The Mahanayaka’s of the
main Nikayas are now getting together to come out with a common platform to re
arraign the moral direction of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. With Buddhism not
believing in a deity, it is important that they assert how the majority of
Buddhists who believe in the Gods are permitted to accept them in the context
of their beliefs. It is even more important to highlight to their fellow
countrymen how un-Buddhist we have become. We must encourage the practices of
the temperance movement to withhold from ANY form of alcohol, or tobacco, drugs
or any narcotic, even Bulath as currently practiced by the Sangha. Further
giving away possessions, and not amassing more, should be stressed, so that the
competition of building bigger and better temples is stopped forthwith.
We are a declining
population, with fewer people entering the Sangha. In 10 years there will NOT
be sufficient monks to maintain the temples, so we SHOULD NOT build anymore,
even though each priest wants to be the Lokuhamuduruwo of a temple that he just
takes over, by, in my experience, camping by a Bo tree, and quietly encroaching
on the land around!
These are just a few of
the major issues confronting Buddhism, which must be practically addressed
before even getting into the BBS problem. If the matters referred to above can
be resolved the BBS issue will die a natural death. It is important that
Buddhism re asserts its moral ground from the depths of amorality it has plunged
to, not least by the practices of Buddhists in the name of religion. Behavior
has to be changed, and even thought processes. We must stop being hypocritical
and practice what we preach rather than breakdown the Bana they give soon after
saying it. This has reduced the practitioners of Buddhism, as a result of this
hypocrisy. Most Sinhala Buddhists never go to Temple to offer a personal pooja,
many just go to participate in an event to be seen to be pious.
It is often said that the
Sinhala Buddhists, are neither Sinhala or Buddhist but a unholy mix of the two
into a distasteful one of a disgraceful human in the guise of being pure. I
trust that the outcome of the elders meetings of the Nikayas is to assert the
basic values of Buddhism, first and foremost, and allow a non religious
nationalist element to perpetuate the wholesomeness of the Sinhala Language and
then secondarily of the Sinhala culture, that can be embraced by Sinhala people
who are Buddhist, Christian, Muslim, and Hindu. Monks should concentrate only
on the Buddhist part, and let laity manage the Sinhala part.
If this clear distinction
is made, we can go forward as a Nation, as one, and not fall into meaningless
religious factions looking after our own interests.
If an American embraces
Buddhism, he is an American Buddhist, that is he is an American Patriot first
and only secondly his religion, trying to separate the two. So if he is called
to serve his nation in war, he can be a conscientious objector, saying his
religion does not permit him to go to war! And face the legal consequences.
In the same vein, we must
be Sri Lankan first, and then proclaim whatever our belief system is. We can be
an Atheist or Agnostic, but both those are discriminated even more than Muslims
or Christians.
One has to be very careful
in Stating that Sri Lanka is a Buddhist Country. I know the Sinhala Buddhists
wish to assert that with only 70% strictly falling into that technical category
today, including the non-practicing ones. That assertion immediately throws 30%
of the Country, commanding 60% of the wealth in the country into second class
status. That is a recipe for disaster, however populist it may sound to the
70%! The Country will be shaken to the core, with such an assertion, and a new
constitution MUST be enacted to make that change.
Until that is done we are
a multiracial, multi-religious country. The BBS by that definition has NO place
in that equation, and should possibly be actively discouraged by the
Mahanayakas in their parley as being contrary to all principles of Buddhism and
nationhood, and amicable relations. If they do not they will be trapped in a
meaningless religious straitjacket they cannot get out of.
It is my belief that it is
incumbent upon the leaders of Buddhism to assert their supremacy over Buddhism
in Sri Lanka, and inform the people of Sri Lanka that BBS is not representative
of any particular religious belief but a nationalist racist right, led by a few
un- Buddhist monks using the natural fear of ignorant people to arouse,
feelings, passions and misuse them for personal gratification, a most un
Buddhist plan. In the same vein all religion based political parties must be banned.
I believe this assertion
will do Buddhism in Sri Lanka a lot of good, assert its basic uniqueness and piety
as well as its tolerance of all other beliefs. If by example they are able to
show the value of being a Buddhist, they will also prevent the move of
Buddhists disgruntled by what they see happening in their temples, to get back
to the beliefs that they were taught at their Daham Pasalas, but sadly not
practiced by the Sangha.
Most of the fear of being
overwhelmed by other religions, threats by others and even to Buddhism will
disappear. Buddhism, it’s pure form has nothing to fear. It is the mere
breakdown of the philosophy by its misuse by the practitioners that is at
fault. Only if that is admitted by the Mahanayakas will they be able to take
the religion back to the basic teachings, even of Theravada Buddhism and ensure
its perpetuation and further growth. Only THEY CAN DO IT, NOW IS THE TIME
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