21/08/2015
2015年8月20日 星期四
2015年8月19日 星期三
2015年8月14日 星期五
2015年8月12日 星期三
2015年8月1日 星期六
Breaking Vicious Circles
Around our life, in many situations, I feel we are easily given to vicious circles. In this respect, a short movie titled "Scarlet' Witch" (2008) gave me unforgettable influence. The story runs as follows: There was a small selfish girl called 'Scarlet'. She was happened to meet a witch who was living at the end of the village. Scarlet was invited to be friend. Though many things were offered by the witch to Scarlet, she did not accept anything. However, the friendship continued for years between the two. Years later, Scarlet fell in love, which caused jealousy in the witch. The witch plotted to break the love and did. Without knowing the conspiracy, Scarlet first time in her life came to ask help from the witch to regain the lost love.
The witch offered to help with the condition that Scarlet had to come back to witch before the time the witch set. The young lady ran to get her love and came back to the witch. Sadly, she could not come on time. The witch succeeded in the plot. Scarlet's body turned into a witch and the fomer was released from witchhood. Scarlet, now a witch asked from the former, why you did this to me. She replied " I also asked the same question from one who did this to me. You have to do the same thing to the one who would come to you future.Further, you cannot break the time machine, if you do so, you would die and many others".
The circle re-emerged. A young girl came to look for help from Scarlet witch. Scarlet set the same trap of time machine. The girl came with her friend to thank the witch. But, the time limit had already run out. First, Scarlet was about to continue the same process, but she changed her mind. Instead of falling to habitual pattern of listening to the inner voice, this time Scarlet listened to conscience. Determining to break the vicious circle, Scarlet asked the girl to run away and broke the time machine and the magic stick, though she knew the action could bring the death to her. Scarlet fell dead on the spot sacrificing the life to stop the vicious circle.
In the matters in life, willingly or unwillingly, we are also forced to continue several kinds of vicious circles; we are harmed or cheated by others and then we do the same thing to another, who is innocent. Someone needs the courage to break this pattern and bring freedom. This is something changed my certain dealings with other people. I am deeply grateful to the movie maker.
Wadinagala Pannaloka
Apocalypse and Rabbit Running
Every one is happy because the earth could survive the 2012 world end. Some people really believed this myth and jumped into illogical decisions in life. Even though any reliable source either may be wisdom tradtions such as Chistianity or Buddhism or science did not say there would be such a thing, the world followed the Mayan-calendar and felt terror. How I am going to see this from my point of view?
I recollect a story we had in the school text book in Sri Lanka when I studied at the grade one. Once a rabbit was sleeping under a jack-fruit tree. All of a sudden, a ripen fruit fell upon a leave at the root of the tree. The rabbit being flabbergasted by the sound, thought the world going to destroy,stood on to feet and set off running. While running shared the news of world end with other animals in the forest. They too without reasoning, blindly followed the rabbit. What a hubble-bubble!!! A wise lion saw the panic and asked why they were running. They answered that the rabbit heard the end of world coming, so all are escaping! The lion asked the rabbit how it knew that world end is happening. The rabbit told what happened. Then, the lion could guess what had happened. So, the lion leaded all the animals to the tree under which the rabbit was sleeping and explained what really happened. In this manner, the animal realm could survive the apocalypse!!!
Once the news of Mayan calendar came into media, I think same thing like in the story came to see. Many people got scared and did various things without much logic. What the morale of the story tells us is not to follow blindly what others say. This story sheds insight into the twenty first century in which human civilization has reached its climax of science and technology. Irrespictive of all the knowledge, still human mind is subject to be misguided by any idea.
Wadinagala Pannaloka
Buddhist Perspective on Diseased Desire
by Wadinagala PannalokaThis work embarks to examine the Theravada Buddhist literature on deviant sexual behavior, a topic today highly discussed by scholars from different fields like Sociology, Medical Science, Religion and gender studies. Though the work gives emphasis to examine the cases, views and data related a selected number of so called unconventional (=seen as expression of diseased desire) sexual practices, the writer widens the scope of the research by an attempt to see the data in the primary sources through the light of other fields, such as medical science and sociology. The research shows that established views on certain deviant sexual practices can be challenged from the Buddhist perspective. Finally, the work asserts the unacceptability of stigmatization upon the deviants.
