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| Pic by Rukshan Abeywansha |
Buddhist philosophy was a gift from India to us.
Patronized by the Indian emperor, King Asoka, philosophy of the Buddha
was brought to Sri Lanka and successfully spread throughout the country.
After two millenniums another agent from India has come to Sri Lanka
aiming to spread Buddhism in the war affected areas. “Many Tamils in Sri
Lanka follow Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam. But Tamil Buddhists are
rare. That is because there are no Tamil monks who can share the
philosophy with them,” Nanda Charia Thera pointed out. “Only a Tamil
monk can teach the Tamils to walk along the Buddha’s path. But where are
Tamil monks in Sri Lanka to show them the road?” he questioned.
Nanda Charia Thera was born in 1952 in Tamil Nadu in a village called Paramakudi. His grandfather was a businessman in Burma, so his family had lands and property in Burma and also in Tamil Nadu. “My Father was an atheist. He had met E.V. Periyar Ramasamy in 1950 and his influence was the beginning of all the changes,” Nanda Charia Thera said. Erode Venkata Ramasamy, called as as Periyar, Thanthai Periyar or E. V. R. by his followers is the founder of the Dravidian Movement and proposed the creation of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. Nanda Charia Thera’s father was influenced by the teachings of Periyar and Dr. Ambethkar and became a follower of Buddhism. Dr Ambethkar propagated that Buddhist Philosophy will give inner peace for mankind. This touched the heart of Nanda Charia Thera’s father and he encouraged young Nanda Charia to become a Samanera Buddhist monk. Following his advice he became a Samanera monk in 1962. He currently resides at a temple in Los Angeles, USA.
Nanda Charia Thera had opportunity to visit Sri Lanka with his teacher when he was very young as his teacher had a good connection with the Burmese temple Makutaramaya in Maligakanda. “I followed the Nayaka Hamuduruwo everywhere. Once I met former United Nations General Secretary U Thant who appreciated the environment of Sri Lanka. “He said: “Sri Lanka is like Nirvana and that it was very beautiful and peaceful.” Nanda Charia Thera recalled, “I agreed with him, but when I returned to Lanka in 1981 everything had changed. War had started and the country was not as peaceful as it was,” he added.
When he was very young, Nanda Charia Thera had the opportunity to study in Varanasi, India with many Sri Lankan monks. At the time he met Ven. Hettimulle Vajirabuddhi Thera, who later became a board member of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Hettimulle Vajirabuddhi Thera even invited him to meet then President, J.R. Jayewardene. “He was surprised to see a Tamil Buddhist monk and asked me what he can do to satisfy the Tamil community,” he said. By that time Nanda Charia Thera had visited Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Vadamarachchi and had an idea of the Tamil people in the war areas. “I asked him to withdraw the Army from the places where people live. They were scared of the military. I also told him that they are scared of the Indian Army coming to Sri Lanka,” he said. “The response was not clear, so I returned,” he continued.
He had revisited Sri Lanka during President R. Premadasa’s time. Wanting to visit the orphaned children he asked permission from the then government to visit the war zone. His request was rejected at once due to security issues. “I knew Madivadani, Prabhakaran’s wife from the time I was studying in India. I was finally able to get a permission letter from Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne after convincing them that I would be safe,” he said. During that visit Nanda Charia Thera visited many orphaned children and people in war affected areas. “I was also able to meet the LTTE leaders including Prabhakaran during the ceasefire. What they asked for was equality,” he mentioned. Nanda Charia Thera returned to America as the government’s answers were unclear this time also and did not visit Sri Lanka again until his recent visit. “With a gun you can win anything. But why couldn’t we go along Gandhi’s path?” he expressed.
Nanda Charia Thera said that unity among Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians is the only way to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. “I believe the current President, Mahinda Rajapaksa is able to do this. He can treat both Sinhala and Tamil equally,” he said while thanking the President for ending the war and bringing peace to the country. “People are free to walk anywhere now and it is nice,” he continued.
Therefore, with the blessings of government and the opposition parties Nanda Charia Thera wants to lead a seven-day peace walk from Colombo to Jaffna. The aim of his recent visit to Sri Lanka was to discuss the proposed peace walk to the North with the authorities. “I want to walk from village to village and talk to poor people and identify what they need. I want to take Buddhism to the North and build Buddhist Cultural centers in the Northern areas,” he said hopefully. “All the religions teach people to do good and behave well. I would not encourage any religious conversions,” he assured. He also said that he is always ready to volunteer helping the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. “I am always ready to help. I don’t want anything in return,” he stressed.
