By Mahinda Rajapksa –
Mahinda Rajapksa
Most Venerable Mahanayaka Theras, Anunayaka Theras and members of the Maha Sangha, Hon. Ministers, Parliamentarians, Secretary to the Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Cultural and Religious Affairs, Dhamma School Teachers, and students of Dhamma Schools,
Students enrolled in the Dhamma Schools today will be the generation that carries forward the Sinhala Buddhist national identity. Over the past several years, we saw the destruction brought upon in this country as a result of a significant section of the Buddhist population being alienated from the Temple, from the Dhamma and the Maha Sangha. It became fashionable for Buddhists to denigrate Buddhism and the Sinhalese. Even politicians who were elected to power by Sinhala voters, openly insulted the Maha Sangha.
People belonging to other religions and ethnic groups in this country will never insult their own religion or ethnic group in that manner. Even though a significant proportion of students from Sinhala Buddhist families are enrolled in Dhamma Schools, the number actually attending, is far fewer than the number registered. The present Sunday Dhamma Schools system commenced in 1895. Even before these Sunday Dhamma schools were instituted, the Temple imparted education to the laity. In pre-colonial times, the Temple was the main centre of education.
A secular schools system came into existence during the Dutch and British colonial eras. The world also became a more complex place and an ever expanding formal education system came into being. Today, the secular education system and the Dhamma Schools exist side by side. Even though Buddhism is taught as a subject in the secular schools system, it is through the Dhamma Schools that the younger generation is brought close to the Buddhist philosophy, the Buddhist way of life, the Buddhist traditions and the Temple. It is through the Dhamma schools that Buddhist families are brought closer to the Temple. Sinhala Buddhist culture, and our national traditions are based on the relationship between the lay community and the Temple.
The Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera once said that the purpose of the Dhamma Schools was not to impart textual knowledge but to mould the character and way of thinking of the students. The purpose of Dhamma Schools is not to prepare students for examinations. Its purpose if to create an individual imbued with a Buddhist way of thinking. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera identified five modes of conduct expected of a dhamma school student as follows:
Firstly, adhering to the Five Precepts and observing the Eight Precepts on Poya Days. Secondly, respecting the Maha Sangha, parents, teachers and elders. Thirdly, leading a simple life and maintaining a good relationship with one’s neighbours. Fourthly, developing restraint, good behaviour, and a sound knowledge of the Dhamma. Fifthly, devotion to the Buddha-Dhamma, and being motivated by national pride and indigenous traditions. These words are valid even today. We expect to improve the Dhamma Schools system and the programmes offered in them in order to enable those institutions to produce the Buddhist youth that the Ven Pannasiha referred to.
This is a time when we have to be very vigilant with regard to what is being put into the minds of school children. Foreign funded NGOs have influenced our education system in subtle ways. I heard some leading academic bhikkus explaining how school textbooks now have content that will have the effect of corrupting young minds. A lay organisation explained how some school text books have depicted the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka as one province. It was also said that the Sinhala New Year has been dropped from some school textbooks.
We should realise that there is a concerted and ongoing attempt to divide the country, to destroy the Sinhala Buddhists, to disrupt the family as an institution among the Sinhala, Tamil, Chritian and Hindu sections of the population and to create divisions between children and their parents, between students and their teachers, between children and religions. Programmes aimed at achieving these objectives begin at the level of primary schools. After a few years, the way of thinking of the Sinhala population would have changed without anyone even realising it. An expeditious investigation will be carried out into the ideas being put into the minds of school children through school text books.
We will put in place a programme to attract more children and youth to Dhamma Schools under the guidance of the Maha Sangha. What should happen is that children and youth should be motivated to go in search of the temple and our national heritage. I believe that in order to achieve that objective, our approach also has to change with the times. A programme should be put in place to show appreciation for the voluntary work done by Dhamma school teachers. The Dhamma schools depend on their dedication. A special programme will have to be put in place to maintain the Dhamma Schools located in remote areas.
