Buddhist spectrum

Monk community

Modernisation vs tradition:

Interview by Iroshini Deepika

Does modernisation mean that Sri Lanka's monk community needs changes? What are the main issues of the present monk community? Is it ethical for a monk to be seated while the national anthem is played on? Following are excerpts of the interview with Ven. Tirikunamale Ananda Anunayake Thera of Amarapura Dhammarakshitha Nikaya reproduced from our sister newspaper Dinamina on his views.

The late Ven. Palane Sri Vajiragnana was a highly respected and pioneering monk in the modern history. Venerables Narada, Madihe Pannaseeha, Piyadassi, Ampitiye Rahula and Gangodawila Soma belong to this generation, and they developed this culture in Vajirarama temple. Your Veneration belong to this generation too. How do you see the Vajirarama concept?

Patrons in Bambalapitiya invited Ven. Palane Mahanayake to the place called 'Dharma Salawa'. This is the birth of Vajiraramaya. He strictly wanted to establish discipline in the Sangha community. And he was successful in training a highly disciplined monk community.

One major point is that he led an exemplary life. People witnessed the distinct way of his movements. His disciplined movements included walking, speech, preaching, the ways he conducted discussions and chanted Pirith, and the way he wore the robe. This is the background for Vajirarama concept.

Do you think that the monk community continues following this tradition today?

These rules and traditions are largely applicable even today. Discipline is a common factor in the monk community. It is not something special.

This tradition was geared up after Venerables Madihe Pannaseeha and Ampitiya Rahula started the Maharagama Bhikkhu Training Centre. Ven. Soma made a remarkable contribution recently.

Is it true that today's monk community has a tendency to go beyond this tradition and move towards a more modernised concept?

Not only the monk community, but the whole community has that tendency. It is not necessary to stick to traditions. I am not talking about discipline here, but suitable modernising does not do any harm to the modern monk life.

You cannot stick to traditions when it comes to computer training and other social and cultural aspects. You should be able to balance modernisation and monk tradition, and make sure you do not override the other.

We must always keep in mind that we belong to the monk clan or Maha Sangha. It is our prime duty and responsibility to remember that we need to protect our traditions and the identity.

Do you think justice is done by the current monk education system?

It's so complicated to answer. Even today Vidyodaya, Vidyalankara and similar Pirivenas offer suitable courses to monks. These institutions place more importance on oriental subjects. Even the monk education system needs amendments.

It is important to give priority to the study of the Tripitaka (three canons of Buddhist text). Education should help enhance the monk's role, duties and responsibilities in the community making it more meaningful. It is only then that the character building of a monk will be successful.

The higher education system, especially university set up, has forgotten the monk's role. Some young monks are caught up in political storms and get pushed away. They get carried away into the commercialised and materialistic world.

This happens when discipline deteriorates. This happened in a fast pace as monks got involved in party politics. Luckily still there are monks who stay away from it.

What is a monk actually supposed to do when the national anthem is going on, or when something similar is taking place?

This issue has come up very recently, hasn't it? National anthem came into existence only after the Independence. Not a single monk has stood up for the national anthem ever since.

Why is this? This does not mean that a monk does not harbour any patriotic feelings. It has a deeper meaning, as it shows the respect towards the more important role played by the monk. It stands elevated more than anything else.

This issue has two reasons. Firstly members of other religious clergy stand up when the anthem goes on. Secondly a monk settled in a foreign country has to stand up when the particular country's national anthem is sung.

If he can do it in a foreign country, why not do it in his own country, one might ask. It's a matter of understanding the situation. Most of other clergy sing along with others, which is not done by the monk.

They do stand up too when guests light the traditional oil lamp, when you observe silence on behalf of our brave soldiers and when a Head of State arrives or departs. These customs exist, and the monks do never stand up.

This has led some monks to the confusion between the words 'Poojaka' (clergy) and 'Poojya' (venerable).

Do you think it's wrong for a monk to stand up for the national anthem?

No, it is not wrong. But you have to follow the tradition. The monk's life conforms to disciplines or norms. Taking meals or drinks while standing is not against the rules. But you maintain proper discipline, when you take meals seated.

