Putting country before self – We are ‘Sri Lanka’

It is unfortunate how the phrase ‘Sinhalese-Buddhist country’ is been used for political gain and to keep citizens divided. Currently it is common to see people and monks who don’t follow Buddhist principles claim to be fighting to protect the religion – Pic by Shehan Gunasekara

Our small island nation has become divided and relationships have turned sour. Ideally, there should not be an ethnic problem in Sri Lanka, because we have been living and sharing this beautiful land peacefully with people from different ethnicities for centuries. There is however a politically created hatred and threat of extremist groups that divides us, mainly extremist groups of Islam and Buddhism. There is an imposed fear among people which leads to suspicion and unnecessary conflict. Social and mainstream media both have the ability to manipulate people into believing what they want us to believe, and they most certainly use it for their advantage, or for the advantage of the people who control them.

Sri Lankans who belong to minority ethnic groups have been a part of this country for a long time. There are many Muslim military officials and soldiers in the Sri Lankan Armed Forces and Police. They have contributed immensely during the civil war and some of them ultimately sacrificed lives for their country. Many reputed patriotic Muslim and Tamil politicians served the country as ministers and Speakers of Parliament and all served as Sri Lankans. They had balanced views and worked together with Sinhalese leaders for the betterment of the country as one nation. They brought people together as Sri Lankans. Similarly, there are sportsmen, doctors, engineers and other professionals who have brought fame to our island. Present-day politicians however, Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim, are an insult to those great leaders. We need to encourage everyone to develop the mindset we used to have, when our Muslim or Tamil brothers or sisters represent our country and make us proud.

The fight for independence in the 1940s was strengthened by Tamil movements, especially its youth. The Jaffna Youth Congress helped collaborate with the Indian independence campaign to motivate Sri Lankans and work together for freedom. Muslim political leaders were an important part of the independence struggle too. Since then, Tamil and Muslim Sri Lankans have contributed significantly in numerous ways towards the progress and establishment of democracy in our country. They also fought for and tirelessly worked to preserve Buddhist culture.

These patriots always had national interests in mind and did not lose sight of the broader goal of gaining independence and securing the sovereignty of their country. They had vast political maturity which led to a sensible and rational approach to matters. The peaceful political movement called the “Sri Lankan Independence Movement” was made up of people from all ethnicities and contributed to fulfil the Soulbury Commission’s requirement of “at least three quarters of votes to support the self-rule status for Sri Lanka”. This would have been impossible to achieve with only Sinhalese representation. Therefore, it was proven that they worked together to gain independence and none of them considered religion, cast or race before the country. 

"These patriots always had national interests in mind and did not lose sight of the broader goal of gaining independence and securing the sovereignty of their country. They had vast political maturity which led to a sensible and rational approach to matters. The peaceful political movement called the “Sri Lankan Independence Movement” was made up of people from all ethnicities and contributed to fulfil the Soulbury Commission’s requirement of “at least three quarters of votes to support the self-rule status for Sri Lanka”. This would have been impossible to achieve with only Sinhalese representation. Therefore, it was proven that they worked together to gain independence and none of them considered religion, cast or race before the country"

Many of us, especially the younger generation, do not know the significant roles played by great Muslim and Tamil national heroes such as Deshamanya Dr. M.C.M. Kaleel, T.B. Jayah, Sir Mohamed Macan Marker, Deshamanya Badi-ud-din Mahmud, Sir Ponnambalam Arunachalam and Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan.

Likewise, many Christian and Burgher leaders and their communities have played a vital role throughout the history of our country and still do. Gaining independence was the joint effort of all communities together as Ceylonese.

In his speech, D.S. Senanayake, at the time of the adoption of the Constitution in 1945, said, “…throughout this period the Ministers had in view one objective only, the attainment of maximum freedom. Accusations of Sinhalese domination have been bandied about. We can afford to ignore them for it must be plain to everyone that what we sought was not Sinhalese domination, but Ceylonese domination. We devised a scheme that gave heavy weight to the minorities; we deliberately protected them against discriminatory legislation. We vested important powers in the Governor-General...We decided upon an Independent Public Service Commission so as to give assurance that there should be no communalism in the Public Service. I do not normally speak as a Sinhalese, and I do not think that the Leader of this Council ought to think of himself as a Sinhalese representative, but for once I should like to speak as a Sinhalese and assert with all the force at my command that the interests of one community are the interests of all. We are one of another, whatever race or creed.”

These are the kind of leaders a country needs. Leaders who unite people and show them the power of togetherness.

