A Peaceful Passing
Professor Yakupitiyage Karunadasa died peacefully in his sleep at home in Sri Lanka around 3:00 AM on Monday, 27 April, 2026. The news of his passing was kindly conveyed to me that morning by his son, Himansu, a corporate technologist based in Texas, first by email and then by phone. At the time, his younger sister, Hemamala, a chemistry professor in California, was attending a conference in London.
A Final Gathering
Just two weeks earlier, I had the special opportunity to invite Professor Karunadasa and his wife, Malathi (“Aunty Malathi”), to a buffet lunch at my hotel in Colombo, along with their helper, Manali, and their driver, Piyatissa. The gathering took place just before the Sinhala and Tamil New Year and only weeks before his 93rd birthday on 23 May. I understand that I was the last of his many students over the years to have seen him before his passing—a significant and fortunate event for me, or, as Buddhists might consider, an instance of good karma. During lunch, Professor Karunadasa repeatedly reminded Aunty Malathi to avoid sweets for health reasons. Yet, in a lighthearted moment, “the boss,” as she fondly called him, joyfully finished a whole plate of chocolates on his own!
First Encounters and Lifelong Lessons
I first met Professor Karunadasa at the Master of Buddhist Studies orientation at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) in 2010. At the time, I did not realize that the unassuming, silver-haired gentleman in a white shirt, dark grey trousers, and brown sandals was a highly respected figure in academic Buddhism. Later, I told Richard Gombrich, the retired Boden Professor of Sanskrit at Oxford, whose Pali Summer School I had earlier attended, that Professor Karunadasa would be teaching me Early Buddhism. He assured me, “With Karunadasa, you will not go wrong.” Richard was absolutely correct. I remain deeply grateful to Professor Karunadasa for his crystal-clear, foundational teaching, which has been essential to my academic and practical understanding of Buddhist Studies and the Buddha-Dhamma. In fact, Professor Karunadasa taught in the spirit of the Buddha, as reflected in his book Early Buddhist Teachings: The Middle Position in Theory and Practice: “…[the Buddha] does not have ‘the closed fist of the teachers’ (ācariya-muṭṭhi), teachers who make distinctions between esoteric and exoteric aspects of their teachings. The more one elaborates the Buddha’s Doctrine-and-Discipline, the more it shines, and not when it is concealed. The Dhamma is not confined to an elitist class but ‘is for the benefit and happiness of the many’” (page 8).
Continued Dedication After Retirement
After retiring from HKU, Professor Karunadasa accepted an invitation from Venerable Professor KL Dhammajoti—his former student, colleague, and founder of the Buddha-Dharma Centre of Hong Kong (BDC)—to teach Early Buddhism and Theravada Abhidhamma at the BDC. He returned to Hong Kong each summer with Aunty Malathi. During his first year back, I attended his evening classes from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM, walking with him between his flat and the BDC, carrying his tote bag of lecture notes, sometimes sharing an umbrella in the rain. I recall an evening when he received his monthly salary in cash, in a white envelope. Without counting it, he handed it to me to give to Aunty Malathi. Dedicated to teaching, research, and scholarship, he was unattached to material wealth, entrusting household management entirely to his wife, which gave him the peace of mind to focus on his work.
A Life Lived by Example
What distinguished Professor Karunadasa was not only his scholarship and wisdom, but also his integrity, loyalty, and devotion as a friend, teacher, and family man. He taught his students to think independently and critically, and he deeply loved and cared for his wife, children, and grandchildren. He embodied the Buddha’s teachings in thought, word, and deed—not as a monk, but as a layperson. His life was a living example of the principles in the Karaṇīyamettā Sutta, the “Buddha’s Discourse on Loving-Kindness.” As the sutta counsels:
This is what should be done
By one who is skilled in goodness,
And who knows the path of peace:
Let them be able and upright,
Straightforward and gentle in speech,
Humble and not conceited,
Contented and easily satisfied,
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm and wise and skillful,
Not proud or demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing
That the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety,
May all beings be at ease. (Sutta Nipāta:18)
A Sense of Humor and Lasting Memories
While many honor Professor Karunadasa for his academic accomplishments, I was—and still am—particularly impressed by his remarkable sense of humor—a quality he admired in the Buddha. Before my final visit to Colombo, Aunty Malathi asked me over the phone if I wanted anything. Although I politely declined, she remembered my fondness for EGB (“Elephant House Ginger Beer”) and brought me two large bottles. EGB is a Sri Lankan soft drink made from locally sourced natural ginger, with a recipe dating back to 1896. I was first introduced to it by the late Venerable Kakkapalliye Anuruddha, who taught me Pali at HKU and was a close friend of Professor Karunadasa. I have been fond of it ever since. Concerned about my health, Professor Karunadasa told Aunty Malathi not to give me any EGB. Jokingly, I told her to let him know that “I love EGB as much as I love him.” She burst out laughing, and when she relayed my message to him, he laughed heartily, too! Of course, it was a silly thing to say, but they took it in good humor, and we shared a joyful moment despite our distance.
A Family’s Grief and Strength
On the day of Professor Karunadasa’s passing, I called Aunty Malathi to offer condolences. She told me that his body was already at the Jayaratne Funeral Parlour and that the funeral was scheduled for Thursday, 30 April, at 9:00 am, with a procession to the cemetery at 1:30 pm. Throughout our conversation, she remained composed until, in tears, she confessed how much she missed him, having shared a long, inseparable life, raising a family and travelling widely as he taught. She had always attended his public lectures, sitting in the front row and listening mindfully. She had planned to accompany him to Singapore in May for a series of presentations, including one on Dependent Origination. She later told me, “It is so hard to let go.” As friends, colleagues, and students whose lives have been touched by Professor Karunadasa, I hope we will also remember his beloved wife, Aunty Malathi, and their family, and offer support and care as they grieve their loss.
An Enduring Legacy
Although Professor Karunadasa’s passing has left a profound void, his legacy continues. He remains an inspiration through his kindness, compassion, humility, and scholarship, setting an example for generations to come.
References
Karunadasa, Y. 2013. Early Buddhist Teachings: The Middle Position in Theory and Practice. Hong Kong: Centre of Buddhist Studies, The University of Hong Kong. Available online: https://www.buddhism.hku.hk/publication-post/early-buddhist-teachings/
“Karaniya Metta Sutta: The Buddha’s Words on Loving-Kindness” (Sn 1.8), translated from the Pali by the Amaravati Sangha. Access to Insight (BCBS Edition), 2 November 2013. Available online: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/kn/snp/snp.1.08.amar.html
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