The Publisher

Vajra Bodhi Publishers was once one of the world’s accomplished publishers of literature on Buddhism, but its beginnings were small and simple and its eventual course of development was totally unforeseen by its founders. The birth of the institution goes back to 1976, when Jayamohan Kuruppu, a devout Buddhist gentleman of Kandy, (living in Colombo at that time and working as the Consultant to the Board of Directors of Times Group of Newspapers), happened to spot the mysterious initials, HGAVZ on each and every copy of the Buddhist Encyclopaedia which eventually he undertook to find the owner. It was a strenuous deed, undeniably, and this was how he happened to trace the whereabouts of Henry Van Zeyst, living in a rented out house, hustled among the hills of Aruppola, Kandy, with his wife.

After exchanging a few conversations, Jayamohan became doubtless, that Van Zeyst was indeed a sea of knowledge in Buddhism, let alone other subject areas. In fact, he was well versed in comparative religions.

Kuruppu made it a point to visit him in Kandy every weekend, as listening to him made so much sense compared to the contemporary belief systems of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

On one of his visits, Van Zeyst showed him with a broad smile on his face, a long letter he had written to his grandniece. He explained that the girl had asked him in her last letter as to what Buddhism was.

After reading the letter, Kuruppu became speechless; as the beautiful letter, explained so precisely, what Buddhism is to one who has no clue of it.

He asked Van Zeyst whether he could publish it, for this was a treasure that only two eyes should not be made to see.

With the publication of the letter as a small booklet “One Hour for Buddhism” the institution “Vajra Bodhi” emerged.

While the booklet was still in the press, the idea occurred to him to start a series of such publications—small booklets paperbound and chiefly for distribution abroad. They discussed the suggestion enthusiastically, and without further formalities, both of them headed to a definite aim. The next few years were marked with many small booklets of various discussions on Buddhist topics.

Henry Van Zeyst continued his writing until his death in 1989. Jayamohan Kuruppu endured his service to Dhamma until his death, two years later, in 1991. Jayamohan's daughter and son have taken up the task to follow their father’s footsteps in propagation of Buddhism throughout the world through Vajra Bodhi, by creating this website to mark Jayamohan Kuruppu’s 100^th Birth Anniversary in 2020.