Sunday, December 25, 2011
General Will Be Freed Soon,
Monday, December 19, 2011
A Great One and an Ass
A Great one & an Ass left here within a span of 24 hours and now everyone is talking about the Ass and not the Great.
People hate Asses and admire Great ones openly when they are alive.
But the trend is turned around, when it is time to bury them.
Asses are in everyone’s minds & lips and the Greats are forgotten.
What a world we are living in today.
People hate Asses and admire Great ones openly when they are alive.
But the trend is turned around, when it is time to bury them.
Asses are in everyone’s minds & lips and the Greats are forgotten.
What a world we are living in today.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Bonhomie Born-again Bull-shitters
The Triple B Bonanza!
It is said that the most accurate way to predict someone’s future behaviour is through his or her past behaviour.
There is a new craze of fashion engulfing the world at large, and Sri Lanka is no different: jumping into born-again cults.
Those who have engaged in many nefarious activities in the past to earn some dirty money have now become patriots, do-gooders, and religious preachers by simply taking on the born-again cloak.
This time will be no different than their checkered past.
Again, they are in it for the money and the money only, not because of their love for the country or their beliefs and value systems.
Again, they are in it for the money and the money only, not because of their love for the country or their beliefs and value systems.
This time, these wolves in sheep’s clothing are going to do more harm than what they have already done in the past.
Beware of those born-again bullshitters lurking out there and waiting for opportunities to pounce on them.
Do not fall for their sugar-laced talks and bonhomie behaviour in public.
This time they would go for the kill and wipe out our heritage, values, and belief systems.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Religion and Politics.
Someone posted a You Tube link on the Face-book showing a man being whipped in India for converting to Christianity with a disparaging comment suggesting Sri Lanka is no better.
My rejoinder was met with even harsher response.
Here is my response to those disparaging & harsh remarks and I am sure sooner or later they (Poster & those who liked the posting) will get to read this as I have already given the link to the Blog in my response.
I am sure, your forefathers too must have felt like you feel today when the Portuguese destroyed the original Palliyagodella Temple in Moratuwa.
How to go about solving such issues is not to go about spewing insults, hatred, and discord in public domains but discuss them earnestly and openly to educate and broaden the horizons of other lesser mortals.
Asking “Eye for an Eye” has and will never be part of our culture.
Even the Bible says to turn your other cheek.
When we are able to answer fully and correctly, why man needs a religion, then all those falsehoods will fall apart.
We get confused and distressed, when try to think religion too as a political force.
Political forces need numbers to get heard and even elected but to religions, the numbers do not matter.
Whether it is one or million, the essence of any religion (Dhamma or the Universal truth) will be the same.
My rejoinder was met with even harsher response.
Here is my response to those disparaging & harsh remarks and I am sure sooner or later they (Poster & those who liked the posting) will get to read this as I have already given the link to the Blog in my response.
I am sure, your forefathers too must have felt like you feel today when the Portuguese destroyed the original Palliyagodella Temple in Moratuwa.
How to go about solving such issues is not to go about spewing insults, hatred, and discord in public domains but discuss them earnestly and openly to educate and broaden the horizons of other lesser mortals.
Asking “Eye for an Eye” has and will never be part of our culture.
Even the Bible says to turn your other cheek.
When we are able to answer fully and correctly, why man needs a religion, then all those falsehoods will fall apart.
We get confused and distressed, when try to think religion too as a political force.
Political forces need numbers to get heard and even elected but to religions, the numbers do not matter.
Whether it is one or million, the essence of any religion (Dhamma or the Universal truth) will be the same.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Let Morgan Go..........!
It is everyone’s undeniable right to have the freedom to live FREE and Morgan is no different.
Those who are living Free live four times longer than the ones’ in captivity is a very well known and another undeniable scientific fact.
Those who are living Free live four times longer than the ones’ in captivity is a very well known and another undeniable scientific fact.
Animal are here not to entertain humans.
They too are here for a purpose just like us.
Let Morgan go free.
Open seas are dangerous but free and much better than the safety of any pen.
Friday, November 18, 2011
අයුත්කියට අත් දෙක ඔසවන්න එපා ( Do not surrender to injustice ) !
ඇතොත් රටට ආදරයක් සිතින් සිපා,
අතත් පයත් ඔළුවත් වෙන වෙනම කපා,
කතත් කමක් නැහැ කැත බිය ගතිය එපා,
අයුත්කියට අත් දෙක ඔසවන්න එපා.
- ඇස් මහින්ද හිමි -
අතත් පයත් ඔළුවත් වෙන වෙනම කපා,
කතත් කමක් නැහැ කැත බිය ගතිය එපා,
අයුත්කියට අත් දෙක ඔසවන්න එපා.
- ඇස් මහින්ද හිමි -
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
Only in Sri Lanka ( ලංකාවේදී පමණි ) !
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| Who says unemployment is rife in Sri Lanka. |
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| Any one interested ? |
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Triple A+ Hypocrisy of some of the so-called Sinhala Buddhists (සිංහල බෞද්දයෝ)
Read the article below given in the link and the posting made by others in response;
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/09/16/population-trends-paint-a-gloomy-picture-for-sri-lanka-%E2%80%93-includes-excerpts-from-a-un-publication/comment-page-1/#comment-12375
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/09/16/population-trends-paint-a-gloomy-picture-for-sri-lanka-%E2%80%93-includes-excerpts-from-a-un-publication/comment-page-1/#comment-12375
Thursday, September 15, 2011
This is the Sad Reality in Sri Lanka Today.
Read some of the postings in this link below,
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/09/09/religion-and-survival/comment-page-2/#comment-12252
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/09/09/religion-and-survival/comment-page-2/#comment-12252
No wonder why we stayed a Third World country this long !
Friday, September 02, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Unsolicited Mail & Short Messages
I do not think that I am alone in receiving unsolicited electronic mails and short messages.
Despite the best efforts by internet service providers to stop their customers accounts being spammed, some unscrupulous still manage to wriggle in through the obstacles.
On this account internet service providers’ efforts taken should be admired.
However on the same note, the mobile telephone service providers instead use the facility to rake in more revenue in to their coffers, despite the subscribers’ protestation and dismay.
And the authorities’ inaction to stop subscribers receiving unsolicited short messages is puzzling.
I am sure; many like me keep their mobiles open 24 X 7 due to their various commitments but not necessarily to receive unsolicited messages at an ungodly hour.
Therefore; I believe that the authorities’ need to look at this issue earnestly and find a solution to the issue of mobile telephone service providers from spamming their customers without consent and at the same time making money out of it.
One amicable solution to this issue is to force mobile telephone service providers to share their spoils with their customers.
Every unsolicited short message received, his or her account will be credited with a certain amount of credit but not less than the amount the service providers charge their customers in return for availing the same facility.
Such regulatory frameworks are already in existence in many other parts of the world today.
Despite the best efforts by internet service providers to stop their customers accounts being spammed, some unscrupulous still manage to wriggle in through the obstacles.
On this account internet service providers’ efforts taken should be admired.
However on the same note, the mobile telephone service providers instead use the facility to rake in more revenue in to their coffers, despite the subscribers’ protestation and dismay.
And the authorities’ inaction to stop subscribers receiving unsolicited short messages is puzzling.
I am sure; many like me keep their mobiles open 24 X 7 due to their various commitments but not necessarily to receive unsolicited messages at an ungodly hour.
Therefore; I believe that the authorities’ need to look at this issue earnestly and find a solution to the issue of mobile telephone service providers from spamming their customers without consent and at the same time making money out of it.
One amicable solution to this issue is to force mobile telephone service providers to share their spoils with their customers.
Every unsolicited short message received, his or her account will be credited with a certain amount of credit but not less than the amount the service providers charge their customers in return for availing the same facility.
Such regulatory frameworks are already in existence in many other parts of the world today.
Friday, August 19, 2011
India should be ashamed of the way it treated "Anna Hazare".
India should be ashamed of the way it treated "Anna Hazare".
Those who were responsible for jailing him for merely planning to start another hunger strike should be forced out of their offices either way, if it wants to keep its so-called “biggest democracy” in the world title.
Further India should stop preaching others; how to run their own internal affairs and try to concentrate on how to eradicate many of its pressing issues today, including rampant and endemic corruption.
Jailing Anna Hazare will not solve them on their own.
