FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR 2 MEDICAL STUDENTS

Bhante Kalyanawansa was born 1972 in Sri Lanka and became a monk in 1983 at Weihena temple, Galle District. Bhante has his higher ordination in 1992 Malwatta temple, Kandy and studied 08 subjects during his pirivena life (monks school). After completed his high school, he studied Buddhist philosophy at city of Kelaniya Univeristy from 1995 to 1999. After graduation, Bhante worked in the government for 2 years. In 2001, Bhante went to the United States of America to propagate Buddhism for over 09 years. It is Bhante's every wish to provide Financial Assistance to the Medical Students in their studies. Following are 2 letters from the students appealing for your kind assistance.(Note: The letters below from the students were unedited).To donate, kindly write directly to kalyanawansab@yahoo.com for details.
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From: Buddhinee Weerasinghe
To: kalyanawansab@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, 18 January, 2011 8:03:16 PM

I am, Buddhinee priyasadi Weerasinghe, a 3rd year medical student at University of Sri Jayewardanepura,Sri Lanka.My parents do not have permenant jobs and it is difficult to them to give me money for my needs.I have to expend about 140,000/= for a year for my residence,books,stationaries etc.So I am seeking a financial support for my studies as my parents can not bear such an expense & also my younger brother is willing to enter the university in this year(2011).It is a worth help if i could have any support.

I did my primary education @ Ananda college,Elpitiya and entered Visakha Vidyalaya,Colombo as I passed grade 5 scholarship exam.Since it is a great school I didn't want to go tution classes for school education.Since I was staying at school hostal without going for tution my parents were able to bear my expenses.I passed O/L wt 8A's & passed A/L's with 3A's.
As I know the dificulties with studies I wish to help students who need help after I got the job.
I kindly request your great help.
Thank you!

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Honorable Thero,

I’m M.G. Ruwani Chandrika , a student of Allied Health Science in faculty of
Medicine, Karapitiya in the university of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka. I am the 2nd in a family of five including my parents. My father is a farmer & mother is a housewife. My elder sister is an undergraduate of the university of Colombo in Sri Lanka and my brother is studying Advanced Level in 2012. I’m studying with many difficulties because all of three are studying and we have to spend lot of money for our education, but there is no enough income for my parents.

During my education, I have lot of expenses for books, uniforms, bording fees, meals and bus fees…… ets. In these situations I have to face a lot of inconvenience because of the lack of good income. I am spend about Rs. 96000/= per year for those. This is a problem to me. I have about 3 years more to study. I am very much grateful to you if you pay your attention with this matter.

After my university life I like very much to pay my service to people. My ambition is to become a good, professional health worker & offer my service to the world. I do my best for my loving people. One day there will be children with many difficulties during their educational life such as me. I think I will be able to help them. I like so much for such things.As a Buddhist student I must do and I can do that.

Thank you very much.

Yours faithfully,

M.G. Ruwani Chandrika

TIROKUDDA KANDA SUTTA OR HUNGRY SHADES OUTSIDE THE WALLS

Outside the walls they stand, & at crossroads. At door posts they stand, returning to their old homes. But when a meal with plentiful food & drink is served, no one remembers them: Such is the kamma of living beings.

Thus those who feel sympathy for their dead relatives give timely donations of proper food & drink — exquisite, clean — [thinking:] "May this be for our relatives. May our relatives be happy!"

And those who have gathered there, the assembled shades of the relatives, with appreciation give their blessing for the plentiful food & drink: "May our relatives live long because of whom we have gained [this gift]. We have been honored, and the donors are not without reward!"

For there [in their realm] there's no farming, no herding of cattle, no commerce, no trading with money. They live on what is given here, hungry shades whose time here is done.

As water raining on a hill flows down to the valley, even so does what is given here benefit the dead. As rivers full of water fill the ocean full, even so does what is given here benefit the dead.

"He gave to me, she acted on my behalf, they were my relatives, companions, friends": Offerings should be given for the dead when one reflects thus on things done in the past. For no weeping, no sorrowing no other lamentation benefits the dead whose relatives persist in that way. But when this offering is given, well-placed in the Sangha, it works for their long-term benefit and they profit immediately.

In this way the proper duty to relatives has been shown, great honor has been done to the dead, and monks have been given strength:

The merit you've acquired isn't small.

Sadhu!
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According to the Theravada traditions:
For the non-Arahant, death is a time of transitioning to a yet another rebirth; thus, the living participate in acts that transfer merit to the departed, either providing for a more auspicious rebirth or for the relief of suffering in the departed's new existence. For the living, ceremonies marking another's death is a reminder of life's impermanence, a fundamental aspect of the Buddha's teaching.

In Sri Lanka, funeral customs include:

"Offering of cloth on behalf of the dead" (mataka-vastra-puja):
Prior to a cremation, at the deceased's home or cemetery, the funeral's presiding monastics are offered a white cloth to be subsequently stitched into monastic robes. During this ceremony, the following verse is recited:

Impermanent alas are formations,
subject to rise and fall.
Having arisen, they cease;
their subsiding is bliss.
Aniccā vata saṅkhārā,
uppādavayadhammino.
Upapajjitvā nirujjhanti
tesaṃ vupasamo sukho.

In addition, as relatives pour water from a vessel to an overflowing cup, the following verses are recited:
As water raining on a hill
flows down to the valley,
even so does what is given here
benefit the dead.
Unname udakaṃ vaṭṭhaṃ yathā
ninnaṃ pavattati
evameva ito dinnaṃ
petānaṃ upakappati.

As rivers full of water
fill the ocean full,
even so does what is given here
benefit the dead.
Yathā vārivahā pūrā
paripūrenti sāgaraṃ
Evameva ito dinnaṃ
petānaṃ upakappati.

"Preaching for the benefit of the dead" (mataka-bana):
Within a week after the funeral (usually on the third day after), a monastic returns to the deceased's home to provide an appropriate hour-long sermon for surviving relatives and neighbors.
"Offering in the name of the dead" (mataka-dana):
Made three weeks after the funeral and then annually afterwards, the deceased's survivors hold an almsgiving on their behalf.