CHARISMA IN BUDDHISM – VEN. PIYASILO

Charisma in Buddhism

By Ven. Piyasilo

A study of the work of Father Sumaṅgalo, Ānanda Maṅgala Mahā.nāyaka Thera and Dr. Wong Phui Weng in Malaysia and Singapore & Phra Ajahn Yantra Amaro

Piyasīlo started life as a monk in Singapore in 1970. After his 5-year basic monastic training in Siam, he worked in Melaka, Petaling Jaya, Singapore and elsewhere running national residential Dharma courses.

As a Buddhist writer, his work  cover children’s books, textbooks, doctrinal discussion and translations of Pali texts (especially the Sutta Nipāta). Besides running open meditation retreats, Piyasīlo introduced basic meditation into the campus Buddhist curriculum.

In 1983, he founded the Singapore Buddhist Youth Fellow­ ship, later called The Friends of Buddhism  Singapore  (1986). As one of the pioneers of the Buddhist Studies project for Singa­ pore secondary schools (1981–1992), he was instrumental in its success, serving as Resource Consultant and lecturer to the Buddhist Studies Team of the Curriculum Development Insti­ tute of Singapore.

In February 1981, he founded the Damansara Buddhist Vihara, followed by the Friends of Buddhism Malaysia in June 1984. In the late 1980s, Apple Computer featured him in ‘A day in the life of an Apple user’ for Southeast Asia.

Among more than 40 titles he had written are Avalokitesvara, Mandala and the Five Buddhas, Nichiren, Charisma in Buddhism and Buddhism, History and Society.

In 1991, at the threshold of his Third Decade of Dharma work, Piyasīlo renounced ‘association Buddhism’ to work on his own as a socially­engaged Buddhist with the Community of Dharmafarers, comprising Dharmacaris or full-time com­ munitarian lay Buddhist workers. Piyasīlo and the Dharma­ caris are interested in how local Buddhists think and work in order to understand and solve their problems, and to seek ideas that would be conducive towards the building of a wholesome Buddhist Community based on Right Livelihood.

One of the continued efforts of the Community is Bud- dhist research and the the production of books such as this one. Since the Community comprises of full-time voluntary workers,  your  Dharma-spirited  assistance is most welcome.

The official organ of the Community is the Svara, a quarterly journal.