It is incredibly praiseworthy, is it not, that there are people in this world, who care deeply about our world and its inhabitants, so much so that they think beyond the potential personal and material gains of every endeavour and extend themselves so selflessly to spread positivity and wholesomeness throughout? Ceylon Today, its management and staff deserve every credit for facilitating the Sangha with this medium to bridge physical and social borders, which are instrumental to connecting new audiences and spreading this message across our small blue dot. 

The difference we have been making in people’s lives week-on-week is immense. This is reflected in the correspondence we receive from our readers conveying generous sentiments of gratitude. As an organisation of disciples of the Buddha and servants of His dispensation (Buddha Sāsana), the positive personal transformation our collaborative work leaves in the lives of the people we come across makes the effort applied towards this noble cause incredibly worthwhile. The vision we have as a mission is immense. Fellow Sri Lankans are not the only people who should be privileged to this knowledge. We want to empower every man, woman and child throughout the world in the pursuit of their spiritual liberation. With that in mind, we continue to spread the timeless Truths, also known as the Four Noble Truths across overseas territories such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Dubai. As of the time of writing this article, another monk and I are touring Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. In this article, I would like to give our readers a glimpse of what we have accomplished in our mission to date. Should you or anyone you know benefit from joining one of our programmes in person, details are available at the bottom.

The Power of Merits
Let me ask our readers a question. We all know that Lord Buddha mostly resided in monasteries. According to Buddhist literature, he spent most of his time in the Jethavana monastery. Where do you think the Jethavana monastery was located? Was it in the middle of the city? in the suburbs or perhaps in a dense forest? In the middle of a forest is a popular contender. Am I right…? I can’t read your mind, but I can imagine why one would automatically assume that. Buddhism is closely conected with meditation, and the common belief is a quiet place is required for it, a forest would be someone’s first choice given its calm and serene nature. But, if we were to look at this logically, why didn’t Ascetic Sumedha attain arahanthood at the feet of Deepankara Supreme Buddha? There are potentially several answers to this question. One poignant explanation is that He wanted to save all of us. Imagine if he had resolved differently that day. I dread to think about the life that I would be leading today. I would not be experiencing the bliss and freedom I do today. 

Another reason is the combined power of our merits. Yes, even yours. You have come across these articles thanks to your accumulated merits throughout Samsara. Lord Buddha himself stated that the force of merits is the provider of all that is good and great in this world. The Buddha walked on foot for miles at a stretch to preach to Peshakari, a young girl with many merits. Just imagine how much merit power she must have accumulated to have the Lord Buddha, of all people, walk to her, on foot! The ascetic Sumedha’s journey to liberation was also deeply intertwined with all who are due to attain Nibbana in the dispensation he was to go on to establish upon becoming the Gautama Buddha. Therefore, would it have made much sense for Jethavana monastery to be located in a forest if countless people were to seek His refuge? No, the city centre would be ideal for accessibility of the many people it would go on to serve.

Many historical sources indicate that the monastery was not actually in a forest, but rather in an urban area. One such piece of information is that next door to the monastery was a slaughterhouse, run by a businessman nicknamed Chundasūkara as he slaughtered swine for a living.  Having a slaughterhouse in the middle of a forest makes no sense. Conclusively, whilst there were many forest monasteries in the Buddha’s time, one of the most iconic landmarks – the Jethavana monastery remained very much a hub in the heart of civilisation, providing the many transformational services delivered by contemporary monks.

Carrying on in the tradition of the great ancestors of our noble lineage, although our monastery is nestled amidst the sereneness of an evergreen forest, supported by a community of equally committed lay devotees, we relentlessly work to propagate the essence of Buddhist philosophy over the oceans and across the lands to mend minds and heal hearts. Our tour consists of the following: visiting adult and youth rehabilitation centres, offering counselling sessions, hosting dhamma discussions, conducting meditation retreats, visiting corporates to educate them about mindfulness, blood donation campaigns, and special programmes for children.