Even the laymen follow the same practises when they observe Sil. In village the monk has to sit to accept the homage of the layman. What does that mean? The layman expects that discipline from the monk. A monk has patriotic feelings. This is only an accepted practise.

When you get ordained and enter Monkhood, you leave everything in lay life. It can be your name, caste, creed etc. (Purimani Naamagothani Jahanthi). Thereafter, you take on the name of a Sramana Shakya puthra.

That was the Buddha's decision. After entering Monkhood, we do not even worship our parents. We pay homage to and worship only the Triple Gems. So obviously there is no worship for the motherland.

A monk leads a life far removed from lay life and leads a much more elevated life than that of a layman. So it is not suitable to coin a "patriotic terminology" around a monk.

We have to think once again the accuracy and the relevance of terms like Jathika Bhikshu Peramuna (National Monk Front) and Jathika Sangha Sammelanaya (National Monk Convention).

You should not misunderstand this. The responsibility of inculcating a sense of patriotism and loyalty has fallen on the shoulders of monks. It has become essential that a monk advises the laity on good social behaviour such as morality, education, economics and health.

This is done like a Lotus Flower coming out of the muddy waters. It is done through the process of mental, verbal and physical discipline.

Recently a monk, who is a Vice Chancellor, has mentioned that it is alright for a monk to stand up and greet a State Leader. This is not in keeping with the role of a monk, but it is an act of wilful undermining the respect, Buddhist traditional practises and due respect commanded by a monk in this society.

In that case, why is it that the State Leader worships even a small novice monk? Even though small, the exemplary character and personality exhibited by Ven. Nigrodha, the novice monk, by remaining seated on King Dharmashoka's Throne, is a good example for our monks of today to think about.

UN Charter on Human Rights declares the right of a citizen to follow a religion of his choice. Can you see anything wrong in religion propagation in a multi-religious country?

Forget about UN Charter on Human Rights. We have evidence to show that many of these propagations have a hidden agenda. Just see how those Human Rights organisations deal with the terrorism issue. Anyone can follow a religion of self-choice. That is stated in our constitution too.

The problem is that the propagation is not genuine. Can you call what colonial rulers did a genuine propagation? They followed all cruel and suppressive methods. And today they have this shrewd 'relief operation' system.

Some Western powers assign many NGOs and Christian multinational companies to make the expansion of Christianity thick in Asia. China, Korea and Japan have a Buddhist culture, but they are being trapped with hardly any notice.

Their major targets are Sri Lanka and India. Do you call it Human Rights when they deceive Buddhists to convert? And sometimes they lie and convert by force.

So Buddhists should necessarily stand up against these unethical conversions.

Sri Lanka is the only country that has a Sinhalese Buddhist cultural discipline. So this is preventing anti-Buddhist forces from destroying the Sinhala Buddhist heritage. We have to be on constant alert because there is a conspiracy against us to conduct unethical conversions coupled together with Tamil terrorist activities and destroy this country.

Many Human Rights champions are ironically the conspirators. You call them Peace Broker and Human Rights activist, but when somebody stands against this, you call them extremists and nationalists. This is what you call island mentality, and quite sadly it is the order of the day.

Translated by The Centre for Buddhist Action

Buddhism is not intricate

Prasad Soysa

If you question yourself, how you have become a Buddhist or Christian or Muslim or Hindu, the most common answer would be "by birth". The religion for any child is a blind faith inherited from parents and influenced by environment, society and culture being brought up, further moulded by education. When the inquiring age comes up, the exploration of laid down faith would begin.

At the basic level, at least major religions in the world would emphasise people on one common aspect in life: to be good and avoid bad. But when it goes deep down there would be contradictions among religions, especially in spiritual aspects.

The Buddha's doctrine becomes even more advanced at its depth. Starting from Four Noble Truths, Noble Eight-fold Path, Five Aggregates, Five Cosmic Laws, Conditioned Genesis, Abhidhamma, etc. are the teachings of Buddha, which contains the depth of the philosophy.

