By Charles Haviland –
A Sri Lankan court has given suspended jail terms to three French tourists for wounding the religious feelings of Buddhists by taking pictures deemed insulting.
Two women and one man were detained in the southern town of Galle after a photographic laboratory alerted police.
The pictures show the travellers posing with Buddha statues and pretending to kiss one of them.
Most of Sri Lanka’s majority ethnic Sinhalese are Theravada Buddhist.
Mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is strictly taboo in Sri Lanka
Mistreatment of Buddhist images and artefacts is strictly taboo in the country. The incident is alleged to have taken place at a temple in central Sri Lanka.
Website posting
Police spokesman, Ajith Rohana, told the BBC the French party had visited the laboratory to get pictures printed.
The images were impounded after the owner of the photographic laboratory alerted police, but they were later posted on a Sri Lankan website.
On Tuesday a magistrate sentenced the trio to six months in prison with hard labour, suspended for five years – which means they will not actually serve any time in jail. The court also levied a small fine on them.
They were convicted under a section of the Penal Code which outlaws deeds intended to wound or insult “the religious feelings of any class of persons” through acts committed in, upon or near sacred objects or places of worship.
Last month there were reports that five Arabs visiting the island were arrested for distributing “literature insulting to Buddhism”.
In 2010 two Sri Lankan Muslim traders were given suspended jail sentences for selling keyrings containing an image of Buddha.
That same year Sri Lanka denied a visa to the R&B star Akon, who had been due to perform a concert. It happened after public protests over one of his music videos which briefly showed scantily-clad women dancing in front of a Buddha statue.
There is currently widespread excitement in Sri Lanka as the Kapilvastu Relics – believed to be bones of Lord Buddha – have been brought to the island from India for a two-week tour of temples.
BBC
gamini / August 21, 2012
What if these Puritans lived during the time of Lord Buddha, when Thanha, Rakthi and Ranga, three women danced completely nude in front of Buddha? They would have beheaded them? A set of Bloody JOKERS!
/
Sagara / August 22, 2012
In fact, at the time of these dancing, Gautama did not attain “Buddha ship”!Saying that, I also believe that these are jokers!
/
Dinuk / August 22, 2012
Let’s send all the tourists packing! And then let’s crash the Rajapassa dreams for economic development and 5 star hotels and formula 1 car races in Banana Republic, while all the professionals who know the meaning of human development take to the street with FUTA to strike!
Way to go to get rid of the Family of thieves running Lanka and spinning fantasies of fake development!
/
Satish Sivarajapillai / August 22, 2012
Rajapaksas laughtered 300 000 people and no one have been punished yet, so why arrested, imprisoned and sentenced to 6 month in prison…the French tourists for a silly peck on the statue’s cheek ????
/
kumudini / August 21, 2012
This is not the time of the Buddha or the thnaha rathi raga times . Get over it . Thana , Rathi Raga appered to prevent Lord Buddha from attaining Buddhahood. These are ignorant people who have no respect or values and we should not tolerate their nonsence .
/
gamini / August 21, 2012
Kundumani, if you consider it a crime then the three women dancing nude before Buddha achieved enlightenment is even worse, as to who knows if he was moved, there will be no Buddhism today. As a Prince, he has seen enough women dancing semi nude, present day Caberet, more than the Youth of today as a form of entertainment, which was quite common then, as there was no TV for entertainment then. Besides Buddha is common property. It does not belong to the Sinhalese at all, as he is a Nepalese. The act of giving a kiss is to show affection and not hatred. Now see in Christianity people act as Jesus in Dramas and Films. God forbid if someone act as Lord Buddha in a film or drama.
/
Silva / August 22, 2012
Gamini, Thank you for standing by the truth which is very rare thing in this era of deception and corruption revolving around Rajapakshas. BTW do you or anybody know what happened to Lankaleaks and why their web site is not operating?
/
kumudini / August 22, 2012
Gamini besides your spelling mistakes which could be on purpose you have no idea about thanha Rathi Raga, and the background of their dancing . YOu seem to be a christian who obviously think know a lot about buddhism .Prince Siddhartha was entertained by dancing girls . What we are talking is about Lord Buddha . The two scenario’s are very different. All the people in this forum are going at a tangent talking about Mahinda his goverment and seem to be evading the point under discussion .
/
Rambodaaththo / August 22, 2012
Kumuduni,
I read somewhere Gamini should be Atheist.
As you already made it clear, it was not Lord Buddha but prince Siddhartha was entertained by those female nude dancers.
