A Historic First in Canada: Toronto Area Buddhist Monks Protest Cruelty of Anti-Buddhist Moslem Extremists Invoking Blessings for Enemies’ wellbeing!
Posted on October 20th, 2012

By Aloy Perera: Reporting from the Speakers Corner, Nathan Philips Square, Downtown, Toronto

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ History was created in Canada last Saturday – 12th October 2012 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” as Buddhist Monks from temples across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) came out of the seclusion of their monasteries and gathered at the Downtown Speakers Corner of the Nathan Philips Square to add their voices to the ongoing demonstrations around the world protesting last weekƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s spate of targeted barbaric and violent attacks on Buddhists by Moslem extremists in the Chittagong Region of Bangladesh. (Chittagong: Frequented by Arab Traders from 9th century. Buddhist king GopichandraƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Capital in the 10th Century ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” a remote part of the ancient Vesali Kingdom of Arakan – 9th century- yet a bubbling port city of industry and commerce – as per Explorer Iban ButtutaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s notes)

Amid fears and a disturbing tendency among the Bangladeshi majority Moslems throughout the Nation to feel threatened by the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”handfulƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ of innocent Buddhists who have heroically and steadfastly preserved their ancient and hallowed Buddhist Tradition without much help from their own government or surrounding / neighbor Buddhist Nations in Asia. While nearly 3 million Hindus fled to India over the brutal suppression by Pakistani soldiers in the wake of the 1970-1971 crises, Buddhists remained stay put, with intent to preserve their religion and Bengali cultural heritage.

 

Last few weeks saw nearly 45 Buddhist Temples incinerated in different parts of the Chittagong Region of Bangladesh.* Hundreds in violent gangs had set on the Temples attacking the venerable monks and causing them bodily harm and had gone on rampage leaving homes of Buddhists in the area looted and gutted as law enforcement officers watched and waited doing nothing to stop the violence until the Government decided to call the Army to contain the violence against innocent Buddhists and protect their homes. Many Buddhist temples, some centuries old, have been sacked, torched and desecrated, Buddha statues disfigured, sacred relics venerated by devotees completely destroyed and many libraries with rare, valuable and manuscripts and books burnt. This tell-tale episode of religious persecution and atrocities against Buddhists with no parallel in modern times has hurt Buddhist Communities the world over and particularly among the devotees of West End Buddhist Temple and the Toronto Mahavihara where the Bangladeshi Buddhist s and Indian Buddhists in the GTA respectively worship.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Last Weekend, Saturday, October 13th, Buddhist Monks in the Greater Toronto Area, gathered in large numbers in a peaceful procession at the Speakers Corner to express their solidarity and oneness with fellow Buddhists of BangladeshƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦, thanks to the initiative taken by Ven. Bhikkhu Bhante Saranapala, a Bangladeshi Buddhist Monk, attached to the West End Buddhist Temple & Cultural Centre, its Abbot Incumbent, Most Ven. Kulugammana Dhammawasa Nayaka Thera, Most Ven. Ven. Ahangama Rathanasiri Nayaka Thera, Abbot Incumbent of Toronto Mahavihara and Most Ven. Ashin Kawwida Maha Thera, Abbot Incumbent, of the Maha Dhammika Burmese Buddhist Temple in Toronto along with a few leading Buddhists in the GTA belonging to Bangladesh and Sri Lankan Buddhist Faith Communities.

They had formed themselves into an ad hoc Sangha Council which called upon the monasteries and Temples in the GTA to gather to perform ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”SatyakriyaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ or Affirmation of the TruthƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ ritual, a typically Buddhist version of a peaceful demonstration sans loud and raucous slogan shouting.

As Buddhist monks from diverse Buddhist traditions from Bangladesh, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Japan, Cambodia, Laos and India stood on parade in near silence ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ at the Speakers Corner along with their respective Buddhist communities, many sympathizers and Saturday afternoon shoppers in the busy Toronto Downtown were seen to take part in the public peaceful protest display.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The venerable monks chanted blessings in several languages and in different Buddhist traditions and lay devotees and sympathizers waved slogans with pleas to the Bangladeshi Government to ensure the safety of the Buddhist minority to safeguard the rights of Buddhists and other minorities enshrined in the Constitution of the nation of Bangladesh and to appoint a high level judicial commission to investigate the wave of cruel attacks on Buddhist Monks, Temples and lay Buddhists in the Chittagong area. Speakers both Ven. Monks and lay people reminded the rulers of Bangladesh that since it was compassion of the entire world community that helped create the Bangladesh sovereign nation in 1971, the Government of Bangladesh should in turn show compassion and treat all its citizens alike respecting each ethnic groupƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s dignity and worth.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ OTTAWA DEMONSTRATION ON PARLIAMENT HILL

