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There is no place for "Buddhist Fundamentalism"

Somaweera Sirisinghe writing from New Zealand

Judging from the never ending flow of emails pouring into the in-boxes of expatriate Sinhala Buddhists, a bitter battle is fought in a war of words between the proponents and opponents of JHU. The interesting fact is that the major belligerent parties, who even resort to hand-to-hand combat, are the very people who supported SU in the previous election.

It is clear now that the expatriate Sinhala Buddhists are bitterly divided. The academics in Sri Lanka seem to have taken positions according to the battle lines drawn. Buddhist clergy on both sides of the divide have become restless. Thanks to the prime movers behind the scene, "Sangha-bhedaya" - one of the "panchanantarya papa karma" is just about to be committed.

Noting this absurd scenario some commentators have already started to question whether Sinhala Buddhists and the Buddhist clergy have become the victims of a "grand conspiracy".

In this melee we have failed to see one basic thing!

Buddha was born as a Crown Prince who renunciated everything in the search of enlightenment. If he had the notion of creating a "Dharma rajyaya" and expanding it to other countries he could have easily started it from his own kingdom after attaining enlightenment.

Why can't we realise that there is no logic, no place and no need for "Buddhist Fundamentalism"?

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