Those who were responsible for jailing him for merely planning to start another hunger strike should be forced out of their offices either way, if it wants to keep its so-called “biggest democracy” in the world title.
Further India should stop preaching others; how to run their own internal affairs and try to concentrate on how to eradicate many of its pressing issues today, including rampant and endemic corruption.
Jailing Anna Hazare will not solve them on their own.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Customer Care or Nightmare !
Do supermarkets teach their checkout staffs not to throw a tub of yoghurt down the slop for the bag boy/girl to bag it or how to handle delicate food items at the checkouts?
I wonder so because I have witnessed and also experienced many a time that they do not know (or perhaps careless) by throwing it down the slop, the curdled yoghurt inside gets cracked up and then it is unpleasant to eat and a big embarrassment if offered to a visitor.
So are Biscuits, cookies, ripened fruits etc too should be handled with care and dropping them on counters and or throwing down the slop can easily cause damages.
Even the bag boys do not have the sense to segregate items accordingly to avoid damages and even possible contamination.
Today someone put the frozen food along with other non-frozen items and the washing power bag along with edible items.
What is lacking is proper training.
With proper training, such issues can easily be avoided.
Over to you guys if you are listening.
I wonder so because I have witnessed and also experienced many a time that they do not know (or perhaps careless) by throwing it down the slop, the curdled yoghurt inside gets cracked up and then it is unpleasant to eat and a big embarrassment if offered to a visitor.
So are Biscuits, cookies, ripened fruits etc too should be handled with care and dropping them on counters and or throwing down the slop can easily cause damages.
Even the bag boys do not have the sense to segregate items accordingly to avoid damages and even possible contamination.
Today someone put the frozen food along with other non-frozen items and the washing power bag along with edible items.
What is lacking is proper training.
With proper training, such issues can easily be avoided.
Over to you guys if you are listening.
Friday, July 29, 2011
Future Flying Coffins
Both the air crashes involving Air France aircraft which plunged in to Atlantic Ocean and the Polish aircraft which was carrying the President which was plunged on to the ground are now being partly blamed for pilot errors.
Sadly none survived in both the crashes.
The errors the pilots have alleged to have been made should have been part of their mandatory training and re-training.
If they have been excluded in their training, then the governing bodies of both IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) should be held directly responsible for failing to unearth and correct weak and faulty links in the pilots’ training during their audits.
If such exclusions are merely for monetary advantages, and then the operators too should be held responsible for voluntary man-slaughter and breach of contract.
At the moment, the air transportation is the safest mode of transportation but if the corners are cut to save money then who would like to get into a flying coffin in future.
Sadly none survived in both the crashes.
The errors the pilots have alleged to have been made should have been part of their mandatory training and re-training.
If they have been excluded in their training, then the governing bodies of both IATA (International Air Transport Association) and ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) should be held directly responsible for failing to unearth and correct weak and faulty links in the pilots’ training during their audits.
If such exclusions are merely for monetary advantages, and then the operators too should be held responsible for voluntary man-slaughter and breach of contract.
At the moment, the air transportation is the safest mode of transportation but if the corners are cut to save money then who would like to get into a flying coffin in future.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Recent Incidents in Norway
Two interesting links below;
And go to the comments part.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/23/norwegian-massacre-suspect-like-the-tamil-tigers-used-fertilizer-to-make-bombs/comment-page-1/#comment-10736
and
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/23/norway-gets-a-taste-of-terrorism/comment-page-1/#comment-10737
And go to the comments part.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/23/norwegian-massacre-suspect-like-the-tamil-tigers-used-fertilizer-to-make-bombs/comment-page-1/#comment-10736
and
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/23/norway-gets-a-taste-of-terrorism/comment-page-1/#comment-10737
Thanks.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
Love All, Serve All.
Someone wrote to one of the newspapers to ask;
“Why did Sai Baba never declares his assets for tax?”
Many things that we crave for, amass, fight over and called assets are “No Assets” to Swami.
His only asset was his ardent followers of his very simple message “Love All, Serve All”.
He has touched and uplifted living conditions of over a million of people all over the World.
No fee charging Super speciality hospitals, schools, universities and pipe-borne water scheme are a few of things that have appeared in physical forms as the fruits of his love.
Transformed hearts have apparently No different physical form, from other hearts and it would only be seen in one’s own deeds.
The message “Love All, Serve all” has been translated into many good deeds, taken up voluntarily by many devotees either individually or as groups all over the world and that is what the “Swami’s Asset Declaration” is.
“Why did Sai Baba never declares his assets for tax?”
Many things that we crave for, amass, fight over and called assets are “No Assets” to Swami.
His only asset was his ardent followers of his very simple message “Love All, Serve All”.
He has touched and uplifted living conditions of over a million of people all over the World.
No fee charging Super speciality hospitals, schools, universities and pipe-borne water scheme are a few of things that have appeared in physical forms as the fruits of his love.
Transformed hearts have apparently No different physical form, from other hearts and it would only be seen in one’s own deeds.
The message “Love All, Serve all” has been translated into many good deeds, taken up voluntarily by many devotees either individually or as groups all over the world and that is what the “Swami’s Asset Declaration” is.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
“Terror must be fought with counter-terror measures”
I agree when someone wrote to one of the newspapers here that “Terror must be fought with counter-terror measures” in relations to the recent bombing in Mumbai.
But at the same time, countries should not be part of protecting and nurturing terrorists and terrorist organizations from other parts of the world in the name of counter-terror measures.
Protect one’s boarders well but do not be part of the exporting terrorism to other parts or one day you will reap; in one form or other; what you have sown.
But at the same time, countries should not be part of protecting and nurturing terrorists and terrorist organizations from other parts of the world in the name of counter-terror measures.
Protect one’s boarders well but do not be part of the exporting terrorism to other parts or one day you will reap; in one form or other; what you have sown.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
One's Birth Right!
The turtles after travelling thousands of miles return to the same beach where they were born to lay their eggs and so do many migrating birds travel half way across the world for the same.
This is everyone’s birth right.
Granting dual citizenships for those who have left our shores for another country is under the spotlight again.
The reason/s as to why the person/s left the country in the first place, the task of proving how the money was acquired while staying in another land and or even having any criminal records against that person in the adopted land should not be hindrance in obtaining one’s birth right.
The onus of finding out whether the money acquired was ill-gotten or not is the responsibility of the authorities of his/her adopted land and spending it legally is the responsibility of the authorities of his/her birth country.
This should apply also to any Sri Lankans by descent born overseas who wishes to obtain dual citizenship in Sri Lanka.
This is everyone’s birth right.
Granting dual citizenships for those who have left our shores for another country is under the spotlight again.
The reason/s as to why the person/s left the country in the first place, the task of proving how the money was acquired while staying in another land and or even having any criminal records against that person in the adopted land should not be hindrance in obtaining one’s birth right.
The onus of finding out whether the money acquired was ill-gotten or not is the responsibility of the authorities of his/her adopted land and spending it legally is the responsibility of the authorities of his/her birth country.
This should apply also to any Sri Lankans by descent born overseas who wishes to obtain dual citizenship in Sri Lanka.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Yanne Koheda Malle Pol ?
Read the link below especially the viewers comments between KingSasanka & Fran Diaz.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/06/hats-off-to-sanga-for-the-courageous-speech/
If this is all what we are capable of , then no wonder why we have stayed a Third World country this long.
My apologies to non Sinhala speakers (if you are reading) for not getting the right meaning of the Heading.
But I am sure you will understand the meaning once you read the whole postings.
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/06/hats-off-to-sanga-for-the-courageous-speech/
If this is all what we are capable of , then no wonder why we have stayed a Third World country this long.
My apologies to non Sinhala speakers (if you are reading) for not getting the right meaning of the Heading.
But I am sure you will understand the meaning once you read the whole postings.
Emperor's New Cloths !
The child who cried out loud in the crowd of the " Emperor's New Cloths " story is the patriot and not those who kept mum despite the obvious.
This posting is for those " Self-proclaimed Patriots " who we see in thousands today, who are nothing but just like the subjects in the story, still keeping mum despite the obvious happening around them.
Hypocrisy Kills the Society !
Blowing one’s own trumpet was never being part of my armoury and strongly believes and advocates that vital space and time should not be used to for that purpose and to get one’s own ego fatten more.
Sure prescription for creating a useful society is every individual to follow “Preach only what you are ready to follow and earnestly follow what is being preached” policy.