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Datelie: Monday October 15th Ottawa, Canada

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ The Sangha Council of Ontario led by Bhante Bhikkhu Saranapala took the demonstration to OttawaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Parliament Hill in another peaceful demonstration to express concern and to urge the Canadian Government and the UN to take immediate steps to alert the Government of Bangladesh to and express their own concern and dismay about the wanton persecution of Buddhists and torching of Buddhist Temples and attacks causing bodily harm to venerable monks and lay Buddhists. The Sangha Council handed a memorandum to the High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Ottawa.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ _________________________________________

*WriterƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s notes: The newly demarcated landmass of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-BangladeshƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ was among the once a thriving Buddhist Communities / Nations prior to IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s Mughal Conquest in the 16th Century (1526 ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” 1757) that saw waves of intrepid, forced conversions of Indians into Islam; the axis of Mughal Empire extending from Bengal in the East to Balochistan in the West, Kashmir in the North to the Kaveri basin in the South, thus annexing a territory of 1.2 million square miles of the Indian subcontinent, accounting for over 150,000,000 people. While Bengal always existed from time immemorial as a cultural entity of great fame in the Indian subcontinent todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s. Bangladesh was part of the Nation of Pakistan in the Indian Partition circa later 1940ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s which was handed over to the newly created sovereign Nation of Pakistan and came to be known as East Pakistan, destined to be ruled from the remote Karachi / Islamabad Command Centre of West Pakistan with a vast landmass of sovereign ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Indian territory hedged in between. The battle itself escalated into becoming IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s War known as the Indo-Pakistan War 1971, the result of which was IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢sƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ bootyƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, the territory of East Pakistan or Bangladesh, that technically became IndiaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s prize win.. Thus, One of the poorest of poor regions in the world, it fought a daunting battle for Independence from Pakistan, aided and abetted by India in the first place and an unprecedented wave of compassion expressed globally, particularly by the by Western Nations in Europe and those of the North & South American Continents, Africa, Asia and Australia empathizing with the suffering masses of the territoryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s poor and the hungry, the sovereign Nation of Bangladesh was created in 1971 and soon received recognition by the United Nations. The New Bangladesh of today is a country which counts hardly 1% Buddhists with 9 % Hindus, 0.3% Christians and the rest, the majority, almost 90% Moslems (Sunnis 90% and the rest ShiƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢a and other sects. Since the Mughal EmpireƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s days of glory and power, the territory which is the Nation of Bangladesh of today has remained a majority Moslem country.

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24 Responses to “A Historic First in Canada: Toronto Area Buddhist Monks Protest Cruelty of Anti-Buddhist Moslem Extremists Invoking Blessings for Enemies’ wellbeing!”

  1. Ratanapala Says:

    There was hardly a whimper from the two Mahanayakes of the Malwatte and Asgiriya chapters for this abomination of Buddhist sites in Bangladesh. These two land and property owners hardly speak about the state of Buddhism in Sri Lanka let alone in the rest of the world. Their mind sets are politicised and do not reflect the matters of concerns to Buddhism. When is the last time we heard a Buddhist sermon from these worthies other than their partisan talks?

    We need better persons of better caliber, occupying these hallowed positions in the Buddhist hierarchy so that they can work for the betterment of the Buddhists in Sri Lanka and then in the world,.

  2. Lorenzo Says:

    Good work.

    This has to be highlighted the world over.

    The Muslim threat is real. When Muslims acquire higher levels in intelligence, they accept Buddhism as a better way of life.

    e.g. Abdul Kalam

    Look what happened to Gadaffi. He promoted Islam in SL. He asked Muslims to multiply in SL and become a dominant ethnic group. For this sin, he and his entire family and clan have been wiped out by other Muslims!

    Taliban bombed Buddhist places in 2001. Taliban was bombed and all its leaders, most cadres and their associates have been wiped out since 2001.

    It is in Muslims’ best interests not to encroach into other people’s interests.

