இலங்கையில் காவி உடை தரித்தவர்களால் சிங்கள
பௌத்தம் அழிக்கப்பட்டு வருவதாக பிரதான ஆங்கில பத்திரிகையான The Island
பத்திரிகை தெரிவித்துள்ளது .அண்மையில் பௌத்த அடிப்படைவாத அமைப்பான
பொதுபலசேனாவின் செயலாளர் கலகொட அத்தே ஞானசார தேரர்,
ஜாதிக பலசேனாவின் பௌத்த மதகுருவான மூத்த மதகுரு ஒருவரை தகாத
வார்த்தைகளால் திட்டியதும், அவரின் பத்திரிகையாளர் சந்திப்பை தடுத்த
சம்பவத்தையும் கொண்டு இந்த ஆங்கில பத்திரிகை அதன் அரசியல் பகுதியில்
ஆக்கத்தை வெளியிட்டுள்ளது .
இலங்கையின் அரசியல் வரலாற்றில் இதுவரை,
குறிப்பாக தமிழ் தேசியக் கூட்டமைப்பின் பத்திரிகையாளர் சந்திப்பு கூட
மாற்று தரப்பினரால் பிரச்சினைக்கு உட்படுத்தப்படவில்லை.
பௌத்த மதத்தை பாதுகாப்பதாக கூறும் இந்த ஞானசார தேரர் போன்றோர் பௌத்த மத வளர்ச்சிக்காக எதனை செய்திருக்கிறார்கள்?
இந்தநிலையில் கடந்த இரண்டு வருட காலப்
பகுதிக்குள் மிகவும் வளர்ச்சி பெற்றுள்ள பொதுபலசேனா, சின்ஹல ராவைய இராவணா
பலய பௌத்த அமைப்புக்களுக்கு எங்கிருந்த நிதிகள் வருகின்றன என்பது
சந்தேகமே.
இலங்கையின் பௌத்த வரலாற்றில், பண்டார
நாயக்கவை, புத்திரக்கித மற்றும் சோமராம ஆகிய தேரர்கள் கொலை செய்தபோது பௌத்த
பிக்குகளுக்கு மாசு கற்பிக்கப்பட்டது.
இதனையடுத்து இந்த பௌத்த கலசாரத்தை தற்போதுள்ள பொதுபலசேனா போன்ற அமைப்புக்கள் முன்கொண்டு செல்வதாக அச்சம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.
இந்த அமைப்புக்கள் பெரும்பாலும் சிறுபான்மை
இனத்தவர்களை தாக்கும் வகையில் செயற்பட்டு வருகின்றன. இதனால்
சிறுபான்மையினரை விடவும் சின்ஹல பௌத்த மதத்துக்கு பாரிய பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டு
வருகிறது.
ஒரு பௌத்த பிக்கு மற்றும் ஒரு பௌத்த
பிக்குவை பார்த்து “மினியோ”என்ற கூறும் போது அங்கு பௌத்த பிக்குவின் கௌரவம்
எந்தளவு பாதுகாக்கப்படுகின்றது என்பதை காணமுடிகிறது.
அசோக மன்னர் கூறிய பௌத்த சிந்தனைகளை பொறுத்தவரை பொறுமையும் சகிப்பு தன்மையுமே பௌத்தத்தில் முக்கிய இடம் பெறுகின்றன.
எனினும் தற்போது இலங்கையில் பார்க்கும்
போது அந்த இரண்டும் இல்லாதுபோய் பௌத்த பாரிய பிரச்சினைக்கு உள்ளாகியுள்ளமை
வெளிச்சமாகியுள்ளது.
இலங்கையின் பௌத்த மதத்தின் தலைவர்களாக
கருதப்படும் அஸ்கிரிய மற்றும் மல்வத்த மகாநாயக்கர்கள் இவர்களை போன்றவர்களை
கட்டுபடுத்த முடியாதவர்களாக இருக்கிறார்கள் .
