By Jagath Asoka –
Dr. Jagath Asoka
Before I write my thoughts on this topic, I want to emphasize that all these articles that I have written are just my opinions that are based on my profound pondering and constant reflections. These conversations and exchange of ideas with my readers have only one purpose: As the Buddha explained, “To liberate my mind from clinging.”
I want all of you to know that I have borrowed the phrase “God Buddha” from Sharmini Serasinghe. Sharmini’s and Tisaranee Gunasekara’s writings concretize one of my long-held thoughts, based on my own experience as a medical/technical writer, over the last thirteen years: I personally think women are better writers than men; since 2001, I have not worked with a male medical/technical writer here in the USA, yet.
The commenters who identify themselves as ”Dude,” “Sirimal,” “Gamini,” and, of course, the others who make cogent and cohesive comments and contributions to this website must contribute their own articles to Colombo Telegraph because all of you are much better than some of the learned and professional writers who appear on this website. I am sorry to say that most of them are boring, but I am happy to say that they have cured my insomnia!
I don’t know about you, but I contribute to Colombo Telegraph because it is banned in Sri Lanka, because Rajapaksas have taken away our precious freedom of expression, and because they have hired sycophants and thugs to kill, harass, and intimidate journalists and dissenters. I sincerely believe that Rajakapsas will stop all these nonsense because if they don’t, they will not survive. They will end up like Prabakaran. It is just a matter of time.
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka belongs to a different category; I sometimes disagree with Dr. Dayan Jayatillakae, but I admire his cogent and cohesive arguments, analyses, and predictions. I sincerely understand his predicament. So, Dayan, keep entertaining, educating, enlightening, and edifying us with your impartial, erudite, fair, and scholarly articles and analyses, not with their antitheses.
All the idiots, lovers of Rajapaksas, BBS members, and all the other hatemongers, please, please do not change, not even a skosh; live forever as the way you are right now, without changing at all; I need you like the air that I breathe. You, keep me alive and entertain me without respite!
I did not plan to write this article, but I am writing this as a response to some of the comments that I have seen about Buddhism, God, nirvana, and other religions, particularly about “nirvana” and “praying to the Lord Buddha.”
Before I write this article, I need to make a few more comments related to the comments made by “Dude, “Sirimal,” and “Gamini”: Yes, Dude, I agree with your comment: “Sri Lanka is also ready for a Tamil Prime Minister, and Vigneshwaran would do just fine or Sumanthiran.” I also agree with “Sirimal’s” comment where he alludes to the word “praying” that I used in my previous article: “It is not easy to translate the feeling word to word.” Gamini, I agree: Ranil will not steal from us like Rajapaksas.
In this article, I will explain what I meant by “I pray that the Lord Buddha…”
Religion and God are very sensitive subjects; it is like talking about your own mother: only I can criticize my mother, not you. Probably your mother is more attractive, educated, sophisticated, and even richer and sexier than mine, but I still love my mother, not yours. In the preceding two sentences, I just paraphrased one of Gandhi’s favorite aphorisms. I have no intention of telling you the story of Siddhartha to Buddha because all of you know that story. But I do not think that most of you have ever thought that the Buddha has taken the place allocated to God in your own mind. Yes, there is a place allocated, reserved, and spontaneously evoked only for God in the structure of our mind; that place can neither be eliminated, nor produced by force. It is common to all of us, regardless of our religion and faith: Yes, God resides in your mind whether you like to admit it or not. You cannot be a theist, atheist, agnostic, or apathyist, let alone a human being, without God in your conscious and unconscious mind. It is a fact that God resides in our minds, and we need God more than we need anything or anyone else; if you are a Buddhist, you need God more than the Buddha. Most Buddhists gullibly and ostentatiously reject this idea of God because they think that this God belongs only to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. I think they are not only fooling themselves but also are trying to fool the rest of us: I think everybody needs God, and atheists talk and think about God more than the rest of us. Buddhists are not atheists, and the Buddha’s first two verses in Dhammapada about mind are an allusion to God. The God that I talk about is not the exact and identical God described in the Bible or Koran, but both the Bible and the Koran describe the God that I talk about, using their own jargon, stories, similes, parables, metaphors, symbols, allegories, and miracles: This God is omniscient, omnipotent, and ubiquitous: So, you can definitely find this God in you. If you do not believe me, just reflect and ponder on what I have written; you do not have to tell me the answer because I already know your answer. When it comes to God, you don’t have a choice but to believe in him and pray to him. Please do not criticize me for making God a male figure, and let’s not argue about semantics and rhetoric. You can refer to God as “She,” or make God a unisex or sexless figure. That is your prerogative, but don’t make a sanctimonious and ostentatious display of piety, just keep God where he belongs: in your mind.
I often use some ideas that were presented by Jung and Rudolf Otto when I talk about God, religion, and Numen. The word “Numen” is used to describe the divine power or spirit; a deity, especially one presiding locally or believed to inhabit a particular object, and used by some to describe the power or presence of a divinity. To me, these words, “numen, God, and Buddha” denotes, as well as connotes, ideas, beliefs, and concepts that are similar and not similar at the same time. Of course, I am using the Buddha’s tetralemma here.
When I use the word “numen,” I use it to describe the indescribable presence. I feel this presence, this numen, this holy feeling, whether I am in a dilapidated Buddhist temple in Hiribmuregama, Galle, Sri Lanka ,or when I am in the magnificent St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City, NY. This numinous feeling has nothing to do with religion at all. I am absolutely certain that I will have this spontaneous feeling if I were to enter a mosque or a synagogue; I have felt the same feeling in Hindu temples. This numinous feeling gave birth to all religions. As Heraclitus said, “The best things cannot be told.” So, I would not try to explain this indescribable feeling to you; I can only allude to it. The Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed had an innate ability to spontaneously invoke and evoke this feeling whenever they wished for it, and wherever they were; but most of us cannot do it unless we are in a certain environment. I know that some people can invoke and evoke this feeling when they meditate, pray, utter mantras, listen to chanting like Buddhist Sutras, Catholic hymns, or Sufi whirling, etc.
Over the last 2600 years, the Buddha has gradually become God for Buddhists, and that was inevitable. I can give you a plethora of examples and write and talk about this subject until the cows come home, but that is not necessary. I will give you an example, and this example will give you just the taste of this topic, just as when I say “Taste a drop of the ocean to get the taste of it; you don’t have to drink the entire ocean.”
In Samyutta Nikaya and as well as it was explained by Buddhaghosa, the epithet “Adiccabandhu” is often used to describe the Buddha because Adicca (the Sun) belonged to the Buddha. The Sun is the Buddha’s kinsman because the Sun is the Buddha’s breast born son (orasaputta); Sun is also the Buddha’s disciple. The implication here is that the Buddha is the creator of our Sun, the sustainer of life on earth. Usually, in the Bible and Koran this creator is God. I am certain that the Buddha did not think of himself as God, but nobody can say with absolute certitude what the Buddha taught. Ananda was not taking any notes or holding a tape recorder to the Buddha’s lips to record his teachings and then went home to transcribe everything for us to read. The same is true about Jesus and Mohammed as well; all of them were illiterate: did not read and write, but their wisdom is unmatchable, and their teachings are indelible. That is why they have entered the realm of God in our minds. That is why I say I pray to the Lord Buddha, because he resides where God resides in my mind.
Do not ever forget that Siddhartha was a human being with all the functions of a human being. When our Martin Wickremasinghe—Sri Lanka’s epitome of creative writers and pioneer critics—wrote Bava Taranaya, he got a bit of flack. When Siddhartha became the Buddha, he still was a human being. He was born, lived, and died as a human being, like Jesus and Mohammed. Later, they all entered into the realm of divinity. Now, they reside in our minds where God resides. They have not supplanted or kicked God out of our minds; they are living together in the same place with God. For Hindus, Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma, and the other deities reside where God resides in our mind. This idea of God was first articulated by the Jews; but God had been in our unconscious mind before God entered our conscious mind. Later, Christians and Muslims borrowed, added, and modified this idea. But God does not belong only to the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. God belongs to all of us. Now, some monks like Kiribathgoda Gnanananda and other BBS thugs think they are the latest incarnation of the Buddha.
