EDITOR :
DR. HEMA GOONETILAKE BA (Hons), Phd (Lond)
PUBLISHER : THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA, COLOMBO, 2014
Reviewed by
Hemantha Situge
e-mail :
hsituge@gmail.com
blog : Hemantha
Situge@blogspot.com
The Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (RASSL) has
released its latest journal, New series, Volume 59, Part I, 2014 this month
published by the RAS, SL, Colombo. *
The journal spans into 116 pages with five
articles by contributors. The five articles are: viz Assistant Professor of
University of Assam, Vinay Kumar Rao’s ‘Some Scenes from the, Life of the
Buddha: Sculptural Depiction from Arakan (Rakhine) in Myanmar’ Indira J.
Mawelle’s ‘Linguistic Variation on Popular Media: From Theory to Practice’
Kamani Dambawinna’s, ‘Citation Analysis of The Ceylon Journal of Science (Biological
Sciences),’ Ven. Olaganwatte Chandrasiri’s ‘The Poetical Works and the Poetic
Language during the British Period in Sri Lanka’ and Ratnasiri Arangala’s
tribute on ‘Emeritus Professor A. V. Suraweera’
The title of the
first article of Rao’s does not portray the contents of the article. The
contents appositely bespeaks of eight sculptural depictions, Why such a wide
title? Rao describes eight such reliefs reposed in Museums in Myanmar, Plate I
(at page 7) Plate II, III, IV, V, VII and VIII are from (vide: at page 11)
Mrauk U. Museum, Myanmar. At page 2 of the JRAS, Rao states
* This review was written by the reviewer when he
received the JRAS by
post in
2015
that: “Recently, eight numbers of stone sculptures
were discovered from Sailagiri”
But Rao does not provide any explanation as to why
the relief described as plate VI in page 11 of the JRAS was deposited in the
Mrauk U. Museum in Myanmar. All eight sculptures are published without the
museum registration numbers which is a sine qua non for publication in a
journal of repute. All these eight sculptures are not found in measurements.
This is a sheer deviation of the well-acclaimed world standard, scientific
practice in academic articles.
The title of the second article of Indira J.
Mawelle is in a similar position like Rao’s taking the readers astray. ‘Popular
Media’ is it FM or Newspapers or the TV, until the readers peruse the contents
of the article the title used in the JRAS has taken the readers into an abyss of despair.
Similarly the title of the third article of Kamani
Dambawinna remains too wide as to she has dealt only on five recent volumes of the said journal.
(vide: at page 37 of the JRAS).
The fourth, has taken the readers into a
similar position by Ven Olaganwatte Chandrasiri’s article ‘The Poetical Works
and the Poetic Language during the British Period in Sri Lanka’ The most
pertinent question arises as to whether these poetical works in the title are
Sinhalese or English or Tamil? The most adverse salient feature of the article
by Ven Olaganwatte Chandrasiri is that all end notes in which he has quoted he
has endeavored to portray that the books he quotes are from the English
language texts. The other most predominant feature is that he is unaware or
shows a cold shoulder on all English works on Sinhalese poetical books. For
instance Emeritus Professor Vini Vitharana’s ‘Muvadevdavata’ published by
Godage in 2009 and ‘Sasadavata’ published by Godage in 2013, former RAS
President Professor M.B. Ariyapala came out with several such works, translated
with Mc Alpine one such was ‘Kavsilumina.’ Eudelin De Jonville’s ‘Kokila
Sandeshaya’ in 1802, Charles William Macready’s excellent translation in
English ‘Sela Lihini Sandese the Sela’s Message, with notes and a glossary, for
the use of students’ in 1865 and Thomas Steele’s metrical version of the ‘Kusa
Jatakaya- an eastern love story’ Messers Trubner and co. 1871.
The text of ‘Jatika Kavyya’ cited as an end notes
22, (at pages 102 JRAS) (at page 103) 25 Rev. Chandrasiri renders the readers
the readers clueless as to what is this text?
At pages of the JRAS, SL in this article the foot
note is found erroneously entered in the foot notes at page 106. In another
foot note Bentara Lankara is quoted from Kumaratunge Munidasa instead from its
author Albert Silva. The longest article of the JRAS which is from pages 49 to
112 contains- enormous amounts of mistakes bringing JRAS into disrepute.
