Why Are Sri Lanka’s Policy Makers Not Using Buddhism As A Soft-Power Tool?

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Colombo, Sri Lanka -- We are all well aware that both India and China are rivals for supremacy in Asia and both are fishing for new strategies to tap to forge the alliances needed to strengthen that supremacy. If India and China nations that once put Buddhism aside for other priorities are now realizing that their answer for supremacy lies with Buddhism why has Sri Lanka’s policy makers not utilized this power which is under their very nose?

Historical facts have to be first made clear. The Buddha was born in Nepal. Buddha achieved enlightenment, gained spiritual following and achieved nirvana in India (Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar – all located in the Indian state of Bihar, one of the poorest in India). Buddhism was subsumed by Hinduism and none of India’s governments sought to even consider reviving the lost place given to Buddhism until now. However, Buddhism was abandoned by India and its leaders never gave any prominence to it though the spread of Buddhism historically is nothing anyone can deny. China too opted to set aside Buddhism until its present realization of how powerful Buddhism exactly is.

Buddhism’s compassion has unfortunately subjected ancient Buddhist nations that have been invaded and natives slaughtered through history. Once Buddhist nations today are occupied by invading forces who now claim their right to these nations – Bangladesh, Maldives, Afghanistan were all Buddhist nations once upon a time. It is a tragic truth that Buddhism’s gentle philosophy advocating right to life for both man and animal attributed to its decline.

In the modern context, much of the blame for the deterioration of religions in the world is primarily due to the teachings of its master being replaced by ideologies of those now functioning as leaders of different faiths driving people away from the fundamental teachings originally advocated. This is why there is so much of confusions and contradictions that prevail in all religions and why by virtue of these differences there is calamities based on religious beliefs and practices. The present day religious heads are totally accountable for the catastrophe’s that prevail globally.

Nevertheless, both India and China are pulling out all their historical links to Buddhism in a bid to use Buddhism to its highest potential. The efforts of these two nations to scurry for links should have Sri Lanka taking the lead for Sri Lanka weathered the storms of 500 years of colonial rule and despite the fact that it was the Sinhalese Buddhists who were massacred in trying to save their nation Sri Lanka remains a nation with over 68% Buddhists.

Whilst China never forgets to remind India that its Buddhist population is far greater than that of India – though Buddhism came to China several centuries after its spread in India. India in an attempt to prove Buddhism was imported from India to China built a Buddhist temple in Luoyang. Though China’s Buddhist credentials become weak in the face of international opposition to its treatment of Tibet though much of the real situation is often hidden from the world by western owned international media.

The tell tale signs of Buddhism been made a powerful soft-power tool is evident.

China hosted the first World Buddhist Forum in 2006 – attention was diverted to reviving Lumbini with a USD3billion project, the birthplace of Buddha in Nepal. India responded with supporting the Global Buddhist Congregation in Delhi. China has an edge because Buddhism is a fast-growing religion now in China whilst India is simply trying to use smart ways to counter Chinese hegemony. China has often kept India from regional links in South East Asia portraying India as an outsider but we can see through numerous trade agreements and visits that India is countering these drives using the cultural tool of Buddhism.

India is also looking at reviving Nalanda University – an extremely strategic initiative and one that should not escape anyone’s attention because it was a place that imparted far more “teachings” on students than Buddhism alone! India, Japan, Singapore and China is part of this effort which next asks why has Sri Lanka not prominently featured in this effort? India has even gone on to sponsor the International Conference on Buddhist Cultural Heritage in Yangon/Myanmar in an obvious bid to reach out to the 89% Buddhists in Myanmar. India also went on to take the “Kapilavastu Relics” preserved in the National Museum in Sri Lanka which showed how hundreds of thousands of Sinhalese Buddhists queue to pay homage.

It is not too late for Sri Lanka to spearhead Buddhist teachings, Buddhist student cultural links including both East and Western students and the exchange of Buddhist thoughts, views, discussions and other cultural programs – there is a whole world of ways that Sri Lanka is able to use Buddhism to its advantage – our question is why is it lying dormant? India is not a predominately Buddhist country and accept for a handful of Indians more interested in the philosophical aspects of Buddha’s teachings they are not interested or committed to Buddhism and would never desire to give up their Brahmin practices. This is why Sri Lanka needs to exert its supremacy and no one can challenge this.

It is easy for any nation to use hard power – military might is never without drawbacks, economics has its ups and downs but a far greater way is to use soft power and with majority of Asian nations spiritually aligned to Buddhism there is no other soft power that needs to be used. The advantages are many.

