𝑾𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒇 𝑾𝒂𝒊𝒍 ( දුක් ගන්නා රාළ )

The Wesak celebration is just a couple of days away and it is the most revered and celebrated day in the Sri Lankan calendar. It marks the birth, enlightenment and the passing away of the Gautama Buddha. Amidst the very chaotic situation in a narrow strip of sandy land in the northeast of the country, this day will give all of us an ideal opportunity to ponder on some of the teachings of the Exalted one. One of his teachings that come to my mind is that “Hatred will not cease hatred, love will” . More than six decades ago, former Sri Lankan President Late Mr. J.R. Jayewardene (then he was a Minister in the government of Ceylon) used exactly the same quote in San Francisco to plea clemency for Japanese people, after their defeat in the Second World War. His plea was not gone unheeded and I am sure that no one today will regret the decisions taken at that summit. “A tooth for tooth and an Eye for eye” sort of justice system was imposed on us, more than five hundred years ago...