The reviewer observes that a new trend has emerged
in the JRAS to translate Sinhalese articles into English thus this is a malady
to be eradicated as these articles have caused a risqué sense of humor to the
readers of the JRAS.
Last but least is the tribute by Professor
Ratnasiri Arangala on Emeritus Professor A. V. Suraweera as page 114 he writes
five novels in English in Italics they are not explained as Sinhalese novels.
The Publication Committee of 2014-2015 headed Dr.
Malani Dias is answerable about the pathetic plight of the JRAS of SL 2014 new
series, volume 59, part I together with the editor Dr. Hema Goonetilake where
the membership has entrusted them with a sacred duty to maintain 170 years
old traditions maintained by RAS of Sri Lanka. JRAS of Sri Lanka. is well-known as a anonymous
referral, prestigious journal, Are all these articles have undergone the rigid
referral process or have they been approved according to the whims and fancies of
a few who do not wish to maintain the 170 year old traditions maintained by RAS
of Sri Lanka?
Quo Vadis the JRAS of Sri Lanka new series, volume
59, part I? Will the RAS of Sri Lanka established in 1845 (as the cover states) destined or continue to hover in this pathetic condition?? Only time would tell !!
Wednesday, April 12, 2017
Wednesday, April 5, 2017
BOOK REVIEW TITLE: JOURNALS OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA NEW SERIES VOLUME 61 PART 1 AND 2 2016 EDITOR :VIDYAJOTI E. WALTER MARASINGHE PUBLISHER :BIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA Reviewed by Hemantha Situge
BOOK REVIEW
TITLE : JOURNALS OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC SOCIETY OF
SRI LANKA
NEW
SERIES VOLUME 61 PART 1 AND 2 2016
EDITOR : VIDYAJOTI E. WALTER MARASINGHE
PUBLISHER : BIANNUAL PUBLICATION OF THE ROYAL ASIATIC
SOCIETY OF SRI LANKA
Reviewed by Hemantha
Situge
e-mail :
hsituge@gmail.com
blog : Hemantha
Situge@blogspot.com
The Journals of the
Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka (JRAS) New Series, Volume 61 Part 1 and 2
for 2016 edited by Vidyajoti E. Walter Marasinghe were distributed among the
members of the RAS at the Annual General Meeting of the 172nd year
held on Saturday 25th March at the auditorium of the Mahaweli
Centre.
JRAS, Volume 61
Part 1 for the year of 2016 contains three articles, a book review and ‘a
tribute’. They are : Mahinda Somathilake on ‘Ajanta Murals and their Chronology
: A Critical Analysis’ from pages 1 to 32, Chandana Jayawardene on ‘Counting and
Computation Abilities in Early Sri Lanka : A Review based on Buddhist Literature’
from page 33 to 68 and Sarath Chandrajeewa on ‘Veheragala Avalokitēsvara
Bodhisatva : An Inquiry into Its Style and Period (The Mahayana Buddhist Bronze
Statue in Colombo Museum)’ from pages 69 to 106, the review by Anad Singh on
the book titled : ‘Buddhism at Sãranãth’ is found from pages 107 to 110 and the
tribute of Hema Goonetileke on Dr. Christopher Reynolds is from pages 111 to
113 of the journal.
This reviewer
wishes to make the following comments on the first article. At page 3 Somathileke
states that : “Thenceforth, after centuries of neglect, the caves of Ajanta
were discovered in the first part of 19th century AD, the earliest
recorded visitor being some officers of the Madras Army who saw the paintings
in 1819”. However Benjamin Rowland in his ‘The Ajanta Caves – Early Buddhist
Paintings from India UNESCO 1963’ at P5 has stated that : “In the year 1817 the
manoeuvres of a company of British Soldiers resulted in the discovery of the
greatest cycle of Indian wall-paintings in the rock-cut cave temples of the
Ajanta gorge …………”
The second comment,
which this reviewer wishes to place on record is that the reference found in D.
B. Dhanapala’s ‘Buddhist paintings from shrines and temples in Ceylon’ Collins
London 1964 on the significance of Ajanta cave Buddhist paintings for Sri Lanka.
