Theos-Talk Archives (October 2004 Message tt00217)

Thanks for the post. As they say, both HPB and HSO did not just do just the 
talk the talk, they walked the walk. And in those days travel was a 
challenge to anyone.

mkr

At 02:28 AM 10/10/04 -0700, Pedro Oliveira wrote:


>In Galle, Sri Lanka, I was taken to the Wijayanada
>Buddhist Temple and compound, for an interview with
>the Head Monk. He showed me a number of books from his
>library about Olcott, both in English and Sighalese,
>including Prothero's "White Buddhist", the Howard
>Murphet's biography (with its revised title of "Yankee
>Beacon of Buddhist Light") plus, of course, "Old Diary
>Leaves".
>
>There is a statue of Olcott in the central area of the
>town. I noticed a feeling of great warmth and
>affection for the Colonel here.
>
>I was then taken to the hall in the old building
>(1867) where the Founders of the TS, HPB and HSO, took
>Panchasila and became Buddhists on 19th May 1880 (and
>not 1881, as I had mentioned earlier). There is a bust
>of Olcott in an alcove, and below it a reproduction of
>his own handwriting attesting to have taken Panchasila
>together with HPB in that hall.
>
>I was also taken to the temple in which there is a
>large and dignified statue of Lord Buddha. Among the
>many paintings on its walls, depicting episodes in the
>Buddha's life as well as some of the Jataka Tales, one
>caught my eye: it shows HPB and HSO sitting on the
>floor, with hands joined at their chest, before four
>Buddhist elders. It depicts the moment in which they
>actually took Panchasila. It was a tad too much for a
>South-American heart.
>
>I caught myself saying wordlessly to myself: "The guys
>were here. The guys were here."
>
>When the time came for me to leave the compound I
>thanked the Head Monk for his kindness and hospitality
>(we had a sumptuous lunch). As the van I was
>travelling went through the gates I was left with a
>lump in the throat.
>
>
>Pedro
>(From Colombo)


----------


---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.772 / Virus Database: 519 - Release Date: 10/01/04


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]