We are gathered here today, for the awards ceremony of an all island competition among Dhamma School students. I wish to convey my best wishes to all Dhamma School students in the country, regardless of whether they participated in this competition or not.
Thank you,
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be upon you.
*Translation of the speech made by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapksa at the National Dhamma School Convention and Awards Ceremony held at Irattaperiyakulam in Vavuniya on 27 December 2019.
Matilda Ellepola / December 27, 2019
Look who is talking here?
These parents (MR and Shiranthi) mentor kids to torture and then killed so inhumantely and then fake an accident in Narahenpita for just the jealousy of a fellow Rugby player.
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Eagle Eye / December 28, 2019
Matilda,
During the Presidential election campaign Mangalam forgot to dig Thajuddin’s grave and put his skeletons on display. Did they decide to allow him to Rest in Peace?
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babalath appu / December 28, 2019
A man who has looted the state, or better said, let looting it to the core by his henchman and have been proved to a high criminal, how dare MAHINDA PERCY RajaPAKSHE to come with the kind of sobre articles ?
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Mahinda Rajapakshes and his family – his offsprings are said to have committed high crimes incl. murders, rapes and all other worst kind.
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This can be passed to deaf and blind audiences, but not to ones that have been observing them for such a long time.
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Old codger / December 30, 2019
What a lot of BS from the Great Redeemer. For at least the coming couple of years, this rubbish will be lapped up by his fawning faithful.
It is clear what shape the Rajapaksa 2 regime will take. A state where ignorant monks can dictate a return to mediaeval habits. A state where monks can enjoy their mistresses or toy-boys but deny sex education to children. A state where it is a time to criticize religion, even your own one. Religious affiliation will be compulsory. The Rajapaksa will decide what your children will know about the past.
OK , baiyas, you asked for it. You got it.!
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D. P. / December 28, 2019
Matilda,
The political interpretation of MaRa’s speech contains three items which MaRa/GoRa has been practicing during pre-2015 regime in a very rude form:
1. To brainwash the younger generation with idea that war heroism belongs solely to Ra..ksa clan (anybody who may stand to challenge it will be destroyed. Gen SF went through it and now Patalee Champika is going through it).
2. No name other than Ra..kse can be visible on any conspicuous position including school books. Last time, MaRa kept posting his name every where by himself. Now the stragtegy is “softened”! Instead, Mara provides theoretical justification while use subordinates to point out specifics. For example, Medagoda Abhayatissa pointed out 7 grade sex education book. Reason: It contains photos of Rajitha & Akila. Bandula G proposed to name thousand new schools (already built unde “Langama pasela …. program) as MaRa School!
3. To Whitewash corruption & abuse of power.
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China is using the same brainwashing tactic on the Muslim minority and the families of dissidents. GoRa regime will enforce Brainwashing tool with a vengeance starting next year as excuse to prevent public anger over his near certainly failing economic plan. Fitch already downgraded SL economic conditions on the fear of economic failure. I’m certain that other rating agencies also will follow the suite. If this really happen, the first to suffer is savings. Therefore, it is advisable to put all the savings in foreign banks before the Gvt can reach them!
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Thinker / December 28, 2019
I thought Mahinda is racist until I read comments from Tamils! SL has a serious problem with its two largest ethnic groups.
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Adrian / December 28, 2019
Thinker, the Tamils posting here are mainly from the overseas diaspora. Their ‘war’ for Eelam continues. They will do everything possible to criticize the Sinhala Buddhist majority and tarnish Sri Lanka’s name. They are a racist rabble. Just look at their language. The best part is that CT is run by a liberal Sinhala journalist who hasn’t the time to edit their racist comments. Let the reader beware.
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Native Vedda / December 28, 2019
Adrian
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“Thinker, the Tamils posting here are mainly from the overseas diaspora.”
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Because this website is being hosted outside the island and Gota’s war has not ended yet. He is still shadow boxing with his own shadow. Once he finishes off his shadow people in this island would start writing.