Though the learned writer attaches a foot note at page 16 of the journal but it
is in a different context from the very same book cited by the reviewer i.e.
cave 17 paintings on the advent of King Vijaya. Three scenes found in the cave
17 would have been a merit worthy point of comment for the learned writer at
least in a foot note; aptly it is the only place of connection to the Sinhala
Culture. The first scene from the Simhala Avadana which depicts : “The
army on the march, led by Simhala who is riding a white elephant.” The
second scene also from Simhala Avadana which depicts : “Under a tent, Simhala
and one of the ogresses, momentarily transformed into a beautiful woman, are
conversing while, to the left, other ogresses are engaged in their gruesome
practices”. The third scene is also from Simhala Avadana which depicts :
“The sacred horse and its groom.” Cave 17 is somewhat is dealt with by Sarath
Chandrajeewa at P79-80 in the same issue in his article. The painting on the advent
of King Vijaya has had adorned the ‘Sinhala Bauddhaya’ commemorative
issue in 1915.
The third comment
which this reviewer wishes to make on this article is that Vini Vitharana in
his ‘Sri Lanka – the Geographical Vision’ Department of Educational
Publications Sri Lanka 1996. (The thesis accepted by the University of Ceylon
Peradeniya for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy - 1966) at page 195 he states
that : “Mookerji (1957, 29-30) (History of Indian Shipping) believes that the
Jãtakas such as the Mahãjanaka, Valãhassa and Sańkha and the story of Vijaya
stand evidence to the prevalence of large ship in Sri Lankan waters during the
ancient times. He also presents several bits of sculptural, artistic and
numismatic evidence from Sãnchi, Kanhēri, Āndhra, Ajantã and Borobudur ranging
from 2nd century BC to the 11th century AD in support of
a claim for the prevalence of extensive shipping in the Indian Ocean (ibid 35,
41-42, 45-50)’. This reviewer neither sees any iota of material cited by the
learned writer on numismatic evidence nor on Mukerji cited to by Vitharana supra.
The article carries
a subtitle ‘Paintings and their Chronology’. Benjamin Rowland cited above has
stated that (at page 145) “It is said that the great Buddhist sage Asanga lived
for a time at Ajanta. He is remembered as the exponent of the Yogachara
docrine, in which all reality is a dream, and for his conjuring of the Hindu
gods into the Buddhist pantheon……. A reflection of Asanga’s teachings may
perhaps be seen in the composition of the Great Bodhisattva in the presence of
his sakti the Buddhist counter part of the female energies of the Hindu gods.” This
reviewer does not find that Mahinda Somathileke has endeavoured to go into the
times of the great Buddhist sage Asanga who has supposed to have lived for a
time at Ajanta.
The article
contains one map and nine photographs where no photo accreditations are found
therein. Did the JRAS violate the copyrights of any previous photographer or an
author? The editor of JRAS has over looked the fact that Somathileke has not
used diacritical marks as per ‘Guide lines to the Contributors’.
The second article
is of Chandana Jayawardene’s is a review based on Buddhist Literature - the
article does not say whether it is published or unpublished literature. The
article does not cite the following : B. C. Law’s ‘History Pali Literature of
Ceylon Vol. I and II London 1933. Louis de Zoysa’s ‘Catalogue of Pali,
Sinhalese, and Sanskrit Manuscripts in the Ceylon Government Oriental Library
Colombo’ 1876 and the ‘Catalogue of Pali, Sinhalese and Sanskrit Manuscripts in
the Temple Libraries of Ceylon’. Colombo 1885. D. M. de Z. Wickramasinghe’s ‘Catalogue
of Sinhalese Mss in the British Museum’ London 1900 and the ‘Catalogue of the
Sinhalese Printed Books in the Library of the British Museum’ 1901, A. B.
Keith’s ‘History of Sanskrit Literature’ Oxford 1928, W. A. de Silva’s ‘Catalogue
of Palm Leaf Manuscripts’ (Memoirs of the Colombo Museum) Vol I 1938, James de
Alwis’s ‘A Descriptive Catalogue of Sanskrit, Pali and Sinhalese Literary Works
of Ceylon’, Vol I (1870) 2 and 3, William Skeen Government Printer Colombo and
Somapala Jayawardhana’s Hand book of Pali Literature Colombo 1994.
