{"id":91124,"date":"2019-07-07T22:27:31","date_gmt":"2019-07-08T04:27:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=91124"},"modified":"2019-07-07T05:46:34","modified_gmt":"2019-07-07T12:46:34","slug":"atrocities-commited-against-sinhala-buddhists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2019\/07\/07\/atrocities-commited-against-sinhala-buddhists\/","title":{"rendered":"ATROCITIES COMMITED AGAINST SINHALA BUDDHISTS"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

Cruelty and Atrocities by Catholics\n<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For\na period that exceeded 150 years, from 1505 to1658, a greater part of Sri\nLanka\u2019s  coastal region was under the control of Portuguese Catholics.\nThis was a period marked by extreme forms of violence and atrocities by the\nPortuguese, against local inhabitants  especially the Sinhala Buddhists,\nwho, at the time of arrival of Portuguese in the island, accounted for more\nthan 95% of the total population of the country. Roman Catholic missionary\nactivities of the Portuguese included the widespread conversion to the Catholic\nfaith, of local inhabitants, most often by force. From the year 1543 onwards,\nthe Franciscans were establishing their centers in the country, while the\nJesuits were involved actively in their religious conversion activities in the\nnorth. The Dominican and Augustinian Catholics arrived in the island toward the\nend of the 16th<\/sup> century and pursued their religious conversion\nactivities vigorously. Those indifferent to or opposed to conversion were\ntreated with extreme forms of violence. Besides the incitement of hatred\ntowards Buddhists, they were subjected to severe forms of persecution including\nunwarranted arrest, imprisonment, torture, and\nexecution. Confiscation or destruction of property owned by Buddhists were\ncommonplace during this period. The Portuguese used their extensive\npowers of patronage and preference in appointments to promote Christianity. To\navoid hatred and violence, many members of the landed aristocracy in coastal\nareas embraced the Catholic faith, taking Portuguese surnames at baptism. Many\ncoastal communities, particularly in Jaffna, Mannar, and the fishing\ncommunities who lived north of Colombo, underwent mass conversion. Soon,\nCatholic churches and associated schools were established in these areas to\nserve the Catholic communities.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Undermining\nBuddhists and destroying Buddhist shrines and establishments became the order\nof the day during this Portuguese period. Lands belonging to these Buddhist\nsites were taken over and given to Catholic establishments. It is recorded that\nall Buddhist temples, monasteries and places of learning along the coastal belt\noccupied by them were plundered and destroyed by the Portuguese. Buddhist monks\nand devotees associated with these establishments were subject to untold\nharassment. They plundered and destroyed all prominent Buddhist Seats of Learning,\nmost notably: The famous Vijayaba Pirvena of Totagamuwa, The Padmavathi\nPirivena of Keragala and The Sunethra Devi  Pirivena of Pepiliyana. It is\nimportant to note that these were seats of learning associated with reputed\nSinhala Buddhist scholars and literary icons at the time, such as Most\nVenerable Totagamuwe Sri Rahula and  Veedagama Maitreya Nayaka Theras. All\nlands that belonged to these seats of learning were taken away and given to the\nCatholic church.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nCitadel of Kotte, was the administrative capital of Sinhala Kings from the 14th<\/sup>\ncentury. By the 15th<\/sup> century, especially during the reign of the\nfamous Sinhala King Parakramabahu VI (1411-1467 CE), this city expanded and\ndeveloped as a spectacular fortified city known as Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte.\nThis fabulous city was plundered and destroyed by the Portuguese. The Dalada\nMaligawa of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, was one of the monumental Buddhist\nstructures in the country at the time of arrival of the Portuguese to Sri\nLanka. This spectacular religious establishment was destroyed by the Catholic\nPortuguese. The Kelani Rajamaha Viharaya was the foremost, highly venerated\nBuddhist shrine and monastery complex of the island at this time. In 1575, the\nPortuguese set fire to this most sacred historic site, thereby destroyed it\ncompletely and all lands that belonged to Kelani Rajamaha Viharaya were taken\nover by the Portuguese and given to the Catholic Church. Among other colossal\nBuddhist vihare and monastery complexes completely destroyed by the Portuguese\nwere: Mapitigama Rajamaha viharaya,  Wattala Rajamaha viharaya Devinuwara\nRajamaha viharaya and associated buildings besides the Munneswaram Kovila in\nChilaw.