A conversation that I once had with young Buddhist monks comes to my mind when I hear the following Sinhalese phrase, and if I were to hear this phrase again, probably, I would throw up in the face of the one who utters it: “Hari Silwath Hamuduruwo; Hari Pin Patai.” I am pretty sure, and I firmly believe that there are genuine Buddhist monks who are worthy of deep veneration, but they are rarer than gems that you are going to find on the Island of Sri Lanka, which appears to be a terrarium surrounded by the most beautiful beaches imaginable. These young men were forced to become monks when they were around ten years old by their parents, because their parents firmly believed that they would achieve nirvana by making their children monks. I was in my early twenties, and they were just a year or two younger than me. One of them could sing Amaradeva’s songs with such a dulcet voice, and since I love Amaradeva’s dulcet voice and mellifluous music, these monks became my friends. I had earned their trust by being brutally honest about myself with them, so they did not have a choice but to reveal their innermost secrets to me; of course, the Russian Vodka worked as a good libation. We talked not only about music but also about the voluptuous, beautiful Russian sirens and nymphs. I have to use euphemistic language to describe what they revealed to me. They revealed that they were having both mental imaginary and physical imaginary sex with these women. They also said that they did the same with the women who venerated them in Sri Lanka. The sympathy and empathy that I felt for them was truly indescribable. My point is that do not ever forget that these monks, priests, imams, rabbis, etc are mere human beings, just like you and me. Most of them were ordained to perform certain functions and rituals. Most of them are not holier than you, or worse than you.
I also feel sorry for the children whose parents gullibly say, “We want our children to understand the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path.” For your own children’s sake, give your children a break! When I was a kid, all I ever wanted to do was to play all day. Even now, that is all I want: Just play all day. Did Siddhartha try to understand these Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path when he was a kid? Siddhartha had a harem, and he reveled in sex and luxury until one day he felt a deep depression and left home looking for a cure for his depression and found his Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path; it was a hero’s journey, and the boon that he brought back to us is still enjoyed, revered, and venerated: his teachings, realizations, experiences, meditation techniques, and practices were in the realm of humanity; now, we practice and follow them as Buddhism. The best definition of nirvana that I have seen came from a non-Buddhist: Nirvana is a state of mind where you are not compelled by desire, fear, or social obligations. Nirvana belongs to the same category that Heraclites talked about: The best things cannot be told. As I said, when I play tennis, I just get a glimpse of this state of mind, where I am totally engaged, and I am not compelled by other desires, fears, or social obligations. Yes, I am not a good tennis player at all, but I do not have to win a gold medal to enjoy tennis; tennis is an activity where I do not feel the concept of time and place. Writing and reading have the same effect on me; so is spending time with my son.
The Buddha did not discover anything new; he was the one who articulated the human condition so that others could understand it. The Buddha is the one who came up with the exact vocabulary to describe this human condition, and showed us how to deal with death, suffering, and other ineluctable conditions of life. Before the Buddha, people had been dying and suffering; all the good and the bad qualities of human beings have been constant; these qualities are going to continue as long as human beings continue to live in this universe. Jesus and Mohammed did the same thing; the only difference is that God became the center of everything that they talked about. Buddha talked about the same things without God, but the concept of god is inseparable from Buddhism. If you were to combine all these elemental gods in Buddhism and Hinduism into one God, all religions become just One Religion; all faiths become One Faith; if you are a Buddhist, you still need God; if you are vehemently denying it, for God’s sake, and for your own sake, please stop pretending that you don’t believe in God. Physical existence of God is totally irrelevant!
If you want the best for yourself and live with serenity as well as detachment, follow the teachings of the Buddha and pray to God as often as you can and as often as necessary. I firmly believe that all of us are Buddhists, but most of us do not know that all of us are Buddhists. At this stage of my life, I do not need or seek the guidance of a guru and a spiritual leader. I do not visit temples, churches, mosques, or synagogues. Most of my friends who are beyond their forties are going through this deep spiritual crisis; some have become born-again Christians, and the others are searching for nirvana, a panacea for all ailments. There is one explanation: They are scared of impending, ineluctable death, old age, and suffering. I am scared of death, too, so I just play tennis, golf, soccer, and basket ball; at least, three hours a day: That is my nirvana; that is my mediation and prayer; that is my panacea. Yes, I pray to God that resides in my own mind when I am totally helpless and my rational as well as irrational thoughts cannot help me anymore; praying helps me to deal with all ineluctable situations: such as death, old age, sickness, and losing and separating from those I love deeply. Death is an illusion—a maya; so there is no need to be scared. I do not think that people are scared of dying; people are scared of suffering and privation, not death; now, you can clone yourself if you want; scientists have figured out how to implant not only your memory but also enormous amount of knowledge and literally turn you into a talking library that can process any information like a robot with human qualities. Scientists can also erase your bad memories and nightmares. If you have children, you know that in every child of yours, 50% of you live in them. So, either through having your own progeny, or if you are really desperate, by making a clone, you can live forever; If you do not have a child, adopt one and treat the child as your own progeny. I know that most people do not want to make clones of themselves, but I am not sure what will happen in the future because science is progressing at a truly unimaginable and unpredictable rate, and I am seeing it every moment. This kind of thinking has eliminated my own fears of my own ineluctable death. Well, suffering and disease are still real problems, but we will come up with solutions to these problems as well; we have reduced suffering, and most sufferings are created by human beings because of our greed, anger, malice, and stupidity. Before we cure suffering, we need to find a cure for stupidity. As the Buddha said, living with a stupid person is worse than living with an enemy. Sri Lanka is a good example of suffering crated by our own stupidity; our politicians have literally looted money from the hapless, and with the money our politicians have accumulated we can eliminate poverty in Sri Lanka and turn our country in to Shangri-La. But the stupidity of our masses that refuse to see what our politicians are doing to them is the cause of their own privation and suffering. The commenter who identifies himself as “Gamini” has made a valid point regarding Mr. Ranil Wickramasinge: Ranil will not steal from people, like the Rajapaksa clan and goons, who, probably, have become billionaires by stealing and misappropriating our public funds and taking bribes, particularly from China. Ranil’s upbringing and background is totally different from that of Rajapaksas. Ranil does not crave for money; I grew up in the same neighborhood, and I have seen so many of my neighbors who served our country and did not care about making money at all: Dr. Vimala Navaratnam and her Husband Dr. Navaratnam, down Inner Flower Road, epitomize those in my neighborhood who served all of us, but never expected anything in return from us. They were truly concerned about our health and well-being. People like Navaratnams are in the realm of the deities that I worship. Yes, I worship human beings.
I am a Buddhist, but I believe in God and pray to God; I am an omnireligiophile (a word that I coined): A lover of all religions.
Imagine in the future, you would clone yourself and your children, and implant all your knowledge and memories into your brain and your own child would raise you and then you keep repeating this cycle; you eliminate diseases like cancer, diabetes, heart attacks, Aids, etc: there is no death; eventually, every human being who is alive today would end up being God.
May the Buddha’s teachings invoke and evoke the wisdom that you have within you and make you believe in God that resides in you; may God help you in all situations
John / January 5, 2014
Asoka,
True, you are a maniac of some sort, if not join pro west bandwagon & bash Sinhalese & buddhists, uninterruptedly, whilst keeping Asoka the Buddhist emperor’s name.
When are you going to make USA , your country better where your Catholic kid is growing up ??
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / January 5, 2014
John John;
You are showing you stupidity as you call sombody to do join what they do like or not like.
Pro or against is, what they want to select and join.
not yours or mine to ask them or any body.
is it a problem for any body to keep their own beliefs with out disturbing and explaining which or what they believe????.
As Buddhism is not Religion, and No restrictions to follow and obey,we are just students and still learning to get enough knowledge of the Noble truth, to follow the principle of noble truth.
it is one’s own way and time to observe the teachings and follow as instructed, not blindly or as some body say or ask to do like this.
I hope you will be enlighten and get wisdom to understand Buddhist philosophy.