As I experienced by myself, there are churches in Europe (France, Germany, Belgium and several other countries), they dont allow you making photos there. So these particular tourists should respect the laws in our country when they are there.
I have also seen, unfortuntately Buddha statues are placed as showroom decorations in most markets in Europe. Sometimes even on erotic exhibitions. These they continue though they are very clear about the fact that Buddhism is recognized as religion in many countries.
So, as I believe, we need to have strict laws against any tourists who would violate those laws while being in the country.
/
gamini / August 22, 2012
Kumudini, a Proper Noun could be spelt in a fashion suitable to the user as long as it denotes the correct sound. It was after performing Abinishkramana, and during the fourth week that the women in nude Thanha, Rathi Raga appear before Buddha, before the end of the seventh week where he attains enlightenment. The moment he takes to robes, he ceases to be Prince Siddhartha. Therefore there is no issue. As Prince Siddhartha he had seen much more women semi nude dancing on a daily basis and no one can vouch for how many he slept with as it was a common practise in the Indian Culture then. I am not a Christian and I can not claim to be a Buddhist either, as no one can claim to be a Buddhist as Buddha did not leave a register for one to claim as a Buddhist. Lord Buddha very clearly said that no one is born as a Buddhist, although many believe that thay are Buddhists and when questioned how they know, they claim it is stated so in the birth certificates. Birth Certificates were introduced to this country after the advent of the British and prior to that there were no registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages in this country.
I will quote a fallacy from Dhamma Pada, for you to chew on. ‘Asevanacha balachang, Sevanachang Athi Panditha’. One is adviced to associate someone elder and more knowledgeble than one self. If you apply this logic the elder and more knowledgeble can not associate the younger who is less knowledgeble. Then how can there be interaction in society? I can quote enough fallacies and contradictions in Buddhism, but refrain due to space and time. This is not due to Lord Buddha’s fault but due to overzealous Priests who tried to write Buddha’s autobiography and project Buddhism as a Religion. I can see you are also one of those also ran people. It appears that you are more offended MR, your idol being taken to task than a statue of Buddha being kissed as a mark of love, but not lust as then she should have planted the kiss on Buddha’s lips. As for this Rambodaaththo, who claims that I am an athiest, there is nothing wrong in being one, but I wish to state that I live by Buddha’s Philosophy and not a labeled Buddhist as others.
/
Saambanaar Sugumugam / August 21, 2012
The tourist were silly to do that. But there are worse culprits in Sri Lanka, insulting Lord Buddha and his teachings by their behavior. They are doing it in the name of the security, country and religion. Would they be given sentences?
/
Citizen / August 22, 2012
Exactly!
/
Desilva / August 21, 2012
HOW ABOUT PUNISHING THE MORONS WHO DESECRATE, DEMOLISH & DESTROY THE BUDDHIST STATUES AND TEMPLES IN SEARCH OF TREASURE?.
COME ON, GIVE US A BREAK.
/
gamini / August 22, 2012
DeSilva, I quite agree with you. I have seen quite a number in the papers where the Buddha statues minus the head being vandalised by those looking for treasure.
/
NAK / August 23, 2012
Gamini, What if Thanha,Rathi and ragha, were mere thoughts trying to distract lord Buddha and are not real naked women! Asevanacha balanang does not mean only to associate with elders and the educated,it means not to associate with those who indulge in lowly deeds. There are no fallcies in Buddha damma and no one can insult lord Buddha as lord Buddha is beyond that. As far as the tourists are concerned, we don’t have to behave like the jihadists, a simple warning with some advice would have done just fine.
/
gamini / August 23, 2012
NAK, there can not be multiple interpretations for the teachings in Buddhism. As you have said, ‘What if Thanha, Rathi and Ragha were mere thoughts trying to distract Lord Buddha and are not real naked women’. Could you explain, Whose thoughts? Lord Buddha’s? Are you serious? I do not want to place Buddha in your category dreaming of naked women. He had seen enough of them as a Prince. As for you trying to interpret Asevanach Balachang, Sevanachang Athi Panditha there is only one interpretation. So no matter how much you try to distort, it will not help. You say there are no fallacies in Buddha Dhamma. I simply do not want to look up and spit. The little I have said is enough. If only you observe, what Buddha preached. ‘Ehi Passiko Opanaiko, Pachchaththang Vesi thabbo vincho heethi’. NAK my advice to you is, before you speak on a subject be thorough with the subject. Rference this incident of this girl pecking on a statue of Buddha, you and your boss MR are making a mountain of a mole hill. I do not know about you, but the big Gona has a different agenda.
