Gamini Jayaweera
It was with real happiness and great relief that we read in the Sri
Lankan newspapers some time ago that most Venerable Ahungalle Sri
Vissuddhi Maha Thero had banned the Buddhist monks of Amarapura Sri
Saddharma Vansika Nikaya from engaging in active politics such as
contesting elections, speaking in political meetings, and participating
in political demonstrations etc. Sadu! Sadu ! Sadu ! Buddhists in Sri
Lanka were expecting other prominent Buddhist Monks in Sri Lanka would
follow suit and make some public announcements to that effect.
Though
there was lukewarm response from the clergy and the general public to
this very important issue, silent majority of the clergy and the general
public desperately want some action to be taken by the responsible
people to ban Buddhist monks’ engagement in active politics.
The announcement by the most Venerable Ahungalle Sri Vissudhi Maha
Thero was the most significant and long overdue action which had been
taken by a section of the Noble Sangha to ensure that Sri Lankan
Buddhists will not become the laughing stock of the world due to the
pathetic behaviour of some (minority) of the so called “Buddhist Monks”.
The Time is right for all practising Buddhist Monks, Nuns, Upasakha,
Upasikha, and the government of Sri Lanka to take a collective decision
to support the Noble Bhikkus and Bhikkunis to implement this very
important action to impose and maintain the long established Discipline
(Vinaya) and to protect the pure Doctrine (Dhamma) from the so called
“Sangha” minority who are behaving disgracefully, inappropriately and in
an offensive manner.
Buddhism Vs Politics
Buddhism is well known all over the world as a “Way of Life”. The
Bhikku Sangha was set up by Lord Buddha for Bhikkhus to become
inspirational leaders by learning, practising, and developing certain
perfections such as Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom,
Patience, Truthfulness, Determination, and Loving kindness to total
completeness and teach the Doctrine (Dhamma) to all human beings,
regardless of their status in society. These teachings will guide lay
people to develop their mental qualities such as unbounded loving
kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, mindfulness, virtue, and wisdom
to follow the path in achieving the complete freedom of the mind.
Buddhism defines the way to develop moral, spiritual and intellectual
training that are required for a Buddhist Monk or a lay person to
achieve his ultimate goal of Supreme Enlightenment (Nibbana).
Politics
has been defined as the profession which devotes its energy and time
for governing and dealing with political affairs. In Webster’s
Dictionary politics has been divided into two areas, namely the science
of government and the management of a political party. As Webster
describes politics include inter-alia protection of the country’s
existence against foreign interference, maintenance of security, safety,
peace and harmony, preservation of democracy, development of economic
prosperity, management of a political party, and acting deceptive ways
as and when required to defend a favourable outcome of the party’s
candidates.
It is evident from the above two definitions that there are
fundamental problems of trying to carry out duties of a politician by
being a Buddhist Monk. The two professions do not go together. The
following stanza from Dhammapada clearly defines the Buddhist Monk’s
position in relation to engaging in worldly events.
“One is the quest for worldly gain, and quite another is the path to
Nibbana. Clearly understanding this, let not the monk, the disciple of
the Buddha, be carried away by worldly acclaim, but develops detachment
instead.”
It is sad to witness that some of our Srilankan Buddhist monks are
engaged in the quest for worldly gains rather than propagating dhamma
and developing detachment as preached by Lord Buddha. Some of these
monks are running commercial businesses, some are engaged in full-time
paid employment, some are involved in active politics, and some others
are participating in political demonstrations and behaving like thugs
& criminals in public. Some of our so called “politicians” are
encouraging, and supporting these monks to gain political advantages to
be in power at any cost. What has happened to our Dhammadeepa?
The principles of Buddhism do not direct the Noble Sangha to set up
political parties, contest general elections, or carryout violent
political demonstrations to solve worldly problems in society. Buddhism
is not based on a Political Philosophy which encourages the desire for
sense-gratification (kama-thanha), the desire for self-preservation
(bhava-thanha) and the desire for destruction (vibhava-thanha). The
ultimate goal of the Doctrine of Buddhism is to put an end to this
craving (thanha) which prolongs the journey through “Sansara”.
Dasa Raja Dharma
Lord Buddha would have never allowed his Dhamma to be exploited in
this way for gaining political power by the Noble Sangha nor would have
allowed Noble Sangha to influence the outcome of political power based
on a political ideology. The Doctrine of Buddhism has specified the
rules for governing a country in a proper and peaceful manner and these
rules are known as “Dasa Raja Dharma”.
Any political system, any political ideology, or any political party
can apply these ten rules if they want to create a just society in the
country. As Lord Buddha said in Anguttara Nikaya “When the ruler of a
country is just and good, the ministers become just and good; when the
ministers are just and good, the higher officials become just and good;
when the higher officials are just and good, the rank and file become
just and good; when the rank and file become just and good, the people
become just and good”. This is natural law. No political system,
political ideology, or political party can deliver the complete freedom
of mind to their people. It can only be achieved by understanding and
practising Dhamma given to all of us by the greatest and the noblest
human being in the history of mankind, Lord Buddha, about 2600 years
ago.
