Buddhist Spectrum

Food for thought for Buddhist devotees!

Premasara EPASINGHE

I visited Anuradhapura, the most venerated Sacred Jayasrimaha Bodhi Tree and Ruwanweliseya, the Great Stupa in Sri Lanka last week and was really “shocked” to see some women Buddhist devotees in these holiest of holy premises, dressed in various coloured trousers and blouses. Some were in short trousers doing rounds covering the sacred Bodhi and Chaitya, reciting Bodhi Pooja poems and gathas. Their multi-coloured dresses are not at all suited for venerated places of this nature. Those dresses are suitable for fashion parades.

Sri Maha Bodhi

Even some old ladies were wearing dark coloured trousers, which shows so much of disrespect to these places of Buddhist worship. It's no doubt a shocking sight. Comparatively, the men were, somewhat better in their dresses, wearing white.

I presume, Tanha, Rati, Raga in Buddhist literature who danced in front of our Gautama Buddha, before He attained Enlightenment, were dressed better than, the one's seen at these two Holy places. At least, they were decent, covered “their subjects with their dresses properly.”

The “Dress” means to put clothes on. In the dictionary, there are about twelve meanings woven round defining the word Dress.

For example, if one says “Dressed like a dog's dinner it means, dress very smartly or showily.

The disciplined Christian and Catholic devotees, the church goers attend “Sunday Mass” or any other Religious ceremony, in a highly dignified manner the “Sunday Best”. It also adds colour to their personalities and depicts their character. Our dear Christian and Catholic bretherens, shows their moral disciplined character even in their dress. For some of the Buddhists, going to a Buddhist temple is like going to boutique or market.

They do not care for the dress. The Catholics and Christians, wear their dresses to suit the religious occasion. They respect and honour the church as an important holy place. Their discipline and culture can be highly appreciated and a role model for buddhists.

Some of the Buddhist parents clamour to send their children to Catholic and Christian schools.

Why? They firmly believe, the high discipline these institutions maintains, the etiquette and manner they learn at these schools, will be a “Transfer of Training” for their Buddhist children, to be disciplined and morally productive citizens in the future.

Recently, I saw in a TV News bulletin, where our dynamic President Mahinda Rajapaksa attending a religious ceremony at Dalada Maligawa Tooth Relic Chamber, Kandy. He made a remark about the coloured dresses that some men, women and children were wearing. He stated, when visiting the sacred Buddhist places, they must be more disciplined, serene and they should wear white clothes when visiting and paying homage to the Buddhist Holy Places.

The white dress, is what Buddhist should wear to Buddhist places of worship. It is a dignified colour pleasing to the eye.

It is true one has the right to wear any form of dress they prefer to wear. Presently, many womenfolk, follow blindly the fashions and dresses of the ladies of the European or foreign countries. These foreign ladies wear various type of trousers, shorts, sometimes just “long enough to cover their subjects.” Some of our ladies also follow their dress codes without considering whether they are suited for their physical frame. In foreign countries, we have seen some ladies wearing trousers and sometimes it adds to their personality.

Our Buddhist ladies and lay devotees should realize that multi-coloured clothes are not suited to wear in attending religious ceremonies in Buddhist temples and shrines. It's not a picnic or party or a trip to Galle Face Green, Sigiriya, Peradeniya Botanical Gardens or Dehiwela zoo or a hotel. Buddhist shrines are serene and holy places. I kindly appeal to ladies and gentleman to wear white attire to attend Buddhist temples etc.

A couple of months back, when I was at the most sacred Kirivehera stupa, Kataragama, at about 6.00 am, I saw a cadaverous old woman, wearing a black trouser, short, upto her knees, wearing a red shirt, going round the Kirivehera Chaitya reciting gathas. She was leading a group of men, women and children dressed in all sorts of colours. It was an ugly sight.