  3. Nalliah Thayabharan Says:

    Gautama Buddha is not a God but a philosopher and a teacher who taught us the way to restore wisdom and understanding by conquering the greed, hatred, and ignorance which blind us at the present moment. Gautama Buddha does not claim to be a creator of lives or the Universe. Belief in the Gautama Buddha’s teachings is not blind belief, blind faith, and far from superstition. In Buddhism all the ‘rites and celebrations’ are not centered on a supernatural being, but rather the people attending the assemblies. The devotion in Buddhism is based on reason and not based on emotion. Buddhism is an education, teaching us the way to break through our ignorance and arrive at a perfect understanding of ourselves and everything around us.

    Killing is breaking a key moral precept in Buddhism. No holy war concept in Buddhism. One is strictly forbidden to kill another person in the name of religion, a religious leader or whatsoever religious pretext or worldly excuse. Sufferings are very well explained in Buddhism.

  4. Sunil Vijayapala Says:

    NT – your understanding of Buddhism is admirable. However I must say Thatagata was not a philosopher. He was an Empericist. He based his doctrine not on Thinking, rational or otherwise as did Philosopers did/do, but on emperical observation and Direct Knowledge, acquired through mind development, through Samatha and Vipassana meditation. Even most scholars in Buddhism make this mistake. I hope you are not offended. Buddhism is not a philosophy – it could be best defined as the Noble Truth based on 4 truths and Dependant Origination.

  5. mjaya Says:

    We should not forget that the “Mahanayakas” are nothing more than a Colonial relict. This position was created by the British as a figure head leadership for the Buddhists. They are not a people’s leadership because they never bother about issues of the common people.

    Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thero used to frequently criticize the Mahanayakas and often ask “Mahanayaka hamuduruwanta kate dane hirawelada” when they didn’t speak up on behalf of Buddhism or the people during critical issues.

  6. Nalliah Thayabharan Says:

    Sorry Sunil Vijayapala! My apologies.
    I called Tathāgata a philosopher because he was a non-dogmatist, since he would not like to accept anything dogmatic The Tathāgata’s intellectual approach to the human predicament which is devoid of authority, ritual, speculation, tradition, concept of divine saving grace and mystery is virtually indistinguishable from philosophy.

    All major religions share authority, ritual, speculation, tradition, concept of divine saving grace and mystery.

    All major religious leaders including Jesus of Nazareth and Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh claimed direct hotline to God.

    But Tathāgata said
    “I tell you not to believe merely because it has been handed down by tradition, or because it had been said by some great personage in the past, or because it is commonly believed, or because others have told it to you, or even because I myself have said it.
    But whatever you are asked to believe, ask yourself whether it is true in the light of your experience, whether it is in conformity with reason and good principles and whether it is conducive to the highest good and welfare of all beings, and only if it passes this test, should you accept it and act in accordance with it.”

    “The religion of the future will be a cosmic religion. It should transcend personal God and avoid dogma and theology. Covering both the natural and spiritual, it should be based on a religious sense of arising from the experience of all things natural and spiritual as a meaningful unity. . . Buddhism answers this description. . . If there is any religion that could cope with modern scientific needs it would be Buddhism.”
    – Albert Einstein

  7. Dham Says:

    Mjaya,
    I am against Hamuduruwos taking part in any protest. That is unnessary as there are plenty of householders to carry out worldly duties, which is important to all living beings. Hamudruwo shoudl educate the householders. That is all. Surely there will be brave people fighting against injustice under any cricumstances.
    Hamuduruwos going to streets protesting will have only adverse effects, long-term. It is playing inot the Wahabis and Zionist hands.

  8. Dham Says:

    Thank you Sunil. I am against people pasting “philosophy” badge. How can Buddha be comapred to philosopher ?
    Buddhism is not a phlosophy. I have already convince one lankan professor who kept saying this way. Finally he agreed and said he had no other choice but to explain it that way. I did not see any of his articles again using the term”philosopphy”.
    It is also offending say attack “Religion” in general, because I always consider Buddhism as a PEOPLE EMPOWERED RELIGION.
    Similarly what we need is not rubbish Zionist Style Democracy but a PEOPLE EMPOWERED GOVERNMENT.

  9. Lorenzo Says:

    Very wise move by Buddhist monks to peacefully bring world attention to this uncivilised act.

    TRAITORS pulled from our legs when we went to war. But we PERSISTED!

    Don’t forget Thailand.

    Aloy Perera: Reporting from the Speakers Corner, please also highlight the danger facing Thailand Buddhists. Thailand is the largest Theravada Buddhist country but Muslim extremists kill thousands of Buddhists annually to turn it into an Islamic republic.