Another noteworthy
omission is that Wilhelm Geiger’s ‘Culture of Ceylon in Medieval Times’ edited
by Heinz Bechert Wiesbaden : Otto Harrassowitz 1960 which is not cited to in
his article.
The third article
is of Sarath Chandrajeewa’s. This reviewer fervently believes that it is
Veheragala where the title is found as Veragala (see : first paragraph it is
referred to as Veheragala) How did this error seep in throughout the article?
Nandasena Mudiyanse
in his ‘Three unpublished Mahãyãna Bronzes from Ceylon in the British Museum’
JRASCB Vol XIV, 1970 pages 46 to 49 has described from the Hugh Nevill
collection which is assigned the British Museum Registration Numbers
1898-7-1-135 (figure 1) and 1898-7-1-136 (figure 2) where he has stated that :
“The deity sits in Maharajalila, the left hand sitting resting on the
asana while the right holds a lotus flower in bloom. The left leg hangs
down, but the right is bent and is placed on the seat”. (emphasis added)
At page 04 of the
journal this reviewer finds a photo of the Avalokithēsvara Bodhisattva. But
curiously at P31 of the journal in Somathileke’s article cave 1 part of a photo
of Ajanta Cave paintings : Padmapani Bodhisattva typically resembles Avalokitēśvara
Bodhisattva of Veheragala in Sarath Chandrajeewa’s article. Sarath Chandrajeewa
in his article totally ignores this painting or Nandasena Mudiyanse’s account
cited by this reviewer.
This reviewer finds
a photograph which appears in the Wikipedia free encyclopeadia on
Avalokitēśvara Bodhisatva ‘a bronze statue of Avalokitēśvara from Sri Lanka CA
750 CE from Burmingham Museum of Art’ is also not adverted to by Sarath
Chandrajeewa in his article.
This reviewer is of
the fervent opinion that cave 1 of Ajanta mural painting Padmapãni Bodhisattva
furnishes the right hand clue of posture of the carrying a flower in statue of
Veheragala. Any observer would find that these two have strikingly similar features.
Curiously Sarath Chandrajeewa aptly agrees with the reviewer though he has not
cited cave 1 painting of the Ajanta murals.
John Clifford Holt
in his book titled : ‘Buddha in the Crown Avalokitēśvara in the Buddhist
Tradition of Sri Lanka’ Oxford University press 1991 states that the first to
fourth statues from Tiriyaya cited in his work from Ulrich Von Shroeders’ book,
the figure 12 (Holt’s) the bronze statuette from Boston Museum belongs to
Ananda Coomaraswamy’s collection, figure 16 of Holt from Natha devale from
Kandy all there statues are in lion’s roar posture – thus lokeshwara features.”
Nandasena Mudiyanse’s ‘Mahãyãna Monuments of Ceylon,’ M. D. Gunasena Colombo
1967 is not referred to by the learned author. Pl to Pl 14 contains no
accreditations to the photographs that appears therein. Did the JRAS violate
the copyrights of a previous photographer or an author?
The book review by
Srikant Ganvir at page 110 has published his personal e-mail hitherto which no
JRAS have published same for a contributor. It should be borne in mind that the
inner back cover instructions ‘Guide to Contributors’ (item no. iii) is only
for communication purpose and not for publication purpose. The title of the
book sought to be reviewed has been carried as Sing Anand 2014, ‘Buddhism at
Saranath’. The final article remains a tribute where it is found as “Tribute
Hema Goonetileke” in the contents.Whither the title Dr. Christopher Reynold? Did the past journals of the RAS SL publish
this column as an obituary or as a ‘tribute’ or as an appreciation? Secondly could
a person who writes on another academic could he or she make personal
recollections or remarks on the very same person? Did the JRAS contain this
tradition?
