It is felt that a foreword to "Pilgrimage in Sri Lanka" is most appropriate so as to enable the reader to understand the author and her pilgrimage.

One day in January 1977 it was suggested to me after I had read the book "Abhidhamma in Daily Life" by the author, given by Ven. Dhammadaro to organize a Dhamma seminar in Sri Lanka and invite the author's teacher Khun Sujin Boriharnwanaket, an eminent Dhamma teacher of Thailand who for many years has been well recognized both by the monks and laymen in that country for her skill and patience in helping others to understand the Buddha's Teachings.

I conveyed this idea to Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera, the Patron of the Buddhist Information Centre who wholeheartedly gave his Blessings for the entire programme and agreed to inaugurate the seminar at the Buddhist Information Centre, 50 Ananda Cumaraswamy Mawathe, Colombo 7 which sponsored the  seminar.

An invitation was sent to Khun Sujin Boriharnwanaket requesting her to attend the seminar, to be held in Colombo Anuradhapura and Kandy. In accepting the invitation, she intimated that Mrs. Nina Van Gorkom the author of these writings from the Netherlands, Khun Duangduen Baramedhum, from Thailand and Miss Sarah Proctor from England too would be participating the seminar. I was happy with the news as I felt that the discussions would be fruitful and it was so.

Mrs. Nina Van Gorkom is of Dutch origin. She went to Thailand initially to join her husband who was a Netherlands Embassy Official. She was keen to study the culture  of the Thais.  She found that the best way to study their culture was to study the Buddha's Teachings as the culture is based on Buddhism. Hence when contacted Khun Sujin Boriharnwanaket and under her guidance she learnt the Buddha's Teachings. She became a keen scholar of Abhidhamma and vipassana and devoted herself to Buddhist writings. She wrote two books while in Bangkok "Buddhism in Daily Life" and "Abhidhamma in Daily Life" which became popular. Her other writings are  "Letters from Tokyo", "Letters from New York" and "Letters from the Hague" which are still in stencil form. Her latest is "Pilgrimage in Sri Lanka", a compilation of the Dhamma discussions held in Sri Lanka. I am confident that our Dhamma friends here will benefit from these writings of our Dhamma friend from the Netherlands. I wish to mention here that it was a coincidence that this seminar renewed an old Dhamma friendship that existed in the 17th century A.D. between Siam Holland and Lanka - Thailand; the Netherlands and Sri Lanka of the 20th century A.D.

May all beings be well and happy.
 

 Capt. S.L.V.A. Perera E.D.
 Buddhist Information Centre,
 50 Ananda Cumaraswamy Mawatha
 Colombo 7,  SRI LANKA
 4th August 1977.

"Buddhism in Daily Life"  was the theme of a Buddhist seminar held in Sri Lanka. Do we really practice the Buddha's teachings in our daily lives?  Aren't we often forgetful?  When we are impatient where are the lovingkindness (metta) and compassion (karuna) the Buddha taught?  In the theory we know about the different ways of wholesomeness he taught; we think that we have understood how to cultivate wholesome deeds, wholesome speech and wholesome thoughts but most of the time we are forgetful. We read in the suttas about being considerate for others, gentle speech, speech at the right time, patience, and many other ways of wholesomeness. We think that we have understood what we read. However, we often fail to apply the Dhamma in the different situations of our daily life. It was most helpful to be reminded during our stay in Sri Lanka of the practice of the Dhamma and to discuss Dhamma with many new friends we made. I was reminded to live in the present moment, not in the past or the future, and to "study" the present moment with mindfulness. "If there is no study of the present moment, right understanding (panna) cannot grow", Khun Sujin reminded us everyday.

In the olden times "Satipatthana" (the foundations of mindfulness) was taught and widely practised in Sri Lanka by monks, nuns and laypeople. Countless people in Sri Lanka attained arahatship. They attained because they were mindful of any reality appearing at the present moment through eyes, ears, nose, tongue, bodysense and mind-door.

