{"id":98264,"date":"2020-01-25T17:46:02","date_gmt":"2020-01-26T00:46:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=98264"},"modified":"2020-01-25T17:46:02","modified_gmt":"2020-01-26T00:46:02","slug":"buddhist-principles-characterize-the-national-identity-of-sri-lanka","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2020\/01\/25\/buddhist-principles-characterize-the-national-identity-of-sri-lanka\/","title":{"rendered":"BUDDHIST PRINCIPLES CHARACTERIZE THE NATIONAL IDENTITY OF SRI LANKA"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

The unique national identity of Sri Lanka is founded on its historic,\nlong-lasting Sinhala Buddhist cultural heritage.  As an island nation Sri Lanka is founded on\nBuddhist norms and principles. The impact of Buddhism is reflected both\ndirectly and indirectly, in the tangible and intangible aspects of the nation\u2019s\nculture. Fundamental Buddhist principles of non-violence, tolerance, compassion\nand peaceful coexistence with others and with nature have been the ingrained principles\ninfluencing the outlook, temperament and lifestyle of the people of this\nisland, from historic times.    <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wholesome Buddhist values that form the basis of Sinhala Buddhist culture\nwere reinforced during the glorious classical period in the country\u2019s history\nbetween the 3rd<\/sup> century BCE to the 13th<\/sup> century CE, when\nAnuradhapura and Polonnaruwa were the royal capitals. At this time, the island\nwas ruled by Buddhist royalty and its population was exclusively Buddhist. The\nnature of development of the country\u2019s natural, human and cultural resources at\nthis time was reflective of the nation\u2019s long-held wholesome Buddhist\nprinciples. Promotion of virtuous and spiritual lifestyles among people was a\nfundamental goal of the nation. Buddhist leaders including Maha Sangha were in\nthe forefront in furthering this goal. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nation\u2019s reputed irrigation system developed during this time, with\nan extensive network of reservoirs and canals, considered in modern times as\nmarvels in irrigation technology. In addition, the nation\u2019s astonishing ancient\narchitecture, sculpture, art, literature and other forms of visual culture\nincluding the Sinhala language and literature displayed magnificently across\nthe country, are living evidence of this nation\u2019s exceptional cultural\nheritage. They are reflective of the outstanding imaginative and creative powers\nof the people including their talents, skills, and foresight. The world\nrecognition of the greatness of this unique Buddhist culture is reflected by\nthe UNESCO designating our ancient royal sites as World Heritage Sites –\nAnuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Mahanuwara (Kandy), Sigiriya and Dambulla, all built\nupon and strongly reflecting inspiration drawn from Buddhism. During this\nclassical period of the nation\u2019s history, it was the Buddhist Sangha community\nthat provided education \u2013 both secular and spiritual and was the primary source\nof inspiration and assistance in the evolution of varied aspects of the\nnation\u2019s culture.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

WITHSTANDING\nFOREIGN INVASIONS AND ATROCITIES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The strength of this cultural foundation was tested several times in the\npast, especially during periods of foreign invasion and associated devastation\nand exploitation. There were 17 ruthless South-Indian Dravidian invasions in\nthe past. From the 16th<\/sup> to about the mid 20th<\/sup> century\nEuropean colonial powers using violent means subjugated and exploited the\ncountry. These invasions caused untold misery to the indigenous Buddhist\ncommunity. But the nation stayed intact, withstanding these threats, perils and\ncalamities. This was largely owing to the power and potency of the nation\u2019s\nBuddhist cultural foundation.  <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tolerance and the enormous adaptability of Buddhism are qualities that\nhave remained unchanged throughout its remarkable history in Sri Lanka and many\nother Buddhist nations. With a down to earth philosophy of man in harmonious\nand cordial relationship to man, at a very visible and conceivable level,\nBuddhists have never stood up against any single man or groups of men in the\nname of Buddhism, either to defend or propagate the religion. That is quite a\nrecord for a faith with a history of more than two and a half millennia. That\nwas very much before the time of the appearance of most of today’s great world\nreligions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhism upholds everything worthy and meaningful. It\npromotes peace, peaceful coexistence, and democratic principles in\ngovernance. It promotes human rights, development of individual and community\nvirtues and discipline in accordance with the pancha seela”. Respect\nfor the natural environment and sustainable and participatory development of\nresources and upheld in Buddhism. In addition, Buddhism strongly promotes\ntolerance of other faiths, religious and social harmony, and cordial relations\nwith other nations.