These are quite complex areas to understand not only for a non-Buddhist, but also for an average Buddhist, This leads to the misconception that Buddhism is a deep and complicated doctrine meant for a particular community. There are some misinterpretations that Buddhism is a dark doctrine that keeps people away from the merriments of life too.

A Buddhist has two alternative paths: lead a family life or enter the monkhood. Enlightenment (Nibbana) is the ultimate expectation of any Buddhist. Entering the monkhood is the best option to attain Nibbana. However it doesn't imply that you cannot reach Enlightenment without being a monk.

Attaining Nibbana requires an enormous amount of efforts during Samsara. If a layman can dedicate the whole life for this purpose, there is no requirement of entering monkhood. The lay life, however, means many obstacles of attachments and desires; entering monkhood is the better option in this backdrop.

Five Precepts

Buddha has recommended both types of life: a successful lay life and the monk life both with the ultimate objective of Nibbana in mind.

One of the most fundamental teachings in Buddhism is Five Precepts - the basic "Code of Conduct" for lay Buddhists. Adhering to five precepts is not impossible. Every Buddhist is supposed to have the determination to protect five precepts. If it is breached at a particular instance, then it is a matter of re-determining. Firm determination and continuous effort would make it possible to follow the precepts to the greatest extent as a lay person.

"Five precepts" is not just about abhorring evil. Every precept has a broader meaning than the common meaning. For example the first precept discourages injuring and torturing.

In a broader explanation killing should be volitional to breach the first precept. It also should satisfy five factors to breach the first precept: (1) target is a living being, (2) the knowledge that the target is alive, (3) intentional thought of killing, (4) effort to kill, (5) death caused as a result of killer's action.

In addition, the type of the target affects the severity of killing too. Killing a man is more serious than killing an animal. Buddhism explains the benefits you get from adhering to five precepts and the consequences you get by breaching. It is the individual choice to take his or her way.

It is important to know the benefits by following five precepts. First is none other than "self satisfaction". We do everything in our life to satisfy ourselves. If you have the feeling that you have not committed any killing, stealing and so on, that itself is a great satisfaction.

A person, known as "harmless", would be highly appreciated and respected. Such reputation and good name makes you shine and life would be happier. Everybody would trust you. You would be able to have a good family life. Everybody will trust your word as you do not lie and you are always with your right mentality, without being heedless at any occasion.

As already explained "Code of Conduct" for lay people in Buddhism is simple and nothing complicated to understand and follow. It also does not thwart enjoying life, but leads to a much happier state of life.

Meanwhile a Buddhist should also consider the importance of working out on achieving the ultimate objective, while following the five precepts in everyday life; that's why the monthly observance of Sil is advised.

By taking the refuge of eight or more precepts, which is higher than the ordinary conduct, the Buddhist would get used to the way of approaching the ultimate goal of Nibbana.

Singalovada Sutta

The Buddha preached many other teachings for lay life apart from five precepts. Singalovada Sutta is one good guideline for the betterment of the family, society, community and the whole world.

The Buddha preached this sermon to a householder named Singalaka, who had been worshiping six quarters blindly on an advice by his father. In Singalovada Sutta, the Buddha enriched these six quarters for a meaningful worship.

Singalovada Sutta contains six perils: addiction to intoxicants, frequenting streets at unseemly hours, haunting the fairs, getting involved with gambling, associating evil companions and the habit of idleness.

The Sutta further explains five types of bad friends and five types of good friends found in daily life. Most importantly it gives a detailed explanation on duties towards various human relationships in the society: briefly, children and parents as eastern quarter, pupils and teachers as southern quarter, wife and husband as western quarter, clansman and friends as northern quarter, master and servant (employees) as nadir quarter, and finally clansman and monk or clergy as zenith quarter.

Singalovada Sutta's duties are very simple and practicable even in today's context. It contains best of the advice on leading a simple and successful lay life with all the happiness.

Similarly, there is a sufficient amount of teachings in Buddhism, which makes your life happy and successful. It's a matter of following them.

When you know how to lead a successful lay life, you would be qualified to select the other alternative path towards Nibbana at any stage of life. A lay person, who lives according to the way Buddha has preached, will never find it difficult to understand the so called intricacy of doctrine.