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A FRESH LOOK AT OUR

BUDDHIST HERITAGE

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QUESTION....

What happens to a dharma?

Thrust out of the womb of suffering

With the power of questions

In a society

Which has ceased to question?

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THE PURE AND AWAKENED MIND

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Free spirit of Early Buddhism

Essentially, the Buddhist system is a set of thoughtsand ethical norms. The first lesson that this religiontaught was by seeking reform in the authority ofestablished religions in India as a reaction toHinduism. The faith taught an independent ethicalmorality and revolves around truth and laws thatgovern human existence. Interestingly, Buddhists allover the world are fairly independent and are notrequired to get themselves organized around a centralauthority that decrees practices and doctrines. The

essence of this religion is that everything that exists isbecause of some cause or the other and nothing thatexists is permanent.

[Buddhism - Rupa Classic India]

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Taking root...

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No vinaya without meditation

No meditation without vinaya

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Gama vasi and vanavasi bhikkhus

Asking the wrong question

The written worda new refuge

Creation of a new hierarchy

A brahmin elite within the sangha and downgrading the sramana?

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the increasing popularity of forest dwelling monkswho, in the latter part of this period, gained prominencein scholarly activities and took the lead in reformist

movements [KM De Silva]

Unity of the Sangha in defending and restoring Sinhalasovereignty in Dambadeniya and Yapahuwa

Affirming and promoting the language of the people Dharmasena Saddharmaratnavaliya Dharmakeerthi - Saddharmalankaraya

Vidagama Maitreya Loweda Sangarawa

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Nissanka Mallas criticism ofgovikula

Kalinga Maghas attack on the nobles andsangha

Authentic symbols of the new sasana

Sinhala Buddhist Kingship

Tooth Relic

Ubhaya Kula Parishuddha

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A NEW BRAHMANISM?

Politics of assassination 1759 & 1959

Longest and most consistent holders of land(as private or common property?)

Upholders ofgovi castesupremacy

Cultural specialists of learning and ritual

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Separation...

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Unity...

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At the time we were remainingconcealed in the mountainouswilderness, having been deprived of our

kingdom in consequence of the calamitycaused by the Choli Tamils, Buddha Rajaof Sitnarubim, Constable of Ruhuna,protected with the aid of his retinue, the

entire royal family, including our father,His Majesty King Magellan, the GreatLord;

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(he) brought us up in our tender age; henurtured us with the sustenance of(edible) roots and green herbs from thejungle; he concealed us from (our)enemies who were prowling aboutseeking us wherever we went; engaging

himself in battle in this place and thatplace, he made the Province of Ruhunaonce again loyal to us, took us out of themountainous wilderness and

established us in our own kingdom.

Panakaduwa Copper Inscription King

Vijayabahu I

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simple humanity...

A direct address from the heart

Speaking of the greatness of another

Qualities of simplicity, honesty, humility and gratitude

We learn something of the communitythat nurtured,nourished and supported Vijayabahu

There is a clear link between the individual characterof the leader and the communityhe emerges from

The spiritualityandbrotherhood of Vijayabahu isour link with a forgotten, glorious ancient period

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Dehumanized learning

Impersonal learning without insight breeds a culture ofblindimitation at its best and a dangerous and dehumanizedsociety at its worst

Learning our history and Buddhism is not just aboutgenerating facts and figures and marvelling around ancientcreations and ruins. It is about generating insights.

Our study of history and Buddhism has overlooked the humandimension and it has not helped us to identify who we are that we are human and transient beings

The most important aspect ofMahindagamanaya is thecharacter of our people who received the message of theBuddha and their ability to convert it into a way of life

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Competition and destruction

We got away with a narrow learning ethic so long aswe were sheltered by the cooperative norms of ourold Sinhalese and Tamil social systems

Once this was dismantled in 1833 we started usingeducation and new ideas like rights for selfadvancement, competition and destroying each other

Unlike the ancient lankan who was able to

understand the Buddhas message the modernlankan has failed to understand the message ofhuman rights