The Statement released by the JHU is follows;
(November 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We regard India as the Buddha Land, the Sacred Land. We have lived the Dhamma and protected the Dhamma amidst various foreign invasions and built up a culture and civilisation that is now our heritage. Even the little children in the village know the names of Indian villages. Buddhist Literature has been absorbed to our life and living.
It is impossible to believe that Buddha Dhamma disappeared in India. When I visited India sometime ago, I realized that the resurrection of Buddhism is even more important for India than for Sri Lanka. The famous Indian Literature is full of verbose exuberance, extolling the virtues of Kings and Chieftains in a very worldly way. We the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka are the custodians of the liberating Buddhist Literature of India. Having to give back this knowledge to India is a joke indeed. As a nation we feel proud about this. We are children of the Buddha the greatest teacher of India.
It is not necessary for me to describe the contribution of Ambekkar towards national freedom. It is history already. He is the hidden embers of the struggle of Indian Freedom. It has now sparked off a huge fire of resistance to “Adharma” – inhuman lawlessness. He was educated and wise and was able to see into the future. We know that the Sri Lankan renaissance of Buddhism influenced Ambekkar to embrace Buddhism. Also as a Buddhist country he was closely attached to Sri Lanka.
I see him as the character of Matanga Rishi depicted in the Jataka tales of the Bodhisatta. We believe he is yet living in his divine abode. According to the Jataka tale he was one who was chastised by the Brahmins as a low caste, and was beaten up when he fell in love with high caste Ditthamangalika. In the end he developed supernormal powers and met her in the night. Ambekkar, dispised and chastised in the modern era. I see as Matanga Rishi of yore. Some day the “anaryans,” who are suppressed and trodden will rise up as did Matanga Rishi and over power the Indian Brahmin.
What is the ultimate purpose of Buddhism? To make you a person free from oppression. To make you self reliant and fearless instead of pleading with God for power. You become the power itself. How can you do this? By recogninsing you, yourself. You recognise your love, and lust, your high pride and low esteem. How you are vulnerable to dukkha, suffering in your mind and how your happiness arises in the mind The Buddha has shown the way. It is as if a mirror of your mind. We learn of the world, the sun, moon and stars, but have you understood yourself? Do you recognise your mind?
To recognise this, the only way is to practice Satipatthāna. It is understanding your breath by observing the rhythm of your in and out breathing. If you observe with a tranquil mind along with your breath your whole body will be understood. You will realize that your breath and the nature are connected. You and nature therefore become one. Your ego and greed will disappear. Your mind will be impelled to see the others living in the world. Starting with the breath you will see the nature of the entire world. When you will see something or hear something you will notice the feelings that arise. By seeing again and again your own mind you will realize who you are.
Dhamma is not memorizing only. Dhamma is to realize the nature of your mind, what is necessary is the effort needed for you to understand yourself. Then how ever much you may be poor you are rich in your mind.
(November 21, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) We regard India as the Buddha Land, the Sacred Land. We have lived the Dhamma and protected the Dhamma amidst various foreign invasions and built up a culture and civilisation that is now our heritage. Even the little children in the village know the names of Indian villages. Buddhist Literature has been absorbed to our life and living.
It is impossible to believe that Buddha Dhamma disappeared in India. When I visited India sometime ago, I realized that the resurrection of Buddhism is even more important for India than for Sri Lanka. The famous Indian Literature is full of verbose exuberance, extolling the virtues of Kings and Chieftains in a very worldly way. We the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka are the custodians of the liberating Buddhist Literature of India. Having to give back this knowledge to India is a joke indeed. As a nation we feel proud about this. We are children of the Buddha the greatest teacher of India.
It is not necessary for me to describe the contribution of Ambekkar towards national freedom. It is history already. He is the hidden embers of the struggle of Indian Freedom. It has now sparked off a huge fire of resistance to “Adharma” – inhuman lawlessness. He was educated and wise and was able to see into the future. We know that the Sri Lankan renaissance of Buddhism influenced Ambekkar to embrace Buddhism. Also as a Buddhist country he was closely attached to Sri Lanka.
I see him as the character of Matanga Rishi depicted in the Jataka tales of the Bodhisatta. We believe he is yet living in his divine abode. According to the Jataka tale he was one who was chastised by the Brahmins as a low caste, and was beaten up when he fell in love with high caste Ditthamangalika. In the end he developed supernormal powers and met her in the night. Ambekkar, dispised and chastised in the modern era. I see as Matanga Rishi of yore. Some day the “anaryans,” who are suppressed and trodden will rise up as did Matanga Rishi and over power the Indian Brahmin.
What is the ultimate purpose of Buddhism? To make you a person free from oppression. To make you self reliant and fearless instead of pleading with God for power. You become the power itself. How can you do this? By recogninsing you, yourself. You recognise your love, and lust, your high pride and low esteem. How you are vulnerable to dukkha, suffering in your mind and how your happiness arises in the mind The Buddha has shown the way. It is as if a mirror of your mind. We learn of the world, the sun, moon and stars, but have you understood yourself? Do you recognise your mind?