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Mallaiyuran / December 28, 2019
” The best part is that CT is run by a liberal Sinhala journalist who hasn’t the time to edit their racist comments. Let the reader beware. “
Adrian, that was a very civilised way of telling what happened in Mullivaikkal to 150,000 Tamils. If the CT editor had got caught in the hand of the Old King or King at the time of their hay days, he might have written his eulogy like Lanasantha. Or would have crashed his car after his death. Or even he might been a preclude to khashoggi. He escaped to London. Whether Tamils gained by that or not, very few would deny how much the Media freedom is maintained in Lankawe while Derana, Ravaya, Hiru ……….. and others are destroying it by working against Media freedom.
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babalawathie mudunkotuwa / December 28, 2019
Sexual education is a must if youth to see it right. So long they are kept away from it all the unexpected would have been outcome.
Like in radical islamic countries, we should not let our youth to grow unhealthy an end up being sex criminals and drug consumers. More the youth are made clear, much better it will be helpful to them to see it right. Youth would try whatever they think is right so long they are far away from the facts. Most that drug consume today are coming from broken families where parent parts are separated for some reasons. Many of them are the families whose parents have left the country for middle east or italy. The children should be given the due care and nurture during their child growth. This can be safeguarded not only by schooling but also by proper parenting. Educationalists are lacking our country, even nursary teachers are not well trained to give the children a proper guidance.
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chiv / December 27, 2019
This opinion of mine pertains to the whole world, and specifically to our motherland. Like most I believed that fundamental purpose of religion and politics are to create good, honest individuals with moralities and there by communities and a country. But lately it is very clear to me that, they both have lost purposes and worse, end up creating the opposite in us. . Though in reality I cannot get rid of one (politics) the other / religion is optional and I sure do not need that extra burden , at this point of my life. I also intent to share my views with my children , so that they are free to make their own judgement.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 27, 2019
Mahinda, if you are really honest about your statement, please start with Mahawamsa history that is being taught in schools and at home. Children are being brainwashed to develop a bigoted mind that Sinhalese are the owners of the entire land. Children are being told that Tamils are animals and killing them is not wrong and killing of Tamil Buddhists is also allowed as they are half animals. When these get ingrained into their minds how can you expect them to behave rationally. There is new evidence emerging by scientific methods based on geology, archaeology and genetics that ancestors of Tamils lived in the land which was once connected to Tamil Nadu and that there was a glorious civilization that existed in northern and north-western parts of the island. How can Sinhalese whose DNA is 60% South Indian be entirely native and Tamils who have 6% of Veddha genes be entirely foreign. Teach the Sinhala children that the closest ethnic group in the world to Sinhalese is Ceylon Tamils and no one else, and that Sinhalese were originally Tamils who over a period of time have taken up different identity. Your refusal to share power and territory in a fair and effective manner with Tamils is the result of this mindset which you developed by the distorted history driven into you. Teach them also that Saivaism existed in Sri Lanka prior to the introduction of Buddhism, and that several Buddhist temples have been built on top of destroyed Hindu temples. Tell them Sri Lanka was originally a Dravidian Saivite land where Sinhala Buddhists have become a majority, and therefore demand of Tamil Hindus for a share of the land to rule themselves is absolutely fair.