The Part 2 of
Volume 61 New Series of the JRAS the contents reads as follows : Shanthi Jayawardene’s
‘Uri Lanka’s Tãrã Devi,’ from pages 1 to 20, S. Sarath Mathilal de Silva’s ‘The
Concept of Equality : its Scope, Developments and International Legal Regime’
from pages 31 to 54, Ramla Wahab-Salman’s ‘A History of the ‘Ceylon Moor’ Press
(1882 - 1889) from pages 55 to 70, Susantha Goonetileke’s ‘Happiness and the
Psychological Contents of Anuradhapura Society’ from pages 71 to 88 and Uda
Hettige’s Tribute on Prof. Senaka Bandaranayake from pages 89 to 90. It is
evident that JRAS part 2 is a slimmer and contains less pages than the part 1
because it has only ninety pages. JRAS Part 1 is only replete with hundred and
twelve pages.
Once this reviewer
perused the first article in part 2 volume 61 only he could realize that ‘Uri
Lanka’ is an error for ‘Sri Lanka’ – it is a ‘printer’s devil’ !
This article on ‘Tara
devi’ is on a museum object found in the British Museum. The article neither
contains the museum object inventory reference number of figure 1 nor of figure
2 solid cast gilt bronze 0.17 meters Tara Devi. The writer Shanti Jayawardene
has even not attempted to trace at least the museum object number of figure 3
Tara Devi seated found in the National Museum Colombo nor figure 11
Avalokitēsvara Tiriyãya cited in page 9 JRAS. This reviewer finds it as a sine
qua non to identify the museum object by the museum inventory number as the
museum inventory contains information that would have furnished the reader of
the RAS of the day it reached the museum and how it reached the museum the
background of the object of study to the academic or the member of RAS. The
article on ‘Sri Lanka’s Tãrã Devi contains figure 1 to figure 27. This reviewer
did not find any of these figures are mentioned or referred in the article in
parenthesis. The reviewer identifies this as a lapse in the JRAS.
Another salient
omission by Shanthi Jayawardene is that he has not referred to U .Von
Schroeder’s ‘The Golden Age of Sculpture in Sri Lanka’ Visual Dharma
Publication, Hong Kong 1990. vide : at 90 -1 Samadhi Goddess (no 30) is Jayawardene’s figure 3 where National Museum
object no. 40.474.144 registered in 1940
w.w.w.britishmuseum.org/research/collection-online-object_details on Acquisition
notes ; original papers (June 1830) – To Mr. Henry Ellis (Principal Librarian)
from Sir Robert Brownrigg reports that the image ‘was found in the NE part of
Ceylon between Trincomalee and Batticalou’. The height 143 cm (not including
plinth), width 44 cm, depth 29.5 cm, date 08th Century (circa)
culture period Anuradhapura. The museum identification no. 1830,0612.4 which is
displayed in the room number 33 of the British Museum.
But P. E. P.
Deraniyagala in his article cited in f.n. 2 by Shanthi Jayawardene (at P 23
JRAS, Volume 61 Part 2) at P 268 has stated that : as “………. high dug up near
Trincomalee ……….” Therefore what Jayawardene says cannot be accepted i.e. “Her
find spot is not known ………..”
The description
provided by British Museum online is as follows :
“Goddess. A
standing figure of a female deity (Tãrã) solid cast in bronze and gilded. The
figure has a high tubular coiffure (jatamukuta) held in place by a medallion
flanked by makara-s (water creatures) The medallion was probably set with stones
as were the lower body dressed in tight – fitting cloth knotted at the hips.
The upper body is uncovered. The proper right hand is in varadamudrã (gesture
of giving) left hand in katakahastamudrã (the hand pose wherein the tips of the
fingers are applied to the thumb so as to form a ring, as if to hold a flower).
The two middle fingers of the right hand are missing as are toes from both
feet.”
Therefore this
reviewer finds that the description provided by Shanti Jayawardene is
inadequate when he compares it with the British Museum on line description.
On a careful
perusal the reviewer could observe that Shanthi Jayawardene in his article on
‘Sri Lanka’s Tara’ has cited the tenth century ‘Mihintale inscription of Mahinda
IV which records the existence of a house for the goddess mininã – a Sinhala
name for Tãrã Devi (vide : at P7 supra) and ‘A tenth century pillar inscription
of Kassapa V who followed the Tantric Trikãya doctrine.’ (vide : at P10 ibid)
But he has not provided the reader the Epigraphia Zeylanica or the Inscription
of Ceylon, or University of Ceylon or JRAS reference at least in a foot note
which would have provided the reference
to the description of the epigraphy record.