/
rajsakya / August 21, 2012
Rethink Sri Lanka!
/
rajsakya / August 21, 2012
Buddhism is beyond regional cultural boundary. As long as anyone has respect for Buddha and Buddhism, one has right to express any sort of cultural greetings. French do often kiss out of love and affection.
/
t-Stone / August 21, 2012
We can view this in many angles as many comments here points out.
The woman would have kissed in love of the teachings of Buddha and not lust. If they were (or she was) posing nude, then yes it’s not a done thing. May be she did not know how disrespectful that was in Sri Lanka for someone to do that. You must give the benefit of the doubt because they are not Sri Lankans.
I really agree with DeSilva’s comments about the people who destroy statues in search of treasure. I guess if a small man or a tourist did it it’s a crime but if a politically connected person (including a politician) did it no one talks about it in Sri Lanka. I was told that some “politicko’s” even killed a priest looking for a sword in Sri Lanka? WOW, that must be ok right?
There is a restaurant in New York City which has a huge Buddha statue inside in the dining area and a liquor bar right next to that. As a Buddhist all I can do is not to go to that restaurant. In some parts of the world Buddha statues are used as display item. I asked one person who did this why so. The answer was “It’s a pleasant thing to my eyes…” he said. So it’s all in the thought process.
As Buddha himself said “Chethanahan bikkawe Kamman wadami”.
/
Matt B. / August 21, 2012
As someone from the US (which has a culture similar to the French), I must say that I think these tourists were just doing something that they thought was funny. They were not necessarily expressing affection or desecration. It is pretty common for people here in the US to take pictures while kissing or hugging statues. Obviously, this is a “no-no” if the statue has any kind of historical significance or if the statue is blocked off in any way.
These French tourists caused an offense and they have learned that now. There is no need for further punishment, as their shame is enough.
/
Nirosh / August 23, 2012
Matt B, Yes, your observation re US and French cultures seems to be fair. It is also true that statues etc. of some historical religious or ideological value are treated with a degree of respect by the relevant society. But the problem is these are tourists whom we have canvassed and invited through various propagandas depicting this country as a wonderful destination to have a holiday and enjoyment. We are selling our historical, cultural and the very religious places, ruins, temples and statues to these tourists! These are tourists, pleasure seekers and not pilgrims! (The pilgrims are seeking religious please which is a different issue!)-in short we are selling Buddha to these tourists-that is why we earn a massive income from tourism by showing everything we have to tourists. Isn’t it a fact that some of these tourists are kissing the genitals of our young boys and girls to have fun by paying money? So a tourist is one who comes to this country on our advertisement and invitation to get pleasure, to enjoy themselvs as much as possible! They don’t come here to promote our culture or pay respect to our statues! They don’t have any respect for our statues or religious beliefs and values! They view our most respected religious objects as objects to derive pleasure! Obviously some knowledgeable tourists may be exceptions. But this is essentially the result of inviting your remote neigbour into your bedroom-he will try to sleep with your wife! I know of a person who sold liquor in his house and those who came to consume liquor tried to sleep with the wife of his son because the customers try to obtain pleasure from whatever objects in the house other than liquor especially when that place is intended for pleasure selling! So, all in all as some others have already commented here I think the first culprit is the tourism people in the country who may have failed to adequately educate the tourists as to what not to do in this country. The second culprit is the studio puritan fool because that bugger had the opportunity to educate the tourists about religious beliefs, customs and values here and the way their religious feelings may get hurt by the behaviour of the tourists. Thirdly the stupid police buggers could have acted like cultural diplomats and explained the matters to tourists without hurting their feelings. The ultimate and the most blundering culprit is the MARArized thalibanized stupid judge who meted out suspended rigorous imprisonment for 6 moths! What a fucking hell of a judgment was that? Only recently we read that a Chinese prostitute who was caught selling here body was released after charging a fine of Rs. 10/- by a MARA court! This is the most perverted way of meting out justice! This is Mararization, the twin brother of Thalibanization! For a nation who have promoted corruption, given us credit at exorbitant rates, provided us cheap quality used and discarded machinery and equipment at Norochcholai, built a massive white elephant no income at all shipless harbor at Hambanthota and assisting the rogue despotic government of MARA to suppress the human rights of the people of this country a MARA court judge shows so much sympathy and leniency whereas for a tourist who comes from a Western country demanding that the GOSL must uphold and comply with civilized way of governance is treated maraudingly! And also considering the vast erosion culture and religion in Sri Lanka, the appalling wave of violence, rape, ancient treasure plundering including that of the museum, the despotic impunity, the huge mararization of the Buddhist monks etc. and also the state protection given to murderers rapists drug dealers and criminals like Duminda Silva and injustice done to great personalities and freedom fighters like Kugan, Eknaligoda and Lasantha etc. don’t we see that there is something amiss in Sri Lanka?