Visiting Rehabilitation Centres 
This is no doubt one of the highlights of our tour. We believe that many of the residents within these facilities are meritorious enough to comprehend Buddha's teachings. I felt this deeply when I spoke with some of them. Drug and alcohol addicts are often looked down upon and shunned to a corner in most societies. And unfortunately, most of them do not have an alternative. However, thanks to the Dhamma, we know that we can help them break free from their addictions once and for all and lead a fulfilling life. We are not just giving people affected by substance abuse a second chance to make things right, we want to prove that with the right support, they can reach their fullest potential. 

Dhamma Discussions

Sabba danan dhamma danan jinathi
sabbarasam dhammaraso jinati
sabbaratim dhammarati jinati
tanhakkhayo sabbadukkham jinati 

The gift of the Dhamma excels all gifts; the taste of the Dhamma excels all tastes; delight in the Dhamma excels all delights. The eradication of attachment (i.e., attainment of Arahantship) overcomes all ills (dukkha). The dhamma is the pure and pristine teachings of the Buddha and is the ultimate solution to everybody’s problems. This timeless wisdom has been passed down to us through a lineage of devoted Bhikkus, Bhikkhunis, Upāsakas and Upāsikās over 2600 years. The above verse highlights the importance of giving others the gift of the dhamma and the origin story reaffirms this. While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered this worse, concerning four questions raised by the mighty Sakra, king of the devas.
On one occasion, at a meeting of the devas in the Tavatimsa realm, four questions were raised, but the devas failed to answer them. Eventually, Sakra took these devas to the Buddha at the Jetavana monastery. After explaining their difficulty, Sakra presented the following four questions:

     (a) Among gifts, which is the best?
     (b) Among tastes, which is the best?
     (c) Among delights, which is the best?
     (d) Why is the eradication of craving said to be the most excellent?

The Buddha replied to these questions, "Oh Sakra, the Dhamma is the noblest of all gifts, the best of all tastes and delights. Eradication of attachment leads to the attainment of arahantship and is, therefore, the greatest of all conquests."
At the end of the discourse, Sakra said to the Buddha, "Venerable Sir, if the gift of the Dhamma exceeds all gifts, why are we not invited to share the merit whenever gifts of the Dhamma are made? Venerable Sir! I pray that, from now on, we may be given a share in the merit of good deeds". Then the Buddha asked all the bhikkhus to assemble and exhorted them to share the merit of all their good deeds with all beings.

Since then, it has become a custom to invite all beings from the thirty-one realms (bhumis) to come and share merit whenever a good deed is done.

We know these actions have the power to make a meaningful difference in the lives of individuals and communities around the world. Confident and with conviction that we have the most powerful weapon of both internal and mutual peace and harmony, we have made it our raison d’être to gift it to all who have the merits to receive it.

Buddhist Counselling
Everyone has problems. Unfortunately, most people often don’t receive enough support to deal with these problems. It is best to have an in-person conversation when someone has a personal matter because it has many benefits over an online discussion. In face-to-face counselling sessions, we can establish a more personal and direct connection. Being in the same physical space can create a sense of trust and comfort, facilitating a deeper therapeutic rapport. Also, being able to pick up nonverbal cues and being able to provide a controlled and private environment, ensured confidentiality and minimised distractions contribute to a more focused and effective counselling experience. These are the precise reasons why we allocate as much time as possible for our devotees to visit and speak to us. We have witnessed the profound impact of these interactions first-hand. 

