Monks came forward and saved Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the past while it was driven out from India
Posted on April 19th, 2013
by Leela
Nalanda is believed to be the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s first University and the largest Buddhist one at that. Situated in east of Patna in India it accommodated over 10,000 students and 2,000 teachers from Korea, Japan, China, Tibet, Indonesia, Persia and Turkey in its heyday. Subjects covered included science, astronomy, medicine and chiefly metaphysics and philosophy. Nagarjuna, a Mahayana philosopher and Dharmapala, the Brahmin scholar taught there. Hieun-Tsang, famous Chinese traveller and scholar stayed there. The university library had been the most renowned repository of Buddhist knowledge anywhere and its collection was said to comprise hundreds of thousands of volumes. Do you know what had happened to all that treasure and Buddhism in India after that?
First about what happened to Nalanda University. A Man named Bakhtiar Khilji, a military General of Qutb-ud-din Aybak, Turkic king who ruled a part of India from Delhi ransacked Nalanda and set fire to it in 1193. The university is said have burned for months.
Why do a military General want to desecrate and burn a peaceful and a serene monastery? To answer that question youƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ll have understand the religion of the General and his gang who burned it; Islam. YouƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ll have to understand the mentality of Islamists. And for that you have to download copy of the Koran and read it. To assist you, let me say, over 60% of the Koran is not about Muslims but non-Muslims who their prophet named as unbelievers. Therefore non-Muslims like us have the rights know what Koran tells Muslims about us, unbelievers.
We ought to know that Koran tells Muslims about inferiority of non-Muslims. They must know that Koran compares non-Muslims to vile animals and AllahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s dark plans for their eternal torture. They must know Koran dehumanizes non-Muslims, describing them as ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-animalsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ and beasts; like in 98:6, 8:55, 7:166, 7:179 and etc. They must know that Koran tells Muslims not to take Non-Muslims as Friends; like in 58:22, 4:144, 5:51, 3:118 and etc. They must know Koran orders Muslims to fight unbelievers; 9:123 etc. They must know Koran tells Muslims that Allah curse other religions; like 48:28 etc. They must know that Non-Muslims are to be fought until religion is only for Allah; like in 8:39, 2:193 and etc. They must know that Koran says that people of other religions are to be violently punished in this world; like in 9:30, 4:76 and etc. non-Muslims must know that 19% of the Koran is devoted to violent conquest and subjugation of non-Muslim.
Monks at Nalanda never knew any of those Koran teachings. Indeed they may have been concern only about, as this writer says ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”compassion and loveƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢ to others. And monks fled and Buddhism disappeared from India in the face of a crazy attacker.
It is absurd to expect this writer know about historical Muslim fanaticism or what had happened at Nalanda, when he considers all Muslims are peace loving egalitarians like smooth talking Imtiaz Bakir Markar. I am sure writer is clueless what Muslims had done to their own kind in this country. Would he otherwise preach us that all Sri Lankan Muslims are peace lovers?
Let me tell him first that Muslims in Sri Lanka are increasingly being coached under Wahhabis who themselves were indoctrinated in Medina and King Abdul Aziz Universities of Saudi on true Islam meaning Interpreting the Koran correctly. Bin Laden is a true Islamist. I bet the one who set the Boston bomb must be a true Islamist as well.
Whether we like it or not, Wahhabi Islam has become the trend in Sri Lanka for sometime now. We can feel of it more now from the Arab like cultural invasion. Wahhabis despise Sufis and for they think Sufis are not true Islamists.
A Sufi named Abdullah opened a Meditation Centre at Kattankudy in 1996. Wahhabis made an arson attack on the building on May 29 the same year. Abdullah died on Dec 6th 2006. Just nine days later, a Wahhabi mob invaded the Meditation Centre, knocked down the minaret and removed the body of AbdullahƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s body and burned it. The houses of 117 Sufis were destroyed by the fire. Many Sufis fled the district, two were injured, and one lost an arm. Peace loving people. It wonƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t be long before Wahhabis take on Sinhala Buddhists on some pretext.
Now tell us; how do you compare that bit of Muslim act unleashed on a group of the same sect to action against all Muslims by all Buddhist organisations put together, eh? You are making a mountain out a molehole.
We have come to know true characters of candle light vigils. We donƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢t mind they stand with Wahhabis, only if they know what WahhabisƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s inside is like. Are you telling us that Monks have to be quiet when Mullahs of Wahhabi infested ACJU were roping every Sinhala manufacture to pay them millions and hang Halaal badge on their own produce? What do you mean by ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-hijacking the ideals of BuddhismƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚?
