Have you ever been to a Buddhist temple in Sri lanka.Have you seen the Statues of Hindu Gods in each and every temple and worship by every Buddhist devotees . This is not a problem in between Buddhism and Hindunism.

You keep going on that Tamil Nadu is indeed poor and not India. Tamil Nadu is an intergral part of India and for your information it is the third most Industrialised state after Maharashtra and Gujarath.

The maids are also my brothers and sisters and I care for them as much as anybody else.The question you should ask yourself is why is it inspite of of all known facts they still keep going to middle-east!! It is because of the economic situation in Sri Lanka. If wealth is equally distributed as you claim there would be no need to seek employment overseas. You should question the Sri Lankan governement and their policy. It is really ironical when you claim Tamils from Tamil Nad want to come to Sri Lanka for Jobs.
On the question of rape I was merely trying to point out that there are many circumstances why rape occurs. It is not confined to any relgion,race or country. You were trying to imply it was some how unique to India. We must all condem whether it is the army ,the para-military
or any body else that is responsible in Sri Lanka.

There are prostitutes in every society including the Wetern countries. The point I was trying to make was why the maids are putting up so much misery and no serious effort has been taken by our governement to take action. It is because (a) Need the foreign exchange for war efforts (b) Dare not openly criticise the Arab countries because of Aid and economic dependence.

I can also send you enough pictures of toilets in Tamil Nadu houses. I said it is the civic sense of the people that gives the bad impression and not lack of toilests.

You and your fellow Buddhists are most welcome to bulit as many temples as you wish in Tamil Nadu. Why not use your influence to welcome the Tamils into Buddhist Temples in Sri Lanka and make them feel that Buddhism is a universal philosphy. Read the quotation from Mahathma Gandhi in my previous comment.
Hope you can visit Tamil Nadu again and travel across the state and enjoy its diversity and vibrance. You might possibly discover how many things we have in common.

Sinhalese# You claim Tamil nadu is very poor and they all are trying to come Land of Honey and Milk Sri Lanka. – Most people I met asked me whether I can find a job. I did not talk about Land of honey Sri Lanka here. I know Sri lanka is poor. But Sri lanka’s wealth more or less distributed proportionaly than in India it seems to me.
If Tamil Nadu is so poor why is it Sri Lanka is negotiating to buy Electricity from Tamil Nadu. – we are baying from India. Majority people of Tamilnadu are indeed poor. That does mean as a Country India is Poor? Is it? Lakshmi Mittal is Richet person in UK.
(Did you know that there are Sinhalese working in Tiripur Textile factories. Or to any shopping area in Chennai at any time you can hear Sinhalese voices. )– They are Sinhala speaking Tamils. I have been there. That is purely commercial. They want to sell as much as items to Sinhala pilgrims. Most of the three wheel drivers in Chennai can speak few words in Sinhala as well.
(They come in large numbers for shopping.) They are not buying coconuts you silly. Clothes and other items (not food) are cheap in India so they buy them. I did buy some nice sarongs, shoes etc. So we do business my friend. Not buying nuts. Sri Lanka immigration do not allow food items to bring in.
(Rikkligasgada I did not see any toilets in the village.I nfact the situation is no more different in Sri Lanka.) – this was factual untruth. They have out side toilets my friend. Do you want a picture.

(You talk of 700 rapes of minority girls a day in India.) – This news I read from an Indian news paper. I have it with me. I discussed it with an Indian Journalist who was there. Police are doing what they can but major changes needed in how men treat poor women. Take it as a news and injustice happening in India. Indians have to do something about it. Not to attack the people who shows it. You are as same as any other Sinhala or Tamil politician aren’t you?
( According to estimate there are over half a million Sinhalese maids working in the Middle East some of who are subject to sexual abuse. It is a well known fact that some work as part time prostitutes catering to other male migrant) –
These are my sisters and brothers. I am proud of them. They were being harassed by Arabic men who you should condemn. Instead you unashamedly take it to denounce me. I support every exploited human being whether they are Tamil or Sinhalese. If you want where to find Tamil Prostitutes I can give you some addresses. It is not because I am visiting them. I know from different sources who try to help disadvantaged women. These SL women are exploited as laborers and as sexually. Denounce the Arabs. Using them to denigrate another in an argument shows you own nakedness.
MR government is now stopping these women going to MidEast. A Solution similar to breaking Loft to make a chair. I would not denounce any raped minority women in India and did not use that to denigrate any Indians here or you. It was to show violations happen in India as much as it would be in Sri Lanka.

