Summon Lord Buddha to Geneva: Sharmini Serasinghe
Posted on January 28th, 2014
C. Wijeyawickrema
Duty of Lankaweb readership
The solution to problems in Sri Lanka today is in the hands of voters in Sri Lanka. But English language websites and news media are engaged in a propaganda campaign to damage the Sinhala Buddhist cause and distort truth providing false information or half-truth to the English-speaking world. Most of what we see on the Colombo Telegraph website fall into this category. I think Lankaweb readers have a duty to peruse Colombo Telegraph website and respond to what the anti-Sinhala crowd write there. CT editor may not print what you write, but such response when printed on Lankaweb will be a source of balanced information for thos CT readers who also peruse the Lankaweb news. In any case Lankaweb readers are requested to learn for themselves the anti-Sinhala Buddhist smear campaign going on at the CT office.
Male menopause
The title of this short essay is taken from an advice given by a reader of an essay written by a lady, Sharmini Serasinghe, asking her to summon Buddha to Geneva. Sharmini thinks the tradition of taking young children as monks is a kind of child abuse and that the National Child Protection Agency should be authorized to supervise this tradition. This lady who said she was trained by Ven. Piyadassi to sit with him at the same table when she was a child, now suddenly sees a difference between child and adult! It is very clear that she is writing this kind of essays as part of a multi-prone attack on the roots of Buddhist tree in Sri Lanka. In other words, she is in the same plan of Rosie Senanayaka or Dayan Jayatilleke who say that “Sri Lanka’s Buddhist foundation should be dislodged.” It is the other side of some politicians’ new strategy to catch minority votes, “Sri Lanka is a multi-ethnic society,” which means Sri Lanka is not the country of the Sinhala Buddhists. Sinhala Buddhists have no homeland unlike Tamils, Muslims or the Japanese. Sharmini is in good company with Gananath Obeyeskera in this human rights case because if one goes by what he says a man must be in his menopausal stage to become a good monk. These people must be so angry that they cannot find in Sri Lanka something similar to the massive child molestation cases by Catholic priest in the west, while the Church hierarchy did the cover up for so long.
Dalai Lama and Sharmini
Perhaps S needs to interview the Dalai Lama and ask him about her list of questions. One question, for example, is about the nutritional deficiency that could arise with children not eating after 12:00 noon! Another can be why Dalai Lama did not run away from his abode, at least when he passed his puberty. Using all kind of imaginary and silly cases such as her observations at the alms-giving (daana) she attended the child (baby?) monk was looking at a teddy bear and another at a toy train, this lady is weaving an NGO story for NGO favors. A village woman at a village home daana will not think that way unlike Sharmini’s Colombo 7 English language daanas. When I see such child monks anywhere, how come my mind does not wonder around such shallow questions? I do not know how many leading good monks in Sri Lanka waited until they were 18 years to become monks. Why are we facing such questions from a Buddhist monk-trained Sahrmini? There is no guarantee that when one is 18 years old that person is a grown up. Does Sharmini know that the Governor Maitland’s civil servants were mostly 12 year olds?
The rights of bees and birds
Sharmini’s this new question is no different from a question NGOs asked a few years ago about Buddhism harming bees and birds. They said that by plucking flowers for offerings at temples, bees and birds in Sri Lanka are denied their food by way of honey! What was the amount of honey consumed by bees and birds and what percentage of it is stored as honey in bee combs? It is true that in America there is a serious problem of loss of honey bees. There are companies who take honey bees by trucks to farms where there are no honey bees so that plants get pollinated by them. The problem in American farms is not because there are Buddhists plucking flowers wholesale.
Colombo black-whites
What all this proves is that because of corrupt fake-Buddhist politicians in Sri Lanka, the black-white Christian Colombo crowd is playing havoc with the Sinhala Buddhists with all kind of attack fronts. They want to cage Buddhists and Buddhist monks. Yes, there are bad monks, but we do not know if these were Christian agents in robes who throw stones at make-shift muslim and Christian churches. Sinhala Buddhists have realized that they were treated by their so-called Sinhala Buddhist politician-leaders as if they were like the proverbial kind-hearted woman, and they finally started reacting aggressively. The late Ven. Gangodawila Soma preached a non-violent protest movement and he was eliminated. Now the Bodu Bala Sena is using a different approach of non-violent engagement of people power. This has scared NGOs and politicians of all colors, and Colombo Telegraph is a mouthpiece involved in this game. Bodu Bala Sena is using the weapon of come and discuss, we have an issue with you. BBS applies this rule to anybody and everybody who is engaged in unreasonable acts that destroys Sinhala Buddhist heritage.