/
gamini / August 24, 2012
Nirosh, sometimes I wonder where the rationale of this once educated society is? See the Judgments delivered, all lopsided and is it any wonder why people stop at throwing excreta at them. I believe very soon a few of them might be gunned down at least then it will open their eyes, not to deliver judgements to pander corrupt political leaders.
/
hansan / August 21, 2012
Very miled Punishment by the Judge, What can you say when these type of tourist go scot free with the help of Law. Once Julampitiya Amere was sent to Observe Sil By The Law. Wonder full Sri Lanka. Judgements might go to Joke page too.
/
Chandimal / August 21, 2012
Two or three days ago, the whole country witnessed the President receiving the sacred relics of Buddha from India at the airport. He appeared in the photograph holding the casket containing the relics (whether the relics were authentic or bones of a dead rat is a different question). I would like to ask puritans like kumudini what punishment must we give to a murderous criminal like MR who is responsible for and operating white van paramilitary killer squads and causing disappearance and slaughter of thousands of innocent civilians hidden behind the mandate of presidency given to him by the people of the country and including killing his own daughter desecrating the sacred relics by touching them with his blood-stained hands? All this while, it was only the stupid monks who were selling Buddhism and Buddha! But this time it is MR who is following the suite! MARA is now selling Buddha! The country today is in the zenith of the hell fire set on by the stupid MARA and his moronic family and goons and lackeys and madamulana MARA chinthanaya! The A/L exam, Z-score, the CTB, the CEB, the power supply, oil imports, the teachers, the professors, the farmers, the fishermen, the IDPs, the country’s coffers, resettlements, political solution, human rights, the law and order and the whole procedure of governance are in total disarray and chose! To concoct and confuse the minds of stupid primitive tribal racist Sinhalese Buddhists in the country and to prevent and diver the growing unrest and antagonism towards his despotic government he imported a barbarian from Swaziland who is a voracious sadist rapist, his “diarrhea” friend from Maldives will be running in very soon, another one from Sea Shells Islands too will be visiting! His modus operandi is dragging the country from one crisis to another, one carnival to another, and carnival to tragedy, tragedy to tragicomedy and tragicomedy to religious carnival, religious carnival to election and so on! His latest sleight of hand is importing dog bones from Kapilawasthu to douse the anger in the stupid Sinhalese Buddhists! Even if they were Buddha’s bones what relevance do rotting bones have to the burning problems in a country? Only primitive tribes were used to worship dead and gone and skeletons and bits and pieces of rotting bones! Buddha’s bones would not provide you the insight into his doctrine! You have to read his doctrine and the books to achieve that! Why the f.kg hell do these people carrying a few fragments of bones of Buddha (or a dog) on their shoulders and minds and hearts despite that action serving no real purpose and value to live? And why don’t these morons give the same importance and zealousness to the doctrine and principles of Buddha? Why don’t they carry his books and teachings and way of life in their shoulders and hearts and minds? This whole religious mania is a superstition. Like during the festive seasons merchants are stealing the purse of the people by selling garments by creating market madness or like they sell roses at exorbitant prices on lovers’ day, these monks and politicians are selling Buddhism today! MARA has already sold this country to Chinese, Indians, Arabs and the westerners; he is now selling the Buddha and his religion to save his despotic rule. If you are a true Buddhist having a veneration and respect for Lord Buddha’s doctrine, the first thing one must do is to boycott these desecrating religious exploitations by the sinful politicians and monks! Religion is purely a personal thing; governance of a country has nothing to do with it. Let the religious people engage in their particular activities and the government does it duty, act according to the mandate given to them by the people and the constitution of the country! Some say Executive President is above the law; he himself was uttering those words (poor chap)! What f.ke’s bullshit nonsense is this? No one is above the law! That is exactly why Lord Buddha placed his doctrine over and above everything and every individual, sect or group of monks; his doctrine was ordained the final verdict, reference and inspiration, religion wise! For a country it is the law of that country that is above and over every individual or organization; everyone must submit to it! You can’t transcend it wearing a shawl or a white pajama sarong and growing a beard or a mustache!
