Nyanaponika thera biography of martin

Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist 1 and scholar (–)

Nyanaponika Thera growth Nyanaponika Mahathera (July 21, – 19 October ) was splendid Sri Lankan Theravada Buddhist 1 and scholar who, after ordaining in Sri Lanka, later became the co-founder of the Religion Publication Society and author accustomed numerous seminal books and assumptions agree on Theravada Buddhism. He mentored and taught a whole procreation of Western Buddhist leaders specified as Bhikkhu Bodhi.^[2]

Early life

Nyanaponika Thera was born in Hanau, Frg on July 21, , likewise Siegmund Feniger, the only infant of a Jewish family.^[3]

In , he moved with his parents to Berlin, where he tumble with German Buddhists and esoteric access to Buddhist literature talk to the German language. He came across the writings of Asylum. Nyanatiloka Mahathera (–), the trace German violin virtuoso Anton Gueth. Young Siegmund had learned ensure Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera had personal a monastery for Western monks in Sri Lanka, on mediocre island lagoon (opposite the Path station) Polgasduwa, Dodanduwa named Haven Hermitage. This news stirred rule conscience to go to Assemblage and become a Buddhist monk.

However, circumstances prevented him from finicky on this plan for comprehensively some time. In his churchman died, and he did troupe wish to leave his widowed mother in the lurch. Next, Adolf Hitler came to stroke in Germany. In November recognized and his mother left Frg and moved to Vienna, hoop they had relatives.

Move come near Sri Lanka and imprisonment

Having remain for his mother to establish oneself in Vienna, in early proscribed finally was able to forsake Europe for Sri Lanka, place he joined Ven. Nyanatiloka Thera at the Island Hermitage.^[5]

After diverse months of studies, in June he was ordained as natty novice and was given dignity name Nyanaponika.^[3] In he conventional Upasampadā (Higher Ordination) under rectitude tutelage of Nyanatiloka Mahathera.

In , after the Nazis invaded Poland, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera prearranged for his mother and blemish relatives to move to Sri Lanka. Through the influence goods her son and the bounteous hosts, she embraced Buddha Dhamma and became a devoted Faith. She died in Colombo outward show

When World War II impecunious out in , the Nation Government had all German admass resident in their colonies criticize to concentration camps, suspecting them to be German spies. Nyanaponika's and Nyanatiloka's internment was leading at Diyatalawa Army Cantonment twist Sri Lanka, and later smack of Dehra Dun in northern India.

Despite these experiences as a negative of war, during this lifetime Ven. Nyanaponika Thera completed Teutonic translations of the Sutta Nipata, the Dhammasangani (the first unspoiled of the Abhidhamma Pitaka), direct its commentary. He compiled key anthology of texts on Satipatthana Meditation. This work was in progress at Diyatalawa, and it was finished while he was incarcerated at Dehra Dun.

Career

With ethics cessation of war, the three bhikkhus were released from confinement at Dehra Dun. They common to Sri Lanka in don resided at the Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa. In early Sri Lanka granted citizenship to both subtract them.

In , Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahathera was offered a hermitage in the Udawattekelle Forest Engage, but being advanced in arrest he preferred the cooler clime of Kandy to the struggle and stuffy sea-coast climate light Dodanduwa. In , Ven. Nyanaponika Thera joined him at illustriousness new Kandy Hermitage.

In , both Venerable Nyanatiloka Mahathera ground Nyanaponika Thera were invited chunk the Burmese (Myanmar) Government criticism be consultants to the Ordinal Buddhist Council, to be convened in to re-edit and simpleton the entire Pali Canon abide its commentaries. After their research paper with the council was accomplished, Ven. Nyanaponika Thera stayed look Burma for a period slope training in Vipassanā (Insight Meditation) under the meditation teacher Retreat. Mahasi Sayadaw Thera.

The experience bankruptcy gathered motivated him to inscribe his best-known work, The Sounding of Buddhist Meditation, published brush aside the Buddhist Publication Society. That work was reprinted in numerous editions, and was translated get entangled more languages.

In , the guide and the pupil returned observe Burma for the opening ceremonies of the Sixth Buddhist Congress, which was held in uncluttered cave-like structure built similar memo the Sattaprani Caves in Rajagaha (Rajgir), India, where the Pass with flying colours Buddhist Council had been engaged. For the closing ceremonies fuse Ven. Nyanaponika Thera went attain Burma alone, as his doctor Nyanatiloka Mahathera was indisposed sought-after that time.

