On the eve of Sri Lanka celebrating it’s seventh anniversary since defeating the LTTE, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero, a renowned history lecturer attached to the University of Kelaniya reminded the country of the important teachings of Lord Buddha where renouncing conquest and defeat will help everyone live happily.
Dhammananda Thero, in a special message which was released last year said that while a war victory created an atmosphere of hatred, it also resulted in a section of the people remaining dejected, despite the victory.
“Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat,” the Thero said, reciting a verse from the Dhammapada.
The Story of the Defeat of the King of Kosala
While residing at the Jetavana monastery, the Buddha uttered Verse (201) of this book, with reference to the King of Kosala who was defeated in battle by Ajatasattu, his own nephew.
In fighting against Ajatasattu, the King of Kosala was defeated three times. Ajatasattu was the son of King Bimbisara and Queen Vedehi, the sister of the King of Kosala. The King of Kosala was ashamed and very much depressed over his defeat. Thus his lamentation: “What a disgrace! I cannot even conquer this boy who still smells of mother’s milk. It is better that I should die.” Feeling depressed and very much ashamed, the king refused to take food, and kept to his bed. The news about the king’s distress spread like wild fire and when the Buddha came to learn about it, he said, “Bhikkhus! In one who conquers, enmity and hatred increase; one who is defeated suffers pain and distress.”
Then the Buddha spoke in verse as follows:
Jayam veram pasawati – Dukkam seti parajito
Upasanto sukham seti – Hitva jaya parajayam
Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat.
( Dhammapada, Sukhaa vagga verse 5)
Galkande Dhammananda Thero
Walpola Sri Rahula Institute
Lecturer, History Department
University of Kelaniya
justice / May 18, 2016
If the King of Kosala was defeated three times, how was he still alive, and fit enough to lament his defeats?
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The Oracle / May 18, 2016
Justice
Quite a pedantic response .
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Alfred / May 19, 2016
the big picture is the story teller is a school teacher on piñata padiya.
Rebellions of the belly are the worst and he has none unlike the suffering masses.
The abuse of power, that rock on which good governments, and the people’s rights, have been so often wrecked.
Morality is of the highest importance – but for us, not for God –
Albert Einstein
Brahma is rarely worshiped because it’s all knowledge- emptiness!
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BBS Rep / May 18, 2016
Venerable Galkande Dhammananda Thero,
Noble words indeed. “Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat,”
However sorry to say this. But
Sri Lankans are basically not Buddhists and can never be Buddhists.
Consider the three unwholesome Kleshas – anger, aggression and hatred. Yet we practice all that is ignoble so wholeheartedly. Corruption is rampant. Anger is rampant. Hatred is rampant. Killing is carried out without blinking an eyelid. Lying is institutionalised. Double talk is the norm.
The root cause of the whole LTTE death and destruction debacle, that of hate, marginalisation, suspicion and political expediency still remains the root cause, even after such devastation.
Sri Lankans are basically not Buddhists and can never be Buddhists.
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Nathan / May 18, 2016
Lord Buddha will bless His devoted son, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero.
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punithan / May 18, 2016
Do
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 19, 2016
Bumpers!
Fools paradise, Where is Discrimination??
There goes the English saying
“Let the bubbles settle before you take the cup of tea.”
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Native Vedda / May 18, 2016
Nathan
“Lord Buddha will bless His devoted son, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero.”
Buddha the awakened one attained PariNirvana.
Please don’t bring him back to witness the people who constantly create Dukka for themselves and others.
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Amarasiri / May 18, 2016
Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero
RE: Lord Buddha’s Teachings Reminded As Sri Lanka Celebrated Seven Year Since End Of War
“On the eve of Sri Lanka celebrating it’s seventh anniversary since defeating the LTTE, Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero, a renowned history lecturer attached to the University of Kelaniya reminded the country of the important teachings of Lord Buddha where renouncing conquest and defeat will help everyone live happily.”
“Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat.
( Dhammapada, Sukhaa vagga verse 5)”
Yes. Life goes on. The Germans, the Italians and the Japanese were defeated, but life goes on.
Yes. The Tamils and Sinhala and others need to move on.
“Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat.
( Dhammapada, Sukhaa vagga verse 5)”
Yes. One correction, Buddha never said he was Lord or God. People made Buddha to be God or Lord. Buddha never denounced the existence of God, instead he preferred to remain silent on the questions on meta-physical entities like god.
But, here is another narrative…
Does God Exist? a story of Buddha
http://aumamen.com/story/does-god-exist-a-story-of-buddha
He wanted to know for sure if there is a God or not? When he heard about the realized one (Buddha) , he came to get his doubt cleared. When he felt nobody would notice him talking to Siddartha, the Buddha. He asked Gautama “O enlightened one, Please tell me the truth! and truth only. Is there a god?”.
Buddha, from his intuition knew that man to be a great devotee of Lord Rama, he looked at that man with seriousness and said “No, My friend. There is no god”.
There was a materialist who had been an atheist all his life, he had convinced 1000s of people that there was no god, he used to go to the priests and scholars and defeat them in the argument about god.
He too was getting old and little suspicion arose in him, “what if there is god? isn’t it waste of my life to spread the “NO GOD” message if there is god?” he thought. He was eaten by this doubt, he finally decided to know the truth and sought the enlightened one.
He slowly came up to where Buddha was sitting, and asked him “They say you are enlightened, Please tell me if there is GOD?”.
Buddha knowing that man to be an atheist said with firm voice as if he is in firm conviction “Yes, there is God”. Buddha’s disciples once again were back to confusion.
Moral of the story: Belief that there is God or belief that there is no God are both equally useless, one has to realize the truth in himself with diligent self-effort. Enlightened one had told each of them what they had to know in order for them to get stronger on their spiritual quest.
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jim softy / May 18, 2016
In another time Buddha had kept silent when some one asked is there a god.
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srinath.gunaratne / May 18, 2016
Well, I wish, Lord Buddha was specific and gave one answer without leaving to interpretations.
If he was enlightened, I wish he had told us about,
What matter was made up?
How microscopic particles work?
Big Bang!
Evolution! When did the Karma start to cause effect on beings, How about when they were single cell? or in primodial soup?
How genes/DNA work? How does the mind exist in the body? what is it made up of?
Why only humans are intelligent!
I do not mean to disrespect, But had these questions been answered precisely by lord Buddha by which science struggles to answer, My conviction on Karma and Nirvana might be doubt less.
But now I have doubts! and no one to answer! I know Buddha said to mind your self and lead your self to nirvana. Well we are still inquisitive monkeys and Buddha said not to believe anything without your own conviction
Is there anyone out there who can answer these questions?
Is everything just bull shit! We just live and die?
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old codger / May 18, 2016
Srinath,
According to the latest theories, we don’t actually exist, but are a simulation in some celestial software. Who is running the software??
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
“Who is running the software?? “
Action man you skipped the bus!
Mind you, even buses have bottlenecks.
The software driver has to speak to the `Operating System` we are yet to crack the Hegel swollen head and make it Open Source Operating System like the vast Linux and pick a program like user friendly Ubuntu or Red Hat.
Reason is Buddhism means Wisdom and its algebraic meaning is simply great.You can add white lies to it and it goes on with a simle, because humans are unpredictable.
After W10 which is already in cloud for mobile applications all Windows would be in cloud database controlled by MS Automation working in layers- no antivirus needed as at present because of layers.
But Linux will prevail because Windows follows Linux.
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Native Vedda / May 19, 2016
old codger
“Who is running the software??”
Is it Sundar Pitchai the CEO of Google?
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old codger / May 20, 2016
NV,
According to the theory, Pitchai doesn’t exist either, nor does Google. It is all said to be a celestial hologram .
So don’t worry too much about praying, worshipping, refraining from fornication etc. It won’t do you any good. But be good to your neighbours because otherwise they could get nasty. Even imaginary harm is painful.
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Pistachio / May 21, 2016
“”But be good to your neighbours because otherwise they could get nasty. Even imaginary harm is painful. “
It’s where you are mistaken. Individual liberty shall always prevail.
