28 March, 2024

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President Sirisena Swears To Abide By Maha Sangha Dictates

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday re asserted his commitment to follow the advice and rule according to the dictates of the Maha Sangha

Speaking at an event held yesterday in Kotte at which former president Mahinda Rajapaksa was also present, President Sirisena said ‘in this country the rulers have always been guided by the Maha Sangha.’

President Sirisena, claiming that he will follow the footsteps of his predecessors, said that it had always been his view that rulers should take advice from the Maha Sangha in matters of governing the country and vowed to affirm this during his tenure as President.

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  • 5
    22

    Super. That is how it should be. Let Ranil W commit suicide since as a christian he doesnt believe in good and bad.

  • 32
    3

    *President Sirisena has reasserted his commitment to follow the advice and rule according to the dictates of the Maha Sangha.

    What experience and expertise does the Maha Sangha have in matters of governance?

    *President Sirisena said ‘in this country the rulers have always been guided by the Maha Sangha.’

    No wonder this country is in the state it is in today.

    *President Sirisena, claiming that he will follow the footsteps of his predecessors, said that it had always been his view that rulers should take advice from the Maha Sangha in matters of governing the country and vowed to affirm this during his tenure as President.

    Has President Sirisena lost the plot?

    • 1
      12

      Wonder whether the UNP Christian Faction Leader who holds the PM job with a clear majority show his mettle and call for an Election to restore ” The Plot?..

      • 2
        0

        KAS

        To what faction do you place Champika Ranawake – that currently
        super Buddhist who, we learn, was born and raised a Christian or
        Catholic. His charade as an extreme Buddhist has helped him rise high and fast, eh! in a land of gullibles.

        Backlash

    • 11
      0

      “Has President Sirisena lost the plot?” .. No Sharmini. Or wrong question !! I believe our Accidental Hero president is continuing his lies, which he started in Nov 2015, to misguide people.

    • 2
      0

      Sharmini Serasinghe.

      Thanks for the pointed comments. Rifle shots.

      “President Sirisena, claiming that he will follow the footsteps of his predecessors, said that it had always been his view that rulers should take advice from the Maha Sangha in matters of governing the country and vowed to affirm this during his tenure as President.”

      Is this white washing and show for the masses so that the Sinhala ‘Buddhist” Masses will not go after MaRa Mara Chatu MaRa Amana MaRa Dhushana MaRa?

      If so, MaRa will not have an electorate, and his distribution of Free sil Redi, has been nullified.

      Remember, Rome was not built in a day. It is likely going to be some give and take, and not threatening to the Maha Sangha.

      See how the saudi King is “Managing” the Saudi Wahhabi “Maha Sangha” called the Wahhabi Ulama.

    • 1
      0

      Sharmini,

      He was recently the star of a song where they dressed him and addressed him as a descendant of King Parakramabahu. Of course in the days of yore the Kings of Lanka are rumoured to have got advice from the Mahasangha. Dr Arosha Fernando’s evil plot is working well.

    • 0
      0

      Sharmini Serasinghe – Pls do not take serious note of the President’s speech as this was made for public consumption to tell them that he too is in par with former president’s thinking that they can hide behind the robes after committing crimes against humanity.

      Even in countries where Buddhism is the supreme religion, the administrators keep religion far away from politics. It is noteworthy
      to mention here that the Sangha did not condemn Gnanasara Thera’s unruly behaviour at the Homagama courts, couple of days back.

  • 14
    2

    Interpretation would depend on the context I in which this was said, iIf it applies to to issues relating to Budhism, it is acceptable, However, if it applies to other issues of governance, what he has said is outright stupid and dangerous. Let the president remember always, regardless of what meant, that we are living in the 21st century and not in feudal times. I hope he was also not trying to ‘ one up’ MR. If so, once again, it is also a dangerous path to tread.

    Dr. Rajasingham Narendran

    • 10
      0

      Dr Narendran

      I would go one step further:

      Let the Maha Sangha proclaim and rule on matters spiritual.

      Let the President and his ministers rule on matters temporal.

      Let the judiciary rule on matters of law.

      It would do well for our politicians to keep in mind that they represent all the people – NOT just the Sinhala-Buddhist – ALL SRI LANKANS, those of faith, and no faith. Taking that we claim/aspire to be a modern democratic nation, let us act like one.

      • 2
        0

        Spring Koha

        “Let the Maha Sangha proclaim and rule on matters spiritual.
        Let the President and his ministers rule on matters temporal.
        Let the judiciary rule on matters of law”

        The set of values you note is what Plato would have dreamed of
        nearly three millennia ago when he came out with The Republic.

