Dr. Daya Hewapathirane
Sinhala is the ethnic group native to Sri Lanka, forming the mainstream or the dominant indigenous community of the
island for more than 2500 years. In fact, Sri Lanka is
the only national sovereign motherland of the Sinhala people. Their culture, way
of life and their Sinhala language originated and developed in Sri Lanka.
Therefore, inevitably, the sovereign national rights of Sri Lanka rests with the
Sinhala people who form the original dominant community of this country. Tamils,
Muslims, and Malays are non-indigenous minority settler communities of Sri Lanka
who settled in the island at different times in the past, coming from their own
homelands or motherlands.
Accuracy of Historic Record
A good part of the long history of the island, has been recorded or
written by its own people in an unbroken continuous manner. This written history
goes back to over 2500 years and is described chronologically, in detail, in the
ancient chronicles Deepavansa (3rd-4th century CE),
Mahavamsa (6th century CE), Chulavamsa, besides the Rajavaliya,
Pujavaliya, Dhatuvamsaya, Elu-Attanagaluvamsaya, Elu-Bodhivamsaya, Maha
Bodhivamsaya, Thupavamsaya, Daladavamsaya and Viharavamsaya. This written
history is supported by archaeological evidence, and reports of foreign
travelers of ancient times. Among archaeological evidence substantiating
recorded historic information are rock inscriptions. The written history of Sri Lanka is regarded as the second-most remarkable recorded history
in existence of an ancient and cultured civilization. It is second only to the
records maintained by the Shang dynasty of Chinese emperors. The
historical chronicles narrate in detail the history of the country since
the arrival of Buddhism in 237 BCE or 3rd century BCE or about 2246 years ago.
These historic sources provide information on Sinhala Buddhist Kings
who rescued the Sinhala race, the island and Buddhism from marauding Tamil
armies of powerful South Indian Dravidian kingdoms. Also about its benevolent
rulers who performed deeds of piety, who made the country self-sufficient in
rice by way of irrigation engineering, promoted Ayurveda medicine and medical
practice, build Buddhist temples, stupas and reigned with efforts to follow
Dasaraja Dharma – the tenfold righteous path of a king. The accuracy of this
historical record of ancient Sri Lanka is generally accepted by means of other
numerous local and Indian edicts such as the rock edicts of Indian Emperor
Asoka and records of the Fa Hien the Chinese pilgrim monk, Roman historian Pliny
and several others who have already been referred to. Also, by means of
inscriptions, historical works, and literary works as well as by way of ruins,
renovated historical and Buddhist monuments, ancient yet sophisticated
irrigation networks, which extend the lifeline to date.
Traditional Name of the Island Nation
Sri Lanka is not the traditional name of the island. In ancient times, the island was referred to in many names but all
implied that it is the land of the Sinhala. It was called Sinhaladveepa,
Sivuhelaya, Heladiva, Heladveepa, Helabima, Seylan, Taprobane (by Greeks for the
ancient name Tambapanni), Thunsinhale, Sinhale, Ceylon and Sri Lanka. Buddhist
scholars of ancient times referred to the island as Dhammadveepa
or the island of Buddhism. Fa-Hien’s (400 CE)
writings & those of Xuan Zang and other ancient Chinese records refer to Sri
Lanka as Simhala, Sinhaladipa or land of the Sinhalas. Ptolemy
(2nd century) although calls the island Taprobane, referred to
inhabitants of the island as ‘Salai’. Sinhale (or
Sinhalay) has been the legitimate historical name, for many
centuries in the past, until about the early 19th century when the
people of the island were subject to European colonialism. It was at this time
that the name Sinhale was corrupted by the British as Ceylon. It was 44 years
after gaining political independence from the British, in 1972, that the name
Sri Lanka was imposed on the island. It should be noted that in the Sinhala
version of the Udarata Givisuma” or the so-called Kandyan Convention of 1815,
by which the country fell into the hands of the British, the island is referred
to as Sinhale. Excluding the roughly 150
years of British colonial rule, when the island was under colonial rule, Sri
Lanka has existed as an independent sovereign nation for about 2500 years. In
fact, it is, one of the oldest countries in the world within its present
borders. The boundaries of most countries have changed in the past.
