UWest Commencement 2009

by Danny Fisher

The author with Ananda W.P. Guruge.
Commencement exercises for the class of 2009 took place at our fair campus today. Though a few of my colleagues and I had a busy morning finishing the two-day interview of prospective students for the M.Div. in Buddhist Chaplaincy program that I currently direct, we all wrapped up in time to join the rest of the faculty, staff, and students in the auditorium at 2 p.m.

The high point for me came when my friend and Pāḷi mentor Ananda W.P. Guruge was officially designated UWest’s first emeritus professor and then gave a heartfelt commencement address. His comments brought his long career at our illustrious institution to something nearing a close: an unstoppable force for education, he’s still going to teach part-time.

Dr. Guruge’s most memorable comment came when he reflected on his wisdom accrued during a life of service in six different jobs:

    The purpose of life is to serve your fellow human beings to the best of your ability for as long as you can.

Among those who came to join UWest in sending off one of its most devoted employees was the Venerable Walpola Piyananda Nayaka Thero, who was my preceptor when I was ordained as a Buddhist minister by the ecumenical Buddhist Sangha Council of Southern California. (The two of us are pictured below.) Bhante Piyananda, who is the Chief Sanghanayake of the U.S.A., is also the author of two wonderful memoirs: Saffron Days in L.A. and The Bodhi Tree Grows in L.A. As we were catching up, Bhante told me that he just finished another manuscript on a very exciting topic (which you’ll find out about soon). He also paid me a very nice compliment about the blog that made my whole day.

I must say: I feel pretty lucky to know all these remarkably brilliant and kind people. It’s a good life.