இலங்கையில் கசினோவும் ஒழிக்கப்படும் போது
சமூகத்தில் ஒழுக்கம் பேணப்படும் என்று அவர்கள் கூறியுள்ளனர். அவர்கள்
பிரதான பிரச்சினை பற்றி பேசவில்லை
இவர்கள் தமக்கு கீழ் உள்ள பௌத்த பிக்குகளை
கட்டுப்படுத்தமுடியாதிருக்கும் போது நிறைவேற்று அதிகாரத்தை குறை கூறி
எதுவும் நடக்கப் போவதில்லை
குறித்த பௌத்த அமைப்புக்கள் அரசியல்
நோக்கத்துடன் செயற்படுவதை ஏற்றுக்கொள்ள வேண்டும்.ஏனெனில் அரசியல்வாதிகள்
இந்த பௌத்த அமைப்புக்களின் அராஜகத்தை கண்டு மௌனமாகவே உள்ளனர்.
கலகொட அத்தே ஞானசார தேரரை பொறுத்தவரை அவர் இறுதிப் போருக்கு என்ன பங்களிப்பை செய்திருக்கிறார்?
எதனை வைத்துக் கொண்டு அவர் சிங்களத்தையும் பௌத்தத்தையும் காக்கப் போவதாக கூறிவருகிறார் என்று பத்திரிகை கேள்வி எழுப்பப்பட்டுள்ளது.
Saffron robed destroyers of Sinhala-Buddhism
Can there be a more loathsome sight on
earth than that of rampaging Buddhist monks in saffron robes? The sight
is made doubly loathsome, because a ‘rampaging monk’ is a contradiction
in terms – something that cannot be. The Buddhist expectation is that a
monk in particular will have at least an outward demeanour of restraint.
Those familiar with the Vinaya rules will know how much emphasis is
placed on the maintenance of this outward appearance of poise and self
control by monks even though the monk may not be feeling any calm at all
within. In Buddhism, inward calm is acquired through understanding, but
the emphasis in the Vinaya is to control the outward appearance of the
monk regardless of his actual state of mind. It is said that Emperor
Asoka of India first evinced an interested in Buddhism because of the
outward demeanour of a novice monk he saw on the street. Had Emperor
Asoka seen a marauding monk as in latter day Sri Lanka, instead of that
novice monk of yore, he would have personally seen to it that every
Buddhist monk in his empire was beheaded and the religion itself
destroyed.
Last week TV viewers once again saw the
sight of Buddhist monks threatening, intimidating and almost assaulting
another Buddhist monk at a press conference at Hotel Nippon when the
Bodu Bala Sena invaded and disrupted a press conference called by a new
organisation calling itself the Jathika Bala Sena. This has serious
implications. The last thing that we want is for rival political
organisations invading and disrupting each other’s press conferences
simply because one does not agree with what will be said at that
meeting. This is a country where not even press conferences of the
Tamil National Alliance is disrupted even though the whole country is
fully aware that they are plotting day and night with international
conspirators to create a separate state. Apart from the implications for
the secular politics of this country, the Buddhist faith itself is
under stress as never before because of this mad monk phenomenon. This
writer has said this earlier and wishes to say so again that this is not
a conspiracy launched against the minorities; it is a conspiracy
launched against the majority community of this country by overseas
conspirators with a handful of Buddhist monks as collaborators.
Anybody familiar with the way political
parties in this country work will know that every political party highly
values politicians and activists who can muster a crowd at short
notice. Even among politicians, not everyone can do that. But some, by
throwing money around, doing favours, doling out patronage and being
with the masses, have the ability to muster a crowd with just a few
phone calls. Such individuals are valued by leaders of political parties
because it is such people who bring crowds for political activities at
short notice. Everybody knows that nobody can do this unless there is
money and patronage available. In the past couple of years we have seen
the rise of not one but several organisations led by Buddhist monks who
can muster crowds at short notice and who appear to have no shortage of
toughs to do their bidding. All these organisations have goons who
assault people in public with no care for the consequences. Even
politicians do not have followings like that. The question that emerges
is who is funding these operations? How is that these monks who were
complete non-entities just two years ago, are suddenly able to muster
gangs of thugs and go all over the country interfering in all and
sundry?