Oldest
Buddhist Country in The World
As
much as 70% of the total population of Sri Lanka are Buddhists. Sri Lanka is the
oldest Buddhist country in the world, where Buddhism was the dominant
religion since 237 BCE or for more than 2250 years. It is
noteworthy that until about the 16th century, about 99% of the
population of the island were Buddhists. In other
words, for some 1800 years, Sri Lanka was an exclusively Buddhist country with
almost the entire population being Buddhist. In terms of area and
Buddhist population, Sri Lanka, is among the smallest of the 30 traditionally
Buddhist countries in the world, which consist of substantial Buddhist
populations. Also, it is the smallest among the six Theravada Buddhist
countries, namely – Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, and India.
Although small in area and population, Sri Lanka is by no means ‘small’ in terms
of its global significance as a Buddhist country. It has been
the country where Buddhist teachings have been preserved in its original form or
the Theravada tradition, for over 2200 years. Buddhists across the world respect
Sri Lanka as the country where pure Buddhism prevails. It is the
traditional Sri Lanka Buddhist flag that has become the acknowledged global
Buddhist flag in recent years. It was the recent initiative of Sri Lanka that
led the United Nations, to celebrate Vesak as an important global event.
Non-Violence and Peaceful Co-Existence
The Buddhist way of life is based fundamentally on non-violence and
peaceful co-existence with others irrespective of ethnic, religious, and other
differences. For some 2500 years, the Sinhala people were organized in terms of
their royalty, nobility, spiritual hierarchy, their Kingdoms and Royal Capitals,
and their irrigation-based farming system. Buddhist
values are geared at developing a social ethic which, would contribute to
co-existence, mutual understanding, co-operation, and total harmony. To
strengthen impartiality, people are advised not to succumb to biases and
prejudices not to give in to attachment, hatred, fear, confusion, but to rise
above them and do what is righteous. This concept of righteousness, which is
designated by the term ‘Dhamma’ in fact, provides the firm foundation for the
whole of Buddhist culture. The general admonition is to do what is righteous
(Dhamma) and avoid what is unrighteous (adhamma). On this basis, all that is
beneficial to oneself and others is considered meritorious (Punna) and wholesome
(Kusala) and their opposites as demeritorious (Papa) and unwholesome (akusala).
As the Dhammapada (Stanza No.183) says: Not to do any evil, to cultivate good,
to purify one’s mind – this is the Teaching of the Buddha. It is on this basic
teaching that Buddhist values are developed, lives are molded, and social
relations are cultivated. This explains why Buddhist culture attempts to nurture
in the people a feeling for others, to mutually share with others moments of
happiness and joy, to show respect to elders, to care for parents to attend on
the sick and destitute, to honour and respect those who are deserving, to treat
guests and visitors with friendliness and affection.
Sinhala Buddhist National Culture
Sri
Lanka’s identity as a nation is based on the Sinhala Buddhist culture and the
Sinhala language which is the defining element of Sinhala culture. Buddhist norms
and principles form the corner stones of
this unique culture. With the arrival and spread of Buddhism in the island, there came an
era of unsurpassed attainments and achievements in the country.The
island’s civilization has achieved an individuality and identity of its own that
distinguishes it from its neighbors.
All salient aspects of our national culture – tangible and
intangible, either grew or evolved within the borders of our country. Sinhala
language and literature originated in Sri Lanka. Sinhala language in fact is the
most important defining element of our nation’s culture and heritage, from
historic times. The Sinhala language grew out of
Indo-Aryan dialects and exists only in Sri Lanka and has its own distinguished
literary tradition. Sinhala is one of the world’s oldest living
languages. There have been a wide range of languages in the world, particularly
in Asia which lived and died without leaving evidence of their existence,
because they were never written down. This is not the case with the Sinhala
language. All other languages used in Sri Lanka originated in other countries.
It is significant to note that the overwhelming majority of people of Sri Lanka
are distinguished by their language – Sinhala, which even today has a strong
unifying effect in our motherland helping to reinforce the solidarity of our
people as a unique cultural entity in the world. Almost all place names of the
country from historic times, are in the Sinhala language – in the North, South,
East, West and Central regions.
Rich Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage encompasses material culture, in the form of
objects, structures, sites, architecture, sculpture, paintings, and other forms
of fine arts, as well as living (or expressive) culture in the form of language,
literature, customs, traditions, rituals, ceremonies, and festivals, performing
arts, music and so on. These unique forms of cultural expression provide this
country with its distinct national identity. They are the living evidence of the
outstanding cultural heritage of this nation. It was Buddhism that fashioned lifestyles, fostered the arts, and
inspired the nation’s architecture, sculpture, paintings, and other fine arts.