<\/strong>\nBuddhist culture led to the evolution of a peaceful community structure. This\nprovided order and stability to the respective communities in the country.\nLifestyle of people in a Buddhist society has been simple and uncomplicated.  It was a quality of life that moved at a\ngentle pace where people enjoyed a high degree of leisure and freedom. As part\nof a close-knit community, people felt secure enough to be themselves. In this\nsense, they enjoyed a remarkably high quality of life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buddhist principles were reflected in\npeople\u2019s attitude towards each other, other communities, other living beings\nand their habitat – the environment. \nPeople\u2019s livelihood and institutions were reflective of the impact of\nthe teachings of the Buddha.  A striking\nfeature was that, overall, relations between people and between culture and\nnature were compatible, in harmony and well-adjusted and adapted. This is\nlargely owing to Buddhism – the foundation upon which the way of life, culture\nand social values of the people evolved and established. People\u2019s livelihood\nand economy reflected their interdependence with their natural habitat, with\nother people and other living beings. They enjoyed an abundance of natural\nresources by way of useable land, fertile soil, clean and dependable water\nresources, healthy climatic conditions, a rich and diverse biological resource\nbase, an awe-inspiring natural environment pleasing to the senses and\nspiritually inspiring, and above all, a culture that valued harmonious\nrelationship with each other and the natural environment which provided the\nbasis of their livelihood.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Sri Lanka clearly projects is its strong Buddhist imprint. It is a\nfact that, if there is anything unequivocally worthwhile that Sri Lanka can\noffer to the world today, it is the Buddha Dhamma and its outstanding culture,\nincluding its people\u2019s attitude towards life and their natural habitat.  <\/strong>We should not let this wholesome\nBuddhist cultural inheritance of ours be undermined and eroded away by\neconomic, social, religious and cultural trends that are incompatible with the enviable\nBuddhist social values which form the basis of life of our nation. It is time\nto reinforce Buddhist principles that constitute the basis of the national\nculture of Sri Lanka since ancient times. We are duty-bound to work towards\ntransforming and changing whatever harmful trends evident in our motherland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building a\nstronger sense of national identity holds the key to achieving true\nreconciliation and social cohesion in our nation. Our nation needs to be united\nbehind the nation\u2019s Buddhist values. Extremism in any form, including\nreligious, is not in-keeping with the Buddhist principles and values that form\nthe basis of our nation. Attempting to implant in Sri Lanka, norms and behavior\npatterns of other countries aimed at being exclusive and markedly different to\nthe long established social and cultural norms of our nation has a socially\ndivisive effect. Buddhist community leaders, especially Buddhist Bhikkhus who\nhave been the traditional custodians of the nation\u2019s culture and values should necessarily\nbe in the forefront in confronting in a legitimate manner, any extremist and\ndivisive trends on the part of any community cultural or religious, who has\nmade Sri Lanka their home. Traditionally the Buddhist leadership is duty-bound\nto prevent attempts by anyone to undermine the long-established Buddhist socio-cultural\nnorms of our nation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In general,\nseparatism and divisiveness appear to dominate the thoughts of minority\ncommunities of Sri Lanka, especially the Tamils and Muslims. This attitude\ninevitably prevents them from developing a sense of belonging to the nation and\ncultivating better relationships with the mainstream community of the country\nfrom historic times. This parochial attitude prevents extremist elements from\nappreciating the worthy principles and values that characterize the Sri Lankan\nnation, and that give this nation its identity as a peace-loving unique nation\nin the world. The\ndevelopment path of our country needs to be built from the grassroots, based on\nits Buddhist cultural foundation. It should involve the development of strong\nlocal economies in which producer-consumer links are shortened and cultural\nvalues are respected and peaceful coexistence