It was a disgrace and disrespect to this most holy sacred religious edifice. The only message this woman in short trousers gave was impermanence, how men and women wither with the age. Buddhists must be more civilized in visiting places of religious worship.

I have seen these disgraceful sights even at Kelaniya and Bellanwila very often.

Our Buddhist elders, should set an example to the young one's regarding their dress code and behaviour patterns in attending Buddhist premises.

Its a pity that the Buddha Sasana Ministry, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress or other Buddhist Organizations have not enlightened properly our Buddhist devotees to wear our traditional white dress when entering a Buddhist temple premises.

It is not a compulsion. But transmit the message. One must not leave a simple thing of this nature, for His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa to advice his people in a matter like a dress code for Buddhists when visiting a temple.

Anyhow, I wish that our President's kind advice to his Buddhist bretheren will be followed to the letter. Although our dynamic President is awake the whole time, most of the higher authorities are still deaf and dumb when they see these ugly sights.

Magazine to treasure

The Buddhist
Annual Vesak Journal
Publisher Colombo YMBA.
May 2012/2556

The Buddhist, an Annual Vesak time publication of the Colombo YMBA, provides her members and the public with a wealth of articles relating to what Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha taught. In addition the magazine has in colour a pictorial presentation, a panorama of the Association's current wide ranging activities, performed well with no fuss and great publicity.

This ninety nine page bilingual Annual has been edited for the ninth year by Rajah Kuruppu, with the able assistance of Piyadasa Wattegama

(Sinhala section) and Kusumabandu Samarawickrema (Assistant Editor).

In one of the first pages of this publication referring to the history of the Association, several notable pioneers have been spotlighted with their photographs. It serves as a gratuitous admirable tribute to all of them. The Founder, Sir Baron Jayatilleke KT, was a reputed Sinhala and Pali scholar, and philanthropist. One of his many Philanthropic deeds was the donation of his property with a large upstair building at Borella, to the YMBA, to serve as a powerhouse of Buddhist activity. Another whose photograph is in print, is that of Sir Ernest de Silva.

It was with great joy that he gifted to the YMBA a rare, valuable 100 year old Ceylon Penny postage stamp, which was sold to meet the commitments of the building expenditure of the Colombo YMBA FORT BUILDING. Sir Ernest also gifted the “Valana Home” which today serves as an Orphanage for boys, maintained by the YMBA. Sir Cyril de Zoysa, who also held office as President of the Association. He was a dynamic Buddhist leader of the country. He was a great forward thinker, and the builder of the Kataragama YMBA Pilgrims Rest, and Fort YMBA Buildings. To his credit, religious activities were popularised. This activity made the Association be held high in the public esteem.

Browsing through the pages of this well printed Annual which has an attractive cover, I note the contributions are many, are of a high standard. To review at length a few of them, the article entitled “WHAT IN THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA IMPRESS ME” Scholar, Dr. Ananda W. P. Guruge writes in lucid style to introduce to the world readership, Sakyamuni Gotama Buddha's primary gift which is the Path to Spiritual Perfection. The role played by the Great Master in this direction is clearly stated... to quote:

“He claimed only to be the re-discoverer of Nibbana and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to it. With remarkable modesty, he compared His role to one who found an ancient lost and forgotten city, with road leading to it. Covered and obliterated by jungle overgrown. He assumed for himself the functions of a benevolent Servant of humanity who had to share his discovery with not only his neighbours and contemporaries, but also generations yet unborn in a planet, which still remained to explore.

The author continues his essay with a lesson to the laity reminding them, the spiritual leader encouraged all to with perseverance generate wealth, as it gave a person fourfold happiness of possession, consumption, sharing and avoiding wrongful ways of living.

Dr. Guruge concludes his efforts by bestowing on the Maha Sangha an unshakable tribute for their durable contribution in the compilation, codification and preservation of voluminous scriptures.

