Ven Sobitha In 1970’s

By Rajasingham Jayadevan –November 24, 2015

Rajasingham Jayadevan

The politics of Sri Lanka in the 1970’s underpinned the three decades of war that ravaged the country to its near collapse. A cocktail of factors contributed towards the deterioration of the relationship between the Sinhala and Tamil communities. The unaccommodating visionless state actors were the major contributors for the decay. This has its origins even long before the independence of Sri Lanka. There is cautious optimism that the present government will move some way to deal with the miscarriages and bring about a fair, tolerant and accommodating rule to the island nation.

Chapter II of the constitution of Sri Lanka states that: ‘the Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster Buddha Sasana (teachings of Buddha), while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Article 10 and 14’.

The very fundamental precepts of Buddhism which the government of Sri Lanka adapted by giving uppermost place for Buddhism remain violated across the socio-religious-economic-political divide of Sri Lanka.

Pages and pages can be written or can even be established by just following the present day Sri Lanka to assess disrespect for these very virtuous precepts. These precepts are being vitiated downright in the whole embodiment of governance for far too long. In a true sense, it is a shameful plight of the rule of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Just imagine of Buddha if is reborn to see the state of the Buddhism practiced in Sri Lanka. The problems of the Buddhist state is mammoth and even reborn Buddha will find it hard to comprehend or influence for change.

Beyond the visionless state actors, the very many Buddhist Bhikkus (monks) who were supposed to follow Buddha’s noble precepts with innermost purity are shamelessly undermining them by their deepest hatred towards the minorities. The command and control of the Buddhist hierarchy or the Buddhist state does not guide or take procedural steps against those Bhikkus who flout the very Buddha Sanasana they fought to gain a special place in the constitution of Sri Lanka.                                           Read More