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All was calm and quiet Monday at the Indiana Buddhist Temple in Hoagland during a vigil for victims of a series of suicide bombings in Sri Lanka.
The evening began with a small candlelight vigil to share loving thoughts with Sri Lanka. Led by Thalangama Devananda, the founder of the temple, the group participating in this week’s Loving Kindness Meditation took special care to radiate kind thoughts to those affected by the attacks.
More than 200 were killed in nine Easter Sunday bombings at churches, luxury hotels and other locations in Sri Lanka. Hundreds more were injured in the attacks. Although most of those killed were Sri Lankan, several Americans were among the dead, as were citizens of Britain, China, Japan and Portugal.
Devananda, dressed in orange robes, led the group in a series of chants and breathing exercises designed to send positive thoughts to the victims and their families. The temple’s simply adorned meditation area was mostly silent, aside from the deep, rhythmic breathing of Devananda and those meditating.
“We organized this vigil for transfer of merits for all the departed from Sri Lanka,” Devananda said. “It’s for the next life, for good health and a long life.”
Devananda, who is from Sri Lanka, said the country had problems about 30 to 35 years ago with the Tamil Tigers, a militant separatist group. When the war ended between the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan government, Devananda said, the people of Sri Lanka hoped the days of violence were past.
“All Sri Lankan people hoped not again will we have this kind of terrorist problem,” Devananda said. “It was a very bad and sad thing for our society.”
Devananda hopes the two dozen people who attended Monday’s vigil and meditation session will spread goodwill to their friends and neighbors. Monday’s gathering focused on Loving Kindness Meditation, which Devananda said is important for all human beings.
“Loving Kindness Meditation teaches people how to dwell on positive thoughts: kindness, compassion,” Devananda said. “Most people have negative thoughts in our mind: hate, jealousy, many kinds of negative thoughts. This practice is important to reduce the negatives from your mind.”
Positive thoughts bring happiness, Devananda said.
The Indiana Buddhist Temple was founded in 2003 by Devananda and a group of several devotees. The main focus of the temple is to act as a meditation center and to spread loving kindness throughout society. The temple does not try to covert anyone to Buddhism, Devananda said. People of all faiths and walks of life are welcome.
To further celebrate Sri Lankan culture, the temple, located at 7528 Thompson Road in Hoagland, will hold a Sri Lankan New Year celebration from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
dgong@jg.net
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http://www.journalgazette.net/news/local/20190423/native-sri-lankan-leads-temple-vigil-for-victims