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A ten-point ‘joint declaration’ made at a ‘Maha Sangha Convention’ in Colombo at the All-Ceylon Buddhist Congress earlier this month at which the National Peoples’ Power (NPP) Government was called upon to ‘take measures to protect Buddhism in Sri Lanka’ has raised more questions than answers.

Government called upon to ‘prevent’ hostility’ against monks

Particularly, the tenth point in this declaration by an assembly of Buddhist monks, (first touted to be ‘massive’ in numbers but which claim thereto somewhat dwindled at the day itself) is interesting, more in respect of what it does not say. Thus, the NPP Government was issued an injunction to prevent ‘actions that undermine the dignity of the clergy, such as derogatory statements, the spread of hostile opinions, ridicule, insults and accusations by social media activists.’

That reminded one of the recent highly humorous call by the captain of Sri Lanka’s cricket squad, once the country’s national obsession now fast fading to inglorious despair, who asked the Government to take steps to safeguard players from ‘negativity’ in the wake of serial losses. Both calls were equally bizarre. Where the Sangha conference was concerned, it was thundered that such insults ‘must not be allowed to take place under the authority of the State.’

This was before an audience that included opposition parliamentarians. That call was in abrupt contrast however to far more sensible advice issued by the Anunayake of the Asgiri Chapter, Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thero who reminded Sri Lanka’s Buddhist clergy that they ‘should respond with equanimity to allegations.’ ‘Rather than reacting with agitation, it would be more timely and prudent to remain silent’ he said, adding that the truth would eventually prevail.

Monks who are not ‘dignified’

But to return to the tenth point in the Sangha declaration, the Government was called to order to restrain ‘social media activists’ (one wonders as to what conceivable tool can be employed for that purpose?) when ‘monks… conduct themselves with moral discipline and dignity.’But the question that begs an answer, which the Sangha Convention did not address or chose to strategically minimise, is stark.

What then, of monks who do not conduct themselves with ‘moral discipline and dignity’? Beneath lofty talk of ‘undermining the dignity of the clergy’ at least one Buddhist monk who addressed the gathering lauded a monk in the multi-ethnic Eastern Province known more for inflaming community tensions than for preaching the message of the Dhamma.

This was the same monk whose command of the vernacular in hurling epithets against those whom he sees as ‘enemies’ of Sinhala Buddhism  is colourful to say the least. At one time, the Magistrate’s Court of Batticaloa issued an arrest warrant against him consequent to which he went ‘missing.’ At another time, he was arrested for ‘disorderly conduct’ at the Ampara police station.

‘National heritage’ – whose?

The point is, are these the exemplars of ‘moral discipline and dignity’ to be held out as such? The context in which his actions were lauded was seemingly in protecting Buddhist archaeological sites in the Eastern Province. That was reflected in another point of the Sangha declaration, namely that ‘we emphasize that Buddhist archaeological sites, sacred places, temples and devalagam are not the private property of monks but the heritage of the nation.’

Further, that ‘the Government bears responsibility for ensuring their protection against any form of damage.’ In essence, that sentiment is blameless. But the call should be to protect all archaeological sites, sacred places and temples,’ not necessarily limited to those of the Buddhist faith only. That is in consonance with what the Constitution requires.

That is through Article 9 that gives Buddhism the foremost place and requires the State to ‘protect and foster the Buddha Sasana’ and also talks about ‘assuring to all religions, the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14 (1)( e). But is a Sangha conference the place where praises should be rained down on the un-saintly head of a monk whose words and actions mirror the complete contrary of what the Gauatama Buddha taught?

Indeed, the context of what was spoken at this Convention as well as those who spoke (ie; monks whose political histories and affiliations to Rajapaksa dominion are no secret) did a disservice to their own cause. In that context, the nostalgic hearkening back to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as a ‘true leader’ on the part of speakers at the Convention should have curdled the blood of opposition parliamentarians in the audience.

Political excitement and the monks

Certainly, this excitement on the part of the monks was due in large part to a leading Minister of the NPP Government who referred to a particular monk in explicitly derogatory terms. Conforming to style, he later contemptuously dismissed the Sangha conference as ‘redundant’ and ‘irrelevant.’ On his part, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake neither chose to rein his errant Minister in nor showed the slightest bit of remorse in regard to his earlier animadversions against Sinhalese Buddhists who travel to temples in the North to ‘worship with hate.’

To all intents and purposes, the Government remained deaf, dumb and blind to the angry choruses of the monks. Perhaps in what was articulated as the bitter icing on a ‘irreverent cake’ symbolised by the NPP, it was also warned by some speakers at the Sangha conference that the President and his Ministers would be labeled as ‘anti-Buddhist’ if the pattern of insulting the Buddhist clergy continued.

But the outstanding question here concerns the conduct and the behaviour of some monks which are contrary to the Dhamma. Apart from getting apoplectic over publicity hungry politicians who describe those monks in abusive terms and are cheered on by a pro-government squad of social media followers, what action does the Sri Lanka Sangha, whether in conference or not, propose to take in that regard?

Hot air in Sri Lanka and a ‘peace walk’ in America

Will not ‘disciplining’ these monks in accordance with the precepts of the ‘vinaya’ mitigate the situation and calm tempers? At the very least and as a senior monk advised as referred to earlier, it would be far better for monks to respond with ‘equanimity’ rather than political agitation. Meanwhile, in the opposite scenario of the hot air emanating from a segment of monks in Sri Lanka, the imagination of the world has been captured thousands of kilometers away.

That is in the United States by a group of barefoot Theravada Buddhist monks and their adorable dog. This was when the monks commenced a 3700 mile walk for peace, starting from a Vietnamese Buddhist temple in Fort Worth, Texas (hardly a bastion of religious liberalism) across Mr Donald Trump’s divisive and troubled America.

Relying only on the kindness of strangers to support them and surviving innumerable hardships along the way, their walk has stirred thousands of hearts on the way, inspiring interfaith harmony. The walk ended in Washington DC some days ago with prayers at some of the most iconic memorials in the city. Their message did not focus on political tensions, did not inflame passions or call curses down on the heads of those perceived as insulting them.

Inner peace changes nations

Rather, the core of the teaching is that inner peace, compassion and mindfulness will change individuals, societies and countries. That was demonstrated not through empty sermons or televised nonsense but through hard example, leading people to tears. As the United States plans and executes what may well turn out to be World War Three with the centre stage being the Middle East, this message could not be more important for humanity.

Particularly so in this country, with the walk of the Theravada monks teaching their brothers in robes here, of the essential teachings of the Gautama as well as of Jesus Christ, that hatred cannot be conquered by hatred but by love and compassion alone.

Perhaps this may be the theme of the next Sangha conference that is convened in Sri Lanka.