Quotation The role of religion in reconciliation nation.lk/epaper/sunday/2013/07/28/files/assets/basic-html/page15.html The Nation Sunday Print Edition - page 16 Page 16 Sunday, July 28, 2013 The Nation viewpoint ‘The role of religion in reconciliation’ Excerpts of the Keynote Ad- dress delivered by Dr. A.T. Ari- yaratne at the National Conference on the Religion and Reconciliation held at the Lak- shman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) on July 23, 2013. This is a very timely conference, especially as it is being held at a time of great national debate on the system of devolved government and the role of the international community. The delay in achieving reconciliation after the end of the war gives the discussion today special relevance. There is polarization within the country that is manifested in election results that reflect an ethnic divide. Internationally, there is the accusation of serious human rights violations that is not going away due to inability to make a satisfactory response. There is no agreement between the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims on key political issues or between the Government and the Opposition on addressing the burning issues. We define Sarvodaya as “Awakening of All.” The meaning of the word “Buddha” is “the Awakened One.” The Sarvodaya concept of the Awakening of All goes beyond human beings. It includes: “Whatsoever living beings there are, weak or strong, without exception, long or short, large, medium or small, subtle or gross, those seen or unseen, those dwelling near or far, and those born or yet to be born, May all beings without exception be happy” (The Buddha - Karaniya Metta Sutta). “Let one’s thoughts of boundless loving kindness pervade the whole world, above, below, across, without obscuration, without hatred, without enmity” (The Buddha- Samyutta Nikaya ). “Loving-kindness or compassionate love purifies the mind and the mind becomes a very energetic force to radiate for the well-being of others” (Ven. Dr.K.Sri Dhammananda). “When practiced together with wisdom and insight, metta will indeed become a powerful healing force which will transform us into a more compassionate and caring community, as well as transmuting all negative energies and entities into light, love and harmony” (Ven. Bhante Mahinda of Australia, the Founder of Aloka Foundation and the Metta Round the World Movement). ‘ Metta ’ has the capacity to go beyond the boundaries of a religion and become a spiritual force to transform people’s consciousness, their social, economic and political beliefs and behavior. Our principle objective was, first, our own Total Personality Awakening ( Purna Paurushodaya ) by practicing Metta (Loving Kindness), Karuna (Compassionate Actions), Muditha (Acquiring Altru- istic Joy) and Upekkha (Living with Equanimity). The Buddha named these four qualities as Brahma Viharas (Four Sublime Abodes). It is widely believed that the people are politically apathetic and are too afraid of retribution to be involved in political affairs. This is a justifiable concern; however, it must also be remembered that much of the population remains in a state of poverty and does not have the opportunity to think about ideological issues when their very survival is so difficult to pursue. We have to aim at a critical mass of spiritual consciousness pervading the whole nation. What is evident from our work is the reservoir of untapped goodwill that exists between the religious communities at the grassroots level. When religious leaders are brought together in structured initiatives, they begin to better understand each other and to work together. Our programs are targeted at Total Personality Awakening (PurnaPaurushodaya, Family Awakening ( Kutumbodaya ), Urban and Village Awakening (Nagarodaya and Gramodaya ), National Awakening (Deshodaya ) and World Awakening ( Vishvodaya ). In peace and reconciliatory work there should be commitment and continuity. There should not be any compromise with Truth and Non-violence. Power political and sectarian agendas of religions and races should give in to the supreme goal of awakening of all through Metta – Boundless Loving Kindness. The experience in both Sri Lanka and elsewhere in the world of political struggle makes it evident that when the path of conflict is taken, there is no natural end, only constant escalation. Stopping the spiral of conflict requires a conscious act of will and a strategy for de-escalation. It requires a vision of a transformative process which will lead to the good of everyone. And it calls for faith that people and institutions will, in fact, change. One of the greatest challenges in peacemaking is to see the opponent in a new light, as having part of the truth, whether terrorist or government, which is necessary to bring wholeness and peace. Religious leaders operate with distinct advantages when it comes to conflict resolution and peace- building to the degree that they espouse universal values that stress the well-being of all. Indeed, Sri Lanka’s religious leadership has access to several critical resources that could assist peace building initiatives in Sri Lanka, not least religious doctrines that teach universality and the wisdom that the “the world is one family to the wise”. The extensive, well-established religious networks and institutions in Sri Lanka are valuable channels of communication and action. In fact, religious leaders generally have extensive reach and influence in Sri Lankan society, as the majority of the population belongs to a religious community, and are thus accessible through religious infrastructure. It is also important to note that the leadership of religiously involved personalities is constant and durable, especially when contrasted with the country’s political leaders who are vulnerable to the pressures of a democratic electorate. Anicca (Impermanence), Dukkha (Suffering) and Anatta (Non- self) were the spiritual guidelines our leaders have followed through centuries. These are common to all religious teachings. However, unfortunately, most of our present day leaders including the religious leaders appear to be following the opposite path, namely upholding the Nicca (Permanence), Sukha (Affluence), and Atta (Egoism) as their guiding philosophy. Ordinary people blindly follow them. What a tragedy for this Dhammadipa ? Can we reverse this trend in the name of Peace and Reconciliation?
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 08:43:18 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015