Hypocrisy kills the society.
Sure prescription for creating a useful society is every individual to follow “Preach only what you are ready to follow and earnestly follow what is being preached” policy.
Hypocrisy kills the society.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Sri Lankan Cricket !
Interesting link and read the viewers postings (especially KingSasanka's) below;
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/06/hats-off-to-sanga-for-the-courageous-speech/
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/06/hats-off-to-sanga-for-the-courageous-speech/
Friday, July 08, 2011
Hang the Messenger and Free the Offenders!
The minister was quick to respond to Sangakkar’s speech and I believe he has all the right to do so.
If Sangakkar is guilty of violating the code of conduct then he should be dealt with appropriate punishments too if found guilty after an impartial and transparent inquiry.
At the same time minister is obligatory to look in to the allegation made by Sangakkar with the same speed and determination and act on them.
If the former is executed and the latter was swept under the carpet then it is time to show him the way to the exit too.
Even the Badminton Association of Sri Lanka is plagued with similar issues today, pointed out by Sangakkar and conspicuous absences of any action to correct the situation by the minister reaffirm my belief that he is not interested.
My believe is that the Messenger will be hanged and the offenders will be allowed to plunder more.
As for the issue of importing substandard Petrol and the secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum industries have gone missing and the minister is playing “Baba” parts show the true capabilities of the present administration.
Once we lost one billion US Dollars in a similar scandal and the culprits are still roaming enjoying the ill-gotten money, while we are paying through our noses.
Finally the Prime Minister’s admission in the Parliament that there are drug mafia politicos among them in the parliament sums up the present state of affairs in the “Fools’ Paradise”.
Jaya Wewa !
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Kumar-Sangakkaras-disclosures-about-Sri-Lanka-Cricket.
Check out the links below (especially Readers' comments below).
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/05/kumar-sangakkaras-disclosures-about-sri-lanka-cricket-needs-applause-not-reprisals/
and
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/07/05/kumar-sangakkaras-disclosures-about-sri-lanka-cricket-needs-applause-not-reprisals/
and
Thanks.
(www.sasankadesilva.wordpress.com)
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
University Students & Army BOOT Camps?
People who live thousands of miles away pretend to know better than those who live and struggle here daily.
See the link given below;
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/06/18/let%E2%80%99s-applaud-this-tremendous-task-without-hypocritical-mind/
Whom are they trying to pleased ( FOOLed) so much?
See the link given below;
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items/2011/06/18/let%E2%80%99s-applaud-this-tremendous-task-without-hypocritical-mind/
Whom are they trying to pleased ( FOOLed) so much?
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Australia's Temporary Ban of Live-stock Exports to Indonesia.
It is ridiculous decision to put a temporary ban on exporting live stocks from Australia to Indonesia after ABC’s airing of the film made at one of the Indonesian abattoirs.
Being a live stock exporting country to many Asian and middle eastern countries for so long that Australia cannot be ignorant of the fact that those animals that are being exported not as Pets but destined to only slaughter houses in those countries.
There is no humane way of taking life of an animal.
Simply it is killing.
A country which has relaxed euthanasia rules must know that those animal unlike humans who flock there to end their lives have no choice either to continue living or die.
If someone thinks yes they have then open the pens and see how they would run for their life.
Monday, June 06, 2011
This Land Belongs to All of US ( including Jack-Asses and Witch Doctors too ! ).
Knowing that you are a distant relative of one of the greatest teachers ever to tread on this world is an exhilarating experience.
Finding your true lineage, for some is another life-line and they are willing to go any distance searching this kind of life-lines to prolong the inevitable.
It is neither cheap.
Recently I found out that I too is distantly related to one of the Greatest Teachers ever to tread on this World.
It was an accidental discovery.
But for me, it did not cost a fortune because I know one “Jack-Ass” who is quite capable of this kind of works.
When the world history is blatantly re-written to please a few, the so-called guardians of the land and History professors are so conspicuously silent.
If the guardians decided to take a stand against it, then they will be called something else (identified only by the distinctive colour of their attire and with the word “Rogue” in front) but as long as they are ready and willing to maintain silence, then they will still be able to hold on to their Guardians Angels status.
How fortunate if you can get any ailment cured of someone who is known as the Doctor, though he has no traceable medical training in any of the medical disciplines, yet his clientele includes all the powerful people in the land, sports and other celebrities.
Unlike my good friend Jack-Ass, this whiter than White Doctor does not charge a fortune to perform his craft on his patients.
But the problem is getting an appointment to see him.
He cannot be channelled like any other doctor on e-Channel service now available on the Internet.
He can only be channelled on exclusive P-Channelling service only reserved for fortunate few.
Aren’t we fortunate to have such people and most importantly allowing them to perform their crafts without any hindrance?
After all, this land is a Freeland and this land belongs to all of us including Jack-Asses and Witch Doctors too.
How blessed are we?!
Finding your true lineage, for some is another life-line and they are willing to go any distance searching this kind of life-lines to prolong the inevitable.
It is neither cheap.
Recently I found out that I too is distantly related to one of the Greatest Teachers ever to tread on this World.
It was an accidental discovery.
But for me, it did not cost a fortune because I know one “Jack-Ass” who is quite capable of this kind of works.
When the world history is blatantly re-written to please a few, the so-called guardians of the land and History professors are so conspicuously silent.
If the guardians decided to take a stand against it, then they will be called something else (identified only by the distinctive colour of their attire and with the word “Rogue” in front) but as long as they are ready and willing to maintain silence, then they will still be able to hold on to their Guardians Angels status.
How fortunate if you can get any ailment cured of someone who is known as the Doctor, though he has no traceable medical training in any of the medical disciplines, yet his clientele includes all the powerful people in the land, sports and other celebrities.
Unlike my good friend Jack-Ass, this whiter than White Doctor does not charge a fortune to perform his craft on his patients.
But the problem is getting an appointment to see him.
He cannot be channelled like any other doctor on e-Channel service now available on the Internet.
He can only be channelled on exclusive P-Channelling service only reserved for fortunate few.
Aren’t we fortunate to have such people and most importantly allowing them to perform their crafts without any hindrance?
After all, this land is a Freeland and this land belongs to all of us including Jack-Asses and Witch Doctors too.
How blessed are we?!
Sunday, June 05, 2011
If Political Forums are the Ideal Places to Gauge the Mood and the Thinking Patterns of any Nation!
If political forums are the ideal places to gauge the mood and the thinking patterns of any nation, then Lankaweb forum is an ideal micro specimen of the way many of the Sri Lankans think.
Every time when something new appears, there are many rejoinders but most of them are not even remotely related to the subject matter of the original articles.
Instead of countering or supporting an arguments many jump on to the foray like lice and tried to show off their whipping and divertive skills and inadvertently expose their own inadequateness and nakedness to the whole world.
And if you have nothing to say about the subject matter, it is better to maintain silence then say something most inappropriate and exposes one’s shallowness.
A fool is a Wiseman until he opens his mouth.
Read the link below;
Then you will not wonder why we have stayed as a third world country for this long and also why it would stay many more centuries like that as we are capable of dealing with sensitive issues only this way.
Every time when something new appears, there are many rejoinders but most of them are not even remotely related to the subject matter of the original articles.
Instead of countering or supporting an arguments many jump on to the foray like lice and tried to show off their whipping and divertive skills and inadvertently expose their own inadequateness and nakedness to the whole world.
And if you have nothing to say about the subject matter, it is better to maintain silence then say something most inappropriate and exposes one’s shallowness.
A fool is a Wiseman until he opens his mouth.
Read the link below;
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Is LankaWeb for Open Discussions and or believe in Freedom of Expression?
University Students To Army Boot Camps.
Posted on May 6th, 2011
Thanks to our old fashion paper-marking systems, first students have to wait for months to get the examination results, followed by a couple of more moths for the re-correction process to end and finally the University admissions results.
The students lose almost a year due to the process and unfortunately not many of them avail this free time for any useful activity.
Therefore, if the government is so keen on turning the trend for good use then, putting children through a well coordinated National Service Duty programmed after their Advanced Level Examination is not a bad idea.
National Service Duty does not mean sending children to boot-camps.
Instead, they can be trained as back up force to function in the services that are called as essential services such as running hospitals, sea and airports, vital power and energy supplies, mass transport etc.
