Buddhist Conference: Look to the future

The government-sponsored Inter-national Buddhist Conference which is now on in Colombo will provide a grand opportunity for Buddhist leaders of the world to consider the challenges and opportunities that Buddhism will face in the next millennium.

The Buddhist doctrine has faced many challenges in its 2500 years of existence and survived. The next millennium will provide great opportunities to spread the word of the Buddha to every part of the world. In this age of communications it is not only through the printed word, radio and TV that Buddhism can be disseminated but also through the latest means of communication: Internet. Internet could link up practically every Buddhist place of study and worship and provide websites that could provide information to those seeking knowledge of the Buddhist doctrine. This is in marked contrast to the way Buddhism was propagated through the greater part of its history. Even though hi-tech will be no substitute for the devotion and missionary zeal associated with the doctrine of the Buddha, Buddhists will have to resort to this means of communication in the future. We do hope that Mr. Lakshman Jayakody who is the minister in charge if the Buddha Sasana Ministry will consider the idea of setting up a website for Buddhism in Colombo and give the lead to the rest of the Buddhist world.

For Sri Lankan Buddhists this international conference should provide an opportunity to counter the hostile propaganda that has been spread about Buddhism in Sri Lanka - a concerted effort has been madeto give Buddhism that is practised here a racist twist by describing it as Sinhala-Buddhism. Statements in the historical record of Lanka, the Mahavamsa, have been distorted to project that this so called Sinhala-Buddhism has been the raison d'etre for alleged suppression of the minorities. These same learned accusers however ignore other religious texts which speak of a 'chosen race'.

This international conference could initiate a study to review the Vinaya (code of conduct for monks) in the context of changed social conditions. Today, we see monks openly violating the Vinaya rules propounded by the Buddha. Attempts to engage in such a review itself will be an extremely controversial issue but it is becoming increasingly clear in Sri Lanka that the laity is losing faith in the monkhood. Today, we see monks in Michael Jackson hairstyles in robes behaving in a manner totally unbecoming of Buddhist monks. Some write down the menus they want for an alms giving whereas the Buddha wanted them to go out with the begging bowl in search of alms. This kind of behaviour is markedly apparent among poor undergraduate monks who more often than not find that taking to the robes is one way of finding board and lodging at temples to see them through the university.

Impious Buddhist monks are not confined to this country. We read their misbehaviour in other Buddhist countries as well. Thus an international conference would be the ideal setting to initiate a review of the Vinaya rules. The Sri Lanka government which is sponsoring this conference may find it too sensitive an issue to take it up but ignoring it would not be to the benefit of Buddhism but to its detriment. Today not only young monks but even senior monks are seen living in opulence unbecoming of members of the Sangha and this would obviously be having a fallout on younger members.

It is perhaps to much to ask the Buddhist monks to keep away from politics. In Sri Lanka they point out that they have always been advisors to the kings and they have a right to advise present day rulers. On this rationale, if monks do advise our leaders and the leaders accept their advice, then the monks too should be responsible for the present state of this country.

The other question that deserves consideration is that of imposition of piety by law instead of by conviction. Many things are done in the name of Buddhism by politicians. We have time and again pointed out in these columns the closure of liquor outlets on days of religious significance does not prevent people drinking on these days but making them go to illicit liquor dens and drinking gut rot at great risk to their health. This international conference has made the government to close down all liquor outlets for two days in Colombo. This is hardly the logical thing to do when one could cross Dehiwela and the Kelaniya bridges and purchase liquor.

Since the closure of liquor bars has been done because consumption of liquor violates one precept of the Panchaseela - I shall not consume alcohol - and closure of meat stalls another precept - I shall not take away life, we suggest that the government also orders closure of massage clinics - I shall not indulge in improper sex - and the closure of Lake House, Rupavahini and other state media institutions because they violate another precept - I shall not utter falsehoods!