Remembering Lakshman Jayakody
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People Thursday 3rd January, 2008 11 before he died for some reason by the Nissanka Wijeyeratne and will prove them wrong”. Alas, as wit predictably follows. During gions of humanity as valid, cul- by Carlo Fonseka that defies reason (mine at any published in newspapers under it turned out, it was Lankesh conversation whenever historical turally conditioned responses to On his 1st Death Anniversary on rate) Lankesh resolved to cele- the initials “NW”. They dealt who did not live to see his topics surface Dr. Wijeyaratne a mysterious transcendent reali- 7th Jan. 2008 brate his father’s 77th birthday with about almost everything father’s 80th birthday. Lankesh’s will always supply an obscure ty. He can expatiate with equal t was common knowledge publicly and grandly. His inten- under the sun. death also seemed to kill albeit illuminating fact to eluci- insight and ease on the Hindu that my contemporary in the tion was to give Nissanka as a Birthday Celebration Nissanka’s will to live. He never date matters. It was from him belief that temporal existence is IColombo Medical School, stunning surprise. As a virtual At the surprise birthday cele- recovered from that cruel blow of that I learnt that the oratorical beginningless and endless; on the future psychiatrist Cuda member of their family, I was bration NW said: “A person’s fate. His 80th birthday came and skills of Demosthenes, the great- Buddhist belief that there is no Wijeyeratne, son of Sir E. A. P eternal Atman or soul; and on Wijeyeratne (former cabinet min- the Jewish, Christian and ister and later ambassador), had Muslim belief that the universe two formidable elder brothers. began through the creative fiat of One was Tissa, the irrepressible a God Almighty. More than once Communist. The other was the have I urged- Dr. NW to write a resourceful, high flying, national- DR. Nissanka book on his interpretation of istic Nissanka. Born on 14 June religion. He hasn’t done it so far. 1924, Nissanka became a civil Pundit Jawarharlal Nehru servant in 1954, a cabinet minis- says in the preface to his ter in 1978, an ambassador in “Glimpses of World History” that 1990, and he died on 7 January a busy life full of political activi- 2007. ty had prevented him from writ- Close Friendship Parakrama ing the book which had already It was in February 1988 that I taken shape in his mind. Only a got to know Dr. Nissanka spell in prison gave him the Wijeyeratne personally. On 16 chance to put pen to paper. February 1988, a member of the Perhaps Dr. NW should be sent Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna to prison for the crime of not called Lionel Ranasinghe, repeat- Wijeyeratne writing a book on religion. He edly pulled the trigger of the gun may then actually write it. from which came the five shots He is a brilliant versifier as if that killed Vijaya Kumaratunga to the manner born. At the drop on the spot. Vijaya was a nephew of a hat he, can produce an apt of mine and because we were went in 2004. He verse to capture the essence of close allies in the Left Movement His interest in men and matters is impersonal, vetoed any man- any character or situation... in this country at that time, there objective and scholarly. His knowledge is exten- ner of celebra- Because this is a birthday was reason to believe that I was sive and in some arrears profound. A few years tion. I think it eulogy, it is not necessary to myself a marked man of the old was his deep record here all the multifarious JVP. Dr. NW was the Minister of ago he gifted me with a book bearing the title understanding of services Deshamanya Nissanka Justice in the UNP government “Life of Micropsycoanalysis”. The book still lies Buddhism that Parakrama Wijeyeratne has of the time of which I was a vit- unread on my bedside table. I dare not read it. enabled him to rendered to our country and riolic and relentless critic. That, regain something our people. Given his cosmic however, did not prevent Dr. NW Dr. NW is also profoundly interested in reli- of his mental overview,, his sense of history from paying me an unexpected, gious philosophy. He was Diyawadana Nilame equipoise. and his lucid English style no unsolicited midnight visit and from 1975 to 1985, the highest lay office a Birthday Eulogy one is better equipped to docu- offering sympathy and protection Buddhist can attain. Immersed deeply in the I have just read ment the life and times of Dr. from the JVP. Ever after we over again the birthday eulogy I est orator in ancient Athens Nissanka Wijeyeratne than became close friends. Buddhist tradition and