Chief Reverend Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda

March 18, 1919 -- Aug 31, 2006

The Star Online, September 6, 2006

Death is no cause for sorrow, but it would be sorrow if one dies without having done something for oneself and for the world. -- Chief Reverend Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda, Food for The Thinking Mind

Nineteen years ago, my daughter was fortunate to get the blessing from the chief monk of the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, during her full moon celebration. That was the first time I met Chief Reverend Ven Dr K. Sri Dhammananda. Over the years, I met Chief Reverend a few times. I always left in awe.

Sadly on Merdeka Day, I returned with husband and daughter to pay our last respects to Chief Reverend. Pieces of saffron cloth were hung across the road at the entrance to symbolise the passing of a monk. But a good omen was perhaps beautiful rainbow before twilight that arched across the evening sky.

At his funeral at the Nirvana Memorial Park in Semenyih on Sunday (Sept 3), we joined thousands of devotees for Chief Reverend's funeral, the biggest in the history of Buddhist Maha Vihara. Some 500 monks from the Maha Sangha came from 11 countries -- Sri Lanka, Japan, the United States, Canada, Taiwan, Australia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia.

Devotees braved the rain, which started at about 5.15pm. Exactly an hour later, the heavy downpour relented when it was time to light the funeral pyre of sandalwood.

The casket was set inside a 30-foot high replica of a stupa made of yellow cloth and supported by wood structures made by some 25 Sri Lankan monks. The open pyre cremation of Chief Reverend made history as the first of its kind in Nirvana Memorial Park, said Rev. K. Dhammaratana, 55, deputy chief monk of Buddhist Maha Vihara.

For whilst the nation observed Merdeka Day, the Buddhist community also mourned the loss of a great leader -- the Chief High Priest of Malaysia and Singapore, Venerable Dr K. Sri Dhammananda, 87. He passed away on Aug 31 at 11.32am, surrounded by monks and devotees at Subang Jaya Medical Centre in Petaling Jaya.

"The Chief Reverend is a living Buddha. He has contributed immensely not just to Malaysians but to the whole world. He had preached (the Dhamma) to both young and old with his simple language and was a prolific writer," said Rev Dhammaratana of Chief Reverend, his uncle.

"We hope that he will come back to us (through rebirth) and continue his great work. Our hearts are always with him."

Confined to a wheelchair, Chief Reverend insisted on giving his last sermon on July 10 at his temple, the Buddhist Maha Vihara in Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur, where he was chief monk.

"The sermon meant so much to him because it was not just on a full moon's day but it coincided with Buddha's first sermon to his first five disciples," said Rev Dhammaratana. The next day, he had to be admitted to hospital.

From then, Chief Reverend was ill for over six weeks following a second mild stroke. He sought treatment in private hospitals in Malaysia and Singapore. On Aug 21, he was readmitted to a private hospital in Subang Jaya upon his return from Singapore. After a week, his health deteriorated further.

Chief Reverend was also an animal lover and kept a dog, Lucky, and two cats.

"His dog was very protective of him. Even his cats used to give him massages. They must have observed the masseurs attending to the Chief Reverend and learnt some tricks," said Rev Dhammaratana. (By Majorie Chiew)