Sunday, July 8, 2018

The true spirit of Sri Lanka and justified pride is what is needed, sans a certain kind of Buddhist Monk



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Ven. Gnanasara Thera

Gotabhaya Rajapaks

Minister of Justice Thalatha Atukorale

I always read Kumar David in the Sunday Island with great interest when he writes of on-going matters (not the leftist movement!). On Sunday I July 2018, he sent positive shivers down my nationalist spine with his prediction of what could come. And what is that? A religio-fascist government under Gotabhaya Rajapaksa as the next President of the country, and in that case as sure as the moon follows the sun, a Rajapaksa Prime Minister with several cabinet ministers sporting the kurakkan satakaya (Only the Medamulana Rajapaksa… clan is allowed sporting that shawl, we hear).

Here are Kumar David’s actual words (not fully sequential): A religio-fascist movement is gathering strength around the battle cry of making Gota the next president.

The prospect of a religio-fascist becoming president of Sri Lanka, though in my view the likelihood is remote, requires that every effort be made to block it. … averting fascism is not a tea party. The outside world, not only India and the West but also China, Japan and other Asian nations need to fear the rise of any form of semi-fascism, even in a small country since it is regionally destabilizing. There are good reasons for the outside world to take an interest.

What makes this background crucial is Gota’s presidential bid. The Gnanasara campaign adds fuel to the fire Gota’s campaign hopes to ride on; that is stoking fires of chauvinism. Tamil and Muslim votes are beyond reach, so the strategy is to maximize majority community votes and frighten minority communities into abstention.

It is clear that a religio-fascist mood is being whipped up by political monks. The statement unleashed a firestorm but some political Buddhists have backed the Anunayaka’s call for Gota to model himself on Hitler.

If that is not a dire enough Cassandra cry to warn the country of impending danger, what is? Kumar David continues thus to prove his prediction:

… thousands of Buddhist faithful marched across the country demanding Gnansara’s release and mocking the justice system. If the powers-that-be accede to these ultimatums we are well on the way to a religio-fascist state.

My initial reaction to these goings on was that the President is sympathetic to Sinhala-Buddhist chauvinism and the Prime Minister weak. But I was pleasantly surprised when Justice Minister Thalatha Atukorale, supported by BASL, informed the Kalyani Sangha Sabha that Gnanasara would be treated like any other prisoner and said the government would abide by the Prisons Ordinance. This was in response to a communication from the Sangha Sabha. I presume the Minister conveyed the considered views of the government and had the support of president and prime minister.

Oh-me-gosh! Thank goodness for prevailing good sense. And a second exclamation of triumph – it is a woman who was firm and unafraid. She, Minister Thalatha Atukorala, has always won our approbation and praise and is outstandingly brave and just, very sensible too. Keeps her head steady while so many in the august House by the Diyawanne are losing theirs, and voices just by mere shouting.

Almost as a post script Kumar David adds: A Gota fan I was in conversation with a few days ago revealed another stratagem; "We will buy Tamil votes and even Muslim votes". He was confident of results. Also, equally, the minorities may not vote at the next presidential elections; also despairing Sinhalese. This too proves that while the Sinhalese and among them the Buddhists are prone to be shaken and bent by the loudest voice and strongest jackboot, the Muslims and Tamils are sincerer, stronger and thus in the long run straighter thinkers.

Extremely simple solutions

All through the Sunday Nan mulled the thought of a religio-fascist government where people were given better material deals but minus true freedom and with dark shadows threateningly behind. OK. Strikes will be forbidden, free speech curtailed and then a stern, almost militarized government. The people - prisoners in their own country - ruled by an efficient, yet ruthless tyrant.

How to prevent this calamity? By having people truly national minded; far from selfish self serving; taking pride in race and religion in a sensible, dignified way and being fully aware of how things can be. These to be achieved by self realization, NOT through religious sermons that are politically biased and not taken in by politicians’ promises and attempts at brain washing. We are warned that the Sinhala race is doomed; so also Buddhism in this island home, even by erudite, respected monks. If they are, it’s the Sinhalese Buddhists themselves who are most to blame.