Such an act would protect the country from unwarranted industrial actions organized by unscrupulous trade unionists, whom hitherto held a monopolistic advantage when dealing and bargaining in such issues.
If we are to see an improvement in the English language proficiency among school children, then the present teaching methods adopted to teach them English language too has to be put under the microscope.
If someone can master a complicated language like Sinhala, then learning English would not be that difficult but what is holding many back is needed to be analyzed and come up with solutions to counter them.
Still owning a personal computer is far beyond the common man’s reach and the latest statistics show the penetration of computers in to society is far far below.
And to make the matter worse the availability of electricity and internet connectivity in many parts of the country is dismal.
Unless those issues are addressed correctly, putting students who are eligible for university admission through a rapid “Catch All If You Can” sort of training programme for another three more months is nothing but utter waste of time.
We are far behind compared to regional and world educational standards and wasting a few more months on a useless programme takes us nowhere except further back.
It is time to shift to FORWARD Gear and not to reverse.
Over to you, the pundits who pretend that they know everything, if you are listening.
8 Responses to “University Students To Army Boot Camps.”
Posted on May 6th, 2011
Sasanka De Silva, Pannipitiya,
The government’s decision to send students who are eligible for university admission in 2011 to Army camps to expose them to leadership techniques, English language and IT training is a flawed decision.Thanks to our old fashion paper-marking systems, first students have to wait for months to get the examination results, followed by a couple of more moths for the re-correction process to end and finally the University admissions results.
The students lose almost a year due to the process and unfortunately not many of them avail this free time for any useful activity.
Therefore, if the government is so keen on turning the trend for good use then, putting children through a well coordinated National Service Duty programmed after their Advanced Level Examination is not a bad idea.
National Service Duty does not mean sending children to boot-camps.
Instead, they can be trained as back up force to function in the services that are called as essential services such as running hospitals, sea and airports, vital power and energy supplies, mass transport etc.
Such an act would protect the country from unwarranted industrial actions organized by unscrupulous trade unionists, whom hitherto held a monopolistic advantage when dealing and bargaining in such issues.
If we are to see an improvement in the English language proficiency among school children, then the present teaching methods adopted to teach them English language too has to be put under the microscope.
If someone can master a complicated language like Sinhala, then learning English would not be that difficult but what is holding many back is needed to be analyzed and come up with solutions to counter them.
Still owning a personal computer is far beyond the common man’s reach and the latest statistics show the penetration of computers in to society is far far below.
And to make the matter worse the availability of electricity and internet connectivity in many parts of the country is dismal.
Unless those issues are addressed correctly, putting students who are eligible for university admission through a rapid “Catch All If You Can” sort of training programme for another three more months is nothing but utter waste of time.
We are far behind compared to regional and world educational standards and wasting a few more months on a useless programme takes us nowhere except further back.
It is time to shift to FORWARD Gear and not to reverse.
Over to you, the pundits who pretend that they know everything, if you are listening.
8 Responses to “University Students To Army Boot Camps.”
This was my last posting on the subject and now see the link below and some of the previous postings have been taken down.
This was not the first and it will not be the last.
Why?
Because LankaWeb do not believe the true sense of open discussions.
They are only here to propagate one-side views and most importantly to APPLE POLISH!
If YOU truly believe in open discussions and freedom of expression, then let the LankaWeb Editor know of your displeasure.
The other part of that Song goes like this " Ea Rate Minissu Thanikara Kelinne Pissu "
The other part of that Song goes like this " Ea Rate Minissu Thanikara Kelinne Pissu "
Thanks.
Sasanka De Silva.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Like The Lemmings, We Too Will Have To Walk To The Sea One Day !
Immediately after celebrating the most auspicious days in the Buddhist calendar, the Bars, Taverns, Meat &
Betting shops are in full swing again.
Betting shops are in full swing again.
Not to mentioned the other vises too.
Who patronizes those joints and indulge in other vises too are mostly are the so-called Sinhala Buddhists in Sri Lanka.
I think they are happy to live a hypocritical life, blaming others for all their failings.
No responsibility, no accountability.
The Enlightened one has told that fools look at the tip of the finger when being shown the Moon.
The amount of money is wasted on Wesak celebrations is sacrilegious.
The modern day investment in the Material or Hospitality offerings (amisa-puja) is thousand folds higher than the Practice offerings (patipatti-puja).
If the masses can be educated to curtailed the investments in Amisa-puja and spend that time, effort and investment on something much more useful like sending at least one needy child to school, college and beyond, the dividend of such investment would soon be felt.
Lack of investments in education means poor nation and the poor can be easily manipulated and/or bought and the majority of the poor will be the Sinhala Buddhist lot.
The clergy, Media and the educated ones have not done enough to re-direct the masses thinking style in the correct path.
Like the Lemmings, we too will have to walk to the sea one day if nothing is done to change our mindset immediately.
Do not wait for someone to come and changed the world for you.
Take responsibility; be accountable for your own deeds and then the world would be a better place to live.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
Travails of ADSL Connection
Internet Services Providers, from time to time lure new customers to their nets by promising cheaper and faster connections.
I have no qualm of such schemes.
However, I believe that they should pay more attention and care to their existing customers than to their prospective ones.
A person gasping for his last breath on his death bed is not a pretty sight to watch and unfortunately I have seen a couple of them.
Looking at the twinkling lights of my ADSL router reminds me of them again.
The promise of ADSL was luring enough to subscribe to but now I think it would have been much better off with my previous Dial-up connection, given the exorbitant amount they charge for an extremely poor service.
Sometimes I wonder what the regulating authorities are doing.
My experience is not an isolated one and I am confident that many would greatly appreciate if the concerned governing authority would look into such allegations and take corrective measures soon.
Please charge us for the service that we were promised and subscribed in to and not to something that reminds me of dying men.
We the Home Users do not have the sophisticated measuring equipment to measure the service levels but having seen how it was functioning at the beginning tells me that we do not get what we have been promised yet still charges for the same amount.
Over to you, the concerned regulatory authority officials (TRA), if you are listening (reading!).
Friday, May 06, 2011
University Students To Army Boot Camps.
The government’s decision to send students who are eligible for university admission in 2011 to Army camps to expose them to leadership techniques, English language and IT training is a flawed decision.
Thanks to our old fashion and outdated paper-marking systems, students have to wait for months to get the examination results first, followed by a couple of more moths for the re-correction process to end and finally the University admissions results.
At the end the students lose almost a year due to these lethargic processes and unfortunately not many of them avail this free time available to them for any useful activity.
Therefore, if the government is so keen on turning the trend for good use, then putting children through a well coordinated National Service Duty programme immediately after their Advanced Level Examination is over is not a bad idea.
However, National Service Duty does not mean sending children to boot-camps.
Instead, they can be trained as back up force to function in the services that are called as Essential Services such as running hospitals, sea and airports, vital power and energy supplies, mass transports, Communication etc.
Such an act would protect the country from unwarranted industrial actions organized by unscrupulous trade unionists too, whom hitherto held a monopolistic advantage when dealing and bargaining in such issues.
If we are to see an improvement in the English language proficiency among school children, then the present teaching methods adopted to teach them English language too has to be put under the microscope.
If someone can master a complicated language like Sinhala, then learning English would not be that difficult but what is holding many back is needed to be analyzed and come up with simple solutions to counter them.
Still owning a personal computer is far beyond the common man’s reach and the latest statistics show the penetration of computers in the Sri Lankan society is far far below.
And to make the matter worse the availability of electricity and internet connectivity in many parts of the country is dismal.
Unless those issues are addressed correctly, putting students who are eligible for university admission through a rapid “Catch All If You Can” sort of training programme for another three more months is nothing but utter waste of time only.
We are far behind compared to regional and world educational standards and wasting a few more months on a useless programme takes us nowhere except further back.
It is time to shift Gear to FORWARD and not to reverse.
Friday, April 29, 2011
Royal Wedding and Temple
The Royal Wedding was just concluded and it was a spectacle.
Watching it I could not help thinking, when people of many faiths usually take their marriage vows and solemnized it at a place of worship (correct me if I am wrong) except the Buddhist.
What is the most likely explanation for such a dearth?
I think this is an issue the custodians of all Temples in the country have to look in to.
Weddings are an expensive affair and many of those who are cornered in to that corner go beyond their means, just to keep up with the Jonas.
