A Buddhist's appeal on behalf of Christians
On Jan. 10 morning I witnessed a demonstration with a difference which prompted me to write this letter. At about 11.00 a.m. a large number of Christians (Catholics) walked along the streets of Kandy carrying some placards. What aroused my curiousity was their peaceful walk chanting some of their prayers. Suspecting that the peaceful walk would be the prelude to a violent demonstration (calm before the storm) I too quietly went towards their final destination which was the Central Province Education Office, where there was a very large crowd displaying several placards. The chief organizer explained the problems which the Catholic children have to face with regard to education and read the contents of a petition addressed to Her Excellency the President. Thereafter, they chanted some prayers and by 12.00 noon the demonstration was over. There were no slogan shouting, no threats, no hooting, no jeering. It was a demostration with a difference a disciplined one which is an example to all of us.
As I was very impressed by their peaceful demonstration, I spoke to one of them who briefly fold me about their problems. According to him, many Catholic children of the Central Province who applied for admission to year 1 in 1999 have been denied admission purely because they are Catholics. Explaining this injustice further, he told that St. Anthony's College, Katugastota (which was once a school run by the Catholic Church and later handed over to the Government) allocates only about 25% of the vacancies to Catholic children. Although the present Principal is a Catholic Priest, the Department of Education does not allow him to take in Catholic boys exceeding the 25% allocation. As if to rub salt on the wound the other government schools such as Vidyartha and Dharmaraja do not take in Catholic boys because Catholic religion is not taught in these schools. If by chance these schools admit Catholic boys they are forced to study Buddhism. However, at St. Anthony's College and also at the Good Shephered Convent (which is a private school run by the Catholic Church) Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam are taught!
Isn't this first grade discrimination against a religious minority? Though being a Buddhist, I thought of sending this letter to your esteemed journal because I was ashamed to hear about this grave injustice and also because I wanted to commend their discipline and peaceful demonstration.
Their appeal to the higher authorities in the Department of Education have gone unanswered. Therefore, they have sent a petition to Her Excellency the President hoping that at least she who has correctly realized the multi-ethnic and multi-religious reality of this country and who is trying her best to build united Sri Lanka, will take immediate steps to solve their problems. Judging by the courage shown by Her Excellency to solve the ethnic conflict and build a united Sri Lanka, I am sure she will solve this burning problem before it develops into another conflict.
We Buddhists must speak on behalf of the minorities when their demands are justified and when they are being discriminated. This is one way of helping our bold President to solve the problems faced by the ethnic and religious minorities.
H. Gannoruwa
The Rodrigo Family Friend in Need Society - Panadura
The above Society had its AGM on the 23rd August 1998 at the residence of late Mr. Stanley Rodrigo, of Panadura, who contributed much to the society.
At that meeting we looked into the various appeals for assistance by those needing such assistance. Lunch packets and clothes were given to 50 poor people of the Panadura Town. On 20th December 1998 we gathered at the Monument of the Founder - Varna Aditiya Kurukulasuriya Paththinihennedige Johannes Rodrigo - at the Rodrigo Family Burial Grounds, Panadura, where the High Priest of Rankoth Vihare - Revd. Kahapola Sugatharatana Thero - administered Pansil and preached a small Sermon.
After the religious ceremony we all met at Rodrigo Villa-Maha Gedera - and appeals by students for scholarships, exercise books, medical assistance and other forms of assistance by the needy members were given out. In addition 150 parcels of dry rations were distributed among the poorer people of Nalluruwa as well as to a few outside the area.
Dedicated Rodrigo members have continued to carry on the good work started by late Johannes Rodrigo, down the years.
Dr. Mohandas Rodrigo our President of 12 years, gave unstinted help to the society. The present President - Mr. Saranatissa Rodrigo with Vice Presidents Devasiri Rodrigo, Mallika Rodrigo de Silva, & Motilal Rodrigo, Treasurer Kumud Rodrigo with a Committee of 22 members are carrying on the work of the society which is on the 176th year since it started. We are confident the Society can be carried on for another 100 years with the help of the younger generation of Rodrigos.
Sepalika
Rodrigo de Silva,
Hony Secretary.