/
NAK / August 23, 2012
This is the kind lord Buddha meant when he preached about Asevanacha balanag. You are pathetic man! Do you think insulting left,right,north and south will make things all right…..you seem to derive some sadist satifaction in insulting others. write something positive useful,instead of indulge in filth.
/
gamini / August 23, 2012
Precisely NAK. Lord Buddha was contemplating after he attained enlightenment whether the masses would understand the Philosophy he was to preach. Then he discovered there were some of my intellect and most of yours. That is how he decided in the end to preach. Your kind will never be redeemed as you will never understand so will never be educated. Ignorance is bliss for your type. Only thing is please do not display it here for all to see. Lastly how do you know that I indulge in filth if you are not filthy yourself? Grow up NAK, Grow Up!
/
Chandimal / August 23, 2012
NAK, you cheap urchin, wipe the piss under your panty. For around the clock and throughout the years of your sordid life you, your thoughts and your inclination are associating with dirty and squalid persons like MARA and his behavior and methods all his retinue, goons and lackys included. This is what Buddha meant by “balanang sevanacha”, associating with and imitating cheap, corrupt and criminal characters. In my comment I provided more than enough facts to establish that MARA and his government is corrupt from top to the bottom, his words, outward gestures, pretences and actions wholesale contradicts what he and his government really do. Unprincipled bird-brainers like you are not prepared to accept these facts becuase either you are paid by MARA to write these rubbish hence you are one of the fifty centers’ party or genetically you have been begotten by an animal-gened father and hence you have inherited his barbaric genes and thought process in which case we can’t help you much but quarantine you in these forums. I am quaranteening you now lest others may get MARA infection through you! To write truth is not sadism, rather it is doing justice to truth-salvaging truth and the affected. You puritans are so concerned with a kiss to a pile of dust and clay called a Buddist statue but what about those who manhandled and squeezed the testicles of one of the Buddha’s desciples in your very parliament where the law criminalizing the act of kissing the pile of dust was passed? Did you brats raise any voice against that? Did your idol MARA take any legal actions against that? Didn’t they all behave like balayo that day? It is time you take a medical check up and MRI of the brain and whole body to see how much you are left with human genes and thoughts!
/
Anun / August 22, 2012
I would say, first punish the people of the tourist board. They should inform these tourist about the Sri Lankan culture, religions and ethics.
/
Ancient Buddhist from Himalayas / August 22, 2012
Making a mountain out of a small thing, wasting time of courts when courts have very serious jobs to do, inciting words of hatred over a kiss, thinking Buddha Idols can be insulted by ignorant actions, nothing of this sounds anything close to Buddhism taught by Lord Buddha.
Buddha DOES NOT mind any girl kissing one of the idols made for him.
and if he did he wouldn’t be Buddha!!
/
LUCKY. / August 22, 2012
I WOULD LIKE TO SAY A FEW WORDS TO WHAT HAS ALREADY BEEN SAID. MAYBE THE PHOTO LAB GUY SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE UNSUSPECTING TOURIST THAT HIS PHOTOS,OR SOME OF THEM, WERE OFFENSIVE AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND WERE UNLAWFUL (IF THEY WERE)AND COULD NOT BE PRINTED. HE COULD HAVE GONE A STEP FURTHER AND TOLD HIM THAT THEY WOULD BE DESTROYED IN HIS PRESENCE AND GOT HIM TO AGREE TO IT. THE MATTER WOULD HAVE ENDED THERE WITH THE TOURIST REALISING THAT HE HAD DONE SOME THING WRONG AND WOULD LEARN FROM HIS MISTAKE. IT WOULD ALSO HAVE HELPED THE TOURIST TRADE AS A WHOLE WITHOUT DRAWING SO MUCH FLAK IN THE MEDIA ETC TO THE INCIDENT. WHO KNOWS WHAT IMPRESSION THIS WOULD HAVE HAD ON THEM, AND OTHER TOURISTS WHO READ ABOUT IT OR HEAR ABOUT IT AND THEN WOULD IT HAVE AN ADVERSE EFFECT ON TOURISM IN THE COUNTRY ?
IF THE TOURIST HAD REFUSED TO ADHERE TO THE SUGGESTION OF THE LAB GUY, TO DESTROY THE OFFENSIVE NEGATIVES, THEN HE COULD HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE MATTER WOULD HAVE TO BE REFERRED TO THE POLICE FOR THEIR ATTENTION. I AM SURE THE TOURIST, HAVING BEEN TOLD OF THE TWO OPTIONS WOULD HAVE OPTED FOR THE FIRST. THEREAFTER, EVERY ONE, THE LAB GUY,(HE WOULD HAVE HAD THE TOURIST CONTINUING HIS PATRONAGE) THE COUNTRY, THE TOURIST TRADE, AND THE TOURIST HIMSELF (WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN EVER GRATEFUL) WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED BY THIS LITTLE FORETHOUGHT ON THE PART OF THE PHOTO LABORATORY PERSONNEL.
