WallPola Rahula Thero’s Contribution to universalization?

of
Theravada Buddhism; a thematic study

Walpola Rahula (1907–1997) was a Buddhist monk, scholar and writer. He is one of
the Sri Lankan intellectuals of the 20th century. In 1964, he became the Professor of
History and Religions at Northwestern University, thus becoming the first bhikkhu to
hold a professorial chair in the Western world. He also once held the position of
Vice-Chancellor at the then Vidyodaya University (currently known as the University
of Sri Jayewardenepura). He has written extensively about Buddhism in English,
French and Sinhalese. His book, What the Buddha Taught, is considered by many to
be one of the best books written about Theravada Buddhism.
At thirteen, he entered the Sangha. His education covered Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit,
Buddhism, history and philosophy. He studied at the Vidyalankara Pirivena and at
the University of Ceylon, where he associated with E. F. C. Ludowyk, G.P
Malalasekera, E. W. Adikaram and other luminaries. After his period at the Sorbonne,
he became Vice-Chancellor of Vidyodaya University. He left Vidyodaya University in
1969, due to political differences with the government of the day. Thereafter, he
returned to the West and worked in many academic institutions in Europe. He
returned to Sri Lanka during his last days, and lived in the temple near the New
Parliament in Kotte, until his death.

Academic Career
Rahula Thero attended Ceylon University (now known as the University of Colombo).
He obtained a B.A. Honours degree (London), and then earned a Doctorate of
Philosophy, having written a thesis on the History of Buddhism in Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Then he went on to study Indian Philosophy at Calcutta University and later
studied Mahayana at the Sorbonne. It was during his time at the Sorbonne in the
late 1950s that he produced What the Buddha Taught, a highly regarded
introductory text on Buddhism, for which he is best known.

Service to Buddhism
His contribution to the advancement of Buddhism was tremendous. As an
accomplished writer, Ven.Rahula had published books on Buddhism in Sinhala,
English and French. Not only they took Buddhist doctrines to the world, but they
also provided guidelines for monks, explaining how they can do more for the society
with Buddhist teachings. He was instrumental in establishing the first Theravada
temple in the United States, named the ‘Washington Vihara’. After having left his
office at Sri Jayewardenepura University, Rahula thero again rendered his services
to foreign universities. In early 1980’s he returned to Sri Lanka and took a key role
in setting up the Buddhist and Pali University. Some of his most famous works
among his numerous writings are;

 What The Buddha Taught (1959)

 History of Buddhism in Ceylon: The Anuradhapura period, 3rd Century BC–

10th Century AD (1966)

 Humour in Pali Literature and Other Essays (1997)

 The Heritage of the Bhikkhu: A Short History of the Bhikkhu in Educational,
Cultural, Social, and Political Life (1974)

 Heritage of Bhikkhu (1974)

 Zen and the Taming of the Bull: Towards the Definition of Buddhist Thought:
Essays 1978

 The Heritage of the Bhikkhu: The Buddhist Tradition of Service (2003)

Out of these works, the most renowned is “What the Buddha Taught”. Many
reviews comment that the book connected the reader with Buddha’s teachings
unlike ever before. The contents focus on basic realization on what is Buddhism.
Rather than concentrating on the person of Buddha, it discusses his actual
teachings. In its eight chapters, four are dedicated to the four noble truths,
explaining them in vivid detail. He also talks about ‘anatta’ (no-soul) as a principal
doctrine in one chapter, while in another clarifies what is meditation, which he titles
as ‘mental culture’. The book concludes with a view on the eternal relevance of
Buddha’s teachings to daily life.

Patrick Grant discussed about Wallpola’s role in the time of ethnic conflicts of
Syrilanka in Chapter 5 of his book “Buddhism and ethnic conflict in syrilanka”.
Patrick Grant explores the relationship between Buddhism and violent ethnic conflict
in modern Sri Lanka using the concept of "regressive inversion." Regressive
inversion occurs when universal teaching, such as that of the Buddha, is redeployed
to supercharge passions associated with the kinds of group loyalty that the
universal teaching itself intends to transcend. The book begins with an account of
the main teachings of Theravada Buddhism and looks at how these inform, or fail to
inform, modern interpreters. Grant considers the writings of three key figures--
Anagarika Dharmapala, Walpola Rahula, and J. R. Jayewardene--who addressed
Buddhism and politics in the years leading up to Sri Lanka's political independence
from Britain, and subsequently, in postcolonial Sri Lanka. This book makes the Sri
Lankan conflict accessible to readers interested in the modern global phenomenon
of ethnic violence involving religion and also illuminates similar conflicts around the
world.
He was noted not only for his erudition but also for his strong socialist views, as well
as his belief that monks have a duty to play a role in guiding the political
consciousness of the people. His book Bhikshuvakage Urumaya (Heritage of the
Bhikkhu) was a strong voice in the Buddhist Nationalist movement that led to the
1956 electoral victory of Solomon Bandaranaike.
Ven.Dr.Rahula thero was beyond doubt an invaluable personage, who extended
invaluable services to humanity. He took Sri Lanka to the world with his
extraordinary knowledge and thus paid his dues to his country. He set a significant
example to his students and monks. As a venerable priest, he worked assiduously
for the expansion of Buddhism among masses.
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