Triple-Distilled Thoughts: Articles, Essays, Photo-Essays, and Speculations

By Rohan de Soysa

This book contains further thoughts as expressed in his two previous books, Slow-Cooked Thoughts and Tao-Tossed Thoughts. Human life has had a highly adverse effect on the fauna, flora and the environment of the earth. Nature seems to have responded by creating more natural disasters.

In this book he writes about some of these effects and how they may be alleviated. He indicates that if human beings were to show more consideration for the ethical rights of other species and other human beings, and give them their fair share of the earth’s resources and environment, a much nicer earth will result.

The book examines these matters to a large extent by drawing on the teachings of sages of the past and also from the life experiences of the author and his sometimes unusual, if not off-beat, thinking.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Partridge Publishing Singapore
• Release date: Sep 9, 2025
• ISBN: 9781543784695

Rohan de Soysa

He is the current chairman of the Sapumal Foundation which features the work of the `43 Group, the first modern art movement in Sri Lanka. He has given presentations and talks on art. The gallery of the Foundation which is part of a charming house, has about 300 works on display, and is open to the public at specified times. In 1985 he bought an 18-acre secondary scrub jungle which is kept in its original state, for the fauna and flora within to exist in their natural state. In 1995 the villagers in the vicinity formed a society to protect and manage it under his guidance. It is the first community managed conservation project in Sri Lanka. Visitors can walk around with guides, so as not to disturbing them or getting lost. A charitable trust, of which he is the current chairman, has helped individuals, schools and other organisations to further their projects and achieve their goals.

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Copyright © 2025 Rohan de Soysa. All rights reserved.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

www.partridgepublishing.com/singapore

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

ISBN

978-1-5437-8471-8 (sc)

978-1-5437-8470-1 (hc)

978-1-5437-8469-5 (e)

09/08/2025

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Contents

Illustrations

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

XXX

A Triple Distilled Fable

Uncle Harold’s (unintended) Effects on my Life

Our Roots from Eons Ago

Buddhism - My Understanding Simplified

Rites and Rituals

The Killer does not Slay nor are the Killed Slain

The Compassionate Matador

Froth And Bubble

From Downstairs to Upstairs

Museums and Zoos

Doctor Covid Lockdown’s Healing Power

The Patient Stalker

Demockrazy

Since Independence - How Different Could It Have Been!

Occupations

Afterword

The Rainbow Bridge

Also by Rohan de Soysa

Supplement to the Sapumal Foundation Collection (2017)

Slow-Cooked Thoughts (2019)

Tao-Tossed Thoughts (2022)

Photographic Contributions to:

Sri Lanka: An Island Civilisation (1977)

Masks and Mask Systems of Sri Lanka (1978)

Masks and Mask Systems of Sri Lanka - 2nd print (2025)

Briefly by Bevis

The Sapumal Foundation Collection: A Select Catalogue (2009)

David Paynter (1982)

For my children Shayala and Kemal

Frontispiece

A tree trunk curves over vibrant green leaves and a bright orange bird of paradise flower against a lush, mossy background. The scene feels serene and natural.

Illustrations

XXX:

Clouds

Large Rocks

Living Shells

Waves

Deer

Hills

Birds Flying

Damselflies

Family

Family

Three Penguins

A Triple Distilled Fable:

Sasa Jataka 1934

Fable 1966

Rites and Rituals:

Blessed Offerings

Ashes being floated to sea

Penitent

Fulfilling of vow

Deity

Perahera with Flares

Cart with Deity

Decorated Elephant

Milk Boiling over

Taking deity across Firewalk

Walking across red-hot embers

Ashes Flying

Two Firewalkers

Shadow of Adams Peak on Clouds

The Compassionate Matador:

Matador riding Bull

Another bull coming off a tile

Elephant trying to exit a tile

Foliage to feed bull and elephant

Green Man

Three men swimming and crocodile waiting to attack

Miniature Ark on the seashore

Fox in the Ark

Anteater in Ark

Kangaroo

Flashes in the Sky

Froth and Bubble:

A Large Bubble

The Patient Stalker:

‘Ahatulla’ staring at something

‘Ahatulla’ and intended prey

Closeup of prey

‘Ahatulla’ has captured prey

Occupations:

Toddy tapper

Ropes he walks on from tree to tree

Walking on the ‘ropeway’

Pouring filtered toddy into larger container

Fishermen hauling in the nets

Fish being transferred to boxes

Roadside fish stall

‘Fisherman Father’ who has a outdoor cafe on the shore

A tasty fish dish

So good - only bones left!

An old lady selling fish

Sorting fish by size to dehydrate

Dehydrating fish at home

Drying grains for storing

Preparing items for cooking

Peeling cinnamon

Working in the paddy field

Harvesting paddy

Threshing paddy by machine

Plucking ‘two leaves and a bud’ from tea plants

A group of tea leaf pluckers

Selling