The loving Master.

In my young life I spent seven years practicing alone. I had already trained for some time in Zen, both the Rinzai and Soto styles but because of geography (I had returned home to the Isle of Man) there was no group and certainly no teacher to support me.

So I made my practice every day, quietly and alone. It was not always easy but I had three small books that were my constant inspiration. They were all by the same author, a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk named Hamalawa Saddhatissa. Immediately upon finishing the first I would begin the second, then having finished that, the third and then back to the first again. Even though we had never met, I considered Bhante Saddhatissa to be my first Theravada teacher.

Many years later and having been accepted as a disciple (and already instructed to teach on the Isle of Man) I invited my now teacher, Sayadaw Rewata Dhamma, to visit us and lead another retreat for our group there.

He asked me if he could bring a friend with him, I immediately said yes and asked who the friend was.

‘It’s Hamalawa Saddhatissa,’ he replied, ‘Do you know him?’

During the retreat I was with my two great teachers when Sayadaw Rewata Dhamma told Bhante Saddhatissa that I would be taking full ordination as a Buddhist monk in the next year.

‘When you are in robes,’ he said, ‘I will come to see you.’

This was a very nice thing to say, but in truth I didn’t believe it for a moment. I felt it was simple friendliness and politeness from such a lovely man.

One morning, some days after my ordination, I was in my room meditating when my teacher arrived, ‘Paññadipa,’ he said, ‘Venerable Saddhatissa is downstairs waiting to see you.’

I could hardly believe it. This great man had travelled all this way to see me. I arranged my robes and went downstairs to meet him.

Venerable Saddhatissa was sitting in an armchair in the ante-room of the monastery and so I immediately knelt in front of him, bowed three times and presented anjali (hands held in front in an attitude of prayer).

‘Bhante,’ I began, ‘Thank you so much for coming. It is a pleasure and a privilege to see you here.’

‘Yes, yes, yes,’ he said gently touching my arm, ‘Now tell me, are you getting enough to eat?’

Dhamma training is the way to be free, to live with love and be aware. To find happiness for ourselves so that we can share that happiness with all beings. The greatest teachers manifest this happiness and love in their relationship with their students.

The fundamental things are the ones we have to address. Are you comfortable, are you warm, do you have enough to eat ?

The Buddha himself discovered that we have to be strong and healthy to make the practice and so the basic requirements for life are the primary concern.

The real Masters are like loving fathers, hard when they need to be, but always loving. Their advice is pure Dhamma. Take care of you, so that you can take care of others. When you have energy you will share that. When you are tired you will share that. Be something of value in the word.

There are no secrets in Dhamma. Truth is truth, love is love, wisdom is wisdom and these qualities always manifests in the simple and spontaneous acts of caring and kindness.

May all beings be happy.

(Hamalawa Saddhatissa 1914 – 1990)