Ven. Narada Maha Thera

Category: Patriarchs of Buddhism

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Venerable Narada Maha Thera (July 14, 1898 - October 2, 1983) was named Sumanapala at birth. He was born into a middle class family at Kotahena, a predominantly Roman Catholic suburb of Colombo, Sri Lanka. Kotahena is the place where the cathedral of the Roman Catholic Arch-diocese of Colombo was located. His father was Kalonis Perera; his mother, Pabilina de Silva. He was named Sumanapala at birth. He had his early education at a school run by the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge at Kotahena and later joined St. Benedict's College also at Kotahena, an institution run by the Brothers of the Company of De La Salle. There among other secular subjects he studied the Christian Scriptures and Apologetics. One of his preceptors, Rev. Brother James who passed away in 1977, was so impressed with young Sumanapala's keen interest in these subjects as well as his quiet demeanor and exemplary behavior that he once told him very seriously that his real vocation lay in the Roman Catholic Priesthood. But his destiny was to be otherwise, though in a parallel capacity, in the religion of his forefathers.

In fact, the seed of the idea of entering the order of the Sangha had been already planted in his mind by an uncle of his who was a devout Buddhist and one who knew the Dharma very well. At the time he was attending the English school, he also began to study Sanskrit slokas (Stanzas) under the late Ven. Palita Maha Thera, a brother pupil of the late Ven. Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera. He also attended the Sunday School at Paramananda Vihara, Kotahena. These studies were a prelude to his becoming a novice (samanera) in the order of the Sangha.

The late Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera was a saint in the sense of a person who lived the Holy Life indicated in the Buddha's Dhamma. He was also an erudite scholar in Pali, Sinhala and Sanskrit. He was a Sinhala poet of no mean order. He was also a great disciplinarian. The Maha Nayaka Thera was friend, guide and philosopher to all who came to him, no matter whether he know them or not, and no matter whether they were Buddhists or not. He was also a great Equalitarian (Samanatmatavadi). He treated with the same courtesy and the same lovingkindness, the rich and the poor, the high and the low, the great and the small. Pelene Maha Nayake Thera also introduced a new technique in preaching short sermons in simple language.

It is under such a teacher that young Sumanapala received ordination at the age of 18, under the name Narada. His preceptor at the ordination was the Venerable Vihayacariya Veragampita Siri Revata Maha Thera, and his Dhammacariya was Pelene Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera. He studied Abhidhamma under Pelene Mahanayaka and Arangala Siridhamma Maha Theras. He also studied for the Pracina (Oriental Languages), but did not proceed very far.

Ven. Narada received Upasampada (Higher Ordination) at the age of 20. He later joined the Ceylon University College as an external student and followed the courses in Ethics, Logic and Philosophy, all subjects which were later to be useful to him as a Buddhist Dharmaduta (Missionary). Narada Thera joined the 'Servants of the Buddha' society founded by the late Dr. Cassius Pereira and actively participated in the weekly dhamma discussions organized by it. It is really here that the foundation was laid for the missionary activities of the young bhikkhu.

In 1929 at the age of 31, a public function was organized by Anagarika Dhammapala to celebrate the opening of the newly built Mulagandhakuti Vihara at Saranath, Benares, India. The Ven. Narada was one of the members of the delegation selected to represent Sri Lanka. At the public meeting which ensued, Ven. Kahawe Ratanasara Nayaka Thera, Principal of Vidyodaya Pirivena presided. The Venerable Ratanasara was a great Oriental Scholar, but he did not know English. So the burden of conducting the proceedings in English fell on Ven. Narada. It was at this meeting that Ven. Narada first met Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru who later became the first Prime Minister of India.

Sometime later, Ven. Narada went to China and Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and other South East Asian countries on Dharmaduta Missions and was received warmly by the peoples of those countries including the Royalty. The King of Cambodia conferred on him the religious title - "Siri Maha Sadhu".

Addressing at the Washington Monument (1956)

Ven. Narada addressing at the Washington Monument (1956)

A Hindu Priest called Mahanta was occupying Buddhagaya, the hallowed place where the Buddha attained enlightenment, and claiming it as his private property. He had converted the place into a Hindu Shrine. The Maha Bodhi Society under the leadership of the Anagarika Dhammapala had been agitating and litigating for the return of the shrine to the Buddhists, its rightful owners. A delegation was sent from Sri Lanka to discuss with Mahanta to find a peaceful solution to the question. The delegation comprised Ven. Narada Thera, the late Dr. Cassius Pereira, the late Mr. A. Ratnayake and the late Mr. Neil Hewaviratne.

The Ven. Narada's noble and indefatigable work in the course of the Buddha-Dharma in Sri Lanka and abroad has been varied, covers a period of over half a century and has taken him to many foreign countries. A full account of his work there would cover a volume in itself. However, three memorable events in this connection must be mentioned.

First is the Ven. Narada's Dharmaduta work in England and important event connected therewith. It will be remembered that in the year 1956 of the Christian era, the 2,500th year after the Parinibbana of the Buddha was celebrated the world over. In that year, thanks to the initiative, enterprise and munificence of the late Sir Cyril de Zoysa, the London Buddhist Vihara in Ovington Garden, Kensington was inaugurated. At the request of Sir Cyril, the Ven. Narada proceeded to England to declare open the Vihara and to organize the work there. He was the first resident monk of the Vihara and during the period of his stay there he unceasingly worked to spread the Buddha's message of universal love, compassion and peace.

Second is his visit to China on a cultural mission. There he was warmly welcomed by the late Prime Minister Chou En Lai. He had a friendly and absorbing discussion with the great leader on religion and on the materialistic view of life.

Third is his Dharmaduta work in the United States. Once while the Ven. Narada was there, he was invited to speak on the Buddha and his religio-philosophy at the Washington Monument. There was a mammoth gathering at this meeting.

Although he passed away at the age of 86, he has left a legacy of the Buddha-Dharma for the world and its future generations. His contributions to various journals, both in English and in Sinhala are prolific. Ven. Narada brought the teachings of the Buddha to many points in the world through his Dharma books, and many articles. He has also left a useful tool for newcomers to the Dharma, or those seeking to more deeply understand the Pali Canon – his book "An Elementary Pali Course" – which is a staple for training new monks, as well as for study by lay-people.

Bibliography

• The Buddha and His Teachings