Sri Lanka: Olcott, the Picketts and Buddhist women’s education

[ellisonz]

Vinod MOONESINGHE
Tuesday January 17, 2012

The genesis of Buddhist women's education in modern Sri Lanka goes back to March 24, 1889, when a group of women gathered at the Colombo headquarters of the Buddhist Theosophical Society. The BTS had been formed nine years before at the behest of Madame Helena Petrovna and Colonel Henry Steele Olcott.

It was unprecedented in the colony for women to gather in this manner, like men, to discuss matters of import - which in this case was the furtherance of education for Sinhalese women. The initiative seems to have been taken by Ms O. L. G. A. Weerakoon, who by all accounts was a livewire.

A week later, on March 30, an expanded group met again at the same location, and formed the Women's Education Society of Ceylon (Nari-shiksa-dhana Samagama), to promote the education of Buddhist women. The following were elected to the council:

President: OLGA Weerakoon; Vice-Presidents: Madelina Perera Dharma Gunawardana, A. de Livera, Dona Madelena; Secretary: E. Wijeysinghe; Assistant Secretary: Margaret E. de Silva; Treasurer: Isabella Dharma Gunawardana.

The WES was the very first women's organization in Sri Lanka - the Ceylon Women's Union was only begun 15 years later. According to the Lucifer magazine, it offered ‘one broad platform where all women, irrespective of caste, may stand up and proclaim their sisterhood.’

http://www.dailynews.lk/2012/01/17/fea01.asp

Interesting reading, I know at least one of our posters will find intriguing.

[marasinghe]

1. Hi ellisonz. dunno who you meant; but thanks for the post. o/\o

Bit of info. on Colonel Olcott:

Apart from being a founder of the Theosophical Society, with the Russian spiritualist, Madame Blavatsky, Colonel Olcott helped a great deal in the lay Buddhist renaissance of Sri Lanka. After around 500 years of European invasions, and partial & total occupations, the practice of Buddhism by the general public was enervated. As a caucasian foreigner, the colonel was allowed more leeway by the British occupation, than locals; even the Monks (one famous local monk had been executed by firing squad, around that time, for tearing down a British flag).

Colonel Olcott used most of his flexibility & freedom, to promote Buddhist education & the schooling of the natives. He even helped formulate & publish a Buddhist "catechism", along the lines of Christain catechisms - to be used in religious education. I believe, it is still in print; had a copy of it a while back - which i passed on to a friend. He was also instrumental in starting the premier Buddhist public school in Sri Lanka, Ananda college. I believe all this activity, led to the British gradually marginalizing him and pushing his departure from the country.

Colonel Olcott was from New Jersey; he served with the Union army; and, it is believed that a primary impulses for his involvement with religion & spirituality, was the carnage witnessed in civil war battles.

He is revered in Sri Lanka; with streets & locations named after him; a statue of the man standing beside the main railway station in the capital; etc.. He wasn't quite the regular 'Jersey Shore' guy.

[ellisonz]

2. That's fascinating.

I've read in passing about the Theosophical Society and Madame Blavatsky but had no idea how intimately linked it was with Buddhism and Sri Lanka.

"Olcott once described his adult faith as "pure, primitive Buddhism," but his was a unique sort of Buddhism.[5]" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Olcott

Hope you enjoyed. Aloha.

[marasinghe]

3. i did; very much, indeed.

Thanks again & Aloha ~