Publisher: Lambert Academic Publishing
Date: 23/11/2013
2015年7月11日 星期六
Buddhist Education for Ethnic Reconciliation
Buddhist education represents the body of teachings that the Gautama Buddha taught to his disciples who came from all walks of life. Guatama Buddha’s life reveals that he was a prince called Siddhartha Gautama; later, he abandoned the life in royal palace and set off a spiritual journey by becoming an ascetic seeking an answer to the problem of suffering (dukkha). Finding the solution to the problem of suffering is known as the attaining enlightenment (Buddhatva). Since the particular realization of the nature of reality, ascetic Gautama came to be known as the Buddha, meaning ‘Enlightened one’ or ‘Awakened one.’
Since the enlightenment, the Buddha spent his whole life in teaching people how to end suffering, psychological as well as physical through understanding the causes of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral experiences. The four noble truths (cattari ariya saccani) are recognized as the core teaching of the Buddha gave. The truth of suffering (dukkha sacca), the truth of the cause of suffering (dukkha samudaya sacca), truth of cessation of suffering (dukkha niradha sacca), and the truth of the path to ceasing suffering (dukkha niradha gamini patipada sacca). The practical path to follow for ending suffering is presented in the fourth truth. It is composed of eight factors, which is known as ‘ariya attangika magga’, the Noble eightfold path. It is also recognized as the middle path (majjhima patipada).
One who follows the teaching of the Buddha, must practice eight-fold path leading to transform his or her entire personality including views, mental and physical conduct, and intellectual and emotive responses. The eight factors, are right view, right thought, right speech, right deed, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration culminates in blossoming compassion and wisdom (karuna and pragna). The Buddhism understands the transformation the individual should happen in the intellectual faculty and emotional faculty. Then the head and heart work in balance. On this, the renowned Buddhist monk and scholar Walpola Rahula’s words are illuminating:
For a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally:
compassion (karuna) on one side and wisdom (panna) on the other.
Here compassion represents love, charity, kindness,
tolerance and such noble qualities on the emotional side, or qualities of the heart,
while wisdom would stand for intellectual side of qualities of the mind.
Further, wisdom means to adopt a correct worldview. The doctrine of paticasamuppada understands the ultimate reality of the existence is interdependence. The individual, community, and biosphere all cannot survive without the support from others. This sheds light to see for my existence I need the help of others, I cannot live in isolation, am also only a part of the whole, without the whole there is no being for anything. Adopting this worldview fundamentally changes the way of seeing things. Yet, it remains at intellectual level. In the practical level one must manifest this cognitive transformation. It is done through acting out of compassion. All the interactions the individual conducts need to be based on love, compassion, and affection.
Having this Buddhist educational framework to be applied in dealing with persons, things, situations and issues, let us see what Buddhist education can offer to promote ethnic reconciliation. Ethnic reconciliation takes place in a context where two ethnicities undergo damaged relation with each other. As the psychologist, Daniel Bal-Tar defines (2000), ethnic reconciliation is a process through which the parties in conflict form new relations of peaceful coexistence based on mutual trust and acceptance, cooperation, and consideration of each other’s needs. According to this definition, ethnic reconciliation demands basic change in the way that one ethnicity treats the other. Adding an insight to discussion, the Sri Lankan human rights advocate Dr.Deepika Udagama terms the process of ethnic reconciliation as “a process that should address the psychological rather than the physical”- (2012).
To produce a positive mindset among the parties who are in conflict and to build trust, the initial step is to forgive for the past. In conflicting parties, the dominant mentality is conquering each other and take revenge. In seeking the rebuilding positive relation, hatred cannot be allowed to play. Union among people is brought about by love, the opposite of hatred. The Dhammapada, a manual among Sri Lankan Buddhists for two millenniums, mentions as follows:
Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world.
By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased.
This is a law eternal.
The implication of this teaching is that where distrust, feeling of subjugation or fear is present, such a situation has to be faced with compassionate attitude. The dichotomy of the winner and loser has to be eliminated from the minds. Either one ethnic party expresses triumphant attitude over the other, or the other party resort to planning retaliation, then the ethnic reconciliation becomes unachievable.
Achieving the assurance of coexistence comes by allowing to live each other with dignity. Here, my view is to practice the Golden Rule the Buddha offered:
Comparing oneself to others in such terms as
"Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I,"
he should neither kill nor cause others to kill."
