#Mettavalokanaya_International_Buddhist_Magazine_May_2021

Damini is the wife of the late
professor Arthur Basnayake,
one of the first members of
the Ceylon Overseas Service.
He served for 42 years in this position
until he was appointed as Professor of
International Affairs at Nagoya Gakuin
University in Japan. They started a new
life in the Diplomatic Service. Damini
says the wife plays a very important
role in the life of an Ambassador.
She has very nostalgic memories of
Myanmar, where her younger son was
ordained as a Samanera monk and
spent two months in a monastery
there. He is now a Consultant
Nephrologist in England. She took
part in many religious activities there
including the planting of Bo saplings,
and helped building of stupas. Her
Grand
Efforts in
Buddhism...
meditation teachers were the Ven
Mahasi Sayadaw and U Janaka. She
also played an important role in the
printing of the English translations of
the Dhammapada, the Digha Nikaya,
and the Guide to Digha Nikaya, by
Bukkyo Dendo Kyokai, a Buddhist
promoting Foundation in Japan.
30,000 sets of these publications were
distributed worldwide. The Buddha
said, “SABBA DHANAM, DHAMMA
DHANAM, JINATI“, and Damini is a firm
believer that these actions would help
all Buddhists to join together and
disseminate the sublime teachings of
the Buddha, throughout this universe.
We live in a world torn by Strife and
Dissention and we need the message
of the Buddha to guide us and prevent
human beings from destroying
themselves. Those of us who have
visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki will
indeed be aware of the holocaust of
war and Nuclear weapons.
Amongst the distinguished
people they have met during their
travels abroad are Queen Elizabeth
and Prince Philip, Emperor Akihihito
and Empress Mitchiko , Prince and
Princess Mikasa, Madam Indira Gandhi,
Mr Atul Bihari Vajpayee ,Mr.Narasimha
Rao, Madam Chun Dhoo Wan, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, the Hon U Nu,
Prime Minister of Burma, President
Gorbachov, and Bill Gates, amongst
others .They had many connections
with Buddhist temples in Japan,
including Ven Nichidatsu Fujii of
Nipponzan Myohoji, Archbishop Zenryu
Hasuo of Zentsuji temple in Shikoku,
Rev. Shinzui Tanaka of Shigisan temple
in Nara, Kuonji temple in Minobusan ,
Enryakuji Temple on Mount Hiezan,
and Kodosan Temple in Yokohama to
name a few. They also enshrined true
bone pieces of the Buddha in various
temples, including the Buddhist Stupa
in Battersea Park, England , where
the chief guest was the Archbishop
of Canterbury . While in Japan, they
founded “ONLY ONE WORLD “ , which
enables needy children to continue
their studies without dropping out
from school due to lack of funds , and
helps hospitals and homes for elders
.Its patrons include Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi, and Madam Yasuko Hata, wife of
the former prime Minister of Japan.
About Daw Suu, Damini says that
she is a remarkable lady with extraordinary
courage and determination.
She has achieved her goal by peaceful
means. We Buddhists should be proud
of her. Damini has a passion for Social
work, perhaps due to the fact that
Philanthropy is a family tradition.
Her Maternal Great Uncle Alfred
Goonetilleke rose to the high position
of being the first Attorney General
of Siam, and his daughter,Khun
Lekha Apaiwongse became a famous
womens leader. The Hon. U Nu,
presented her with the highest honour
given by the Burma Pitaka association
for her, “DISTINGUISHED SERVICE FOR
THE PROPOGATION OF BUDDHISM
THROUGHOUT THE WORLD” and in
his speech of welcome he referred to
her as a lady who adds lustre to the
Theravada land of Sri Lanka and said
that he wished that she be able to
carry the torch of the Dhamma to the
four corners of the earth.
56 l Mettavalokanaya l May l 2021 2021 l May l Mettavalokanaya l 57