Article
on Olcott in Sri Lanka - European warrior of the modern Buddhist
mission:
Henry
Steele Olcott was born on August 2, 1832, to a pious, Presbyterian family in
Orange, New Jersey. On May 16, 1880, Olcott and Blavatsky arrived in Colombo
first time and a few days later on May 25, at the Wijananda Temple in Galle,
Olcott and Blavatsky observed five precepts. Olcott's second visit to Ceylon
was in April, 1881, accompanied by Ven Mohottivatte Gunanando Thera.http://www.dailynews.lk/?q=2016/02/17/features/european-warrior-modern-buddhist-mission
"While the Christian movement flourished with state sanction from early-19th century, Buddhism was going through its own process of revival with the establishment of two new Buddhist Orders of Amarapura(1799) and Ramannna(1864), with links to Burma, andwith the formation of new Buddhist monastic institutions such asthe ParamaDhammaChetiyaPirivena in Ratmalana(in 1845), the VidyodayaPirivena in Maligakanda(in 1873) and the VidyalankaraPirivena in Peliyagoda(in 1875) (Meegama 2003). These developments enlivened the contemporary polemical debate within Buddhism. The arrival of Blavatsky and Olcott in Sri Lanka in 1880 which led to the formation of the Buddhist Theosophical Society of Ceylon (which I will hereafter refer to as the BTS),coincided with and was catalysed by thevery public polemical debates between Evangelical Christianity and Buddhism, which culminated in the great Panadura debate of 1873 that catapultedMigettuwatteGunanadaTheroto international fame.[v]Olcott and Blavatsky on their arrival declared themselves to be Buddhists, and becamein Olcott’s own words “the first white champions”[vi] of the Buddhist revivalist movement in Ceylon. Seven branches of the BTS were formed in Ceylon in 1880.
http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160807/sunday-times-2/tradition-modernity-and-elite-formation-203755.html
New Book
on History of Sri Lanka, Colonialist Period:
Confrontations with Colonialism – Resistance, Revivalism and Reform under British Rule in Sri Lanka. 1796 – 1920 (Volume 1). By Dr. P.V.J. Jayasekara. Published by Vijitha Yapa, 2017. Pages 569. Rs 1,500. Reviewed by Leelananda De Silva.
The third chapter is on "Buddhism, Theosophy, and Nationalism". In the latter part of the 19th century three leading Theosophists, Blavatsky, Olcott, and Annie Beasant, made a powerful impact on Buddhist and nationalist movements in Ceylon. They were critical of "Western civilization, its materialism, and the claims of western science as the path to progress". They were critical of Christian missionaries, and they undermined the Christian missionary claim to superior wisdom and modern thinking. "The most popular theme of their public lectures was the spiritual superiority of oriental civilization, its ancient wisdom, as opposed to Western materialism. Theosophists played an important role in the revival and establishment of Buddhist educational institutions, especially in English.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=159188
Confrontations with Colonialism – Resistance, Revivalism and Reform under British Rule in Sri Lanka. 1796 – 1920 (Volume 1). By Dr. P.V.J. Jayasekara. Published by Vijitha Yapa, 2017. Pages 569. Rs 1,500. Reviewed by Leelananda De Silva.
The third chapter is on "Buddhism, Theosophy, and Nationalism". In the latter part of the 19th century three leading Theosophists, Blavatsky, Olcott, and Annie Beasant, made a powerful impact on Buddhist and nationalist movements in Ceylon. They were critical of "Western civilization, its materialism, and the claims of western science as the path to progress". They were critical of Christian missionaries, and they undermined the Christian missionary claim to superior wisdom and modern thinking. "The most popular theme of their public lectures was the spiritual superiority of oriental civilization, its ancient wisdom, as opposed to Western materialism. Theosophists played an important role in the revival and establishment of Buddhist educational institutions, especially in English.
http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=159188
An animal shelter in Sri Lanka inspired by Olcott & Blavatsky:
"Mr. Senaka Weeraratna, Chapter Leader (Colombo Chapter) in his Welcome Address compared the visit of Bob Isaacson to an event that took place 135 years ago when another American lawyer and Civil War veteran by the name of Henry Steele Olcott arrived in Galle in 1880 with Madame Blavatsky, a Russian lady. They embraced Buddhism reciting pansil along with the Ti-sarana (taking refuge in the noble triple gem) at a Temple i.e. Vijayananda Pirivena, and thereafter embarked together with the support of indigenous Buddhist leaders like Anagarika Dharmapala to revive Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Henry Olcott addressed the weakest point in the Buddhist firmament namely Education and set up Buddhist schools which later blossomed into institutes of international renown such as Ananda, Nalanda, Mahinda, Dharmaraja, Sangamitta and Dharmasoka."
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/10/25/dharma-voices-for-animals-colombo-chapter-inaugurated-with-call-for-creation-of-a-caring-and-compassionate-society-in-sri-lanka/
"Mr. Senaka Weeraratna, Chapter Leader (Colombo Chapter) in his Welcome Address compared the visit of Bob Isaacson to an event that took place 135 years ago when another American lawyer and Civil War veteran by the name of Henry Steele Olcott arrived in Galle in 1880 with Madame Blavatsky, a Russian lady. They embraced Buddhism reciting pansil along with the Ti-sarana (taking refuge in the noble triple gem) at a Temple i.e. Vijayananda Pirivena, and thereafter embarked together with the support of indigenous Buddhist leaders like Anagarika Dharmapala to revive Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Henry Olcott addressed the weakest point in the Buddhist firmament namely Education and set up Buddhist schools which later blossomed into institutes of international renown such as Ananda, Nalanda, Mahinda, Dharmaraja, Sangamitta and Dharmasoka."
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2015/10/25/dharma-voices-for-animals-colombo-chapter-inaugurated-with-call-for-creation-of-a-caring-and-compassionate-society-in-sri-lanka/
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