Ven. Henepola Gunaratne Thera's articles on Practical insight is a Lesson on furthering the benefits of meditation, with the practical of wise attention (Yoniso manisikara). He says, when one pays attention your greed, hatred and delusion fade away, because the opposite qualities are relinquishing. How True? He says further, thoughts of relinquishing loving kindness and wisdom have the power minimize greed, hatred and delusion.

Asoka Devendra, a retired Educationalist and well-known Speaker on Buddhism topics, in his writings on THE BENEFITS OF VIRTUE focused the readers attention to developing Sila (virtue) Samadhi (Tranquility) and Panna (wisdom), to achieve a goal of being an Arahat. His article is educational and inspiring. He aptly ends his contribution by quoting the DHAMMAPADA (v.110) “The life for one day of one who is virtuous and contemplative is better than, if one were to live for a hundred years, immoral and distracted.

The wise dwell only in virtue”

Susunaga Weeraperuma, a Doctor of Letters and well-known Author of several Buddhist Publications, questions WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF THE DHAMMA? He refer to how the great Master refused in to answer ten questions, such as: Is the world eternal or is it not? Is the world infinite, or is it not? It the soul different from the body, or is it not? Is there after life, or is there no after life? etc etc. Gotama Buddha refused to answer these questions, but indicated that knowledge is a vast subject. He asked: “Brothers which are more numerous.

The leaves that I now hold in my palm or those in the grove? In the Buddha's teachings Weeraperuma says there are no doctrinal dogmas that have to be blindly accepted by man, and which if unaccepted may result in one's excommunication and eternal damnation. Weeraperuma is of the view, there is no central ecclesiastical authority with the right to determine, whether a particular interpretation of teachings is heresay of otherwise. He continues.

“There is no principle of Buddhism that is based on “Divine Revelation” or “Divine Decree”. Only when accuracy of truth is verifiable by human intelligence does it become acceptable. Truth is it's own proof. The scientific approach to spiritual investigation is an outstanding feature of Buddhism. It is a characteristic almost never found in other religions”.

He continues, “Buddhism is no a theistic religion. Buddhists do not show subservience to a creator God, through prayers and pooja.” In that light it is known that the Buddha remained silent when the 10 questions were asked. His mission in life was to show the world the only Path to end all facets of suffering on earth. The subject matter of the ten questions put to him did not therefore hold his attention.

There are several more educative articles in this publication by the Ven Bhikkhu Bodhi, Dr. Anula Wijesundera. Upali Salgado, Anil Gunewardena, Deshabandu Olcott Gunasekera and Dr. B. R. Ambedkar of Inida. Ven. Bhikkhu Passano, Ajan Punnadharmo and Madawela Hemananda.

Several poetic efforts by Erica Dias of Nugegoda, blank verse by Chandra Wickremasinghe of Wellawatte, Claudia Weeraperuma of France, and inspiring thoughts by Kamala Sooriya Arachchi of Uluvitake, Galle, are “gems” to adorn the pages.

This year twenty pages of the journal have been devoted to present a pot-pourri of articles in Sinhala (Sinhala Verse too) by a faculty of learned writers. Their efforts certainly provide good reading matter.

The efforts of Wijenanda Sarathchandra, Piyadasa Wattegama, Dr. Pelanwatte Dharmatilleke Thera, Prof. N A De S. Ameratunga, Daya Anhettigama, Ven Koswatte Ariyawimala Maha Thera and Prof. Nissanka Perera, enhance the value of the 2012 Annual.

Whilst the editors’ painstaking efforts are on the whole commendable, with a view to brighten up future publications, may it be recorded that there are shortcomings at the production level. The twenty page Sinhala section has no introductory “Mast Head”.

This is a notable omission. More selective use of fonts of varying sizes with a background of tints with gradations would have brightened up the pages.

The annual is a worthy gift as it has wealth of reading material. Copies of the magazine could be had on application from The Administrative Secretary, The Colombo YMBA. No. 70, D.S. Senanayake Mawatha, Colombo 08, on payment of Rs. 125 per copy.