Captain Perera of the Buddhist Information Centre in Colombo organised a five week seminar of Dhamma discussions which were held in Colombo, Anuradhapura and Kandy. Khun Sujin and Khun Duangduen had come from Thailand, Sarah from England and I from Holland. We all met in Sri Lanka on the occasion of this seminar. The Venerable Dhammadharo bhikkhu and the Venerable Jetanando bhikkhu had come from Thailand several months ago and Samanera Sundharo arrived at the same time as Khun Sujin.

The seminar was opened in Colombo by the Venerable "Maha Nayake" 1 with the traditional lighting of the oil lamp. The sessions were held nightly in the way of discussions. During the day we met with our Singhalese friends in their homes and discussed Dhamma in a more personal way. All through those five weeks we spent in Sri Lanka we enjoyed the wonderful hospitality of the Singhalese while we stayed as guests in their houses and were entertained at delicious curry luncheons and dinners. Captain Perera looked after us and when we had problems with visas or other matters he just smiled and said: "All wounds get healed".

The Buddha visited Sri Lanka three times and during these visits he went to sixteen different places. Relics of the Buddha have been enshrined in several stupas (dagabas) and a sapling of the original Bodhi tree in Gaya has been brought over in olden times. It was planted in Anuradhapura where it is still growing today. A new sprout developed recently from this tree. Is this not a hopeful sign that the Dhamma is still flourishing in Sri Lanka?

I became interested in the history of Sri Lanka and started reading the "Mahavamsa", an old chronicle 1. After the third Council which was held in India during the reign of King Asoka (250 B.C.) missionaries were sent out to different countries. The Arahat Mahinda, King Asoka's son, was sent to Sri Lanka together with four other monks, a samanera and a lay-disciple. They went to Mahintale where they met the Singhalese king Devanampiya Tissa who was hunting deer. The king laid aside his bow and after Mahinda had tested him on his readiness to hear Dhamma he preached to him the "Lesser Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant's Footprint" (Middle Length Sayings, no. 27). This sutta describes the life of a bhikkhu who abstains from ill deeds through body, speech and mind, who "guards the six doors" through mindfulness, develops jhana (absorption-concentration) and finally attains arahatship.

The following day Mahinda and the other bhikkhus went to Anuradhapura where the King presented him with the royal park. This place became the "Maha Vihara" (Great Monastery), a famous centre of Buddhism. The monastery of Cetiyapabbata and many other monasteries were established as well.

Mahinda had brought the "Tipitaka" and the commentaries to Sri Lanka and these were translated into Singhalese. Many Singhalese wanted to lead the homeless life and were ordained bhikhus. Women wished to become bhikkhunis   and in order that they could be ordained Bhikkhuni Sanghamitta, Mahinda's sister, came to Sri Lanka. She brought the sapling of the Bodhi Tree from India to Sri Lanka. During the reign of King Devanampiya Tissa the "Thuparama Dagaba",  the oldest stupa in Sri Lanka, was also constructed and in this stupa the relic of the Buddha's right collarbone has been enshrined.

The Buddhist teachings declined in India, but they were preserved in Sri Lanka. However, when one studies the history of Sri Lanka one sees how difficult it must have been to preserve them. Invading Kings and also local kings who did not support the Sangha threatened the survival of the teachings.

After an invasion by Tamils, King Dutthagamani (about 150 B.C.) restored the position of the Sangha and started to build the "ruvanvelisaya", the great and famous stupa of Anuradhapura, which contains relics of the Buddha and which is together with the Bodhi tree the centre of worship in Anuradhapura up to today.

Not only wars, also famines have threatened the survival of the teachings which were not yet committed to writing. Many people died during these famines and the arahats who survived on roots and fruits continued to recite the teachings with heroic fortitude. When they had no more strength to sit up, they continued reciting while lying down.

Wars, famines and also the introduction of wrong beliefs and wrong practice made it difficult to preserve the teachings. Finally, in 89 B.C., the teachings were committed to writing. Five hundred monks undertook this great enterprise in the cave of Aluvihara (Alulena) which we visited during our pilgrimage.

