Transferring Merits to Bhante Sumitta Mother
By Bhante Sumitta
Mother’s Day Dana | Seventh Memorial
January 22, 2023
1 Late Mrs. Chandra Ambalangoda
(1936-2016)
The 7th death anniversary of Bhante Sumitta’s mother,
late Mrs. Chandra Ambalangoda
falls on January 22, 2023 (Sunday).
Mother’s Day is a memorial honoring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. In fact, Mother’s Day should be everyday. So is the Father’s Day. They are our life line. They gave us life. They molded us to who we are today. Their unconditional love and affection are unique and so powerful. Let us pray together to all our Mothers on this special day, good health, long life and the best of spirit if they are alive. Let us talk to them affectionately, dearly and respectfully and never resentfully. Let us call them if they are far away. Let us hug them as many times as we can to make them feel happy. Let us bring smile to their face happiness to their hearts as much as we can as good loving sons and daughters. Let us take care of them whenever we can with good clothes, good food, good housing and good medicine and most of them all good strong LOVE. May all our mothers be well and happy and healthy!
This is a beautiful Pali Stanza to salute mother:
Dasa mase urekatva – posesi vuddhi karanam
Ayu digham vassa satam – matu padam nama’maham.
(Having cherished me in your womb of divine cradle for nearly ten months of time, you raised me up wishing me all the success. My dear mom, please let me bow down at your feet wishing you long life!)
Ref. p.46, Vandana: A Book for Buddhist Chanting
January 22, 2023 (Sunday)@Sri Ratana International Buddhist Center, Anaheim
2780 W Lincoln Ave, Anaheim, CA 92801
SCHEDULE
10:30 a.m. – Procession of Sangha to the Shrine Room
10:45 a.m. – Buddha Vandana
11:30 a.m. – Lunch Dana
12:30 p.m. – Transferring Merits
Join us online on January 22, 2023 (Sunday)
She was a devoted Buddhist
A School teacher for 40 years
Mother of 7 children
12 Grand children & 5 great grand children
kind hearted & generous
a wonderful community leader
Mother is the sweetest word in the world.
It is exactly five years ago that she passed away after living a memorable life of 80 years. She had 7 children and worked for 38 years as a dedicated school teacher in many parts of rural Sri Lanka. She started her career as a school teacher in Kurunegala Namalalanga Vidyalaya and retired from teaching after serving at Halkandaliya Vidyalaya, Nivitigala, Ratnapura. She opened the eyes of many thousands of children and was known to about a thousand Buddhist monks all over Sri Lanka as a staunch Buddhist upasikā (lay female devotee).
I am so grateful and thankful to her for she was an amazing mother and she is the one who is responsible for most of who I am today. As anyone else for their mother, I too am in short of words to express my gratitude to the mother who gave me birth and took well care of me without any complain or without any burden. May I take this opportunity to transfer all the merits to her that I have accrued so far in my life and throughout my Samsara (circle of transmigration or circle of rebirth according to Buddhism).
May all these meritorious deeds become one united power and bless her, help her, protect her and guide towards her final Samsaric goal – the Supreme bliss of Nibbana! (final goal of all Buddhists – the liberation from samsara.)
Salutation to the Mother (Sri Lankan Tradition)
Dasa māse ure katvā
Posesi vuddhi kāraṇaṃ
Āyu dīghaṃ vassa sataṃ
Mātu pādaṃ namāmahaṃ.(Having cherished me in your womb of divine cradle nearly for ten months of time, you raised me up wishing me all the success. My dear mom, please let me bow down at your feet wishing you long life!)
Transferring Merits to the Departed Relatives
Idaṃ me ñātinaṃ hotu – Sukhitā hontu ñātayo.
Idaṃ me ñātinaṃ hotu – Sukhitā hontu ñātayo.
Idaṃ me ñātinaṃ hotu – Sukhitā hontu ñātayo.
(Let this merit be with our relatives, and may they be well and happy! Let this merit be with our relatives, and may they be well and happy! Let this merit be with our relatives, and may they be well and happy!)