Upali K. Salgado

Promoting peace with love and compassion

Senaka Weeraratna

The peace which was won in May 2009 after a hard won struggle against terrorism running for over 30 years in Sri Lanka was welcomed universally as it was meant to put an end to bloodshed once and for all. It was also meant to be an all inclusive peace encompassing everyone, irrespective of race, religion or creed.

It would indeed be tragic if this much vaunted peace dividend were to be restricted only to one species i.e. human beings, while at the same time overlooking the claims of other sentient beings to be left in peace, dignity and out of harm’s way. A genuine peace must embrace non – violence (Ahimsa) even towards other living creatures.

The adjourned animal sacrifice in Munneswaran has led to intense soul searching among many Sri Lankans in respect to the ethical and moral direction of our country and in turn question whether Buddhist idealism which has formed the corner stone of our moral bearing and civilization since the time of King Devanampiyatissa (300 BC) still continues to operate or has been thrown overboard.

High ideals are important for any civilized nation. It is for this reason that the framers of the Indian Constitution have clearly set out the following provision in its Constitution:

“It shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the Natural Environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to have compassion for all living creatures.”

– The Constitution of India Article 51-A(g)

The ideal of compassion for all living creatures is very much in step with Buddhist teachings. It is to the credit of pre-dominantly Hindu India, that it has enshrined this noble sentiment as a fundamental duty of every Indian Citizen in its Constitution, though fundamental duties are treated in the Indian Constitution as non – justiciable. The constitutions of pre – dominantly Buddhist countries such as Sri Lanka have yet to incorporate this noble sentiment as a fundamental duty required of their country’s citizens.

The Buddhist opposition to animal sacrifice vividly seen in Sri Lanka today stems from both a civilizational ethic rooted in Lanka’s history and the deep seated moral influence flowing from the Buddha’s teachings and his own personal conduct.

Duties of the Cakkavatti King

In the Buddha’s discourse in the Cakkavatti – Sihanada Sutta (Digha Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka) the Buddha spells out the duties of an ideal ruler as follows:

“ The Cakkavatti King (Righteous King) will give protection, shelter and ward both to the different classes of human beings, and also to birds and beasts”

Emperor Asoka of India (3rd Century BC) promoted the policy of Rule of Righteousness. As King he accepted state responsibility for animals and granted them protection via edicts inscribed on rocks all over India (the Asokan Edicts). These edicts were legal pronouncements based on ethical teachings.

Asokan Model of benevolent state

Arahant Mahinda’s declaration to King Devanampiyatissa in their very first encounter at Mihintale about 2300 years ago, in the following words:

”Oh! Great King, the birds of the air and the beasts have an equal right to live and move about in any part of this land as thou. The land belongs to the peoples and all other beings and thou art only the guardian of it.”

It set the tone for the creation of an Asokan model of benevolent state in Sri Lanka. The social and legal history of Sri Lanka provides innumerable examples of the Buddhist attitude to animal life. Our former Kings established some of the worlds’ first wild life sanctuaries. Five of the kings governed the country under the ‘Maghata’ rule, which banned completely the killing of any animal in the kingdom. The five kings were 1) Amanda Gamini (79 – 80 AD), 2) Voharika Tissa (269 – 291 AD) 3) Silakala (524 – 537 AD) 4) Agga Bodhi IV (658 – 674 AD) 5) Kassapa III (717 – 724 AD).

Prohibition of Animal Sacrifice in the history of Sri Lanka

State interference in respect to protection of animals, particularly from animal sacrifice is deeply ingrained in the history of Sri Lanka. From the time of acceptance of Buddhism by King Devanampiyatissa (300 BC) to the last days of the Kingdom of Kandy (1815 A.D.), Animal Sacrifice was prohibited by Royal decree in Sri Lanka.

