Buddha Statue and the destruction of Tamileelam
Buddha Statue and the destruction of Tamileelam
The Sinhala communal government has been carrying out the Tamil genocide against Tamils from that time to this day based on the chauvinistic philosophy of Buddhism.
The need of today’s history is to first reclaim our land occupied by the enemy. We cannot ignore this certain force. – Tamileelam National Leader V. Prabhakaran
The Constitution of Sri Lanka gives priority to Buddhism. Article 9 of the current constitution, which came into effect in 1978, places Buddhism in a dominant position. No rights are given to other religions. For this reason, Sri Lanka is classified as a “mono-religious country”.
Article 9 imposes on the state the responsibility to maintain the primacy of Buddhism in accordance with Articles 10 and 14(i)(e) of the same Charter.
Article 10 states that “every individual has the right to freedom of opinion, conscience and religion and to profess and practice his religion in accordance with his religious beliefs”.
Article 14(i)(e) grants the rights to practice religion and to teach religion, either alone or in community with others and in public or private.
Although Articles 10 and 14(i)(e) nominally appear to impose restrictions on Article 9, the practice is different.
It is an undeniable fact that Buddhism is the national religion of Sri Lanka. Two important judgments of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in recent times have emphasized the supremacy of the Buddhist scriptures and the responsibility of the State to protect them, while denying the right of other religions, especially Christianity, to “propaganda”.
It is noteworthy that the right to “propaganda” is not granted in the above-mentioned Articles 10 and 14(i)(e). It is argued that the right to propagate and convert is synonymous with Christianity and that denying it is a gross denial of rights. The position of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is that the State must protect and support the Buddhist scriptures in accordance with the right granted in Article 9.
While the Supreme Court of India acts as the supreme protector of the rights of ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities, the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is actively working to protect the rights of the majority. The most important part of the 1978 Article 9 ranks first among the reactionary articles. The Buddhist fundamentalist ideology expressed that the Article 9 is a poisonous idea that has been going on since the Maha Dynasty. This is also the reason for the emergence of religious extremism in this island, which claims to be Sinhala-Buddhist. The strong opposition shown by Buddhist monks to all kinds of peace initiatives is seen as a tragedy of this country as the ethnic problem has grown exponentially and has gone to a point where it cannot be resolved. The violence that emerged after independence began with the passage of the Separate Sinhala Act in 1956.
The Banda-Selva Agreement, which was made with the aim of giving Tamils their due place, was abandoned due to the direct intervention of Buddhist monks. Observers say that if this agreement had not been unilaterally torn up by Prime Minister Bandaranaike, there would have been no need for the country to be divided even today. The Buddhist monks are the main reason why the Separate Sinhala Act and the lack of power sharing with the Tamils are the causes of the country’s deterioration.
The government has occupied 7000 square kilometers in the Eastern Province and 600 square kilometers in the North due to the planned Sinhala settlement after 1948. The ‘BOUNDARY DEMARCATION’ conducted by the government from time to time is aimed at connecting the Tamil lands settled by the Sinhalese with the Sinhala provinces.
“Men create their own history, but they cannot do it as they wish, they cannot do it in the direction they have chosen. Men create their history only from the context that continues from the past,” says Karl Marx (EIGHTH BRUMAIRE OF LOVIS BONAPARTE KARL MARX). When the hero of the Mahavamsa, Thuddagamunu, was thinking about the massacres he had carried out and was in grief, some monks arrived in the sky to console him. They hated killing. They are members of the Buddhist sect that offer absolution. The Mahavamsa is a religious text that was completed in the 6th century AD. The Buddhist monk Bhikkhu Rakula, author of the book History of Buddhism written in 1956 says about the mentioned event related to Thuddagamunu:
“The entire Sinhalese race rallied under the banner of the young Kamini. Nationalism began among the Sinhalese then. A new race of healthy young blood was formed under the guidance of Buddhism. The nationalism of that king, based on religion, almost like a radicalism, stirred up Sinhalese society. In this context, a non-Buddhist cannot be considered a member of the human race (A HISTORY OF BUDDHISM IN CEYLON. THE ANURADHAPURA PERIOD BY BHIKKU RAHULA M.D GUNASENA PUBLICATION. COLOMBO 1956)
Captain Thilak Senanayake of the Sri Lankan Army has written a book on the Vadamaradchi Oppression and Liberation Operation, comparing it to the war waged against Thuttagamunu and Ellalan. Nearly a thousand innocent Tamils were killed and their bodies thrown on the streets. Many young men were chained and sent to Buddhist concentration camps in the south. The LTTE, enraged by all these atrocities, turned into Karumpulikal. This officer also participated in operations such as Operation Liberation, Idimulakkam, Riveresa, and Jayasikuru.
