Every year in September, many people turn their attention to books. Therefore, we do not hesitate to call September the “Literary Month”. But it is a pity that many people forget that in September is a day that we as Sri Lankans should remember. That day is today.
September 17 is a day to commemorate the birthday of a noble son of Ceylon whose name is fondly remembered in the Buddhist world. He was born as Don David Hewavitharana and later changed to Anagarika Dharmapala, he was a man of the age who was committed in safeguarding the island, the Hela nation, the Buddha Sasana as well as the humanity. Today is his 156th birthday. Therefore, I think it is a tribute to him today to comment on a single piece of thought of his contribution to the world.
There is almost nothing in Sri Lanka that we do not know about Shri Anagarika Dharmapala because we have learnt many things about him in almost all educational institutions. Therefore, from now on, I will try to interpret the outstanding “appreciation of localism” in Dharmapala Chinthana from my perspective as I write this post. Evaluating locality is an opportunity for any country to stand up to the world independently. Like USA, Japan, even England have at times given priority to its own local produce, and also our immediate neighbor India is a country that does not hesitate to give priority to localism. As such, the fact that today marks the seventieth anniversary of the birth of Shri Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, who will not be forgotten when discussing the soft skill of valuing localism, will add further value to this note.
Appreciation of localism is a fairly broad topic. But often only a fraction of it is discussed or written about. It is worthwhile to protect the tangible heritage as well as the intangible heritage as a country. In particular, Dharmapala devoted his life and wealth to make Ceylon literally shine as the “Greatest Country in the World”. To make humanity rule in that great country. To inherit a free and independent country for all, both physically and spiritually.
We find that he was particularly critical of the wastage of domestic labor and the valueless offering to the foreigners who then ruled the country. In his series of lectures, he spoke out against the use of alcohol, consuming beef and treating people as idiots. An excerpt from his anthem sung by Dr. Nanda Malani can be quoted as follows.
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‘He was the doctor who brainwashed the Sinhala fools…
He was the lion king who suppressed the atrocities of the whites…
He was the messenger who preached the Buddha dhamma in many countries…
He was the Bodhisattva who rises in the shadow of Mahabodhi…’
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It is not a religious propaganda who was carried out by Dharmapala following the Buddhist philosophy. He constantly promoted the religion of nature and the religion of humanity. Dharmapala’s love for trees, animals and people was incomparable. The foreign dignitaries such as Mr. Olcott and even Mrs. Blavatsky may have joined hands with him to facilitate the future work of this human pioneer.
Shri Narendra Modi, who is celebrating his seventieth birthday today, is a noble character who has conquered life by combining the harshness of his life with self-reliance. He, too, has often been seen throughout the past appreciating localism and humanity. Therefore, it is wise to take a minute to come to terms of realization of appreciating our own values, in line with this ancient humanist and the living humanist. Because we must preserve the intangible indigenousness that fades from us as much as the boasting we speak of as indigenous.
Akash Tharuka Perea
© Buddhist Brotherhood