Several centuries later (410 A.C.) Buddhagosa Thera came from India to Sri Lanka. Here he composed his famous "Path of Purity" (Visuddhimagga). He edited all the commentarial material he found in Sri Lanka and translated these commentaries from Singhalese into Pali. Most of the translations of the commentaries to the Vinaya, the Suttanta and most of the Abhidhamma are attributed to Budhagosa. The "Atthasalini" (Expositor) is the commentary to the first book of the Abhidhamma (the Dhammasangani). Sri Lanka where the teachings and the commentaries were preserved is an inspiring country to visit in order to recollect the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. The fact that numerous arahats lived in this country proves that the Dhamma was truly practised in daily life.

Despite periods of decline of Buddhism and even of persecution, the Singhalese of today see the relevance of the Buddhist teachings in their daily lives. They have maintained many wholesome traditions which were originated in the olden times such as the presenting of "dana" to the monks, the celebration of "Uposatha Days" 1. and many other ceremonies. Numerous books on the Dhamma written by learned bhikkhus and laypeople and also a Buddhist Encyclopedia are being published today.

Many Singhalese are well versed in Pali and they are able to chant texts from the teachings. Our hostess in Colombo would spend the evening of Uposatha day in her shrined room chanting the "Satipatthana  Sutta" and other parts of the teachings. One of our hosts who invited us to luncheon recited from the "Karaniya Metta Sutta" in the car, while his wife was driving. We noticed that people do not only think of metta while reciting this sutta, they also practise metta during the day. Their metta appears in their generosity and thoughtfulness for the guests they receive into their homes.

Shortly after our arrival in Sri Lanka it was "Uposatha Day" (Poya Day). We saw many people with white clothes who observed eight precepts 1. We were taken out to the Kelaniya temple which was the focal point of the Buddha's second visit to Sri Lanka. Near the temple is a stupa in which relics of the Buddha have been enshrined and also a Bodhi tree. We heard the sound of drums and all around the temple grounds were people sitting in small groups reciting the "Satipatthana Sutta" and other texts. Oillamps were lit, incense was burnt and flowers were offered.

The Abbot of the temple explained to us that people in Sri Lanka, before offering flowers take all the green off; they do not keep them in water but let them dry out. It is the course of nature that flowers have to wither. Elderly people are not afraid of ageing and death because they realized that they cannot escape from old age and death, just as flowers have to wither.

The stanza which is recited in Sri Lanka when one offers flowers is a beautiful reminder of impermanence. Our host who took us around on that day chanted it for us:
With diverse flowers, the Buddha I adore;
and through this merit may there be release.
Even as these flowers must fade,
so does my body march to a state of destruction.

The discussions during this seminar I found very useful. We spoke about the many kinds of kusala the Buddha taught. Dana (generosity), sila (morality) and bhavana (mental development) can be practised in daily life. We read in the "Sigalovada Sutta" (Dialogues III, no. 311) that the Buddha, when he was staying in the Bamboo Wood near Rajagaha, at the Squirrels' Feeding ground, spoke to Sigala about good qualities to be developed in daily life. We read, for example, that the Buddha said to him:
Who is wise and virtuous,
Gentle and keen-witted,
Humble and amenable,
Such a one to honour may attain.
Who is energetic and not indolent,
In misfortune unshaken,
Flawless in manner and intelligent,
Such a one to honour may attain.
Who is hospitable, and friendly,
Liberal and unselfish,
A guide, an instructor, a leader,
Such a one to honour may attain.
Generosity, sweet speech,
Helpfulness to others,
Impartiality to all,
As the case demands.
These four winning ways make the world go round,
As the lynchpin in a moving car.
If these in the world exist not,
Neither mother nor father will receive,
Respect and honour from their children.
Since these four winning ways
The wise appraise in every way;
To eminence they attain,
And praise they rightly gain.

When we read these advices they may seem simple to us, but how difficult it is to follow them always. There are more conditions for unwholesome moments of consciousness (akusula cittas) than for wholesome moments of consciousness (kusala cittas) in a day. The more one sees one's lack of kusala, the more one sees that it is important to know oneself, to know precisely the different moments of consciousness which arise.

When we see how ugly akusala is we want to cultivate more kusala. Seeing the disadvantage of akusala and the value of kusala is a degree of wisdom, of understanding. This understanding is the condition for the development of kusala.