To use a soft power tool it must have “native ownership” and India nor China can claim to have given due place to Buddhism in their national policies unlike Sri Lanka where Buddhism is enshrined in its Constitution. The success of Muslim nations has been to use Islam as a soft power which is incorporated into its “nationalistic” thinking and actions. The soft power tools of the West are Hollywood, Music and brand names. However such superficial “cultures” does not have the “muscle” or function as a vehicle to drive the objectives that Buddhism is able to achieve as a soft-power tool. These are the realities that India and China have now understood.

Asia aside, Buddhism has been able to generate a spiritual awakening amongst the people of the West probing for a calmer and philosophical meaning to their lives. Asia on the other hand needs to move away from the terrain of material pleasures that is moving them further from their religious practices.

It is no coincidence that both India and China are now digging ancient links to Buddhism to use for its own strategic advantage and when Sri Lanka does not need to do anything of the sort why do we not use Buddhism as a soft-power tool to forge greater ties with the Buddhist nations as well as tap into a fast growing Buddhist awakening in the Western hemisphere?

While China and India battle aggressive marketing strategies on how to use Buddhism to its full potential we question what Sri Lanka’s Foreign Service is doing by not using a tool already powerful and available with Sri Lanka? With so many missions and manpower why is Sri Lanka not using this soft-power diplomacy that would certainly work to our advantage on international forums like UN/UNHRC etc?

The populations of Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Japan, Korea, Tibet, Mongolia and China are a very powerful source to tap using Buddhism as a soft-power tool and Sri Lanka needs to culturally and religiously use these allies to alleviate its political standing.

Nevertheless with all the mechanizations in place, a plethora of Buddhist foundations/organizations/Buddhist Scholars already available it is timely for Sri Lanka’s leaders to use every avenue available to tap into these resources and make Buddhism a soft-power tool instead of watching other nations that abandoned Buddhism to take the lead not out of interest for Buddhism or belief in Buddhism but simply to use it as a political tool.

Sri Lanka on the other hand has ensured whatever the odds that Buddhism has not faced the same fate. It is within Sri Lanka’s right to unite the nations of Asia using the soft-power tool politically and it’s a powerful tool that Sri Lanka’s policy makers need to seriously look upon. It certainly does question the lack of interest and wonders whether it is because non-Buddhist advisors are advising the Buddhist leaders along the wrong path! If this is so it is time the Buddhist leaders realize the folly and address the situation immediately.

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Petition urging passage of Sri Lanka's animal welfare bill

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Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lanka holds a unique place in the world, with the longest continuous history of Buddhism of any nation. Buddhism has been the major religion in the island since its official introduction in the 3rd century BC by Arahant Mahinda, the son of the Emperor Ashoka of India, and over 70% of the population is Buddhist.

The sangha (Order of Monks) has existed in a largely unbroken lineage since its introduction in the 3rd century, and Sri Lankan monks and lay people have played a prominent role in spreading Theravada Buddhism to Asia, the West and even Africa.

Buddhism is so integral to the national identity that it is explicitly included in the Sri Lankan Constitution. Article 9 states:

“The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).”

In October, 2010, an important piece of legislation known as the Animal Welfare Bill was introduced in Parliament as a Private Member’s Bill, the first of its kind since 1907. The Bill, which applies to all animals, provides extensive protections to ensure that practices in Sri Lanka are in keeping with the central tenet of non-harm to all animals enshrined in the First Precept. Among its provisions are: A duty of care on the part of those in charge of animals to treat them humanelyPrevention of cruelty to animalsThe establishment of a 16-member National Animal Welfare Authority to administer the legislation, develop policies, and strengthen and expand the existing enforcement mechanismsThe appointment of Animal Welfare Inspectors with police powersOversight of slaughtered animalsOversight of animal experimentation with an emphasis on alternativesStandards for transporting animalsThe right of any person to bring a lawsuit on behalf of an animalIncreased penalties for violation of animal protection laws

Despite the urgency of the need for an Animal Welfare Law and its critical function of ensuring that Sri Lanka remains true to its Buddhist principles, thereby retaining its role as the pre-eminent Buddhist nation in the world, over two years have lapsed since the introduction of the Animal Welfare Bill in Parliament in October, 2010, with no sign of steps being taken toward its enactment.

Dharma Voices for Animals (DVA) believes that this legislation falls squarely within our mission of addressing animal suffering within the Buddhist community, and to help in this cause we will be presenting a petition to the President of Sri Lanka, His Excellency Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, and to other Government officials urging them, on behalf of animals, to help make this law a reality. As supporters of DVA, we ask you to join in this effort by adding your name to this important petition.

