By M D P DISSANAYAKE

RACISTS: VIGNESWARAN, HAKEEM  OR GALABODA ATHTHE GNASARA THERO?:

The Chief Minister of Northern Province has announced in the presence of a British leader that North is a Tamil Land ( Nijabima), the Sri Lankan soldiers are aggressors who captured our land and must be removed.  His utterances  not only violates the Oath of Allegiance he took as Chief Minister but also creates tensions of racism.  If Galaboda Aththe Gnanasara Thero of Bodu Bala Sena makes such public statements, he would have already been summoned by the Police.  During Alutgama riots, views expressed by Galaboda Aththe Gnasara Thero were rejected by vast majority, but now it is becoming clearer that the Thero was right in his most views,  based on reports of Muslim activists spreading their wings. Gnasara Thero’s robust and aggressive  vocabulary might at times be called upon to question, but he is no different to some of the Buddhist Monks who started the journey against British in their early days.  Today country needs many more Gnanasara Theros!

There are also  reports emerging of Muslim families sending their children and relatives to fight ISIS in middle east. Most countries  have introduced immigration controls and punishments, including revocation of foreign citizenship or cancellation of permanent residency.   All Muslim leaders are part of the current government, hence the puppet government of Sri Lanka is in hibernation instead of initiating investigations.    Buddhism is “the common enemy of Tamil and Muslim leaders”, the country is in dire need of several Buddhist Monks to launch a freedom fight, with powerful communication skills of Sinhala, English and Tamil.  The role  of current Malwatte  & Asgiri Nayaka’s have passed the “use by date”.  They are puppets of foreigners and not saviours of Buddhism.  During last general election, Malwatte Maya Nayake  Ven.Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero issued a  statement “there will be no threats to Buddhism from Mr Ranil Wickremasinghe”. 

This historical anger of British against Sri Lankan Buddhist monks is an unabated continuing process to date.

NEW LAW FOR THERAVADA BUDDHIST MONKS ONLY, HOW ABOUT CATHOLIC, CHRISTIAN AND MUSIM CLERGY? ARE THEY SAINTS?

The main purpose of the Bill is to break the link between the Sinhala Buddhists and Buddhist Monks, whilst allowing freedom for Muslims, Christians the freedom of religion.  In Kandy, Colombo, Negombo, Galle, Weligama, Matara Muslims are preaching on Fridays at Mosques using loudspeakers, and return to their pharmacy or other business. Catholic Priests conduct their commercial activities in Entertainment, Travel and Tourism and were well known for providing shelter inside Churches  for Tamil Terrorists during the War.  Cardinal Albert Ranjith Malcolm, Rev Rayappu Joseph ( Bishop of Mannar) are free birds and all mighty Gods and can  continue anti Sri Lankan Sinhala Buddhist activities unabated once the Bill is passed.

GOOD, BAD AND UGLY LIST OF CLERGY IN SRI LANKA:

LIST A: BUDDHIST MONKS HATED BY BRITISH, INDIANS AND WESTERNERS: (We publish a selected lists of names of  Buddhist monks in the freedom fight, past and present).

• BALANGODA ANANDA MAITHREE THERO
• BAMBARENDE SIRI SEEVALI THERO
• DERAMITIPOLA RATANASARA THERO

• DEWAMOTTAWE AMARAWANSA THERO
• GALAGODA ATHTHE GNASARA THERO OF BBS
• GIRANEGAMA THERO
• KALELLE ANANDA SAGARA THERO (Sagara Palansuriya)
• KOTAGAMA VACHISSARA THERO

• KOTAHENE GUNANANDA THERO
• KOTAHENE PANNAKITTI  THERO

• KOTIKAWATTE SADDHATISSA THERO(KILLED BY THE JVP)
• MADULUWAWE SOBHITHA THERO ( SEE LIST ‘B’ AS WELL)
• MAPITIGAMA SANGARAKKITHA THERO

