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'Thallu start' as the local term goes, sad to say, seems to be a way
of life for anything and everything in our emerging Sri Lanka.
The perennial and ever-discussed garbage disposal problem especially
with emphasis to the polythene menace on the environment had many
murmured plans and suggestions over the years of a big tackle and
undertaking to the ubiquitous problem? The CMC especially even had
incentive plans for the CMC collectors on specified compost nearly a
decade ago.
A newspaper gives us the heart-warming news that the Weligama UC has
made a sensational 'breakthrough' and has given a meaningful start and
approach.
The 'know how' of an Environmental Scientist and his services simply
facilitated the eagerness of the Chairman and hey presto the small town
is agog with the different coloured (coded) bins for the various types
of wastes coming out of households, markets, hotels etc. -
glass/paper/polythene as separate collection and food items, leaves,
fruits as another and so on. The project further seems remunerative as
the compost turned out is very marketable.
The polythene too can be recycled to make light weight articles like
buckets, toys, soap trays, etc. and also to macadamise roads with its
good binding properties.
The collection of paper material too for recycling is very paramount
as really the paper needs of Sri Lanka could 'shave off' 30-35 of our
Sri Lankan forests, an expert says.
Co-ordination by all the local government agencies with much
co-operation from the public to avail of the 'gift-wrapped' prototype
now at every ones disposal and reach it earnestly prayed for.
W. MEADOWS,
Dehiwala
I am a pensioner who on retirement invested my commuted pension and
some personal savings on Debentures of a reputed financial institution.
While in terms and conditions of the debenture, it was explicitly set
out that interest will be paid with the amount specified annually.
However regrettably, no interest has been paid since 1997. Further
whilst I purchased the shares at Rs. 10 the current value of the share
is Rs. 1.50 and keeps falling daily.
There has been no response to my repeated letters to the concerned
financial institution. In desperation I wrote to the Chief Executive of
the Central Depository Systems (Pvt) Ltd, seeking advice and assistance.
Regrettably I was informed that the Central Depository Systems (Pvt)
Ltd, can neither advise nor assist in this matter and there is no legal
provision for such interference.
I am in an unenviable predicament and will appreciate if anyone can
advise as to what options are available to me for redress.
JOSEPH FERNANDO,
Nawala
Fuel prices are skyrocketing. Drastic measures are needed to curb and
curtail the unwanted use or wastage of fuel. One such measure shall be
to ban the use of private vehicles on Sundays. Public transport, taxis,
three-wheelers and motor cycles can be allowed to operate on Sundays.
People should be encouraged to use the above types of transport and
keep their cars at home on Sundays. Public transport can be strengthened
on Sundays to meet the increased demand. The three-wheeler drivers who
lament that they have very few hires on Sundays can now look forward to
better business.
These types of harsh measures are adopted in some major cities of the
world. The benefits accruing are two fold; To conserve the use of fuel
and thus save valuable foreign exchange for our country. To curb and
contain air pollution in the city.
At last city dwellers can hope to inhale some fresh air once a week
on Sundays.
P. V. RANJAN,
Dehiwela
I refer to the article 'Opposite editorial' of Oct. 25 (Vap Poya day)
titled 'Buddhism and the Self' which is precisely as its writer Hane
Htut Maung states when beginning it: 'Among the most poorly understood
of the Buddha's teachings is the anatta doctrine, often translated,
perhaps misguidedly, as 'no-self'.
I assume the writer is a layman and comprehensively 'misguided' by
the American monk, Thanissaro Bhikkhu.
I have never come across the translation 'no-self' he quotes. The
teachings of the Buddha is misinterpreted for more than 1500 years and I
am not inclined to dwell on the distortions by the writer and his
mentor, well-known to me by his bizarre translation 'fabrications' of
the key word 'sankhara'. Appropriately, the article is a fabrication
from quotations out of context.
The teaching of anatta (not-self) is the pivot upon which the Dhamma
turns that makes it unique. There are more than 7,500 discourses in
Theravada, and the teaching: Not, this is mine, not, this am I, not,
this is my self' occurs in almost all of them, either explicit or
implicit.
The third of the tilakkhana is sabbe dhamma anatta meaning 'If you
look for a 'self' in any dhamma, you will not find it.' All sentient
experience is ultimately, one or more of the pancakkhanda: matter,
feeling, perception, intentions and consciousness. Every thing (dhamma)
is dependant on consciousness which is teleological, purposive, and
intentional.
There cannot be (except in the arahat) any of these five without
consciousness pointing to a putative subject experiencing them. (The
consciousness of the arahat is unique: non-indicative, not pointing to
the subtle conceit 'I' in 'I am' or atta in attavada or belief in
'self'; more strictly, to the conceit asmi mana, since the coarse notion
of 'self' is already overcome at path entry by the sotapanna.)
The teaching of anatta is embarrassing to 'sell' in Europe, chiefly
to Americans nurtured by theism, just as it is impossible to teach the
Dhamma to Hindus and Muslims. I do not say this in a pejorative sense.
It is a fact, and I accept the difficult position of monks like
Thanissaro with understanding.
His ashram is heavily funded and publishes books by the dozen for
free distribution. They bristle with words such as 'ontogeny',
'metaphysics' and even 'chaos theory'. It is impossible to penetrate the
Dhamma from 'scientific' analysis.
The notion of 'self' is not arisen rationally. It is arisen
affectively - hence the indirect approach of the teaching to dispel it
by way of sankhara (intentions or determinations).
Thus sabbe sankhara (not dhamma) anicca is said, leading onwards to
sabbe dhamma (not sankhara) anatta and sabbe sankhara (not dhamma)
dukkha. See discourse to Meghiya (Udana 4.1).
I refer to the first sutta in the Majjhima Nikaya - Mulapariyayasutta
(The root of everything) where the Buddha leads disciples onwards to
demonstrate the perverse error of inferential thinking and finishes off:
'desire' is the root of everything.
There cannot be 'desire' without a subject intending or feeling or
perceiving or conceiving desire. Penetrating the root of everything, as
it actually is, depends on insight of not-self. True knowledge is
intuitive. The ambiguity of existence is 'self'.
KINGSLEY HEENDENIYA
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