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Mallaiyuran / December 28, 2019
Dr. Gnana,
This Karawa King’s forefathers came to Lankawe during Dutch times. They made wealth by working to British Fishery Muthalalies. Now these low births are talking whites to Tamils. Our only path to deal with these War Criminals is take them to UN Electric Chair. Through them back in Holland’s Hague, who brought these goons to Lanakwe, so Dutch can keep them.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 28, 2019
Mahinda’s ancestors came as warriors with Indonesian prince Chandabhanu. They mixed with local Dravidian women and produced the progeny. When you look at Mahinda you can see that he is a mix of Malay and Tamil. Now they are claiming to be suddha (pure bred) Sinhala. They came in Malay boats called samban and where they landed is called Sambantota. You may ask why one with Tamil and Malay ancestry is behaving like an idiot. This is because these Hambantota people drink Buffalo milk and not cow milk, which makes them lethargic and stupid like a buffalo. I do not know whether that idiotic Malay and Kerala mix living down under is related
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shankar / December 28, 2019
dr.gnana
if they came with chandrabanu they would not be in hambantota.They would have settled in the north possibly in places like chava/java kacheri. chandrabanu came in the 13th century and conquered the north defeating magha.he wanted the tooth relic and that is why he came all the way here,but everytime he tried to attack the south the pandya’s sent help to the sinhalese to whom they had given tamil women,and together they defeated and killed him.Mahinda’s ancestors did not come so early,but during the time of the dutch in the 18th century.The dutch ruled indonesia and for the tobacco plantations in hambantota they brought in workers from indonesia.These men married the local women and became sinhalese.Most of the malays brought as soldiers retained malay identity.
Don’t underestimate them just because they drink buffalo milk.See what happenned to prabharan and ranil and sirisena by underestimating them.Always give your opponent the full respect they deserve whethr it is in a game of chess,war or politics if you hope to beat them.They are a resourceful bunch.
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Tee Twenty / December 28, 2019
//You may ask why one with Tamil and Malay ancestry is behaving like an idiot. This is because these Hambantota people drink Buffalo milk and not cow milk,//
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You believe/say this, Dr Sinkaralingam? You are a doctor?
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Eagle Eye / December 28, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
“Children are being brainwashed to develop a bigoted mind that Sinhalese are the owners of the entire land.”
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Correction:
Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo are the owners of the entire land.
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Descendants of slaves brought from Hindusthan and settled in Yapanaya and Kanda Uda Rata and Kallathonis who settled down in Tirikunamale and Madakalapuwa have no right to claim ownership of the Land of Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo. These guys are in this country because of kind-heartedness of Sinhala Buddhists who gave them citizenship to live in this paradise island without chasing them back to the hell hole from where their ancestors came. Be grateful to that kind gesture and stop insulting Sinhalayo and their heritage.
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / December 28, 2019
Muck in the parlour, archaeological excavations have proved that only two types of people lived in the island in pre-historic times. First is Veddhas who migrated from Africa more than 60,000 years ago followed by Dravidians who migrated from Indus valley more than 20,000 years ago. DNA evidence states that Veddhas are genetically different from others living in the island. There is no evidence of presence of a Sinhala ethnic group in those days. Thus the land belongs to Veddhas (east and south east) and Dravidians (north and north east). This is fact based on scientific studies. Even in the legend Ramayana, Ravana is portrayed as Dravidian Saivite and not Sinhala Buddhist. Veddahs the true natives worship Murugan the God of Tamils and not Buddha, showing they came under Tamil influence. Dump your Mahavamsa in the dust bin, which is part fiction and rest half truths. BJP has correctly said that Sri Lanka is a Hindu country which has acquired a Buddhist majority.
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meer / December 28, 2019
Dr G.S. – I do not think Medamulana is the author of this article!
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Eagle Eye / December 29, 2019
Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam,
What we can do is to tell the truth to the don key but we cannot force the don key to accept it.
No wonder the IQ for Sri Lanka is low when there are lot of don keys with very low IQ in this country who believe the history of Sinhale distorted by racist bigot Chelvanayakam and his team to justify their bogus claim of ‘Traditional Homeland of Tamils’.
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History of Dravidians in Sinhale is less than 500 years. Dravidians and Muslims are citizens of Sinhale by registration, not by descent. Only Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo are citizens of Sinhale by descent. Others are ‘Para’ in the Land of Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo who were accommodated due to courtesy of Native Sinhalayo and Vedda Eththo .
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Dr. Gnana Sankaralingam / January 1, 2020
Eekel Guy, the donkey unable to grasp the truth is nothing but you. Several urn burial sites, multiple potsherds similar to those found in Tamil Nadu and two excavations of civilization in Mannar district prove of presence of Dravidians in pre-historic times. Do you want people to ignore these and cling on to Mahawamsa ramblings.
