Tamil Girl who Died in Jaffna was Born Again as Sinhala Boy in Katana
January 10th, 2008
By Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda
Let us face life-realistically. The only way there will ever be peace in Sri Lanka is if all political factions accept the reality of living in the present. Here in the present, where life really takes place, we all have the opportunity of creating a better future based on our ability to let go of the past.
Yes, in the past wrongs have been committed–the wrongs committed by the LTTE and the wrongs committed by some of the Sinhalese. But let us learn from these errors in action. These misdeeds are a part of our history. We cannot undo them, even though some scholars try their best to re-write history; but we can pay attention to it and learn its lessons. The study of science teaches us that everything changes moment by moment – nothing ever stays the same. This is the Buddha’s primary teaching of Impermanence. Since nothing is permanent – why do we hold on to the past? Holding on to the past especially the unpleasant becomes a distortion of the event. The memory is not real and clouds our vision so that we cannot see the possibilities that exist today for peace.
Sri Lanka today has a great opportunity to rid the land of terrorists and make a new beginning in peace. When the north and east is free of the LTTE, we can acknowledge the wrongs of the past, make appropriate apologies, make the necessary amends, and move forward as one country. I have already spoken about our history in previous articles. Now I will appeal to your higher natures, and express my confidence in my fellow Sri Lankans – all of us – Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, and Burghers. When you think about it, every country in the world has a troubled past; there are no exceptions. At some point, however, each and every country either has the opportunity to come to terms with the troubles of the past, through addressing the grievances of all to seek a healing by letting go of the anger and hatred that revisiting past wrongs generates. I have lived in America for thirty-three years, and during this time I have witnessed a great deal of healing, and great strides toward building unity and harmony among the diverse peoples living there.
A perfect example is the African-American community. Until the early 1960’s this group was oppressed, disenfranchised, and victimized by racial prejudice. Now, this group can completely participate in mainstream America – and racial oppression is not only illegal, but these days mostly viewed as a relic from the past – an unfortunate mistake in the evolution of the U.S. America, I’m happy to say, it has moved on from its past in this regard, and a great deal of healing has taken place. The healing, of course, is not perfectly complete – not by any means – but it is farther along than it has ever been, and the process continues in a positive direction.
Sri Lanka must follow this example. We must begin to effect a healing if we are all to live together on this small island in peace. Healing begins with each and every one of us when we make the effort to let go of the anger that clouds our perception so that understanding and compassion can grow. Then we will be able to develop compassion for the other. Once we can have compassion for one another peace can begin to grow.
I make a strong appeal to the main opposition party: stop slinging mud at the government – learn to work with the government. Learn to put your priorities for the country as a whole – rather than on your party and special interests. We all want a peaceful country for our children. We must all work together to establish this.
To the Tamils around the world I say “Stop supporting the LTTE because by doing so you are killing your own people!” You may feel a strong desire for a Tamil homeland. You may strongly believe that an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka is the answer. You give in to requests for financial donations to support this Idea. You send your money to LTTE-connected organizations thinking that you are helping to build a new country for your people. Please understand that every dollar that gets into the hands of the LTTE is a dollar spent on death. Death for Tamils, death for Sinhalese, death for peace.
In closing, I would like to remind you about the story of Aravinda Rupasinghe that appeared in the September 28, 2006 edition of the Divaina, a Sinhalese newspaper. Aravinda was a 14-year-old Sinhalese boy who woke up one day speaking fluent Tamil. He frgot his real identity and firmly believed that he was a Tamil girl who lived up north in Jaffna. That day he suddenly announced, “My father is a supporter of LTTE.”
After a few days of counselling and therapy Aravinda came to accept who he really was now, and to understand that the Tamil girl was someone whose life he had lived in a previous birth.
This story reveals how a Tamil girl who died in Jaffna was reborn as a Sinhalese boy in Katana, which is near Colombo. This story also demonstrates that we can be reborn into any religion, any race, or in any country; we are not necessarily reborn as we are in our present life. The Buddha mentioned that samsara is without discoverable beginning. It is not easy to find a being who in this long course has not previously been your mother or your father, your brother or your sister, your son or your daughter, therefore we should be compassionate toward all.