The adoption of this sort of attitude towards each and every sentient beings, eliminates the fear for existence in the fellow human beings as well as non-human beings.
Thanks to the modern science and technology, human society is getting closer and closer to each other. We perceive whole humanity living as one community much more beneficial rather than living in isolation under the confinements such as caste, colour or religion. So, it is not exempt for ethnicities. Each has to get the support of the other, learn from other and evolve into future as a much richer communities in many respects. Interdependence is the ultimate reality to understand and to live. In the course towards building ethnic reconciliation, one of the key principle to be based on is to learn to see all are interconnected and thereby appreciate the existence of all diverse cultures, ethnicities and traditions.
At the individual level, the transforming our intellectual and emotional aspects of personality in the direction of attaining wisdom and compassion, will change the biased thinking, fear and suspicion about each other instead cultivate understanding to value the existence of entire humanity with differences and embrace them with love and affection.
The significance and direct relevance to the good governance and the role of a governing body and the citizens that we can learn from Buddhism is highly pragmatic. The set of seven principles, satta aparihaniya dhammas, met in the Buddhist canon as to be followed by a rule composed of public representative. Constant dialogue, ability to reach agreement, respect for the established laws, customs and traditions, listening to the public opinion, avoid abuse against female members of society, protecting places that public revere, and frequent visit and listening to spiritual leaders are the ones the Buddha taught to the republic rulers, called Vajjians during his time. In essence, these principles guarantee respect for public opinion, freedom of speech and opening the opportunity to participate in the decision making process to every category of a country, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, secular and religious. Both the rulers as well as the ruled need equally participate in bettering the country through participation.
My tradition maintains that the ruler must be a bodhisattva, one who seeks Buddhahood. The thirteenth century Sri Lankan King Nissanka Malla said: In this land, who is not a Bodhisattva, would not rule the country (Nobohosathu Noraj Vanhai). The Bodhisattva, is the person who is practicing and perfecting love, compassion and wisdom. Today, we are to learn from our tradition and build the nation based on enlightened vision about humanity.
Wadinagala Pannaloka
wadinagala@gmail.com
Buddhist education represents the body of teachings that the Gautama Buddha taught to his disciples who came from all walks of life. Guatama Buddha’s life reveals that he was a prince called Siddhartha Gautama; later, he abandoned the life in royal palace and set off a spiritual journey by becoming an ascetic seeking an answer to the problem of suffering (dukkha). Finding the solution to the problem of suffering is known as the attaining enlightenment (Buddhatva). Since the particular realization of the nature of reality, ascetic Gautama came to be known as the Buddha, meaning ‘Enlightened one’ or ‘Awakened one.’
Since the enlightenment, the Buddha spent his whole life in teaching people how to end suffering, psychological as well as physical through understanding the causes of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral experiences. The four noble truths (cattari ariya saccani) are recognized as the core teaching of the Buddha gave. The truth of suffering (dukkha sacca), the truth of the cause of suffering (dukkha samudaya sacca), truth of cessation of suffering (dukkha niradha sacca), and the truth of the path to ceasing suffering (dukkha niradha gamini patipada sacca). The practical path to follow for ending suffering is presented in the fourth truth. It is composed of eight factors, which is known as ‘ariya attangika magga’, the Noble eightfold path. It is also recognized as the middle path (majjhima patipada).
One who follows the teaching of the Buddha, must practice eight-fold path leading to transform his or her entire personality including views, mental and physical conduct, and intellectual and emotive responses. The eight factors, are right view, right thought, right speech, right deed, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration culminates in blossoming compassion and wisdom (karuna and pragna). The Buddhism understands the transformation the individual should happen in the intellectual faculty and emotional faculty. Then the head and heart work in balance. On this, the renowned Buddhist monk and scholar Walpola Rahula’s words are illuminating:
For a man to be perfect there are two qualities that he should develop equally:
compassion (karuna) on one side and wisdom (panna) on the other.
Here compassion represents love, charity, kindness,
tolerance and such noble qualities on the emotional side, or qualities of the heart,
while wisdom would stand for intellectual side of qualities of the mind.
