Friday, June 20, 2014

Are Only Buddhists In Sri Lanka Moderate ?

Clad in a saffron outfit does not make one a Buddhist monk automatically. 

Ordination is just a Ceremony of affirmation and having ordination too does not make anyone a Buddhist monk automatically either. 

There is a clear path to be followed, if one needs to be really qualified to be a Buddhist monk. That is to follow the path of a Bodhisattva. 

A Bodhisattva is a person who devotes his or her life to the Buddhist way. 

The vows focus on doing compassionate deeds, striving to benefit every human being and seeking enlightenment. 

Not setting fire and or pelting others’ places of worship. 

Then you become a hooligan and or a murderer than a monk. 

The saffron outfit will not protect such people. 

During the recent incidents in the South of Sri Lanka, I see the Social media was awash with many postings, some in favour and some against for the actions of hooligans in saffron outfits.

Among the Against lot, I found an interesting number of Buddhists along with people from the community that was affected. 

I understand the mindset of those who were affected but what were the Buddhists among them were thinking, I was pondering.

They call themselves the Moderate Buddhists. 

Then the next question sprang into my mind was, where were the Moderate people of other faiths. 

I did not see anyone crying foul when the Buddhist shrines in the East of Sri Lanka were vandalized by bulldozers or the Tigers Flag was taken to the Vatican a few years back. 

Are only Buddhists moderate? 

If so, why I wonder.

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