Death and Loneliness launch :

Lankans aware of Indians role here - President’s Counsel

Sri Lankans are fully aware of the active role played by India in bringing about ethnic harmony in this country, President’s Counsel and Lanka Krishnamurthi Forum Convenor Sarath Lewke Bandara said.

He was speaking at a recent book launch of a compilation of selected talks and writings of the world renowned spiritual teacher of the last century, Jiddu Krishnamurthi entitled Death and Loneliness translated by Ariyarathna Wijesinghe.

Deputy High Commissioner of India, Vikram Misri presided at the function held at the Indian Cultural Centre. “We know that your countrymen have even laid down their lives for this cause,” he said.

“Today various legal reforms with this end in view are suggested from many quarters.

However as in the nature of all reforms they are basically limited and therefore serve a limited purpose and would not afford a lasting solution.”

“As war and peace therefore exist in the mind of man, we must prepare the ground for a new mentality to look at ourselves and at our relationship with each other without which no lasting peace can be gained,” Bandara said.

Bandara also pointed out that the fundamental flaw in this deeply troubled society of today springs from the self assertive warped education dished out by educational institutions both State and private.

“A radical change in our approach to educating the young, as pointed out by Krishnamurthi where in addition to imparting knowledge and skills a more meaningful and positive step to awaken a deeper interest and concern for the wholeness of life has become vital. This holistic education where goals of reward and punishment, the spirit of competition and the fear of authority are minimized and where the young mind could flower in freedom and in a non-coersive atmosphere in which there would be a perfect harmony between body, heart and mind has become an urgent need of the day,” he said.

Krishnamurthi during his life time established such schools in England, in the USA and in India. The Rishi Valley School is one such perfect example where quality education is imparted with scarce resources in far-flung corners of the lesser developed world, Bandara said.

Vikram Misri expressed his great admiration for the interest evinced by the people of Sri Lanka about the teachings of J Krishnamurthi.

As an Indian he was proud to identify Krishnamurthi as a son of India, although Krishnamurthi laid no claim to any nationality any race, any group, religion sect whatsoever. His was a philosophy without frontiers, he said.

Wijesinghe explaining the object and purpose of the Krishnamurthi Forum stated that it is a result of the pure selfless concern of a group of Sri Lankans whose sole object is to disseminate the invaluable teachings of J Krishnamurthi and not just another organization for with money making as its object and to cling to power and position at any cost.