The point is, any of us, whether we are currently Sinhalese or Tamil, could easily have been-or will be in the future-born into the opposite group! So why hate and kill one another? We are all one people, one country, and we can have one peace.
Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda is the Chief Nayake Thera in the United States of America
Entry Filed under: transCurrents NewsFeatures
33 Comments Add your own
1. thekillromeoproject | January 10th, 2008 at 8:24 am
“Sri Lanka today has a great opportunity to rid the land of terrorists and make a new beginning in peace. When the north and east is free of the LTTE, we can acknowledge the wrongs of the past, make appropriate apologies, make the necessary amends, and move forward as one country”
For all his sermonizing about peace and love, the venerable nayaka thera seems to be also advocating a continued military solution…… and more killing.
Based on his very own argument of reincarnation, for all we know, we could be killing our own brothers, sister or parents from a previous life everytime we kill a terrorist!
2. veeran | January 10th, 2008 at 8:29 am
why do the sinhalese have to wait till the LTTE is defeated to come up with a power sharing proposal?, They have had 60 years to do this, Most of the tamil people trust the LTTE more than any singhalese.
3. ilaya seran senguttuven | January 10th, 2008 at 9:29 am
As far as I was “knee high to a grasshopper” – as they say in the US – I was taught by my mother – now nearing 90 – to respect venerable members of the Lankan Buddhist clergy. There was a Temple in the North of Colombo where I grew up and my mother, a devout and practising Hindu, used to offer daily alms to a young monk – whose calm and serene face still comes to my mind – going down her knees. Dr Walpola Piyananda speaks eloquently of reconciliation, the mistakes of the past and the need to unite to build a new society. The story of a Tamil girl born in Jaffna reborn as a Sinhala lad in Katana is inspiring and sets ones mind to think
deeply about the fallacy of pseudo-nationalism – on both sides of the ethnic divide. I hope the learned Nayake Thera’s message of peace will resonate in the minds and thoughts of people of all races throughout the land. It is so easy to destroy a country and the unity of two ancient races – as we seem to have done these past decades. How good are we at rebuilding the very same land and the very same people – our own people?
4. ratna | January 10th, 2008 at 10:26 am
The first paragraph says it all:-
Let us face life-realistically. The only way there will ever be peace in Sri Lanka is if all political factions accept the reality of living in the present. Here in the present, where life really takes place, we all have the opportunity of creating a better future based on our ability to let go of the past ……
Current reality is there are two states, a majority tamil speaking state and a majority sinhalese speaking state.
Unfortunately, army from the south sinhalese state is occupying certain parts of the tamil state.
I cannot see any ‘peace’ when someone occupies someone else’s property.
5. Naga UK | January 10th, 2008 at 11:34 am
Well written Ven. Sir, and timely too. But how many who lead the wolves packs on both side are going to read it and reflect on it. The day politics was launched on racial and more significantly religious platforms it was the beginning of the end. The leaders have misunderstood the ordinary citizens and their mindset as that of racially and religiously twisted and conceived the idea that seeding their minds with hatred would win them elections. Paradoxically they seem to be getting away with it – looking from the election results and the composition of the Parliament.
It is the politico-religious dignitaries and the so called “patriotic” ;eaders who should be given an elementary lesson on true religion and true nationalism.
6. Ruwan Ranasinghe | January 10th, 2008 at 11:39 am
Just because the LTTE goes away does not mean SL will turn into a utopian paradise overnight. As long as political corruption remains, most educated Sinhalese (and Tamils) will choose to live the greater part of their lives overseas. The LTTE is not the source of political corruption – it is the Constitution. So if by peace the Nayake Thera means all the expats can come to SL once or twice a year and enjoy endless sunbathing and papol, while throwing huge amounts of rupees at locals (”can i help u sir”, “yes sir”, “no sir”,) then he is right about that point. Meanwhile, India and China will continue to produce millions of engineers and other technical workers a year (as a result of which their economies will continue to experience unprecedented growth) because the governments of those countries have made a serious investment in the future of the youths of those nations. The only solution is major constitutional reform, which I don’t see happening anytime in the near or distant future. After thirty-three years in the USA, the Nayake Thero must surely know that the USA went from being a British colony to a supepower in less than 220 years only because every single Government since Independence here obeyed the Constitution here to the letter. Daydreaming about past lives is not practical; the Nayake Thero needs to address core issues. Then again, he is a Thero, and therefore should stay out of politics (should also refrain from commenting on political matters)… after 33 years the Thero might have observed the strict observance of seperation of Church and State here which allows the American Government to operate more efficiently.