Targeting minorities
Very often, what we hear especially from
anxious minority community members is that organisations like the Bodu
Bala Sena, Sihala Ravaya, and Ravana Balakaya are targeting the
minorities. On the face of it, that appears to be the case. Even the
latest incident is apparently due to an alleged settlement of Muslims on
the border of the Wilpattu forest reserve. Though these shows are
organised to oppose something that is done or not done by some minority
community, the actual casualties are not the targeted Muslims but the
Buddhist faith. Last week what the Buddhist faithful saw on TV is the
sight of one monk threatening another senior monk, addressing him as
‘miniho’ and actually raising his hand as if to assault that monk. These
are sights that shake the faith of the Buddhists. The Sinhala Buddhist
public has been so disgusted by such behaviour of these marauding monks
that there now is no danger of any Sinhala action against Muslims. The
Bodu Bala Sena first started this hate campaign by calling for a boycott
of certain Muslim business establishments. There is now not the
slightest chance of any such boycott succeeding as what captured the
attention of the Sinhala Buddhist public was not the alleged
misdemeanours of the Muslim businessmen concerned but the deplorable
behaviour of the monks.
The vast majority of the Sinhala-Buddhist
public are now indifferent to the shrill allegations against minorities
being made by these mad monks. But just as the LTTE was never dependent
on the support or goodwill of the Tamil people of the North and East
for their survival, organisations of Buddhist monks like the Bodu Bala
Sena, Ravana Balakaya and the Sihala Ravaya do not appear to be
dependent on the goodwill or support of the Sinhala-Buddhist public.
Some mysterious source keeps them funded and regardless of how many
members of the public they distress by their behaviour, these groups
are able to carry on their activities. Consider the following facts.
1. Until just a couple of years
ago, all these monks belonging to the Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balakaya
and Sinhala Ravaya were not heard of by the Sinhala Buddhist public.
2. Even during the war, not one of
them had gained any kind of prominence by trying to protect the
Sinhalese from terrorism. One would have thought that given the concern
that these monks now profess for the rights of the majority community,
they would have taken up residence in the border villages and rallied
Sinhala resistance to Tamil terrorists who were trying to destroy
Sinhala villages in the border areas. But we saw no such thing.
3. All these organisations, the
Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balakaya, and Sihala Ravaya emerged suddenly out
of nowhere. None of the monks active in these organisations had ever
even had a reputation as skilled preachers before they suddenly burst in
upon the scene. All of them owe their notoriety entirely to acts of
violence and unseemly disturbances perpetrated in full view of the
public.
4. Had these monks been doing
anything to promote Buddhism in and around their temples they would have
gathered a large following in the outlying areas even before they
gained national notoriety and they would have been controlling perhaps
whole electorates and towns. Even politicians would have had to talk to
these monks first before being able to talk to the people of the area.
But none of these monks appear to have any influence in the areas where
they are usually resident.
5. Even a prominent monk wielding
much influence in the towns and villages around his temple, will find it
difficult to muster crowds for activities outside the area. So the
question arises, how do these complete non-entities find the resources
to launch operations in Colombo and indeed all over the country? If such
resources and organising ability were always available to these monks,
how is that that they were not known to the public earlier?
All these are questions that go
unanswered. Most inexplicable of all is the fact that being monks, all
of them seem singularly oblivious to the effect their behaviour would be
having on the minds of the Sinhala Buddhist public. Each of these monks
seem to be vying with one another to behave in the most violent and
outrageous manner possible, to cause as much disgust and loathing among
the very Sinhala Buddhist public they claim to be representing. Even
with regard to last week’s incident, what gained the attention of the
public was not the alleged settlement of Muslims on the border of the
Wilpattu forest reserve, but the behaviour of the monks. These monks are
not stupid. They should be fully aware that their behaviour is causing
more consternation than the issues they claim to be protesting about.
This is why this writer is completely convinced that all these
organisations, the Bodu Bala Sena, Ravana Balakaya and the Sinhala
Ravaya are all parts of an international conspiracy to destroy Buddhism
in this country.