• MIGETTUWATTE GUNANDA THERO
• NARAVILA DHAMMARATANA THERO
• POLWATTE BUDDHADATTA THERO

• SRI DEVAMITTA DHARMAPALA THERO (ANAGARIKA DARMAPALA)

• VELIVITA SRI SARANANKARA THERO
• WALPOLA RAHULA THERO

• WARIYAPOLA SRI SUMANGALA THERO

• WELIWITA SORATHA THERO

LIST B: BUDDHISTS AND OTHER CLERGY LOVED BY BRITISH, INDIANS AND WESTERNERS:

• ATHURALIYA RATHANA THERO
• BELLANWILA WIMALARATANA THERO

•  DAMBARE AMILA THERO
• MADULUWAWE SOBITHA THERO  (    SEE LIST A)
• THIBBATUWAWE SRI  SIDDHARTHA SUMANGALA THERO OF MALWATTE CHAPTER
• UDUGAMA SRI BUDDHARAKKITHA THERO OF ASGIRI   CHAPTER
• CARDINAL MALCOLM RANJITH
• REV. RAJAPPU JOSEPH ( BISHOP OF MANNAR)
• N M AMEEN OF MUSLIM COUNCIL OF SRI LANKA
• RAUFF HAKEEM
• S. NIJAMUDEEN

KATHIKAWATHA BILL TO ENFORCE PUNISHMENTS TO BUDDHIST MONKS:

The draft bill before the parliament is designed to bring about punishments to Bhikkus who deemed to have violated the provisions of the Bill.  These includes, inter alia:

• Expulsions from school, Temple, Nikaya and cancellation of registration.
• Revocation of role of chief incumbent of the Vihara

The current parliament of 225 members, of which over 65 parliamentarians are non buddhists.  What moral  right these non buddhists MPs have to approve a  Bill to enforce punishments to buddhist monks.  Even then, why single out Theravada Buddhist Monks, how about other crooks in other religions in Sri Lanka.  By bringing this Bill, the government implies that there are crooks  in yellow robes representing Buddhism and that there are no such crooks amongst Muslim, Catholic, Christian Clergy.  Therefore, the government envisage to punish Buddhist monks, with the votes of Rauf Hakkeem, Sambandan, Ranil Wickremasinghe, Selvam Adaikalanathan ,Ameer Ali, John Amaratunga, Risad Badhiutheen Palani Digambaran, Harin Fernando,  Maho Ganeshan,  Kabir Hasim, Hizbullah, Ravi Karunanayake, Kodeswaran, Ranjan Ramanayake, Arumugam Thondaman etc

CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROCESS OF MONKS WHO VIOLATES VINAYA- THE LORD BUDDHA’S PRESCRIPTION:

In  Part 1 of these articles,  published in the Lankaweb on 18 January,  we have outlined 227 Vinaya Pitaka discipline (Courtesy: dhammadana.org).  The 7 items listed at the bottom of the list under the caption  Adhikaranasamat outlines methodology to deal with errant monks, by way of:

1. Settling a conflict by confrontation.: The conflict is dealt within the presence of the two parties in conformity with thevinaya.
2. Settling a conflict by taking into account the reputation of abhikkhu.: The conflict is settled through a declaration by the saṃgha with respect to the innocence of an arahanta against whom allegations have been made, after having asked him if he remembers to have committed the offence.
3. Settling a conflict by taking into account the insanity of abhikkhu.: The conflict is settled through a declaration by the saṃgha, when the accused is found to be insane.
4. Settling a conflict after an admission.: The conflict is settled after admission of a fault by the party concerned.
5. Settling a conflict by a majority decision.: The conflict is settled after a decision taken by majority vote.
6. Settling a conflict by judgement of the ill will of abhikkhu.: The conflict is settled through a declaration by the saṃgha in cases when the accused shows ill-will by eluding the questions addressed to him.
7. 7. Settling a conflict by covering the act with grass.: The conflict is settled by exoneration of faults by thesaṃgha (except for pārājika, saṃghādisesa and any offence in relation with the laity), when this allows to terminate the dispute and to reconcile the parties is disagreement.