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John / January 6, 2014
JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA,
I see a mental patient in Asoka who needs psychiatrist’s treatment on an urgent basis.
Of course this could be cured, perhaps his symptom/problem is lack of community association of likes in a remote area, far away he cannot evade for his son’s sake;etc, so he tries a way out.
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John / January 6, 2014
JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA,
Added, [Edited out].
/
Leon d'tigre / January 7, 2014
John, I think you forgot to take you medication; sorry I forgot, there is no medicine for stupidly!
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Palayang yako! / January 5, 2014
John:
The man whose name is usually associated with the oldest profession in the world, keeps vomiting out his abusive comments which make no sense whatsoever.. What else is new?
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Lapa Zylva / January 5, 2014
He’s a matter of convenience, by being a TOILET.
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John / January 6, 2014
Palayang yako!
Palayang pako,
John The Baptist, John Paul Pope, John F Kennedy are but only a few of thousands had this name.
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Javi / January 6, 2014
John I have never agreed with you but this yes because Jug has a mid life crisis only he can come out of it not the buddha.
I am off to Fuerteventura to stay away from the cold and enjoy the music away from this keyboard.
Truly a good one to share with all you know!!!
Kind Regards
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Only in America ……do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
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Only in America…..do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries, and a diet coke.
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Only in America…..do banks leave both doors open and then chain the pens to the counters.
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Only in America…..do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our useless junk in the garage.
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Only in America……do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.
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Only in America…..do they have drive-up ATM machines with Braille lettering.
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EVER WONDER …
Why the sun lightens our hair, but darkens
our skin?
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Why women can’t put on mascara with their mouth closed?
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Why don’t you ever see the headline ‘Psychic Wins Lottery’?
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Why is ‘abbreviated’ such a long word?
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Why is it that doctors call what they do ‘practice’?
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Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavour, and dishwashing liquid made with real lemons?
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Why is the man who invests all your money called a broker?
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Why is the time of day with the slowest traffic called rush hour?
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Why isn’t there mouse-flavoured cat food?
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Why didn’t Noah swat those two mosquitoes?
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Why do they sterilize the needle for lethal injections?
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You know that indestructible black box that is used on airplanes? Why don’t they make the whole plane out of that stuff?!
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Why don’t sheep shrink when it rains?
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Why are they called apartments when they are all stuck together?
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If con is the opposite of pro, is Congress the opposite of progress?
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If flying is so safe, why do they call the airport the terminal?
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Now that you’ve smiled at least once, it’s your turn to spread the stupidity and tell this to someone you want to bring a smile to (maybe even a chuckle)…in other words, tell it to everyone. We all need to smile every once in a while.
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JULAMPITIYE AMARAYA / January 6, 2014
javi;
Waste of C T’s Time and space with utter rubbish ?????.
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Silva / January 6, 2014
Javi,
Hah hah haaa! Go and have some fuck fun man! It is truly pleasurable.
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John / January 6, 2014
Javi,
Thanks, have good warm holidays.
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Rationalist / January 6, 2014
Javi, for once I agree with you. Jug as you call him lives in America, and it is ‘Only in America’ that nobody knows WHAT they are doing and WHY! Jug really has reached a ‘Mid Life Crisis’
He says he is a Buddhist, but also believes in an ‘All Powerful GOD’ who rules our Lives!
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Rationalist / January 6, 2014
Jagath Asoka, you have got it wrong!-
“It is a fact that God resides in our minds, and we need God more than we need anything or anyone else;” …
It is not ‘The All Powerful God’ of Christianity and Islam, that resides in our Minds, but any number of Gods or Devas whom we can appeal to, when things are not going our Way. That is why Hinduism appeals to so many, because we can Tailor our personal God to what we require at the moment!
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gamini / January 5, 2014
Jagath,
If someone was to ask me what my Religion is, I say it is my ‘Conscience’. Because I can cheat the whole world, but not my conscience. I do not live with false pretenses and practice Religions and Traditions, merely because the society around me believes and practice so, blindly without question. I question every action of mine and corrects myself only, as I cannot correct the world.
When you are born to this world, Death is the most certainty in life and everything else is only a possibility or a probability. Your life on earth is only a Dream. My thoughts, perception of issues on life and belief, is too vast a subject to write in a forum as this. I value Principles in life over family and friendship. Life becomes very light once you understand your own self, which in turn helps you to understand others. Have a Good Day!
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Thiru / January 5, 2014
Good one gamini, I agree with you mostly: Religion is the opium of the masses, including Buddhism, though Buddha’s thoughts are pure gems of philosophy, which most ordinary mortals cannot follow or achieve.
As you say your conscience is important to guide your actions. Our world is infested with cares created by identities, the most virulent of these is religion: Hundreds of millions of innocent humans are slaughtered in the name of identity and religion.
Animals are much better off in this respect because they don’t have any religion, but they do have identities.
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Rationalist / January 18, 2014
Thiru, “Hundreds of millions of innocent humans are slaughtered in the name of identity and religion.”
Why does not God, if there is an ‘All Powerful, Creator God’, stop this slaughter of His own Creations?
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The Professional / January 5, 2014
Happy New Year Mr. Gamini!
How and where did you learn separate rights and wrongs? Under guidance of a Gru, your parents? At school at work place or temple,church, kovil or mosque? Or were you born with the ability?
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gamini / January 6, 2014
The Professional,
Rights and Wrongs were understood by Humans, long before today’s Religions were found. Rights have been flouted by Wrongs, only after the birth of Religions which is still continuing. My perception of Right and Wrong was mostly influenced by my Conscience. Please read my reply to one of your posts below.
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noel-jones / January 5, 2014
Gamini, You saying the same eternal truth about this world which taught by Buddha about 2600 ago. Buddhism is the only religion reveal this eternal truth and it doesn’t matter you call it as “Conscience”. Most well educated people reluctant to say I’m Buddhist because they either living with Christian/Catholic countries or their brain washed by christian education system from montessory time.
The sad thing is why these well educated people scared to say,”I’m a Buddhist”.
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Sirimal / January 6, 2014
Could you please define a buddhist according to you ?
Conscience has not much to do with spirituality. But Buddha´s teachings yes.
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J.Muthu / January 6, 2014
Gamini thanks,
Simble sinhala budhism curse for ceylon, brits made big mistake they left beautiful country with criminal sinhala shit budhist…we r paying high price….all ways sinhala budhist modayas never going to use their brain never will….
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justice / January 5, 2014
Buddhists do need a god to pray to.
This is why,after paying their respects by offering flowers at the main shrine in all buddhist temples in sri lanka,they visit the Vishnu Shrines in the premises of most buddhist temples to pray,make vows,and even curse their enemies by dashing coconuts.
They also make offerings of gold and cash at the shrine.
These Vishnu Shrines are thus a good source of income for the viharadhipathis.
Vishnu is also beleived to be the “Protecter of Buddhism”.
Jagath Dias,
You dont need to ‘worship’ medical practitioners whose DUTY is to prevent disease,disability and death as long as possible,and to improve the quality of life too – of all their patients.
They are NOT Gods,but only humans trained to do these acts.
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Afzal / January 5, 2014
Jagath, is trying to invent a new god. Unfortunately this is not something new, many have foolishly tried and failed. I think it’s a matter bigger than most of us (if not all of us). Rather stick to the god you already know, or adapt to a god where millions or billions of other are already following or simply follow your own principals.
It seems Jagath is Lost, probably living among Christians may have prompted him to question his believes. So he writes some garbage to test the water.
He also goes in to the extent of generalizing all of us as Buddhist, conveniently forgetting there are around 1/5 of non Buddhist populace in the world.
This is lame attempt to write some stuff, non starter. Maybe Jagath wants to become a christian or muslim or hindu ! so he brings a concept of god in to picture but instead of embracing one of the existing god’s he is attempting to invent a “Buddhist GOD”
I also think he tried quite sheepishly to get few on his side by naming them in his article.
No matter what you are where you live your original colors will show !!!