    From September 1st to yesterday, Muslims attacked Buddhists 118 times in Thailand killing 178 Buddhists including many monks and injuring 693.

    This is WORSE than LTTE attacks on civilians during comparable time!!

    Govt. of SL MUST share counter terrorism expertise with Thailand to WIPE OUT these barbaric Islamic terrorists.

    Please bring this to world attention.

    Lankaweb, please highlight the dangers facing Thailand Buddhists.

  10. Nalliah Thayabharan Says:

    “We are all Buddhists even if we don’t say we are.
    We are all Bodhisattvas even if we don’t know we are.
    Some choose to ignore this.
    Others choose to remember this”
    — Fred Alan Wolf

    Dear Dham
    You are in the present moment, and alive, and compete – there is nothing wanting in the present moment. Leaving this moment by wanting, desiring, regretting, or fantasizing will by definition lead you to crave, to dissatisfaction, because you have left the only place in the timeline this moment that truly offers satisfaction and completion. This is what the Tathāgata’ discovered, and he offered a pathway to discovering it for yourself.
    Truth is just the truth and it has no religion, no culture, no language, no head or tail. Buddhism is an education and is not a religion because it does not presuppose the existence of supernatural powers with whom humans can react. Buddhism is non-theistic: it does not involve worship of a supernatural entity.
    Buddhism while rejecting superstition and sorcery it leans on a profound philosophical theory and scientific experiment. Based on the logical theories and verification by intensive practices, the Buddhists look forward to achieve the mutual responses of practice and theory, so that the mind and phenomena, the law and wisdom unite and merge as one entity.
    Buddhism stresses very strongly the restraint of anger, hatred and desire as a path to personal peace and contentment. Without this restraint of these negative qualities there is no spiritual progress because one is continuing to generate bad karma by harming self and others. Meditation and mindfulness are required to attain greater spiritual insight or wisdom. Most of the people who practice Buddhism are thoughtful, reflective and peace loving. Buddhism is not to glorify Buddhism nor to convince anyone to become a Buddhist. Neither is it to downgrade people who worship a supernatural entity.
    Religions require that you believe there is a god who created earth and the universe and all creatures in it, and that this god also created the religion – and that following god’s rules will lead to a good outcome in this world. The creation myth at the center of each religion is challenging, because it takes both a broad view – God created everything; and it simultaneously takes a narrow view – This religion is the one true way, its creation story is accurate and its description of God correct, because to say otherwise would unravel the very fabric of the religion.

  11. Ratanapala Says:

    There are instances when Buddhists and Buddhist Kings went to war – not for personal gain, nor for aggrandisement of one’s creed, but for the protection of Buddhist heritage. Throughout history our kings have taken up this role and done the needful to protect the Sasana. King Dutugemunu’s battle cry when going to war with Tamils who were desecrating Buddhists places of worship was – ” This exercise is for the protection of Buddha Sasana and not for royal comforts” must ring true in every Buddhists’ heart when abominations such as mentioned in these articles are seen, heard and witnessed.

    The Buddhists must educate themselves to carry out what is needed not out of hate, greed or delusion, but out of need and duty. Lord Buddha said – “It is volition that I call Karma” which is different from the physical deed. It is this vey truth that Lord Krishana admonished to Arjuna on the battle field of Kurukshestra – This is not you place to lament over trivialities – Go and do your duty!

    As far as I know if we carry out an action with a clear mind not clouded by greed, hatred and delusion, there is nothing that should preclude Buddhists organising, arming themselves and when necessary going to war to prevent unfavourable outcomes that can bring forth death, destruction and misery.

    I for once agree with Ben Silva, we shall never again be caught out as Nalanda Buddhists! Buddhas only shows the Way! There is provision within Buddhism to act and defend one’s own – Rata, Deya, Samaya – as long as there are Buddhists who will be proactive and are willing even to go through the worst of hells in order to protect the Buddha Sasana!

    The law of Karma is person neutral. Good outcomes follow well thought out actions and vice versa – one reaps as he sows!

  12. Saman Dissanayake Says:

    Early life and marriage of Gautama Buddha.