        How wise! How illuminating!

        Well said! Well done!

        Backlash

    • 1
      1

      Dr. Rajasingham Narendran, You are back at it, – Just playing with words!

      The Text of CT reads, ‘President Sirisena, said that it had always been his view that rulers should take advice from the Maha Sangha in matters of GOVERNING THE COUNTRY’.

      Where is the ambiguity you see? How more clearly you want it stated?

      PhD is merely a qualification, not a measure of learning or education.

      It was Mark Twain who said, “I have never let my schooling interfere with my education”. Your education is showing!

  • 8
    1

    If this is what the President had said, then might as well give the country to be ruled by the Maha Sangha instead of being their mouth piece and drawing a large salary with its benefits and kickbacks that goes with the job being a parliamentarian. We possibly can save a lot of money without the so called Parliamentary middle-men to the Maha Sangha.

    “President Sirisena said ‘in this country the rulers have always been guided by the Maha Sangha.’”

    No wonder why we have degraded so much from the highly respected position we were when the British left us in 1948. I see no prospects of us recovering. There is not much difference from Rajapakse’s time. We all have become rotten to the core and there is no one we can count possessing a combination of vision , talent and honesty to take a lead role to pull the country up from its sunken state. Unless we hand back our country to be ruled by the British again for 100 years we shall never civilize back again to a state once we were.

  • 1
    0

    So no need for one man one vote system and regime change when needed.

    No need to worry about currencies and economic competitions.

    No need for law & order.

  • 1
    1

    What a factual lie! around 1450 to 1947 the “COUNTRY” was under colonial foreign rules. So those rulers were too guided by MAHA SANGA? haa haa haa………

  • 5
    0

    The President is hinting that Buddhism will still be foremost in any new constitution, that’s all.

  • 6
    0

    “President Sirisena, claiming that he will follow the footsteps of his predecessors …”

    Certainly looks like he is following his immediate predecessor, judging from his recent words and actions!

    He added, “that it had always been his view that rulers should take advice from the Maha Sangha in matters of governing the country and vowed to affirm this during his tenure as President”.

    As Sharmini Serasinghe asks, “What experience and expertise does the Maha Sangha have in matters of governance?”

    Whoever writes his speeches should be fired (if he does have speech-writers) otherwise he should consult his advisers before putting his foot in it!

    Wonder what other words of wisdom will be in store for us?

  • 6
    3

    Damn bleeding country, following guidance of orange rope thugs & criminals. Sinhala Buddhist never going to change.

  • 3
    0

    Ever since MaRa lost his presidential power & parliamentary power he has been using Abeyaramaya Vihare as his second home and second office. In a way it can be said that he has been doing propaganda from there.
    Hope there is no plot to make MS & MaRa to come together thereby paving the way for Mahinda & Co to capture the power again.
    There are many among the older generation who would still remember how Kelaniya Vihare was used to eliminate SWRD.
    Hope the Chief Thero of Abeyarama don’t allow 1958 history to repeat. Put country’s future above any religion.

  • 1
    1

    There is a reason he cant keep his ” mama oya kendara mala daana piliganenea nehe ” type modern campaign. Because the vast amount of “baiya votes” must be address in a certain way and build up his reputation, most important not to fall off like Chief Vitalstatistix.
    I think UNP guys have the upper-hand in government run media while others support MR. There is no creative support to MS. Tough time for him.

  • 2
    1

    The government wants to control the administration of Devales, Temples and Kovils – but not Churches.

    http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=139444

    Why this omission?
    This, in addition to a decision of governance according to dictates of the Maha Sangha.
    Hindu Kovils have been desecrated enough by arson and theft, statues artifacts & cash receptacles stolen, and priests assaulted & killed.

    Will Vishnu Temples in the premises of some Devales too, have changes in administration?

  • 3
    0

    It is time someone, with some learning close to Simpleton Sirisena educate him of the old English idiom “Running with the hare and hunting with the hounds” This strategy ends in disaster. We certainly must respect the Clergy. But that is in the religious and cultural context. You don’t have to be hypocritical about it. I am no fan of Ranil. But the man must be given credit. He does not stoop to please the Mahanayakas nor the Buddhist extremists or the Buddhist public. You don’t see him fooling the masses getting 24×7 into what is wrongly called the Arya Sinhala dress. Yet he is a good Buddhist and knows Buddhism more than some of these rogues in Parliament – parading as pious Buddhists.

    If he wants to “rule according to the dictates” of the Mahanayakas he can save the country billions of dollars in getting rid of Parliament, the Courts, the Police, the Army etc. What is this fool speaking of?
    He made an ass of himself boasting the Queen removed her gloves specially to shake hands with him. What an imbecile gamaya we are burdened with as our President!!!