'We stand by you, Arjuna!'
As your readers are aware, the Sri Lankan team, especially Captain Arjuna Ranatunga has come under immense criticism from foreign media for the incidents that transpired on the 23rd of January 1999 in Australia. I write this letter to convey my wholehearted support for our Captain and to urge the cricket loving public to do the same.
Few Sri Lankans need to be reminded that Arjuna Ranatunga came through for Sri Lanka by leading our team to victory in the 1996 World ‚up. As a nation now it is our turn to return the favour and stand behind him in his hour of need.
The events that led to this story state of affairs cannot be analyzed in isolation. It was the culmination of a whole series of vicious allegations and provocation (bordering on defamation) that began long before our team left Sri Lankan shores.
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The whole Darral Hare episode and his idle threats to no-ball Muralitharan for his bowling action, even before we arrived in Australia are still fresh in our minds. Therefore consider Ranatunga's plight at having his leading spinner, whose action had been officially cleared by an eminent panel of ICC bowling experts be called for "chucking". He did what any captain fit to hold that position would have done: he stood behind his player. |
There is no doubting that this outburst was uncharacteristic for Arjuna Ranatunga. His nickname of 'captain cool' is a tribute to his cool temperament in a tight situation. This was the act of a desperate man who had been unjustly provoked and found his back against the wall. He put his career on the line in the pursuit of justice: a luxury that neither he nor his team had been afforded in Australia. Far from being chastised for his actions he should be heralded as national hero.
And what's to become of Emerson, the Umpire from hell? Are umpires above the law? Emerson who is a Junior umpire in the cricketing circuit thinks he knows more about bowling actions than umpires far more experienced than he. What was it about Muralitharan's action that he found objectionable? Or was it simply that Muralitharan's complexion was a tad too dark for Emerson's liking.
If supporting your team members through thick and thin is a crime we're all guilty and proudly so. We are behind you Arjuna every step of the way. You tell Emerson where to get off.
A concerned Sri Lankan
From a flat Earth to a flat Millennium
This letter is a response to the article that appeared in the Sunday Island of 24 January, the article which has reviewed the news item which appeared in the Provincial edition of the Sunday Island of 10 January under the Caption 'The Third Millennium begins here at 6.00 p.m. on 31 December 1999'.
Those who wish to be enlightened further are advised to read the Island of Monday 25 January on the article 'The Third Millennium - A response to Mr Nishan Fernando' and the letter to the Editor in the Island of Monday 18 January on 'The Third Millennium begins in year 2000 - an explanation'. Those who are still baffled, are advised to consult a qualified school or university mathematician or a school or university teacher or pay a visit to their own school teacher and explain their dilemma.
In that article, the FLAT EARTH theory proposed by a University Don who was in the Ceylon Civil Service was recalled.
Today we find people who are proposing that the new millennium be celebrated throughout the year 2000 - are they beginning to flatten the new millennium ? What on (this flat ?) earth is this (new flat millennium ?) ! He who laughs last, laughs best !
G. B.
Aelred Fernando
Ceylon Government University Scholar, 1958
Times of prayer
Many have complained about the use of loudspeakers in mosques, more than once a day. Reduction of the volume would not ease the disturbance for people living very close to mosques.
My suggestion to Muslim brothers is to use the loudspeaker to only recite a very short line of prayer such as - "Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar laai Laaaha Illallah" - to indicate the times of prayers. After this the Azan (call to prayer) could be recited without the loudspeaker as during the time of the Holy Prophet (PBOH).
Let us uphold the true spirit of Islam and be realistic and reasonable when practising our faith not causing any irritation to people of other religious beliefs. We owe this to Islam. Let us practise our religion peacefully and quietly.
So could the relevant authorities kindly solve this problem?
M. F.
Yasmin,
Colombo.
| APPRECIATIONS |
H. Leo Perera
21st February 1999 is the 100th Birth Anniversary of my father Late Mr. Herman Leo Perera of Panadura. Born in Panadura he had his early education at St. Johns College Panadura which was a much sought after school in the olden days then headed by the well known educationist Late Mr Cyril A. Janz (Snr.).