Tamil Nadu, unlike Sri Lanka has co-existed with other religions peacfully for ages Etc. Please do not introduce your racist policies here. – Where you can see I am racist? More than me I think you are Racist. Religions existed in Sri Lanka peacefully for centuries too. It is others who make this a trouble including New Christian orders. Who bombed Kandy temple? Go to any Sri lankan temple and you will see Hindu Gods. Sinhalese got to Kadirgamam too.
No body is trying to white wash anything here. I accept as much as problems in sri Lanka that you consistently denying to accept on your side of the argument. Unless you see that Sinhalse are not the enemy but you yourself and for any meaningless solutions to emerge Tamils should accommodate Sinhala opinion fight on. What we will not allow in Sri lanka is a one party fascist rule in our doorstep. In another discussion I put forward my solution of 3 states – Jaffna, kandy and Southern states with Colombo as separate entity. My solution even more far reaching and lot of Sinhala guys agree to it. But you are in rage and racist against Sinhalas – why we should bother. Keep fighting.
About Charity at home – we already have one doing in Sl. I have tried in north but failed due to obvious reasons.
Sorry for the page long comment guys.

Buddha was born a Hindu, “Why there is so much misery in the world was one question that dominated his whole life” For the Hindus he was a great Vedantist reformist who challenged and questioned the inequality and the dominance of the Brahmins upholding the caste structure and the interpretation of the relgion. This practices are continued to be challenged to this day and action taken to
find solutions such as affirmative action in education.

My understanding of Buddhism is that it is a practice and spiritual development leading insight into true nature of life.
Buddhism does not include the idea of worshipping a creator God. Buddha said ” I do not care to know your various theories about God,do good and be good and this will take you to freedom and what ever truth there is”
In simple terms Hindus always considered Buddhism as another aspect of their relgion,hence the main reason why the Hinduism has survived thousands of years after Buddha. In Modern Nepal Gautama Buddha’s country of birth (Lumbini) there is dual worship of Buddha and Hindu Gods. Even in his country of birth it has not taken root because he was a Hindu reformist.

By your own admission you say you visited the Hindu temples and accept that Buddhist worship Hindu Gods.
That my friend proves my point.

The following is a quote from from the 20th century reformer saint Mahathma Gandhi:
“I do not consider myself fit to interpret Hinduism Except through my own life”
“I should reject it,if I found it inconsistent with my moral sense or my spiritual growth.On examination I have found it to be the most tolerant of all relgions known to me . Its freedom from dogma makes a forcible appeal in as much as it gives the votary the largest scope for self-expression. Not being an exclusive relgion,it enables followers not merely to respect all other relgions,but to admire and assmilate whatever may be good in other faiths. It is an evolutionary relgion”

Sinhalese# You claim Tamil nadu is very poor and they all are trying to come Land of Honey and Milk Sri Lanka.
If Tamil Nadu is so poor why is it Sri Lanka is negotiating to buy Electricity from Tamil Nadu. There is currently a feasibility study is being carried out to supply electricity from Madurai via underground cables to Anuradhapura.

I hope during your visit to Tamil Nadu apart from visiting people living in shacks , seeing little girls being murdered you had time to visit shops,markets and shopping centres.
Have you seen any shortages of fruits,vegetables,provisions, clothes.and other materials.
Did you wonder how such a poor state is capable of producing so much .