Cloud tech is using virtualization `Apache` the software of American Defence forces where the commander has the core-data unlike MS office Access. Fortunately there are many suppliers of Cloud tech eg. IBM `Blue Star` MS `Azure`(boss is Andhra Indian-born American Satya Nadella)
There is a boss for everything and he is a hidden hand. The mainland Chinese understand it very well. But we guys at europe who believe in individual liberty would outsmart them when the need arises- because there is always someone to innovate.
“But be good to your neighbours because otherwise they could get nasty.”
The best is like when you live in a french tower block – you don’t know your neighbour and all you do is wish him good day when you see him- from an english point of view its inhuman. So folk prefer to live at Canada with 40% taxes than USA with 25% taxes.
Life is too short to be anything but happy.
Falling down is a part of life, getting back up is living.
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Amarasiri / May 18, 2016
srinath.gunaratne
“If he was enlightened,
I wish he had told us about,
What matter was made up? How microscopic particles work?
Big Bang!”
For answers, study modern Physics, Particle Physics and Astronomy.
Start with the the Standard Model.
Standard Model
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_Model
The Standard Model of particle physics is a theory concerning the electromagnetic, weak, and strong nuclear interactions, as well as classifying all the subatomic particles known. It was developed throughout the latter half of the 20th century, as a collaborative effort of scientists around the world.[1] The current formulation was finalized in the mid-1970s upon experimental confirmation of the existence of quarks. Since then, discoveries of the top quark (1995), the tau neutrino (2000), and more recently the Higgs boson (2012), have given further credence to the Standard Model. Because of its success in explaining a wide variety of experimental results, the Standard Model is sometimes regarded as the “theory of almost everything”.
Although the Standard Model is believed to be theoretically self-consistent and has demonstrated huge and continued successes in providing experimental predictions, it does leave some phenomena unexplained and it falls short of being a complete theory of fundamental interactions. It does not incorporate the full theory of gravitation as described by general relativity, or account for the accelerating expansion of the universe (as possibly described by dark energy). The model does not contain any viable dark matter particle that possesses all of the required properties deduced from observational cosmology. It also does not incorporate neutrino oscillations (and their non-zero masses).
The development of the Standard Model was driven by theoretical and experimental particle physicists alike. For theorists, the Standard Model is a paradigm of a quantum field theory, which exhibits a wide range of physics including spontaneous symmetry breaking, anomalies and non-perturbative behavior. It is used as a basis for building more exotic models that incorporate hypothetical particles, extra dimensions, and elaborate symmetries (such as supersymmetry) in an attempt to explain experimental results at variance with the Standard Model, such as the existence of dark matter and neutrino oscillations.
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Paul / May 19, 2016
Srinath Gunaratne, The Buddha himself said that he only taught two things – Dukkha and its cessation. Everything else is irrelavent to the task of ending Dukkha.
Furthermore following the Buddhist path does not depend on accepting Kamma etc or any other concept. The Buddha’s teaching is experiential, profound intuitive insight arises through its practice of meditation. This transcends both faith and doubt, which are in fact, two sides of the same coin.
Living in a Buddhist country, how come you don’t know all this?
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Srinath.gunaratne / May 19, 2016
Go and read about double slit experiment in quantum physics, that will surely change your perceptions. Maybe little bit of uncertainty principle!
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Paul / May 19, 2016
Mereley tossing ‘Uncertainty Principle’ into the discussion won’t wash. Address the points at issue, if you can.
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srinath.gunaratne / May 19, 2016
Hi Paul
100% agree with you and what you says, But if you look from the scientific point of view, There is no proof that there is karma and there is next life or Nirvana!
It makes me laugh sometimes even educated people come with magic bahubutha theories mixing few high sounded words to unify Buddhism with science.
It is a fact the Buddhas teaching gives a clear explanation to the suffering of the people and a path to eradicate that suffering! It is followed by faith, not proof! It does not mean that all the Buddha’s teachings are false just because I have no proof.
I am Buddhist and I have learned all these in the school, But at the same time we study science. You can not stop asking these questions, our place in this universe.
Surely Buddhism does not answer these questions of science and at the same time science does not (at the moment) does not answer the fundamentals of Buddhism.
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Alfred / May 19, 2016
“” The Buddha himself said that he only taught two things – Dukkha and its cessation. Everything else is irrelavent to the task of ending Dukkha.””
The (Buddha) Wisdom Himself said.?? How Come? after 500 years when we even do not know what our living grandfather is thinking? Even in the west its hard to go behind a family tree of over 300 years. Neither has any remanence of Gautama or Mum been found anywhere in the world. Except that they were places of tree huggers. Even today folk hug centuries old useless trees that give shade and are not cut because it brings back memories of their ancestors who had taken either a snapshot or sat for a meal- they are very dear memories perhaps from our monkey heritage.
“the task of ending Dukkha.”””
Become a Yogi in the wilderness then Starve oneself to Death and say hara-kiri/sucide is a crime therefore you won’t be reborn as human a thousand times over. Limits of Action.
All suffering is greed therefore we of Asia have to learn from west but filter it for the nectar of spirit of reasonableness.Never by scorning at them because we are inter dependent.
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Paul / May 19, 2016
‘The (Buddha) Wisdom Himself said.?? How Come? after 500 years when we even do not know what our living grandfather is thinking?’
Don’t you understand? It doesn’t really matter what the Buddha said or didn’t say, or even if he existed. A method of practice has come down to us through the ages that claims to end Dhukka. Try it if you want to, else forget it. That is the Buddhist way.
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Alfred / May 19, 2016
“”A method of practice has come down to us through the ages that claims to end Dhukka. Try it if you want to, else forget it. That is the Buddhist way. “”
2 dimensional idiocracy is good for old age- Suffering!!
When we read Tao (lived at the time of Gautama)the civil servant we are not amazed with Gautam katha written 500 years later.
or Ranil’s way of doing things- the wisdom of the foolish- Tao.
you are an escapist by nature why so?
Faith- father forgive them for they do not know…
Just like the phaeros no one knows where they go when they die.
Its just a belief which comes from ` no man believes he would die- Gita
Hinduism is not a religion but selective rituals at different regions.
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justice / May 27, 2016
Alfred,
There is no religion without ritual.
All religions have developed intricate rituals which become complicated as time went on, and are elaborated and expanded by the purveyors of each religion.
Attending these rituals – called ‘poojas’, ‘services’ etc., is soul satisfying to many, and ensures attendance in the thousands.
The purveyors/priests are hired for/derive incomes from – these.
One can be good and be of service to others without these rituals.
This is the essence of all religions.
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sekara / May 19, 2016
SG
Just for enlightenment:
I know of the double slit experiment of Young and heard of some of its variants.
I have a foggy idea of quantum mechanics.
But what is this “double slit experiment in quantum physics”?
Could you kindly tell me more.
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srinath.gunaratne / May 19, 2016
Dear Sekara
There is no joy than learning physics!
Try this videos first,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVpXrbZ4bnU
I had to watch it may be 10 times, to get everything into my head. I hope you are luckier than me!
Let me give you a small guidance,
The one to understand is that sub atomic particles (electron proton, neutron and ….) show some extra ordinary behavior when we observe them and when we do not observe them!
The next is how a sub atomic particle with mass behave like waves when we do not look at them and behave like particles when we observe them!
Not only sub atomic particles, Even light (Photons) shows the similar behavior!
The third and still no one has not been able to clearly explain, How an electron (or any other sub atomic particle) goes through (or seem like goes through) the both slits at the same time when we do not look at them!
If you are not fed up, Search “Spooky action at distance” in you tube. More crazy stuff!
Good luck with enlightenment.
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sekara / May 19, 2016
SG
THANKS
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old codger / May 20, 2016
Srinath,
Considering the age,diversity and size of the Universe, it is strange that humans think they are different and expect special treatment from God or whoever.
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Alfred / May 19, 2016
“”and gave one answer without leaving to interpretations.””
it’s the fault of 2 dimensional literature nothing to do with the philosopher, or the the philosophy of Tao/Dao or Gautama.
all are suckers.