If the Temple doors can be thrown opened for such ceremonies too, then it would be another step taken in the right direction.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Otherwise Ubiquitous
They were here,
They were there
and
They were everywhere,
They have woken up me in the mornings
and
Warned me of any visitors arrival,
Strewn everything around and spoilt my tidy garden,
They were an asset sometimes
and
Nuisance too at times,
But
There are not here, there or anywhere else,
When I needed them most.
No need to wake me up
or
To warn me of any visitors’ arrival,
Come back again and even untidy my garden,
But just take my humble offerings,
At least on Saturday mornings.
Monday, April 18, 2011
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
"Lanka Web" Forum is really opened for discussions or for what?
Make Buddha Jayanthi an occasion to ask, after 2600 years what have we accomplished as Buddhists ?
Posted on April 11th, 2011
But the king’s joy did not last long as the Queen Mahamaya Devi died seven days after the birth of the Prince. The baby was placed in the care of his step mother Maha Pajapati Gotami, the younger sister of the late queen.
The Ascetic Asita Kaladevela came to pay respect to the King and to see the new born little Prince. Having seen the baby the great Ascetic predicted that the Prince will be enlightened becoming a Buddha, but regretted that he would not be there on the blissful day as he would be dead by then.
At a naming ceremony five days after his birth the little Prince was named Siddhattha Gotama . One of the eight Brahmins Kondanna , who had been invited for the ceremony seeing the characteristic marks of the child said with certainty, that he would be the future Buddha.
The story of the life of the Buddha recounts different incidents of significance , one of which is a ploughing festival at which the baby Prince Siddhartha was placed in a screened canopied couch under a rose apple tree in the care of the nurses while the king and his retinue participated in the ploughing festival .
At the height of the festivity the caring nurses had left the baby prince alone in the couch and moved away to watch the festivities. When they came back to the canopied couch they found the little Prince Siddhattha seated cross legged in deep meditation. The King Suddhodana who was informed of the “ miracle” hastened to the place and surprised, made respectful salutations to his son.
His childhood and youth were spent in royal luxury . At the still youthful age of 16 he married his young cousin Princess Yasodhara who was of his own age. After 13 years of a happy married life , he had a baby son Rahula .
By then several incidents he had observed from his chariot when he ventured out side the palace gates deeply saddened him, making him aware that his blissfully happy royal life, is a contradiction of the reality of the life of the people out side the walls of the palace. Intrigued by the suffering of these people the Prince Siddattha decided to renounce his royal life to follow the life of an ascetic to search for the truth of suffering, the cause of suffering, a way out of suffering, and a state of non-suffering.
Then after six years of relentless effort, he finally attained enlightenment of an all knowing purity of mind of a Samma Sam Buddha on a full moon day of a month of May about 2600 years ago. Thereafter, he began dispensation of the truth he discovered to the world until his death at the age of 80 years.
But what is relevant to ask ourselves on this “holy Wesak day” falling 2600 years after the Birth of the Prince Siddattha ,which the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka as the Minister of Buddha Sasana proposed to celebrate in a grand scale, (along with non-Buddhists), is whether the Buddha during the 45 years of his dispensation of the teaching to escape from the cycle of death and birth-the Samsara , had at any occasion celebrated the anniversary of his birth, an anniversary of his first discourse to the five monks, or the death anniversaries of his disciples Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Mogallana who had pre-deceased him ?
The Buddha did not celebrate any anniversaries nor did he in any of his discourses said that his followers should celebrate the anniversary of his Birth , enlightenment or death. But what he exhorted to his followers just before his death- parinibbana, was:
“Handa dāni bhikkhavē āmantayāmi vō: Vayadhammā sankhārā appamādēna sampādētha.
“You should accomplish all that you have to accomplish without allowing mindfulness to lapse!”
But is far from demanding of them to celebrate his anniversaries for the continued existence of Buddha Sasana.
The Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne, who is also the Minister of Buddha Sasana , has to be informed that the celebration of the Buddha Jayanthi is purely among Buddhists, and that it should not be an occasion to mix politics with religion by setting up Regional Committees as proposed to Organize Buddha Jayanthi Celebrations, along with non-Buddhists including as it has been said the Catholic Malcolm Ranjith, the Hindu Pujaris and Muslim Mollahs.
In order to explain the reason why the Buddha Jayanthi is purely a Buddhist celebration for which other religious groups should not be invited, I quote the Buddha’s teaching to Subaddha who became his last disciple during his life time. The Buddha told Subaddha ,
“…..In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.
“In age but twenty-nine was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).
“And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.” (Maha Pari Nibbana Sutta Translated by Sister Vajira and Francis Story)
If the Minister of Buddha Sasana is unable to understand the uniqueness of the teachings of the Buddha and that, « …. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. », he should hand over his Ministry to a Buddhist who knows his religion better to organize the celebrations of the Buddha Jayanthi with Buddhists.
But it is also worth asking ourselves whether in Buddhism that we practice to-day with the rank indiscipline of the Student Bikkhu population , “.. there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness .“ ? If not we are no better than, “.. the other systems of other teachers, devoid of true saints.”
With regard to the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Buddha’s birth, it is worth quoting again from the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, in which it is stated that , « …. Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: “It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: ‘Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.’ But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone. »
Hence in reality Celebrating the Buddha Jayanthi is not organizing festivities, but by getting each and every Buddhist making an introspection on the day to understand to what extent each one is to day a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha. If in such a search we find that we lack the quality of a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha, then we should, leaving aside the celebrations, interrogate, discuss and redefine how to become true followers of the teachings.
Let us also examine, when we are preparing to celebrate the Buddha Jayanthi, how much of the Buddhism brought to Sri Lanka by Venerable Mahinda thero remains to-day.
When the King Devenapatissa accepted the teachings, he proclaimed Buddhism the state Religion of Sri Lanka. He then set up many places of worship and Centres of Buddhist education. When all that had been done he asked venerable Mahinda whether the Buddha Sasana is now established in Sri Lanka.
The Venerable Mahinda said most significantly: Great King, the Sasana is established but it has not taken root.” He then explained to the King, how it would take root; “ When a person born of parents who belong to Thambapannidipa, enters pabbajja in Thambapannidipa,learns the Vinaya in the Thambapannidipa, and recites the same in Thambapanni dipa, then will the Sasana take root in the Island.” ( Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon by E.W.Adikaram)
It was then found that Bikkhu Maha-Aritta was possessed of the qualification for the purpose and recited the Vinaya at Thuparama, thus making the Buddha Sasana, “ firmly established and well rooted in the Island”.
This shows to what extent the Vinaya is important for Buddhism to continue its existence. It is therefore necessary to ask to what extent the Buddhist Bikkhus today keep their Vinaya precepts and how many of them could recite the Vinaya Pitaka by memory.
It would therefore be appropriate that the Vinaya Pitaka is recite by Buddhist Monks in every temple in Sri Lanka on the 2600th Buddha Jayanthi.
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura was said to have been yellow with the robes of the Maha Sangha. There were Monasteries, Temples , Shrine Rooms, Meditation Huts, and Halls for the gathering of Bikkhus. There were no Churches, Mosques and Kovils .
There were Monasteries from which the sounds of the words of the Buddha were heard through out the day. The Buddhist Bikkhus learnt the Buddhist Canonical texts which they could recite by memory. In the mornings there were the Buddhist monks coming out of temples and Monasteries in a disciplined order one after the other according to their seniority with their begging bowls in hand going for their alms round. The nights were calm with monks sitting in deep meditation.
There were Stream Entrants, Once returners, No Returners and , Arahants the Noble Ones who had reached the highest purity of mind. But disciplinary laxity set in gradually and the Bikkhus were divided into two categaries those who were engrossed in books-Grantha Dura, and others that followed the Dhamma- Dhamma Dura and practiced Meditation. The last Arahat is said to be Venerable Maliyadeva who lived in the second century before the current era. Since then Buddhism declined.
Later on with the coming in of the Colonial West we have Churches every where. The Sinhala Buddhists were converted to Christianity. Our villagers were slowly drifting away from the temple. There were Mosques, Hindu Kovils and Sinhala Kapuralas with their Pitiye Deiyo and Huniyam Devathavo. The Sinhala Buddhists got mixed up with Hinduism, and studied in Missionary Schools and learnt about Chritianity and attended the catechism classes.