Did you know that there are Sinhalese working in Tiripur Textile factories. Go to any shopping area in Chennai at any time you can hear Sinhalese voices. They come in large numbers for shopping. How can you blame them when the price of a coconut is around Rs 50 in Sri Lanka, a country suppose to be producing coconuts.

As mother Theressa of Calcutta said ” Poverty is relative”
The important point is how do you eliminate it. I visit India every year and my schedule always includes Tamil Nadu. I have seen tremendus progress over the years, the number of beggars have gone down drastically, education level is very high and is improving ,many Sri Lankan Sinhalese students go to India for further studies.

I agree with you that the Civic sense is very poor in India,this has got nothing to do with lack of toilets. I was born and brought up in a kandyan village near Rikkligasgada I did not see any toilets in the village.Infact the situation is no more different in Sri Lanka. The only difference is the Civic sense of the people.

The Buddhist Monks are supposed to renounce all worldly pleasure and pursue a path of self realisation. There are monk politicians who are racists, I know of monks who are involved in business. Had the buddhist monks been true to their relgion Sri Lanka will not be in such a dire state.

You talk of 700 rapes of minority girls a day in India. According to estimate there are over half a million Sinhalese maids working in the Middle East some of who are subject to sexual abuse. It is a well known fact that some work as part time prostitutes catering to other male migrant workersThey put up with it because of the dire economic condition in Sri Lanka, no jobs,high cost of living and extreme corruption. I remember reading that some maids leave their children behind with relations,or with their husbands. It has been found that a large number of this poor children are abused by their own relations.
The point I am trying to make is that rape occurs due to many reasons, In the case of India there has been many prosecutions and the problem is discussed openly and taken up by televison channels such as NDTV.

Sinhalse# you should grow up and follow the true teachings of the great Buddha,may be one day you will achieve enlightenment. My best wishes to you!

You don’t have to go to India to see how hard working the South Indian Tamils are. Go to the tea and rubber plantations in Sri Lanka and you will realise the hard work of the descendents of South Indian Tamils. Without their hard work Sri Lanka would not have earned much of its foreign exchange. But their is no improvement in their standard of living. They are also treated brutally even though they have no part in the current civil war.

Tamil Nadu has produced some BRILLIANT people like Auvaiyar, Thiru Valluvar, Parathiyar, Periyar etc. They have written against the caste system. Caste system was introduced by the Brahmins and propergated by them to maintain their superiority !! Caste system is fading away in Tamil Nadu. Do you know K.R. Narayanan who was from the low caste became the President of India (1997-2002). Can anybody other than a Sinhalese reach a postion like that in Sri Lanka?
I am surprised why all of a sudden Sinhalese decided to go and reform Tamil Nadu. This is like the “mouse who does not know its way, taking the broom with it”

Tamil Nadu, unlike Sri Lanka has co-existed with other religions peacfully for ages. eg. Hindus, Christians of various sects, ,Muslims,Bhahais,Jains,Jews Etc. Please do not introduce your racist policies here.

Re your comment, “We do practice Buddhsim. We do not rape. – lot of rapes done by Sri lanka are Tamil paramilitaries – Some soldires as well but they do that in South too. Country as a whole need a revolution. Attack only Sri lankan army is pointless. Tamils are killing tamils in doves”

Even if we assume what you said above is true, THE PARAMILITARIES ARE UNDER THE PAYROLL TO DO THE DIRTY WORK FOR THEM!! There should be law and order in the country whether the soldiers are killing or tamils killing tamils. It is no consolation to the Tamils that the soldiers do that in South too!! If the Government cannot maintain law and order of the country, then the govt. must RESIGN. That is why the Tamils want to go their seperate way and don’t want to be part of the “SINHALA DEMOCRACY” If the Govt. cannot protect them let them go their way.

There is no point in pointing to the deficiencies which exists in India by providing links to the various web sites. Nowadays every body is computer literate, they can easily see the deficiencies which exists in Sri Lanka. For eg. If you google “Human rights in Sri Lanka”, they will know what kind of country Sri Lanka is. Please do not try to white wash!!