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
srinath.gunaratne ,
“Is there anyone out there who can answer these questions?”
5,6= physics=11=1
Fool go fall in love:
Beauty is eternity gazing at itself in a mirror.
But you are eternity and you are the mirror.
– Gibran.
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Susruta / June 8, 2016
Dear Srinath G
Your questions are only a very minute few of the millions human curiosity can set for itself in the millennia to come. And you claim to be unhappy that the Buddha did not answer yours. Yours questions, in so far as they are not senseless, are being answered over time by persons much less than the Buddha.
The Compassionate one set out to talk about one that concerned all in his time and for aeons to come – that of human misery. To understand and benefit from his words, it is necessary for us to learn to listen
Unfortunately the hubris of our so called scientific age makes that difficult. We are too busy being clever.
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Native Vedda / May 18, 2016
Amarasiri
Are you suggesting that we should deny MR of his hollowed war victory claim?
Its a good idea, however how do plan to convince his b***s carriers and rest of the little islanders some of whom still believe and gloat about winning the war, single handedly against all odds?
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sekara / May 18, 2016
I am fairly certain that the Buddha rejected the concept of ‘a god almighty’.
He did not talk of soul or rebirth, and avoided answering certain questions because they were irrelevant to what he was tying to say.
God and soul are irrelevant to Buddhism; and that made Buddhism more rational than all other religions.
There were many Brahmin-influenced add-ons to what the Buddha said.
I think that they should be verified based on his main teachings.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 19, 2016
Sekera,
The Buddha spoke of Devas, whoever they may be and about rebirth as flowing out of the concept of cause and effect.
He was against the ritual ridden Brahminism which had undermined the very fundamentals of Vedanta and not against pristine Hinduism per-se.
Dr.RN
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
” and about rebirth as flowing out of the concept of cause and effect.”
As with Jesus it was Passion so he spoke of Rebirth in leaving for the unknown.
No man believes he is going to die.- gautama believed it.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 19, 2016
Sekera,
Swami Vivekananda explained the essence of Vedanta as no one else has. Please listen to his speeches at the World Congress of religions in Chicago in the following link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=d6aHYAwJi3c
Also, see the short film on his life and deeds in the accompanying links.
Dr.RN
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sekara / May 19, 2016
Just to confirm my impressions.
Anatta, (Pali: “non-self” or “substanceless”) Sanskrit anatman , in Buddhism, the doctrine that there is in humans no permanent, underlying substance that can be called the soul. Instead, the individual is compounded of five factors (Pali khandha; Sanskrit skandha) that are constantly changing.
(source: http://www.britannica.com/topic/anatta)
Jainism asserts endless cycles of rebirth of a soul.
Both Buddhism & Jainism reject creation theories and creator-god.
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sekara / May 19, 2016
Dr RN
Thanks.
I spent 7 years of my student life in an RKM Hindu school and have long been familiar with Vivekananda’s works.
Schools of Vedanta are interesting but did not impress me.
Vivekananda was an impressive personality who achieved remarkable things, but I have not been been very much enamoured by his views, impressively expressed though.
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Pistachio / May 20, 2016
The cyclone was a man of his times.
He was trying to feed his people during his time.
While Mao starved his people.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 20, 2016
Sekera,
Vivekanandan describes God as , ” After so much austerity, I have understood this as the real truth— God is present in every jiva; there is no other God besides that, ‘Who serves jiva, serves God indeed”.
Saivaism too defines God as, ” Anbey Sivam” , which translates as ‘ Love is God’.
Dr.RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 20, 2016
Sekera,
No one has given a satisfactory explanation of the soul. What is that leaves us dead? Is life total cellular death or a soul departing a body?
When the possibility of resurrecting life from a strand of DNA, even from long extinct species has become a plausible scientific possibility, what does the soul mean?
Further, are we not passing a part of us to our children, grand children and those who follow them? If we are a 100% in terms of our genetic make up, our children will be 50% of us, the third generation would be 25 % , the fourth 12.5 %, the fifth 6.25 %’ the 6th 3.125 %, the 7th 1.56% and the 8th 0.78 %. Does our trace become negligible after the 7th generation? Is this why our ancients believed in the concept of seven (7 ) births ( Erlu Piravi)?
During our life too we are subject to mutations and our genes shut on and off in response to our conduct and environment. Are we what we were yesterday, today? When we are young our cell death rate was less than the new cell formation rate. This is why we grow. As we grow older, the cell death rate is more than the new cell formation rate we shrink. We die when most of the cells die and there is no more cell multiplication. Of course individual organs can also fail, triggering off death. What is death? Is it programmed in us?
Is it a human need to imagine that something in him is immortal?
Dr.RN
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sekara / May 21, 2016
Dear Dr RN
If all religions preach love, why are so many killed in the name of religion?
I was very religious well into my youth but I was not very impressed with Saiva Siddhanha.
I realized at some stage that one can lead a life of goodness without religion.
It is human weakness: inability to accept that it is all over when we die.
The Orientals got it right about rebirth. They believe in deities (most of them) but not in a creator or almighty God. (Confucian tradition were free of God and soul.)
I do not want anything immortal about me.
I am sure that many share that position.
Buddhism talks of eternal change and impermanence. I like that part. It is very materialistic.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Sekera,
I am pursuing the topic we are discussing, to learn from your views and thoughts, knowing your background and personality, from my time at Peradeniya. I am also learning much from by delving deeper into the topic. I am hoping the interested readers too will learn.
Dr. Carl Sagan, (1934-1996) famous astrophysicist, in his book, Cosmos says:
“The Hindu religion is the only one of the world’s great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths.
It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology.
Its cycles run from our ordinary day and night to a day and night of Brahma, 8.64 billion years long. Longer than the age of the Earth or the Sun and about half the time since the Big Bang. And there are much longer time scales still.”
There is the deep and appealing notion that the universe is but the dream of the god who, after a Brahma years, dissolves himself into a dreamless sleep. The universe dissolves with him – until, after another Brahma century, he stirs, recomposes himself and begins again to dream the great cosmic dream.”
Carl Sagan further says:
“The most elegant and sublime of these is a representation of the creation of the universe at the beginning of each cosmic cycle, a motif known as the cosmic dance of Lord Shiva. The god, called in this manifestation Nataraja, the Dance King. In the upper right hand is a drum whose sound is the sound of creation. In the upper left hand is a tongue of flame, a reminder that the universe, now newly created, with billions of years from now will be utterly destroyed.”
These profound and lovely images are, I like to imagine, a kind of premonition of modern astronomical ideas.”
Sagan continues, “A millennium before Europeans were wiling to divest themselves of the Biblical idea that the world was a few thousand years old, the Mayans were thinking of millions and the Hindus billions”
(source: Cosmos – By Carl Sagan p. 213-214).
In the episode entitled “The Edge of Forever” in the “Cosmos” television series, Carl Sagan visits India, and by way of introducing some of the bizarre ideas of modern physics, he acknowledges that of all the world’s philosophies and religions those originating in India are remarkably consistent with contemporary scenarios of space, time and existence.
Dr.RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Sekera,
All institutions take a life of their own and subvert the very ideals that they sought to represent. Organized religions are no different. The institutions becomes more important to be defended and expanded , even at the expense of its founding ideals. Universities as instutions are not any different.
I frequently quote Middleton Murray, who said in the concluding sentence in his book on the Vatican that ,” There was only one Christian and he died on the cross”. This true of all institutionlized religions. I think Hinduism has survived because it has not been organized into a monolithic institution, although it is a collection of various sects and beliefs. There is no I situation that needs to be defended or propagated. It is a belief system that marches to the rhythm of a multitude of drummers. The rhythm may be jarring at times, but the march goes on. Even Jayalalitha and Kushpu the actress can become a part of the pantheon of Gods to those who see divinity in them!
Much violence is committed in the name of a religion, but this does negates the fundamentals on which the religions are centered.
Dhammananda Thera in his message has presented what the Buddha realized and not what the religion called Buddhism as an institution has become in Sri Lanka and Burma/Mynamar.