Still later with the Muslim advent foreign teachings ate further into our culture and the Muslims came to our villages and they set up their Mosques, and made all people get up in the mornings to the sound of the Muezzin calling the Muslims for their prayer.
Instead of the Buddha words recited in Temples and Monasteries we hear the Muslim children learning their lessons in Arabic, hear the Church bells, and the calls of Muezzins, the noisy rituals of the Kovils and Bhajan recitals coming with the Saibaba Cult.
We have come a long way destroying the purity of the teachings of the Buddha. The yellow robes of Buddhist Monks have taken different hues from yellow, to orange, brown and black. We see no more the pleasant view of well shaven yellow robed monks going for their alms rounds.
[Of course the village roads also have buses “bigger than the roads”, that make it impossible for even an ordinary man to walk, leave alone a monk going for his alms round. The Minister of Buddha Sasana should ask the Minister of transport to have small size buses on village roads, to make life a little more convenient for both, bus drivers and pedestrians.]
Then the Buddhist Bikkhus learnt at the feet of an elderly teacher, a senior monk. They were very learned and disciplined. They had to keep 227 disciplinary rules. Every 15th of the month they gathered to recite the Vinaya Pitaka , to examine the extent of the discipline kept by them, and make confessions of their breaches. Then there were Pirivena schools strictly for the Buddhist Bikkhus, where they studied Buddhist texts to become monks well learned in the teachings of the Buddha.
Even these are today the relics of the past, the Pirivena system of education disappeared. The Bikkhus began to sit along with the lay students in University auditoriums, learning no more the Buddhist texts, but geography, economics, law, and political science. They studied not to be great teachers of Buddhism, but to do a government job, earn money and become independent. Or eventually disrobe, marry and bring up a family. The Buddhist Priest even go to foreign Universities to obtain Doctorates in Buddhism to be in par with the intellectuals of the West.
The admission of the Buddhist Bikkhus to lay Universites, was the final nail on the Buddhist education and the privilege of having learned Buddhist teachers respective of Buddhist discipline.
And we also have Buddhist Bikkhus who forget their “station in life as Buddhist Monks” like Bogoda Seelawimala thero who has proudly accepted an invitation to a royal wedding. It is perhaps a sort of attaining a social « Nibbana » for him. A highest possible social achievement being the first Buddhist Monk invited to a Royal Wedding. And we had also another Bikkhu who had the great privilege once to ”kiss” the Pope’s ring in the Vatican.
The young Buddhist Priests gave up shaving hair on the head, quoting Buddhist texts that the Buddha had not prescribed shaving the hair of the head, but to cut the hair short. They wear the robes any way they want , resulting in many young Buddhist Bikkhus, unshaven, unclean, “badly” dressed in their robes of different hues.
The Buddhist Bikkhus in Universities are a disaster to the Buddha Sasana. They go on manifestations on the roads out doing the lay students in their aggressive behaviour , and abusive language.
The Wesak day has turned out to be a period of Carnival, a commercial event putting up pandols or Wesak thoran to compete with one another.
Less and less families go to temples on the poya days. There are Buddhists Bikkhus who cannot recite the Buddhists texts by memory. Meditation- the heart of Buddhism is forgotten in most temples, giving place to Bodhi puja, Kavi Bana -discourses recited in poetry form.
Now after 2600 years of Buddhism we also have Buddhist monks who are Company Directors, one even a President of a Nurses Trade Union, Buddhist Monks as Administrators in Government Service, Lawyers and Parliamentarians, Buddhist Monks who ride motor cycles, drive cars.
There were Buddhist monks arrested for digging temple Statues in search of treasure, and selling Buddha Relics, and arrested for various crimes.
There is conversion of poor villagers by different Christian Missionaries going unchecked. Sri Lanka being a Buddhist Country could not even pass a Parliamentary Bill Against Conversion.
The Catholic Church has established itself well in the country dictating terms to the Government. They Build Churches any where with out the consent of the Government . They bury metal crosses in Buddhist sacred areas and dig them out to exhibit as archeological relics.
They are so powerful the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka cannot even organize a purely Buddhist function like Buddha Jayanthi without bringing in the most anti-Buddhist Catholics to be in the Organising Committee.
When Sri Lanka celebrated another Buddha Jayanthi many years ago, we had Buddhist Giants like ,Prof. G.P.Malalasekera, L.H. Mettananda, Venerable Abanwelle Siddhartha, Ven. Haliyale Sumanatissa, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, Ven. Palonnaruwe Vimaladhamma, Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha, Ven. Henpitagedera Gnanaseeha, P.de S. Kularatne, Dr.Tennekoon Wimalananda and D.C. Wijayawardena, who were prepared to come forward to protect Buddhism.
To-day unfortunately we seem to have none to defend our Buddhist values, and the Catholic Church has taken over a greater role, and the Buddhist revival faces many challenges.
This is the situation of the Buddhism of the Sakya Muni Gautama Buddha now in Sri Lanka, but we are still going to celebrate the 2600th Buddha Jayanthi this May, without addressing ourselves to the more important question of how to stop further degeneration of the Buddha Sasana.
To be continued………..
Posted on April 11th, 2011
By Charles.S.Perera
The Queen Mahamaya Devi while on her way to her parental home to have her baby according to ancient custom, gave birth to a baby boy in the Lumbini Park in Kapilawattu . The father the Sakyan King Suddhodana was overjoyed with the birth of a son.But the king’s joy did not last long as the Queen Mahamaya Devi died seven days after the birth of the Prince. The baby was placed in the care of his step mother Maha Pajapati Gotami, the younger sister of the late queen.
The Ascetic Asita Kaladevela came to pay respect to the King and to see the new born little Prince. Having seen the baby the great Ascetic predicted that the Prince will be enlightened becoming a Buddha, but regretted that he would not be there on the blissful day as he would be dead by then.
At a naming ceremony five days after his birth the little Prince was named Siddhattha Gotama . One of the eight Brahmins Kondanna , who had been invited for the ceremony seeing the characteristic marks of the child said with certainty, that he would be the future Buddha.
The story of the life of the Buddha recounts different incidents of significance , one of which is a ploughing festival at which the baby Prince Siddhartha was placed in a screened canopied couch under a rose apple tree in the care of the nurses while the king and his retinue participated in the ploughing festival .
At the height of the festivity the caring nurses had left the baby prince alone in the couch and moved away to watch the festivities. When they came back to the canopied couch they found the little Prince Siddhattha seated cross legged in deep meditation. The King Suddhodana who was informed of the “ miracle” hastened to the place and surprised, made respectful salutations to his son.
His childhood and youth were spent in royal luxury . At the still youthful age of 16 he married his young cousin Princess Yasodhara who was of his own age. After 13 years of a happy married life , he had a baby son Rahula .
By then several incidents he had observed from his chariot when he ventured out side the palace gates deeply saddened him, making him aware that his blissfully happy royal life, is a contradiction of the reality of the life of the people out side the walls of the palace. Intrigued by the suffering of these people the Prince Siddattha decided to renounce his royal life to follow the life of an ascetic to search for the truth of suffering, the cause of suffering, a way out of suffering, and a state of non-suffering.
Then after six years of relentless effort, he finally attained enlightenment of an all knowing purity of mind of a Samma Sam Buddha on a full moon day of a month of May about 2600 years ago. Thereafter, he began dispensation of the truth he discovered to the world until his death at the age of 80 years.
But what is relevant to ask ourselves on this “holy Wesak day” falling 2600 years after the Birth of the Prince Siddattha ,which the Prime Minster of Sri Lanka as the Minister of Buddha Sasana proposed to celebrate in a grand scale, (along with non-Buddhists), is whether the Buddha during the 45 years of his dispensation of the teaching to escape from the cycle of death and birth-the Samsara , had at any occasion celebrated the anniversary of his birth, an anniversary of his first discourse to the five monks, or the death anniversaries of his disciples Venerable Sariputta and Venerable Mogallana who had pre-deceased him ?
The Buddha did not celebrate any anniversaries nor did he in any of his discourses said that his followers should celebrate the anniversary of his Birth , enlightenment or death. But what he exhorted to his followers just before his death- parinibbana, was:
“Handa dāni bhikkhavē āmantayāmi vō: Vayadhammā sankhārā appamādēna sampādētha.
“You should accomplish all that you have to accomplish without allowing mindfulness to lapse!”
But is far from demanding of them to celebrate his anniversaries for the continued existence of Buddha Sasana.
