‘Buddhist perspective on friendship’: A book disseminating ideas that champion a culture of life

By Rita Jayatilleke 

The book, authored by Sri Lankan Catholic priest Rev. (Dr.) Ajith Wellington OMI, in collaboration with Venerable Muwaetagama Gnanananda, was launched recently at the Post Graduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences (PGIHS) of the University of Peradeniya amidst distinguished, erudite and eminent persons of the Catholic Church, Buddhist Clergy and University intellectuals. 

Rev. Dr. Ajith Wellington is a member of the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI). He is an alumnus of the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka, Kandy, where he completed his Bachelor’s degrees (B.Ph. and (B.Th.) in Philosophy and Theology. He holds a L. Ph. and a Ph.D. from the Gregorian University, Rome, Italy. In addition, he has a Postgraduate Diploma and a Ph.D. in Buddhist Studies from the University of Peradeniya. 

He was a lecturer (2001-2003) in Philosophy at St. Charles Lwanga Major Seminary, Windhoek, Namibia and from 2004 to 2019 he has been teaching Philosophy, Buddhism and Latin at his alma mater, the National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka. He was also a visiting lecturer at the Department of Western Classical Culture and Christian Culture of the University of Kelaniya and at the Sister Formation Program of Aquinas College of Higher Studies, Colombo. At present he is the Administrator of St. Peter’s Church, Poughkeepsie, New York.

Rev. Fr. Ajith Wellington, first made the acquaintance of Ven. Prof. Muwaetagama Gnanananda, Professor of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Peradeniya as his first Pali teacher. Their meeting in the classroom in a student-teacher relationship eventually paved the way for their long friendship and to the realisation that they cannot be spiritual friends (Kalyāṇamitta) because of their different religious affiliations. Their friendship can be described as good-hearted (Suhadamitta). Thus was born the title of the book ‘Suhadamitta and Kalyāṇamitta.’

This distinctive feature set the tone for the joyful celebration of friendship which was further enhanced at the book launch by the presence of the Chief Guest Very Rev. Fr. Roshan Silva OMI, Provincial Superior of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Japan and Korea. The Guests of Honour were Rt. Rev. Dr. Valence Mendis, Bishop of Kandy and Administrator of Chilaw; and Emeritus Professor P.D. Premasiri of the University of Peradeniya. Ven. Prof. Muwaetagama Gnanananda, Ven. Prof. Gallelle Sumanasiri, Emeritus Professor and former Vice Chancellor of Pali Buddhist University, Prof. Ranjith Bandara Senior Professor of Economics, University of Colombo and M.P. Professor Suresh J.S. de Mel, Director Post Graduate Institute of Humanities and Social Sciences. Very Rev. Fr. Expeditus Jayakody, Rector, National Seminary of Our Lady of Lanka, Rev. Fr. Anthony Lakshman, Rector, St. Nicholas’s International College, Negombo, who is Fr. Wellington’s brother, Catholic clergy and Buddhist clergy graced the occasion.

A pervasive brilliance shines in new and unexpected ways in this treatise on goodhearted friendship – Suhadamitta. Within the pages are enclosed the quest of a lifetime in a virtual world. In the foreword written by Professor G.A. Somaratne, (Ph.D), Assistant Professor in Buddhist Studies, University of Hong Kong, who was also Fr. Wellington’s teacher at the University of Peradeniya from 2004 to 2006, states, “Through its classification and development of the two friendship categories in two distinctive chapters and its detailed discussions, drawing material from key discourses and also from some western theories (Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas) this work contributes enormously to our understanding of the Buddhist concept of friendship and its significance not only within the Buddhist path and practice but also as a universal cross cultural category for the understanding of the human being as a social being. The book thus transcends social divides and has the deeper purpose, as a source of providing courage and faith in humanity.” 

The book is dedicated with profound gratitude and appreciation to Emeritus Professor P.D. Premasiri, University of Peradeniya. Hence, this occasion of the book launch took on added meaning and relevance as it was also a platform to felicitate Professor P.D. Premasiri, who incidentally is the teacher of the author Rev.(Dr) Ajith Wellington, the Guest of Honour His Lordship Rt. Rev. Dr. Valence Mendis, Bishop of Kandy and Ven. Professor Muwaetagama Gnanananda. The felicitation speech was delivered by Bishop Valence Mendis. It was deeply incisive and inclusive, acknowledging his accomplishments as a great teacher; his humanity epitomised by his simplicity, humility, and equanimity: his achievements as a great scholar, his contributions as a writer in the literary world are praiseworthy.

Speeches were also delivered by Ven. Prof. Gallelle Sumanasiri and Prof. Ranjith Banda on the Buddhist notion of friendship.

The keynote address was the introduction of the book, ‘Buddhist Perspective on Friendship: The Distinction between Suhadamitta and Kalyāṇamitta’ by the Guru, Emeritus Professor P.D. Premasiri to his student and author of the book Rev. (Dr.) Ajith Wellington. He was deeply touched, happy and expressed his gratitude and appreciation for having honoured him with the dedication. He then commended the author for his vision and efforts to write on the Buddhist perspective, though he is a Catholic priest himself. He then engaged in a deeply analytical, probing professional commentary on the book. He said that good-hearted friendship, Suhadamitta, is a subject that has not been dealt with, and there is a current scarcity of literature on this topic, and so this book is bound to make a great impact on the lives of humans.

He also commented on the presentation and structure of the book, as being methodical, insightful and interesting. He congratulated the author for his hard work, devotion and perseverance in writing a book of this proportion with clarity and effectiveness of communication on friendship.

The afternoon with a unique celebration of two events was concluded with the vote of thanks by the author Fr. Wellington. In his own words about his book, “an attempt is made to develop a definition of friendship and to delineate different constitutive elements that will help any reader, irrespective of all religious affiliations, to come to a profound understanding of friendship. This book is an attempt to disseminate ideas that champion a culture of life and a civilization of love”.

To a large extent, our lives are made by thoughts and ideas. We finally become what we think. It is obvious that the author loves to deal with reflective thoughts and profound ideas and he deals with them expertly with sensitivity. In that sense in the realm of friendship, this book with its great thoughts has the power to question and motivate one’s life, giving courage and confidence to live more fully. There is no doubt that an astonishing development of personality can come from this book. It is designed to help one to get outside the narrow confines of one’s own prejudices and personal interests, and to become a participant in the affairs of others, to join hands with others in creating a better way of life for everyone through Suhadamitta.

In its profundity, in today’s market-oriented society, where humans have lost sincerity in their relationships and find themselves unhappy and dissatisfied in an increasingly isolated, individualistic world, this book will be inspirational to find happiness and fulfilment. This book is a treatise on friendship as a life-enriching experience intricately connected with virtue. The beauty lies therein.