7. M.Thiru | January 10th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
It is a shame The Chief Nayake Thera in the US representing the great religion / philosophy of Buddha. But he is not practising it in words and deeds. His theory is finish off LTTE and then we can talk peace and reconciliation. Foreget about the past because since 1948 the Sinhala Buddhist nation has achieved whatever they want with the political power they have and the support they get from IC including India. The tamils must accept what ever the Sinhala buddhists give and move on. Dr.walpola fails to understand why SWRD Bandaranyake failed and who killed him and why ? What happened to the creation of Dhamica samajaya JR Jeyawardne started in 1977 ?
He does not or fails to advocate that the majority of Sinhala Buddhists and their leaders must forget about the Mhavansa and the mindset created among them. Buddha said that superiority and inferiority is not by ones birth but by ones act. Since 1948 do we have the dhammica smajaya under the Sinhala buddhist leaders rule in SL? No.
How can he compare the minorities in SL with that of the Afro American minorities in the US when the histories are different?
Perhaps he should compared the tTamils to the Red Indians and how the latter was reduced in numbers.
By the way is Dr. Walpola also a US citizen or a green card holder like MR brothers or Fonseka ? No wonder all of them are war mongers like one or two of US leaders.
Is Mahinda Rajapakse a reincarnation of emperor Ashoka all out to conquer The Tamil homelands ( like Kalinga ) first and spread Mahavamsa Buddhism with the help of Japan, India and the US.
It is sad dr.walpola is instigating violence as solution and in my opinion he is no different from Osama bin laden.
8. Dingiri | January 10th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Groooaaaan! Why do I feel suicidal when I read or hear sermons such as these? The Ven. Dr. is so full of sanctimonious advice for our adversaries… “If only the LTTE and their sympathising Tamils would lay down and die we can build a peaceful Sri Lanka” .. he laments.
Well, isnt peace what we all desire, including the LTTE? The only problem is we all desire peace only on our own terms. The Govt wants the LTTE to give up and the LTTE wants the Govt to give up. Both realise that victory for either party if at all possible will only be achieved at the destruction of the entire country. So my question is if the Ven. Dr. prepared to make any compromises for instance in order to achieve peace and avert the destruction of the country?
Why is the story of Sirisangabo and Vessantara repeated over and over in every Sri Lankan temple Sunday school if the Buddhist establishment is not willing to yield one inch to the Tamils? The principles of Dhana, Thanha and Impermanance have become mere catch phrases to be repeated at Bana sermons and articles such as these but non of the people who invoke these words constantly seem to incorporate them into their every day view of life.
If are to look up to Vessantara and Sirisangabo for their extreme altruism surely you should at least be able to give the Tamils their fair share of the country? Why is the idea of Tamils governing themselves in Jaffna and Batticaloa so unacceptable as long as we Sinhalese also have an equal and proportionate share of the land?
The Ven. Dr. informs us that every thing is impermanant. I cant agree more, but doesnt that also imply that Sri Lanka as a Unitary State where Buddhism is supreme (in name at least if not in deed) is also impermanant.
To me, extreme Thanha is but the only reason why Sinhalese in the South want to have control over lands where Tamils constitute 100% of the population.
If good buddhists like the Ven. Dr. could only give a little bit and take a little bit they could surely find it within themselves to offer the Tamils a proportionate share of the land go live separately if they so wish to.
My advice to all those temple going, pirith playing, dana giving, flower offering, Bodhi worshiping buddhists is to also please just try and also practice what you preach…..
9. Dingiri | January 10th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
Ahh.. Now I get it! Doh! ..Tamils who die are being born Sinhalese in their next birth. So dear Tamils please dont be offended. We are not killing you. Merely transforming you via a brief intermission into Sinhalese. What a brilliant.. brilliant idea!! Ethnic problem solved!!