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Jehan / December 27, 2019
Trying get the children brain washed by canvassing in temple Dhamma schools. So Namal can be the new Ashoka.
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Eagle Eye / December 28, 2019
Jehan,
What do you guys do in Madrasas?
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By the way did the messenger told you that Mahawansa is fiction?
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Mallaiyuran / December 27, 2019
Is that really a bad Karma under Buddhism to allow Sinhala kids think North East is a place Tamils like to rule, instead SinhaLE rules? Did Buddha own this land before he declared it has to be protected and reserved for him until he comes back? From whom Buddha captured this land? What kind of violence he used to displace the natives living in that time. Was it something like what happened in Mullivaaikkaal – Humanitarian Rescue Mission Operation with Zero Casualty? Where is he gone now? Is he hiding from UNHRC Electric Chair? Was Buddha is the grandfather of Rishard Bathiudeen? What kids thinks when they are told their great great grand slept with a lion as per the most venerable monk of their religion? As CV asked, will Maharajane allow the UNESCO historian and educationist to redo the books of school texts? At the time we were studying science and math, we read Whitley, Ramsey, Lonely’s books translated into Tamil. What was there about secular education something against Buddhism appeared in those other than science and math?
This donkey sounds like the violent, murderous, religious dictators lived in Galileo’s time.
Real Sinha LE Maharajane!
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Mallaiyuran / December 27, 2019
When Mano Ganesan, Sumanthiran & all others started to talk, they are now relenting on the sining the Sinhala Song in Tamil.
Sumanthiran said “we will be too happy if they tell us not to sing this Sinhala Song”.
Bravo!
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Mallaiyuran / December 27, 2019
The only UNP person talking these days is our friend Hiruni, a junior UNPyer. She may leave behind Premachandra’s shadow and create one of her own, like Chandrika. Chandrika left behind SWRD’s Socialism and tried build a Democratic-Capitalistic society. If she tries, Hurini could build her own policies leaving father’s legacy be forgotten.
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SJ / December 27, 2019
How disappointing!
I was expecting a proposal for a Thought Police.
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ajith / December 27, 2019
Mahinda,
Your blood thirsty lies and cheat to create bloodbath in this island are well explained by your words. I am now thinking of how an ordinary Sinhala Buddhist living in the Colombo city will react to them . “Oh My Sinhala Buddhist blood is boiling and I feel like killing our next door Tamils and Muslims. Dear our king please give us your order and a sword now.”
“A lay organisation explained how some school text books have depicted the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka as one province”.
“We should realise that there is a concerted and ongoing attempt to divide the country, to destroy the Sinhala Buddhists”
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Ayathuray Rajasingam / December 27, 2019
Has Mahinda Rajapakse forgotten the problems given to Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake in order to tamper with the independence of judiciary which was the worst of all incidents.
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Lankan / December 27, 2019
“The Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera once said that the purpose of the Dhamma Schools was not to impart textual knowledge but to mould the character and way of thinking of the students. The purpose of Dhamma Schools is not to prepare students for examinations. Its purpose if to create an individual imbued with a Buddhist way of thinking. “
Elsewhere in the article:
“We are gathered here today, for the awards ceremony of an all island competition among Dhamma School students. I wish to convey my best wishes to all Dhamma School students in the country, regardless of whether they participated in this competition or not.”
So why have all these competions at dhamma schools?
Nothing but a waste of time if dhamma schools just cram a load of textual stuff into kids’ minds and have competitions, in the name of moulding them according to Buddhist philosophy..no different to what’s taught in schools.
It’s a joke..
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Mallaiyuran / December 28, 2019
Anura says if Royals are Sinhala Buddhist only goverment then none of their candidates should stand in North East, in the Parliamentary Election. Logical! Perfectly logical!