His book published in 2004 contains a surprising report that “Operation Vadamaradchi Liberation can be considered the most scientifically conducted war operation after the Operation Vijittapura conducted by Thuttagamunu in the past.” This officer belongs to the Gemunu Watch Brigade. (VADAMARADCHI LIBERATION OPERATION AND NORTHERN BATTLES BY CAPTAIN THILAK SENANAYAKE. 2004)
Pankaj Mishra says that Buddhist principles are a viable alternative to violence and theories that incite violence. (AN END TO SUFFERING THE BUDDHA IN THE WORLD BY PANKAJ MISHRA, 2005) Mishra points out that Buddhist principles that promote complete peace and harmony have had a great impact on the thinking of people like Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela.
Jawaharlal Nehru describes Gautama Buddha as the greatest Indian in Indian history. It is sad to think of the plight of such a great sage in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist monks of this island have been a source of forgiveness for murderers, instigators of violence, and obstacles to peace between races since the beginning. The teachings of the Buddha are very brief. Desires are the cause of suffering. He who renounces desires is liberated. Like rainwater entering through a hole in a poorly thatched roof, evil deeds take root in a person who does not control the five senses. A monk is one who has renounced anger, greed, and evil behavior. Living without killing is the greatest good deed of a monk. Gautama, who was born in 563 AD and died at the age of 80, left behind religious teachings and ways of life that are imperishable by time.
Monks are people who do not live for themselves. Buddhism is considered one of the five major religions of the world. There is no such thing as Sinhala-Buddhism. But Sri Lankan religious people say that there is. History says that Buddhism was brought to Sri Lanka from India 2200 years ago. The Sinhala newspaper Diwayna, which is the voice of Sinhala chauvinism, mentions the massive decline of the Buddhist Sangha in detail in its February 26,1998 issue. From monks who kill women after raping them, to Buddhist monks who sell Buddhist symbols illegally, including those who engage in prostitution, Ellawala Medananda has written a comprehensive history. Referring to this, the Island newspaper on January 22,1999 reported that thousands of such incidents that do not fall under the purview of the Dharma are being reported through the newspaper.
Political involvement is identified as the main reason for the decline of the Buddhist Sangha. The Buddhist monks who convinced Thuddagamunu, who had killed a large number of Tamils, that “killing for the sake of religion is not a sin” are seen as the primary culprits in corrupting Buddhism. There is a traditional story that Buddha said that “his philosophical teachings will last only for 500 years” before attaining enlightenment.
Maduluwawesophita Thero, who founded the National Sangha Council, promoted Sinhala-Buddhist supremacy and put forward the idea that there was no place for Hindus and Christians on this island. Despite knowing that taking his own life would not be Buddhist, Omalle Sophitha Thero, a member of the Jatikahela Urumaya Parliament, recently fasted until his death. The efforts made by the leaders of the four Buddhist schools to save his life are still painful today. Wilhelm Geika, who translated the Mahavamsa, the history book of the Sinhalese people (WILHEM GEIGER) says the following about the Mahavamsa. “It is a more difficult task to examine what is not said than what is said in it.”