To recognise this, the only way is to practice Satipatthāna. It is understanding your breath by observing the rhythm of your in and out breathing. If you observe with a tranquil mind along with your breath your whole body will be understood. You will realize that your breath and the nature are connected. You and nature therefore become one. Your ego and greed will disappear. Your mind will be impelled to see the others living in the world. Starting with the breath you will see the nature of the entire world. When you will see something or hear something you will notice the feelings that arise. By seeing again and again your own mind you will realize who you are.
Dhamma is not memorizing only. Dhamma is to realize the nature of your mind, what is necessary is the effort needed for you to understand yourself. Then how ever much you may be poor you are rich in your mind.
At the end of this training you will have an excellent personality. You will not be undermined by anybody.
Also you must develop compassion and loving kindness which are virtues of the mind. So you feel the oppression of living, beings and rise up to save the world. India will realize its freedom by going along this Path. If so our small countries will be protected. It is up to you to do this.
Presently Buddhism is practiced in 3 different ways:
As a traditional religion practicing ritual and religious observances. Many countries have this tradition but they lack the Dhamma.
As a philosophy many educated scholars talk and write. It is very good, useful, but relegated to the desk and chair.
As a meditation it is an individual realization. But unfortunately it is meant for those few who are seeking spiritual attainment.
All three categories are important, but if it does not reach up to the goal of relieving the suffering of the world, it is of not much use.
Having gained my spiritual end, my entire life must be dedicated to relieve suffering of the world. Buddha hood is the coming back to society after gaining enlightenment in the jungles. Once we understand this, our motivation should be the social liberation through individual liberation.
During the past century, freedom from oppression was expressed through Marxism. But it is no longer a solution to the modern burning questions. The only alternative is Buddhism. How can this be done?
All three categories are important, but if it does not reach up to the goal of relieving the suffering of the world, it is of not much use.
Having gained my spiritual end, my entire life must be dedicated to relieve suffering of the world. Buddha hood is the coming back to society after gaining enlightenment in the jungles. Once we understand this, our motivation should be the social liberation through individual liberation.
During the past century, freedom from oppression was expressed through Marxism. But it is no longer a solution to the modern burning questions. The only alternative is Buddhism. How can this be done?
To do this all Buddhists around the world who think about the modern complex situation must unite under one banner. The Buddha has placed great importance to unity, namely those who practice the Dhamma must belong to one community. It must become an international community. Then we will aquire a great power and strength. Poverty is no problem. We have a course of action towards spiritual liberation and social liberation. The world powers of the past two centuries have come to a challenge now. We were led by the European and American powers toward “development” The first century till 1945 was developed by blood and iron. Murder and Slavery went unquestioned. The modern technology dependent on – coal and oil that has brought material comfort is now being challenged. Global warming, and the melting of ice have resulted in floods and earth slips. On the other side we see bush fires that make the land desert; Coal and oil era will come to an end 20 years hence. Then European and American civilization will face a gigantic financial and environmental problem. India and Sri Lanka though not responsible for the modern luxury living, will also have to suffer the consequences.
Under this condition Buddhist philosophy and its economy has found a new dimension. The future civilization can only be built by Buddhists. Vegetation and animal life need the love of the human being. We need a philosophy to promote this. Such Dhamma is necessary for the world today. The time has come for our two countries, to take responsibility for the future world.
Do the Indians numbering over 100 million realize this? India can give leadership to the world again. It can only be done by organising along the Dhamma of the greatest human being born in your country.
The Buddhist civilization was spread through out Asia in 7th - 8th - 9th centuries. “Saark” Countries have inherited this spread of Buddhist philosophy. The remains of this civilization can be seen in pockets in Pakistan. The Buddhists that have gathered this moment, in the name of Ambekkar must be ready to work towards this end. So we shall start from Maharashtra. We will see every human as being without a caste, we will see with compassion, and we will take this noble Dhamma to the hearts of every one.
Today in your convension, you condemn terrorist activities in Sri Lanka and support the Sri Lankan Government to defeat terrorism.
I would like to thank to this statement.
1/3rd of the Land area of the country is the sea coast, and 2/3 of this area consists of North- East. A huge land mass is uninhabited, but every inch of the ground according to archeological evidence had been under the rule of the Sinhala Buddhist. I do not emphasize this, but the fact that 54% of the entire Tamil population live peacefully in Colombo and in predominantly Sinhala provinces must be emphasized. These wonderful tiger ruled areas have only about 2% of the Tamil population. The rest of the 98% of Tamils live under the Sri Lankan management. 54% of the entire Tamil population lives peacefully enjoying all the benefits of the citizens of the country. Apart from the 1983 unfortunate incident, there never has been any retaliation from the Sinhala community. But the tigers have attacked 208 times in fully organized offensive, and killed 6000 people and driven away about 2000 000 people from their village settlements. In the 1983 incident the number that died is 362. It was an intense emotional response of a single day. It was not a calculated organized attack. There never have been any such organized retaliation by the Sinhala community against the Tamil people, and we are happy about it.
Seeing such large numbers of Buddhist this time is a great joy for me. I will join you even at the risk of my life. Together in alliance, we shall join forces and go forwards.
 We regard India as the Buddha Land, the Sacred Lan...){kind=link}
Post a Comment