Having passed the Senior Cambridge examination he entered the Ceylon Law college and passed out as Proctor. He was admitted to the, profession in September 1925. He started his practice of the profession in Kalutara and Panadura Courts doing civil and criminal work and settled in Panadura in 1945 when the District Court was started and confined his practice to the Civil Court. He had a wide clientele which included the rich and the poor whom he treated alike. Those days Panadura Jurisdiction covered a wide area including the entirety of Raigam Korale.
Those days when counsel from Colombo was retained it was the practice to host them for lunch as there was no Rest House in Panadura. He has retained Mr. S. W. R. D. Bandaranaiyake and Mr. J. R. Jayewardene (as they were known then) in Panadura Courts and hosted them to lunch at his residence. This was long before they led the country as leaders.
He married my mother Late Mrs. Vivian Muriel Wickramasuriya (known in the family circles as 'Vita') from Tangalle and was blessed with 3 sons and a daughter. My mother predeceased him in 1991.
I joined him in the profession in February 1972 and we formed the Law Firm "Perera & Perera". He was a methodical person and his preparation in cases were meticulous. He left no stone unturned and when he gave a brief to counsel they needed no further instructions. I was greatly benefited by following him in preparing for cases and taking his advice in many matters.
He notched up a rare land mark in the legal profession when he completed 60 years of active practice in 1985. He attended court regularly till March 1994 attending to his clients which was the 69th year of his practice. After the April Court vacation in 1994 he entrusted all pending matters to me as he decided to stay at home. He spent his time at home meditating and reading Buddhist publications until he fell ill a week before his death. He passed off on the 11th October 1994.
He was very concerned about his health and never failed to take his exercises which was gardening. He used to come home from his office about 5.30 PM and do his gardening till about 7.30 p.m. He was very fit and when he was in his 80s he used to challenge the Junior members of the Bar to climb the stairs in the District Court, walk with him or to split firewood which he used to do to keep fit.
He disliked smoking and in particular smoking in the lawyers retiring room. There were occasions when he threw the ash tray to the garden in protest to the annoyance of the smokers. I used to smoke in hiding and he used to advise me to stop it which I have done few years after his death. He was a teetotaller and a non-smoker. He reaped the benefits of his good habits when he lived a healthy life for over 95 years.
He was a great Buddhist who followed the five precepts of Lord Buddha throughout his life. Daily he used to spend about an hour in the shrine at home. He observed Atasil on Pasaloswaka Poya days. I could still remember how my mother, two brothers, sister and I recited "Pirith" with him every evening in his bed room. He was a great Buddhist worker who used to work without publicity.
In the early 1960s there was no shrine at Ananda College for the hostellers. The present Ananda Vihara has not been built then. I was in the hostel then with my younger brother Dhammika. Having obtained permission from the then Principal my father filled that vacuum by converting a vacant area in the hostel building into a Buddhist shrine which benefited all hostellers.
The efforts he made with Dr. G. P. Malalasekera (as he was known then) to get the two corner lands of the Main Street Panadura now known as Arthur V. Dias Mawatha for a Buddhist purpose was fruitful and today we see the Smadhi Buddha Statue at the Northern end and rightly the statue of Migettuwatte Gunananda Thera at the Southern end about 200 yards away from the venue where the "Panadura Vadaya" was held.
He used to say how he got a large number of books on Buddhism printed authored by Dr. Ambedkar and distributed them free. "Light of Asia" by Sir Edwin Arnold and "Ummagga Jathakaya" are two other publications that come to my mind out of the several Buddhist publications he distributed free at great cost to him among Buddhists and non-Buddhists here and abroad. He may have distributed well over 2000 copies of each of those publications among several other books.
He was a member of the Panadura Bauddha Maha Sangamaya, All Ceylon Buddhist Congress, Young Mens Buddhist Association, World Fellowship of Buddhists, Buddhist Publication Society in Kandy to mention a few. He used to often visit Mitirigala Arannya in the Hanwella area. Few years prior to his death he informed my mother, brothers, sister and me that the day he die his remains should be buried and his skeleton be removed from the grave and be cleaned and offered to Mitirigala Arannya monks for meditation.
