Reminiscences of the First Sri Lankan Buddhist Mission to Germany by Ven. Kheminda Thera
Posted on December 15th, 2011
Senaka Weeraratna
ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-When Mr. Egon Vietta, a pupil of the well-known Existentialist German philosopher, Prof. Martin Heidegger, who was ill and unable to travel,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ put questions to the Ven. Soma Maha Thera, his answers were prompt and so convincing that Mr. Vietta said that these same questions had been put by him to European scholars, individually and in groups, but he had not received such satisfying answers as had been given by Ven.Soma Maha TheraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ Ven. Kheminda Thera(Member of the First Sri Lankan Buddhist Mission to Germany)
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The above quotation is an extract from a moving appreciation written from a Buddhist perspective by Ven. Kheminda Thera of his long standing colleague and kalyana mitra, Ven. Soma Maha Thera who passed away on February 23, 1960 at the Vajirarama Temple. Both were members together with Ven. Vinita of the first Sri Lankan Buddhist Mission to Germany in 1957 which was sponsored by the German Dharmaduta Society founded by Asoka Weeraratna in 1952.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The three monks of the Vajirarama Temple, Bambalapitiya left the Colombo Harbour by ship ‘SS Orantes ‘ on 16 June 1957. They were accompanied byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ W.J. Oliver Soysa. Asoka Weeraratna (Hony. Secretary, GDS ) joined the Mission in Berlin having flown in from Colombo.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ It was in the same year i.e. December 13, 1957, that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Asoka Weeraratna personally negotiated with the nephew of the late Dr Paul Dahlke ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ and purchased ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ on behalf of and in the names of the five Trustees of the German Dharmaduta Society.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ “Das Buddhistische Haus” was built by Dr Paul Dahlke in 1924. It was considered the Center of German Buddhism during Dr Paul Dahlke’s time.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Ceylon Daily News (Dec. 21, 1957) reported the purchase of Das Buddhistische Haus as follows:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- The acquisition of these premises last week is an epoch making event, not only because these premises, will be the first Vihara and permanent Buddhist settlement which a Buddhist Country of the East owns in Europe but also because it will be a step forward in the successful achievement of founding the Buddha Sasana in Germany and the other countries of the WestƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Asoka Weeraratna spent nearly six months in Germany in 1957 (from June to December) at his own personal expense attending to various matters connected with the purchase of ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ and the settling in of the first Buddhist Mission. ‘Das Buddhistische Haus’ was subsequently converted into a Buddhist VihƒÆ’-¾ƒ”š‚ra, by the German Dharmaduta Society by providing residential and other necessary institutional facilities to Buddhist Dharmaduta monks drawn mainly from Sri Lanka.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The First Theravada Buddhist Mission to Germany ( June 1957)ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Left to right: Ven. Kheminda, Dharmasena Weeraratna, Ven. Soma, Asoka Weeraratna and Ven. Vinita
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This Photo was taken at the Vajirarama Temple, Colombo 4
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Note: Dharmasena Weeraratna was not a member of the Buddhist Mission to Germany
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Below is an extract from Ven. KhemindaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s appreciation of Ven. Soma Mahathera. The full text can be accessed by visiting the following weblink:
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ On his return to Ceylon in early 1957, Soma Thera was invited by the German Dharmaduta Society to lead the first Buddhist Mission to Germany in June that year, the other members being Vinita Thera, Mr. W. Joseph Soysa and myself.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ But though he underwent a serious operation just two weeks before the mission was due to leave, he insisted on not altering the travel arrangements. Actually he went on board ship direct from the hospital. The wound had not healed completely then, and the dressing had to be continued for another five weeks. At the end of this period he could not move his left arm. It was after a further three months’ treatment that he recovered.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yet during all this time Soma Thera worked with a fortitude which evoked the admiration of all around him. Though the dry climate of Berlin helped his asthma he was not entirely free of attacks. Referring to his fortitude, a friend wrote, “No other monk except another Soma Thera would have ventured forth on such a mission after the serious operation he had to stand only a couple of weeks before”.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Yet the work which he had undertaken absorbed all Soma Thera’s time and attention. He met the leading Buddhists in Berlin, who were anxious to co-operate with the mission’s work, and soon there began a series of weekly meetings at which Soma Thera read a paper in German which was followed by answering questions that the audience liked to ask.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The interpreting at these meetings was done by Mr. F. Knobloch, the then President of the Congress of German Buddhist Associations, or by Mr. Guido Auster.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ This programme was continued till the mission left Berlin. Meanwhile Soma Thera addressed schools in various parts of the city. The children listened to him with the greatest interest. Just before leaving Berlin, the mission received an invitation from the Municipality of Iserlohn to conduct a Meditation Seminar during the “Indian Week” which was a part of the ‘Sauerland Cultural Season’.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ About one hundred people from all walks of life attended it. The late Mr. Egon Vietta was the organiser of the Seminar. On the last day of the Seminar he announced that he had brought a few questions from his teacher, the well-known Existentialist philosopher, Prof.Martin Heidegger, who was ill and unable to travel. When these questions were put to the Ven. Soma Maha Thera his answers were prompt and so convincing that Mr. Vietta said that these same questions had been put by him to European scholars, individually and in groups, but he had not received such satisfying answers as had been given by Soma Maha Thera.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Another invitation that the mission accepted was that of the Buddhists of Hamburg. They were anxious to have us with them during Vesak time. So from Islerlohn the mission left for Hamburg, where Mr. W. Stegemann, the President of the Buddhist Society of Hamburg, welcomed us. From here, after making a brief visit to London, Oxford, and Cambridge, the mission returned to Hamburg where Soma Thera conducted classes in meditation, and delivered lectures and led discussions on the Dhamma. These meetings were well attended. He much liked working among the Hamburg Buddhists because, as he said, they were well informed, organized, and greatly interested in their work as a body. In response to numerous requests, all the addresses delivered in Germany by Soma Maha Thera were published by the Hamburg Buddhist Society in their Bulletin the Mitteilungsblatt.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ With all this incessant work and travel Soma Thera grew weak, and when he returned to Ceylon from Germany in June 1958 he was very tired; but with skillful medical attention and another operation he regained his former vigour and worked hard which he loved to do. Then again he fell ill ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this time with renal colic ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ and after another spell in hospital he was once more in a fit condition to continue his work. This time he slept hardly four hours a day, from about midnight to 4 a.m. When told that he tired himself over-much, he used to say, “I have gathered enough now but I have not time enough to give”. So he worked on to the end never caring for his health. Yet he was happy doing it.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He was held in affectionate and highest regard by all those who knew him for his qualities of heart and head. One of them wrote from England thus: “I was mentioning to the Dons of the Faculty of Eastern Religions at Oxford that there was in Ceylon a monk (referring to Soma Thera) who was eminently qualified by way of knowledge and learning to fill the Chair of Eastern Religions which is now vacant”.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Mr. Guido Auster, the Director of the Oriental Department of the German State Library, Berlin, hearing of his death wrote, “He contacted many personalities of the religious and in- tellectual life in Berlin and Germany. He delivered lectures at various places,among them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ most important in my opinion ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ several to pupils in our schools.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ He had an especially lucky hand in dealing with children and young people who admired him. He was most patient towards enquirers and beginners”.
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Again, he says, “This impressive personality, reminding me in his dignity of a high prelate during the Middle Ages, wielding not only spiritual but also temporal power, has dissolved”.