{"id":88243,"date":"2013-05-24T11:46:39","date_gmt":"2013-05-24T06:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=88243"},"modified":"2013-05-28T01:09:53","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T19:39:53","slug":"bbs-and-vesak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/bbs-and-vesak\/","title":{"rendered":"BBS And Vesak!"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Malinda Seneviratne<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Malinda Seneviratne<\/p><\/div>\n

The Bodu Bala Sena<\/a><\/span> (BBS) is alleged to have warned that those who do not adhere to the BBS\u2019s preference with respect to how Vesak should be commemorated will be caned.\u00a0 The BBS finds the festivities associated with Vesak, especially the frills, the color, the play of puppeteers and other kolam objectionable.\u00a0 Instead, the BBS advocates a deeper engagement with the dhamma and a temple-based commemoration.<\/p>\n

Vesak commemorates the themagula, the three most significant life-moments of Siddhartha Gauthama, namely the birth, enlightenment and parinirvana or the ascendance to the supreme bliss of Nirvana.\u00a0 Thus, if Vesak is about the Buddha, then it makes sense to reflect on the life and teachings of the All-Knowing One.\u00a0 The dhamma, encapsulated in both the sutras as well as the commentaries, from the deeply philosophical Visuddimagga of Ven. Buddhaghosa to the more lyrical reflection\/advocacy of the Loveda Sangharava, is replete with recommendations for wholesome life-practice as well as enumeration of things that could distract and compromise the same.<\/p>\n

The Buddha wachana or the Word of the Buddha (Dhamma), then, is hardly recognizable in Vesak, in the glitter that its present day commercialized articulation, except as manifestation of its breach.\u00a0 This is of course not to say that all Buddhists have given up on the Dhamma.\u00a0 The hype is about that which has greater visibility, for example the pandols.\u00a0 The visible (and the visibly large) naturally attract and make for coverage and commentary.\u00a0 But just ask the BBS\u2019s visibility and the coverage\/commentary it attracts does not indicate that it represents all Buddhists in any way, the spectacle and spectator-appeal of certain elements of Vesak, does not mean that this is what all Buddhists do on Vesak.\u00a0\u00a0 The temples are also full of those who observe sil.\u00a0 Many hang lanterns, but even they would not fail to light a clay lamp at home and offer flowers at the temple and before a Buddha statue or image at home.\u00a0 Not because the BBS says \u2018this is the way!\u2019\u00a0 but just that they have a different understanding of doctrine and articulation of understanding.<\/p>\n

What is objectionable in the BBS\u2019s Vesak \u2018manifesto<\/a><\/span>\u2019 is its quite un-Buddhist response to a vulgarized celebration (different from \u2018commemoration\u2019 of course) of Vesak.\u00a0 There is no \u2018crime and punishment\u2019 in Buddhism.\u00a0 There is no confession and expiation.\u00a0 The Buddha recommends a certain approach to life, elaborates on what is beneficial and wholesome and warns against acts that can be detrimental to the comprehension of truth, ultimate emancipation and even a peaceful journey through life.\u00a0 It is up to the individual to choose with cautionary caveats about consequences.\u00a0 No mention of canes and caning.<\/p>\n

It is commendable that the BBS objects to the \u2018glitter\u2019 (from a Buddhist reading), which is but a mimicking of and even a we-can-do-better response to other \u2018glittering\u2019 of other faiths or rather the followers of other faiths (much of what is associated with Christmas is incongruent with the life and word of Jesus, for example).\u00a0 The BBS\u2019s response, however, is not only inconsistent with Buddhism but amounts to a threat that infringes on freedoms enshrined in the constitution.\u00a0 The threat is in the public domain.\u00a0 What say the Police and the Attorney General?\u00a0\u00a0 The BBS has demonstrated that they have strayed a fair distance from the Sathara Brahma Viharana (metta, muditha, karuna and upekkha \u2013 compassion, rejoicing in others\u2019 joys, kindness and equanimity); there\u2019s none of these in the \u2018caning threat\u2019.\u00a0 This alone scripts \u2018failure\u2019 into its project(s), but the state and the law cannot wait on such eventualities.<\/p>\n

As for Vesak, we can but hope that it inspires Buddhists to seek refuge and answer, modes of being and choices of engagement in all things in the Word of the Buddha, enshrined in the vast archive that is the Dhamma and obtainable in even a random line. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Nation chose the following with metta:\u00a0Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhi-tatta, may all beings be happy.<\/p>\n

*Malinda Seneviratne is the Chief Editor of \u2018The Nation\u2019\u00a0and his articles can be found at\u00a0www.malindawords.blogspot.com<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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