In , the form of Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahathera degenerated, and he moved to Colombo for easy and ready sanative attention. On May 28, , the great pioneering scholar monastic died, and he was accorded a State Funeral at Autonomy Square, Colombo, attended by primacy Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, visit State officials, and both illustriousness laity and religious dignitaries at an earlier time prelates of all Nikayas.

His ashes were enshrined at decency Polgasduwa Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa, person in charge a tombstone was built convey perpetuate his memory. Ven. Nyanaponika Thera, thereafter dutifully honoring honourableness request of his teacher, revised Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahathera's German transcription of the complete Anguttara Nikaya, retyping the five volumes border line full by himself, and besides compiling a forty-page Index quick the work.

Six months aft the death of his educator, the career of Ven. Nyanaponika Thera was to be launched in a new direction, span permanent contribution to the vast of Buddhism worldwide. A.S. Karunaratne (a prominent lawyer in Metropolis, who was Mayor of Metropolis in ) suggested to jurisdiction friend Richard Abeysekera (d. Revered ) (Trinity College teacher unite retirement), that they start wonderful society for the publication give evidence Buddhist literature in English, exceptionally to be distributed abroad. Honesty unanimous decision was that Asylum. Nyanaponika Thera, in the Udawattekelle Forest Reserve Aramaya, would get into the best director of representation institution. Thus, on January 1, , the Buddhist Publication Ballet company (BPS) was born.

Devoting ruler time and energy to honesty publications of the BPS, Nyanaponika Thera wrote tracts, encouraged rest 2 to write, collated and translated suttas, and had them publicised. In addition to his deteriorate writings, Wheel titles and Bodhi Leaves (booklets) - authored because of numerous scholars - were stop by during his editorship at righteousness BPS.

Ven. Nyanaponika Thera's account is completely submerged in realm writings. With advancing age taking accedence a heavy toll on ruler strength, in he retired trade in editor of BPS, and make a way into he retired as president, close his career there with acknowledgement as a Distinguished Patron elect BPS. His fame as devise exponent of authentic Theravada Religion reached all corners of grandeur globe.

In , the Teutonic Oriental Society appointed him implicate honorary member, in recognition go rotten his combination of objective wisdom with religious practice as regular Buddhist monk. In , birth Buddhist and Pali University conclusion Sri Lanka at its leading convocation, conferred on him wear smart clothes first ever Honoris Causa Significance of Doctor of Literature.

In , he received the Honoris Causa Degree of Doctor unsaved Letters from the University be more or less Peradeniya. In , The Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha, to which he belonged for 56 life, conferred on him the discretionary title of Amarapura Maha Mahopadhyaya Sasana Sobhana (The Great Demonstrator of the Amarapura Maha Sasana Sabha, Ornament of Teaching).

His last birthday (which fell candidate July 21, ) was renowned by his friends and nobleness BPS staff with the aid of the BPS edition work out his book The Vision very last Dhamma, a collection of emperor writings from the Wheel folk tale Bodhi Leaves series. On Oct 19, , the last all right of his 58th Rains Holiday as a bhikkhu, he voiceless his last in the pre-dawn quietude of the Udawattekelle timberland hermitage.

Selected publications

• Thera, Nyanaponika (). The Greater Discourse on primacy Elephant’s Footprint: Mahahatthipadopama Sutta (MN 28). Buddhist Publication Society.
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). The Life of Sariputta compiled and translated from birth Pali texts. Buddhist Publication Society.
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). Abhidhamma Studies: Religion Explorations of Consciousness and Time. Wisdom Publications. ISBN&#;.^[8]
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). The Vision of Dhamma: Religion Writings of Nyanaponika Thera. Pariyatti. ISBN&#;.
• Thera, Nyanaponika; Bodhi, Bhikkhu (). Numerical Discourses of the Buddha. Yale University Press. ISBN&#;.
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). The Power of Mindfulness(PDF).
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). Great Disciples be more or less the Buddha&#;: Their Lives, Their Works, Their Legacy. Wisdom Publications. ISBN&#;.
• Thera, Nyanaponika (). The Thing of Buddhist Meditation. Weiser Books. ISBN&#;.^[9]

Wheel Publications (BPS)

Bodhi Leaf Publications (BPS)

References

Works cited

Further reading

External links