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JD / December 28, 2019
Every successive govt was ruining every thing by getting into that and by introducing a political authority to it. I heard some bhikku saying that none of the Criminals in prisons have been to a Daham Pasala. So the best thing is non politicising that too by appointing a minister to that. Many good things can be done, if the uneducated experts, specialists out of the 225 can be asked to go out. I heard some developing countries have the habit of not letting ca[able and educated not giving an opportunity at the top levels.
IMF had not made any country in the world debt-free and self-sufficient via their Loan Scheme. Just think, if they built some Dagabas and huge reservoirs in the north central with Foreugn Loan and foreign expertise alone.
Hiring whole 22 million to the govt is not the solution.
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sinhalese buddhist / December 28, 2019
They should highlight the “Sri Lankan-ness” of ALL religious communities in the island. All the major faiths have long-standing presence on the island, and should be acknowledged as such, and our collective culture celebrated for being so inclusive over the centuries when Europeans were savagely murdering each other over minor religious differences.
Same goes for the various ethno-lingusitic groups in Sri Lanka.
Finally – regardless of which language was spoken first in the island – any one of us should be able to buy land, settle down, speak any language spoken in SL, and yet be held to the same legal and civil expectations and priviledges as anyone else who is a citizen of the country.
The identity of the island cannot be divorced from theravada buddhism. It should be acknowledged as one of our assets from the past – yet it should not preclude the fairplay listed above.
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Mawanelle Saranankara / December 28, 2019
Very good, prime minister.
The kids needs to be informed of Sri Lanka’s 3000 year old Sinhala Buddhist civilisation and its values, later affected by South Indian, Moor and European Mleccha invasions.
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The country should not be allowed to be destroyed by these later introduced alien values that only care about exploiting others. They need to be insulated from the middle eastern values of globalised exploitation of the poor by the rich.
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Whether a child is Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim or Burgher, they need to be introduced to the civilised values of Buddhism from an early age.
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That is the only future this country could have under your rule.
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Desperate Sinhalaya / December 28, 2019
Not only children, but also we need to educate lanken monks or better said, sivuru wearing patta pal horu.
They should be hung by their balls if they per,mamently molest the child monks in the temples.
I have no doubt, if most supportive monks to RAJAKASHSEs are high criminals.
Their abusive nature have worked to bring the rajapakshes back to power and ruin this nation.
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Simon De Silva / December 28, 2019
About 50 Sinhalese and Tamil children were residing at the Sethsevana Children’s Home, which is under the control of the accused Atambagaskada Kalyanatissa Thera.
The forensic officer who examined him reported that the child had been sexually abused and sexually harassed.
https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/world/2013/11/131106_monk_childabuse_vavuniyahttps://www.bbc.com/sinhala/world/2013/11/131106_monk_childabuse_vavuniya
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Eagle Eye / December 29, 2019
Simon,
Anti-Sinhala British Bastar*s Corporation is notorious for cooking up stories like this.
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Simon De Silva / December 29, 2019
Eagle,
Why not you make your own research and find out of how man yof those PANSAL living pingutharayas are good monks ?
Lately, it came to light almost over 50% living in temples are not real good hamuduruwos. Most of them are hamduru mudalalis that live on the alms being offered to them. THese men should be pushed on to paddy fields not allowing them to continue pinguthara life styles anymore.
You the kind of buggers, that would not see anything right for the sake of our YOUTH, cant see it right.
Mahinda pala .. name of god, try to see it right. You the kind of men would not have that much time before you.
If you would become somewhat good, for the high crimes you guys committed by using your pen – can mitigate… time is still there you to see it right.
Get well soon.. though i have given my hopes .. about you.
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Rajash / December 28, 2019
Mahinda wants to take the Chinese route of China Uighurs: Muslims.
Basically what he is saying that All Sinhalese children must be introduced to minority racism in the Buddhist Temple schools
He is getting ready for the general election
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Supri / December 28, 2019
Why did people vote for this racist guy? We will never know.
