Pure Inspiration

Ven. Bhikkhu Guttasīla – 68
Ven. Ñāṇavimala could be very conservative, very narrow and set in
various ways. He couldn’t understand how anyone could go back to the
West. For him, anyone who went back to the West only went to enjoy
himself. He couldn’t appreciate how someone could have gone back to
spend time with aged parents out of compassion and also to serve the
Buddhist community. On another occasion I was present in
Vajirarama when a Dutch monk went to see Ven. Ñāṇavimala. When
Ven. Ñāṇavimala learned this monk had been back to the West, he
severely admonished him about indulging in sensuality. Ven.
Ñāṇavimala, we could see, had certain set views. This is what I mean
about the rigidity and conservative attitudes in Ven. Ñāṇavimala’s
mind. I think another thing here is Ven. Ñāṇavimala’s lack of ability
to actually communicate with the other person. Ven. Ñāṇavimala was
remote, it was almost like a person from a previous generation talking
to one of a younger generation and the gap was just so wide.
I think Ven. Ñāṇavimala was a very sincere, upright, Western monk,
so senior to us. Of the senior Western monks, Ven. Ñāṇavimala stood
out as being very strict in terms of his vinaya practice – very ascetic,
having fewness of wishes, very restrained in every way. In his walking
lifestyle and in other ways he embodied a number of austerities that
was a very good role model for us.
Later on when Ven. Ñāṇavimala became infirm and had to be cared
for, his attitude completely changed. I am not sure, but I think Ven.
Ñāṇavimala’s walking tours ended in the early 1990s. I can remember
when staying at Vajirarama in the early 90s that Ven. Piyadassi had
met Ven. Ñāṇavimala at a temple in Ratnapura. Ven. Ñāṇavimala was
heading off for Colombo – he was unwell and was having difficulty
walking. Ven. Piyadassi offered to take Ven. Ñāṇavimala to Colombo