According to the studies of Geiger and S. Theraniyagala, Vijayan is said to have arrived in 500 AD, was not the first man in Sri Lanka. Both researchers have accepted that the South Indian Megavidhik culture, which the Mahavamsa tries to hide, was well spread in Sri Lanka. Various fossil evidence reveals this. Studies on the Balangoda man and the archaeological evidence found in the Bombaripu area show a South Indian connection.
The Mahavamsa has left out the fact that Tamils who embraced Buddhism lived in large numbers in South India and Sri Lanka. They played a significant role in the development of this religion.
According to South Indian chronicles, Buddhism began to spread widely in South India during the reign of Emperor Ashoka. After that, in 250 BC, a group of Buddhist monks led by Mahinda went to Sri Lanka. They went to Sri Lanka by sea from Kaveripattinam. While staying in Kaveripattinam, Mahinda built seven Buddhist temples there. References to this are found in the Silappathigaram and Manimegalai written in 2 AD. Devanampiyatheesa’s maternal uncle, Arithagar, helped Mahinda in his religious work in South India. A village named Arithapatti still exists in Madurai district after him. This village was previously a center for the development of Buddhism. Buddhism remained in South India until 12 AD. During the reign of Parakramabahu II, a Tamil Buddhist monk named Dharmakirti from the Pandyan dynasty came to Sri Lanka from 1236 to 1268 AD and held an international Buddhist conference. He wrote the book Sulavamsa, a continuation of the Mahavamsa, and another book called Dattavamsa. Tamils Buddhaghosa Dharmapala and Buddha Datta wrote textual notes on the Tripitaka in Pali.
A female Buddhist monk named Sangamitra from the Chola dynasty went to Sri Lanka in 4 AD and converted the king of that country to Mahayana Buddhism. As a result, the Mahavihara was destroyed and the Abhayagiri Vihara was elevated to the status of the seat of Mahayana Buddhism. Conflicts arose between the Mahavihara and Abhayagiri Viharas and it turned into a Sinhala-Tamil conflict. However, political analysts have concluded that the poisonous concept of Dharma Deepa, which was promoted by the Chola Buddha Datta Mahavihara of Anuradhapura, the Mahavihara of Anuradhapura, which dates to the 5th century AD, will promote the division of the country. Those appointed as Buddhist custodians by the Buddha are Sinhalese. The holy land given to the Sinhalese by the grace of the Buddha throughout Sri Lanka is an important aspect of the Dharma Deepa concept. The source of Sinhala communalism is the Dharma Deepa concept (THE DHRAMA DEEPA CONCEPT).
You can read detailed information about Tamil Buddhism in the following Tamil books. Manimegalai, Kundalakesi, Silaopathigaram, Valayapathi, Veerasholiyam, Bimbisara Kathai are also found in Sinhala Buddhism. This has been obscured by the Mahavamsa. Those who study the origin and development of Buddhism in Sri Lanka have found that the Tamils here embraced it long before the Sinhalese people became Buddhists. This has led to a growing trend of Buddhist-Sinhala chauvinism, which claims Buddhist symbols, which are widely found in the northeast, as their own.
Sri Lanka’s first local paleontologist, Professor Senarath Paranawithana, after seeing the Buddhist ruins at Kandharodai, said that “these belong to Tamil Buddhists.” This position has since changed, and the Sinhalese claim the Kandharodai remains as theirs. Some Tamils are also agreeing with this.
The destruction of Hindu places of worship and the erection of Buddha statues in their place has been a long-standing tactic. On December 22, 1984, the Sinhalese army issued a loudspeaker order to the people of Manalaru to leave immediately. 4000 Tamil families from 42 villages were thus evicted.
Colonel Tata, who came to the area as the commanding officer under the Sri Lanka-India Agreement of 1987, granted them permission to visit their old villages. The Kokkulai Amman temple had been demolished, and in the same place a Buddhist temple was built. When the Parangiyar demolished the Thirukethees Boon, the Athiyars built a temple called “Athikonanayagar” in Tharmpalakamam. When Sinhalese settlement began in Tharmpalakamam, this temple was left to decay without any care. Buddhist temples have sprung up in Kandalai. Recently, the practice of installing Buddha statues in Tamil areas has begun.