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Marwan / January 5, 2014
Truly a worthy reading. Makes perfect sense. I say this sincerely as there is a lot that we Muslims don’t understand about the true concept of God in many of other religions. It was only very recently I figured out that Buddhists don’t believe in a God unlike all of the other major religions that are known to us. As Muslims, we have God in our hearts and minds and communicate with Him through our daily prayers, and ask for special favours. We don’t need to see objects like statues and pictures to think of God to communicate with Him. In actual fact, God communicates to us through the Holy Quran, whilst we communicate with God thru our 5 times a day prayers. Come to think of it, we worship, i.e. bow our heads in prostration only to God in one direction only (Ka’ba in Mecca) which is universal, not anyone else, ever. But if you analyze what and what people worship today, or throughout the ages, the sun, moon, stars, trees, cows, snakes, rivers, mountains, statues(bigger the better), the family jewels, dead men, rocks, water, rats, gosh, I could go on and on. But it shows how much people crave for to relate to a super being than themselves, most likely – in search of God. An interesting thought provoking concept of God, but wonder how your Buddhist die-hardss will digest it. May be they will call you a deviant and excommunicate you from the fold. Good luck chum. We are with you.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
MARWAN:
Home-made asked not to worship statues or portraits because Homeland did not want the opposing tribes to recgonize his face and despise his teaching.
If you learn buddhism, buddhist statues were later introduction into the Buddhism.
What Buddha promoted was PRactice and not rituals.
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you. Shame on you. Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Jagath?
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Marwan / January 6, 2014
@Jim Softy, What a shitty and childish argument you make. If he (Prophet) has been influential in bringing and keeping almost 2 billion people (as of today) within the faith of Islam single handed, without permitting nor promoting pictures of himself, then what is there to despise so much in his teachings? Unlike the Buddhists who couldn’t claim India nor Nepal to become or remain as Buddhist nations, despite it being the birth place of the founder of Buddhism. And that too with all the images, stupas, statues and inanimate objects built to remember and worship him. Your insulting the Prophet by calling him names shows from what stock you breed.
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The Professional / January 5, 2014
Lengthy article but nothing spiritual in it. Only a discourse of confusion in writer’s mind. Acting according to conscience helps surviving but no human is born with a moral sense of right and wrong enabling him to survive. When a birth is registered a religion is given and in Sri Lanka the registered religion determines the school for the child and the religion to study at school. Therefore basics of morality is taught through a religion. As adults human beings can either become followers of any religion or atheists.
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gamini / January 5, 2014
Professional,
Correct me if I am wrong. Long before the present day Religions were born, Man had discovered what is ‘Right’ and what is ‘Wrong’ for Civilization to continue to the point Religions were found. So morality was found and existed in primitive societies before the birth of the present day Religions. One could argue that the morals practiced by society then, that only helped the birth of Religions. Therefore if as you say ‘Basics of morality was taught through Religion’, how is it that after the world became Religious, the level of decadence in morality in every society has hit rock bottom today? On the contrary I find most of those who do not profess a particular Religion are more modest and morally pure than the Religious Fanatics.
My qualm is that we force Religion on society although the Constitution provides the freedom for one to believe in any Religion while at the same time, although not written, the ‘Right’ not to believe in any. However the right, not to believe for the Young in society is flouted, when Religion is forced as a subject in their school curriculum and made compulsory. So is Sunday School the Daham Pasalas where attendance is made compulsory to sit the GCE O/L. This is nothing but a violation of one’s Fundamental Right by the State, at the insistence of all the Clergy, fueling claim that the present social decadence is due to lack of society, being Religious. I believe the present decadence of society commenced with all the zealots of all faiths, politicizing every Religion for their personal gain, pouring too much Religion down the throat of society. I have raised my own children with no Religion but they are very responsible citizens of society, coming from a mixed marriage.
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Javi / January 6, 2014
Gamani,
You are spot on. Jagath has a mid life crisis its very hard for him he is with Mussolini the lioness we can only hope he does not become a single dad.
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Nivan / January 6, 2014
Gamini’s GOLDEN WORDS, “How is it that after the world became Religious, the level of decadence in morality in every society has hit rock bottom today? On the contrary I find most of those who do not profess a particular Religion are more modest and morally pure than the Religious Fanatics”, should be appreciated by everybody.
Unfortunately, Gamini and people who have a similar way of thinking are a minority in this society. There are good examples to prove Gamini’s statement. These days in Auckland, New Zealand, an unsavoury letter is circulating that a Sri Lankan, who built the golden fence(Ran Weta)around the Bo tree of the Buddhist temple and who was also the chief organizer of Katina Pinkama, is running an immoral business with the participation of helpless female international students. People have started to believe that the details given in the unsavoury letter are true assuming that this person has become so religious to pay for his Sins.
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Pasel / January 5, 2014
In the same look as Sri Lanka is a majority of a Buddhist country and it’s president Mahinda Percy Rajapaksa from human rights lawyer to dictator
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karl singham / January 5, 2014
Jagat:
A fine searching article,indeed a meditation on profound issues– not that I agree with everything you say.
Re some of the comments:I cannot imagine a more profound misunderstanding of your thesis — but then that is par for the course for many of these commentators.Anyone with a computer,with little learning and even smaller capacity to read and ponder the issues can run off a comment.
And Jagat:keep on playing tennis! And writing.
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karl singham / January 5, 2014
Jagat Asoka writes
“They are scared of impending, ineluctable death, old age, and suffering. I am scared of death, too, so I just play tennis, golf, soccer, and basket ball; at least, three hours a day: That is my nirvana; that is my mediation and prayer; that is my panacea.”
Brilliant.
/
Silva / January 6, 2014
karl singham,
“Jagat Asoka writes
“They are scared of impending, ineluctable death, old age, and suffering. I am scared of death, too, so I just play tennis, golf, soccer, and basket ball; at least, three hours a day: That is my nirvana; that is my mediation and prayer; that is my panacea.”
Brilliant.”
Knowing of impending, ineluctable death….is playing tennis.. the only option left for an intelligent person!? I very much doubt it. Man, this is not going to work! is it?
Seeing the same things and much more-the 3 bad omens of life and a glimpse of hope, the sick, the senile, the death and a truth seeker-Lord Buddha is said to have done the Great Renunciation and gone through all those things said in the books in search of an answer! When you say “Brilliant” I can’t understand the brilliance in it!
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Patriot / January 6, 2014
Why is it so brilliant? I do walk one hour a day and participate in sports activities too. However, I do those not because I am scare of death. I can not imagine a person admitting that he is scared of his death. This is pathetic.
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Sirimal / January 6, 2014
No, I think every living being is scared of death. Older you become, more you like to live. This I know from my aged parents. It is the nature of us human beings. May be you might have interpreted it some what different :)
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punchisingho / January 5, 2014
A thought provoking article.
Yet I do not believe in a god or God for I am yet to be convinced beyond an iota of doubt by somebody that a god or gods or God exists.If God is so powerful and good I wonder why he did not stop genocides and wars.
People pray to gods or God when they are helpless and the belief that god will help him or her is a sort of relief to them.
Until the end of last century there were so many ghosts in villages of Sri Lanka.I did not see any of them but many adults said that they had seen them at desolate places at night.After villages received electricity it seems that ghosts have vanished into thin air.Likewise
will God or gods vanish into thin air in future?
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Silva / January 5, 2014
Mr. Ashoka,
Right until before this article you had written everything to the point and perfectly. However here you seem to have been ventured out into uncharted territory and struggling. But we must commend you for the honesty and braveness displayed. We stand on equal grounds on Ranil, Gamini et al and Rajapaksha rogue regime which is more than enough to work together.
You have ventured out to religious and spiritual realms as well and we feel it is a good thing because religious pursuit and Religions must be as old as man’s existence on this earth. Religion is the most debatable and vague subject on this planet because due to its abstract nature each individual interprets it according to his/her whims and fancies. These whims and fancies are collectively created by the tribal, sectarian and national group and then modified individually in a cycle of creation, modification and destruction.
