Buddhist scholar and erudite exponent of the Mahavamsa

With the passing away of Wijesiri Wettimuny, Sri Lanka has lost a historian, writer, teacher and humanitarian. More than all that he was an erudite exponent of the Mahavamsa – the political, cultural and religious history of Sri Lanka, a work unparalleled in the world. Originally written in Pali, it had been translated to Sinhala by some scholarly monks, but it was very difficult for the average reader to understand it.

Mr. Wettimuny wanted to render the Mahavamsa into simple Sinhala. He did it. I still remember how he was working with Mahavamsa

A hakath , Samantap s dik , Mahavamsa Tika.

His ‘Sarala Sinhala Mahavamsaya’ was an authentic work. People read it, understood it and praised it. But I wonder whether it got the credit it deserved from the literati and State.

Mahavamsa is not the work of a single writer. Its first part was written by Rev. Mahanama Thera, the latter part by Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Buddharakhita Thera. It was continued up to 1948 by Yagirala Pannananda Maha Thera and up to the end of the Mahinda Rajapaksa regime by Mr. Wettimuny.

The last time we chatted on the phone, perhaps two days before his passing away, he told me that he wanted to bring his book ‘Sarala Sinhala Mahavamsaya’ up to the Gotabaya Rajapaksa regime.

He was also writing about classical Sinhala literature. He even wrote about modern Sinhala poetry ‘Sinhala Kavi Sangara’ titled, ‘Deshayata Jeewaya Dun Panas Weni Dashakaye Kavi Sangara’.

Mr. Wettimuny was a devout and practising Buddhist. His humanity and selfless services all had the hallmarks of the Buddhist way of life. In his leisure, he read the Thripitaka. Reading Buddhist canons was part of his daily routine. He was so conversant with the Pali Thripitaka that he wrote the stupendous book ‘Samma Sambudun Samaga Sanvada’- dialogues of the Buddha. Only he could do this for it needs such close familiarity with the Thripitaka. This is the ideal book for anyone who desires to learn Buddhist philosophy through the very words of the Buddha.

His last publication “Budun Wadala Thama Pasupasa Ena Karma Vipaka” is no doubt one of the best Buddhist books ever written on universal law of cause and effect.

My life-long best friend is no more. Our friendship continued for over 60 years. We both taught in a remote Maha Vidyalaya in Walallawita where we, teachers and some government officers had rented a house and would get up early and prepare the bed tea. Some of us collected dry sticks and lit the stove. While the water was boiling, we would sing an old favourite song. ‘Sudupiruwataandala…’

Those wonderful memories will be etched in my mind till my last breath!