10. Anonymous | January 10th, 2008 at 2:39 pm
Excellent argument.. Agree with you wholeheartedly
11. Jey | January 10th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
All bullshit, Ven Thera should urge the government to propose a federal solution and implement it. LTTE and paramilitaries will have a natural death. Then the healing will come automatically. Ven. Dr. Walpola Piyananda he is celarly beating about the bush. He should openly urge the government to address the Tamils’ genuine gravinces.
His mind seting is clear by his saying “the wrongs committed by the LTTE and the wrongs committed by some of the Sinhalese”; the worngs were first and continue to be commited by the successive government not by some sinhalese public, and LTTE and its actions are the by product.
Even after living 30 some years in the west, thero fails to undersantd that the cure should be to the root of the problem, not to the by product. Until a cure is offered and imlimented genuinly to the root cause, section of Tamils and Sinhalese irrespective of their past life will continue to fight, while some of us incuding Ven Thera escapes and have a relativly comfortable life eslewhere. We can all talk pholsophy dipped in honey but the reality is Tamils can never rule themselves under unitery concept and ruling section of sinhalese will never offer anything more than unitery.
The fact of the mater is any side can appers to win, but the cultural and economical values are fast diminishing. May god blesed Sri Lanka once again.
12. Thamilan | January 10th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Why do Tamil holds on to the past? Because if we forget about it, it will only justify what you have done and what you are doing and will encourage you to go even further. Justice cannot be denied to a victim claiming that that the event happened yesterday.
LTTE is the medication invented to cure the Sinhalese racism, superiority complex, fabricated myths and abuse of the democratic power to work against Tamils. It’s really starting to take an effect.
13. Thamilan | January 10th, 2008 at 2:59 pm
Let’s start by eradicating all the monks who are responsible for this whole mess by planting the superiority complex and feeding hatred to the Sinhalese toward the Tamils. This article is a desperate appeal by a monk to further advance their agenda.
14. Jim weaver | January 10th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Good point
Dr Walpola Piyananda Thera,
Perhaps you can demonstrate your intentions by showing the tamils your compassionate side and prove it to them that you can be trusted by deeds rather than words, so the tamils might change their minds after all and not support the ltte. Before the ltte can lay down the arms you must show and prove your willingness to accomodate the Tamils. When discrimination is woven into the constitution it is very hard to believe your story. First change your constituion( you don’t need ltte or any one else) and show us proof that we are equals, then we might change our mids.
Times have changed, wifes will not be slaves anymore! If the husband’s don’t treat their wives well, they would divorce their husbands. Show some respect then you will be happily married. Otharwise divorce is the only option.
Jim
15. Thuklak | January 10th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Bullshit
16. Aruna Magamage | January 10th, 2008 at 10:15 pm
Great comment Dingiri. I am 100% agree with you as a sinhalese
17. Rasika | January 10th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Bless your heart for writing an article like this. I was actually woried why Budhist monks in JHU are saying exactly the opposit. I think out of all poeple monk have a moral duty to stop the war by opening the eyes of srilankans, about who we really are?.
18. thiaga | January 10th, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Who in the right mind would believe this story. There is no scientific basis, why don’t we here these incidents in the western countries.
Even according to Lord Buddha karma cannot extend beyond one birth. He rejected the notion of soul without soul the rebirth notion
does not hold truth.
As Ven Dr. correctly points race, religion are our own creation for identity.
What is happening is the crisis to uphold ones identity at the expense of the other. We haven’t had a govt. until now that recognized this fact in a bipartisan way.
LTTE is only the symptom, getting rid of it does not make the cause go away. We need good governance with impartiality and with respect for law and order. Until such time anything would just be a band-aid solution and the wounds would be festering inside.
19. sreeboy | January 10th, 2008 at 11:39 pm
Dr Walpola Piyananda.
Leave us Tamils alone. We are different you are different. We have experimented for 60years.You have not only become uncivilized but also taken us along with you. There is a need for Buddha to be reborn to save Sri-Lanka.