Teachings of Buddha as written on the books is much more detailed, fundamental, all embracing and profound than what you suggest in your mainly God concept. In the essence of Buddhism there is no mention or connection to God. God is only a side event in Buddhism. You seem to have taken the offshoot as the essence or important aspect of Buddhism. There is nothing wrong in invoking God affiliated feeling in minds because they seem to transcend ordinary human feelings which boarder on conflict and sorrow. But let me ask this question from you: Does this feeling you refer to has anything connected with your thoughts, memory, experience, pleasure etc.? Does it have something common with your self, the ego, the I, the me? Can you describe or explain it later? Dees it help you to escape from your everyday psychological problems and pains? I think this God concept is an effort to escape from the reality, of who I am. I am miserable, unhappy, ignorant and all that and I want something to cling on to escape from my unsatisfactory state. Even Lord Buddha did not try to emulate God after being enlightened. He just remained human! So why seek God? Mr Ashoka, I think you need to revisit Buddhist teachings and get the facts right.
The root of all our psychological problems is our consciousness as it is with all its sorrows, problems, agonies, greed, hate, ignorance, violence, dishonesty, ambition, jealousy, cravings and all that goes with it. This God is also part of it. But the problem is that that God has been created by man himself! Man is the creator of his own God! Human mind is the cause of all the problems. Human brain is conditioned, programmed and trained to create more and more conflicts and miseries. Human mind cannot contain love or God because thought is past, memory, conditioned and dead. You can’t touch or understand the living present with dead past! It is only that which has not been created by thought which is sacred. You have cleverly coined “omnireligiophile” which exactly conveys the meaning you intended but in reality it is non-sense. In this era of the human existence on earth religions cannot deliver because they have been distorted and deformed. On the other hand a God centric, authoritative or belief based religions cannot answer human problems. The only religion that came close to real healing of man was Buddhism but which is as practiced now is rubbish. All this has happened because of the sub-human mentality of human mind in global scale. There is only handful of people who are sensitive to these issues and can be called real humans. What the world really needs are enlightened beings who would expose to the world what is not religious and ungodly. It is through negation that the human mind can free itself from its own cage of human consciousness and civilization. This human civilization is rotten to the core and let alone God, it cannot find space for its own survival-there is Rajapaksha mafia, murder, robbery, plundering, rape, suicide, swindling, corruption, waste, inefficiency, lawlessness, chaos, poverty, deprivation, ignorance, superstition and all the rest of it. With all these things there cannot be the advent of any kind of religious consciousness into the man’s realm of existence. Humans have to put their home in order first. Sri Lanka has to first get rid of Rajapakshas and place Ranil in driver seat if they want to have at least any hope of venturing a religious pursuit because religious pursuit begins only when there is complete freedom, security, peace and love. Under Rajapakshas hate has been the religion of us all. Few may have smothered it by they can’t go anywhere from their present status. One thing is sure though-Rajapakshas won’t give up power so easily. They would rig all elections any prevail in militarily. There are only two ways out: a Sri Lanka Spring where military remain neutral or a section of military turns against Rajkapaksha rule or the international community mediates to establish a democratic government. Let me have your thoughts.
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Thondamanaru / January 5, 2014
Lot of spook with no substance……….
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Saliya / January 5, 2014
His views on Kiribathgoda Hamuduruwo was very interesting and I showed that to my family for better understanding of Buddhism. The respect the writer earned from his earlier writings compelled me to read this article but it seems like a scream of lack of consciousness and confidence on himself and searching for something to depend on, to preach, to yell.
The main difference between believing or not beleiving “the Almighty God” is that believers are afraid of God (they say, “God fearing” to avoid evil things). None believers have confidence in mind, the consciousness of good and bad. The writer seems very fearful (Bhakthimath=Bhayawela) and helpless. So he has lost Sardha (confidence). An evidence that peer pressure works for matured people as well (in this case his children too peers).
The writer says “Buddha did not discover anything new”. Statistics can prove that the concept of Almighty God is becoming obsolete fast and Lord Buddha was the one who discovered it first.
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Navin / January 5, 2014
“I am a Buddhist, but I believe in God and pray to God.”
—
It was only a couple of weeks ago that I saw an article by you criticizing monks for not living by the principles/fundamentals of Buddhism. Now what is the point in criticizing others when you yourself do not practice Buddhism?
“scientists have figured out how to implant not only your memory but also enormous amount of knowledge and literally turn you into a talking library that can process any information like a robot with human qualities”
—
This is not science but science fiction.
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Sirimal / January 6, 2014
Navin@
you say “I am a Buddhist, but I believe in God and pray to God.”
Could you please add more why ?
I am a born buddhist, I also beleive in God (super natural power behind every individual). May be I was searching for more through evolution some times back now. And the facts that the creation of human being is not easily provable pursuades me to believe in God than not doing so.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
JAGATH ASOKA:
Stop writing crap, I mean about subjects that you don’t know a word about. there is nothing to respond to your crap. You simply don’t know what you are talking about.
Why about 10 -15% of the EVANGELICAL CHURCHis HIV-AIDS patients ?
Yet, they go to AFRICA and spread the HATE MESSAFE AGAINST HOMOSEXUALS. and some african govt have constitutionalities the HOMO-PHOBIA.
Can you explain that ?
You talked about SHAMINI SERASINGHE. [Edited out]. She is she is buddhist but when she wrote and article about her Tamil collegue, she used all the christian words such GOD, SOUL and she did not know the word KARMA even. Secondly, when an anglican bishop wrote and article she was very happy about that.
She [Edited out]
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you. Shame on you.
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you. Shame on you. Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Jagath?
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Sirimal / January 6, 2014
I believe JS should be that Lee potter leela.
Leela´s successor Banda was also the same person.
These days we cant see Banda is appearing anymore, means JS is proved to be former Leela.The man is said tobe living near to Horana area. He was telling us about having a PhD in theology or so. Anyway, thre were various comments telling the abuses the guy may have made to his customers under that Leepotter housing constructions.By age he should be in early 70ties.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
JAGATH ASKOA:
It is difficult to talk to people who are prejudiced and igonorent.
I don’t put TG in the same boat as you and Shamini Serasinhhe are. You both are Christians and Do not know anything about Buddhism. Yet, you two try to pretend you know every thing.
There are very good American born monks who have excellent knowledge about Buddha and buddhism. GO and ask them about what crap you have written.
JAgath Asoka, you should learn that you few are not the first ones who wanted to ridicule buddhism and Buddha.
Read and see. DR. and MRs. RHYS DAVIS were two anglican Christians who were sent to do that exact activity and they ended up as GO0D BUDDHISTs.
YOu say, you are scientist, at least you have a Ph D in Phlogiston theory. If you apply your brain to learn you understand that there can not be a CREATOR. I don’t think you have a brain when your kind of scholarships were for people with political attachments.
Creator has been been created by humans.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
“In Samyutta Nikaya and as well as it was explained by Buddhaghosa, the epithet “Adiccabandhu” is often used to describe the Buddha because Adicca (the Sun) belonged to the Buddha. The Sun is the Buddha’s kinsman because the Sun is the Buddha’s breast born son (orasaputta); Sun is also the Buddha’s disciple. The implication here is that the Buddha is the creator of our Sun,”
This is not from Samyaththa Nikaya. Buddha’s word, even to date is very beautiful
You are writing lies.
buddha never said that buddha created anything.
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you.Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Jagath?
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. Shame on you. Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Jagath?
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Kamal / January 6, 2014
Eshanthi, what you say makes perfect sense ! wonder who has given you a single vote down on all your comments :)
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Kamal / January 6, 2014
It is softy, it seem Jimy is not so softy after all
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
STEPHAN HAWKINGS was born an Anglican. See what he has told. Lord buddha the ALmighty had said that 2600 years ago. Remember, SIddhartha Gauthama the Lord buddha was just one Whom came in succession to many other Such Buddhas who had the same powers.
” Stephen Hawking began the event by reciting an African creation myth, and rapidly moved on to big questions such as, Why are we here?
He noted that many people still seek a divine solution to counter the theories of curious physicists, and at one point, he quipped, “What was God doing before the divine creation? Was he preparing hell for people who asked such questions?”
After outlining the historical theological debate about how the universe was created, Hawking gave a quick review of more scientific cosmological explanations, including Fred Hoyle and Thomas Gold’s steady-state theory. This idea hypothesizes that there is no beginning and no end and that galaxies continue to form from spontaneously created matter.