Dr.RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 19, 2016
Fritjof Capra, the quantum physicist in the preface to his book ‘Tao of Physics’ says, ” —Man needs physics and metaphysics”.
He goes onto say in the introduction, ” Five years ago, I had a beautiful experience which set me on a road that has led to the writing of this book. I was sitting by the ocean one late summer afternoon, watching the waves rolling in and feeling the rhythm of my breathing, when I suddenly became aware of my whole environment as being engaged in a gigantic cosmic dance. Being a physicist, I knew that the sand, rocks, water, and air around me were made of vibrating molecules and atoms, and that these consisted of particles which interacted with one another by creating and destroying other particles. I knew also that the earth’s atmosphere was continually bombarded by showers of “cosmic rays,” particles of high energy undergoing multiple collisions as they penetrated the air. All this was familiar to me from my research in high-energy physics, but until that moment I had only experienced it through graphs, diagrams, and mathematical theories. As I sat on that beach my former experiences came to life; I “saw” cascades of energy coming down from outer space, in which particles were created and destroyed in rhythmic pulses; I “saw” the atoms of the elements and those of my body participating in this cosmic dance of energy; I felt its rhythm and I “heard” its sound, and at that moment I knew that this was the Dance of Shiva, the Lord of Dancers worshiped by the Hindus.
I had gone through a long training in theoretical physics and had done several years of research. At the same time, I had become very interested in Eastern mysticism and had begun to see the parallels to modern physics. I was particularly attracted to the puzzling aspects of Zen which reminded me of the puzzles in quantum theory. At first, however, relating the two was a purely intellectual exercise. To overcome the gap between rational, analytical thinking and the meditative experience of mystical truth, was, and still is, very difficult for me.
In the beginning, I was helped on my way by “power plants” which showed me how the mind can flow freely; how spiritual insights come on their own, without any effort, emerging from the depth of consciousness. I remember the first such experience. Coming, as it did, after years of detailed analytical thinking, it was so overwhelming that I burst into tears, at the same time, not unlike Castaneda, pouring out my impressions on to a piece of paper.
Later came the experience of the Dance of Shiva which I have tried to capture in the photomontage shown in Plate 7. It was followed by many similar experiences which helped me gradually to realize that a consistent view of the world is beginning to emerge from modern physics which is harmonious with ancient Eastern wisdom. I took many notes over the years, and I wrote a few articles about the parallels I kept discovering, until I finally summarized my experiences in the present book.
This book is intended for the general reader with an interest in Eastern mysticism who need not necessarily know anything about physics. I have tried to present the main concepts and theories of modern physics without any mathematics and in nontechnical language, although a few paragraphs may still appear difficult to the layperson at first reading. The technical terms I had to introduce are all defined where they appear for the first time and are listed in the index at the end of the book.”
I read this book when it was first published in 1975. It is a very readable book and provides insights into many insights into eastern religions,particularly Hunduism and Buddhism from the point of view of a top class quantum physicist.
Dr.RN
I also hope to find among my readers many physicists. with an interest in the philosophical aspects of physics, I who have as yet not come in contact with the religious philosophies of the East. They will find that Eastern mysticism provides a consistent and beautiful philosophical framework which can accommodate our most advanced theories of the physical world.
As far as the contents of the book are concerned, the reader may feel a certain lack of balance between the presentation of scientific and mystical thought. Throughout the book, his or her understanding of physics should progress steadily, but a comparable progression in the understanding of Eastern mysticism may not occur. This seems unavoidable, as mysticism is, above all, an experience that cannot be learned from books. A deeper understanding of any mystical tradition can only be felt when one decides to become actively involved in it. All I can hope to do is to generate the feeling that such an involvement would be highly rewarding.
During the writing of this book, my own understanding of Eastern thought has deepened considerably. For this I am indebted to two men who come from the East. I am profoundly grateful to Phiroz Mehta for opening my eyes to many aspects of Indian mysticism, and to my T’ai Chi master Liu Hsiu Ch’i for introducing me to living Taoism. It is impossible to mention the names of everyone- scientists, artists, students, and friends-who have helped me formulate my ideas in stimulating discussions. I feel, however, that I owe special thanks to Graham Alexander Jonathan Ashmore, Stratford Caldecott, Lyn Gambles Sonia Newby, Ray Rivers, Joel Scherk, George Sudarshan and -last but not least- Ryan Thomas.
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srinath.gunaratne / May 19, 2016
This is what I call Bahubutha bull shit theory, Qunatum vibrations and dance of the Shiva, My arse!
No disrespect doctor, but mingling words of religion and physics just to make they look the same without an iota of facts is sad hilarious and down rightly condemned!
Thank god you do not get to hear this kind of things from Dirac, Feynman, Oppenheimer, Neils Bhor.
It only have to be an Indian! or may be Sri Lankan!
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sekara / May 19, 2016
SG
The link between the image of Shiva and quantum vibrations suggested in “The Tao of Physics” in the 1990s by Fritjof Capra, a reputed physicist, is interesting but far fetched. His subjective streak persists.
More recently, Fritjof Capra explained that “Modern physics has shown that the rhythm of creation and destruction is not only manifest in the turn of the seasons and in the birth and death of all living creatures, but is also the very essence of inorganic matter,” and that “For the modern physicists, then, Shiva’s dance is the dance of subatomic matter.”
(http://www.fritjofcapra.net/shivas-cosmic-dance-at-cern/)
Although Capra’s is subjective, he makes interesting reading.
We, South Asians, tend to read too much meaning into what our ancients have said; and are flattered when such things are uttered by a Westerner.
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Pistachio / May 20, 2016
Sekara,
“” and are flattered when such things are uttered by a Westerner.””
They called the best Dr Raghu a luddite and did not give him the gold medal.Though he and wife are Profs at Chicago still, Dr Manmohan invited him to India and he has saved for India to challenge China. Later Laxmi friend and investor TED broke the ice and America listened knowing pretty well it would all crash in 3 months.
Its the curse of INGO’s- you need them and you don’t need.- When Cameron came there he wanted the opinion of British NGO- they are political entities with a lot of unaccounted dosh- like the previous church.
But the Indians in the USA are fighting back.
According to a Gallup survey conducted earlier this year(2015), more 70 percent of the U.S. public has a positive impression of India, a score on par with Israel’s traditionally-high favorability rating. This is the latest indicator of how decisively American perceptions about the country have shifted in a relatively short period of time. Not too long ago, India was widely regarded as the very epitome of what the term “Third World” meant – decrepit, destitute and pitiable.
For many decades most Americans were inclined to the views of President Harry S. Truman, who dismissed India at its birth as an independent state as “pretty jammed with poor people and cows wandering around streets, witch doctors and people sitting on hot coals and bathing in the Ganges.” His Secretary of State, Dean Acheson, had an even more incisive perspective: “by and large [Indians] and their country give me the creeps.”
When Daniel Patrick Moynihan was the U.S. ambassador to India from 1973-75, he regularly lamented that Washington was utterly indifferent to the country’s fate; writing in his diary, he confided that it “is American practice to pay but little attention to India.” In a cable to the State Department, he complained of dismissive attitudes, “a kind of John Birch Society contempt for the views of raggedly ass people in pajamas on the other side of the world.”
Public opinion kept close track with official attitudes in Washington. Harold Issacs’s classic 1958 survey of U.S. elite opinion on China and India, Scratches on Our Minds, revealed that influential Americans held very negative perceptions of the latter, associating it with “filth, dirt and disease,” along with debased religious beliefs. Influential books in the 1960s, most notably Paul Ehrlich’s The Population Bomb, rendered dim portraits of India’s political coherence and economic prospects. The country did not even rate mention in either Paul Kennedy’s much-discussed 1987 book, The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, or John Mearsheimer’s 2001 book,The Tragedy of Great Power Politics. And in the summer of 1991, editorial writers at the New York Times advised readers to “pity India” because the country was in danger of fragmenting along sectarian lines.
A State Department analysis prepared in the early 1970s found that U.S. public opinion identified India more than any other nation with such attributes as disease, death and illiteracy, and school textbooks throughout this period regularly portrayed it in a most negative light. This view was again underscored in a 1983 opinion poll, in which Americans ranked India at the bottom of a list of 22 countries on the basis of perceived importance to U.S. vital interests.