Yes, you are a practicing Buddhist but not the GOSL or for that matter majority of Sinhalese. If they follow the Buddhist dharma we would not be having this problem in Sri-Lanka.As LTTE leader Pirapaharan once said if JR Jeyawardne is a good Buddhist he would not be carrying a gun. The seeds for this situation are genetically embedded in the Sinhalese mentality because of Mahavamsa. First and foremost you will have to rewrite the Mahavamsa in order for it to correct the perception of the Sinhalese thinking but also to be rationale with science (For that matter all religions have to rationalize their thinking with science).
It is unfortunate the Sinhalese keep falling prey to the political probaganda.Even the Buddha will feel ashamed of the way Buddhism is practiced in Sri-Lanka.Just imagine Buddhist clergy having a political party, demonstrating against peace. Wonder how clean is your Buddhist practice. Do not preach something and practice something else. If you are genuine in your thinking your congregation would have by now pressurized the GOSL to leave the Tamils alone or at least devolve power to the Tamil areas.
The Tamils did not take up weapon until 25 years ago, where as the GOSL always had plans to eradicate the Tamils from the Tamil homeland. D.S.Senanayake the first Prime Minister started it in 1948.We lived separately and peacefully with the Sinhalese for centuries.
The Europeans especially the British did the most damage by destroying our Kingdoms and merging the different ethnic territories together. Now they want to mediate peace at the same time giving funds and supplying arms and intelligence.
You have asked the Tamils not to send money to LTTE or Organist ions sympathetic to the LTTE.Have you asked the countries that is sending/donating /selling weapons to GOSL not to do so.
It is no point advising the UNP, when you don’t do the same with the present government. Even if we take it that you have done so privately why not publish them. It will have a greater impact on the Sinhalese clergy and masses.
.Our standard of education was very high and we produced our own professionals in various fields. We produced our own civil servants so much so little Singapore used to envy us. Lee Kuan Yew never misses an opportunity to mention it. It is due to the GOSL policies, corruption, incompetent political leadership and inherited leadership we are facing this situation. Politics belong to educated people not to hooligans and thugs. The GOSL is full of them .A murderer as a Minister. Why should they bother or care about their country when their foreign bank account is full and children are educated overseas. The president and his 37 relatives went to England for a private function .at whose expense and what happened when they could not return in the flight they chose.
The Tamils and Sinhalese are settling all over the world like vagrants our able and educated men and women went overseas to look for jobs not because they were slave to the money but because of the GOSL policies on education race and the like. To day most of Asia is flourishing with investments from the west and Japan not only educating the children but also enjoying a high standard of living like we used to have in the fifties. We were once called the pearl of the Indian Ocean now we are called the “Failed State”. Who is ruling Sri-Lanka from 1948?
Please instead of writing shallow articles like this practice correct Buddhism Buddha will be very proud. Please note there are a lot of clergies like you in cities like Birmingham, London, Kula Lumpur and many more. You could have easily brought about a change but your mind and heart is embedded with the myth of Mahavamsa.
Please do not poison the mind of the children coming to your temple. Tell them the truth.
The twelve year old Aravinda Rupasinhae only brought some light into the dark mindset of Majority of Sinhalese including your good self.
20. Sen | January 11th, 2008 at 1:29 am
This Thero, might have got a good Dhana with expensive fish, meat etc, and come up with his hypocritical, anti Buddhist philosophy of killing people to achieve some everlasting myth of peace. Was that Dhana included some French wine as well sir?
21. thekillromeoproject | January 11th, 2008 at 1:46 am
Dingiri, excellent arguement about the precept of Thanha.
I would like to see how the Ven.Thera and other monks actively involved in shouting for a unitary state would answer it.
In all probability, they would not have an answer at all, other than maybe to call you a dirty traitor!
P.S. Also I wonder what happened to the precept of “Siyalu sathun nidhuk, neerogi wethwa”. I guess it doesn’t apply to the minorities in SL.
22. Daran | January 11th, 2008 at 5:13 am
We, tamils have been waiting for a solution for more than 60 years, still we couldn’t find a ACCEPTABLE solution from the Sinhala government or people. We lost all the hopes for a peaceful solution. I don’t really understand why you, sinhala people should wait until eliminate LTTE from the scene if you really want to solve the problem?
23. Reasonable Man | January 11th, 2008 at 10:17 am
What are such irrational and superstitious 11th century articles doing in a forum like this?
