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by Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thera

Lord Buddha is not an ordinary person. Lord Buddha is a person who had eradicated all attachments. One who had eradicated attachments has no feeling for a state or any other thing. But he did not avoid fulfilling his duties and obligations.

As a duty once he offered to resolve a dispute between Shakya and Koliya clans. Buddha offered to help them to solve the conflict for the second time, but they did not give it up. Buddha did not help them thereafter, as he knew that nobody would be able to stop them from reaping their karma. Being the Buddha he could realize the situation beforehand. As such he gave up advising them. But this does not mean that the Buddha did not come forward to help his community.

Buddha could not help Mugalan Maha Thera to avoid reaping his karma of killing his parents in a previous birth. Although Mugalan Maha Thera was an arhant he could avoid his karma once or twice only, finally he had to reap his own karma. Likewise I cannot say whether I may be successful or not in my intention to protect that Sambuddha Sasana. But I have to try. I have not attained arhathood. Therefore the claim made by Dr. Jayasekera cannot be attributed to me. At the end of his letter Mr. Jayasekera himself had approved what I do as correct.

Dr. Jayasekera's argument seems to have been done being hooked on to a certain extremist idea and it is not a meaningful one either. As expressed in Algadda Pariyaya sutra, its like touching the serpent at the wrong place which would bring in disaster. It is clear that Dr. Jayasekera has read dharma well. But as you read his letter it is clear that the way he had used dharma is wrong.

Buddhism embraces all races ...

People don't call Tamils and Muslims as jathivadi (communalists). But they call the Sinhala people who care for their race as jathivadi. Jathivadaya or communalism is disgracing, disdaining and depriving the rights of the rest of the other races. We have realized that there are innocent civilians belonging to other races and other religions. But there are extremists too who always attempt to destroy the Sinhala race and Buddhism and to establish their power. When did Sinhala Buddhists attempt to destroy other races and other religions?

Can you quote from the history? Aren't these people who try to destroy other races communalists? What I am trying to do is to protect the Sinhala race and Buddha sasana.

If somebody is trying to distinguish this attempt to communalism then it means that these people do not know the meaning of the word "jathivadi". Some people say, "Soma Thera is Jathivadi." I would like to ask what "jathivadi" is? I know why they say so. When I point this destruction out they call me "Jathivadi". As I talk for the well being of my race, I have been branded as "Jathivadi". But I am not trying to disdain or disgrace other races. Amongst Sinhalese too there are Jathivadi," people who say that Tamils, Muslims etc. should leave the country. If people talk in that spirit I would say that they have no humanity. Have I talked in that spirit?

What I say is that we should protect the rights of each and every human being. If there were morals in the country, the rights of human beings would be protected. Races such as Hindus, Muslims, Tamils etc. need not protest my plan of action as everybody should practise morals and dharma.

Dasaraja Dharma ...

We know that King Datusena, Saddhatissa and many other ancient Buddhist kings in Sri Lanka observed sil on all poya days. The history explains the incident of Kaala Buddha Rajkkitha Thera with regard to the king Saddhatissa's observance of sil on poya days. He used to tell the people in the palace to inform him if there was a sermon. He did so as he was a pious person and that he treasured holiness.

In the present day politics there is no straight forwardness. It is zero. One cannot claim that those kings were not straight forward or polite. They cannot say that dasaraja dharma was not applied with as explained in Mahavamsa and in Rajavaliya.

The Sinhala encyclopedia defines that when Udarata (Kandyan) agreement was signed in 1815 that Buddhist priests explained as to how to rule a country in the guidance of dasa raja dharma. They demanded that they would sign the agreement if the British's undertook to rule the country in the guidance of dasa raja dharma. It is explained that they undertook to rule in that manner, although that promise was not fulfilled.

Rajavaliya explains the issues that were ruled and not ruled according to dasa raja dharma. In the history if there had been prosperous periods they were the years wherein the country was ruled under dasa raja dharma even to some extent.

Economy ...

I do not need money to rule a country either. I do not need a salary. The economy and that I need money are two different aspects. The economy that is being implemented now is full of misdeeds. It is trying to fulfil unlimited desires with limited resources. Owing to that reason people fall into misdeeds.