    Backlash

  • 7
    1

    This is like Britain foreign and economic policy being dictated by the Church of England .
    Ha ha what a bunch of jokers

  • 3
    1

    Did King Walagamba also listen to the Sangha? He chased the Sangha from the Abayaramaya temple and the Priests took refuge at Dambulla. Therefore this Abayarama at Narahenpita also should be closed down in the greater nterest of Buddhism. Once a Bamboowa always a Bamboowa.

  • 3
    0

    Sharmani Serasinghe: You asked: “what experience and expertise the Maha Sanga has in matters of Governance”. Haven’t you ever heard of “DASA RAJA DHARMA” that which were the guides for the Rulers? The problem here for the President would be to correctly IDENTIFY the genuine Buddhist Priests and discard the “Pottanikarayas”; “Criminals”; “Thugs” (some of whom are academically highly qualified) wearing a “UNIFORM” to disguise their true NATURE. Please have that “KATHIKAVATH” established soon, so that we will also be able to do that DIFFERENTIATION.

    • 1
      1

      WOW… You must be happy with Shariya Laws of Islam, I guess. Religion should be kept completely out of politics and governance. One can take advice from anyone, NON-BINDING, NO OBLIGATION advice!!

  • 5
    0

    Unable to fathom the depth of knowledge, this president has on varied matters like religion, politics.He twists, turns and somersaults most of the time. It is ok if he says he will follow the advice of Maha Sangha on matters of religion, culture and good governance and it is foolish for him to say that he will run the country to the dictates of Maha sangha as religion and politics should be poles apart and he being
    the president of a country, should pay heed to advices given by all
    religions, followed by the citizens of this country.

    His statement may be misquoted or directed for public consumption ,or to be in par with former president’s thinking, but if he did make this statement seriously , he has hurt the feelings of other communities following other religions. He has some explanation to do, to the nation
    if he has made this statement as a new policy of the govt.

  • 2
    0

    Circa mid 1996 we had a open public meeting in Melbourne with the NSSP Dr Sunil Ratnapriya speaking after attending the “Peace with Justice Conferences” organised by the LTTE supporters in Canberra.

    It was so frustrating, shameful and painful to listen to what was being said that I told them that SL was as much a theocratic country like Iran though Iran was more open about it unlike SL where Buddhist priesthood was controlling and pupeteering the politicians and walked out of the meeting but later changed my mind and stood at the entrance near the electorate federal labour MP Alan Griffin in the front row seat watching me in a quizzical manner. This I did for an easy get-away should the crowd try to get physical with me as there was a boisterous shouting and uprising denying my claim and counter-claiming that it was democracy from most of the Singhalese Buddhists present there. I repeated and told them that democracy was merely a facade and theocracy the reality in SL.

    As you will notice this was and is now going on in many countries and as someone said that there are far greater opportunities for mankind to destroy itself by these believers’ in god than from any extra or intra-terrestrial threats of nature and even Stephen Hawkins has recently stated that within the next 100 years mankind may be history on this planet.

  • 2
    0

    Aiyo ! Mr. President

    Why don’t you just divest yourself of the burden and just let Gnanassara have the Presidential Job ?

    No need to have a Middleman, no ? Why we need you to take advice from Sangha and then do something when we could just appoint a Sangha to do the job ?

    We can eliminate your job, salary etc etc.. We must strive for efficiency.

  • 1
    0

    The countries constitutionaly declared religious states generaly do not grow. They become undemocratic reigms. People are forced to follow the this or that religion as their way of life. So what about people who have non religius paths. State should be left alone from believing and non believing. Or, create one ministry for atheists too like ministries for religions. Secularism or Athiest Ministry.

  • 0
    0

    My3 is a spineless fool. He is a puppet and he cannot think for himself. Next time the doctors too must seek advise of the Maha Sangha to treat their patients.

    We all voted for this idiot and now he has gone back on all his promises and Presidency is to stay. He fills again the long list of presidents starting from Chandrika Kumaratunge who came to power promising to abolish the presidency but once elected jettisoned the promised they made. Now arguing why Presidency should stay is deceiving the people. He should have told it then to the people what is good about the presidency and what is bad and why it should not be abolished fully.

    My3 is not a leader and in that respect I salute Mahinda he know how to lead and get his things done. It is My3’s indecisiveness which made people to lose confidence and made Mahinda to rock the boat. Slowly but now surely all foreign diplomats have come to understand they cannot trust My3 as well in the same way they lost hope with Mahinda Rajapakse. We as a country is now doomed.

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