Parajika being the most serious offences, ( First item in the list of 227), includes:

1. 1. Engaging in sexual intercourse with another being of either sex.
2. Stealing something of value (which includes smuggling, cheating or deliberately avoiding payment of a tax).
3. Purposely killing a human being or encouraging him or her to commit suicide (this includes inciting another to murder somebody and it also includes convincing a woman to have an abortion.
4. Boasting that one has realised a high spiritual attainment, knowing that one is lying. For example, claiming to be enlightened, to be Maitreya Buddha, to have entered Jhana (deep meditation-ecstasy) or that one can read minds when one knows that one hasn’t reached any of these states.

These 4 rules are part of Ordination Ceremony, therefore no room for ignorance of the rules.

PUNISHMENTS:

1. must disrobe
2. if failed to disrobe, bad Karma effect will be extreme.

Therefore, it is crystal clear that votes of Rauf Hakeem, Mano Ganeshan, Ranil Wickremasinghe, Hizbulla,  are not needed to enact new laws to  punish Theravada Buddhist Monks, even though  they have been recruited by British and put in power for a very short period of time.

PALI LANGUAGE:

The removal of Pali Language from Sri Lanka’s education curriculum was a serious set back, as it was the language of Theravada Buddhism.
“Pali Bashavathanaya” was a great text book written by Polwatte Buddhadatta Maha Thero, which was used widely in all government schools in Sri Lanka.  Today Pali Language which provided the mode of communication and understanding of Buddhism of 70% of population in Sri Lanka is extinct ,  but Tamil Language of  11% of population is at the top of the helm. Renissance of national and cultural identity of Sri lanka was the hallmark of the Yellow Robe.  Pali was used for religious, medical and inscriptions and fast disappearing, though it is restricted to Theravada nations.   Re-introduction of Pali is essential and far more important to Sinhala Buddhists than learning Tamil Language, to provide an understanding of religion.  A future progressive government must bring back the glory of Pali Language to its rightful place into the  school curriculum..

DR W S KARUNARATNE -(The Silver tongue of Asia):

We strongly recommend readers of Lankaweb to listen to an audio of  Lectures by Late  Dr W S Karunaratne, Professor of Pali and Buddhist Philosophy of University of Ceylon ( the youngest professor at the University) and Vidyalankara University.  The links by Courtesy: Buddhist-essentials and concepts.blogspot.com.  These two lectures outlines the duties and responsibilities of a Buddhist Monk.   WS,  popularly known as Don published  a  book with extensive examples from the teachings of Lord Buddha, outlining the duties and responsibilities of Bhikkus.  The audios are:

1. Bikshuwage Vagakeema saha kaarya bharaya #1
2. Bikshuwage Vagakeema saha kaarya bharaya #2

One of his students asked Buddha, ” Are you the messiah?

“No,” answered Buddha.

“Then are you a healer?”

“No,” replied Buddha

“Then are you a teacher”

“No, I am not a teacher”
“Then what are you” asked the student, exasperated.

“I am awake” Buddha replied.

(By courtesy: Pearls of Wisdom.)

^{ගරු ඡනාධිපතිතුමනි,  අචිද්‍යා අන්ධකාරයේ නිමග්නව සිටි අචියත් චියත් හුදි පොඳු මහජනතාවට චිද‍්‍ය ලෝකයෝ පුනර්ජීචය ලබාදුන්නේ මාගේ සම්මා සම්බුදු  රජානන් චභන්සේය. උන්චහන්සේගේ ධර්මයත් ශාසනයත් රකින මභා සංඟරත්නයට අලුතින් දංඩනීති නොපමනච ලෙස,  ඉංඝීසි ලිපි නොකියවන, අපේ  සිංහළ, පොලොන්නරු රාඡධානියේ තේරචාධී අතිඋත්තම  ජනාධිපතිතුමාගෙන්   ඉල්ලා සිටිමි}