May all my attempts and dedications towards the Dhamma be a lamp unto you Mother!(Late Chandra Ambalangoda : 1936-2016)May you be well, happy, healthy and safe wherever you are!May you attain the Supreme bliss of Nibbana!Sadhu! Sadhu!! Sadhu!!!
I wish to share this poem that I wrote sometime back as a mark of respect to my mother. Hope this would be a little token of appreciation and salutation to all the mothers on earth.
Your caressing ways
Your cherishing thoughts
Always kept me
High from within
Your blissful rays
From the innermost heart
Went through me
In all my veins.
You as my teacher
Uplifted spirits
As veritable promoter
Made me sprite.
You showed me the world
You showed me the path
Your love is true
Pristinely pure.
You sweetened my ears
You fulfilled my eyes
Oh! My dearest and sweetest mom
Please be mine
In many births to come!
– Ven. Nivitigala Sumitta
Some of the Social Welfare Activities that we did together with our mother:
Helping children in Saman Uyana, Parakandeniya, Sri Lanka.
Flood Relief to a village in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. Support to the Children’s Home in Anuradhapura. Flood relief to a remote village in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka. We supported the entire village walking from house to house and helping them with food items and other requisites. Nearly 50 volunteers were involved in this beautiful humanitarian service.
Photos from the previous Dāna Ceremonies to transfer merit to her at Lankarama Buddhist Institute, La Puente, CA 91744. The late Venerable Aluthnuwara Sumanatissa Nayaka Thero, Most Venerable Ahangama Dhammarama Nayaka Thero, Venerable Vanavasi Rahula, Venerable Dhammavaro, Venerable Yonghwa Sunim, Venerable Khemananda, Venerable Medhankara, Bhikkhuni Chanda and Bhikkhuni Susila blessed the occasion.
Bhante Dhammārāma, Bhante Yogāvacara Rāhula, Bhante DhammavaroFew More Photos of Her love and care:
With her daughter and grand daughter
with her grand daughter
with her sister and grand daughter
at sacred Buddhagaya Maha Bodhi Vihara, Buddhagaya, India
at sacred Buddhagaya Maha Bodhi Vihara, Buddhagaya, India
Click here for a useful article about Transferring merits to the Departed relatives according to Buddhist tradition. Pāli Chantings used in the ceremony:
May she attain the supreme bliss of Nibbana!
(Nibbanassa paccayo hotu)
What is Dāna? Practice of Generosity
There are threefold preparations in executing a Buddhist meritorious act, especially an offering of a Dāna:
Pubba cetanā (intention prior to the action)
Muñcana cetanā (intention at the time of execution)
Apara cetanā (intention after the action)
One has to be mentally and physically well prepared for this noble act to make this lifetime opportunity of sponsoring a Kaṭhiṇa robe offering. He or she and the whole family can practice themselves Dāna, Sīla and Bhāvanā to make their life and saṃsāra more meaningful through this wonderful merit making ceremony. Money can be an important factor in sponsoring a Kaṭhiṇa, however, it is the mind that is much more important than anything else. If someone is well prepared both mentally and physically, he or she can surely gain immeasurable merits through this wonderful act since there is a golden opportunity to practice for three months at least. However, this noble act should be extended and strengthened even after the actual three months period is over. That will surely lead he or she to an immeasurable happiness in the saṃsāra and eventually leading him or her to the supreme bliss of Nibbāṇa. Na ve kadariyā devalokaṃ vajanti
bālā ha ve nappasaṃsanti dānaṃ
dhīro ca dānaṃ anumodamāno
tene’va so hoti sukhī parattha.
“Indeed, misers do not go to the abode of the devas;
fools do not praise charity;
but the wise rejoice in charity and
so gain happiness in the life hereafter.”
Sabbe sattā averā hontu
Sabbe sattā abyāpajjā hontu
Sabbe sattā anīghā hontu
Sabbe sattā sukhī attānaṃ pariharantu
May all beings be free from enmity/danger.
May all beings be free from mental suffering.
May all beings be free from physical suffering.
May all beings take care of themselves happily.
May All Beings Be Well & Happy & Healthy!
May All Attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbāṇa!
Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!
