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I am pleased to voice the sentiments of all right-thinking voters who
elected the same President to continue his dedicated service to promote
peace and harmony throughout the country.
In fact, Mahinda Rajapaksa has won the hearts of Sri Lankans by his
honest pledges to treat even the minorities on equal basis with the
majority.
His declaration of the National Policy based on his deep reflections
or Chinthana assuring the people that tremendous development projects
will be implemented in the best interest of the future generation must
have impressed the minds of right-thinking voters. I think large number
of UNPers would have changed minds to vote for the progressive-minded
leader - Mahinda Rajapaksa.
In the meantime, the voters from the University professors and the
intellectuals of various fields of studies have preferred Mahinda
Rajapaksa the matured politician - to an inexperienced - contestant for
the coveted loft position of Presidency.
Apart from that, all the humanists - the artistes, writers, poets,
authors and the cultured promoters of decent civilization have
definitely cast their precious votes to Mahinda Rajapaksa with the
determination of enthroning him as the President of new Sri Lanka after
the destruction of terrorism in this sacred island.
Therefore, I join hands with all those celebrate the resounding
victory of Mahinda Rajapaksa as President of Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka.
M.Y.M. Meeadh - Kandy
At a post election press interview the vainglorious but vanquished
General claimed the Government is bent on destroying him. Now this is as
hilarious as all the bluster and ballyhoo that figured throughout his
campaign. Government considers him as a mere also ran, a veritable lame
duck who poses no serious threat. On the contrary, it’s he who is
destroying himself, with his bloated ego, morbid hate, anger and
revenge. The condition appears to be beyond medical care. So heal
thyself, General.
This man would have retired into oblivion had not his service been
extended and appointed commander. Indeed his astute military strategy,
courage and commitment did contribute to the final victory. The public
adoration and the celebrity status intoxicated his psyche. He fancied
himself to be a General McArthur, a Montgomery (hero of the massive
Normandy invasion) and a Kobbekaduwa (whom the New York Times once
compared to Montgomery) under whom the General and the gentleman General
Gotabhaya once served. Thus evolved his myopic vision. There’s greater
glory ahead! Why not? Urged by his advisors, the blinkered political
outcasts, who were desperate to grab whatever comes their way, he
decided to contest the very man who made all the glory possible. It was
downright cussedness that natural justice would surely thrown upon. And
so it did!
He would contest the upcoming general election, he says. Surely, his
blind optimism is incredible. Each man has his own dreams. Dreams make
the world go around. Cheer up and smile. Good Luck, General!
ASOKA WEERAKOON - Kandy
If the Education Ministry is going to train these teachers, it would
be an excellent idea to ask for help from ‘Mahamevna Bhavana Asapuwas’.
The Dhamma taught in these Asapuwas are faultless, because it comes
straight from the Tripitaka. Even the meditation methods are ‘original’
and these will be of immense use for our future generations and the
teachers too.
It will do well for the Ministry to discuss this with Ven.
Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera, “the Loku Swaminwahanse”, at his Asapuwa
at Waduwawa, Polgahawela and I am sure he is in a position to advise
anyone as to what to do.
L. DE SILVA
I am writing regarding Buddhism as preached on TV. Where did the
Buddha’s disciplines and audience come from? They were all adults, bred
in the great Vedic tradition. The Ramayana gives the background.
The king, Dushyanta, could not break his promise to his third wife
and was forced to banish Rama.
The younger son Bharatha, did not take Rama’s place but kept the
throne and regalia unused for Rama’s return.
Lakshman, the second son, went into exile with Rama and Sita to be
with them. Ravana only kept Sita prisoner. He would not force a
marriage.
Sita, when asked to publicly prove her innocence the second time,
invoked her Mother Earth and asked, if she was innocent, to be taken
back to her. The earth opened and swallowed her up before Rama’s
astounded eyes.
Nobility and highly civilized values are all there and those bred in
those traditions were the people Buddha taught.
Bana on TV has favourite themes.
1. Angulimala, instant Nirvana after a life of atrocious crime. These
are stories but are treated as facts. The lesson taught, murder is
acceptable. There will be no punishment.