If you are aware of this noble past we cannot wake up one day and decide that this is a Sinhalese-Buddhist country. We cannot dismiss and discard those brave, passionate Sri Lankans and their descendants, who were born and raised in this land. They are a part of this country as much as the Sinhalese Buddhists are. We must not get caught up in media manipulation and forget that we are all Sri Lankans. Different ethnic groups bring with them unique cultures which enrich the Sri Lankan community. If we can end ethnic discrimination and recognise and respect everyone for their contribution towards the country, we will be a richer nation in every way.

What does it mean to be a Buddhist?

It is unfortunate how the phrase ‘Sinhalese-Buddhist country’ is been used for political gain and to keep citizens divided. Currently it is common to see people and monks who don’t follow Buddhist principles claim to be fighting to protect the religion. An important statement of Lord Buddha is that Buddhism will one day be destroyed, not by people of other religions or the lack of temples, but by those who claim to follow the Buddhist path and distort its teachings (Dhamma).

What generally represents Buddhism today are a white stupa, a Bo tree, orange-robed priests and laypeople carrying flowers. But what this great philosophy really symbolises is a practice, a way of life. Temples and priests keep Buddhism alive, but what matters most is how Buddhists behave and what they really believe are good and bad. As in any religion, there are rules to be followed by Buddhist laypeople and another set of rules for Buddhist priests.

Buddhist laypeople are supposed to adhere to five basic precepts:

1. Refrain from killing any living being or encourage killing

2. Refrain from taking what is not freely given (stealing)

3. Refrain from sexual misconduct 

4. Refrain from lying, harsh speech or gossiping

5. Refrain from intoxicating oneself by using alcohol or drugs

On the other hand, Buddhist priests must follow 227 rules (Pratimokkha) and Bikkunis (Buddhist nuns) must observe 311 rules. These comprehensive lists provide everyone with a good insight into the life of a Buddhist priest, also known as a person who has given up the attachments of worldly life and gone forth. The reason behind these rules is that worldly life gives rise to hindrances which will obstruct the progress of attaining enlightenment, as this is the ultimate goal of Buddhists. The kind of lifestyle Lord Buddha recommended for his disciples is a very simple and humble one with no luxuries or material possessions. This was to provide a foundation for them to gain wisdom and eventually be successful in the path to ending suffering. 

In addition to the five precepts listed above, below is an overview of the main categories listed under the 227 rules for Buddhist priests.

1. To have no close relationships with a person from the opposite sex

2. To have a simple residence and lifestyle (clothes, food etc.)

3. To not insult or create division among the priesthood

4. To not handle money or exchange things

5. To not ask for better quality things from laypeople

(The full list can be found here – https://en.dhammadana.org/sangha/vinaya/227.htm) 

These were imposed by the Lord Buddha at different times when his disciples had arguments or misbehaved. Having a clear set of rules makes it easier to preserve the true version of the religion in times of uncertainty and disagreement among Buddhists. And there was no lack of conflict and threats to the survival of Buddhism throughout history either. In earlier times when there was a dispute or a threat, many prestigious priests who had attained great wisdom (Arahat), gathered and took measures to ensure the true teachings were preserved and correct practices were continued.

As you can imagine, following this extensive list of rules is no easy task. Lord Buddha explained that the human mind is very easily distracted and becomes attached to wrong views and material things. Today, we see how some Buddhists monks have become pawns of politicians and are being used for their benefit. Like any institution, there are people who are not fit to be Buddhist priests, living in temples wearing orange robes. They work to fulfil different agendas or to gain possessions, not really to achieve any religious development. However, when someone decides to leave the household life and follow the honourable path Lord Buddha taught, it is our duty to support them to do the right thing. We have a responsibility to not create an environment for priests to deviate from their noble journey or break the rules, instead encouraging them to stay on the right path. 

The country’s leader also has an obligation to enable the preservation of all religions of the country, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism and Islam alike. At the same time, it is a duty of Buddhist priests to not advocate division among communities or drive for a majoritarian platform, but to promote and stand for equal rights of all Sri Lankans. This is in line with Lord Buddha’s teachings as well and the only way to spread loving-kindness (Metta) to all beings, as it is one of the important practises of Buddhism. 

Let us build mutual trust and fellowship and stop promoting politics of division any further. Let us not get caught between politicians and religious agents who promote majority or minority agendas, but rather work together to safeguard all religious faiths in our country and embrace our differences to make a better tomorrow for Sri Lanka’s future generations. We are stronger together.

(The writer is a well-versed management professional with over 20 years of experience in business planning and development across multiple industries and business verticals. He was awarded the title of ‘Samasri Deshakeerthi’ by the United Organisation of all Communities as a recognition of exceptional contributions towards cultural, religious and social services in the country. He is also a recognised all-island ‘Justice of Peace’ for Sri Lanka.