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhist Tolerance <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The history of Buddhists of Sri Lanka during the four hundred years of\nforeign Christian rule prior to the country\u2019s political independence in 1948,\nis nothing but a long and poignant chronicle of Buddhist tolerance in the face\nof oppression and injustice. Who but the Buddhists tolerated harassment by the\nRoman Catholic Portuguese to give shelter and employment to Muslims? Or endured\nsimilar treatment from the Dutch to give shelter to Roman Catholics? Who but\nthe Buddhists tolerated the rank injustice of the foreign rulers who used the\nrevenue from one of the most sacred places of Buddhist worship, the Dalada\nMaligawa, to pay for the construction of St. Paul\u2019s Cathedral? Or the injustice\nof destroying a Buddhist Vihara in Kotte to erect in its stead a Christian\nSchool? Who but the Buddhists tolerated the extortion from them of four hundred\npounds a year for the building of Christian Churches?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The undertaking to maintain the Buddhist religion given in 1815 by the\nBritish (Christians) was grossly betrayed. In 1884 all the Government schools,\nwhich were the only schools to which the Buddhists could send their children\nfor higher education were handed over to the Christian Missionaries. Up till\n1886 Buddhists paid by far the largest amount for the maintenance of the\nEcclesiastical Department. Religious fanaticism and brutality and unethical and\nconfrontational approaches adopted by the Catholic Portuguese particularly\nduring the 16th – <\/sup>17th<\/sup> century period, and today by\nextremist Wahhabi Muslims of Sri Lanka, to serve their selfish ends, provide a\nstark contrast to the approach in Buddhism which is reflective of the Buddha\u2019s\nsupreme message of harmony and moderation, of an inspiring middle way\u201d in all\nhuman situations in an impermanent world. History of Sri Lanka reveals vividly\nthat this spirit of tolerance and accommodation of others irrespective of their\nreligious or other differences has been a common distinguishing characteristic\nof the Sinhala Buddhists of this country from very early times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wahhabi Muslims <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contemporary times we witness a disastrous hardening of the different\nforms of Islam into rigid fundamentalism, in which each aggressively proclaims\nits beliefs, zealously proselytizes, and even takes up arms against its rivals\nand the so-called infidels\u201d. This fundamentalist and intolerant stance, taken\nby Islam is offensive to followers of other faiths and other spiritual\ntraditions and to those of no faith at all. It is well evident today that\noverzealous attempts of Wahhabi Muslims in particular at conversion disturb\npeaceful coexistence. Extremist Muslims of Sri Lanka who have grown in numbers\nin recent years, are trying hard, using cunning and deceitful means to\nintroduce their crude extremist Saudi Arabian cultural norms to our country,\nthereby undermining our traditional Sinhala Buddhist cultural norms. Their\ndisgusting halal terrorist methods of animal slaughter, their unsightly and\nrepulsive black \u2018gonibilla\u2019 outfits, their nauseating loudspeaker shouting at\nodd times of the day disturbing entire neighborhoods, and using internet and\nother means to insult and discredit our Sangha community are some well known\nMuslim (Arabian) cultural garbage they are introducing to our land. They\ndisregard the fact that they live in a predominantly Buddhist country and what\nthey are doing is incompatible with the way of life and the social value system\nof this country. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Intolerance is essential only to monotheism. An only God is by nature a\njealous God who will not allow another to live. When a religion sees its\nscripture as revealed and divinely inspired, it finds a basis for exclusivity\nand intolerance. Justification for intolerance is provided by the very nature\nof a Supreme Being who is described as a jealous and angry being, who punishes\nthose who defy him with eternal damnation. The Koran says: Slay unbelievers wherever\nyou find them, and drive them out of the places they drove you from . . . Fight\nthem until idolatry is no more and God\u2019s religion is supreme.