Extremist Buddhist Leader

[Ensapa]

I think we can all agree that what this group is doing is not Buddhist at all in any way: it is just supremacy under the guise of Buddhism. Would the Buddha be that attached to a mere image of himself....no. The Buddha even told people not to be too obsessed with forms and objects but to apply the teachings of Dharma and for this group to be led by a monk is just something that is very sad indeed. But what is happening now is that more and more Buddhists are standing up and declaring this group to be unbuddhist, even from Sri Lankans.

[rossoneri]

This is getting very serious here as this group of people claiming themselves to be Buddhist and yet behaving very unBuddhist. It seems like even Buddhism as a religion cannot escape from degenerating. I can't help but keep on thinking if these teachers or masters are qualify to take up such a important role. Seems like they are using Buddhism as a way for their political act.

[Ensapa]

This is getting very serious here as this group of people claiming themselves to be Buddhist and yet behaving very unBuddhist. It seems like even Buddhism as a religion cannot escape from degenerating. I can't help but keep on thinking if these teachers or masters are qualify to take up such a important role. Seems like they are using Buddhism as a way for their political act.

When people need to impose their beliefs on others, it is a sign of insecurity and these group of people are unfortunately using Buddhism as a front to assert their beliefs onto others. I dont see it as Buddhism degenerating, i see it as just a bunch of people who thinks that they can increase their "spiritual" quotient by imposing it upon others. This has nothing to do with Buddhism except for the front they use and Buddhist groups should decry and denounce this group as being Buddhist as it does not represent at all, Buddhism.

[sonamdhargey]

Well at least some Sinhala Buddhist is standing up againts the violence to safe guard the dharma.

Read more below:

A number of Sinhala Buddhists are standing up against the recent violence against Muslim and hateful speech initiated by the Bodu Bala Sena (Buddhist Power Force), an extremist Sinhala-Buddhist organisation based in Colombo.

A candle-light vigil against hatred and bigotry was met with protests from police and members of the Bodu Bala Sena before it could begin at Havelock Road Colombo on the evening of April 12, 2013.

A police battalion and riot squad arrived on the scene. Bodhu Bala Sena members started accusing the organisers of the vigil of distorting the national anthem and called for their arrest pointing at a chant sheet to be recited at the vigil. The police arrested five vigil participants and dispersed the crowd who later re-assembled near Gower Street. The arrested individuals were later released.

Legacy of Bodu Bala Sena (BBS)

The Bodu Bala Sena, created by hardline Monks Kirama Wimalajothi and Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara, has generated a lot of controversy since its launch on 07 May 2012. Many of their actions were provocative to people of other religions.

In a meeting in Maharagama, Colombo on 17 February 2013 BBS general secretary Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara stated “This is a government created by Sinhala Buddhists and it must remain Sinhala Buddhist. This is a Sinhala country, Sinhala government. Democratic and pluralistic values are killing the Sinhala race”. He also told the crowd at the rally that they “must become an unofficial civilian police force against Muslim extremism. These so-called democrats are destroying the Sinhala race”.

In February 2013 BBS leader Kirama Wimalajothi called for banning burqas in the country. They held large rallies throughout February 2013 calling for the abolition of the Muslim halal system which forced Muslim clerics to drop the practice of labeling of Halal products (see Global Voices report).

Candlelight vigil

A Facebook group titled ‘Buddhists Questioning Bodu Bala Sena’ recently announced a candle-light vigil of all races and religious groups to peacefully remind the buddhist monks the words of the Buddha which preaches “non violence”.

Source:http://globalvoicesonline.org/2013/04/13/buddhists-questioning-the-buddhist-hardliners/

[Ensapa]

Here's an interesting opinion piece on this issue, written by a Sri Lanka as well:

Source: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/130505/plus/saving-buddhism-travel-along-the-true-path-43058.html

Saving Buddhism: Travel along the true path

View(s): 222

In recent times there has been a call made by a certain group, a minority no doubt, but sadly, led by a few yellow-robed persons – a group bearing a name which connotes force, power and regimentation- a call for the formation of a force with the express aim of saving Buddhism from its enemies. The words, force, power and regimentation, appear nowhere in the Words of the Buddha, except in the sense of Mind Power.