ethos, Dr. NW seems to wrote for him in 2001 at the could not save the city state and Nissanka Wijeyeratne himself.” His midnight visit and all the regard the major religions of humanity as valid, request of Lankesh. It was pub- that he finally poisoned himself Peroration rest of it had to do with my son’s culturally conditioned responses to a mysterious lished in The Sunday Island of So much for the power of orato- One year after he passed friendship with his school buddy June 17, 2001. Nissanka was very ry! After learning that from him away, it has to be reported that Lankesh. As it happened, transcendent reality. He can expatiate with equal pleased with what I wrote about I gave up the practice of rehears- he never committed to paper Nagarjuna Lankeshwara insight and ease on the Hindu belief that tempo- him on that occasion. Nor can I ing my speeches in front of a the masses of historical materi- Wijeyeratne, the lawyer, was the ral existence is beginningless and endless; on improve it at this point so I will mirror. al which was packed in his fer- son of Nissanka and Nita repeat in this belated obituary, His interest in men and mat- tile brain. Perhaps it does not Wijeyeratne. (The others, namely, the Buddhist belief that there is no eternal Atman excerpts from the birthday eulo- ters is impersonal, objective and matter after all. Having former Diyawadana Nilame, or soul; and on the Jewish, Christian and Muslim gy I wrote. scholarly. His knowledge is exten- plumbed the depths of meaning Neranjan; current cabinet minis- belief that the universe began through the cre- “All those who have had the sive and in some arrears pro- of existence Nissanka seemed ter Manodha, entrepreneur and privilege of knowing Dr. found. A few years ago he gifted to have realised, especially provincial politician Anuradha ative fiat of a God Almighty. More than once have Wijeyeratne will confirm that he me with a book bearing the title after the premature death of and the one and only personable I urged- Dr. NW to write a book on his interpreta- is a most amiable, warm, gener- “Life of Micropsycoanalysis”. his loving son Lankesh that the and favourite daughter tion of religion. He hasn’t done it so far. ous, erudite and caring man of The book still lies unread on my truth is dukkha and the rest is Nishangani, I got to know in due worldly sophistication. He spe- bedside table. I dare not read it. vanity. At this point what course.) cialised in history at university Dr. NW is also profoundly comes to my mind is Lankesh recruited as a fellow conspirator 77th birthday is not something to and has never stopped learning interested in religious philoso- Thackeray’s verse: Truth to tell, it was Lankesh and we hatched the plot which make a song and dance about. it. I immensely enjoy his compa- phy. He was Diyawadana Nilame Oh Vanity of Vanities that I was most fond of among all went according to plan. For the My children have conspired to ny because he is such a vivacious from 1975 to 1985, the highest lay How wayward the decrees of the Wijeyeratnes. One of the occasion Lankesh had collected celebrate it in this grand way and amusing talker. Suddenly office a Buddhist can attain. fate are; tragedies of my life occurred into one handsome volume titled because they doubtless believe during a conversation, when his Immersed deeply in the Buddhist How very weak the very wise when Lankesh suddenly died at Appey Appachchi some 130 of the that I will not live to see my 80th bright eyes begin to twinkle mis- tradition and ethos, Dr. NW How very small the very great the age of 36 in 2002. The year poems written from time to time birthday. You just wait and see. I chievously, a flash of delicious seems to regard the major reli- are. by Sharm de Alwis been senior to LK by one year but Lakshman Jayakody has been Dr Michael Abeyratne: “Nice the graveyard and suddenly Lakshman Jayakody come only had decided to leave Trinity to the President of the Trinity guy. He was a superb bat.Our par- realised that Rodney’s grave was from birthright.” further his studies at Ananda. College OBA, has served as a ents were friends. Humble and next to that of Sir Oliver Dennis Ratwatte, a batch akshman Jayakody is the The Principal, member on the Board of unassuming mind.Never forgot a Goonetilleka. Lakshman had mate and fellow only one of his clan to have C.E.Simithraaratchy approached Governors of Trinity and was friend. I remember how he was quipped, “ He is a great fellow to ruggerite:”Straightforward, Lbeen at Trinity and that is him and told him that the cricket once the President of the SL upset when he had been labelled be buried next to the Governor straight man.