Indian PM Modi says Buddhism can give lasting solutions to the world’s problems
Posted on July 4th, 2020
Courtesy NewsIn.Asia
The Indian Cultural Center in Colombo conducted a webinar on Buddhism in India-Sri Lanka relations to mark Esala Poya Day
Colombo, July 4 (newsin.asia): Buddhism forms one of the most important civilisational links between India and Sri Lanka. Addressing the Dharma Chakra Day celebrations in New Delhi on Saturday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that the world fights extra-ordinary challenges. To these challenges, lasting solutions can come from the ideals of Lord Buddha. They were relevant in the past, are relevant in the present and will remain relevant in the future.
Prime Minister Modi had visited Sri Lanka during the 2017 International Vesak Day celebrations as Chief Guest. To further strengthen the ties of these shared bonds,
The High Commission of India marked Poson Poya last month by creating Poson Pavura – an art exhibition by Sri Lankan artists on the walls of the High Commission of India premises.
The panelists from Sri Lanka participating in the webinar to mark the Esala Poya day were Venerable Galkande Dhammananda Thero, Head, Department of History, University of Kelaniya; Kala Shuri Dr. Praneeth Abeysundara, an award-winning scholar, and Professor of Sociology, University of Sri Jayewardenepura; Prof. Samantha Ilangakoon, Dean, Faculty of Buddhist Studies and Professor, Department of Religious Studies & Comparative Philosophy, Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka; and Mr. Daya Dissanayake, an award-winning novelist and poet.
The panelists from India included Dr. Baidyanath Labh, Vice Chancellor, Nav Nalanda Mahavihara (Deemed University), Ministry of Culture, Government of India; Dr. Bimalendra Kumar, Professor and Head, Department of Pali & Buddhist Studies, Banaras Hindu University; Dr. Saswati Mutsuddy, Professor and Head, Department of Pali, University of Calcutta; and Dr. G. B. Harsiha, an award-winning writer, poet, cultural historian and Director of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Embassy of India, Hanoi, Vietnam.
Dr. Rewant Vikram Singh, Director, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo, delivered the welcome remarks and moderated the webinar.
The panelists discussed the significance of the Buddha Dhamma for global well-being, particularly considering the current challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Highlighting the importance of Esala Full Moon Poya day, when Lord Buddha gave the First Sermon, the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta, at Sarnath, India, the scholars stressed upon the need for compassion and kindness towards each other, and suggested that only through right physical, verbal, and mental actions, as prescribed by Lord Buddha, one can ensure global well-being.
The scholars highlighted the deep socio-religious, cultural and historical relationship between Sri Lanka and India that dates back to more than 2500 years. Esala Full Moon Poya Day being one of such festivals, which reiterate this relationship. It was on this Poya Day Arittha, the nephew of King Devanampiya Tissa, along with 55 others were ordained by Arahant Mahinda Thera, the son of Emperor Ashoka of Magadh, India. This event marked the establishment of Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka. Also, it was on Esala Poya Day, the Most Venerated Tooth Relic of the Buddha was brought to Sri Lanka from Kalinga, India.
The scholars appreciated the initiative of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, and requested for many such discussions between scholars of Sri Lanka and India, as well as with other parts of the world.
The panel discussion was webcast live on the Facebook page of Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre, Colombo.
July 5th, 2020 at 11:52 am
All the crimes (sins) any two legged creature can do anywhere under the sun:
1 killing (animals included)
2 stealing
3 sexual misconduct
4 lying
5 alcohol/drug abuse
The above five is used as the penal code in every country under the sun while refrain from them is Buddhism’s
Five Precepts. Buddhism regards sins as sins while religions of conveniences don’t.
The Buddha preached people who sin pay for them in the next 100s 1000s of lifetimes in the animal kingdom
before being ‘promoted’ to be two legged creatures again (Theory of Evolution?). Charles Darwin showed the
world how the two legged creatures came to be being. Then his book, The Tree of Life, explained how all these
other millions of creatures (flies, mosquitoes etc. etc.) came to be being. Then with his Theory of Natural
Selection showed the world, the nature is the one who chooses who should live and who should perish. We could
say nature is the real god. Today Darwin’s theories are science facts and all honest, educated people accept them
to be 100% true.
What The Buddha preached science has proven to be true again and again. The Buddha preached the
universe is a vast vast vast place and we don’t need to find out about it since we are going through a samsaric
journey. He also preached every universe’s lifetime a Buddha is born to guide two legged creatures from
suffering. He also preached health is wealth and how appropriate for a covid19 scared world today?
Covid19 is the curse of animals who give their lives by millions to fill up the stomachs of the world’s most
dangerous creature, two leggeds. While the two legged who used to run naked in the wild evolved their brains to
fly in jets, landed on the moon etc. etc. those poor creatures’ brains didn’t evolve at all is absurd. Now we know
when people curse it sends bad energy and it can damage the culprit very badly. Hitler, barrel man hitler mala
paharan, sad man hussein, lk porisada R@, etc. etc. they all tasted their own medicine in this life. While the two
legged run a mile at the slightest danger to their life, these poor creatures don’t feel fear of death? It’s so
convenient for the crafty, selfish, uncaring, greedy two legged to think otherwise. Their attitude is, oh we pray
to our mythical god daily/weekly and he is fine with it. Now these poor creatures have hit the two legged so hard
and they are running scared of an invisible killer. After all our distant relative chimp isn’t a meat eater and if
the two legged look at their teeth and then a cat’s/dog’s/lion’s (in a picture) it tells you what sort of diet we
should be eating. Scientists have proven eating meat causes a lot of diseases and cancers. This is the reason
we see hospitals all over towns compared to one or two a few decades ago. Put it simply, two leggeds have
become disease-ridden!
What’s more livestock have a lot of diseases too since they don’t have hospitals/doctors
and pass those to the two legged (their revenge?) this is in addition to the vast forests being cleared to rear them
which is very damaging to the planet. Livestock also generate a lot of greenhouse gases to damage the planet too.
It has been lose, lose situation for the planet and now the nature has started to strike back. Covid19 telling the
crafty, greedy, uncaring, selfish two legged to be kind to nature, fellow living things or there will be even deadlier
covids waiting in the wings. How appropriate The Buddha’s teaching to a money-ruling world today? Are they
going to change? Only a mad man/woman will say yes!