The next comment
which the reviewer wishes to make is that a new unaccepted way of writing has
emerged by the figures provided therein. That is by mentioning the once who
holds the copyright i.e. © British Museum, © National Museum, © Ulrich Von
Schroeder, © CCF and © Senake Bandaranayake. This reviewer condemns this mode
of writing as it is a sheer violation of the copyright law of the country.
The next article is
written by S. Sarath Mathilal de Silva on the ‘The Concept of Equality : Its Scope,
Developments and International Legal Regime’ The writer is identified at the
beginning of the article itself as an Attorney-at-Law in which hitherto is not found
at the beginning of an article in the JRAS.
The third article
is by Ramla Wahab-Salman on ‘A History of the ‘Ceylon Moor’ press (1882-1889)
which refers to Orabi Pasha – page 65-6 in the JRAS Part 2. This reviewer finds
that a book published by Frewin and Co. Colombo in 1983 titled : ‘Orabi Pasha –
The Egyptian Exiles in Ceylon’ written by A. C. Dep. is not referred to by the
writer Wahab – Salman. Arnold Wright’s ‘Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon’
1903 also contains some material on Orabi Pasha. Wahab - Salman has turned a blind
eye to the said material. This reviewer’s next comment is that she even has not
referred to Dr. Lorna Dewaraja’s ‘History of Muslims in Sri Lanka’ authoritative
book published for Muslim of Sri Lanka 1994.
At P56 in her
article Wahab-Salman provides a definition to the word “Moor” by citing Quadri
Ismail former news editor of the Sunday Times newspaper of Sri Lanka.
This reviewer does not find that she has used the Glossary by S. A. W. Mattau
published by the National Archives as volume III 1985-6.Also see P581-3 Hobson-jobson by Yule and Burnell 1903.
Muslim Nesan (Muslim Friend)
referred to in the said article emerged ere (vide : at page 61 JRAS) the
National Archives was established in 1885. Ramla Wahab – Salman does not
indicate whether Muslim Nesan was subsequently registered at the
National Archives of Ceylon.
Susantha Goonetileke’s
articles titled : ‘Happiness and the Psychological Contents of Anuradhapura Society’
down below at page 71 contains RAS address, phone number, email and even his personal
mobile number which is against the JRAS tradition. The tribute on Professor
Senaka Bandaranayake by Uda Hettige is another personal tribute which is not found
in the JRAS tradition.
The reviewer could
lay his hands only on a very few reviews on the JRAS. They are viz. No. 3856 of
volume 152 (1943) of Nature that world renowned magazine on nature, No. 09
volume 43 of Museum Journal and M. N. Pearson’s review on JRAS, NS, volume 39
special number Colombo 1995 published in JRAS volume XL, NS, 1996 P182-3
The JRAS in recent
times does not include the proceedings of the General Meetings, lectures and
Council Meeting records. The reviewer asserts that after volume 59 was
published in 2011 for the past six years no JRAS has published these records.
Isn’t all past Councils of the RAS since 2011 are responsible for this serious
lapse. O’temporaes O’mores What times What practices!! This reviewer also sees
that the past journals published colour photographs for the articles
contributed (e.g. vide: volumes 40, 46 and 49 special number) Quo Vadis the
JRAS? Has JRAS declined in the standards?
The JRAS is highly
acclaimed as a peer reviewed journal. This review on JRAS Volume 61 part 1 and
2 for 2016 is written with a fervent intention to ascertain despite these
serious lapses, errors and inelegancies whether the Editor Vidyajoti E. Walter
Marasinghe together with the publications committee 2015/2016 led by the Chairman
Dr. Malini Dias, Dr. Hema Goonetileke (Ex-officio President RASSL) Dr. Subhangi
Herath, Mr. Wijeratne Bohingamuwa, Mr. H. Mahinda Goonasekara and Ms. S. L.
Ranasinghe have acted within the parametres of the law and or within the
objectives of RAS. This reviewer is of the fervent opinion that there is a
paramount duty cast on the members RAS to continue hundred and seventy year old
legacy for posterity. Thus otherwise the Latin maxim would come into play in
the future that : “Ex diuturnitate temporis omnia praesumuntur rit et solennitur
esse acta – From lapse of time, all things are presume to have been done
rightly and regularly.
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