It led to the creation of stupes (pagodas), temples, monasteries, statues, and a
fascinating diversity of aesthetically pleasing artistic ventures and cultural
activities. It is important to note that all salient aspects of the national
culture – tangible and intangible, either grew or evolved within the borders of
Sri Lanka. This includes the
Sinhala language and literature which originated in the island.
The exceptionally rich heritage of visual arts of the Sinhala
Buddhist people of Sri Lanka, extends to a period that exceeds 2300 years, from
the 3rd century BCE to the 21st CE. The Sinhala Buddhist culture is one of the World’s oldest,
continuous, unchanged cultures in existence. It is one of world’s important and
exemplary cultures in existence. It is a civilization unique to Sri Lanka
alone. The simple and uncomplicated lifestyle promoted by Buddhist culture,
is based on the five basic precepts of Buddhism. Non-violence, compassion,
tolerance, morality, and peaceful coexistence with others and with nature are
the cornerstones of Buddhist culture.
Despite
foreign invasions, threats and various forms of challenges and atrocities,
Buddhist culture has remained intact in the island, unlike the case with many
ancient cultures in most other countries in the world. Throughout
most of its history, Sinhala kings and Buddhist institution of monks, played a
major role in the development and maintenance of Buddhist culture and
institutions in the island. The world
recognition of the greatness of this unique Sinhala Buddhist culture is
reflected by the UNESCO designating ancient sites, including the ancient royal
capitals of the Sinhala people such – Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mahanuwara
(Kandy), Sigiriya and Dambulla as World Heritage Sites. Ancient
irrigation system developed by the Sinhala kings is still operational and is
considered as – Engineering marvels. The earthen and stone dams and reservoirs
systems the canal network and related water control and management structures
and techniques show the skills of the ancient Sinhala people.
The Hela or Sinhala Nation
There is only one nation in this island of Sri Lanka or Sinhale. A
‘Nation’ is a self-identifying group of people who share a common history, a
common language, a common culture and most importantly a homeland. In other
words, a nation is the most persistent alliance or organization of three main
social components -people-culture- territory. Culture can be defined as the
system of shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that the
members of society use to cope with their world and with one another, and that
are transmitted from generation to generation through learning. In a broader
sense, a subculture is any group within a larger complex culture who has
interests that vary from those of the mainstream culture. In a more specific
sense, it is a group with a distinct style and identity. Even though it is
obvious that there are large number of subcultures within any given national
culture, People live and think in ways that form finite patterns that can be
mutually constructed through a constant process of social interaction. The
country’s predominant culture is Sinhala Buddhist. Over the centuries, both
Hindus and Buddhists have co-existed well despite occasional politically
motivated power struggles. One should not be confusing the issue of citizens’
rights with that of a nation’s identity.
There were Tamils or Dravidians in Sri Lanka for several centuries in
the past, most of them assimilated and appreciated the Sinhala Buddhist culture
until the Europeans arrived and took control of our nation. Although we let them
into our land and offered them hospitality, in return they acted to undermine
our country, the Buddhist religion, and tried to destroy our culture and thereby
break the harmony in our society. With the adoption of a policy of ‘divide and
rule’ by the British, it has been a continuing saga against Sinhala people,
especially the Buddhists. To serve their serf interests, the British were
largely responsible for germinating mistrust among the various ethnic groups and
among our own people.
Tamils cannot have a “right of self-determination” in Sri Lanka
because the homeland of the Tamil nation is Tamil Nadu, and not Sri Lanka or
‘Sinhale’ as the island was known in early times. Only the Sinhala nation has
the right to self-determination in Sinhale’. The real objective behind all this
talk of a “Tamil Nation and Tamils’ Right to Self-Determination” (which even the
Indian Constitution does not recognize) is to make way for the racist Tamil LTTE
dream of creating a Greater Tamil Eelam linking Sri Lanka’s North and East with
Tamil Nadu. The Tamils came from their motherland, the Tamilnadu where their
culture and language originated. The Tamil nation of Tamilnadu is seven times
bigger than Sri Lanka, where one needs to be a pure Tamil to hold any high
official position. Tamils have their national heritage and aspirations protected
within Tamilnadu.