    Departure of Prince SiddharthaSiddhartha was born in a royal Hindu family. He was brought up by his mother’s younger sister, Maha Pajapati. By tradition, he is said to have been destined by birth to the life of a prince, and had three palaces (for seasonal occupation) built for him. Although more recent scholarship doubts this status, his father, said to be King Śuddhodana, wishing for his son to be a great king, is said to have shielded him from religious teachings and from knowledge of human suffering.

    When he reached the age of 16, his father reputedly arranged his marriage to a cousin of the same age named Yaśodharā (Pāli: Yasodharā). According to the traditional account,[which?] she gave birth to a son, named Rāhula. Siddhartha is then said to have spent 29 years as a prince in Kapilavastu. Although his father ensured that Siddhartha was provided with everything he could want or need, Buddhist scriptures say that the future Buddha felt that material wealth was not life’s ultimate goal.

    Please nswer someone.

    Why the Monks are fobidden from marriage since Gauthama Buddha himself done?

  13. Sunil Vijayapala Says:

    Saman Dissanayake – It seems you are a spokesman for Tamils, well thats not bad at all. First of all you should have a compiled an article rather than write so many comments.
    Your question on why Bhikkus were/are not allowed to marry is – according to Vinaya, the code of conduct promulgated by Thathagata, barred Bhikkus having sex with women – so invariably marriage was out. For a person under training and practice under Buddhist principles which is highly disiplined one, and who enters the Order or Sangha, he or she should keep the minimum of 10 precepts and other Vinaya code. Just imagine a person who meditates is disturbed by the spouse – ‘ko mey haal gedera nane, punchi puthata tuition salli magaava ne’ all household BS. So the first step was to leave the houshold as the householders carry a lot of burden on them and just lead a life of a recluse, begging for food and requisites. Learn the doctrine from an Elder, practice Meditation both Samatha and Vipassanaa and make every endeavour to enter the Stream and reach the ultimate goal of Nibbaaner. Imagine doing this with a family. Although I must say that most of the Householders at Sravasthi were Sovahans. However this would have been due to their pass merit rather than being a lay Buddhist at the time of Buddha. They would have understood what Buddha explained more than a Bhikkus themselves in the Order.
    Dham – I must agree with NT – you made an error interpreting Buddhism as a religion. IT IS NOT A RELIGION NOR A PHILOSOPHY.
    I stopped writing article/letters to journals as I got so frustrated – now I sincerely feel I should leave this forum too writing comments. It is understandable – we are a Conditioned race – so it takes proper analysis to uncondition ourselves. Kaalaamer Sutra comes to mind – it is a gem of a teaching.

  14. Lorenzo Says:

    Saman,

    What is easier and wise – BEG for another 65 years to get Tamil demands or cross just 40 km of sea and go to the Tamil Homeland called Tamil Nadu?

  15. Dham Says:

    Dear Sunil,
    Please don’t get discouraged by just one FOOL. many FOOLS came and went in this forum and left as FOOLS.
    We are here to show at least some direction our brothers and sisters.
    Need not read further when you see “Departure of Prince SiddharthaSiddhartha was born in a royal Hindu family. ” This bugger is an Indian. LEt him remain Indian, which is the best punishment.
    If you go away, this bugger has won- atleast temporarily. main problem seems to be Zionists , Athiests , Indians and Wahabis trying to teach us how to protect Buddhism. Hillarious !

    Dear NT,
    Appeciate your comments and agreed to most part of it.
    Let me point our my view.
    “Buddhism stresses very strongly the restraint of anger, hatred and desire as a path to personal peace and contentment. ” exactly. This why I want to call Buddhism a religion. Most people cannot instantly go into meditation practice and live at the present moment or spend the day with “Sathi”. There is “Saddha” or faith factor as well. It is Saddha that will keep a Buddhist trying to practice and in the end become serious practitioners. Do not discard our traditional teaching, moralily and practices. They have been successful for a long long time.
    It is Saddha, Sila , Sathi, Samadhi and Panna and It is Dana , Sila, Bhavana for all householders.
    There is an order,vinaya order, systematic teaching to go through. One cannot immediately develop Panna, jsut because they are capable of getting a first calss honours followed by a PhD.
    One has to keep the five precepts at least as a householder. All these point towards a religious order.
    But I agree that world religions have done more harm than good.

  16. M.S.MUDALI Says:

    Saman:
    I agree with you except two.