in harmony with the environment\nand all diverse people are assured. Moving in this direction appears to be the\nappropriate way to solve the whole range of serious social, economic and\nenvironmental problems faced by the country today. Ultimately, we are talking\nabout a spiritual awakening that comes from making a connection to others and\nto nature. This requires us to see the world within us, to experience more\nconsciously the great interdependent web of life, of which we ourselves are\namong the strands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\npolitical philosophy of Buddhism is universal in that it directly concerns with\nthe totality of human life. Not only does it deal with the social and economic\naspects of life but also deals with man’s spiritual and ethical aspects too.\nAccording to Buddhist political thought the state or the ruler is expected to\nestablish a just and selfless social order in which every individual of a\ncountry is happy and contended. The Buddha’s ideas were primarily based on the\nNoble Eightfold path and he advocated that all human problems could be easily\navoided by following this eight-fold path, namely Right Understanding, Right\nThought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right\nMindfulness and Right Concentration. In the past, during the long period of rule\nby Sinhala Buddhist royalty, the political scene in the nation strongly\nreflected the political thoughts of the Buddha. Two important political\nprinciples introduced by the Buddha were the elective principle of government\nand the acceptance of the peoples’ sovereignty. He introduced the voting\nprocedures at the election of leaders such as in the Sangha and showed the\nimportance of the freedom of expression to create public opinion in issues of\npublic importance. He also showed that there is a close link between politics\nand the economy of a country. On various occasions the Buddha showed that\neconomic welfare is all important for social stability, peace and good\ngovernance.  There is no doubt that if\nany country could follow at least some of these political ideologies enunciated\nin the teachings of the Buddha, such a country would be peaceful, free of wars,\nfree of petty divisions and destructive evil thoughts and actions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Living in\nHarmony with Nature<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Buddhist approach is to live in\nharmony with nature more than subduing it, conquering it, and exploiting\nit.  Buddhism emphasizes compassion for\nall living beings.  This Buddhist\nattitude to nature is enumerated in several of the Buddha\u2019s discourses, such as\nthe “Cakkavatti Sihanada\nSutta”, “Samyutta Nikaya”, “Vinaya Pitaka”, ”\nDhammapada”, and Theri Gatha”. <\/em> The type of economic system, which the Buddha\nproposed, was one where the individual\u2019s needs would be provided but there\nwould be no overemphasis on the purely material aspects of life. One\u2019s material\nneeds would be essentially what one need to make one live happily and for one\u2019s\nphysical sustenance. Buddhism advocates the judicious use of resources, the\nelimination of waste, and the most productive use of resources paying due\nattention to conservation. In the suttas<\/em>\nmentioned above, the Buddha\u2019s advice to laypersons was to develop both their\nmaterial and spiritual welfare by fruitful use of nature\u2019s resources.\nCooperative spirit among people, a simple way of life based on a simple\ntechnology, a non-violent and gentle attitude towards nature, and all living\nbeings are essential components of the Buddhist approach to development. Economic development must be placed\nagainst the wider background of the need to develop a well-rounded personality,\nand a happy human being. In the “Mangala\nSutta”<\/em> and the “Sigalovada\nSutta”<\/em>, the Buddha has said that the happiness of the average person\ndepends on their economic security, the enjoyment of wealth, freedom from debt,\nand a blameless moral and spiritual life. In a number on contexts, the economic\nfactor is linked to a wider relationship to the dhamma\u201d <\/em>or the teachings\nof the Buddha. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Dr. Daya Hewapathira The unique national identity of Sri Lanka is founded on its historic, long-lasting Sinhala Buddhist cultural heritage.  As an island nation Sri Lanka is founded on Buddhist norms and principles. The impact of Buddhism is reflected both directly and indirectly, in the tangible and intangible aspects of the nation\u2019s culture. Fundamental Buddhist […]<\/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-98264","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\/98264","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=98264"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98264\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}