Violation of National Interests
Hela nationals will not tolerate any community or person who whilst
living in the Hela Nation and considering it their home, deliberately misusing
such privilege by scheming and adopting violent and extreme actions or
contributing to such actions violating the sovereignty, dignity, and territorial
integrity of the Sinhala Nation. This includes the ridiculously false and
unfounded claims made by Tamil and Muslim leaders in pursuit of carving out
ethnic or religious enclaves within the Sinhala Nation, merely because some of
them had lived in some specific places in the country for extended periods of
time. Persons with such self-serving objectives and attitudes are traitors of
the Nation and should be tolerated under any circumstances. There is no place in
the Hela Nation for such traitors, double crossers, renegades, turncoats,
collaborators of enemies, criminals and terrorists, conspirators, connivers,
schemers and emissaries, spies, secret agents, undercover agents, and double
agents of the enemies of the Sinhala Nation.
Maintaining the foremost place for Buddhism and protecting and
fostering the Buddha Sasana should be essential components of any Constitution
of Sri Lanka. The unitary character of the country and the supremacy of the
Parliament should always be maintained thereby preventing any form of separatism
including federalism or administrative units based on Race, Religion or
Language. Police should operate within the entire territory of Sri Lanka under
the direction and control of Inspector General of Police who is the head of Sri
Lanka Police Force. State land must always be vested with the Republic of Sri Lanka. The
Parliament should have full control over public Finance and no institution
should be permitted to receive funds from any foreign source, without the
approval of the President or the Cabinet of Ministers.
In Sri Lanka, the granting of excessive rights to minorities in the
form of alien-national rights of language and culture, land rights and police
powers and so on, and thereby eventually enabling them to form separate ethnic
enclaves in different parts of the island should not be permitted under any
circumstances. Such action as evident today, will be strongly resisted by the
nation’s patriotic forces, including Buddhist monks who have from historic times
been in the forefront in promoting and protecting the Sinhala Buddhist culture
of the island. These patriotic forces will not tolerate any disintegration of
the national sovereignty, the cultural integrity, and the long-established
territorial integrity of the country. There has been serious deprivation of the legitimate rights of the
Sinhala Buddhists, in recent times. In Sri Lanka, many Bhikkhus have entered
the political arena to ensure the protection of Buddhist heritage, the Buddha
Sasana and Buddhist values which undermined and subject to threats in recent
times. Their main motive is to safeguard the national heritage and culture and
thereby to secure the rights of the Sinhala Buddhists.
Merge with the Host Nation
Those settling down or have already settled down in host countries
have a bounden duty to merge with the host nation into a single coherent nation
of members. It is basically, a state of mindset, not necessarily physical
interaction. Within these host countries, human rights and civic rights of the
host nation are what the settler minorities are entitled to and not the
alien-national rights of the countries of their national origins they left
behind for pastures anew. Their alien-national rights will shift to the private
domain when in host countries and not to threaten the national sovereignty of
the host countries either.
Sri Lanka wants all non-indigenous minorities of our nation such as
the Tamils, Muslims, Moors and others of whatever label, to be a part of our
Nation, to join the country’s mainstream, just the way how minority communities
are expected to do in all countries of the world, especially in places like
Canada, Australia, USA, UK, Norway and help to strengthen our nation founded on
the noble principles of non-violence, tolerance, compassion, where peaceful
co-habitation has been the cornerstone from historic times. Forgiving and
forgetting” has been the attitude of our people, even to those who have harmed
us repeatedly from historic times, because our people know that eventually
justice and truth will prevail.
Initiatives of Bhikkhus as Traditional Leaders
Our Bhikkhus, the traditional leaders of the nation, should
necessarily be in the forefront in movements aimed at protecting and promoting
the Buddha Sasana and important national interests, especially when they are
under threat. Many Bhikkhus have voluntarily made their choice to take an open
public stand on issues surrounding Buddhism and Buddhist culture which is the
greatest treasure that our country could offer to the world, to humanity. Our
Bhikkhus have become a thorn in the flesh of racists, religious extremists, the
recent breed of inter-faith dialogue facilitators, those in the ethnic and human
rights businesses and above all those who are funded or backed by extremist
foreign anti-Sinhala or anti-Buddhist elements.
Why should anyone feel uncomfortable when Bhikkhus, the traditional
spiritual leaders of our country, take the initiative and provide
necessary leadership to protect the greatest wealth of this nation – our
Buddhist cultural heritage. Like anyone else, under a democratic system,
Bhikkhus are eligible to exercise their rights, including political rights.
