The latter part of last November was a period that shook the land of Sri Lanka. The loss of our own brethren, whose lives ended untimely due to the massive floods and landslides caused by torrential rains, left the entire nation overwhelmed with sorrow. On December 14th, a special merit-transferring program was held for the Sri Lankans who were rendered helpless and lost their lives in the face of nature’s harsh impact, at Bodh Gaya in India—the most sacred center of the universe.
This noble act of merit was organized by the internationally active ‘World Buddhist Community’, based on a concept by its International President, Mr. Heeriyamullage Buddhika Prasanna, and under his full guidance.
Highlighting the impermanence of life, a great meritorious deed of lighting a thousand lamps was performed within the sacred grounds of Bodh Gaya to illuminate the Samsaric journey of those loved ones who departed from us. The primary aspiration was that the light of the lamps, lit on this wondrous victorious ground where Siddhartha Gautama attained Supreme Buddhahood, would illuminate the future existences of the victims. Furthermore, a ‘Fragrant Smoke Offering’ (Suwanda Dum Poojawa) was conducted, filling the entire city of Bodh Gaya with fragrance, with the aim of healing the minds of the Sri Lankan people terrified by these natural disasters.
A distinct feature of this program, led by Mr. Buddhika Prasanna, was the participation of Indian and Nepalese monks alongside the Sri Lankan Maha Sangha. The blessings invoked by them together in the presence of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi can be described as a symbol of international Buddhist solidarity extended towards the affected Sri Lankans.
It was a deeply moving moment when the ‘Mataka Vasthra Puja’ (Offering of Robes in memory of the deceased) was performed on behalf of departed relatives in front of the Vajirasana—where the Buddha achieved victory by defeating Mara and severing the cycle of Samsara. There, the Maha Sangha bestowed blessings, transferring merit to all deceased persons known and unknown to us whom we may have met in Samsara, wishing that they may never fall victim to such untimely disasters in any future birth.
The ultimate ambition of this noble meritorious deed, performed with the pouring of water (Pen Wadeema) by both the laity and the clergy, was to pave the way for all the departed to attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana through whichever Enlightenment (Bodhi) they aspire to. This timely mission fulfilled by the World Buddhist Community to bring spiritual solace to the grieving Sri Lankan society is truly worthy of appreciation.