Further, wisdom means to adopt a correct worldview. The doctrine of paticasamuppada understands the ultimate reality of the existence is interdependence. The individual, community, and biosphere all cannot survive without the support from others. This sheds light to see for my existence I need the help of others, I cannot live in isolation, am also only a part of the whole, without the whole there is no being for anything. Adopting this worldview fundamentally changes the way of seeing things. Yet, it remains at intellectual level. In the practical level one must manifest this cognitive transformation. It is done through acting out of compassion. All the interactions the individual conducts need to be based on love, compassion, and affection.
Having this Buddhist educational framework to be applied in dealing with persons, things, situations and issues, let us see what Buddhist education can offer to promote ethnic reconciliation. Ethnic reconciliation takes place in a context where two ethnicities undergo damaged relation with each other. As the psychologist, Daniel Bal-Tar defines (2000), ethnic reconciliation is a process through which the parties in conflict form new relations of peaceful coexistence based on mutual trust and acceptance, cooperation, and consideration of each other’s needs. According to this definition, ethnic reconciliation demands basic change in the way that one ethnicity treats the other. Adding an insight to discussion, the Sri Lankan human rights advocate Dr.Deepika Udagama terms the process of ethnic reconciliation as “a process that should address the psychological rather than the physical”- (2012).
To produce a positive mindset among the parties who are in conflict and to build trust, the initial step is to forgive for the past. In conflicting parties, the dominant mentality is conquering each other and take revenge. In seeking the rebuilding positive relation, hatred cannot be allowed to play. Union among people is brought about by love, the opposite of hatred. The Dhammapada, a manual among Sri Lankan Buddhists for two millenniums, mentions as follows:
Hatred is never appeased by hatred in this world.
By non-hatred alone is hatred appeased.
This is a law eternal.
The implication of this teaching is that where distrust, feeling of subjugation or fear is present, such a situation has to be faced with compassionate attitude. The dichotomy of the winner and loser has to be eliminated from the minds. Either one ethnic party expresses triumphant attitude over the other, or the other party resort to planning retaliation, then the ethnic reconciliation becomes unachievable.
Achieving the assurance of coexistence comes by allowing to live each other with dignity. Here, my view is to practice the Golden Rule the Buddha offered:
Comparing oneself to others in such terms as
"Just as I am so are they, just as they are so am I,"
he should neither kill nor cause others to kill."
The adoption of this sort of attitude towards each and every sentient beings, eliminates the fear for existence in the fellow human beings as well as non-human beings.
Thanks to the modern science and technology, human society is getting closer and closer to each other. We perceive whole humanity living as one community much more beneficial rather than living in isolation under the confinements such as caste, colour or religion. So, it is not exempt for ethnicities. Each has to get the support of the other, learn from other and evolve into future as a much richer communities in many respects. Interdependence is the ultimate reality to understand and to live. In the course towards building ethnic reconciliation, one of the key principle to be based on is to learn to see all are interconnected and thereby appreciate the existence of all diverse cultures, ethnicities and traditions.
At the individual level, the transforming our intellectual and emotional aspects of personality in the direction of attaining wisdom and compassion, will change the biased thinking, fear and suspicion about each other instead cultivate understanding to value the existence of entire humanity with differences and embrace them with love and affection.
The significance and direct relevance to the good governance and the role of a governing body and the citizens that we can learn from Buddhism is highly pragmatic. The set of seven principles, satta aparihaniya dhammas, met in the Buddhist canon as to be followed by a rule composed of public representative. Constant dialogue, ability to reach agreement, respect for the established laws, customs and traditions, listening to the public opinion, avoid abuse against female members of society, protecting places that public revere, and frequent visit and listening to spiritual leaders are the ones the Buddha taught to the republic rulers, called Vajjians during his time. In essence, these principles guarantee respect for public opinion, freedom of speech and opening the opportunity to participate in the decision making process to every category of a country, poor and rich, educated and uneducated, secular and religious. Both the rulers as well as the ruled need equally participate in bettering the country through participation.
My tradition maintains that the ruler must be a bodhisattva, one who seeks Buddhahood. The thirteenth century Sri Lankan King Nissanka Malla said: In this land, who is not a Bodhisattva, would not rule the country (Nobohosathu Noraj Vanhai). The Bodhisattva, is the person who is practicing and perfecting love, compassion and wisdom. Today, we are to learn from our tradition and build the nation based on enlightened vision about humanity.
Wadinagala Pannaloka
wadinagala@gmail.com
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