So, what accounts for the fundamental shift in American perceptions? An obvious part of the answer lies in the turnabout in India’s outlook that began with the major economic reforms launched in 1991. According to World Bank data, India has now supplanted Japan as Asia’s second-largest economy as measured on a purchasing power parity basis. Lawrence H. Summers, when he served recently as President Obama’s chief economics adviser, took totouting the virtues of the Indian development model.
And the teeming masses that horrified Paul Ehrlich into apocalyptic prognostications are now viewed as a vast reservoir of highly-trained brainpower threatening to sap the U.S. edge in innovation. A widely-publicized 2005 report issued by an eminent group of U.S. business and scientific leaders warned that America’s competitive position is being eroded by the emergence of skilled labor forces in India and China. This theme was regularly picked up by President Obama in the early years of his term.
But an equally central piece of the explanation lies in the remarkable growth of the Indian-American community. Nearly invisible three decades ago, it is now the third largest immigrant group in the country and occupies leading positions in government, business, academia and the health care professions………
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old codger / May 20, 2016
Pistachio,
You write about American attitudes to India changing dramatically.
“Not too long ago, India was widely regarded as the very epitome of what the term “Third World” meant – decrepit, destitute and pitiable.”
Why do you think our own masses still think of India in those terms, in spite of close proximity?
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Pistachio / May 20, 2016
“”Why do you think our own masses still think of India in those terms, in spite of close proximity? “”
firstly because Sri lankans think the world of is an English only spoken world so they hibernate at Tamil Nadu in some of the worst places and think that is the world. The richer ones who don’t pass go to Hong kong then call over at UK for a diploma and get back or find their way.
7.4 billion people and only 0.510 billion speak english worldwide!!
As europeans we tell the cocky type of english that theirs is not the only language and can afford to shut them up which a colony can’t do because it is stuck in glue of english only as the mode of study.
When i first went to TN and spoke to elite lankan boys/girls student & families and asked them how was life like beyond the deccan plateau-
they showed fear in their eyes about language.
Being an observer and less of a talker i decided to go to the top of the plateau and found life much more stunning. then through an Afghan friend I met on my way met a resident sinhala buddhist monk at Amaravathi and he was no different to the folk i met at TN (its attitudes; fear of the unknown)
I have enjoyed my stay at India for 10 long years- but don’t know as much as i would like. Take some time and read Far Pavilions its something like freedom at midnight.
Its something like this: Someone sounding official comes to our kindergarten school and this is money and you can exchange it for anything you like So we believe that it is the only way forward.
But money is surreal we have been doing barter from the time we were civilized. So don’t use money and say to hell with the billionaires who own the internal debt which is both taxes known and consumption 80%.
Fear inculcated in the child with faith of kissing feet than answering simple sometimes complicated questions ` papa tell me why?`
Jesuit schools at India are tough/ very strict but once we come to university the world opens and we are strong enough to take the challenge come what may.
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Pistachio / May 21, 2016
There is a parallel to this while reading art and culture of Europe at Leuven. The Muslim rule of the Iberian Peninsula for 800 years.(Portugal and most of Spain less of north). The same with lanka after Suez Canal closure- 90% of expat in the Medival M.E.
Most P&S were pagans and believed in witchcraft etc. So the Arabs who ventured out by ship to Kerala for `pepper corn` the prevailing currency came back with frightening stories to tell P&S. Even today when I speak to Algerians or Moroccan’s they say similar stories in trying to check us out. All this is they think we are stupid infidel. Knowledge well used is power.
Vasco da Gama had Arab guides and once rich Arab merchants plus African slaves to guide him in his 3 voyages (he was buried at Kerala and later body transferred to Portugal). You know when the Portuguese went to Banda island they found Arab traders and VOC found them too.
The Indians missed a lot of our western comic books (only the Foreign Service kids could lay their hands) so there was a difference in attitude between Ceylonese and Indian. But once one grows older there are American paperbacks for sale at railway kiosks. Or else how would you find men like Fareed Zakaria, Salman Rushdie from Bombay alone when Nehru, Indira shut the gates and opened it to Russia only for books (these were confusing in style to us )?. Southern states think the north is stupid and vis-à-vis.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 20, 2016
Sekera,
Why did Oppenheimer -the father of the atom bomb- keep the statue of Nadaraja (Dancing Siva) on his desk?
Why does a huge Nadaraja statue adorn the lawn of CERN ( The European Organization for Nuclear Research) located in the French-Swiss border? It has been located such as to throw a huge shadow over building at sunset!
I do not think Capra was subjective. He was connecting what he knew of subatomic particle physics and saw the connection to the Dance of Siva.
Einstein too saw the connect between profound thought of the ancients and modern science at the thought level, that cannot be proved yet. His theory of relativity is finding proof only now.
Dr.RN
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sekara / May 21, 2016
Did Oppenheimer give a scientific reason? I doubt.
The Nataraja statue is fascinating. But Oppenheimer would not do a Capra.
Respecting ancient thought is good. Taking things literally is bad. Einstein was a great socialist I know. How ‘religious’ he was, I doubt.
Have you heard of the hidden picture theory? (I heard it from one Prof. H Sato, a great Japanese fluid dynamicist.)
The more chaotic the data, the more likely that you will see patterns in it. (That is why we associate clouds with all manner of objects, I guess. Much of it is in our mind. That is may also be why people write history here as they choose.)
Sato said it in the course of settling a long argument between two academics who were hooked to each one’s fancy theory.
When you say I have a low opinion of anyone you are putting words into my mouth. And can you assume that I am unfamiliar with anything that I do not accept?
I have use for the classics and epics. But I do not take them literally.
There is a lot that I do not know, many many times more than I what have even heard of.
So I choose from what is accessible anything that helps me to understand the world around me. I drop anything which repeatedly fails me.
My disputing anything is not out of disrespect. (Einstein did not negate Newton out of any disrespect. I am no Einstein, but I reserve my right to differ.)
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Sekera,
This was what I read of Robert Oppenheimer, a few minutes back.
” Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Scientist, philosopher, bohemian, and radical. A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist for the Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb. Graduating from Harvard University, he traveled to Cambridge University to study at the Cavendish Laboratory.
Oppenheimer acquired a deeper knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita in 1933 when, as a young professor of physics, he studied Sanskrit with Professor Arthur W Ryder (1877-1938) at Berkeley.
The Gita, Oppenheimer excitedly wrote to his brother Frank Oppenheimer, was.
“very easy and quite marvelous”.
A man with this background would have definitely understood the concept of Siva and which prompted him to keep the statue of the Natarajah on his desk.
I have learned much indeed in the past few days. Many eminent nuclear physicists who have witnessed the first experimental explosion in New Mexico ( the culmination of the Manhatton Project) and had studied the Hroshima and Nagasaki explosions, think on the basis of description in Indian epics, that the ‘Bramastram’ referred to in the Ramayana and Mahabhratha, were probably atomic weapons.
Interesting to contemplate.
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
“” It has been located such as to throw a huge shadow over building at sunset!”
Do you know the height of the building and the height of the Nataraj?
Nataraj- 2 Meter tall and the building CERN At 27 metres in height and 40 metres in diameter, it’s about the size of the Sistine Chapel in Rome.
The statue is on permanent display in the square between buildings 39 and 40, a short distance from the Main Building.
balu dosthara/politician know nothing about the science of shadows (sciography) but yapping once again. There is no shadow to throw at building sunrise or sunset. It is not the sun temple orissa but in the lawn.
you lie at every turn and are a disgrace like government servants.
https://cds.cern.ch/record/745737
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Native Vedda / May 21, 2016
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran, old codger, timbuttu, Siva Sankaran Sarma, Pista, ……………
Aldous Leonard Huxley was an English writer, novelist, and a philosopher who also wrote Brave New Wold’
Please listen to Aldous Huxley who Describes the Dancing Shiva Image
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32oo0oyLUdE
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
Been there seen before!
there is no sun shade/shadows but Science at its best still unknown to the western mind.