The Buddha’s condemnation of animal sacrifice

The Buddha’s gentle disposition was offended by the unnecessary cruelty performed on the altars of the gods, leading him to visit and engage the priests officiating in the temples, and make the following remarks:

“Ignorance only can make these men prepare festivals and hold vast meetings for sacrifices. Far better to revere the truth than try to appease the gods by shedding blood.

“What love can a man possess who believes that the destruction of life alone will atone for evil deeds? Can a new wrong expiate old wrongs? And can the slaughter of an innocent victim blot out the evil deeds of mankind? This is practicing religion by the neglect of moral conduct.

“Purify your hearts and cease to kill; that is true religion.

“Rituals have no efficacy; prayers are vain repetitions; and incantations have no saving power. But to abandon covetousness and lust, to become free from evil passions, and to give up all hatred and ill will, that is the right sacrifice and the true worship. ”

See ‘The Gospel of Buddha’ compiled from ancient records by Paul Carus, (Senate, London, 1997 reprint, page 33).

Suttanipata

The Buddha preached the doctrine of infinite compassion for the suffering of all living creatures alongside his rejection of animal sacrifices, which had corrupted Yajnas due to greed of Brahmins. The following verses are from the Suttanipata.

Suttanipata: 2:7:23-26: But largesse (of the king) fired their (Brahmins’) passions more to get; their craving grew. Once more they sought Okkaka; with these verses newly framed: “As earth and water, gold and silver, so are cows a primal requisite of man. Great store, great wealth is thine; make (cow) sacrifice!

Then the king, the lord of chariots, persuaded by these Brahmins, killed hundreds of thousands of cows in sacrifice. Cows sweet as lamb, filling pails with milk, never hurting anyone with foot or horn -the king had them seized by the horns and slaughtered by the sword.”

The Buddha expresses his horror:

Suttanipata: 2:7:27-30: Then the gods, the Pitrus (ancestral spirits), Indra, the Asuras, the Rakshasas cried out as the weapon fell on the cows, “Lo! This is injustice!” Of old there were only three diseases -desire, want of food, and decay.

Owing to the killing of the cattle, there sprang ninety-eight diseases. This old sin of injury to living beings has come down (to this day). Innocent cows are killed. Priests have fallen off their virtues.

“This is how,” The Buddha concluded, “Kshatriyas and self-styled Brahmins and others protected by rank destroyed the repute of their caste and fell prey to desires.”

The Buddha told Kshatriyas not to waste money on Yajnas. Kutadanta Sutta describes a parable told by the Buddha to a Brahmin who wanted to perform a big sacrifice. In this parable, a king by the name of Mahavijita decides to perform a great sacrifice, “that would be to my benefit and happiness for a long time.” Recognizing the fact that the additional taxation required for this ostentatious Yajna would ruin people and the country, his wise minister, a capitalist to boot, tells the king instead to invest that money to, “get rid of the thieves and robbers plaguing the country; distribute grain and fodder to peasants; give capital to businessmen; and pay government servants proper wages.”

This quintessential minister concludes, “Then those people, being intent on their own occupations, will not harm the kingdom; your majesty’s revenues will be great; the land will be tranquil, and not beset by thieves; and the people, with joy in their hearts, playing with their children, will dwell in open houses.” Thus enlightened, the king followed his minister’s advice and consequently his kingdom prospered.

Emperor Asoka followed this example and acted selflessly promoting the welfare of the people in his kingdom. (see ‘Buddha decries animal sacrifices’ by Dr Prabhakar Kamath )

Sri Lanka’s former rulers

Heavily influenced by the Asokan form of Government our former Rulers like in so many other Asian Buddhist lands and communities in ancient times saw themselves as Buddha Putras with a noble mission to fulfill. This is evident from a reading of the Mahawansa and other historical chronicles.