ONE OTHER THING, MAYBE THE TOURIST BOARD SHOULD MAKE IT KNOWN TO TOURISTS THAT THINGS OF THIS NATURE SHOULD NOT BE INDULGED IN, AT THE POINTS OF ARRIVAL TO THE COUNTRY.
/
NAK / August 23, 2012
That is what you call wisdom my friend. Many are quite eager to exhibit the lack of it.
/
Nirosh / August 22, 2012
The whole legal system in the country today has been “mararized” which is similar to thalibanization in Afghanistan! These pakis donkey judges do not know to kiss means to love! Even the dogs kiss their cubs and others in the same herd as a gesture of love and affection. This judgment is ample proof that thalibanising concept builders in MARA regime and the stupid mararized judges haven’t been beneficiaries of the love and affection even the puppies have enjoyed! If they did they would not have given such marauding and perverted judgments! This incident pours further fuel and fodder into the flame of hatred towards SL which has been ignited by the Rajapakshas and the stupid Sinhalese Buddhist racists in the country! SL is now fast stepping into the hostile and lawless terrains like Zimbabwe, Afganistan, Iraq etc. Recent arrival of a barbaric despot whose country has a nudist and rapist civilization is the closest telltale sign, Britain’s travel warning is another insult on this country, MARA’s inability to travel to civilized world is another omen, 6 under-aged girls’ raping per day and state sanctioned frequent disappearances and extrajudicial killings of civilians is another sign! All indices and indicators point to the direction that SL under MARA regime would plunge into a state where uncivilized uncultured barbarians live and thrive and where law and order has ceased to exist!
/
PresiDunce Bean / August 27, 2012
Everybody seems to be calling the PresiDunce MARA. I prefer to call him PresiDunce Percy Jilmart. As Marx once said, “Religion is the opium of the people”…in Sri Lanka, religion is used to stir up our majority asses trying to imply to them that there is an enemy at the gates out to destroy the religion of the majority of the country and in doing so the government hopes that these asses will forget about the bigger issues that are affecting this country. And in this they have been very successful. :)
/
kadphises / August 22, 2012
In this age of digital photography someone is developing film in a photographic laboratory? Both the lady and the laboratory deserve to be punished for not keeping up with the times!
/
Moorthiammah Murali / August 22, 2012
Sri Lanka desperately needs tourists !!! Why drag tourists to jail ?? Sri Lanka is not known for first class jail facilities so why such rough treatment of the tourists in Sri Lanka ..They are the “cash cows” for all of us. I have been to Thailand and one of the silly girl from another tourist group did touch the Buddha statue. She was warned by monks and no one drag her and her family by police to jail for this!!
The stern warning would have been good enough for the French tourists to realise what they were up to is not acceptable in this part of the world. Dragging them to police and courts and is a bit over the top.
Only if our police and courts were equally quick to give sentences to the monks who destroyed part of the mosque in Dambulla or the monk that stole the Ganesh statue from the Hindu Kovil
/
Thisara / August 22, 2012
I saw the one photo put in the Web and accordingly I saw this girl giving only a kiss on the cheek of Lord Buddha. I did not see any vulgar mood or bad intention on her face but just an affectionate one. Is giving a kiss is that of an offence to send someone to jail for six months.Are there any law to say not to kiss a statue other than to remove slippers when visiting a temple. I think these French people mis judged Sri Lankans as liberal, but looks like not. More over how about the punishment given for the murder of the British citizen, and pick pocketing their belongings and passports etc…..and the raping of under age girls and women in the country. Are they been given the justice equally. Let the judge publish those photos to public, so they can see what type of pose they are in and the punishment given is justified. Also don’t forget that there are thousands of Sri Lankan undocumented people living in those countries, and while those governments know them, they still have a sympathy towards them.If Lord Buddha lived today, what he will do to this girl. Jesus Christ was kissed by many and he encouraged it….including his disciple Judas who betrayed him…and he knew it, (mean he will betray). It’s one’s own heart what type of kiss one give, and the other who looks at it.