In keeping with his request his remains were buried and skeletal remains were dug out after a year with Court permission. The skeletal remains were treated and fixed by wire to complete the human skeleton and was offered with a glass cabinet to the Mitirigala Arannya in early 1996. The Nayaka Priest there was pleased to receive his skeleton as the one they had for meditation was decaying. When we family members visit the Arannya and see his skeleton there we feel that he is still with us.
May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana.
Hemal Perera
Dr. B. P. N. Jayasekera
The cool breeze of January brings a grim reminder. It is the sad memory that Dr. B. P. N. Jayasekera is no more. He entered Glory on 14th January 1997. Ever since his demise a retinue of grateful patients have published many appreciations singing the praises of this great physician.
Recently we were compelled to seek the curative care of a very famous Ayurvedic physician at Dehiwala. When we mentioned to him that we were long standing patients of late Dr. Jayasekera, the native Vedamahattaya said;
"Late Dr. Jayasekera was an exemplary disciple of Hippocrates. He always treated his patients honestly and sincerely. He never used his subjects for pecuniary gain. It is rarely that we find such a 'Jeevaka' in our lifetime.
Vedamahattaya's wife who always assists him even recalled the famous medical clinic at Wellawatta where our good doctor was among a few other doctors. She said,
"The astounding success of this one time Wellawatte Medical Clinic was due to Dr. Jayasekera's unfailing efforts in diagnosis and patient care."
This erudite Vedamahattaya has the habit of discussing at length various aspects of the illness with the patient. Of course depending on the illness and its complications. While he was engaged in such a conversation with us, the impatient patient whose turn was after us, peeped in through the curtain to see if we had come to the end of our consultation. Having observed this intrusion, the Vedamahattaya made matters clear.
"Don't think that I am talking gossip with my patients. By getting answers to my questions I fathom patients' memory power and so on. This helps my diagnosis."
In the same strain, like this octogenarian Vedamahattaya, our doctor too understood the patient and diagnosed the illness through a process of analytical communication. Dr. Jayasekera had the knack of eliciting the information needed for a rational diagnosis and effective treatment.
On another occasion we were seated outside Dr. Jayasekera's consultation room awaiting our turn. We heard doctor's assertive voice speaking to an elderly father who was accompanied by his daughter.
"I will allow you two drinks and nothing more!" he said.
Dr. Jayasekera made the old patient realise that he was indulging a little too much in a habitual way.
We who were used to Dr. B. P. N. Jayasekera's unerring diagnosis and simple treatment still trot about from one doctor to another thinking who is best for what. So it is natural for our minds to flit across to Dr. Jayasekera's days, especially on his death anniversary.
Robert Herrick's poem "To Daffodils" gives us solace as we lament over the passing away of our dear doctor.
We have short time to stay, as you.
We have as short a Spring;
As quick a growth to meet decay,
As you, or anything.
We die
As hours do, and dry
Away
Like to the Summer's rain;
Or as the pearls of morning's dew,
Never to be found again.
M. A. Banduransi Perera
Denzil Fernando
After courageously battling with his ailment, Denzil, finally succumbed to the inevitable on the 18th instant. Thus Mutwal lost yet another genial and warm personality.
He was a man for all seasons. A sportsman, social worker, advisor, consultant and chorister. These were the field he shone in. After a bright period at De La Salle College, Mutwal, he had a short stint with the CGR and thereafter joined the Labour Department which institution he served with distinction initially as a Labour Officer and finally as Deputy Commissoner. Humorous, unostentatious, unpretentious - these were the distinctive features of his life which endeared him to one and all.
A loving husband, caring father, father-in-law and grandfather, his primary concern was towards others rather than self. Even during the final stages of his life, when asked if some of his close associates and friends need be informed of his position, his response was always "Don't trouble them."
Denzil spanned a little more than the Biblical three score and ten years during which period he served humanity, his Maker and the Roman Catholic Church tirelessly. May his life be a source of consolation to his good spouse Chandra and the loved ones.
Now that he has gone to his well-deserved rest it would be appropriate to quote the bard:
Fear no more the heat of the sun,
Nor the furious winter's rages;
Thou thy worldly task has done,
Home are gone and taken thy wages.
George Jayawardena