Vipula launches book on meditation and peace of mind
View(s):Well-known tourist industry personality Vipula Wanigasekera launched his book “Pointers to Enlightenment” this week in Colombo saying this publication could be a spring board to tap markets particularly in the west that are looking for meditation and peace of mind.
Picture shows Vipula Wanigasekera presenting copies of the book to Prof. Carlo Fonseka (second from right), Lanka Sportreizen Chairman Tilak Weerasinghe (who helped finance the publication) and Chandra Mohotti, veteran hotelier and chairman of the Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management (left). Pic by Indika Handuwela
“As for those who are in the tourism field, we need to ask ourselves why thousands of spiritual seekers don’t come to Sri Lanka. They go to Wat Pa Nanachat in Thailand, Ajan Temple in Australia, Monte Sahaja in Portugal, Tiruvannamalai in India, Amaravathi in England, or Plum Village in France. They don’t come here. But Sri Lanka is said to have preserved the pure form of Theravada Buddhism for centuries. Hardly anyone comes here to learn from outside,” he added.
Prof. Carlo Fonseka delivered the keynote address at the event, spicing it with interesting anecdotes on medicine and other topics.
The review of the book was written by Lionel Fernando, former civil servant, secretary to a number of ministries and a former ambassador.
The author in his comments at the launch said that this book speaks about “awareness that aligns itself to universal Consciousness or some call it Stillness or Silence, which can also be termed, Heaven, Moksha, Kingdom of God, or Nirvana”.
While acknowledging that this book will trigger a huge debate, he said this is not something that can be understood through debates or arguments and counter arguments. “Realization about the true nature of life is not knowledge. So the intellect cannot grasp this. Even if one cannot read or write, only a self inquiry within, is sufficient to know the truth,” he said.
Mr. Wanigasekera said that the core message of the book revolves around the “quest as to who we are and what we are.
This is increasingly becoming the question for many across the world for whom hundreds of books have been written using the Philosophies of Upanishads, Veda, Zen, Tao Te Ching and of course, Buddhism”.
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