/
gamini / August 23, 2012
Thisara, you are quite right. We live in an age where there should not be divisions of Religion, Race and Colour of the skin, but unfortunately there are some yet living among us who practise bigotry. These bigots lacks the ability of sensible reasoning. We are a Nation of Copy Cats. This is perfectly alright as long as we do not pretend to be purer than others. There was never a case of sending greetings for Wesak in our culture like Christians sending Greetings for Christmas. Besides there is no significance in sending Greetings for Wesak as it is a solemn occaision. Yet the copy cats we are, Greeting Cards are printed for Wesak with the Pictures of Lord Buddha. Thereafter these Cards are thrown to the dust bin and some strewn about being trampled. Then these Pious Puritans have no issue. Further the image of Buddha vary from one to another. There are some images with the projection of a hand like object, at the back of his head to depict a halo alike. The chronicles reveal that he lived upto 80 years and in his last stages he found difficult to walk and had used a long stick to hold on to. Further he had been hunched. There were no masses around him when he breathed his last, except a few disiples including Ven. Ananda thera. As I have said before there is no statue or painting of Buddha at eighty years, old and frail in death. What is projected as Buddha in death is of a young exuberant individual. If Buddhism is to be presented as the truth, this kind of false marketing will not help. I trust those who have got offended, by this tourist pecking a statue, do not mind of a countless number, erected at almost every street corner, using scarece power, free of charge, lit up lavishly, looking at the roads for the well wisher to drop some coins for charity, in other words using the Buddha statue as a BEGGING OBJECT.
/
Silva / August 23, 2012
Hah…Hah…! Gamini, that is very true. They are “using Buddha statue as a begging object”! Oh my god! This beautiful and ugly thought did not occur to me earlier! Go to any archeological site where ruins of Buddha exist, there they are, always begging: give, give, give- the incessant cry of begging! Go to any temple, there is a begging Buddha! Not only Buddha their deities too are beggars because at every devalaya there is a locked box with an opening (kataya) to dump in coins. And during MARA tenure since the coins have devalued almost to oblivion I wonder whether they would receive a message from “their Buddha” and Heaven for adopting currency notes for spiritual transactions! These Sinhalese Buddhist buggers are a nation of beggars! In fact their leading beggar is Buddha! They have turned him into one! And then they are begging from India, from China, from Iran, from Russia, from US UK WB, from Japan, from almost every foreign country! Then they are begging from their own government-the Samurdhi, rations, food stamps, free education, free health care etc. etc. During Wesak they go on begging from Dansals-and they think it to be an act that earn them merits (pin), a commodity they believe would assist them in their journey through ‘samsara’ and without which they are oriented hell-bound! And in six years’ or so time their government begin begging from its creators-the voters-for their vote! During this time their chief beggar is their president! As a subset he arranges his own Araliya Dansala at his official residence for his voters to turn up and beg for their ‘royal foods”! Hah…This is all very funny..isn’t it? And then at their grandly named “office of the commissioner of elections….” or something like that if the president has not obtained enough votes for his begging he then rigs the election results! Then the defeated beggars go to MARA courts for begging justice where they won’t get it because the judges and the police and the military are begging from their president for their underhand perks and privileges! This goes on in cycles and cycles endlessly! And finally they say “nowhere else in the world do we see a situation and country like ours” and call their country “the miracle of Asia”!!!!!!!!!!
/
Helena Waidiyasekerta / August 23, 2012
Gamini and Chandimal – both of you are spot on and perefectly correct.
The likes of Gundumanis are shamelessly harbouring all those buddhist swindlers and rapists and the MARAAYAS WHO ARE ROBBING AND SWINDLING ALL THE SRI LANKANS.
By all these fallacies and hypocrises we will very soon hear that even the UN, EU and USA will put out travel advisories, AND WHAT WILL ALL THOSE MARAS DO WITH THE HOTELS THEY ARE TURNING OUT WITH THEIR ILL GOTTEN GAINS.
Gundumanis are covering up the rot that is taking place by the buddhist mafia in thsi country.
/
Semini Iddamalgoda / August 23, 2012
OMG !!
Shameless Rajapaksa Government playing skilfully a “Victim ” Card !!!
Their croc tears dont fool anyone !! :)
Government spokesman said that the French Tourists would…” would have taken the pictures abroad, published them and gloated at them..?????”
He is painting this innocent blunder into the War against Buddhism !!!!!!
BTW why would French Tourists publish their family holiday pics ???
Rajapaksa Regime is making the mountain out the molehill !!!