Sri Lanka became a heavy ethics and value based society with the entry of Buddhism. Among the primary duties of a Buddhist ruler was to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana. The promotion of Buddhism was not to be confined to this small island alone. We were a moral and ethical values exporting country through Buddhism long before Sri Lanka became known as an exporter of tea, rubber and coconut being cash crops introduced by the British. The Buddhist monks and nuns of both the historic Mahavihare and Abhayagiri temples under the sponsorship of the Sri Lankan Royal state took Buddhism to the then known parts of the world. Sri Lankan nuns took the Bhikkhuni Sangha to China in the fifth century. Likewise the histories of Burma, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and most importantly India, have significant references to the Buddhist missionary efforts of the Lankan clergy with the support of the King of Sri Lanka.

Aryadeva

In Sri Lanka’s long intellectual history none can match the accolades won by Prince Aryadeva of Anuradhapura, son of King Voharaka Tissa, who not only became the closest disciple of Nagarjuna, but also the Rector of the famed Nalanda University. Other well known teachers, pundits and rectors of Nalanda were Nagarjuna, Dharmapala, and Silabhadra among others. Metaphorically speaking, Aryadeva’s achievement was the equivalent of winning the Noble Prize in that era.

Only the intellectual with the highest academic attainments was offered and allowed to function in that post. Ariyadeva’s fame spread far and wide. The Chinese pilgrim traveler Hseun Tsang in his seventh century writings refers to Aryadeva in glowing terms.

Sri Lankan Buddhist missionary efforts in the 20th Century In ancient times Sri Lankan Buddhist missionaries were also peace educators. It had to be since the doctrine of the Buddha was one of peace and non – violence. There is no provision in Buddhism for a Holy War or Jihad under any circumstances.

The challenge of promoting peace and compassion through Buddhism in the external world was again accepted by Sri Lankans beginning in the latter part of British colonial rule. Anagarika Dharmapala brought lustre to Sri Lanka by becoming the world’s first global Buddhist missionary. His London Buddhist Vihara founded in 1926 is the first Sri Lankan owned Buddhist Vihara established in the western world. Ven. Prof. Hammalawa Saddhatissa Maha Thera (1914–1990) was closely associated with the London Vihara since 1957. He was sponsored by the Maha Bodhi Society.

Asoka Weeraratna under the banner of the German Dharmaduta Society established the first Theravada Buddhist Vihara in Germany (and continental Europe) in 1957 when he bought with funds collected in both Sri Lanka and Germany, Das Buddhistiche Haus founded by Dr. Paul Dahlke in 1924. This Buddhist Haus which was situated on a six acre block of land in a lovely Berlin suburb called Frohnau, was considered the Center of German Buddhism during Dr. Dahlke’s time.

Asoka Weeraratna was instrumental in negotiating the purchase of this property from the heirs of Dr. Paul Dahlke. It was converted into a Buddhist Vihâra, by the Society by providing residential facilities to Buddhist Dharmaduta monks drawn mainly from Sri Lanka. Asoka Weeraratna also accompanied the first Buddhist Mission to Germany in July 1957, which he pioneered under the banner of the German Dharmaduta Society. The three monks in the mission were Ven. Soma, Ven. Kheminde and Ven. Vinita.

Since 1957 there has been a stream of Buddhist monks from Sri Lanka and other countries, taking up residence in the Berlin Buddhist Vihâra. Of these dedicated monks, special mention must be made of Ven. Athurugiriye Ñânavimala Mahâthera who served as the Vihâradhipathi of the Berlin Vihâra for a period of 15 years (1966 – 1981).

Das Buddhistische Haus has been declared a National Heritage site because of its unique status in the relatively short Buddhist History of Germany and Europe, and it enjoys the protection of the German Government. The only Sri Lankan owned Buddhist Temple overseas protected by a foreign state as a national heritage site.

The next significant Lankan Buddhist missionary effort in the West was when Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Thero along with Mr. Olcott Gunasekera took pioneering steps to establish the Washington Vihare in the United States in 1964. Ven. Bope Vinita Thera and later Ven. Henepola Gunaratana Thera were closely associated with the development of the Washington Vihare.