Rights of women, children, animals and even trees were recognized in Buddhist culture for 2600 years and it is funny that western Christian-based entities and individuals are trying to teach human rights to Sri Lanka’s Sinhala Buddhists. These include the American ambassador, UN-Geneva, Navinethan Pillay, Ban Ki-Moon or those who write to Colombo Telegraph. These CT writers or those who write comments to CT essays do not have the basic understanding of what is Buddhist way of life. All the stupid things done by politicians after 1948 were not done by Buddhists, but by the politician class under the control of Christian black-whites. There was never a Sinhala Buddhist government in Sri Lanka before or after 1956.
What we need to examine is how to get rid of the evil triangle in Sri Lanka, the politician, officer and the NGO. The late Ven. Gangodawila Soma said he came to the forefront because there was man or woman in Sri Lanka at that time willing to come forward, for fear of their life. This was during Mrs. Chandrika and post- Rpremadas time. He said he has no fear of death as he has no dependents unlike the lay persons. Mahinda R benefitted from Ven. Soma’s death dowry. He has a duty to include a BBS representative to his UN-Geneva team.
In the alternative he should ask the two ex-Indian presidents to go to Geneva and defend the Buddhist approach to world’s problems. Robert Thurman, the American Buddhist is also a good agent. If MahindaR followed the Buddhist path he would not have got into this mess we are now in. It is ridiculous that a Sinhala Buddhist society is asked to account for human rights, because the so-called Sinhala Buddhist leaders did not follow the Buddhist principle of Middle Path (reasonableness)
January 28th, 2014 at 12:50 pm
This ANTI-SINHALA woman is a Tamil racist.
Why SL has to put up with this dirt?
January 28th, 2014 at 2:33 pm
Chandra Wije is right LW readers should peruse Colombo Telegraph website to figure out which part of Sharmini Serasinghe article (Child Ordination -Through A Mother’s Eyes!) summons Lord Buddha to Geneva.
ps- NCPA has been in existence for many years and works very well within its boundaries.
“He has a duty to include a BBS representative to his UN-Geneva team.”
hmm.. yes!
Perhaps, Chandra Wije would like to nominate which member of BBS should be included in the Geneva Team.
As if we haven’t got trouble already!
Where is Priyantha Abeywickrema?
January 28th, 2014 at 4:14 pm
Sharmina’s demonetization of Buddhism follows a pattern of first accusing and the grappling for the excuse. Take for example: “Sharmina’s this new question is no different from a question NGOs asked a few years ago about Buddhism harming bees and birds. They said that by plucking flowers for offerings at temples, bees and birds in Sri Lanka are denied their food by way of honey”. Being an owner of Peach, Fig, Raspberry, Pecans, orchards and a garden of many flowering plants it is known that during the flowering period picking a flower causes the plant to produce more buds.
That kind of logic is similar to the Tamil’s claim that they were the predominant culture before the Sinhalese or that the number killed is 40 thousand or 60 thousand and in some cases as high as 120 thousand. In both cases what is completely lacking is ‘EVIDENCE, PROOF. These people rant away on these issues yet fail to provide any proof of what they are stating.
January 28th, 2014 at 4:24 pm
Wonder whether Buddha has to sit behind Rajapakse, similar to what we see at Katunayaka Airport.
January 28th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
If Shiva is summoined to UNHRC, Navi Pee-illey will be worshiping his body parts!
January 29th, 2014 at 12:23 am
I agree with CW’s suggestion that LW readers should read and comment more on CT. To be fair to CT,As a regular in the CT, I can assure that CT editor does not cut reasonable comments unlike the DBSJ or the Tiger tail GV.
I remember SS first came on Rupavahini as a presenter of English news.
From what she has written about child ordination it is clear that her claim of being trained by Ven.Piyadassi at Vajiraramya seems to be a fast one just to give credence to what she writes.
Lorezo, I knew many Serasinghe’s who are Christians but didn’t know that she is a Tamil married to one.
January 29th, 2014 at 3:46 am
Can someone say who owns CT. A new office of Mowbima and CT has come up at Rosemead place quite close to Tintagel after giving an expensive facelift to an existing building. I bet this will be another anti national organization like Maharaja’s which is successfully fooling Sinhalas.
January 29th, 2014 at 5:32 am
Sharmini Serasinghe I think is a pen name. It may be some one ike Sonali Samarasinghe or a Tamil or Muslim writing under the name. Its Editor I read some where is a Muslim.
It is good to write in reply to writers in CT and Ceyon To-day, who discredit Sri Lanka, but we end up with sad comments on the President, the corruption of the Government and such irrelevancies disconnected with the substance of the article. That discourages writing of articles to Lanka Web now.
