Only pluralism can save Sri Lanka

By Saybhan Samat

(April 08, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) With the 30 year war coming to an end a new word has come into fashion, the buzz word is “pluralism”. On the 29th of March the National Peace Council of Sri Lanka and the Canadian High Commission in Sri Lanka organized a seminar titled, understanding Islamic pluralism Principles and Practices at the BMICH in Colombo which was attendant by Muslims, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. Before this final seminar which culminated on 29th March at the BMICH, other seminars were held on this theme in Batticaloa, Galle, Colombo, Trincomalee, Puttalam and Kandy from early February onwards.. Apparently the organizers envisage that the promotion of peace in post –war Sri Lanka can to a great extent be achieved by propagating the ideas of pluralism in our strife-torn island. Many feel the conflict was mainly on account of rabid intolerance and violence that engulfed the nation.

Pluralism in the social science refers to “the existence of different types of people, who have different types of beliefs and opinions, within the same society”. There are different dimensions to pluralism. Political pluralism for instance is characterized by a diversity of political ideas often expressed through a multitude of political parties. The existence of different cultures and tradition within a society signifies cultural pluralism. When different religions co-exist within the same polity it is religious pluralism. The National Peace Council and the Canadian High Commission in Colombo may have decided to choose Islam to highlight the concept of pluralism because Islam has very resolute commitments to pluralism which in no uncertain terms is anchored in the Noble Quran itself. However it does not mean that the other great religions of the world like Buddhism, Christianity and Hinduism do not equally emphasize pluralism.

For instance in Buddhism, the Buddha never wanted to be the head of a religious organization nor was he concerned about spreading his doctrine for the mere state of having more converts and increasing the co-members. In the Alagaddupama Sutta of the Majjimanikaya the Buddha clearly exhorts his disciples not to learn the Dhamma for the sake of disparaging and finding fault with other’s teachings.

Emperor Dharmasoka who was greatly responsible for –the
world -wide expansion of Buddhism never used any kind of force or coercion. He merely offered Buddhism as a message of peace, good –will and harmony. In spreading this message he was not trying to rid the world’s other religions and faith. This tolerant attitude of his is clearly expressed in one of his rock edicts which run as follows. “One should not honour only one’s own religion and condemn the religion of others. But instead one should honour and respect other religions for whatever they are worth”.

“In doing so one helps one’s own religion to grow and at the same time renders services to other religions. In acting otherwise one digs the grave of one’s own religion and also does harm to other religions”. Whoever respects only his own religion and condemns other religions may be doing so through his great devotion to his own religion. But on the contrary in doing so he is harming his own religion. “Therefore harmony and concord is good. The Sandaka Sutta of the Majjhima Nikaya seems to supply the answer for the Buddhist attitude to other religions and to pluralism.

Similar traditions in support of pluralism are in place in the religious traditions of Hinduism, Christianity and Islam. However it cannot be denied that certain Muslim, Christian and Hindu rulers at various times in the history of the world abused and misused these traditions and rules of pluralism in order to gain more power and wealth to themselves, violently attacking and massacring innocent people of other faiths. It must be singled out that there is no record of a Buddhist ruler invading other countries and forcing its people to embrace Buddhism. The power of Buddhism is witnessed by the fact that no Buddhist soldier took arms to spread his religion. Buddhism spread by tolerance and non violence to China, Tibet, Japan, Cambodia Laos, Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iraq, Vietnam, Bangladesh the Maldives and Pakistan.

A tolerant attitude towards other religious has been exemplified by the Buddha followed by the world Buddhists throughout its past history and like in the days of yore, Buddhist should strictly observe this principle to foster peace and harmony in this paradise isle of ours which has suffered immensely in the three decade ethnic conflict.

Just as much as the National Peace Council and the Canadian High Commission organized “understanding Islamic pluralistic principles and practices’’ it is suggested that they continue by organizing island-wide seminars on principles and practices of pluralism in the Hindu, Christian and Buddhist faiths. We have no choice in Sri Lanka but to adhere to pluralistic principles in religion, so that peace prosperity and harmony will once again prevail in our beautiful paradise isle. Pluralism should and must be the goal.

-Sri Lanka Guardian