Anuvrat Movements Theory and Practical

Author(s): Shivani Bothra
Publisher: USA Florida International University

Page 42

another innovation to Sri Lankan Buddhism by wedding meditation and social action.362
However, on many occasions both the movements have claimed in different tones that the
constitution of meditation is only to support the social ethical actions of the movement's
philosophy. Does Anuvrat or Sarvodaya require meditation to reach its goal? Is
meditation merely a means to the end or an end in itself? I will further see how the
mendicant Tulsi merges his movement with meditation and how Ariyaratne, the layman,
integrates the Buddhist practice of metta meditation in social activity.
The Anuvrat Movement and Preksha Meditation
Some of the questions that Tulsi encountered regarding the Preksha Meditation
(Insight meditation) were: "How did it originate and why? What values do you wish to
establish through it in society? Is this also an extensive movement like Anuvrat??63 Tulsi
stated that Preksha Meditation was the next logical step following the Anuvrat
Movement. He explained his point in the following way:
Anuvrat and Preksha dhyana originated almost together. Though, at that time, I had no conception of 'preksha' in my mind. But, for the creation of the kind of ground I required for Anuvrat, it was not possible to ignore the inevitable requirement of dhyana-sadhana. The sapling of Anuvrat bloomed earlier because it was connected with the gross world and the behavioral aspect of life. But, preksha is concerned with the subtle world, the inner aspect of life, and it took a long time to develop. As the conception of moral values took root among the people, the spiritual thirst increased.
62 Nithl, Buddhist Philosophy of Social Activism, 85.
63 Acharya Tulsi, Transmutation of Personality Through Preksha Meditation, ed. Sadhvipramukha Kanakprabha, (Ladnun: Jain Vishva Bharati, n.d.), 1.
64 Ibid., 3.