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
Native Vedda,
You may be interested in
CHASING APHRODITE
The Hunt for Looted Antiquities in the World’s Museums
Chola-era sculpture of Ardhanarishvara – Just beautiful – the peaceful image of Shiva.
which it purchased in 2004 for more than $300,000. The documents were supplied by Subhash Kapoor, the prominent Manhattan antiquities dealer who sold the sculpture to the museum. (Previous Kapoor coverage here.) The records claim a New York antiquities collector had purchased the sculpture in 1970 from a handicraft dealer in Dehli and held it ever since.
How the identification was made:
https://chasingaphrodite.com/2013/07/01/lost-and-found-images-show-art-gallery-nsws-sculpture-was-stolen-from-an-indian-temple/
At China too Gautama sculptures at Longman Grottoes were stolen by communist and sold- it tells us clear stories of Buddha like the terracotta army.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
NV,
Thanks for the link. I am unable to down load it yet, due to weather conditions here.
Dr.RN
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PROUDMAN / June 11, 2016
Hello NV
Thank you very much for the link. I never thought i will learn so much from CT comments.
I started reading CT mainly to find out whats going on in the old country but reading some comments give me a different perspective. Thanks once again Keep going.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Timbuttu,
You appear to be an expert on shadows and are also barking at shadows you have not seen!
I am unable to reproduce CERN under the shadow of Nataraja at sunset with this comment.
However, I am sure with little effort you can find it in Google
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
“You appear to be an expert on shadows and are also barking at shadows you have not seen!”
Barking are your own dogs in the kennel!
I do understand sciography and its application – its all timed!
Stay to your subject breed puppies
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Here is the link to the photography of the CERN building Nataraja statue and its shadow over a CERN building.
https://begoodstewardsofmotherearth.wordpress.com/2010/11/07/the-large-hadron-collider-and-the-statue-at-cern/
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
You are blind as a bat to not observe that there is applied light not sunrise or sunset.
Heard of Photoshop – well you cut and paste because you never know its application- even in 10 years an artist would never learn unless he knows the science of shadows.
All industrial models we use photoshop lighting in all 3 dimensions.
Heard of Tate gallery. what do you think we do there even before CERN?
Heard of William Turner and the Turner Prize: He is the grand old master of Science of Shadows.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._M._W._Turner
Colony Canada is ugly and Saudi is even worse.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Timbattu,
Bow! Bow! by way of greeting.
It is yet a shadow cast on the building and the shadow is much bigger than the statue and almost covers the side of the building.
Remember I am not a student of shadows, yet.
The point I made was the installation of the Natarajah statue in front of the CERN building and its relevance/significance. What is the revanchist what is in the TATA gallery?
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
Nare,
“Bow! Bow! by way of greeting.”
R.A.B.I.E.S.- Rabies is a viral disease that causes acute inflammation of the `brain in humans` and other mammals.
Plus your language- put stones in a tin and shake it!! Bow Wow.Poriki
“”It has been located such as to throw a huge shadow over building at sunset! “
At sunset??
2 M statute+ Pedestral 2.7M approx The statue is on permanent display in the square between buildings 39 and 40, both buildings are 5 floors 15M approx.
Where is the shadow at sunset??
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/cerns-large-hadron-collider-and-the-end-times.7537669/
You call yourself the expert at the English language and learnt at village schools of ceylon then went to Canada and they taught you how to write what?? Bull nandi story??
you are a Liar Liar that is my point and check your stupid head Vella Rala in the lagoon by IPKF.
Go eat your own JT.
buming stupid politics you do not know the ruling class of Lanka.
“Remember I am not a student of shadows, yet.”
You are used to spoon feeding/ bath guli. We read by self and travel unlike you.
You never read comics as a kid and you are trying to Robin hood, Mandrake. I am not anybody’s student of shadows and have never been (its is (beyond coordinate geometry because the earth moves the sun moves – its cyclic coordinates and fades(umbra penumbra ) but I do read and apply them than fib like you that is why we don’t work for others too.
Cut your crap old man and get on with your work; time waster.
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Marrikar / May 21, 2016
It is the same as showing the Taj Mahal on a moon light night-via artificial simulation. Go buy a ticket and understand the indian rope trick.
Or find it in all its glory 3D and in detail on the web
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 20, 2016
Sekera,
Why do you have such a low opinion of our ancients and the great thinkers who lived among them. Please read the Kandapuranan ( the story of Lord Muruga/Katharagama Deviyo ), where the multiple Suns and the planets that revolve around them are described. Convert the Tamil measures for distance between the earth and the moon into their present equivalents. It will shock you to see how the numbers match the modern figures.
Further, the Dancing Siva represents energy and the string of skulls around his neck are supposed to represent cycles of creation and destruction. Do we not know now that our sun will eventually burn out? How did our ancients know this? Imagine the dynamic dance of Siva, hair flying, hands flaying., legs moving vigorously and rhymically. Would it not resemble the dance of the atoms and subatomic particles? Wasn’t it great for our ancients to conceptualize this dance in the form of a statue. Please check out the dance of the atoms and the particles within them,as conceptualized by modern science, transpose it on the dynamic and vigorous Dancing Siva. You will then say what Capra has said.
The White Man studied our ancient texts and believes better than we have and understood them. We have lost sight of their insight and profoundness, in our descent in to the profane.
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
“”The White Man studied our ancient texts and believes better than we have and understood them. We have lost sight of their insight and profoundness, in our descent in to the profane.””
white man at Canada taught you to write bull with confidence that is for sure because I am a nomad at England- and it’s all about confidence and the sinhalese have shown it well- shape shape shape.
This is also for arts subject graduate turned politician sekara who spent 7 years at Swami Vivekananda (nothing against you of course) and stupid eagletarian Amerasiri,
notes by someone who grew up listening to his granny about Swami V.
Legends apart, what blew away us as we walked into the Sun temple courtyard was the architecture and conceptualization. To all those who think that anything Indian means backward, I invite them to take a look at this temple. Certainly no backward, uncivilized people could have produced this marvel of architecture.
The entire Sun temple is conceived as a chariot of the Sun God pulled by Seven horses, each horse representing the day of the week. These 7 exquisitely carved horses, are complemented by 12 wheels on either side representing the values of time, unity, completeness, justice, perfection and movement, and each of these wheels stands for a fortnight, that is a period of 2 weeks. Do you see the equation, 7 days, 12 months and 24 fortnight which make up for 1 year? Konark is not just a temple, but also the proof that Indian civilization was highly advanced in the field of astronomical sciences. Long before the West discovered that the earth revolves around the Sun, India already knew this fact, and not just the fact that the earth revolves around the sun, but also the divisions of time, and built a monument in it’s honor.
While the temple is slightly different from the standard Oriya temples, the basic features of the Orissa architecture are well preserved. The sanctum sanctorum was in ruins and in fact is closed to the public. The saying goes that the early rays of the morning sun used to directly fall on the deity. There is a plaque saying that Lord Curzon, the then British Viceroy, ordered closure of the sanctum sanctorum for repairs. Now again another delicious irony, of all the British viceroys, Lord Curzon was the most hated and seen as the most anti Indian, but he was responsible for the upkeep of many monuments in India. There are 4 different phases of Surya around the 4 sides of the temple, each representing the four stages of the day- dawn, morning, noon and evening. In fact during the noon, the rays of the sun fall directly on the sanctum sanctorum. Truly the temple is a wonder in all senses. The 39 meter high audience hall, the Nata mandir or the dance hall and the ruined temple of Chaya the Sun God’s consort are still there.
/
Native Vedda / May 21, 2016
Dr.Rajasingham Narendran
“Why do you have such a low opinion of our ancients and the great thinkers who lived among them.”
SJ/sekera would only believe/trust whatever were uttered by Mao and Siri Mao.
Their words are the gospel truth to him.
He would love China to rule this island than ruled by the little islanders.
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
“”He would love China to rule this island than ruled by the little islanders..””
He was amazed by the ancient chinese nets that Modi would not allow Xi to touch.