2. Vessantara, for his own salvation, gave away his wife and two
young children to a beggar. It was a great dane and therefore good. The
fate and feelings of the wife and children are irrelevant. What lesson
does this teach? To ignore human rights?
3. A frog which in its dying moments heard the Buddha’s voice, was
straightaway born a Deva in heaven. It had done no good on earth, being
just a frog. Lesson - It is only the last thought that counts. You do
not have to do good on earth to reach heaven. All these are stressed as
facts.
4. Dana, Seela, Bhavana, as ostentatiously as possible for the ‘Ping
Book’ to be read when dying. You go to heaven whatever your life has
been.
The worst is, the monks have nullified the doctrine of Karma, sin and
punishment, which is a doctrine in Buddhism and existed in India from
pre Buddhist times.
There is nothing to counterbalance these inanities, no other cultural
influences, no Western literate. Everything is referred to the Buddha.
In the Sigalovadaya Sutra he has said ‘Care for your family and
servants’.
Those who can lay hands on them use distress relief funds sent from
abroad and see nothing wrong.
In our crime ridden and utterly unethical society, a background built
on Aesop’s Fables, Hans Anderson and the Wizard of Oz would make more
decent and worthwhile citizens in the only world we really know exists,
this one.
M. PERERA - Kegalle
This is intended for all of you in the educating stream, in the
intelligence enhancing stream and academic authoritative bodies who are
genuinely concerned about the rapidly declining standard of language and
Grammar in Sri Lanka.
Our visual media is abundant with programs seeking stars annually,
bi-annually, fortnightly, weekly, whether or not deserving, whether or
not talented, whether or not actually the most popular. Since the
success of these programs depends primarily on the public’s involvement
via text messages or phone-ins, I fear, that due to its reliance on
phone-ins and text messages, programs such as Spelling Star, will not be
judged on popularity but the competitor’s innate talent coupled with
coached skill. And so, may not generate equal profits for those brave
enough sponsors.
Nevertheless, I am positive there exists in our commercial community
those intent on assisting our schooling population excel. To name a few,
those in the IT Sector, those in the Milk Powder Sector, those in the
Banking Sector, those in the memory enhancing foods sector.....who could
actively sponsor and so take such a competition to great heights of
success.
This competition should be open to any student from any school within
Sri Lanka, be it Government, Semi Government, Private or International,
in the language of his/her choice, in two stages namely Primary (10-13
Years) and Advanced (14-18 Years) still schooling. Candidates may apply
directly or be nominated by the school. As a filter, a very nominal
entrance fee may be charged of each applicant.
The Sinhala and Tamil students could write out the word in question
since, as I believe, it is not possible to actually voice the spelling
of words in these languages. The English language student could voice
the spelling of a word.
The motivating factor, for students and schools alike, should of
course be a Million rupees at least for the winning student and school
supplies of generous proportions for his/her school itself.
I suppose the argument would surface that a Million would be far too
much for a school going child to own, but then it could always go into a
trust to be released when the student leaves school.
The words and the judges would be volunteers from participating or
non-participating schools.
Spelling B’s are not uncommon in our schools but they are also not
the most popular. Be it Sinhala, Tamil or English, one cannot help but
be saddened by the atrocious spelling and grammatical errors prevalent
all around us. Why then, don’t we fix-it by making it fun and worth a
student’s time and effort; killing two birds with one stone as it were?
My congratulations to a certain popular radio station taking this
initiative in the form of ‘Word Shark’.
It is my sincere hope that this suggestion does not go unheeded by
the visual media industry.
Shalini Harvie - Dehiwela
The people of our country appreciate the interest taken by President
and his Secretary for the interest that they are taking to introduce
Information Technology to our younger generation, specially to the
children living far away from the urban areas.
Most of the educated elders are also keen to obtain this knowledge so
that they will be able to keep in touch with the modern world as some of
them have the equipment at home, used by their children and
grandchildren, but ignorant how these equipment could be used.
I suggest that a few IT Centres to be opened in few towns by the
authorities concerned to help those elders who are keen to make use of
the computer knowledge.
I. E. G. Perera - Colombo 5
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