Australian Monk Bhante Dhammika in Sri Lanka

Recounts a meeting with Rohana Wijeweera after his release from prison in 1977

- Hasala Perera

Well-known Australian monk, Bhante S. Dhammika, will be in Colombo for several weeks.

He was recently interviewed by Perera Hasala

Hasala Welcome to Sri Lanka again, Bhante.

Thank you. Last year I came briefly after being away for nearly 20 years. Now I'm delighted to be back again.

Hasala - When did you first come to Sri Lanka?

I first visited your county when I was 14years old when my parents took me to the UK.

Our ship stopped in Colombo for a day I remember travelling from Fort to the Mount Lavinia Hotel and seeing all the coconut trees on each side of the road. I notice that there are none there now. Then I came in 1976 as a monk and I ended up staying for 20 years. I became a monk in India but it was in Sri Lanka that I learned Buddhism at a deeper level.

Hasala - Over the last decades you have become quite well-known for your writings.

How and why did you start writing?

I was a rather poor student; bad at spelling and grammar, so it's always been a surprise to me that I have written so much and that people appreciate what I write. As I learned the Dhamma, I often noticed how many books made claims about Buddhism that were not true or which failed to mention aspects of the Dhamma which I thought were important. It was to rectify such a problem that first prompted me to start writing; then I just improved my grammar and spelling as I went along. I don't think I'm a good writer but I'm good at explaining the Dhamma in a simple and understandable manner.

Hasala - Of all your books, which is your favourite?