Buddhist monk Bohowatte Indararatna thero today set himself on fire in Kandy outside the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic demanding an end to cattle slaughter, Sri Lanka’s first attempt at self-immolation by a monk, police said. He was rushed to the Kandy hospital with severe injuries and later transferred to General Hospital, Colombo.
Sri Lankan / May 26, 2013
Dear friends in Buddhism, Islam and Christianity,
A monk has sacrificed his supreme life for a cause. No matter his decision was right or wrong. Please do not insult the religion of others as all the religions should be respected.You all are not 100% practicing your religion. Sometimes even you don’t go to Temple or church or mosque. But here many of you are pretending that you are the one protecting your religion. It is a good joke. Please do not hurt others minds in the name of protecting your religion.If you can just pray to your Gods to create a peaceful environment in this country where our kids can have a beautiful life in the future.
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Sama / May 26, 2013
Great Comment:) I fully agree with you,SRILANKEN.
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Maghribi / May 26, 2013
So, self immolation for a cause is acceptable. The so called Taliban can justify with the Sri Lankan.
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Sri Lankan / May 27, 2013
Dear Friend,
I am not justifying the immolation for any cause.What I’m trying to say is that don’t insult any religion in the name of protecting your own religion.If the monk was wrong in his decision let him to face the consequences when the time comes. That is all.
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Mohamed Firdhouse / May 26, 2013
So slughtering other animals is okay ? Goats, chicken etc. !!!!
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Mohamed Marzook / May 26, 2013
They do not slaughter them according to any rites or methods not causing any suffering but just squeeze or break or chop their necks forcefully, or dash them to death whenever they want to enjoy the good taste; and that us fair to them.
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kamal nissanka / May 26, 2013
Zaid your comment enlighten us. That is why I said truth is many-fold. Sometime ago those who oppose cattle slaughter were fisherman of the southern coast who gave financial help to erect Buddha statutes from Colombo to Matara(every junction). They want to widen their fish trade.so this time canned beef and corn beef.
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Amila / May 26, 2013
Its sad to here the self-immolation. Sri Lanka lost one of his valuable son and who can make thousands of sons of this land into useful citizen by preaching of Buddhism.No body has right to kill himself because life is not own to us it is given by nature. so it is the right of nature to take our life back. by doing this self immolation the monk show a very bad example to sri lankans. Buddhism is not barbaric to promote self immolation.Scholars should declare to the society whether the self immolation is permitted or not by Buddhism.I hope it is against to Buddhas teaching.The scholars have a very big duty to put forward the right teaching and interpretation of Buddhism. Other wise these monks may interpret the Buddhism and use the Buddhism to perform their own willingness in compromise of Buddhas original teachings. These monks destroy Buddhism by their own hand to fulfill their own desires
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Rehana / May 27, 2013
I think most buddhist monks in sri lanka should consider more on their behavier according to lord buddha’s teaching.If this monk really wanted save lives of cattles,cows he should have started a fund raising campeign to save cattles,cows which then this monk could have atleast saved 1000 or more cattles,cows during his whole life time which would have been a better positvie option .Also 90% of the buddhists do eat fish,chicken, these lives too suffer the same as cattles,cows when they are being killed.Ex what happens If you put a fish out of water???it will fight for its life suffering to breath atleast 10 minutes before it dies.all animals do suffer when they are being killed.
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Leela / May 27, 2013
I do not eat meat nor do I approve killing cows in particular for meat. To me, it’s emotional than a religious issue. At the same time, I must say that I do not approve of this monk’s action of taking his own life to register a protest or opposition to slaughter of cows because however noble his aim is, it is not prudent and therefore it cannot be fulfilled. The whole excise is in vain and is useless.
Next to Jetawanarama, where Buddha was living most of his life, there lived a man next door whose trade was to kill pigs for meat. But Buddha had not even once preached the butcher against his trade for he knew it is futile. It is clear from Tipitake that Buddha had not strived to teach everyone the intuitive knowledge he gained: ‘The four noble truths’ and ‘the eight fold path to nivana.’ Buddha only strive to teach his Dhamma only to those who are intelligent enough to understand it. ‘Come, investigate Dhamma’ is his message. There was no force to accept his Dhamma through fear.
Monk Bohowatte Indararatna should have known that 10% of the population (Muslims) in Sri Lanka love to kill and eat cows. Slaughter of animals is a routine and a widespread practice among many Moslem families during Eid al-Adha. So much so, their children hold the animal to be killed for parents to slit its neck. They only long to eat that animal’s meat. What is important is, Muslim children get immunized against the sight of slaughter. They never moved by the blood dripping from the animal’s neck and are not frightened by its snorts and struggles. This kind of emotional immunity to the act of slaughter allows a Moslem to utilize it whenever he feels he must employ radical methods to rid himself of someone.
Ven Indararatna should have known that it will be impossible to impose a complete ban on cow slaughter in such a society. In the West, many of those who witnessed animal slaughter become vegetarians. Just google and see the list if you like.
Leela
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Samson / May 27, 2013
This is acceptable. It seems that you have gradually been becoming “normal by thoughts and minds”.
