Most Venerable Bhante Walpola Piyananda's 80th Birthday Celebrating - Collected Essays

taught at Colorado State University, and Dr. Shanta Ratnayaka of the
University of Georgia.
Ven. Ariyadhamma Thera taught Buddhist Studies for over
four decades at a center he founded in Los Angeles. He arrived in
America in the mid 1940’s, having been born in Burma to a Dutch
family and educated at Calcutta University. An American, Julius
Goldwater studied Buddhism and became a Jodo Shinshu minister. He
helped to establish Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara.
The Chinese Mahayana tradition of the Bhikkhuni Order
has a long history dating from its first ordinations in the 5 th century
C.E, and they continue to do great service wherever they are based.
Unfortunately, in the Bhikkhuni Order of the Theravada tradition died
out several centuries ago, and has only been revived in the last few
decades. In 1996 the first high ordination of Theravada Bhikkhunis
was held at Saranath. It was organized by the late Ven. Mapalagama
Wipulasara Maha Thera, General Secretary of the Indian Maha Bodhi
Society, with the help Ven. Walpola Piyananda Maha Thera of Dharma
Vijaya Buddhist Vihara, and other Sangha members.
Presently there are many Mahayana Bhikkhunis and some
Theravada Bhikkhunis sharing Buddhism throughout the world.
The late American born Ven. Dr. Karuna Dharma, was a Mahayana
Vietnamese bhikkhuni for several decades, and had dedicated her life to
the propagation of Buddhism. A few years ago, two former physicians
were ordained in the Theravada tradition at Dharma Vijaya Buddhist
Vihara by Ven. Walpola Piyananda, and they continue to work in the
U.S.. Ven. Gunasari and Ven. Susila are located in Southern California.
Ven. Gotami works in Boston and Ven. Santusika works to propagate
Buddhism in Northern California. Ven. Sudarsana, a senior Sri Lankan
bhikkhuni, lives and works in Florida. Ven. Tataloka who was given
her high ordination by Dr. Karuna Dharma and Ven. Dr. Ratanasara has
also been doing great services for Buddhism in Northern California.
Technology was perhaps the most influential motivator of the
spread of Buddhism in North America. With the advent of the Boeing
707, young people went in droves to Asia for the first time. Prior to
the 1960’s, travel of this kind was reserved for the rich and idle – those
who could afford the time and expense of long ocean voyages. For the
first time, masses of people – most of them young college students –
were able to hop a plane and visit Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, Taiwan,
Japan, Korea and other exotic lands. These students brought Buddhism
home with them to North America, and many still practice to this day.
Some liberal churches in North America, such as the Bahai
Faith, Unity, Unitarianism, and the Church of Religious Science have
adopted some Buddhist Principles as part of their doctrine.
The Vedanta Society, founded by Swami Vivekananda, and
the Self Realization Fellowship, founded by Paramahansa Yogananda,
helped open the door for Indian-inspired philosophy, Buddhism, and
spirituality to enter the consciousness of North Americans. Both
organizations have prominent facilities in the Greater Los Angeles area
as well as elsewhere.
The non-violent movement, originating with Gandhi, spread
to North America and was embraced by such politically-motivated
individuals as Martin Luther King, Jr., Senator George McGovern,
Former President Jimmy Carter and former California Governor Jerry
Brown. This movement is an application of Buddhist principles to the
political arena, embodying the Buddhist philosophy of non-violence.
The Theravada Buddhist tradition was originally brought to
America by Sri Lankan monk Ven. Dr. Paravahera Vajiranana Maha
thera who lived for some time in Los Angeles in the early 1930’s while
he studied English. He was the first Theravada Buddhist monk to come
to this continent.
The Third Secretary-General of the United Nations was U
Thant from Burma, and he was a Buddhist.
R. S. Gunawardena was the first Sri Lankan Ambassador to the
United Nations, and he also promoted Buddhism in the United States.
Dr. G. P. Malalasekera, Sri Lankan Ambassador to the UN in
the late 1960’s, gave lectures on Theravada Buddhism throughout his
career in America.
Washington Vihara was the first Theravada temple in the U.S.
It was founded in 1965 in Washington D.C. by the most Ven. Madehe
Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera of Sri Lanka. He received support from
the Government of Sri Lanka, some Sri Lankan friends, and several
American devotees as well.
The Los Angeles Buddhist Vihara was the second Theravada
temple in the US, and it was founded in Los Angeles in 1978 by Ven.
Walpola Piyananda and Ven. Pannila Ananda. Then in 1980, along with
Ven. Dr. Havanpola Ratanasara, these same two Venerables founded
Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara, also in Los Angeles.
At the present moment there are more than 150 Sri Lankan
Buddhist temples in North America, all of which were established with
the help of Sri Lankan expatriates. Many of these US and Canadian
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