The Prime Minister D.M.Jayaratne, who is also the Minister of Buddha Sasana , has to be informed that the celebration of the Buddha Jayanthi is purely among Buddhists, and that it should not be an occasion to mix politics with religion by setting up Regional Committees as proposed to Organize Buddha Jayanthi Celebrations, along with non-Buddhists including as it has been said the Catholic Malcolm Ranjith, the Hindu Pujaris and Muslim Mollahs.
In order to explain the reason why the Buddha Jayanthi is purely a Buddhist celebration for which other religious groups should not be invited, I quote the Buddha’s teaching to Subaddha who became his last disciple during his life time. The Buddha told Subaddha ,
“…..In whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, there is not found the Noble Eightfold Path, neither is there found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness. But in whatsoever Dhamma and Discipline there is found the Noble Eightfold Path, there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Now in this Dhamma and Discipline, Subhadda, is found the Noble Eightfold Path; and in it alone are also found true ascetics of the first, second, third, and fourth degrees of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.
“In age but twenty-nine was I, Subhadda,
When I renounced the world to seek the Good;
Fifty-one years have passed since then, Subhadda,
And in all that time a wanderer have I been
In the domain of virtue and of truth,
And except therein, there is no saint
(of the first degree).
“And there is none of the second degree, nor of the third degree, nor of the fourth degree of saintliness. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. But if, Subhadda, the bhikkhus live righteously, the world will not be destitute of arahats.” (Maha Pari Nibbana Sutta Translated by Sister Vajira and Francis Story)
If the Minister of Buddha Sasana is unable to understand the uniqueness of the teachings of the Buddha and that, « …. Devoid of true ascetics are the systems of other teachers. », he should hand over his Ministry to a Buddhist who knows his religion better to organize the celebrations of the Buddha Jayanthi with Buddhists.
But it is also worth asking ourselves whether in Buddhism that we practice to-day with the rank indiscipline of the Student Bikkhu population , “.. there is found a true ascetic of the first, second, third, or fourth degree of saintliness .“ ? If not we are no better than, “.. the other systems of other teachers, devoid of true saints.”
With regard to the Celebration of the Anniversary of the Buddha’s birth, it is worth quoting again from the Maha Parinibbana Sutta, in which it is stated that , « …. Now the Blessed One spoke to the Venerable Ananda, saying: “It may be, Ananda, that to some among you the thought will come: ‘Ended is the word of the Master; we have a Master no longer.’ But it should not, Ananda, be so considered. For that which I have proclaimed and made known as the Dhamma and the Discipline, that shall be your Master when I am gone. »
Hence in reality Celebrating the Buddha Jayanthi is not organizing festivities, but by getting each and every Buddhist making an introspection on the day to understand to what extent each one is to day a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha. If in such a search we find that we lack the quality of a true follower of the teachings of the Buddha, then we should, leaving aside the celebrations, interrogate, discuss and redefine how to become true followers of the teachings.
Let us also examine, when we are preparing to celebrate the Buddha Jayanthi, how much of the Buddhism brought to Sri Lanka by Venerable Mahinda thero remains to-day.
When the King Devenapatissa accepted the teachings, he proclaimed Buddhism the state Religion of Sri Lanka. He then set up many places of worship and Centres of Buddhist education. When all that had been done he asked venerable Mahinda whether the Buddha Sasana is now established in Sri Lanka.
The Venerable Mahinda said most significantly: Great King, the Sasana is established but it has not taken root.” He then explained to the King, how it would take root; “ When a person born of parents who belong to Thambapannidipa, enters pabbajja in Thambapannidipa,learns the Vinaya in the Thambapannidipa, and recites the same in Thambapanni dipa, then will the Sasana take root in the Island.” ( Early History of Buddhism in Ceylon by E.W.Adikaram)
It was then found that Bikkhu Maha-Aritta was possessed of the qualification for the purpose and recited the Vinaya at Thuparama, thus making the Buddha Sasana, “ firmly established and well rooted in the Island”.
This shows to what extent the Vinaya is important for Buddhism to continue its existence. It is therefore necessary to ask to what extent the Buddhist Bikkhus today keep their Vinaya precepts and how many of them could recite the Vinaya Pitaka by memory.
It would therefore be appropriate that the Vinaya Pitaka is recite by Buddhist Monks in every temple in Sri Lanka on the 2600th Buddha Jayanthi.
The Sacred City of Anuradhapura was said to have been yellow with the robes of the Maha Sangha. There were Monasteries, Temples , Shrine Rooms, Meditation Huts, and Halls for the gathering of Bikkhus. There were no Churches, Mosques and Kovils .
There were Monasteries from which the sounds of the words of the Buddha were heard through out the day. The Buddhist Bikkhus learnt the Buddhist Canonical texts which they could recite by memory. In the mornings there were the Buddhist monks coming out of temples and Monasteries in a disciplined order one after the other according to their seniority with their begging bowls in hand going for their alms round. The nights were calm with monks sitting in deep meditation.
There were Stream Entrants, Once returners, No Returners and , Arahants the Noble Ones who had reached the highest purity of mind. But disciplinary laxity set in gradually and the Bikkhus were divided into two categaries those who were engrossed in books-Grantha Dura, and others that followed the Dhamma- Dhamma Dura and practiced Meditation. The last Arahat is said to be Venerable Maliyadeva who lived in the second century before the current era. Since then Buddhism declined.
Later on with the coming in of the Colonial West we have Churches every where. The Sinhala Buddhists were converted to Christianity. Our villagers were slowly drifting away from the temple. There were Mosques, Hindu Kovils and Sinhala Kapuralas with their Pitiye Deiyo and Huniyam Devathavo. The Sinhala Buddhists got mixed up with Hinduism, and studied in Missionary Schools and learnt about Chritianity and attended the catechism classes.
Still later with the Muslim advent foreign teachings ate further into our culture and the Muslims came to our villages and they set up their Mosques, and made all people get up in the mornings to the sound of the Muezzin calling the Muslims for their prayer.
Instead of the Buddha words recited in Temples and Monasteries we hear the Muslim children learning their lessons in Arabic, hear the Church bells, and the calls of Muezzins, the noisy rituals of the Kovils and Bhajan recitals coming with the Saibaba Cult.
We have come a long way destroying the purity of the teachings of the Buddha. The yellow robes of Buddhist Monks have taken different hues from yellow, to orange, brown and black. We see no more the pleasant view of well shaven yellow robed monks going for their alms rounds.
[Of course the village roads also have buses “bigger than the roads”, that make it impossible for even an ordinary man to walk, leave alone a monk going for his alms round. The Minister of Buddha Sasana should ask the Minister of transport to have small size buses on village roads, to make life a little more convenient for both, bus drivers and pedestrians.]
Then the Buddhist Bikkhus learnt at the feet of an elderly teacher, a senior monk. They were very learned and disciplined. They had to keep 227 disciplinary rules. Every 15th of the month they gathered to recite the Vinaya Pitaka , to examine the extent of the discipline kept by them, and make confessions of their breaches. Then there were Pirivena schools strictly for the Buddhist Bikkhus, where they studied Buddhist texts to become monks well learned in the teachings of the Buddha.
Even these are today the relics of the past, the Pirivena system of education disappeared. The Bikkhus began to sit along with the lay students in University auditoriums, learning no more the Buddhist texts, but geography, economics, law, and political science. They studied not to be great teachers of Buddhism, but to do a government job, earn money and become independent. Or eventually disrobe, marry and bring up a family. The Buddhist Priest even go to foreign Universities to obtain Doctorates in Buddhism to be in par with the intellectuals of the West.
The admission of the Buddhist Bikkhus to lay Universites, was the final nail on the Buddhist education and the privilege of having learned Buddhist teachers respective of Buddhist discipline.
And we also have Buddhist Bikkhus who forget their “station in life as Buddhist Monks” like Bogoda Seelawimala thero who has proudly accepted an invitation to a royal wedding. It is perhaps a sort of attaining a social « Nibbana » for him. A highest possible social achievement being the first Buddhist Monk invited to a Royal Wedding. And we had also another Bikkhu who had the great privilege once to ”kiss” the Pope’s ring in the Vatican.
The young Buddhist Priests gave up shaving hair on the head, quoting Buddhist texts that the Buddha had not prescribed shaving the hair of the head, but to cut the hair short. They wear the robes any way they want , resulting in many young Buddhist Bikkhus, unshaven, unclean, “badly” dressed in their robes of different hues.