Yes, the particular hamuduruwo in his 30 age may not feel that there are other options than offering his life to get it banned. But I guess he was not staying on a ARANYA, in an isolated KUTIYA- as I as read about him, he was among the others that could save his young life. Professionals should rise and explain the nation that nobody should follow this kind of events. All forms of suicidal acts would encourage a society rather leaving a desperate message to locals and international folks.
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Amila / May 27, 2013
In sri lanka actually killing cow is prohibited. Even Islam as far as I know slaughtering cow which has a calf is prohibited. Islam only permit animal slaughter for food not for fun. Buddhism teaches us not to kill any animal. but this concept came from Hinduism. where cow is believed as a one of gods of Hindus. Different belief is always present in the world from the appear of human being. Animal food is accepted in many religion as well as all over the world. it is natural. it cannot be changed as we wish. one thing we can do that we can avoid. but we cant force any body to eat this, dont eat that.we cant force Buddhist philosophy to Muslims who are not believing Buddhism. they believe Islam and they follow Islam. they may do what Islam permitted to them they may avoid what Islam avoid for them. we have rights to tell Buddhist not to eat or slaughter animals for food but we have no right to tell this to others Muslims or Christians.I have a big doubt why we are not giving this much consideration to avoid alcohol which also prohibited by Buddhism equal to animal slaughtering.
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ahmad / May 28, 2013
Based on your RETARDED argument, Surgeons who see blood everyday are going to be the most likely to resort to violence becuase they have reached the ’emmotional imunity’ which you think all Muslims have as a result of our practises during Eid Al Adha?
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ahmad / May 27, 2013
I hope this self-immolation will not become a practise now.
I am guessing a lot of these monks are frustrated and have a whole bunch of psychological issues. Specially the ones who have been handed over to the temple from early childhood.
Being a practising monks is probably one of the hardest sacrifices one can make and probably not for mere-mortals. Today every jonny is joining the monk hood, I don’t think most of them are cut out for it to be frank.
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Leela / May 28, 2013
ahmad,
Nowhere in Buddhism it condemns homosexuality. So, I do not see why this monk has to be frustrated on an issue of sexuality.
Islam is confused on sexuality. Islam has double standards for homosexuality. For instant, Islamic law teaches homosexuality is a vile form of fornication and is punishable by death. In Hadith, Abu Dawud (4448) says; “If a man who is not married is seized committing sodomy, he will be stoned to death.”
Interestingly, the same rules don’t apply in paradise. There are many implied references to homosexual behaviour in paradise. Koran 76:19 says, “And immortal boys will circulate among them, when you see them you will count them as scattered pearls.” Now in Koran 56:23, the virgins of paradise are also compared to pearls. Need I explain more.
So, I think Muslims have more psychological issues than Buddhists or
Buddhist monks on sexuality. So much so, homosexuals Muslims must be becoming Jihadi terrorists for they can have “perpetual youth” only in heaven without Allah’s curse.
Leela
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ahmad / May 28, 2013
Sorry I didn’t mean to hit your soft spot. Did not know you were gay :)
I wasn’t talking about homosexuality, but you must know better than me
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Nilanka / May 28, 2013
Ahamed is right , we see lots of buddhist monks so violent like thugs ,most on roads participating various meetings with no discipline atall, addressing meetings,through media giving meaningless comments in very indecent manner,some monks talks to become popular using media.We hear lots of crimes out of colombo daily these days.How many got murdered,raped,suicided within last five months???The numbers are increasing daily.Its far better to think about the downfall of buddhists families in rural areas to find on solution to minimise crimes and to help them out than monks running on roads with boards,climbing roofs hanging boards giving two cents comments to media,sacrificing life for cattles,cows.The buddhist ministry should impose strict disciplinary terms for monks according to buddhism.
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ahmad / May 28, 2013
Glad you took it the right way. The concept of monkhood it no doubt noble and highly respectable for one even for non-buddhists. As the virtues of monkhood are universal (the same virtues which are the bed rock of all religions), and frankly it would take a very special individual to really live by these virtues.
In the secular world we have so many gates to before we become professors or surgeons. Where as in a religious society where monkhood is so highly coveted and respected, there is no regulation. In this regard, I think the catholic church has a good model going.
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shane / May 28, 2013
True now a days buddhist monks are on roads going after politics.Poor buddhists families are isolated,helpless theres no doubt these poor families go for other religion leaders for help as most monks are engaged with politics . This monk who suicided also pointed out buddhists going for other religions, blaming other religions for the cause.But as all other religion leaders help their own community, buddhists monks also should be with there own community especially with poor, who are having so many problems then they wont go for other religions.
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sea cattle / May 30, 2013
ha ha ha I will be also get free in future. As no body is going to catch me.
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salmaj / June 4, 2013
“This kind of emotional immunity to the act of slaughter allows a Moslem to utilize it whenever he feels he must employ radical methods to rid himself of someone.”
As most of you all know vegetarians are known to be the worst killers in the world- Hitler is quoted as the supreme example of a vegetarian who tortured and killed 6 million Jews. You don’t need to be a witness to a slaughter to become immune to the act of slaughter.
People kill to protect their property, pride, power religion( includes Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Jews).
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