More than seven Buddha statues have been installed in the Podduvil region, which is predominantly Tamil and Muslim. Buddha statues have been installed in places like Thiriconamalai, Mannar, Omanthai. The Sinhalese army has fenced off 16 acres of land in Mannar to build a Buddha temple. A Buddha statue has been installed on the ancient Omanthai Pillayar Temple Road and is being guarded by the army. The Omanthai Pillayar Temple is closed. No pujas are being held. A Buddha statue has been installed at the Manikkudu Junction three-wheeler stand owned by the Thiriconamalai Municipal Council. Many soldiers have been deployed for its protection. Buddhist principles are being distorted by Buddhist-Sinhala chauvinists. Similarly, they have started to tarnish the Buddha statue.
Buddha statues appeared in India only seven hundred years after the beginning of Buddhism. Buddhism emerged in the 6th century BC. Buddha statues were created in the 2nd and 3rd centuries AD. During this period, Buddhist symbols such as the tree of knowledge (Arasamar) and the wheel of Dharma were worshipped. Buddha statues are a combination of three artistic styles. They first appeared in the north-western part of present-day Pakistan. At that time, Greek and Roman artistic traditions dominated North Indian art forms. The head of Buddha was carved in the style of Greek gods. The statue’s clothes were dressed in the style of Roman clothing. The artistic style that took place in North-Western India is called the Graeco-Gandhara tradition. Buddha statues were designed in this tradition. Some constant features in the creation of Buddha statues emerged in India.
Sculptural rules were born that emphasized that the face should be oval-shaped, the eyes should be like lotus flowers, and the chest should be flowing down to the stomach, the shoulders should be wide, and the arms should be long. The entire body should be properly and smoothly, and it was expected that the statues would bring peace to the minds of those who look at them. The Buddha statue, which is one of the world’s greatest art forms and a traditional symbol of worship, has been transformed by Sinhala chauvinism into a symbol of military supremacy and a tool to help the Tamils seize land. A small Buddha statue and a royal tree next to it will be planted on Tamil soil first. Gradually, it will be transformed into a Sinhala settlement village with military security and the presence of monks, and it will be given a Sinhala name.
The total area of Ceylon is 65,525 square kilometers. After 1948, the government has occupied 7000 square kilometers in the Eastern Province and 600 square kilometers in the North due to the planned Sinhala settlement. The “boundary demarcation” carried out by the government from time to time aims to connect the Tamil lands settled by the Sinhalese with the Sinhalese provinces.
Muslims have also been affected in this way. The Jayewardene government settled Sinhalese on 937 acres of land owned by Muslims in Digavavi, Amparai. The discovery of Buddhist symbols in Digavavi is said to be the reason for the settlement. Sinhalese settlement is concentrated in the Thiriconamalai and Amparai districts. In 1921, the proportion of Sinhalese in Tirumala was 4.5%. In 1981, it rose to 33.6% and is still rising. Political analysts have concluded that the poisonous concept of “Dharmadeepam” promoted by Buddhist Sinhala chauvinism will promote the division of the country. Those appointed by Buddha as the guardians of Buddhism are Sinhalese. The entire Sri Lanka is a holy land given to the Sinhalese by the grace of Buddha and is an important aspect of the Dharma Deepa concept. Because the root of Sinhala communalism is the Dharma Deepa concept (THE DHRAMA DEEPA CONCEPT), they refuse to accept the rights of the Tamils, including their ethnicity, language, religion and homeland.
The Buddha statue issue has emerged as a total form of the four, namely ethnicity, language, religion and land. It said a fool and a crocodile never let go what they touched. This is enough to explain the current history of this country.
– The LTTE Magazine
(Translation by Tamilpriya)
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