Miracles Happened At Buddhist Conference: A “Totally Deaf” Academic Regains His Hearing!
By A Special Correspondent -December 24, 2013
The totally deaf man has been participating in previous Buddhist Research Conferences when held in Colombo. This was the ninth. He has even presented papers earlier and participated actively in them. This time too he was an invitee but had attended with some hesitation because of his medical condition – a perceptive deafness but which the organizer and one close to her has pronounced on their own as “Total deafness”. This is where our story derives its spin.
According to most participants except two, the convener and the other, the Deaf man had surprisingly, splurged into action. That is why this Correspondent thinks there was a miracle, and the interlocutor was at least temporarily cured of his ailment, to hear Buddha’s word that was being spelt out by presenters.
The centre of attraction was Buddha’s exposition of Kalama Sutta about the significance of which one presenter dwelled at length before he came to present a model on Ayurveda which he and his team of academics had worked on. The more the interlocutor in question watched – no one had thought he was inhibited in listening as a former Professor, an expert on Buddhism, who was seated next to him had seen when the interlocutor was seen taking down notes and even checked if he had got it right-the interlocutor had been seen .being inspired by the presentations rather than been inhabited by any deficiency.
As the participants except the two we have mentioned had seen, and some even discussed, the interlocutor had not shown any sign of being inhibited from any ailment. He had gone from strength to strength to join in discussion almost every topic that was discussed. From all accounts, he had been the most active participant all round.
This is where some even discussed if a miracle had happened as the interlocutor was listening to words uttered by Buddha (Buddha-bhasita). That is also the topic of discussion in the town –the healing power when one listens devotedly, as the interlocutor seemingly did.
The story of the miracle, an unusual one which one often hears in Christian and Sufi circles, attracted our attention because it is rear to hear of the healing power of Buddha’s word, though one might think of the soothing power of the Buddhist Suttas when they are recited properly; or in Mahayanic context of repletion. That includes also “Pirith”.
We inquired from a number of persons who attended the Conference, a former academic included, the interlocutor for his version, over the criticism by the two critics.
So here is a part of our investigation.
The interlocutor’s version: Read More