Hawking said this theory and several other ideas don’t hold up, citing recent observations by space telescopes and other instruments. “
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
“The universe can create itself out of nothing,” declares Stephen Hawking, “and God is no longer necessary.” In The Grand Design, his recently published book with coauthor Leonard Mlodinow, Hawking posits a model of an uncreated universe with a beginning based on a theory of quantum gravity. In response, Dr. Craig explains that the phrase “creation out of nothing” as used by Stephen Hawking and God’s act of creation ex nihilo are two very different concepts.
Read more: http://www.reasonablefaith.org/stephen-hawking-and-god#ixzz2pYdogPOR
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
JAGATH ASOKA:
“” Stephen Hawking began the event by reciting an African creation myth, and rapidly moved on to big questions such as, Why are we here? “
LEarn buddhism very well.
It answers the question
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
JAGATH ASOKA:
“” Stephen Hawking began the event by reciting an African creation myth, and rapidly moved on to big questions such as, Why are we here? “
Learn buddhism very well.
It answers the question WHY YOU ARE HERE.
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Jayagath Perera / January 6, 2014
This article deals with so many issues that need some comment but I would confine it to a few.
Dr. Jagath Asoka speaks about profound pondering and constant reflections. Let them be so. Let it not be misunderstood as an act of wandering thoughts.
Permit me to quote Dr. Asoka verbatim. “Religion and God are very sensitive subjects; it is like talking about your own mother: only I can criticize my mother, not you. Probably your mother is more attractive, educated, sophisticated, and even richer and sexier than mine, but I still love my mother, not yours.”
Had Dr. Asoka really applied this line of thinking I think he would have pondered and reflected better because a son has to be very careful in offering his observations about his own mother and any inaccuracy or injustice caused in making such observations would render the son an unworthy person in the eyes of the intelligent.
The Doctor, being a Doctor, whether medical or otherwise, need not be told that there are two schools of thought about us and the nature surrounding us. One atrributes it to creation and the other about an evolution. In the former, that is in creation, something came out of nothing. In the latter, that is in evolution both the human and its surroundings are changing from one state to another based on laws of nature.
The contrast between the two are clear as black and white. One cannot say that “Yes! I see changes taking place in our environment based on laws of nature! But even that is done by an act of someone invisible to us!”. If one takes this position then we are reminded of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or in the local parlance “Daval Migel Re Daniel”.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
How about misleading people by way of aberrant thinking ?
Read all the articles he has written to the CT.
Some people have written articles here saying WRITTEN ONLY TO WISE PEOPLE.
This guy now has become a Buddhist but all the way he was anti Buddhist and talked for the Theistic religions.
Even now, he ridicules Buddhists and he can not beliefs about god in a Buddhist perspective. He cannot understand the cultural influence and influence of the Buddhism.
Most probably he does not understand how Mahayana Buddhism and Tantric Buddhism use GOD-concept successfully in their teachings.
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you. Shame on you. Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Asoka?
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ramona therese fernando / January 6, 2014
Jagath Asoka,
You don’t understand Buiddhism, do you? No, there is no concept of god in Buddhism. Buddhism is the converse of God.
For in Buddhism, there are ordinary human beings and enlightened human beings.
Ordinary human beings have the ordinary cognizance of conceptualizing God in the mind.
Enlightened beings (evolved beings) on the other hand, have also realized that unnecessary and unfortunate concentrate God-concept, and then have let it disperse to the cosmos.
All those chathedrals, mosques and kovils invoke nothing but human lust for the God-conceptin a state of perpetual lockdown.
Yes, our politicians are also playing to the God-concept although they are Buddhists (a few of them are of Catholic inclinations). However, we will make good wishes for them to return to the pre-colonial religion and heritage of their forefathers.
Ranil, a product of colonial riches, cannot and will not understand the heritage of the soul of Lanka – the over 75% Buddhist heritage. He will redefine and eradicate what he sees in his mind as enlightened – European Enlightenment!!!
Poor fool. He will not/cannot realize that European Enlightenment came only from centuries old tradition of Christians burning other Christians alive. And previous to that, the mutts were dancing around fires doing all kinds of voodoo-like incarnations and magic. i.e. before they heard the good news that they could be saved from all their debauchery by the blood of God by going to confession. Good thing, but they are also in a state of perpetual existential-lust, reaching for Mars only after Earth is destroyed with God-concept madness.
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Dr.Goebells / January 6, 2014
Ramona Therese Fernando
Brilliantly written , you should respond more often to those who are on a mission discredit a beautiful philosophy .
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Silva / January 6, 2014
ramona therese Fernando,
What the fxxx do you know about Ranil? How do you moronic package say Ranil will destroy your dastardly religion? Do you have a religion at all? Sinhalese are a much of looters obsessed with sex. In search of sex they have become No. 1 or 2 in Google search, in rape the staggering figures are in public domain, in fact rape and criminal reports have been officially prevented from being published by your own bloody Buddhist regime, your monks are on a ass-splitting spree of boys and small monks, they also rape women. Is this your fucking Buddhist Sinhalese culture? Before you write lies about Ranil you better write about the horrendous crimes and rapes that you bastards are committing under the nose of your rogue king MARA.
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Dr.Goebells / January 6, 2014
Silva !!!
You really are showing off your pedigree here, you moron !What a foul piece of work ?
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Silva / January 6, 2014
Dr. Goebells,
You keep quiet bloody fucked up moron of canine origin.
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Strawberry Dosa / January 7, 2014
Silva, you have no decency and right to denigrate other participants in a forum in the low, canine, third rate way you belong to.
If you cannot participate in a healthy discussion in a civilized manner, keep the F@^&ing hell out and go jerk off elsewhere.
Besides, the whole world knows the Catholic Bishops and vatican broiled in multiple pedophile cases where innocent little boys and girls were raped in the name of God… and Pope Ratzinger pardoned those sick sons of bitches… May be you ARE one of those gay pedophiles.
You are a disgrace to humankind!
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Silva / January 7, 2014
Strawberry Dosa,
What a fucked up and screwed up piggish wanker are you!? You fucking bastard leaks the muck “keep the F@^&ing hell out and go jerk off” but advocates me to be decent. I know very well what decency is. I also know very well who are bastards. When it comes to bastards I do not waste my vocabulary meant for decent people over pigs like you. The only place pigs like you find decency is in the gullies and septic tanks in Madamulana.
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Silva / January 7, 2014
Strawberry Dosa,
What a fucked up and screwed up piggish wanker are you!? You fucking [Edited out] leaks the muck “keep the F@^&ing hell out and go jerk off” but advocates me to be decent. I know very well what decency is. I also know very well who are bastards. When it comes to [Edited out] I do not waste my vocabulary meant for decent people over [Edited out] like you. The only place [Edited out] like you find decency is in the gullies and septic tanks in Madamulana. Just fuck off there without wasting our time.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
For the readers of JAGATH ASOKA, I say he is a class-less, shamEless and A sinister LIER.
because, he is shamelessly trying to FOOL THE READERS SAYING THAT HE IS A BUDDHIST.
Read his all the articles appeared in CT.
IN his first article he ridiculed buddhism. In another article, he argued as a THIEST supporting ISlam and Christianism against Buddhism.
In another Article, he targeted the Some buddhist monks. With respect to buddhist monks, he should understand that Lord buddha and Buddha-dhmma are – as pure and as beautiful as GOLD OR PLATINUM is. Sangha is the third gem that come closes to the lay people. So, some Sangha can be NOT as SILWATH as they should be.
Anyway, in this article JAGATH ASKOA says he is a buddhist. hut, he does not show any of his buddhist knowledge. What he has written saying Samyuktha Nikaya Can not be so instead should SOME MAHAYANA buddhist LITERATURE.
JAGATH ASOKA SHOULD BE WRITING TO EVENGELICAL CHURCH. HE WANTS READERS TO LABEL HIM AS A BUDDHIST AND THEN HIS ANTI-BUDDHIST PROPAGANDA WILL WORK. THAT IS WHAT HIS INTENTION IS.
SO READ CAREFULLY.
