Thursday, May 28, 2015
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
VEN. MAMPE WIMALAKITTI THERO OF SANGARAMAYA CHINA GARDENS – GALLE BY HEMANTHA SITUGE e mail: hemantha.situge@gmail.com
VEN. MAMPE WIMALAKITTI NAYAKA THERO OF
SANGARAMAYA CHINA GARDENS – GALLE
BY HEMANTHA SITUGE
e mail: hemantha.situge@gmail.com
With the silhouettes of dusk appearing in the sky, the
Sunday 21st December marked the end of an era with the cremation of
a prominent Galle English educationalist from China Gardens – who bestrode like
a mighty colossus for well over six decades in the Butterfly grounds premises
amidst of a distinguished gathering.
Ven. Mampe
Wimalakitti Thero the Chief Incumbent of Sangaramaya China Gardens was a strict
disciplinarian- his forte was providing English education to children specially
for the lower middle class and the middle class family for a paltry sum that
led the generations to generation in Galle to lead a new life that stood on
their feet.
Mampe Wimalakitti Nayaka Thero was a synonymous name with
Galle, he was popularly alluded as ‘Sangaramaye Re Iskole Hamuduruwo’ i.e.
Monk of the Night School Sangaramaya was a perfectionist terror who is to mould
his students in his own way; with his stint of corporeal punishment.
Mampe Wimalakitti Thero trail the blaze by launching his
pioneering daily evening and night schools from 6.00 p.m. to 8.30 p.m. in 1953
before he functioned as the Chief Incumbent of Sangaramaya in 1955, taught the
school curriculum in English for the Sinhalese stream line school children in
an era where English was scoffed and Sinhalese Medium was dominated in common
schools; which infused a new lease of life to the common folks of Galle.
Sangaramaya Temple was also known for his Damma School on Sundays named ‘Balartha Sadaka Dham Pasala’.
Death took its toll on the erudite Wimalakitti Nayake Thero
at the ripe old age of 85. Fever of life is over for him. Cruel ironies of fate
have snatched away this leading educationalist of par excellence in the most
unexpected moment. His contribution indeed would be a page in the history of
Galle. He rendered yeoman services to the Galleans and those from suburbs and
led the inhabitants not only from China Gardens and all those based in Galle as
law abiding peaceful citizenry. Ven. Sir, you are indeed an exemplary icon of
Galle. You undoubtedly rank ‘dulabbo purisa gnano gnaso sabbatu jayatu’ - such monks (men) are rare; rarely are they
born.
May you attain the supreme Bliss of Nirvana !
BOOK REVIEW Consultant Psychiatrist D. V. J. Harishchandra’s Buddhism and Psychiatry (Manovaidya D. V. J. Harischandrayange Buddha Dharmaya Saha Manovaidya Vidyawa) EDITED BY TOLUSHA HARISHCHANDRA PUBLISHED BY VIJITHA YAPA PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE. e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com blog : Hemantha Situge @ blogspot.com.
BOOK REVIEW
Consultant Psychiatrist D. V. J. Harishchandra’s
Buddhism and Psychiatry
(Manovaidya D. V. J. Harischandrayange
Buddha Dharmaya Saha Manovaidya Vidyawa)
EDITED BY TOLUSHA HARISHCHANDRA
PUBLISHED BY VIJITHA YAPA PUBLICATIONS
REVIEWED BY HEMANTHA SITUGE.
e-mail : hsituge@gmail.com
blog : Hemantha Situge @ blogspot.com.
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.
VINI VITHARANA FELICITATION VOLUME PUBLISHED BY GODAGE PUBLISHERS WILL BE LAUNCHED 26th JUNE 2015 AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AUDITORIUM
LIPI PANAHA FIFTY RESEARCH PAPERS DEDICATED TO HIM PUBLISHED BY GODAGE INTERNATIONAL
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