I think, it is a good way to scare off the tourists and irresponsible way to run the tourist industry.
http://news.yahoo.com/sri-lanka-condemns-buddha-kissing-french-tourists-131907883.html?_esi=1#ugccmt-container
/
Silva / August 23, 2012
“..As well as the photo of the woman appearing to kiss the statue, the man tried to imitate the pose of the Buddha, police told the magistrate..”
This is really what happens when pakis donkeys like mararized police, judges and citizens try to interpret Buddhism according to thalibanized world view! During the whole of Buddha’s life after attaining enlightenment what he preached were all the people to have love and compassion in their hearts and minds and to share that love with one another, to become like him etc. That may be why those tourists who appear be more discerning and sensitive to Buddha than these Sinhalese Buddhist donkeys and puritans may have kissed the statue and imitated his pose! There is nothing wrong in it. They simply loved him and wanted to be like him-which is what lord Buddha has said!
The problem arises when these stupid puritan morons try to idolize Buddha as their own father figure and make Buddhism their own fiefdom. This incident will scare away the last drying stream of tourists into this country!
/
Panda / August 23, 2012
If this government wants to promote tourism, one of our most important means of revenue, then they are going the completely wrong way. What kind of nonsense is this? The US has advised their citizens of problems here, tourist being killed and the woman raped, and now this uncivilized sentence? If any tourist has shown ignorance for rules and regulations, you have to show some kind of understanding.
Lord Buddha would not, wish this on anyone. He has shown compassion and understanding, looks like his followers in the government have not.
/
American Lanka Lover / August 23, 2012
Two thoughts: 1) Hindus are MUCH more prudush than Buddhists (just read how the film industry is threatening to quit Mumbai because of the Shiv Seena types hostility to muslims in movies or racy themes or scenes)
and
2) these tourists are still developing film? Get an iphone! They should have been prosecuted for criminal stupidity for taking it to a processing lab.
/
Sam / August 23, 2012
While visiting any place of worship in any country,the correct norms of behaviour are expected.
These tourists showed contempt, by their behaviour.
They should have been jailed for a week at least,as punishment and as a warning to others.
/
BAH / August 23, 2012
This comment was removed by a moderator because it didn’t abide by our Comment policy.For more detail see our Comment policy
http://colombotelegraph.com/comments-policy/
/
rr / August 25, 2012
If you kiss a kuran in public in Saudi Arabia you will be hanged. Nobody talked about it.
/
Lanka Muslim, UK / August 31, 2012
From where did you this information? What nonsense?
/
kris / August 30, 2012
I am an athiest, there is nothing wrong in being one, but I wish to state that I live by Buddha’s Philosophy and not a labeled Buddhist as others
What a crap, Gamini ,your article shows how you live by buddist philosohy with anger, jealousy,
/
gamini / September 2, 2012
Kris (knife) you are blunt, you are the one who took offence for the helpless Tamils coming across to Austarlia? Well, while you hang out there, why don’t you make use of the opportunity and learn the language English, so you could articulate better to be understood by others.
I do not have to call myself a Buddhist to live the way of life according to my conscience. With whom am I angry? and of whom am I jealous?
/
sadhu / September 2, 2012
What about children (specially boys) abused by budhist monks in sri lankan budhist temples. everyone knows it, but this is tabu in sri lanka. who punish the monks for this inhuman act? where is the so called super government, the law?
/
kk / September 3, 2012
Refer below some of your writing ,
These statements clearly show hate, lust
I do not know about you, but the big Gona has a different agenda
How do you know that I indulge in filth if you are not filthy you? Grow up NAK, Grow Up!
I believe very soon a few of them might be gunned down at least then it will open their eyes
When Thanha, Rakthi and Ranga, three women danced completely nude in front of Buddha? How do you know they were completely nude- dirty imagination (completely lying)
If you are trying to claim that you are following Buddhism with above thoughts, we can understand your Buddhist philosophy or learn the language English, so you could articulate better to be understood by others.
/
kk / September 3, 2012
Gamini,
Refer below some of your writing ,
These statements clearly show hate, lust
I do not know about you, but the big Gona has a different agenda
How do you know that I indulge in filth if you are not filthy you? Grow up NAK, Grow Up!
I believe very soon a few of them might be gunned down at least then it will open their eyes
When Thanha, Rakthi and Ranga, three women danced completely nude in front of Buddha? How do you know they were completely nude- dirty imagination (completely lying)
If you are trying to claim that you are following Buddhism with above thoughts, we can understand your Buddhist philosophy or learn the language English, so you could articulate better to be understood by others.
/