Those who object to the initiative taken by our Bhikkhus appear to be those with
ulterior motives, having their own self-interests and opposed to the
strengthening and consolidation of Buddhist culture in this country. They in
fact are resorting to devious unwholesome activities that are contrary to
Buddhist norms and principles which have been preserved and promoted for
thousands of years in this country, by the large majority of its inhabitants.
These undesirable elements may be feeling uncomfortable about recent changes in
the country, especially with the emergence of a political leadership that is
representative of the aspirations of the mainstream Sinhala Buddhist community
of the island. The recent
election of Gotabaya Rajapaksa as the President of Sri Lanka, with the
overwhelming support of the Sinhala, the dominant community of the island, can
be considered as a definite positive development in the country.
Sinhala Buddhist Leadership
The forthcoming parliamentary election provides the opportunity for
people to elect such upright, capable and patriotic individuals to work for the
welfare of the country, and for the consolidation of the Sinhala Buddhist
cultural legacy of the nation. Genuine and practicing Buddhists of our country,
or in general, those who strictly follow the Five Precepts, should be more
actively involved in politics either directly or indirectly. Most of the ills of
our nation’s political life could be attributed to the absence or withdrawal of
genuine Buddhists from the nation’s political arena and the domain of the media
where they could be quite influential in bringing about necessary changes in
public opinion of issues that are of national importance. Genuine Buddhists have
a duty by the nation, which is founded on Buddhist principles, to be fully
involved and participating in organizations working for the welfare of the
nation. This is particularly relevant today because our nation is severely
threatened at present by diverse negative forces both local and foreign.
It is the Buddhist perspective to public life and decision-making,
that is most needed today, especially in the country’s political domain and
administration. We need compassionate politicians and professionals with
unselfish and mindful interest in the welfare of the country. This alone can
bring about needed positive changes in public life which has been for decades,
infected with dishonesty, crime, and corruption. The impact and influence of
genuine, selfless patriotic Buddhist leaders, can make a big difference. They
can help to generate a wholesome political culture, that is characterized by
Buddhist approaches and attitudes and a truly Buddhist atmosphere, conducive to
the development of a healthy political climate in our nation, so that all
nationals will benefit irrespective of their diverse origins and
cultural-religious inclinations.
Politics in fact is simply about deciding how to live together
peaceably while bringing together the wide variety of perspectives available in
the human realm. It is something necessary and something creative. Politics is
part of our life. If we regard all life as sacred and politics is a part of
life, then politics must be sacred. Politics is not an inherently unclean and
base activity. It becomes dirty in the way that everything else becomes dirty.
That is, through lack of attention, through lack of mindfulness, through ego,
all of which resulting in greed, hatred, and delusion. The best kind of politics
can take the profound viewpoints and virtues of spiritual practice and apply
them in the public realm. Buddhism can be of fundamental help in this regard. If
we do not bring spiritual virtues to the public arena, we are destined to both a
selfish kind of spirituality and a selfish kind of government, devoid of vision
and meaning. It is time that increasingly of our genuine and practicing
Buddhists entered the political arena in various influential capacities.
Socially Engaged Buddhism
Buddhism has always been engaged in various socio-political contexts.
The idea of interdependence is widely associated with Buddhism. Buddhism is the
religion of Human Ecology. Engaging in the lives of others through compassion,
sacrifice and service is the worthy spiritual path that the contemporary world
needs to observe. Buddhists need to expand our approach or shift somewhat away
from those traditional customs that excessively promote monasticism and
individual salvation. They should become more socially engaged and be more
concerned about service to the community, the human habitat, and the environment
in general. Buddhists need to broaden their spiritual practices to include both
family and community and the social and environmental concerns of the broader
world. We need to be better able to identify and understand social hardships,
misery, and perils, and can do something tangible to relieve them. It is time
that we as Buddhists involve ourselves in an organized manner, become socially
engaged and apply Buddhism to matters of everyday life, individual work, family,
politics, and the community. It needs to be a direct application of Buddhist
principles and concepts to the overall development of our motherland, to the
varied social, economic, and political issues that have implications for the
short and long term welfare and development of our motherland, the only country
of the Sinhala community.
Dr. Daya Hewapathirane daya.hewapathirane@gmail.com