    Official Language law of 1956 is not a wrong one. The same law asked every government correspondences must accompany a Tamil translation too but our opportunistic politicians and government employees never implemented the law. The first time Sri Lanka imported more than 10,000 Tamil type writters from Remington. Three years were given to get Sinhala proficiency. Tamils took the law as anti-Tamil and Sinhalese took it as Sinhala only. Who did the mistake? Now Tamil is also an Official Language. Why the government is reluctant or refuse to fully implement the constitutional clause?

    Other one was 1971 standardization of university entrance. Except Jaffna, all the other Tamil students from other districts benefitted from the 1971 standardization. From Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trinco, Mannar … Tamil students were able to enter university.

    Now Buddhist monks become a greedy lot. They need all the worldly comforts which were rejected by Buddha. SEX is rejectd to monks but is it possible? How many disgraceful sex stories we heard about monks? The famaous one was Buddha Rakkita and Wimala Wijewardene and Buddha Rakkita’s arrogance lead to kill a real son of the soil S.W.R.D.Bandaranayake.

    Buddhist followers have the responsiblity of deciplining those “wrong” monks.

  17. Dham Says:

    There is a disticnt difference between Sinhala Buddhist ( e.g. Charles Perera) and others who want to pretend to be protecting Buddhism.
    Buddhism will be there untile 1 man who practices it. Not because of Nalanda or any other institution which teaches theoritical Buddhism.

  18. Dham Says:

    There you can see Indians agreeing with Indians.
    Please Sir, remain Indian and enjoy life.

  19. Dham Says:

    Sometimes Indians also tell the truth.
    “Other one was 1971 standardization of university entrance. Except Jaffna, all the other Tamil students from other districts benefitted from the 1971 standardization. From Vavuniya, Batticaloa, Trinco, Mannar … Tamil students were able to enter university.”

  20. HussainFahmy Says:

    Saman – Facts are Stubborn and History is with bitter Memories and Rights violated. Let bygone be bygone. Look to the future. We will always find a few a people (Master Race Ideology) in these Posts or Tigers in Sheep’s Clothing to stir trouble and keep Sri Lanka in turmoil.

    In response to your question – Why the Monks are forbidden from marriage since Gauthama Buddha himself done?

    I found a passage From Authour Sunil Vijayapala – Posted on February 11th, 2011 Lankaweb.

    Read an article here on the decline of Buddhism in Sri Lanka few days ago. While it may be declining in Sri Lanka thanks to our Pojakavaroos, it’s gaining ground in countries like Britain, Australia, USA, where a right effort is maintained to practice Buddhism, without much engagement in Poojas, but as Buddha rightly showed, through Meditation to purify the mind. If Sri Lankan Bhikkus too engage and guide followers in meditation, things would be quite different from the situation now prevailing in our country. If teachers are corrupt what would you expect the students to be? Buddha lived by example and did not commit any act contravening to Vinaya even in secrecy. Well if Emblipitiya Bhikkus grow their own Marijuana what do you expect Embilipitiya people would follow? If Bhikkus keep women in our citadel Anuradhapura and build houses for them and keep families, you need not go any further. If Bhikkus serve liquor to laymen, what example do they show? If sick monks in hospitals have sex with nurses… well the list never ends! Corrupt Bhikkus existed even during Buddha’s time and latter times and they were chased away but that is a thing of the past as the powerful Chief monks in Sri Lanka are the biggest crooks, patronized by corrupt politicians and the rich.

    CAN HUMAN BEINGS DEPRIVE THEMSELVES OF THEIR NATURAL DISPOSITION/DESIRES?

  21. Dham Says:

    CAN HUMAN BEINGS DEPRIVE THEMSELVES OF THEIR NATURAL DISPOSITION/DESIRES?

    Then why do you cut genitals of girls and let man have seven wives ?

  22. Dham Says:

    EMINET DANGER TO SRI LANKA IS FROM WHABIS who are complete aliens. There is no danger from Tamil brothers.

  23. Nalliah Thayabharan Says:

    Dear Dham !
    Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha was passing through a village where the people of that village were against him, against his “philosophy”, so they gathered around him to insult him. They used ugly words, vulgar words. Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha listened. Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha’s disciple Ananda, who was with him, got very angry, but he couldn’t say anything because Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha was listening so silently, so patiently, rather as if he was enjoying the whole thing.

    Then even the crowd became a little frustrated because Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha was not getting irritated and it seemed he was enjoying. Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha said, ”Now, if you are finished, I should move – because I have to reach the other village soon. They must be waiting just as you were waiting for me. If you have not told me all the things that you thought to tell me, I will be coming back within a few days, then you can finish it.”