To Nan, visiting Anuradhapura was the ideal antidote to BBS’s tactics and preachings of the Asgiriya Chapter Anunayakes. The immense pride in our ancient kings and their planners and workers and labourers (all paid for; labour not extracted even as rajakariya) in building such as the Ruwanveliseya and the enormous tanks of Nuwara Wewa and Tissa Wewa. (Anuradha Period: 377 BC to 1017 AD).

I was reminded of the pure and true message of the Buddha calling for a reduction and then banishment of lobha, dosa, moha (greed and avarice, anger and enmity, ignorance and false notions) in mind while seated below a sapling of the Bo Tree that sheltered Siddhartha Gautama as he realized the truth of samsaric existence and pronounced the Four Noble Truths. Respect renewed for metta and karuna (universal love and compassion and sympathy). Thus the elimination of aggrandizement and power hunger with justice and fair play installed instead.

Maybe this is idealism and thinking off the top of the head without realizing ground realities. Can our people be thus influenced on the correct path and be true simple Buddhists and not rabid religious nuts, so contrary to the Buddha’s teachings and example of his life and those of his arahant bhikkhus and bhikkunis?

But proof to me was a conversation with a server-at-table at the Lakeside at Nuwara Wewa. "I work here for a salary, for the last 24 years," the young man said as he served a sumptuous three course set menu dinner with choice of dessert, "but when off-duty I go home to farming. I have inherited some land so with my wife we cultivate two paddy fields and grow vegetables and fruit. I take pride in working on the land. What greater gift? My daughter is expecting to be called to the University for a course in business studies, having got very good results in her school – Anuradhapura Central - and ninth place in the ALs in this region. I have not shouted about lack of water, late handing out of fertilizer. I improvised. Elephants? Yes, they come to our village but we have elephant crackers and set them afire and chase the elephants away. We humans are to blame for the conflict. We encroach on their land, so where are they to go?" He was almost too good to be true after all the loud grousing shown daily on some TV channels where the ‘people speak’ only to blame the government for all their difficulties. No self help whatsoever. Again proof. How almost frightening the TV grousers’ faces and body language are while the waiter who chatted was a genuine gentleman, a true Buddhist Sinhalese man to be proud of and held up as an example for all to emulate.

People should be constantly reminded of kings such as Parakrama Bahu I who built the massive Samudra for the benefit of the peoples of the often parched Dry Zone which was the ‘bread basket’ of the Island and of South Asia for sure. (Polonnaruwa Period 11th C to 1310 AD). Why go so back in time? People should remember the Father of the Nation and his son Dudley too. D S followed the axiom of not allowing rain to flow to the sea before it was made use of by man to improve his life. Thus the first massive, multi-purpose irrigation scheme of modern times: Gal Oya. Ancient Polonnaruwa and its ruins clearly prove that Sinhalese Buddhists lived with Tamil Hindu princes and their retinues in this capital.

Sigiriya (5th century AD) and the ancient rock temple of Dambulla (beginning c140 BC) indicate the prowess of the ancients who built a fortress with paintings strewn on its surface and glorious gardens in the former site, and aesthetically excellent cave temples in the rock. Proof to me of near vandalism and desecration of a wonderfully ancient and aesthetically marvelous ancient cave temple is the newly constructed, garish Golden Temple at the foot of the rock. You can balance in this example ancient integrity versus modern show and avarice for individual supremacy.

Consider names that should inspire true patriotism: Menik Vihara; Pubulu Vihara; Ran Kot Vehera; Swarnamali Maha Seya; Moragaskanda, Galenbindinuwewa, Ritigala and so many others, including those that have a Tamil flavor or are Tamil names.

To counter the drawing power of a buth packet, a tot of arrack and a couple of thousand rupees which win votes now, sincere government leaders should have people in batches sent on tour to the Ancient Capitals of Sri Lanka and to visit Jaffna and Batticaloa to strengthen rapport with brethren, all Sri Lankans.

Nan (idealistic!?)