The Buddhist Bikkhus in Universities are a disaster to the Buddha Sasana. They go on manifestations on the roads out doing the lay students in their aggressive behaviour , and abusive language.
The Wesak day has turned out to be a period of Carnival, a commercial event putting up pandols or Wesak thoran to compete with one another.
Less and less families go to temples on the poya days. There are Buddhists Bikkhus who cannot recite the Buddhists texts by memory. Meditation- the heart of Buddhism is forgotten in most temples, giving place to Bodhi puja, Kavi Bana -discourses recited in poetry form.
Now after 2600 years of Buddhism we also have Buddhist monks who are Company Directors, one even a President of a Nurses Trade Union, Buddhist Monks as Administrators in Government Service, Lawyers and Parliamentarians, Buddhist Monks who ride motor cycles, drive cars.
There were Buddhist monks arrested for digging temple Statues in search of treasure, and selling Buddha Relics, and arrested for various crimes.
There is conversion of poor villagers by different Christian Missionaries going unchecked. Sri Lanka being a Buddhist Country could not even pass a Parliamentary Bill Against Conversion.
The Catholic Church has established itself well in the country dictating terms to the Government. They Build Churches any where with out the consent of the Government . They bury metal crosses in Buddhist sacred areas and dig them out to exhibit as archeological relics.
They are so powerful the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka cannot even organize a purely Buddhist function like Buddha Jayanthi without bringing in the most anti-Buddhist Catholics to be in the Organising Committee.
When Sri Lanka celebrated another Buddha Jayanthi many years ago, we had Buddhist Giants like ,Prof. G.P.Malalasekera, L.H. Mettananda, Venerable Abanwelle Siddhartha, Ven. Haliyale Sumanatissa, Ven. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, Ven. Palonnaruwe Vimaladhamma, Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha, Ven. Henpitagedera Gnanaseeha, P.de S. Kularatne, Dr.Tennekoon Wimalananda and D.C. Wijayawardena, who were prepared to come forward to protect Buddhism.
To-day unfortunately we seem to have none to defend our Buddhist values, and the Catholic Church has taken over a greater role, and the Buddhist revival faces many challenges.
This is the situation of the Buddhism of the Sakya Muni Gautama Buddha now in Sri Lanka, but we are still going to celebrate the 2600th Buddha Jayanthi this May, without addressing ourselves to the more important question of how to stop further degeneration of the Buddha Sasana.
To be continued………..
2 Responses to “Make Buddha Jayanthi an occasion to ask, after 2600 years what have we accomplished as Buddhists ?”
Nanda Says:
April 11th, 2011 at 8:50 pmPlease , Charles , do not use the word Buddhist Bikkhus to those people who hiding in robes.
It is the time that the Government should pass legislations to disrobe all these people who are a disgrace to Buddhism.Ben_silva Says:
April 13th, 2011 at 2:20 amIt is a good question to ask, after 2600 years what have we accomplished as Buddhists ?. Sunil has explained well how we lost our villages and how our people got converted and how our villages are woken up in the morning. I may add, we have lost the North, the North East, the hill country and now even the Capital. Rich people (considerable number of non Sinhalese ) live in isolation, surrounded by high security walls to prevent intruders, economic power in the hands of non Sinhalese, Rampant corruption, thefts, deception, indicating general lack of values and morality. Old people and disabled people, homeless and begging in the street. Lawlessness in the streets, where cars, driven by well to do people, disregard safety and even decency. We were also living as second class citizens in our own country under Western imperialists for over 200 years and at times under Tamil invaders. If RW was allowed to run the country and Praba given a place, we would have been pushed to the sea and made extinct. Have we got our mission correct ? Shame Nalanda Buddhists managed to beat us. Only consolation is Indians usually do things better.Following was posted by me with a pseudonym, two days ago and it was available till last night (12th April 2011).Quote:After reading the first part of the letter (how many parts more there I wonder), I was wondering whether we should wait to respond to the letter until we read all.I think NO.If the so-called Buddhists have failed to follow the teachings, then why should we drag people of other faiths in to the forefront?I think it is to cover our own weakness / failures than anything else.According to records (almost) 70 percent of the population in Sri Lanka are Buddhist.But look at the number of Meat & Liquor shops, Bars, Big and Small time Gambling dens available in every town.See the number of murders / rapes cases etc happening in a day in the country.Not to mention the incidents of bribes giving and taking.The only reason I see for this failure is that we are not ready to practice the teachings but willing to hide behind Labels and blame others for our own failings.Unquote:However mysteriously it has disappeared this morning (13th April 2011) and to make the matter worse that I am unable to login with that name either now.Appreciate if someone can explain this as the above is not offensive material.But if the forum is not opened for discussion then it is a different matter.Good Luck & Jaya Weewa.Wishing Everyone a Happy & Prosperous New Year.This was again sent to them but no response so far from them.Now I wonder whether the "Lanka Web" Forum is really opened for discussions or it is there to propagate only one-sided views suit to them.Over to you Mr. Editor.
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May 6th, 2011 at 4:51 pm I think partial army training is very good for university students. I think that will help many students in various ways. Except for weapon training, other things should be taught.
Even before we see the outcome of any such training how can we predict based on assumptions.
May 6th, 2011 at 4:58 pm Army training builds discipline, self-control and confidence. There’s nothing wrong with undergrads getting an army training.
May 6th, 2011 at 6:30 pm This is a very good move. At last the government has managed to peacefully (without using thugs) bring unruly uni students into line. Few months at an army camp will do heaps of good to everyone. We will see a remarkable improvement in uni student’s rowdy behaviour, leadership (which is non-existent today) and their sense of right and wrong (which is not there today).
May 6th, 2011 at 7:33 pm Discipline has to be inculcated at homes from very tender age and not at Boot-camps 20 years after.
If one defines discipline as waking up early morning, running a few miles and climbing a rope ladder while a Drill sergeant is breathing down your neck then sending children to boot camps is the best way.
But I do not think that is what we want to achieve.
Look at the recent past robberies, murders, rapes, extortions etc and most of them have been committed by the so-called the disciplined lot who have already been put through Boot-camps before their inductions.
The concept of National Service Duty means to teach children of tomorrow much more useful, marketable and employable skills than climbing rope ladders.
This is a double-edge sword.
It improves our gene-pool as far as the skills levels are concerned and opens another viable option to fall back in a national crisis situation.
To reap the best benefits, timing and contents of such programmes are paramount.
May 7th, 2011 at 1:57 am Army deserters by definition are not disciplined. Uni graduates cannot be compared to army deserters.
True, discipline begins at home but what if it is not happening? Discipline is attending this session itself! And taking instructions from someone, learning to give instructions, learning in a disciplined environment, etc. Going through this does not in any way hinder the uni course they will study.
Apart from a few anti-social elements, most people don’t have a problem going through this.
May 7th, 2011 at 4:32 am So it is confirmed basing on your description of the Army deserters that putting people through Boot Camp is no sure way of inculcating discipline.
Getting selected for a place in university education in such a competitive examination is no mean task and had those children not been disciplined, I am sure they would not have achieved it.
Here the issue is the timing and the contents of the programme as stated in my previous submission.
We are already late and wasting more time on not properly coordinated Boot Camp activities serves no purpose to the country or to those children.
And without properly and seriously addressing the things that are needed to be addressed most urgently (like re-examining the teaching methods, availability of infrastructures and services) this Boot Camp venture too will also be like many of our previous such ventures ended in “Pussa Binda” wage.
May 7th, 2011 at 4:06 pm Simply BS.
By this program no uni course will be affected. They will go ahead as before. The English program will also go ahead as before.
The timing cannot be better.
May 8th, 2011 at 12:19 am Even up to now no one knows when the Advanced Level re-correction results will be made available.
Once that is finalized only the selections to universities will be done.
By introducing those useless Boot Camps no university course will be affected but the real studies will be further delayed and that is why the timing has to be important as much as the contents.
Yes I totally agree when one cannot back up one’s argument with credible facts and figures, it is Simply B S.
Remember the song ;
“ Maha Muhuden Wata Kerichcha, Amba Gediya Hedaya Gattha Ratak Thiyanawa ”
How appropriate the message in this song in this context too.
Jaya Wewa.
A.K.A. KingSasanka.