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Citizens' Mail

Buddhists and Buddhism

Today, this thrice blessed emerald isle, Sri Lanka, is facing controversy over whether she should be called a Sinhala Buddhist country or simply Sri Lanka. I am sure almost all will agree that calling this island Sri Lanka will denote that the country belongs to all races and those of other faiths.

Firstly, we must know who a Buddhist is. The word Buddha is derived from the Sanskrit word Buddhi which means Wisdom. If that is accepted, then all human beings in the whole world, except those lunatics and those mentally deranged, having little intelligence or wisdom are Buddhists.

Then the next is who is a Buddha. Buddha is a person who has gone to the extreme of wisdom and attained enlightenment. Hence it becomes a qualification as much as a doctorate from a university and used as a prefix. As Siddhartha Gautama attained this supreme bliss of enlightenment, he is called Buddha Gautama. Then the question arises how we should call the Dhamma or doctrine He preached and identify it to Buddha Gautama. Should we not call our religion as Gathma-agama or Gauthamism as done in Christianity where the religion is identified with Jesus Christ, Mohammedism with Prophet Mohammed? Then who are we the followers of Buddha Gautama? Shouldn’t we rightly call ourselves Gauthamists?

I recollect, subject to correction, this same argument, calling those who follow Buddha Gauthama’s teachings ‘Gauthamists’ was pointed out by Dr. Upul Wijayawardhana who writes to the press very often. If I have faulted in mentioning Dr. Upul Wijewardhana, I beg to be excused.

Finally, if this is accepted, the political cry of Buddhist monks and so-called Buddhists will end to live in peace and harmony by not identifying the country with religion.

I will certainly accept any criticism on this radical thought with sincere gratitude.

G. A. D. Sirimal
Boralesgamuwa

 


Why avoid wearing the black Abaya/Jilbaab?

I was listening to a well-known Islamic scholar As-Sheik Moulana Fazil Farook addressing in Sinhala in a media interview where he mentioned that some people are of the opinion that black colour apparel represents extremism or is associated with extremism. Therefore, he suggested inter alia, that Muslim women should wear coloured Abaya instead. (This is as per the video he has uploaded in his Facebook)

I would like to pose the following queries repudiating the suggestion of the above scholar of repute.

How naïve it is to request the Muslim females not to wear the black dress? (Even ACJU, the organisation of Muslim theologians have made a similar request and this was communicated to the congregation after Jumu’ah prayers recently)

Is this a solution to eliminate extremism – changing the colour of the Abaya?

What about the cost of purchasing new coloured Abaya?

Isn’t disposing of the black Abaya, a waste of money?

Unlike the black isn’t other colours prone to get soiled, therefore, garments have to be changed /washed frequently.

How about the existing stock of black Abayas in outlets marketing this kind of attire? How about the orders already placed by the importers for these Abayas?

Does wearing black pose any sort of threat to security?

Are we Sri Lankans so imbecile to go for the change in the colour of our dress? In case, if the extremists have been wearing white, this colour will be barred to be worn! It will be so with any other colour?

Isn’t black more modest than a coloured one?

Can this promote co-existence, amity and unity or rather create an anathema of the non-Muslims?

Are we trying to organise a fashion extravaganza and make a wanton display of the Muslim women dressed in psychedelic colours?

The solution, in my opinion, lies in implementing the most stringent, draconian laws in order to mete out the maximum punishment (maybe even to the extent of carrying out Capital Punishment) for those espousing extremism irrespective of race or gender and not changing the colour of the clothing.

Over to the so-called intellectuals and professionals to come out with other appropriate solutions to make Sri Lanka once again a peaceful country devoid of any restrictions, whatsoever, as to the colour/type of dress one should wear, etc.

Mohamed Zahran
Colombo 14

 


Politically incorrect

It was reported in Daily News on June 7 that a young man of Higurana has started a death fast demanding that all members of Sangha eschew politics. This is a commendable decision, but the time is too short.

After a couple of weeks, everybody would have forgotten the incident.

A better thing would be for him to start a campaign at the village level to edge out monks from politics and revert to their calling. It cannot be done in a hurry and would need a lot of patience, time and energy.

The monks stepped into politics after 1956 and now they are sitting in parliament. When Venerable Baddegama Samitha Thera contested for a seat in parliament he should have been expelled from the Order. But now he was not even criticised by any other monks, with the result that about 150 monks contested the last general election.

It must be of interest for readers to know that in Hong Kong a priest of returning to his temple in the evening when he saw a political meeting in progress. Out of curiosity he stopped for a few minutes and returned to the temple. The next day he was called up by the head priest and questioned. He was referred to the ecclesiastical court and after due investigation, he was disrobed and expelled from the Order.

The Buddha left the crown and went to the forest to perfect his doctrine and set out a set of disciplinary rules for his followers but today these rules are observed in the breach.

Dr. Chandra Weeraratne
Ratmalana

 


Declare June 17 a public and mercantile holiday

The Poson festival celebrates the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the third century BC. This is a festival of great historical and religious significance celebrated island-wide by Buddhists. Poson commemorates the occasion over 2000 years ago when Arahath Mahinda, son of Emperor Asoka of India, converted King Devanampiyatissa to Buddhism. Mihintale is the main centre of Poson celebrations. Mihintale is the ancient monastic complex where the royal missionary monk Mahinda perched the first sermon to the ruling king.

A large crowd of pilgrims will come to Anuradhapura on Poson Poya day.

In Sri Lanka, there will be mass religious observances, illuminations pageants, Sil campaigns, Bodhi Pujas, dansalas and Poson devotional songs on Poson Poya day.

Poson Poya is celebrated annually with great fervour throughout the island and particularly in Anuradhapura and Mihintale.

A festival of great piety and sanctity which focuses on the virtual of compassion to all the living creatures, it is one of much colour and gaiety, with streets, homes and public places decorated with beautiful finely decorated handmade paper lanterns small and big, glittering with illumination, pandals depicting the different occurrences in the life of the Buddha or his previous births.

This year Poson Poya falls on a Sunday. We very kindly request the government to declare June 17 as a public and a mercantile holiday.

D. Weeratunga
Nugegoda

 


Frequent power failures in Nugegoda, Kalubowila and Kohuwela

There are frequent power failures in the Nugegoda, Kalubowila and Kohuwela areas. The power failures range from five minutes to two hours and occur in the morning, afternoon and late at night. The authorities seem to be not taking any action to get to the root cause of the problem, so that action is taken to resolve it permanently. The power failures affect our daily work routine and also damage our electrical and electronic equipment.

The problem could be either due to low-quality spareparts, poor maintenance etc.

This matter should be urgently addressed by the Area Engineer of CEB Dehiwela.

Priyantha Perera

 


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