The Government paves the way for such a situation by looting people's income through money spent on gambling, smoking, alcohol, etc. It is explained in Vyaggapajja sutra that the rulers should make the people comfortable by making them to earn and spend by living positive lifestyles.

A government rules a country not to earn money for the government. It is to make the people happy. The Buddha's way of economy was to make people happy. Buddha had told that earning in unrighteous manner is equal to eating Attikkha. This is explained in Vyaggapajja sutra.

Leaders lying ...

It was king Chakravarthi who ruled his country with hundred per cent dasa raja dharma qualities. It was due to that reason that he could enlighten with Saptha Prathana. Rulers should develop dasa raja dharma until they achieve the level of hundred per cent. Today we see our politicians with none of the raja dharma.

Couldn't Dr. Jayasekera write on the present day politics? I have to say with deep regret that Dr. Jayasekera is a person who pretends to be a Buddhist but trying to destroy the entire Buddha dharma, the race and the country.

Emerging of wars cannot be prevented by anybody within a ruling system. All the rulers in the world are not Buddhists. Killing is prohibited for Buddhists. If so as killing is not suitable for Buddhists what will happen to them when living in a world with other religions who may kill? In the history of Buddhism where did Buddhists act in unjust manner? All the time Buddhist kings have launched wars merely to protect their belongings and not to loot other people's belongings.

The people in a country vest the power to their leader to protect them and their country irrespective of their religion or race. It is the responsibility and duty of the ruler. If another country tries to invade our country instead of counter attacking them should the people and the ruler sleep or observe sil? If so any Buddhist cannot take the leadership.

The race and Buddhism is being deteriorated as the rulers do not live according to the teachings of Buddha. Who talks about the national and religious disaster today? To carry out a war there should be a strong army. There is no necessity for a priest to go to the battlefront. When a country is ruled intelligently and according to dharma, we can win a dharma war. There is a big difference between the past and today's politics. During that time the rulers themselves faced the battlefront while leading the army. In the past the priests who went to the battlefront had to disrobe due to that reason, as one cannot hold the sword while attiring the robe. Taking leadership during that time had to be made along with the sword.

Today leaders do not go to the battlefront. Therefore the leaders may be in robes. However the path to Nirvana will be delayed, but it will not be an obstruction.

Theraaputta Abhaya Thera was a person who attempted to attain nirvana in that birth itself. During that time there were arhants. King Dutugemunu had told Theraaputta thera, "Our race and sasana is being destroyed. To hold priesthood we must have a remaining Sasana. Therefore, firstly we should protect the country and the sasana." Theraaputta Abhaya Thera knew that human life and sasana are a rare occurrence.

In the present status of politics one may engage in it while attiring the robe. Buddha had explained clearly the situations where one should dis-robe. One should dis-robe if he commits "Anantharya karma." I deem that I should only take the laws of Buddha. Ruling a country with dharma will not be a hindrance to nirvana. Engagement in politics does not obstruct priesthood or nirvana, but it delays nirvana.

When Theraaputta Abhaya Thera had entered the war the arhants lived during that time never obstructed the Thera. Theraaputta Abhaya Thera went to the battlefront holding the sword having had known very well that it could pave him to the hell but not nirvana. During that time there were no people as today, without backbones. If there had been no priests such as Theraaputta Abhaya Thera at that time, will there be a sasana to talk about today? Then the history would have been quite different. Theraaputta Abhaya Thera was able to attain nirvana in spite of the fact that he had actively engaged in the battlefront.

In the ancient history the Sinhalese had not fought to protect their race or the nation. But they have fought to protect that righteousness of the country, as they knew that without righteousness there was no chance of retaining the nation or the country in this world. What I am trying to do is to protect the Buddha sasana in order to protect the righteousness in the country. Only the Sinhalese will be able to protect the Buddha sasana in Sri Lanka.

Unless the Sinhala race gets involved in protecting the righteousness the dispensation of Buddhism will not exist any more. As you protect the Sasana, simultaneously you protect the nation. Inevitably the nation has to be there for one to protect the sasana.

That is why I am talking of the sasana and the Sinhala nation.

Instead of discouraging me, the learned people who have regard for the Buddha Sasana should encourage me in this endeavour. Dr. Jayasekera should think and decide as to whether we should retain the Sasana for the future generation. His duty should not have been to misguide the people by making these kinds of statements. It is a sin.

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