So, what are these so called patriotic “Buddhist Monks” trying to
achieve by forming political parties, participating in political
demonstrations, and contesting in Provisional Councils and General
Elections? Have they forgotten the Buddhist Doctrine and the Discipline
(Dhamma Vinaya) preached by Lord Buddha? Don’t they know that they have
to carry out all of their activities in accordance with the rules of the
Discipline (Vinaya) set out by Lord Buddha? Do they honestly believe
that by running commercial businesses, engaging in full-time paid
employment, forming political parties, participating in political
demonstrations, contesting elections, and behaving like thugs &
criminals in public that they could advise and guide people towards
achieving complete freedom of mind?
An Appeal to the Noble Sangha
I am dismayed and saddened by the activities of some (minority) of
our senior monks fully endorsing decisions taken by the contesting
Buddhist Monks to safeguard Buddha Sasana by participating in the
Provisional Councils and General elections. Please Ven. Sirs, as a
Buddhist, I appeal to you not to make use of the good name of Lord
Buddha to fulfil the aspirations of a handful of nationalists who try to
destroy peace and freedom which are supreme goals of Buddhism. Ven.
Sirs, don’t you agree that the Lord Buddha achieved the Supreme
Enlightenment by going beyond all worldly concerns? Ven. Sirs, don’t you
think that you are prolonging your journey through “Sansara” by
participating in these political activities? I appeal Ven. Sirs, to work
very closely with the Minister of Buddha Sasana to draft a legally
binding disciplinary code for the implementation of banning the Bhikkhu
Sangha from participating in active Politics.
Silent Majority of Noble Sangha
It must be said that majority of our Noble Sangha in Sri Lanka are
preaching, practising, and teaching Buddhist principles to uplift the
moral values of the lay people. These noble monks have not become
“pawns” of the politicians to obtain honorary titles, well paid jobs,
and other worldly gains. They are the silent majority of the noble Sanga
who are carrying out a tremendous service to propagate Dhamma, and
protect Buddha Sasana. But unfortunately they do not get any “headlines”
or media attention to build a public opinion for banning the
participation of Buddhist Monks from engaging in active politics.
Some of our learned Sangha and lay people may argue that the banning
of such things is against the principle of Buddhism where individual
freedom is paramount for the liberation of mind to achieve the lasting
peace. Yes, I do agree with the argument but here we are concerned about
the question of separating Noble Sangha from so called immoral sangha
who are not living the holy life and the requirement to remove them from
the sasana. This is not a new concept as Lord Buddha himself practised
and implemented code of conduct to safeguard the sasana. In this regard I
quote from Paharada Sutta in the Anguttara Nikaya where Lord Buddha
took action to remove an immoral Monk from the congregation.
According to the Sutta, addressing the leader of the Titans, Buddha
said “Pahārāda, the bhikkhus do take delight in this Dhamma-Vinaya. The
bhikkhus see eight astounding and amazing qualities in this Dhamma and
discipline because of which they take delight in it.” The third
admirable and amazing quality was explained as follows:
“Pahārāda, just as the great ocean does not tolerate dead bodies,
corpses, and if there is a dead body, it quickly throws it on shore. In
the same manner the Community does not tolerate a person who is immoral,
of bad character, of impure and suspicious conduct, secretive in his
actions, not chaste but pretending chastity, lustful and of vile
behaviour, not living the holy life, and rotten to the core. The
Community does not live with such a person; they all get together
quickly and expel such a person. Wherever he is seated with the
Community, he is far away from them. The Community too is far removed
from him. This is the third wonderful and surprising quality in this
dispensation of the teaching, seeing which the bhikkus delight in it.”
On one occasion, Buddha was staying near Savatthi with his followers
and Ananda thero asked the Buddha to recite and bless the Rules for
leading a good and honest life which included loving kindness,
compassion, generosity, honesty, tranquillity, and mindfulness. The
Buddha refused to recite and bless the Rules and said, “I think there is
someone here who in his heart is not keeping to the Rules, so I can’t
do the blessing.” They found that there was in the room one of the monks
who was not keeping to the Rules. He was asked to leave. And when he
had been led out the Buddha recited and blessed the Rules. Lord Buddha
had to impose these rules in compassion to ensure that the monks are
more disciplined and amenable. As I have explained, in this period of
moral and cultural decline of the Sasana there are immoral sangha who do
not live the holy life according to the Vinaya. Explaining the Paharada
Sutta, Bhikkhu Seelananda of Kandy has stated “The immoral sangha
really are impediments to the Order. They commit even grave offences.
But there is no immediate assemble of the community of monks and
expulsion. Undoubtedly stern actions are to be taken by the Head of the
monks and the regime in power in order to purify the Sasana.”
May the Noble Triple Gem bless our silent majority of Noble Sangha
and the Minister of Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka to have Courage, Energy,
Wisdom, and Long Life to act decisively and speedily to protect Buddha
Sasana and propagate the true message of Buddha to the world. In
conclusion, I emphasise again the stanza from Dhammapada to remind our
misguided monks to choose the path that is suitable for a Bhikkhu to
lead a religious life.
‘The path that leads to worldly gain is one, and the path that leads to Nibbana (by leading a religious life) is another”.
*The writer is a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors and is a holder of Master’s Degree in Business Administration
from Henley Management College, Oxford
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