A Buddhist Perspective on Pain, Stress and Illness
Bhikkhu Sumedha
Preface
Ven. Sumedha, whose lay name was Aja Iskander Schmidlin, was born in Switzerland in 1932. Being an artist of repute, he was inspired by the natural beauty, the unique culture, and the multi-religious background of Sri Lanka on his first visit to the island in 1970. In 1981, in the historical Buddhist city of Anuradhapura, he received full ordination as a bhikkhu or Buddhist monk. From that time on, he devoted himself to Buddhism and extended his services to the local community of Sri Lanka. His social services were not confined to religious activities. He set up a first‑aid clinic with himself as a barefoot doctor. He trained several locals in first‑aid and, in 1987, organized a free first‑aid clinic at Dulwala which is still in operation. Ven. Sumedha was neither a writer nor a scholar, and he understood and explained the Dhamma in a unique way. He often used visual imagery to explain Buddhist concepts. His paintings, some of which were displayed in his cave‑hermitage at Dulwala, attest to his artistic ability.
During the latter part of his life, Ven. Sumedha became closely acquainted with the staff at the Peradeniya Teaching Hospital where he himself was repeatedly admitted for various chronic ailments. During his stay in the ICU, he developed a warm friendship with me, which led to his beginning to offer the Dhamma for the mental well-being of the critically ill. He became a regular visitor at the hospital, conducting paritta or protection chanting, offering advice on meditation, and even assisting patients financially to buy expensive drugs. Despite his own chronic illnesses, he was devoted to the needs of others.
On 21 December 2006, at approximately 10:30pm Ven. Sumedha passed away at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital. According to his request, made long before his death, his eyes were donated to the eye bank, and his body was donated to the Faculty of Medicine, University of Peradeniya. This work, which deals with the inherent nature of mind during pain and chronic illnesses and the Buddhist method of managing it, is based on my personal experiences with Ven. Sumedha. It is dedicated to his memory, as the spiritual patron of Peradeniya Teaching Hospital, and for his invaluable services for over 30 years in Sri Lanka as a Buddhist monk.
Bhikkhu-Sumedha-Buddhist-Perspective