He picked it up from one meter chai with froth. Unlike the english who wait for the froth bubbles to disappear before drinking the tea.
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sekara / May 21, 2016
“The White Man studied our ancient texts and believes better than we have and understood them. We have lost sight of their insight and profoundness, in our descent in to the profane.”
What is so special about White Men?
Why will not their wise coloured counterparts remain at home and make something of their great traditions?
I remember that, not long ago you protested about a White Man’s (in my view correct) interpretation of Manu.
We as a society have stagnated. Colonial rule and subsequent colonial slave mindset are factors.
It is good to know tradition but not to be bound by it.
I do not want to repeat what I said in
sekara: May 21, 2016 at 3:16 am
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Sekera,
I am not sure whether the above comment is directed to me. I respond because I disputed the translation you proferred on Manusmriti. It was not logical and was not consonant with what I had read. There are ‘ white Men and White Men’, as much as we have our own variants. . What you had proferred, even if used at Universities at one time, is definitely biased and sounded like narrow minded propaganda. Everyone who knows Sanskrit does not become skilled to understand the nuances in the language and the religion/beliefs/ concepts connected with it. What Frijof Capra, Oppenheimer , Carl Sagan and others say is consonant with what I was taught by my father, some great men of his time and what I have read and understood.
My father insisted on my learning Sanskrit to understand Valmiki Ramayana in Sanskrit. Unfortunately and regrettably, I did not learn much, because of the need to join the GCE(Ord) and GCE(adv) level rat race and what I had to do thereafter. I had an interest in such subjects from my childhood and want to do a degree in the arts, particularly, History, My father, advised me not to, because of the need to make a living. However, I have made the effort to learn other subjects that were of interest to me, as a side activity, throughout my life, in my spare times. I continue to do so, to this date. Now that I am retired, I spend more time learning what I had missed learning. This is the reason I participate in discussions in CT.
Dr.RN
Dr.RN
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sekara / May 21, 2016
Dr RN
If you think that you will get the wiser by CT discussions, you are mistaken.
What goes on is a lot of mudslinging by racially driven people. It is a waste of time to respond.
Why should one waste time wth IH, HLDM and their Tamil counterparts?
Correct me if I am wrong. You appear to think that every question should have a correct answer. I have (rightly or wrongly) come to the view that the number of valid answers to a question can vary from zero to infinity.
But we learn a lot from wrong answers as well.
It is not being evasive.
You complained that I have no respect for our ancestors. I rate Thiruvalluvar among the greatest thinkers. Buddha’s thought are very modern and scientific in many ways.
There are things about Hinduism that I resented even when I was very religious. I cannot go into details here, but that is not for lack of respect for any.
I am fond of the writings of the Bakthi Period, both Vaishnava and Saiva. I think that the Siddhas were great thinkers.
I am also aware that the greatest Tamil compositions before their time were all by Buddhists and Jains.
I am sad about the “Mahavansa” mentality of the Tamils which stand in the way of progress.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 22, 2016
Sekera,
I have! I have learned aspects of human nature I had not expected before. I have learned aspects of history and related sciences, that I have not known before. Even those who remain unknown to me yet, have revealed much of themselves in their comments. I have understood political undercurrents and the manipulations of the comments section by vested interests on a scale I could not imagined. I have seen character assassination by anonymous persons of persons they apparently do not know, amounting to criminality. I have also learned to be true to what I am and what I understand, amidst much insults and equal amount of praise. I can go on. However, everything has been a learning experiences.
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 22, 2016
“”my childhood and want to do a degree in the arts, particularly, History,”
Please don’t blame your parents however hard they were they loved you and did what best they knew was good.- that idea alone gives one the strength.
To study many subjects at the same time- there are many who do it today because the competition is high.
He is good reads
“to realise the unimportance of time is the gate of wisdom”-Bertrand Russell
“I would never die for my beliefs because I might be wrong.” – Bertrand Russell
Author of history and western philosophy
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sekara / May 19, 2016
Dear Dr RN
Thanks
But the Buddha teachings have nothing on soul: He emphasized Anaththa (anaathma)
There is karma and its continuance which has much deeper meaning than the continuance of an eternal soul.
Devas ae not gods and certainly not God Almighty.
His was a rejection of a lot more that went with rituals, Brahmins and caste
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Peace Lover / May 18, 2016
Hats off to this Ven Thero,a true gem indeed
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Billa / May 18, 2016
What a difference of opinion between Rajeeva Jayaweera & Ven.Dhammananda Thero ! Nice to read an honest view of a real Buddhist.
Have no idea whether Buddhism is dead or alive in Lanka but there are real people with humanity still living.
It’s very long way to go for Mr.Jayaweera to get some maturity..
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 18, 2016
The need of the hour! I hope and pray more monks will come forward to speak the language of the Buddha.
Thank you, Ven. Galkande Dammananda Thera! Please inspire other monks to enunciate the same message you have.
Dr. Rajasingham Narendran
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
kool aid,
Remember Sobita and the manipulation of Common Candidate-
The fallacy of eggheads. 100 days still going strong with over 500 days and may not end even in 4000 days.
Power corrupts!
Abraham Lincoln: “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
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choan / May 18, 2016
Buddhism is not a religion ..but a philosophy
There is always blood bath in all Buddhist countries …Vietnam..Cambodia..Laos..Thailand…Myanmar and in cursed SL
A religion which love blood bath…
Buddha will commit suicide if he come to this cursed SL today after hearing what happened in Nandikadal by so called Buddhsit Barbaric SL Army ..
Kids in North-East are growing asking where is my father..mother..sister..brother what happened to them ..and still 1000 s of eye witness are living to tell them the real story..
There is a Tsunami in the pipe line
Cheers
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Real Buddhist / May 18, 2016
[Edited out]
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 18, 2016
the unreal like money the surreal
you lost your mind?/ keep sitting on it.
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Devaka / May 18, 2016
For Choan, All Buddhists are murderers , Myanmar Thailand SL all are committing genocide . Wilpattu is being reserved for a mono-ethnic ISIS state already . Buddhist temples are being demolished in the east.
Galkande will love his comments as He is a staunch Anti – Buddhist . Sinhalese are murderers , Pirabhakaran was a paragon of virtue . ISIS is a Humanitarian NGO. Had we kept inactive and passive against all invasions in the history We would have become subservient to India or some other country and Buddhism and the Sinhalese would have gone into extinction long time back . CT does not post comments favoring Sinhalese . That’s deplorable .
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 18, 2016
“”We would have become subservient to India or some other country and Buddhism and the Sinhalese would have gone into extinction long time back . “”
your imagination running riot!
you were a stupid accident of Harry Truman the ideal.
you are no Buddhist. even the Chinese do not see India and Buddhism your stupid way and they hold the largest and most statutes in the world.
You are a stupid indian man talking tea kadde shop.
Your music is fading by the day- samsara 99 is maximum for any lease.
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cholan / May 18, 2016
Sure
LTTE is gone probably temporarily ( Now Marshall Field is arresting Ex-LTTE s in mass why?)
ISIS will replace them temporarily so what
Do you think you can treat minorities as slaves always ?
Soon you have to answer to the growing kids without parents and kith and kins in North-East ….OK
Till then you can dance for free liquor —chanting Jayawewa
Cheers
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pacs / May 18, 2016
Did Buddha teach his statues to invade land and colonies.?
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Devaka / May 18, 2016
No …. Why ? Buddhists never try to invade other lands , But die hard to protect it’s own from Others .
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 19, 2016
Devaka,
“But die hard to protect it’s own from Others . “
Palyang angoda!
Dali lama of India dharamsala confirmed that what is practiced at Lanak is not buddhism! period the world listens to Dali Lama who does not believe in riches or touches money.
You are not of Gautama Buddha of India heritage but Indian married to Muslim called Sinha_Le. When you set fire to innocents at Colombo in 83 you were with islamist looting and burning.
You are the real terrorist of the world- former plantation workers of coconut estates.
Pol Addi! Now play with elle Samanta Power)))
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sekara / May 18, 2016
It will be better to read his teachings and find the answers rather than provoke controversy based on ignorance.