You may not know, but whenever there was a threat to the nation, Monks had come forward to tell us the truth and remind of the past and save the nation. That is exactly what BBS is doing now. Find an old book or a pamphlet and learn how Monks in this country saved Buddhism in the past while it was driven out from India.
Leela
April 19th, 2013 at 3:58 pm
Well said Leela.
Those who blame BBS DON’T HAVE A HISTORY IN SL. SO they don’t know how monks always protected Buddhism and Sinhale.
April 19th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
Thank You Leela, wished you had extended it to include the monks from JHU that was instrumental in forcing MR decision to finally to put an end to the ltte menace. Its time for a True patriot to put into a book all these facts about the contributions of these monks for the benefit of the future generations and to refresh the dull and ignorant!
April 19th, 2013 at 4:27 pm
EXCELLENT NEWS.
“The “controversial” (WTF is writing this?) Buddhist organization in Sri Lanka, the Bodu Bala Sena is to set up a branch in the “Muslim-dominated” (WTF is writing this?) Eastern Province as well.
Executive committee member of the organization, Dilantha Vithanage has told the media that the office in the East would be set up in Kalmunai following a request by the people in Kalmunai to set up an office in the area.
He has noted that the organization’s branch in the East would be opened once senior members of the Bodu Bala Sena who are currently overseas, return to the country.
Meanwhile, the Kalmunai Municipal Council adopted a resolution against extremist groups that advocate hate speech and the resolution was aimed at the Bodu Bala Sena.
However, Vithanage has said that opening an office in Kalmunai would also challenge the resolution adopted by the Kalmunai Municipal Council.
The Bodu Bala Sena also plansto open a branch in Jaffna in the North.”
-colombopage
Who the fool is writing this news.
“controversial”?
“Muslim-dominated”?
What a DISGUSTING mentality! Just tell the new and keep you dumb opinions to your damn self.
April 19th, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Someone has posted a part-comment that I have send as a retort to an article in Colombo Telegraph by one of many a new breed of ‘true’ Buddhists. His name is Harishchandra Lokumanna. First I must say, I have no objection whatsoever to posting it here.
It is apparent that, that Lokumanna was writing on behalf of Wahhabi Muslims with the sole aim of rubbishing allegations levelled at them in one of Senali Waduge’s articles in the Daily News. The way that haranguing tactics against Sinhala Buddhists and Buddhism is preceding in that web site, tiger diasporas need not descend to this country with their duel passports or whatever to start smear campaigns to degrade our heritage and rundown our country. Pseudo Buddhists are already doing it in an organized way. They attack patriots like Senali everyway they can. Lorenzo’s name too was mentioned repeatedly there to mock him. However much they hate us, propagate lies and abuse us, we shall respond to them firmly and resolutely.
Leela
April 19th, 2013 at 11:20 pm
“…whenever there was a threat to the nation, Monks had come forward to tell us the truth and remind of the past and save the nation.”
We are a civilization engendered, nurtured and enriched by the monks. We are a civilization directly under the protection of the monks. Heads of State are the trustees, in the final analysis, of the monks. They are like kites: the strings are in the hands of the monks. Conventions (call them international or other) entered into by Heads of State without the support of the monks are writ in water. The monks are the custodians of the nation. They are its mainstay. The monks are the guarantee of the survival of the nation.
Thank you Leela
Mario Perera
Kadawata
April 20th, 2013 at 11:03 pm
Leela! Thanks for an informative article. But one idea is debatable “Nalanda is believed to be the world’s first University”.
Our Mahavihara University and Abayagiri University were way before Nalanda University. In 5th Century when Chinese Monk Faxian (Fahian) travelled to Sri Lanka and seen more than 3000 students in Mahavihara University and 5000 students at Abayagiriya University. Both were education centres. Later both universities were destroyed by tamil invaders.
The act of Muslim invaders against Buddhism and the act of tamil invaders against Buddhism is none second to others.
April 20th, 2013 at 11:43 pm
I have heard Nalanda had lakhs of students at a given time, not just 10,000. Please correct if I am wrong
April 21st, 2013 at 6:20 pm
Thakshila was the first uni in the world. Jeevaka, buddha’s physician was a graduate of that. Nalanda came long after that. Bbs now need to take on every issue including rampant corruption.
April 24th, 2013 at 6:41 pm
Monks came forward and saved Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the past while it was driven out from India
Yes.
It was self interest.
It was the self-interest of the Brahmins and upper caste to preserve Hinduism.
True for monks as well.