That would be the ultimate revenge for
the international forces opposed to the Sinhala majority. After the war
against Tamil terrorism was won conclusively in 2009, in a manner that
amazed the whole world, the Sinhalese were riding high. Earlier, the
impression was that the Sinhalese were weak, irresolute, fickle,
cowardly and no match for the Tamil terrorists. That was put an end to
with the war victory and the enemies of the Sinhalese were rendered
speechless. They have now responded with a conspiracy to destroy
Buddhism from within, as a way of getting their own back on the
Sinhalese. This mad monk phenomenon all started with a trip to Norway
funded by a shady foreign organisation. The monks who went on this trip
were not as mad as they now are before they went to Norway. Before this
trip to Norway, all monks, even those who were directly involved in
politics were acutely aware of the need to maintain an appearance of
calm and restraint that the public expected of a monk. After this trip
to Norway however, all restraint vanished.
Now bhikkus engage in violence in public
and justify it on the grounds that they are doing all this due to the
concern they have for the country and the Sinhala Buddhists. The Sinhala
Buddhists for their part have been more scandalised by the behaviour of
the monks than by any of the ‘issues’ real or imagined that these mad
monks have been talking about. With each such incident were monks engage
in unruly behaviour clashing with members of other organisations, or
with the police and even with other monks, Buddhist sensibilities are
outraged. If Buddhist monks had behaved in this manner during the
colonial rule of the Portuguese, Dutch and British, this country would
by now be a completely Christian country.
Clearly, these agents provocateurs are
out to discredit the saffron robe that has in many ways symbolised the
Sinhala Buddhists. If these people were bona fide nationalists who are
actually concerned about the activities of various minority communities,
they would disrobe first if their activism necessitates behaving in a
manner unsuitable to a Buddhist monk. But in this case we see that the
saffron robe is being used as a shield to prevent action being taken by
the police. Take last week’s incident for example. Had the individuals
who invaded that press conference been laymen, the police would have
baton charged and dispersed the crowd, and some of them may have even
been remanded. But because the invasion was by Buddhist monks, the
police took no action although they have initiated action on a complaint
lodged after the incident. The police too have not yet evolved the
procedures and practices to deal with monks who behave in this manner.
Even the government is still groping its way around as no previous
government had to deal with a phenomenon like this.
It is true that there were monks who did
even worse than this in the past. Even the marauding monks of today have
not been able to reach the peak attained by Buddharakkitha and Somarama
who planned and carried out the assassination of Prime Minister
S.W.R.D.Bandaranaike. But at that time, it was just two monks acting in
secret. Buddhism survived Somarama and Buddharakkitha because until they
carried out this assassination, there was no public misbehaviour by
monks aimed at outraging Buddhist sensibilities. Somarama and
Buddharakkitha targeted only one man whereas their latter day successors
are targeting the whole Buddhist dispensation in this country. They
are out to destroy Buddhism as completely as the Sri Lankan military was
able to destroy the military arm of the LTTE.
Cannot be unaware
The Ven Mahanayake theros as well as
senior monks cannot possibly be unaware of the danger that these mad
monks pose for the future of Buddhism in this country. Because of the
actions of a handful of monks, the saffron robe has now become a symbol
of disruption and political tension. Like the government itself,
perhaps the Mahanayake theros may have been waiting in the hope that
this phenomenon will die a natural death when support from the public is
not forthcoming. But as last week’s incident showed, it is not dying a
natural death or at least it is not dying a natural death fast enough.
As we pointed out earlier in thus article, these monkish organisations
are (as the LTTE was earlier) not dependent on the Sinhala public for
their goodwill or support. A reaction to this phenomenon is taking
place within the Buddhist clergy (albeit not vigorously enough) with one
Nikaya prohibiting monks belonging to that organisation from
participating in demonstrations, protests and other such activities.
But this phenomenon cannot be controlled
with just one nikaya which is just a small part of a larger nikaya
banning such activities. So far, the Mahanayakes of the three nikayas
have not taken any action to control the behaviour of their own monks.
However when it comes to a matter concerning laymen, the Mahanayakes are
quick to issue statements. Casinos are not a matter that concerns
monks. Laymen should have a right to gamble or drink if they want to.
The Mahanayakes who show much concerned about laymen (and foreign laymen
at that!) going to casinos do not show any concern when it comes to
Buddhist monks behaving in a manner that threatens to destroy the entire
Buddhist dispensation in this country. A few private mutterings of
discontent will not do in situations like this. The Ven Mahanayakes have
to wrest control of things from these thugs masquerading as monks.
