Most Ven. Mataramba Hemarathana An epitome of friendliness and compassion

7 December 2023 12:00 am Views - 417

I met this monk in London when he was entrusted to lead a Sri Lankan monastery in Ilford. He reached out to many different communities

Born on September 17, 1947 at Mataramba, a lush village in the District of Galle as the fifth sibling in a family of six children and having received his primary education at Malcom Vidyalaya Yatagala, the Ven. Hemarathana entered the Buddha Sasana on April 5th, 1956 under the guidance of veteran prelate Ven. Kalahe Gunarathana.
Yatagala Maha Pirivena, which was one of the most reputed seats of learning in Southern Sri Lanka, which produced world famous scholars of the calibre of Dr. Senerath Paranawithana, was experiencing its golden era when Ven. Hemarathana and Ven. Wattehene Piyarathana joined the monastic order as brother monks.
The sudden passing away of Ven. Piyarathana- following a fatal accident that occurred in 80’s on his return journey from Sithulpahuwa- created a significant vacuum and a serious doubt in the management and furtherance of Yatagala Pirivena and the rest of the affiliated monasteries including the world famous Sithulpahuwa Raja Maha Viharaya, which was once a forest monastery for thousands of Arahanth monks as the chronicles and the rest of the Ceylon history bear witnesses to.

Ven. Hemarathan, who had to rise to the most unexpected occasion due to the sudden death of Ven. Piyarathana, was a real ‘shock-absorber’. He took up leadership and maintained and developing the Pirivena education for hundreds of young monks and lay students who thrived on quality monastic and lay education in this world famous Pirivena at the time. Ven. Hemarathana’s role indeed was such a welcome intervention to his ailing and ageing teacher/preceptor- the most senior and revered monk most Venerable Wattehene Rathanasara Maha Thera. Without his intervention there would have been a complete collapse of a historic monastery and Bhikkhu education institute that Yatagala Raja Maha Viharaya had been shouldering for decades.
The true spirit of Ven. Hemarathana was not just his innate ability to successfully survive and sustain through sudden and unexpected change and loss, but also to single-handedly turn creatively any disaster into an opportunity to sustain and develop without letting the system feel the loss. The second disastrous loss  came about after the sudden death of Ven. Unawatune Rathanajothi Thera, another popular young monk who was overseeing the Sithulpahuwa monastery.
This priest was never shaken by any vicissitudes of life, but always rose to the occasion like a giant pillar of the Buddha Sasana!
Ven. Hemarathana was always smiling and light-hearted in every situation and circumstance; paying attention to everyone and everything. He was an endearing ‘Buddha Putra’ by the true sense of the word. Whether it was the president of the country, ministers or high profile people or ordinary common person on the street he never failed in his duty of care and responsibility as a monk and served everyone alike.

I met this monk in East London when he was entrusted to lead a Sri Lankan monastery in Ilford, United Kingdom. He reached out to many different Buddhist communities and soon became a friend of not just the Buddhists but also members of other faiths too. His sincere disposition coupled by unreserved friendliness attracted many communities, young and old, educated, and common masses. I will be failing in my duty if I do not record here the Thera’s unceasing commitment and serious interest in learning. Whilst I was a senior lecturer at the department of Linguistics University of Kelaniya in 90’s, the Thera expressed interest in following a Masters level course in Linguistics whilst heading 8 monasteries as far distant places like Sithulpahuwa Raja Maha Viharaya. Notwithstanding my objections to his undertaking due to his busy schedules, the Thera successfully completed the course to my surprise. He obtained university degrees and diplomas from several universities in the country in the midst of his busy life.
Though Ven. Hemarathana was never affected by losses, he leaves an unbearable loss with his unexpected departure not just to the institutions he served, but also to many of his friends, contemporaries, fellow monks, disciples and the communities at large. Ha samyoga Viyogantha! “Alas, all meetings end in parting!”
May the late Ven. Nayaka Thera’s onward journey be without perils!
May he attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana!