Dammassawana sermon at London Buddhist Vihara

This month's Dhammassawana monthly Sinhala Dhamma sermon at the London Buddhist Vihara was held on Saturday the 19th. With the guidance of the Head of the Vihara Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera, it was organised by the co-ordinators and devotees of the Vihara. Ven. Kalugamuwe Kassapa Thera delivered the sermon based on one of the well known discourses of the Budddha "Alawaka Sutta" from the Yakkha Sanyukthaya, Sagathaa Wargaya in the Sanyuktha Nikaya. Alawaka Sutta contain the conversation Buddha had with a brutal ruler Alawaka, who lived close to Jethavana Vihara in Sraavasthi. Ven. Kassapa Thera said that "Alawaka Sutta is the source of many proverbs frequently quoted in all Teravada countries. When erudite monks put together the collection of Pariththa Chanting for "protection from all directions", Alawaka Sutta was also included. During the conversation Alawaka asked Buddha "what wealth is best for any one, what well practiced will happiness bring, what taste excels all other tastes, and how lived is the life they say is the best?" Buddha answered "Faith is the wealth here best for anyone, Dhamma well practiced shall bring happiness, truth indeed all other tastes excels and life wisely lived is best. Again Alawaka asked Buddha " how does one cross the fierce current - of births and rebirths, how to cross the ocean of - the cycle of rebirths, how to break free from this - grieving and suffering, how can one cleanse life - destroying bad deeds?" Once again Buddha answered "by faith are currents crossed, by diligence is the ocean crossed, by effort is one's suffering quelled, and by wisdom is one purified. This conversation continued and at the end Alawaka completely changed and sat on the floor venerating the Buddha with reverence."

Photographs by Tissa Madawela