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Eshanthi / January 6, 2014
Jim Softly, are you Malinda Seneviratne; Milinda are you Jim? I think Jim Softly is Milinda Seneviratne or a friend of Milinda’s. If you do not believe me check Milinda’s articles and comments; Jim Softly is there only once or twice but all comments are either to help or clarify Milinda. Milinda, do not stoop to a level too low because people will start urinating and defecating on you. I feel sorry for you. Shame on you. Do you have a personal hatred with Dr. Jagath?
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srilal / January 6, 2014
JimSofty or whoever ,
” SO READ CAREFULLY “
Eshanthi’s exposure made me read your above comment , otherwise i wouldn’t have even bothered to look at any of your endless harangues , why do you want readers to be careful ? on what ? are you a paranoia or desperately seeking to protect the readers from Dr Jagath , you are a laughing stock mate , don’t waste your time on CT ,obviously this is a wrong platform for your nonsense , try Daily noise instead.
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Silva / January 6, 2014
srilal,
Look at the number of comments this JimSofty loony has posted! This shameless [Edited out] of Rajapakshas is the busiest person today protecting Buddhism! My foot! This [Edited out] is protecting day and night the war criminal regime of murderous thieves and slinging mud at anybody who is critical of Rajapaksha rogues. What the bloody hellish business this [Edited out] has to do with protecting Buddhism!? This [Edited out] is a butcher of mankind and civility. He has no religion. Lying is his religion and laying down with ass upward is his habit. This bugger reminds me the donkey doing the dog’s duty.
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Strawberry Dosa / January 7, 2014
YOU ARE A CLONED CLOWN DONKEY, SILVA. HEEEEE HAAAWWWW
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Avb / January 8, 2014
JimSofty,
You are already in “APAYA” for your foolishness.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / January 6, 2014
Random, but profound thoughts of a thinking man.
Even if there is no God, we will have to invent one, because such a concept is yet needed to explain many things yet beyond our comprehension. The ‘ Unknown’ and very likely the ever ‘ unknowable ‘ will always be our God. What is beyond our horizon and beyond our comprehension,whether it be in the present, future or the distant past will be our God.
Men like the Gautama Buddha and those of his like who preceded him, followed him and will follow him, explained and will explain what they glimpse as the meaning of what we do not notice or understand within what is our reality and what is beyond our horizon, but we will continue to be what we are-ordinary humans-concerned with the mundane and the shadows, and incapable of seeking the profound, We will fight over statues, structures and quotes, while in the process forgetting the essence of what such great personages reveal of ‘ God’ and ‘ Godliness’. There is of course a need for a ‘ God’ in our lives and beliefs to explain away what we do not understand, to salve our conscience, to forgive our sins and trespasses, and of course receive our bribes in the form of poojas and offerings.
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
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Patriot / January 6, 2014
The “concept of God” should not be used to explain things which are beyond our comprehension because it is not a logical explanation. people use theoretical models to explain experimental results and the theoretical models have to be derived in a logical way. If one can not find a logical way to explain things, then just using an illogical method is not the right way to go.
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Navin / January 6, 2014
Random, but profound thoughts of a thinking man.
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Even random incoherent garbage, lies and exaggerations when sprinkled with a few punches at Sinhala Buddhists, MR government, BBS, JHU and “rogue” monks or a few thoughts on how to topple MR and install CBK in his chair become profoundly thought provoking writings of a thinking mind? Right?
Why mention Ranil Wickramasinghe in an article that deals with Gautama Buddha and God? Tell me is this the kind of writing that you expect from an academic?
Buddhism is not a branch of Hinduism. There is no omnipresent omnipotent god in Buddhism. People can believe in God. However, then they better not call themselves Buddhist let alone go on to criticizing others for not adhering to the Buddhist principles.
Buddhism is very clear that gods cannot help people break the cycle of rebirth and suffering. It is also very clear that gods are not the cause of it or the controllers of it. Then why would a thinking Buddhist want to believe in God? He is either not a Buddhist or is not thinking!
We, the ordinary people (not “thinking minds”) do not need Gods to explain the unknown. We need gods when all hope is lost! When we find out we have only so many days left to live because we have cancer or when we have to face an exam which if we do not succeed would mean the end of all our dreams. We survive on hope. Do you really believe such people care about how the universe or space and time came to be? So much for answering the unknown. People need gods to provide them solutions to real life problems not answers to philosophical questions.
The reason why Buddhists appeal to Hindu gods is that Buddhism does not provide people any facility to get out these tight spots in life, at least not something that is quick and easy to use, the way the ordinary people like it and want it.
Stephen Hawking (a real thinking man IHMO) has said “One can’t prove that God doesn’t exist, but science makes God unnecessary.” Let me tell you what your problem is. You too being a man of science and at the same time a person with strong religious convictions, you are trying to find reasons to continue to believe in the existence of God (e.g. answer unknown questions about origins of universe and beyond!) Thankfully, unlike Hindus, Muslims and Christians, that is one problem that Buddhist do not have to deal with.
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sach / January 9, 2014
Stephen hawking is a real thinking man, yes. Bertrnd Russel and even Richard Dawkins are thinking men. In the world today specially among the learned circles in west there have been a rational movement where poeple discuss religion and philosophy. Now obviously people of Asoka’s category cannot fit with them (though probably they would love to). But these poeple are in need of praise and acclaim all the time. The real thinking men will laugh at these people so these people turn into the country of their origin looking for some praise.
That is what is happening here. This man all the articles are filled with “I, me, my”. he is in such a huge need of praise and attention. And of course throwing the word “Buddha” in every topic is a sure way of getting viewership in CT
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Silva / January 10, 2014
Good observation, sach.
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reerie yaka / January 6, 2014
Jim Sooty should have his head examined. If it is merely a case of low intelligence it doesn’t matter and can’t help but I am feeling there is a tumour
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BBS Rep / January 6, 2014
Jagath,
You speak about religion then you degress to politics. You try to be impartial in your rhetoric and yet you say Rajapaksa is bad and Ranil is good. You say CT commenters Sirimal, Gamini and Dude are good and the others are bad.
There is a lot of worthwhile reading that you still can write. And yet you let your insomniacal mind to let loose the somnambulatory thoughts.
Get a grip on yourself and on what you write man.
God is an invention of the human mind. Myths told, repeated, written down, retold has become truth. Belief in god leads to the lie that we were created. There is not an iota of evidence that we are creatures that a higher diety created. In the contrary there is hard evidence that we evolved. Our brains are still evolving. Despite being inculcated with stories of a good Buddha, the damma, the sangha, the triple gem and associated dieties, ideas of nirvana and compassion, the animal within us always comes out and we do not hesitate to kill all those who are different.
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Bruz / January 6, 2014
Dr. Jagath Asoka’s writings are the result of looking at things with a different but realistic perspective, which are thought provoking, unbiased and doesn’t seems to have any vested interests. His angle of thinking is new and different from others, and the way he submits them are very interesting.
Even this one about God, religion and Buddha is enlightening. No matter what religion we practice or not, we should better believe in something.
When we were children, we totally believed in our parents and just followed the religious path they showed us. Then as we grow up and mature , some of us tend to analyze things on our own according to our ability, including the religion we practice. There is no harm doing that if one can, without blindly following anything we think twice about continuing to do. Religions are all in general, give us a sense of strength,courage, wisdom, good way of living as human,sense of safety, peace, love and many other good things including keeping us away from evil. It’s just a matter of how we interpret religion. As Dr. Asoka mentioned, Prince Siddhartha enjoyed a full fledged, cushy life before getting sick and tired of that. Then one day Prince Siddhartha got disgusted, frustrated and gave up all the worldly pleasures, after realizing the pain and suffering around him and left his abode seeking peace. Finally he attained Nirvana. On the other hand, the ordinary and lay people like us cannot just attain that kind of mental status like his or go find Nirvana. Even if we all try attaining Nirvana, who is going to look after our family, country etc., It is just impossible thinking about it in today’s atmosphere. We are all sinners and cannot escape paying for all what we have done in the past or in our present life. Let’s not waste time talking about the Nirvana thing but try and live like a good human, do our duty, get rid of hate, racism, be religious if possible. Every thing will be okay. In the mean time we all can of course get some form of bliss, to our own self satisfaction, by honestly doing service to the humanity,(like teachers & Doctors)community service,charitable work,religious work, yoga, or even playing our favorite games like Tennis or whatever. It’s all in our mind set.
