'The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts -- sabba danam dhamma danam jinati': Appreciating Anagarika Dharmapa la as the leading spirit in the propagation of Buddhism in the West by Dr. Amal Gunasena Anagarika Dharmapala (born in 1864 in Sri Lanka) was one of the most dynamic and cultured national heroes with a deep sense of patriotism and highly disciplined mind who sacrificed his own comforts, aspirations and almost his entire life for the sake of moral development and peaceful enjoyment of life of all nations. He was a devout practitioner and a fearless defender of the teachings of the Buddha which he strongly believed to be the panacea for the troubled world in which he grew up. His aim was to reclaim the Buddhist sites in India from Hindu occupation for the benefit of all nations irrespective of differences and to revive the true teachings of the Buddha. In this respect, he worked tirelessly and travelled extensively for his campaign until his death (1933) to regain Buddhagaya from Hindu worship and to preach and spread the teachings of the Buddha (Dhamma). Anagarika held an inner light within him, a latent fire of purpose. Anagarika's vision was global not centred around Sri Lanka or India. Since his memorable speech to the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893 where he emphasised the need for universal peace, tolerance and gentleness, Anagarika's great mission turned towards the West. He declared that: 'The time has come to give the sublime Dhamma -- religion of absolute freedom - to the people of the West'. The talk mainly focuses on his campaign to spread the teachings of the Buddha to the people of the West which according to Anagarika 'was little understood there'. Dr.Amal Gunasena studied oriental languages and archaeology for his honours degree at the University of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) Peradeniya and was appointed as an assistant lecturer in the Department of Sinhala soon after his graduation (1968). He was the first student from Hambantota District, a Sinhala speaking Buddhist rural area, to be appointed to a lectureship at Peradeniya University. Dr. Gunasena was awarded a prestigious postgraduate scholarship by the Ford Foundation to embark on his research studies in Linguistics at the University of York, England. After obtaining the postgraduate degree B.Phil. in socio and structural linguistics, he joined the School of Oriental African Studies, University of London to continue his studies and obtained his Ph.D. on 'Linguistic Purism'. He has served as senior lecturer at the University of Sri Lanka, Peradeniya, as post-doctoral fellow and lecturer at the University of York, and currently holds the position of academic fellow in charge of Sinhala Language and Culture in the Department of Languages and Cultures of South Asia at SOAS, University of London ( since 2004). He also acts as the senior supervisor for the Cambridge International Examination Board for Sinhala, Principal Examiner for Sinhala for the Edexcel Examination Authority in England, as examiner for a number of educational bodies in England including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and a research fellow for the Buddhist Manuscripts Project at the Bodleian Library, the University of Oxford. Dr. Gunasena has published several articles on Sri Lanka and has delivered a number of special lectures at various Buddhist institutions. He is a co-author of a recently published article in the Journal of Indian Philosophy, ' The Sutta on Understanding Death in the transmission of boran meditation from Siam to the Kandyan Court'. Some of his recent lectures were: 'Gender, Equality and Social Preferment of women in the teachings of the Buddha'. At the London Buddhist Vihara on Sanghamitta Day, 2004 'Colonel Henry Olcott's contribution to the Revival of Buddhism in the late 19th century Sri Lanka (Ceylon) -- Rediscovery and Reinterpretation. At the London Buddhist Vihara, 2005 'The Buddhist Doctrine of Karma (kamma) as an ethical principle'. At the Letchworth International Buddhist Centre to celebrate the Vesak Day in 2007 'Appreciating Ven. Anagarika Dharmapala as a pivotal figure in the propagation of Buddhism in modern times and in the great Buddhist Cultural Revival in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) At the London Buddhist Vihara on 17 September 2011 -- Founder's Day Celebrations

• published: 23 Aug 2013
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