    Someone from the crowd said,
    “But we have been insulting you, we have insulted you. Won’t you react? Won’t you say something?”

    Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha said,
    “That is difficult. If you want reaction from me, then you are too late. You should have come at least 10 years ago, because then I used to react. But I am now no longer so foolish. I see that you are angry, that’s why you are insulting me. I see your anger, the fire burning in your mind. I feel compassion for you. This is my response – I feel compassion for you. Unnecessarily you are troubled.Even if I am wrong, why should you get so irritated? That is not your business. If I am wrong I am going to hell, you will not go with me. If I am wrong I will suffer for it, you will not suffer for it. But it seems you love me so much and you think about me and consider me so much that you are so angry, irritated. You have left your work in the fields and you have come just to say a few things to me. I am thankful.”

    Just when Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha was leaving he said,
    “One thing more I would like to say to you. In the other village I left behind, a great crowd just like you had come there and they had brought many sweets just as a present for me, a gift from the village. But I told them that I don’t take sweets. They took the sweets back. I ask you, what will they do with those sweets?”

    So somebody from the crowd said,
    “What will they do? It is easy, there is no need to answer. They will distribute them in the village and they will enjoy.”

    So Siddhārtha Gautama Buddha said,
    “Now what will you do? You have brought only insults and I say I don’t take them. What will you do? I feel so sorry for you. You can insult me, that is up to you. But I don’t take it, that is up to me – whether I take it or not. I don’t take unnecessary things, useless things. I don’t get unnecessarily burdened. I feel compassion for you.”

    This is response. If a person is angry and we are present there, not with our past, we will feel always compassion. Reaction becomes anger, response always is compassion. We will see through the person. It will become transparent that the person is angry, suffering, in misery, and ill. When someone is in fever we don’t start beating him and asking, ”Why are you having a fever? Why is your body hot? Why have you got a temperature?” We serve the person, we help the person to come out of it.

    And when somebody is angry the person also is having a temperature, the person is in a fever, the person is feverish. Why get so angry about it? The person is in a mental disease which is more dangerous than any bodily disease, more fatal. So if the spouse is angry the other spouse will feel compassion, will try in every way to help the angry spouse to be out of it. This is just mad – that the spouse is angry and the other spouse also gets angry. This is just mad, insane. We will look at the person, we will feel the misery the person is in , and we will help.

    But if the past comes in then everything goes wrong. And it can happen only if we go deep in meditation, otherwise it cannot happen. Just intellectual understanding won’t help. If we go deep in meditation our wounds will be thrown, a catharsis will happen. We become more and more clear inside, clarity is attained, we become like a mirror. We don’t have any wounds really, so no one can hit them. Then we can look at the person, then we can respond.

    Reactions are unconscious, there’s little or no real thinking involved. I used to assume that if something didn’t make any sense, then it must be the other person’s fault. Would I ever make a mistake?
    A reaction is often emotional, which may demonstrate that we have a belief. Beliefs are just adopted from someone else, without any critical thinking to see if they make sense. If we can defend something rationally, we usually do. If we can’t, then we react emotionally instead.
    A response shows thoughtfulness, we can change our life by using our intelligence to consider how best to respond. One secret of success is to think before we speak or write. Respond has the same root as responsibility. Without taking responsibility for our actions, we will battle to achieve any goal or intended result. Our thoughts, our words and our actions create results. And if we want a certain outcome, then we need to focus our thoughts, and our words and our actions on its achievement.
    Response is always very good but reaction is always very bad. Response is always very beautiful but reaction is always very ugly. Avoid reactions and allow responses. Reaction is from the past, response is here and now. Our lives are not lost by dying; Our lives are lost minute by minute, day by dragging day, in all the thousand small uncaring ways.

  24. Manjula Says:

    Saman, your question was “Why the Monks are fobidden from marriage since Gauthama Buddha himself done?”

    Your question was fundamentally wrong.

    Gautama Buddha did not marry. Only prince Siddhartha married (before he became a monk). Similarly Monks cannot marry, but they could marry before they become a monk. When you become a monk you have to denounce or leave your family. You cannot call them wife or husband or kids etc.

    If some one still marries while he/she is a monk, then he/she is NOT a monk but only a layperson with a yellow robe. No one on this world can prohibit people wearing a yellow robe. Yellow robe itself does not make someone a “Buddhist monk”.

    I hope this would kindly reply your question.

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