Even today when the necessity is to defend the country putting into the back yard personal hatred towards the President and the government , we cannot stop those who are bent on vengiance who rather than defending the motherland at all cost, are condemning the President and his actions helping the enemies more than defending the country .
January 29th, 2014 at 7:10 am
What Sri Lanka lacks is PATRIOTISM, especially from some Colombo folk. They a few in number but persistent. Colonisation and the Cold War has taken its toll. Why don’t we even now have an Oath of Allegiance to Lanka to be taken by all school children, Parliament, armed forces, govt & private sector employees, etc. daily or once a week at least ?
It appears to us that allegiance is paid by some to various far flung foreign sources, not to Sri Lanka the country that feeds, shelters, pays wages etc. to all families living here, especially some folk in Colombo and other cities.
The British ‘divide & rule’ continues through trumped up lies, cheat and deceit, to the delight of ex-Empires and ex-Colonists.
One simple act of kindness a day by one and all would help keep Lanka more stable and happier.
January 29th, 2014 at 8:54 am
In my above comment I actually meant Colombo Telegraph which carries articles of people like Thisaranee and Kumar David. Reading of their articles and comments from diaspora is actually a waste of time. I do not think lankaweb commentators should give ladders to the monkeys by participating there.
January 29th, 2014 at 10:34 am
I agree with Aloy; we should not unnecessarily promote anti-Sinhala, Buddhist websites.
Long ago when Thirisanie was writing to Asian Tribute, I read some of her articles. They all contained hatred towards Sinhalese, Buddhist. And the same story every day! Her buzz word at that time was ‘appeasement’. After sometimes I stopped reading her articles but read all the comments on the articles. They were very interesting and truthful. But, I have never read her articles recently. Thirisanie is a real curse, an Ajasaththa or Dhevedaththa of our times. There was another beast like T.G by the name Sunila A. Thanks to cancer, she kicked the bucket recently.
January 29th, 2014 at 11:44 am
Without promoting CT (as a regular reader) it appears to have a very good cross section of views- If one disregards the dross comments by some individuals. I tend to ignore the dross at LW like i do at CT.
In fact the author above (Chandra Wije) is a regular contributor, not sure why he is up in arms to have a robust and factual debate.
The editors do not censure comments (unless its personal attacks or derogatory or racist) which is more than i can say at LW
January 29th, 2014 at 11:57 am
As a further comment to above, CT is at times blocked/unattainable in Sri Lanka and only assessable via a proxy site.
January 29th, 2014 at 12:21 pm
Thank you C. Wijewikrama. I feel as Fran Diaz suggested it is a great idea to have our school children take OATH OF ALLEGENCE to Sri Lanka. It is one way to get children accustomed to SOVERIEGN BUDDHIST SNHALA NATION, but have no problem with having minorities,Tamils & Muslims as well other minorities as part of Lankan culture.
It must be emphasized that we ARE A PREDOMINENETLY A SINHALA BUDDHIST NATION, with no hate or harm to other minorities or religions.
With respect to CT, Daily Mirror & other ANTI SRILANKA papers should be curtailed, SO THAT racial hatred & biggotary are NOT promoted by these PRESS BARONS under guise of FREE PRESS.
Hope we will win at GENEVA as our LAWYER CHANAKA BANDARGE has published the ACTION PLAN with should be closely monitored by him, other Lawyers & Professionals in Sri Lanka & abroad. THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT that we all support this cause, as MARCH 2014 is near us.
Thank you all……as suggeested by many LANKAWEB is doing a fine job in promoting IMPARTIALITY & giving access to varied points of views………..J
January 29th, 2014 at 1:05 pm
“With respect to CT, Daily Mirror & other ANTI SRILANKA papers should be curtailed, SO THAT racial hatred & biggotary are NOT promoted by these PRESS BARONS under guise of FREE PRESS.”
Absolutely.
CT is run by an ANTI-SL NGO of Tamil racists. They talk of media freedom but personally attack Rajpal – editor of Daily News. What a joke!
No Sinhalese there. Only Tamil Nadu people and Arabic people comment there.
January 29th, 2014 at 3:31 pm
Parayaharan ( new Jesus) is also summoned to Geneva to answer why he ask children to wear a cyanide capsule and will sit next to Buddha.
But the Nurse Nona Adel Balu Singham is not summoned.
January 29th, 2014 at 3:35 pm
The ONLY use of letting CT run is SLT can TRACK those who access it from SL. Big Brother is watching.
January 29th, 2014 at 3:43 pm
I will be attending Geneva war crime tribunal, after death.