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Kamal Agunaratna / December 28, 2019
Since srilankens are dominated by stupid ones … they would eat COWDUNG if they would have been asked to do so. That is why. The kind of folks are diminishing int he world today with the revolution of IT, but lankens move backwords, and masses become more…
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rbh / December 28, 2019
In viewing this section it is important to note that Buddhism, customs and rituals to continue to evolve. The monks are strictly disciplined & distinctive declared allegiance to the Buddha The monks (spiritually practice of non-greed ) should advice about dharma not the prime minister, We cannot both preach and govern financial matters.
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Raj-UK / December 28, 2019
”..Firstly, adhering to the Five Precepts and observing the Eight Precepts on Poya Days. Secondly, respecting the Maha Sangha, parents, teachers and elders. Thirdly, leading a simple life and maintaining a good relationship with one’s neighbours. Fourthly, developing restraint, good behaviour, and a sound knowledge of the Dhamma. Fifthly, devotion to the Buddha-Dhamma, and being motivated by national pride and indigenous traditions….”
What a blatant hypocrite, subtly promoting racism I wonder if any of his sons attended Dhamma schools on Sundays. If I am not mistaken, state schools were not good enough for them, therefore,
they attended an Anglican church run school, so would have benefited from dhamma school education on Buddhist philosophy, which MR him self seem to be quite knowledgeable but doesn’t seem to practice.
I was forced by a very religious aunt to attend a dhamma school in Bambalapitiya with my cousins on Sundays when I was about 10 years old, which I consider an utter waste of time. At least I would have enjoyed playing marbles with neighbourhood kids instead of memorising pali stanzas & the life of Buddha in his 550 reincarnations. My daughter learnt about Buddhism from Religious Study lessons in school where (except in Islamic, Jewsih or Catholic’faith’ schools) the curriculum includes learning about all religions . Therefore, she is in a better position of selecting a faith of her choice if she so wishes & similarly, there are many non Buddhists who have accepted Buddhism after gaining a broader knowledge of other religions. Unlike Christianity & Islam in the past where countries went to war to spread the religion, Buddhism was never forced on people, yet, today, it has become global but Buddhist monks dabbling in politics & the conduct of thugs in robes are a disgrace to Buddhism.
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Maharage, / December 28, 2019
Helping Hambantota, lent us the greatest ideas of what and how an NGO should be to build a nation.
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Spring Koha / December 28, 2019
So Mr Prime Minister, you say . . .”This is a time when we have to be very vigilant with regard to what is being put into the minds of school children. Foreign funded NGOs have influenced our education system in subtle ways.”
Nooo! Its mothers and fathers. Nobody put it more succinctly than the poet Philip Larkin in ‘This Be The Verse’
They fuck you up, your mum and dad.
They may not mean to, but they do.
They fill you with the faults they had
And add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turn
By fools in old-style hats and coats,
Who half the time were soppy-stern
And half at one another’s throats.
Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.
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Sinhala_Man / December 29, 2019
Dear Spring Koha,
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No, I didn’t know this Larkin poem. I read him quite a bit when I had to teach him in the Maldives in 1983-84. A horrible man he’d been, but his poetry has a mean leanness, and is great.
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Which brings me to the point: how could you have been so personally mean to me? I was being factual and objective. There’s not much left of life for me to be plotting and scheming. These general statements seem to get discussed thoroughly – get on to particulars. and most people stop thinking the moment you particularise.
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Yes, let’s look to mitigating evil in whatever ways we can. I wish we could correspond, finally get to know one another. You certainly project a very kindly persona.
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Complements of the season!
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chiv / December 29, 2019
You mean those ideas of Ampitiye Sumane , Ganasara ,Zaharan and Ranjith the cardinal.
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Hamlet / January 2, 2020
“Students enrolled in the Dhamma Schools today will be the generation that carries forward the Sinhala Buddhist national identity”
The ‘Sinhala/Buddhist National Identity’ is not What the Buddha Taught!
The Buddha taught that to Live in Peace we have to let Go of ‘I’, ‘Me,’ ‘My’, and ‘Mine’,!
It is the Politicians who are Corrupting the Buddha’s Teaching for their Own Benefit!
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