PETITION

Dharma Voices for Animals is a non-profit organization based in the United States of America whose mission is to increase awareness of the suffering of animals within the Buddhist Dharma community. Among our worldwide membership are many well-known western Dharma teachers, Tibetan monk Geshe Thupten Phelgye, who served ten years in the Tibetan Parliament in Exile and considers his Holiness the Dalai Lama as his teacher, Lama Shri Sadhu Dharmavira, and the Venerable Thich Phuoc Tan, Vice President of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

Sri Lanka is the home of Theravada Buddhism, with a rich Buddhist civilization that began more than two millennia ago. The cultural heritage of Sri Lanka is a shining example of the power and influence of the Buddha’s teachings. In keeping with these teachings, Sri Lanka is also heir to a rich and unique history with respect to animal rights and welfare, with historical rock inscriptions and ancient chronicles, e.g. Mahawamsa, providing evidence of the extensive state protection that has been historically granted to animals. The ethic of Ahimsa (non-violence towards other sentient beings), a cardinal tenet in Buddhism as well as Hinduism, has been a paradigm of public administration and justice throughout the country’s history, with the social and legal history of Sri Lanka providing numerous examples of the Buddhist attitude of compassion towards animals. These include a series of royal decrees completely banning the killing of animals throughout their kingdoms, the establishment of animal hospitals as early as 341 AD, and a widely followed historical taboo against the eating of animals. In short, it is fair to say that Sri Lanka has been the model of a country that puts into practice the central tenet of the First Precept – non-harm to all animals.

Despite this exemplary history, however, it has been over 100 years since Sri Lanka has enacted an animal rights and welfare law as a primary piece of legislation. The governing statute, the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Ordinance, dates back to 1907, the British colonial period. This law is antiquated, and it completely fails to address the welfare of animals in modern society. Its limitations are particularly apparent when compared to animal welfare legislation of neighboring countries such as India and Bhutan or western countries such as England or Australia. For example, the maximum punishment it provides for the heinous crime of cruelty perpetrated on an animal in violation of its provisions is a fine of 100 Rupees – barely $1 U.S.

The inadequacy of existing legislation to safeguard the welfare of animals is strikingly inconsistent with Sri Lanka’s role as the pre-eminent Buddhist nation in the world. Moreover, it neglects a core principle codified in Article 9 of the Constitution, which states that “it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana.” Without a fundamental revision of its laws, Sri Lanka risks abandoning the legacy of an animal-friendly cultural heritage that dates back almost to the time of the Buddha and neglecting its responsibility explicitly mandated by the Constitution.

In an effort to rectify this situation and bring Sri Lanka’s laws regarding animals up to modern standards, in 2010 a Private Member’s Bill – based on the Animal Welfare Bill prepared by Sri Lanka’s Law Commission in 2006 – was presented to Parliament. Unfortunately, it has not been acted upon. Its passage in Parliament is critical for Sri Lanka to maintain its status as the leading Buddhist country in the world.

Mahatma Gandhi’s famous statement is as valid today as it was when he said:

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”  

The signers of this petition are people from all over the world who are proud of Sri Lanka’s role in safeguarding the Dharma and hopeful that Sri Lanka will continue this tradition in all its aspects, including the fundamental teaching of non-harm to animals. Accordingly, we urge His Excellency Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa and other Government officials of Sri Lanka to enact the Animal Welfare Bill without any further delay.

SIGN PETITION HERE
http://dharmavoicesforanimals.org/petitions/

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Sri Lanka's Buddhist Monks' Health At Risk

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Worshippers are being told to give fewer sweet treats to monks amid fears that their diet is too rich.

Colombo, Sri Lanka -- Sri Lankans are being urged to cut down on offerings of sweets and cakes to the country's Buddhist monks after it was found that half the nation's holy men are at risk of poor health due to a diet rich in sugar and oil.

Devotees provide the monks with their food - and book up to a year in advance for the chance to cook for them.

The food is made with great care and is often extremely rich, but this has led to the alarming statistic that 50% of the island's 40,000 monks are at risk of diabetes, compared to the national average of 10%.

The venerated monks are also at higher risk of heart disease, the health ministry says.

Officials have now come up with new guidelines to encourage devotees to donate low-sugar, healthier food for the monks' diet instead.

The average daily intake of 12 teaspoons of sugar should be reduced to a maximum of eight, according to the new guidelines, while salt should also be sharply reduced.

Alms should not include more than one dish containing cooking oil, the ministry added.

"Diabetes and other non-communicable diseases among Buddhist monks can be reduced if the faithful follow the new diet guidelines," it said.

Buddhism is the majority religion amongst Sri Lanka's 20 million people, who believe offering meals, cakes, biscuits and sweets to monks will bring them good karma in this life as well as in the next.

Buddhists who believe in reincarnation also offer food to monks in an attempt to transfer good luck to departed loved ones.

But the ministry says the offerings should consist of long-grain rice, three vegetables and two types of fruit rather than cakes and sweet things.

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