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senthil / May 18, 2016
Ven. Galkande Dammananda Therar, Good you have openly the mouth and revealed the ignorance and gave opportunity for knowledgeable people among Singhalese to educate monks – I am not saying all monks are ignorant but being silent is a big crime and allowing the minority monks to destroy the values of bhudism in a big crime. In the west if a doctor ignore a wounded person on the road is punishable- that is why west is thriving and east is sinking. If you advised MR to win LTTE by negotiation or in a peaceful way then people could have worshiped you , instead your wrong advise to win the war at any human cost. How can you justify killing Prabaharan’s son, isipriya, and many children and old people – you claim it as winning the war, shame on you.
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Saman / May 18, 2016
I personally highly appreciate this remarkable advice of Ven. Dhammaratana Thero.
We are proud and happy to pronounce that you are a true disciple of the Buddha.
Hope others who are attiring a same uniform will understand the true words of the Buddha and will follow the path of what the Buddha said rather crying on behalf of politician.
Venerable Dhammaratana …we salute your profound thoughts….we pay our respect to you……we wholeheartedly join with you to spread that thought in millions people in our country.
You are the real ROLE MODEL for our present Sangha community.
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Saman / May 18, 2016
Venerable Dhammaratana …we salute your profound thoughts….we pay our respect to you……we wholeheartedly join with you to spread that thought in millions of people in our country.
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vishvajith / May 18, 2016
Sadhu, Sadhu.
Blessed are you Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero.
May Peace and Happiness flourish in my Motherland.
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Karthigesu M Nirmalan-Nathan.` / May 18, 2016
Very powerful and welcome words by Ven. Galkande Dhammananda Thero. I was developing a phobia for saffron cloaked monks and he has restored my faith in humanity.
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Siva Sankaran Sarma / May 19, 2016
“”he has restored my faith in humanity. “”
people `believe in humanity` in the `rotting camps of fate` because they feel it with their senses and emotions. There is no God because science has proved it.
Not `emotional` `faith in humanity` that can not reason.
Joy and Sorrow are the same when unmasked.
When you are joyous, look deep into your heart and you shall find it is only that which has given you sorrow that is giving you joy.
When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. – Gibran
Brihadaranyakopanishat 4.4.5
काममय एवायं पुरुष इति।
स यथाकामो भवति तत्क्रतुर्भवति।
यत्क्रतुर्भवति तत्कर्म कुरुते।
यत्कर्म कुरुते तदभिसंपद्यते॥
kāmamaya evāyaṃ puruṣa iti |
sa yathākāmo bhavati tatkratur bhavati |
yatkratur bhavati tat karma kurute |
yat karma kurute tad abhisaṃpadyate ||
English Translation of Sanskrit Quote:
You are what your deep, driving desire is
As your desire is, so is your will
As your will is, so is your deed
As your deed is, so is your destiny.
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Bandula Senanayake / May 19, 2016
Venerable Sir,
Thank you for this wonderful message of healing.Hope peace and prosperity prevails in our beloved Sri Lanka.
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vishvajith / May 19, 2016
Bandu, I don’t know why people ‘don’t’ like your thought.
Perhaps it is the animal in us. So of us are like the Bonobos, peace makers. Others like the chimps, they kill their own. A social trait we have inherited from our common ancestor.
Perhaps.
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
[Edited out]
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 19, 2016
The foremost scientist-seer , Albert Einstein on his thoughts on the human;
1. On moral standards:
Only the individual can think, and thereby create new values for society, nay, even set up new moral standards to which the life of the community conforms. … The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty and Truth. (Albert Einstein, 1954)
2. On our herd instinct:
Communities tend to be guided less than individuals by conscience and a sense of responsibility. How much misery does this fact cause mankind! It is the source of wars and every kind of oppression, which fill the earth with pain, sighs and bitterness. (Albert Einstein, 1934)
‘3. The human and the universe:
A human being is part of the whole called by us universe, a part limited in time and space. We experience ourselves, our thoughts and feelings as something separate from the rest. A kind of optical delusion of consciousness. This delusion is a kind of prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for a few persons nearest to us. Our task must be to free ourselves from the prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty. The true value of a human being is determined by the measure and the sense in which they have obtained liberation from the self. We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if humanity is to survive. (Albert Einstein, 1954)
4. Thought and reality:
If, then, it is true that the axiomatic basis of theoretical physics cannot be extracted from experience but must be freely invented, can we ever hope to find the right way? I answer without hesitation that there is, in my opinion, a right way, and that we are capable of finding it. I hold it true that pure thought can grasp reality, as the ancients dreamed. (Albert Einstein, 1954)
Food for thought, no different from what the sages of old ,including the Buddha found and told us.
Dr.RN
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
[Edited out]
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sekera / May 21, 2016
Dr RN
“Why does a huge Nadaraja statue adorn the lawn of CERN ( The European Organization for Nuclear Research) located in the French-Swiss border? It has been located such as to throw a huge shadow over building at sunset!”
Thanks for the link.
Do not misunderstand me: the impression that you give is not very precise and provoked an adverse comment.
“such as to throw a huge shadow over building at sunset”
Firstly he shadow is not OVER the building, but ON the building.
Secondly the shadow shown was after sunset and not due to sunlight.
The statue is impressive all the same. Thanks again for drawing attention.
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
NV,
Thanks for the link. I am unable to down load it yet, due to weather conditions here.
Dr.RN
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Dr.Rajasingham Narendran / May 21, 2016
Sekera,
My first comment on CERN was based on the memory of a photograph I had seen. The link with the photograph I had subsequently sent is not the same. I sent this one, because it was something that could be linked with the first. Anyway, if it is a shadow created by artificial illumination, it does not detract anything from the shadow. Further, when I said it was a shadow over the building, it may sound unspecific, but was not meant to be so. The fact is that a huge shadow is cast over a large wall in the building. This was not meant to be an exercise in semantics. It was to make a point on the Dance of Siva and its meaning to CERN.
There is nothing to misunderstand, except when snide remarks are made to insult. You have not done so.
Thanks for participating in a meaningful discussion.
Dr.RN
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timbuttu / May 21, 2016
sekera,
He is too old and stiff to accept defeat. From village school to government service then Canada where he learnt confidence building (lie and be confident) then to Waha Be La Saudi to perfect the art of wizardry.
Cervantes: Don Quixote La Mancha- he will never read it because he thinks English language is the beginning and the end. So shakespeare 7 tragedies.
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Saro / May 19, 2016
“Conquest begets enmity; the conquered live in misery; the peaceful live happily having renounced conquest and defeat”.
Major communities live with enmity with one another.
Rajapaksas live in misery.
No one lives in peace.
There are only two Buddhists I know of, but, I am ignorant of many.
1. Ven. Galkande Dammananda Thero
2. Mr Lal Wijenayake (Lawyers for democracy in Sri Lanka)
There is a lot to learn from the above comments made by learned. But we will not renounce hate and therefore neither conquest nor defeat to live in peace.
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Pistachio / May 19, 2016
“”But we will not renounce hate and therefore neither conquest nor defeat to live in peace. “”
To hate one has to be a coward and the island is full of it.
Hate Boomerangs!!
There are no holy men but sidekicks with their hand in the jar of honey.
The first went behind Swami Vivekananda the man who presented the wisdom of the east to the west- he like many honest sanyasis who come into the world of rats die young.
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Lalith Liyanagamage / May 27, 2016
Ven. Galkapana Dammananda., Cannot justify the War between LTTE and SL forces, through Buddhism. This war began because of the continuous maltreatment by the majority Sri Lankan Sinhalese Buddhists and the Empire of Buddhist rogues in robes, towards minority Srilankan Tamils. These Buddhist robes wearing rascals are bloody war mongers and they are not following Lord Budda’s philosophy. Instead of following the Noble Philosophy, these skunks spreading Ethnoreligious Nationalism theory. Hence I will tell all the countrymen who would like to follow the Pure Buddhist Ideology., Please reject these bloody illiterate monkeys. What they are doing is plundering your hard earned daily bread.
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