I would like to share one of the most common questions we hear because it might be of genuine interest to our devotees. It is, ‘I have been listening to the dhamma for years but I still can’t let go of some of the things I’m attached to!’. There’s a saying: Winning will cost you everything but will give you so much more. As we learned from Dhamma School, Prince Siddhartha left his luxurious princely life to pursue eternal happiness. He had three magnificent seven-storey palaces, one for each season. The life he lived is equivalent to that of a modern-day billionaire. Though he had to endure six long years of ascetic hardship during this journey, he managed to attain Nibbana at the end of it. He had to endure it because it was a punishment for one of the sins he had committed in a previous life. Normally, the journey to Buddhahood is quick and smooth for a bodhisattva in their final birth. A good example is the next Buddha, Maitreya, who is said to attain Buddhahood after only seven days of contemplation.  When Gautama Buddha returned from the forest, he had given up austerity, but he had realised the truth. His laytime son, Rahula, was also ordained and stayed with him at the monastery; his lay-wife Yashodara also became a nun called Bhaddakaccānā who went on to become enlightened and live on to 120 years. Therefore, I ask our readers, what did He lose on the journey to enlightenment? If He had stayed on as a layman He would not have received the love and respect of all. Therefore, I’d like to reiterate the saying, ‘Winning will cost you everything, but will give you so much more’. Since this is Buddhism, there is a more profound answer to this question. We assume we are attached to objects and people but are we, really? Is there anything to get attached to in the first place? If you are attached to your mobile phone, is there a mobile phone for you to get attached to in the first place? What’s there are a bunch of causes. I.e. screen, battery, case etc. When these are arranged in a particular structure we can label it as a mobile phone. But there’s no object – an entity of a phone there. Therefore, what were you attached to? This is a perfect trap where the truth is hidden, despite being in plain sight. We need to understand that there isn’t anything to get attached to. So, are you attached to anything? The world is just causes, when they come together, manifestations occur. When causes change, manifestation changes. When one perceives the world in this way, life will be much easier and your world will be a better place. One will not go through any mental suffering. Physical discomfort is unavoidable but mental suffering is optional. 

Workshops for Corporates
Delivering workshops for corporates is a new addition to our itinerary. As we all know, the modern corporate world can be quite demanding and stressful, and it can take a toll on the mental well-being of employees. Our program serves as a guiding light, providing transformative guidance and inspiration. The techniques we discuss have been proven to be highly effective in reducing stress, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being.

We guide them through various mindfulness techniques and practices. We conduct our sessions to be interactive and engaging, giving participants ample opportunities to ask questions and clear up any doubts that linger in their minds. Even though there are plenty of solutions to problems in the external world, the same cannot be said for the spiritual world. Dare I say, there is only one right answer. We help them to differentiate between these two worlds and prove to them that looking for solutions to their mental health issues in the physical world is a futile effort. 

Blood Donation Campaigns 
Spreading goodness around the world is a noble endeavour that encompasses a wide range of actions and initiatives aimed at making the world a better place for all. One of the most fundamental ways to spread goodness around the world is through acts of kindness and compassion. Donating blood is an act we view as giving back to our community. Whether it’s in Sri Lanka or Australia matters not. We perceive the whole world as one community and ourselves as a citizen of Mother Earth. We know that we can’t save everyone through the Dhamma nor can we spread the Dhamma to everyone despite our best efforts. Appaka te manussesu ye jana paragamino, Lord Buddha once uttered, only a few will attain Nibbana. But, we can at least save them from any physical ailments to extend their precious human life in the hope they might one day come across this pristine teaching.

Meditation Programs
We found that hosting residential meditation programs has a huge effect on the lives of our devotees as they get to practice the path and develop positive and mutually rewarding noble associations among themselves. Some even mentioned that the progress they made over a two or three-day retreat is equivalent to the progress they would have made in almost a year if they were left to their own devices. We firmly believe in the universal law that what you give is what you get. Giving someone an opportunity and facilitating their salvation is not just an act of kindness but our duty to humanity. These acts of kindness create a ripple effect, inspiring others to do the same and contributing to a more compassionate and caring community. 

The Truth is Priceless
We firmly believe everybody deserves to know the truth, regardless of any perceived differences. It is my humble but firm belief that the first article in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights should be, that every human being should have the right to know the truth. Our vision is to spread the truth around the globe. This knowledge is priceless. The literal meaning of the word priceless is that something is so precious that its value cannot be determined. If something is priceless, why put a price on it? Hence we offer our services completely free of charge. This is just the beginning. It is incumbent upon those who have come to understand the truth to share it with those who deserve it. I do not doubt that we and many other members of the Maha Sangha are working tirelessly to spread the truth to the entire world. Ultimately, the goal of spreading goodness around the world is to create a more compassionate, just, and inclusive global community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive and live a life of dignity and fulfilment. It requires the collective effort of all of us working together with a shared purpose to bring about positive change and make the world a better place for present and future generations.

May the whole world be blessed by the infinite power of the Noble Triple Gem!