24. no military solution | January 11th, 2008 at 10:33 am
he seems to think LTTE which represents tamils are terrorists.by getting rid of LTTE srilanka will get rid of tamils.but this would never happen.sinhalese are hellbent on war and they shall face the consequences.
25. no military solution | January 11th, 2008 at 10:37 am
:We are all one people, one country, and we can have one peace.;
that was 50 years ago.sinhala people treat tamils as dogs
26. Dissapointed Tamil | January 11th, 2008 at 10:58 am
The Venerable Dr is either naive or dumb. This war is not a gang war in Hambantota or Maradana. I don’t know how old you are. Please refer to 1956, SWRD’s period and so on. The root cause of the problem was the crimson robed mendicants involvement in politics. The Maha Sangha should be held responsible for promoting the village idiots who are now ruling the country. During the 1983 pogrom what did the Maha Sangha or the Buddhist clergy do. Did you provide safety to the Tamils in your temples?
The venerable Dr is in lala land. Get to reality.
27. realist | January 11th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
I was a great fan of the book “What the Buddha Taught” by Walpola Rahula untill i found out he is the biggest anti-tamil racist in Sri Lanka. Those of us who have a soft spot for Buddhism one just needs to look at the Buddhist war mongering priests like the above writer to get an antidote to such illusions.
Although a tamil i still have a soft spot for buddhism, but the sri lankan variety which is what is responsisble for this ethnic carnage since bandarayanayake needs to be eliminated.
Dr. Tambiah’s famous book “Buddhism Betrayed”was banned in sri lanka for precisely this reason.
I suggest that this american buddhist monk should first read thambiah’s book.
28. write2ravi | January 11th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
check this out….
no wonder why he writes with a war mongering tone…
Association…. with bad leaders…
http://www.dharmavijaya.org/insidepages/pg_President%20Visit_2007.htm
29. Oru Manithan | January 11th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
He is not a monk, a war monger.
If he really meant or understood about the Girl / boy incident, He would have said, stop this war nonsense immediately and make peace right away.
He has no clue of what Buddha said and just quoting it for the sake of argument .
These type of Monks who supposed to be guardians
of Buddha’s teachings are exploiting it for their own self interest motives. Worst enemies of great Buddhism.
30. Oru Manithan | January 11th, 2008 at 9:18 pm
Bhikku should be re-born as a Tamil, bombed by his ‘government’, raped by his ‘army’ and looted & burnt by sinhalese thugs. Then he’ll know what karma is !
31. Gamini | January 12th, 2008 at 11:17 am
It must be difficult for you to live in these foreign countries with their various religions etc because you clearly cant tolerate different ideas and religions judging by the level of religions vilification that can be seen above.
One only has to read the hate and disrespect pouring out of the above to see why peace in Sri Lanka has a along way to go.
I dare say if the venerable thero was living in Sri Lanka the tigers and their supporters here would be calling for his execution.
32. tolerance | January 14th, 2008 at 4:33 pm
if the government and a large section of the buddhist clergy and sinhalese were tolerant, SL wouldn’t be in the sorry state she is in today ! 30 years of non-violent resistance (a la Gandhi and Martin Luther King) brought nothing concrete but obsfucation, betrayal, discrimination and rascist intolerance from the majority govt and community. Now it has been followed by 30 years of violent uprising from the minority – still nothing concrete to resolve the problems !
33. Devinda Fernando | February 13th, 2008 at 9:50 am
*** Just because the LTTE goes away does not mean SL will turn into a utopian paradise overnight. ***
No SH*t Sherlock… first things first Ruwan. Get rid of the LTTE, then work on clearing up the internal politics. The USA (which you enjoy blowing smoke up its ass so much) was no Bastian of Democracy and Fairness from inception either. Ever read about the 1920s to the 1950s? Corruption, Mafia, etc…? Dont come here to level criticism at Sri Lanka and make the veiled threat that it can never succeed because of the way it is now. Losers like you should absorb yourselves into the USA and be gone forever from Sri Lanka, we don’t need poisonous elements like you polluting what the rest of us who actually care are trying to achieve.
Capish?
Leave a Comment
Subscribe to the comments via RSS Feed