The Tham Vessantara-jAtaka - Khamkoo

Acknowledgements
During the course of my research work, I have received help, support and
encouragement from a great many people. I owe them all greatly in different ways.
However, for want of space it may be quite an impossible task for me to mention all of
them here. Nevertheless, I would like to take this opportunity to express my
wholehearted thanks to a few of them.
I wish to record my deepest gratitude to my two able and kind supervisors, who
rank among the best of their generation for uplifting me academically. Senior Professor
Asanga Tilakaratne, PhD (Hawaii), until recently Director of this Postgraduate Institute
of PALi and Buddhist Studies spent a lot of his precious time reading my work for the
last five years, patiently and in minute detail. Senior Professor Kusuma Karuratne, a
Fulbright scholar and formerly Head of the Sinhala Studies Department, Dean of
Graduate Studies and Acting Vice-Chancellor of Colombo University, offered valuable
suggestions and encouragement.
For my spiritual and monastic education, I am for life thankful to my spiritual
teachers: the Venerable Aggamahasaddhammajotika Bhaddanta Candobhasa, the late
abbot of the Wat Dhammika Pupparama Monastery, Kat Tao Village, Kengtung, Shan
State; the Venerable Kovidabhivamsa, abbot of the Lin Yaung Khyi Pariyatti Institute,
Pegu; and all the lecturers of the SAsana Mandaing PALi Monastic University, also Pegu,
the Union of Burma.
In addition, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to Venerable Dr. Khammai
Dhammasami, DPhil (Oxon), the founder-abbot of the Oxford Buddha Vihara and
professor at International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University, Yangon for
initiating me to this area of research and constant support; Dr. Sarah Shaw, PhD
(Manchester), a PTS Fellow, Oxford, for helping improve my English, proof-reading
and helpful suggestions; Jonathan Higgins (One-To-One English School, Oxford) for
teaching me academic English; Dr. Doreen Perera, PhD (London) a retired reproductive
medical scientist, and Dr. Srilaksana Kunjara na Ayutthaya, PhD (London), a
biochemist, both of University College of London, and Dr. Andrew Skilton, DPhil
(Oxon), a PALi and Sanskrit scholar, for going through some of the drafts; Venerable
Langsai Bhaddiya, MA, for helping me with Tai-Khun scripts; and Mrs. San San May
of The British Library, for helping me with some important materials.
Of course, for their love and support, I am also forever indebted to my beloved
parents and sister. I also record here my special thanks to Venerable Nandamedha, MA,
of Kengtung for looking after me in many ways. I am also grateful to Loong Chan
Khaung, Pa Chan Nyunt & family, Nai Pong, Nong Mon, Taunggyi; Loong San Long
& Nang Kham Sa and family, Kengtung, Shan State; Nang Aye Nyunt and Nang Kham
Ein, Taunggyi, Shan State, Burma for their support, financial and otherwise. I rejoice
also in the generosity and saddha of the Dana Sri Lanka Society based in Singapore,
particularly to Dr. Khin Maung Aye, Dr. Nyo Nyo Aye and family (Brunei) for their
continued financial support since 1999, without which I would not have been able to
contemplate on higher education. Last but not least, my due thanks are to the Tai
SaNgha from the Shan State, studying in Sri Lanka, and the devotees and supporters of
the Oxford Buddha Vihara, UK for their kind assistance.
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