He further said that all the ethnic problems would be solved when good facilities are provided equally for everyone. “They all should be given free education, food and entertainment. Their hearts and brains must be well fed. A lasting peace will only be there when they all are connected heart to heart,” he noted.
Published on Sunday, 06 January 2013 in The Nation
Link : http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/item/14228-tamil-monk-walks-for-peace.html
Nanda Charia Thera was born in 1952 in Tamil Nadu in a village called Paramakudi. His grandfather was a businessman in Burma, so his family had lands and property in Burma and also in Tamil Nadu. “My Father was an atheist. He had met E.V. Periyar Ramasamy in 1950 and his influence was the beginning of all the changes,” Nanda Charia Thera said. Erode Venkata Ramasamy, called as as Periyar, Thanthai Periyar or E. V. R. by his followers is the founder of the Dravidian Movement and proposed the creation of an independent state called Dravida Nadu. Nanda Charia Thera’s father was influenced by the teachings of Periyar and Dr. Ambethkar and became a follower of Buddhism. Dr Ambethkar propagated that Buddhist Philosophy will give inner peace for mankind. This touched the heart of Nanda Charia Thera’s father and he encouraged young Nanda Charia to become a Samanera Buddhist monk. Following his advice he became a Samanera monk in 1962. He currently resides at a temple in Los Angeles, USA.
Nanda Charia Thera had opportunity to visit Sri Lanka with his teacher when he was very young as his teacher had a good connection with the Burmese temple Makutaramaya in Maligakanda. “I followed the Nayaka Hamuduruwo everywhere. Once I met former United Nations General Secretary U Thant who appreciated the environment of Sri Lanka. “He said: “Sri Lanka is like Nirvana and that it was very beautiful and peaceful.” Nanda Charia Thera recalled, “I agreed with him, but when I returned to Lanka in 1981 everything had changed. War had started and the country was not as peaceful as it was,” he added.
When he was very young, Nanda Charia Thera had the opportunity to study in Varanasi, India with many Sri Lankan monks. At the time he met Ven. Hettimulle Vajirabuddhi Thera, who later became a board member of Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation. Hettimulle Vajirabuddhi Thera even invited him to meet then President, J.R. Jayewardene. “He was surprised to see a Tamil Buddhist monk and asked me what he can do to satisfy the Tamil community,” he said. By that time Nanda Charia Thera had visited Jaffna, Mullaitivu and Vadamarachchi and had an idea of the Tamil people in the war areas. “I asked him to withdraw the Army from the places where people live. They were scared of the military. I also told him that they are scared of the Indian Army coming to Sri Lanka,” he said. “The response was not clear, so I returned,” he continued.
He had revisited Sri Lanka during President R. Premadasa’s time. Wanting to visit the orphaned children he asked permission from the then government to visit the war zone. His request was rejected at once due to security issues. “I knew Madivadani, Prabhakaran’s wife from the time I was studying in India. I was finally able to get a permission letter from Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne after convincing them that I would be safe,” he said. During that visit Nanda Charia Thera visited many orphaned children and people in war affected areas. “I was also able to meet the LTTE leaders including Prabhakaran during the ceasefire. What they asked for was equality,” he mentioned. Nanda Charia Thera returned to America as the government’s answers were unclear this time also and did not visit Sri Lanka again until his recent visit. “With a gun you can win anything. But why couldn’t we go along Gandhi’s path?” he expressed.
Nanda Charia Thera said that unity among Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims and Christians is the only way to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic problem. “I believe the current President, Mahinda Rajapaksa is able to do this. He can treat both Sinhala and Tamil equally,” he said while thanking the President for ending the war and bringing peace to the country. “People are free to walk anywhere now and it is nice,” he continued.
Therefore, with the blessings of government and the opposition parties Nanda Charia Thera wants to lead a seven-day peace walk from Colombo to Jaffna. The aim of his recent visit to Sri Lanka was to discuss the proposed peace walk to the North with the authorities. “I want to walk from village to village and talk to poor people and identify what they need. I want to take Buddhism to the North and build Buddhist Cultural centers in the Northern areas,” he said hopefully. “All the religions teach people to do good and behave well. I would not encourage any religious conversions,” he assured. He also said that he is always ready to volunteer helping the Buddhists in Sri Lanka. “I am always ready to help. I don’t want anything in return,” he stressed.
He further said that all the ethnic problems would be solved when good facilities are provided equally for everyone. “They all should be given free education, food and entertainment. Their hearts and brains must be well fed. A lasting peace will only be there when they all are connected heart to heart,” he noted.
Published on Sunday, 06 January 2013 in The Nation
Link : http://www.nation.lk/edition/fine/item/14228-tamil-monk-walks-for-peace.html
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