C. Wijeyawickrema, USA

As a person who follows and supports the vision, mission and actions of BBS, I wish to reply to Mr. KarunadasaƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s questions to BBS which appeared in the May 23 issue of the Island newspaper, opinion page. By way of background to why I decided to reply to Mr. K, I was attracted to BBS program because one year ago I spend eight months in Sri Lanka and saw so many sides of Sri Lanka in so many different places in the island. I travelled by Public bus and train most of the time. I found that most of the people-problems I saw can be solved by the methods and projects that I see listed in the BBS website.

On the subject of Norway trip by four monks and two lay persons one and half years before they formed BBS, one year ago, I saw at least three times or places that BBS officers explained all what one had to know about it.

1.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Asian Tribune website had a long article by its editor, K. T. Rajasinham on this Norway trip;

2.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  This trip was a subject of the television debate between Azath Salley and Dilantha Vithana of BBS;

3.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  It was discussed again at a one hour radio interview of Ven. Gnanasara by the NethFM-Unlimited

After reading and listening to all three of these I did not find anything fishy, abnormal, improper, unethical or politically incorrect of the Norway visit by a group of persons and that group later forming a Public Interest Agency called BBS. Ven, Gnanasara was in the public arena for about 20 years (in fact he even snatched the microphone from Mervin Silva at an anti-war peace rally in Colombo, when soldiers were fighting to rescue Marvil Aru anicut) and his trip to Norway based on his own frustration of failing in duty as a monk to help the suffering Tamil refugees is in no way a disqualification for his subsequent public work. In fact, it is an experience, a qualification. Again Mr. K has to see or listen to the three instances I listed above as I cannot explain all of it for Mr. K.

The purpose of the trip was clearly and specifically explained by Dilantha Vithana and Ven. Gnanasara. Mr. K can see/read them by a google or you tube search. Or he can contact BBS by phone or visit BBS office in Colombo.

Ven. Kirama Vimalajothi, the president of BBS has explained so many times that the first purpose of BBS is to clean its own house/land (watta sudda kara ganna). By this what he emant was all kinds of impurities, defects and weaknesses found in present day Buddhist practices and lay and monk communities/entities. But when you try to go on cleaning/clearing your own land sooner or later it affects other lands also. Mr. K can see you tube on BBS visit to Archeological Dept. to find out about the philosophy and action in this regard.

Mr. KƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s statement that ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Muslims are not known to engage in proselytization activities in Sri Lanka. So why has the BBS singled out Muslims for their attack?ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ is incorrect. (1) Some Muslim agents are engaged in systematic conversions and (2) BBS did not attack Muslims. The Halal issue was an accidental discovery and BBS was not formed on the Halal issue. If Mr. K see BBS website he can see BBS has 12 objectives.

Buddhists are expected to ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-Come and Examine (Ehi Passiko) and not come and believe. But here I see a big problem because oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s ability to critically look at things/phenomena depends on oneƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s cumulative knowledge base. Not only the quantity of knowledge has to larger and larger, but it must be accurate, verified knowledge/facts. This is why Kalama Sutraya has to be properly explained and adequately interpreted.

I hope Mr. K would spend some time at a computer terminal and learn more about this topic. Or, he can call or vist or e-mail BBS.