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Javi / January 6, 2014
“|” Prince Siddhartha enjoyed a full fledged, cushy life before getting sick and tired of that. Then one day Prince Siddhartha got disgusted, frustrated and gave up all the worldly pleasures, after realizing the pain and suffering around him and left his abode seeking peace. Finally he attained Nirvana.”|”
Siddharta Gautama was born as a Kshatriya, the son of Śuddhodana, “an elected chief of the Shakya clan”,[6] whose capital was Kapilavastu,
Siddhartha was brought up by his mother’s younger sister, Maha Pajapati.
So he had no language like you because Sanskrit was Brahmin and even the English had to learn it by bribing a poor brahmin.- go check it because the British Museum has the oldest artifact(3oobc) found at Afganistan, which was raided from the sun gods to alex the great.
Tao (6th BCE) was Gautama’s guru and he had a language the classical chinese.
Go to lumbini, The Japanese are still excavating to find his mothers temple because she was a mistress who went missing just after his birth. Dont believe me go see!! The Japanese did rape Loyang its hidden else where so that in a couple of centuries it will not be Gautama but Zen just like mormon jesus born in the US.
Gautama did live but most things attributed is topsy tipsy and borrowed from Tao the man of the mountain and philosopher.
I like Harry Potter.
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JimSofty / January 6, 2014
BRUZ:
It is better to say that you don’t know buddhism.
what Buddha had said, if you work hard enough, in this very life you can Realize THE Nirvana.
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gamini / January 6, 2014
Jimbo,
what Buddha had said, if you work hard enough, in this very life you can Realize THE Nirvana.
The belief that one reaches Nirvana is only after one dies and not while living. While living it is believed that one can reach Sohan, Sakurudagami, Anagami and lastly Arahath.
Yet there is no evidence to establish a state of Nirvana, as it is only a belief, not confirmed by any after death. So who knows that there is truth, that one can escape the Journey of Samsara, once again, Samsara is only a belief.
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Silva / January 6, 2014
gamini,
No gamini, Nirvana is not a belief. Beliefs are created by the ego, the I, the self. The God Mr Jagath states is also the creation of the ego. All the mental states known to ordinary humans are the product of thought. The self, the I, the ego is thought. Thought itself is the ego, the center from which all actions occur. This ego cannot find Nirvana because only in the complete non-operation and cessation can there be the existence of this state which Buddha spoke about. No amount of argument and description would lead us to that state. There are certain prerequisites that must exist if one were to understand that state. That is why Buddha said: seela, Samadhi, pragna (complete order in one’s life, meditation and wisdom).
Our ego is continually sustained and continued through desire. Desire is the carpenter that builds this house of consciousness that we know of. From one desire to another, likes and dislikes, choices and options, selection and rejection-all this is the movement of desire in the form of thought, the ego, the self, the I. The I might as well say I want Nirvana too! So without understanding this I completely, there won’t be the understanding of what lies beyond the realm of our limited consciousness. Sansara too is not a belief but a fact, a reality. Is sorrow, pain, disease, the crying man or woman, the death, all the appalling things that are going on in the human realm in this world a belief? No. They are all out there happening right now in front of us.
The very reason why man cannot face and solve this problem of sorrow is because he does not face it directly. He does not accept the facts. He evades, postpones or invents God or something as Mr. Jagath has done! He has equated Nirvan with tennis playing! And someone had been thoroughly entertained that he said brilliant!
So with brilliances like pure gold of the likes of JimSofty et al the Samsara of the people of Sri Lanka is marching forward with the Rajapakshas leading from the front blessed by BBS brigade. Is there any use talking religion in this country?
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Avb / January 8, 2014
Silva,
“Sansara” is a FACT to You… Nirwana is a FACT to You.
I wonder these would be same FACTs in your thoughts if you are misplaced at birth and raised by Hindus?
Your same theory..
God is changing too. God is within you, Evil as well… Nature is a God as well.. All GOOD are Gods and all BAD are evil (Or Gotas)
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Silva / January 8, 2014
Avb,
At the rate humans are breeding like rats it may not be impossible that they would be misplaced at birth with rats too. I wonder if you have got misplaced at birth and raised by some kind of superstitious people. You interpret the world according to your superstition and conditioning. Your God who resides within you is only as great or as shoddy as you are. Your God resides within the same compartment where all the “Evil”, “BAD” and “Gotas” are living! Hah! Very philosophical!
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Sirimal / January 6, 2014
Bruz@,
Great one.
Following lines I liked very much.
Quoted from yours:
“We are all sinners and cannot escape paying for all what we have done in the past or in our present life. Let’s not waste time talking about the Nirvana thing but try and live like a good human, do our duty, get rid of hate, racism, be religious if possible”.
after all getting rid of malice, malevolence and hatred among the people.
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Safa / January 6, 2014
God resides in the human mind but it is the concept and understanding of god that differs. From no god to many gods and one God. Can there be a vacuum where no god exist is the question? The Islamic declaration of faith states ‘There is No god but One God!’. The negation of god is followed by the affirmation of the Unity of God.
Can a person live without a hope or belief? The belief of people can range to belief if ones own self to belief in material things. Effectively these become his or her gods. When a person is terminally sick where does one turn to? To medicines, doctors, religon or resign oneself to destiny? Destiny determined by ones actions and deeds? Destiny determined and decided by whom or by an unwritten law? The law determined by whom or what? By Nature? What is nature? Is this nature our god? Questions to be answered.
Or we can simply say Veni, Vidi, Vici and Ed tu, Brute. I came, I saw, I conquered and end with, You too Brute. Came from where? Going to where? Or is it a meaningless existence? No need to do good or desist from the bad, make hay while the sun shines? Too many questions to be answered. I rather believe in one God and responsibility for my actions.
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Patriot / January 6, 2014
It seems Dr Asoka is very Hurt by one of the comments on his last article titled “Chandrika, Mahinda, Rats, And Our Future” by one Sharmini Serasinghe which is:
“Dear Dr. Jagath Asoka, With all due respect to you, one line in your post confuses me- “I pray that the Lord Buddha would give them the wisdom to do the right thing…….” Though my question may be considered out of context, I nevertheless need to ask you, do you really believe in “praying” to the Buddha? As a Buddhist you may know, that the Buddha was not able to “give” powers like “wisdom” but only showed the path to it. Sharmini Serasinghe”.
He is trying to justify his above statement by emphasising this fact again close to the end(9th last para) of this article by saying “That is why I say I pray to the Lord Buddha, because he resides where God resides in my mind”
I wonder whether Dr Asoka has any doubt whether, we the readers, doubt about the authenticity of his articles. This idea came to my mind when I read the very first sentence of this article which is “Before I write my thoughts on this topic, I want to emphasize that all these articles that I have written are just my opinions that are based on my profound pondering and constant reflections”. Further, I have noticed differences in his own opinions from article to article which further influenced me to add this comment.
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Sirimal / January 7, 2014
You may be right. you may be wrong.
The fact is the articles posted on CT are not peer reviewed journal paper articles. I dont see anything wrong adding JA´s thoughts and minds about the reglious views in this way. But some disgree with his articles. That is also understandable.If the inconsistent and incoherent babbling of writers like DJ for example deliberately try to create further divisions between the opposition and the ruling bunch of thieves, no doubt there we have to stand against, because present situation in the country is far from what we faced in late 80ties.I have the feeling, had the Premadasa Regime considered youth unrest and the related problems accordingly, the poor parents could not have lost their sons in that way; numbers human losses were more or less similar to tsunami death rates (over50k).
Besides, the topics such as Nirawana, existence of Gods or Allah or anything related to god existence are not being discussed by many; some dont trust to do so, some have fears. Others remain just as if they dont care. Like the predominant masses in today ´s China do – ask them what religion they would consider as theirs – they dont even know what to be believed but on materialism.
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