\u201d Buddhism does\nnot accept an omnipotent God, a Creator, nor any revealed scripture. Because\nfaith in God or a savior is not an issue for Buddhists, there is no reason to\njudge others, to condemn them for their beliefs, or to feel compelled to\nconvert them. The Buddha Dhamma is described as ehipassiko\u201d, inviting one to\ncome and see for himself. There is no concept of coercion or proselytization in\nBuddhism. Buddha taught the importance of patience, tolerance, and\nnon-aggression, providing a splendid ideal of tolerance for Buddhists to\nfollow. There is not a single occasion in the Buddhist scriptures of the Buddha\nbeing less than compassionate, not only to those who accepted his teachings but\nalso to the followers of all faiths, not only to the good but also to the\nwicked, not only to humans but also to animals and to all living beings. In\nstriking contrast to the spread of other world religions, which are replete\nwith unethical and forcible conversions and sectarian strife, the history of\nBuddhism is remarkable for the complete absence of bloodshed in the name of the\nteacher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nBodu Bala Sena Movement<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In recent years, Buddhists have started to mobilize in large numbers\nunder the bold leadership of organizations such as the Bodu Bala Sena, rallying\nto the Buddha’s call to “go forth… for the good of many, for the benefit\nand well being of many.”  It is time we organize ourselves fully\nagainst this Muslim menace, and adopt appropriate strategies and measures in a\nlegitimate manner, to subdue the \u2018anti-Buddhist\u2019 anti national\u201d attitudes and\nactivities of Muslims. It is encouraging to note that concerned Buddhist\nleaders, both ordained and lay, are getting to the forefront today, in\npromoting appropriate counter measures.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anti-Buddhist\nand anti-national undesirable elements, including those funded by foreign NGOs\nand extremist Muslims, evidently appear to feel uncomfortable about the\nemergence of the Bodu Bala Sena which is on all counts, a timely and legitimate\norganization of Buddhists. Led by Bhikkhus, the traditional Buddhist leaders of\nthe country, the program of activities of the Bodu Bala Sena, is structured on\nNon-violence and compassion. Among its aims is to legitimately  counter\nthe varied local and foreign forces that are hell-bent on undermining Buddhist\nculture and Buddhist heritage of this nation founded on Buddhist principles, in\naddition to saving this only Sinhala Buddhist nation in the world from\nspiritual decay and disintegration and to halt the erosion of Buddhist social\nvalues. Our Bhikkhus have become a thorn in the flesh of religious extremists,\nthe recent breed of inter-faith dialogue facilitators, those in the ethnic and\nhuman rights businesses and above all those who are funded or backed by\nextremist anti-Buddhist elements. The Bodu Bala Sena aims at directing society\ntowards a cultural rejuvenation based on traditional Buddhist norms, principles\nand values which have been the foundation of this nation for over 2200 years.\nOur Bhikkhus should necessarily be in the forefront in movements aimed at\nprotecting and promoting the Buddha Sasana especially when it is under threat.\nBhikkhus of the Bodu Bala Sena have voluntarily made their choice to take an\nopen public stand on issues surrounding Buddhism and Buddhist culture which is\nthe greatest treasure that our country could offer to the world, to humanity in\ngeneral.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Daya Hewapathirane Cruelty and Atrocities by Catholics For a period that exceeded 150 years, from 1505 to1658, a greater part of Sri Lanka\u2019s  coastal region was under the control of Portuguese Catholics. This was a period marked by extreme forms of violence and atrocities by the Portuguese, against local inhabitants  especially the Sinhala Buddhists, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[101],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-91124","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-dr-daya-hewapathirane"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91124","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=91124"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/91124\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=91124"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=91124"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=91124"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}