The role of the Jathika Hela Urumaya also
has to be questioned. On an earlier occasion when one hysterical monk
burned himself to death demanding a ban on cattle slaughter, the JHU
tried to make hay while the sun shone by trying to emphasise that this
monk had sacrificed himself for a cause. Now once again when marauding
monks invade a press conference and threaten another monk, the JHU
leaders are talking about Muslim settlements in Wilpattu with nothing at
all being said about the behaviour of the monks who invaded that press
conference. One would have thought that the JHU in particular would be
more concerned about the image of the Sinhala Buddhists than that. The
JHU seems oblivious to the fact that the behaviour of these monks is
shaking the faith of the Buddhist laity and giving an added fillip to
the wave of conversions to Christaianity taking place in the country.
Earlier, if poor Buddhists had to be given various incentives to
convert, today even middle-class Buddhists may be motivated to convert
because of the thuggery, bigotry and sheer boorishness displayed by a
handful of monks. If politicians belonging a political party were to
behave like that in public, the popularity of that political party will
plummet. Just imagine the effect that unruly clergy will have on a
religion. The fact that the JHU appears oblivious to this fact is quite
inexplicable.
Some may argue that while middle class
Buddhists may be scandalised by the behaviour of these monks, that the
Buddhist hoi polloi see these marauding monks as heroes who are
championing the cause of the downtrodden Buddhists. But that does not
seem to be the way things are turning out. If the Buddhist hoi polloi
were grateful to these marauding monks who claim to be doing things on
their behalf, then each of these thuggish monks would have a following
bigger than Gangodawila Soma thera. Does it look as if these marauding
monks have been acquiring a following among the ordinary Buddhist masses
even to the extent that crackpot monks like Pitiduwe Siridamma have,
much less Gangodawila Soma thera? Besides, when it comes to expecting
restraint and good behaviour from monks, there is no class divide. This
is a matter central to the Buddhist philosophy and the code of conduct
for monks.
The biggest joke of all is the political
activism of a senior monk like Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera, who sees the
executive presidency as the biggest danger to the country in a situation
where Buddhism is being destroyed from within more surely than the
colonial powers ever could from outside. That the Ven Mahanayakes of all
nikayas are issuing press statements about casinos and Ven Sobitha
Thera is campaigning against the executive presidential system at a time
like this would have been hilarious if it was not such a tragedy.
Besides, what does it look like when senior Buddhist monks who cannot
put their own house in order and ensure at least the bare minimum
standard of behaviour expected of a monk in public pontificate on how
laymen should behave and criticise political institutions in the
country? The senior monks are now like failed school principals who
cannot maintain discipline among their students.
To be sure, the Mahanayakes have less
control over Buddhist monks than principals have over their students.
However, there is something called moral pressure. If the Mahanayakes in
one voice condemn unruly behaviour by monks, the thuggish monks too
will be compelled to modify their behaviour as everything is finally
dependent on public acceptance. As of now, because the Mahanayakes are
keeping quiet, the marauding monks continue in their mission of
destroying Buddhism and the public passively watch the goings on with
mounting disquiet. If the Mahanayakes take a united stand against this
kind of behaviour by monks, the public will at least feel that the
Buddhist establishment is untainted and that these marauding monks are
just an aberration like Buddharakkhita and Somarama. But today, with the
Mahanayakes keeping quiet, it appears as if the entire Buddhist
establishment is acquiescent or paralysed in the face of this monkish
thuggery.
The question that we have to ask
ourselves is whether these monkish thugs have threatened and intimidated
the Mahanayakes as well, the same way they intimidated that monk on TV?
These are matters that have to be looked into by the authorities
concerned. If Nero fiddled while Rome burned, what are the Mahanayakes
doing while Buddhism is being destroyed from within by people with shady
foreign contacts? This is a conspiracy to turn Sri Lanka into another
South Korea which turned from a largely Buddhist to a largely Christian
country not due to colonial domination but through proselytization.
What better aid to proselytization than giving the targeted public the
feeling that the religion that they belong to is a barbaric, Neandethral
faith? What is the face of Buddhism in this country today? It’s that of
Galagodaatte Gnanasara! Did we win the war against terrorism and
restore the self respect of the Sinhalese in the world only to end up at
such a pass?
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