Pure Inspiration

Ayoma Wickramsinghe – 24
On having asked to where he was proceeding, I was sternly informed
‘The Vajirarama at Hawa Eliya’. I visited him there twice or thrice
and was disconcerted when he refused most offerings. This was quite
contrary to the mode of practice of the Most Venerable Webu
Sayadaw of Burma who, with overflowing mettā (loving-kindness),
welcomed and accepted all people and their gifts. It was only later that
I realized it is as Bhikkhu Bodhi has described him: ‘If you want to get
a sermon from Mahākassapa, go see Ven. Ñāṇavimala – the austere
deportment, the ascetic bent of character, the firm self assurance, the
individualistic mode of practice – all these traits of Ven. Ñāṇavimala
are reminiscent of Mahākassapa’.
From then onwards, I came across him throughout the years, often
suddenly and unexpectedly. We were so thrilled when we had the
opportunity of encountering him anywhere. In the early stages it was
at Vajirarama and later at Island Hermitage and then Parappaduwa.
Once, I met him on the road to Kandy and had the good kamma
(accumulated merit) of offering almsfood (dāna) which he partook of
on the roadside.
At one time, he stayed in a section of our own house in Ward Place,
Colombo (my grandfather’s surgery, converted by my husband for me
to have solitude) for over one year, and as I recall, he spent the Rains
Retreat there as well. He also spent over a year in our Pitipanna Estate
residence, and another year, in the same place, in a delightful and
quite large hut (kuṭi), under a huge spreading banyan tree, which was
built especially for him. The kuti is now called ‘Ñāṇavimala Thero
Kuti’. Forest bhikkhus still use it, on and off.
He was so powerful. His aura and vibration left an unforgettable
impression on one. Because of him, I came across ten or so lovely