This is a strange (to say the least), unfortunate and highly dangerous call, particularly when it is couched in inflammatory, virulent terms pitched against a group of non-Buddhists. There is no historical evidence of there ever having been Buddhist ‘Crusades’ and ‘Crusaders’; of battles fought or even contemplated to save Buddhism!

In fact, the religion has survived peacefully for over 2500 years, not because of the use of force or threats, but because of the vital, inherent strength of the wisdom of the Buddha Word. At the present time and for some years now, Buddhism has increasingly attracted war -weary peoples in war-ravaged lands outside our shores, in the West in particular. Thanks to the teachings of dedicated and truly pious monks who have patiently explained this doctrine of peace, metta, love and tolerance of non-Buddhist viewpoints to these peoples.

There is ample evidence in the vast Buddhist literature (both in Pali and Sanskrit as well as translations in English, French and German) of the over-riding emphasis on the recognition of the spirit of tolerance that needs to be shown towards the adherents of other religions.

I shall quote just two examples of the fostering of this spirit of calm and tolerance, as they are presented in that small (just 150 pages), yet excellent exposition of the essence of the Buddha Dhamma by the internationally recognized scholar monk, the venerable Prof Walpola Rahula:”What the Buddha taught”.

The first example comes directly from the Buddha himself, as detailed in the Upali- sutta. I quote from Reverend Walpola Rahula’s reference to this event.

‘Not only the freedom of thought, but also the tolerance allowed by the Buddha is astonishing to the student of the history of religions’.
‘Once in Nalanda a prominent and wealthy householder named Upali, a well-known lay disciple of Nigantha Nataputta (Jina Mahavira) was expressly sent by Mahavira himself to meet the Buddha and defeat him in argument on certain points? Upali, at the end of the discussion, was convinced that the views of the Buddha were right and those of his master were wrong. So he begged the Buddha to accept him as one of his lay disciples (Upasaka). But the Buddha asked him to reconsider it, and not to be in a hurry, for “considering carefully is good for well-known men like you.” When Upali expressed his desire again, the Buddha requested him to respect and support his old religious teachers as he used to,’

The second example is from one of the third century B.C.’s great Buddhist Emperors Asoka’s rock edicts, (the original of which one may read, in India even today) wherein he declared:’

“One should not honour only one’s own religion and condemn the religions of others for this or that reason, but one should honour others’ religions. So doing, one helps one’s own religion to grow and renders service to the religions of others too. In acting otherwise one digs the grave of one’s own religion and also does harm to others’ religions. Whosoever honours his own religion and condemns other religions does so indeed through devotion to his own religion, thinking ‘I will glorify my own religion’. But on the contrary, in so doing he injures his own religion more gravely.

So concord is good: Let all listen, and be willing to listen to the doctrines professed by others.” ?‘This spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture and civilization? Violence in any form, under any pretext whatsoever, is absolutely against the teaching of the Buddha’.

The grave danger of the above call to ‘save Buddhism’ is that unthinking people, emotionally aroused, could resort to violence, verbal and physical, forgetting completely the teaching of the Buddha. Apart from being a grave disservice to the religion, it poses a real threat to all the peoples of this land, of inflaming another outcrop of warlike sentiments and actions, just when everyone is trying to recoup after thirty years, of bloody ethnic conflict, with needless loss of life of innocent people.

Let us all, right thinking Buddhists who cherish the ideals expressed by the Buddha and that quoted Asokan Edict, and I am confident that the majority of Buddhists do cherish these ideals of tolerance and understanding, collectively ensure that the flames of religious conflict are not allowed to flare up and consume this now peaceful and war- weary land by patiently explaining to that small minority that has strayed from the path as described by the Buddha and redirecting them, to help them, once more, to travel along the true path.

Apart from avoiding the above mentioned worst case scenario that could follow religious discord, true national unity of all the peoples of our land, regardless of race or religion, at this moment, is an absolute must.

Fortunately, the majority of genuine Buddhist monks share the ideals as expressed in the Words of the Buddha, while a few of them , at least, have courageously come out strongly against this desecration of True Buddhism, by creating religious ill-feeling and disharmony.

May All Beings Be Well and Happy and share the Blessings of the Triple Gem!

[Tammy]

What a joke !! How can a bunch of 'true Buddhists' called themselves extremists ?? Buddha's teaching is for us to treat everyone (every sentient being!!! Meaning the cats and dogs that u meet on the streets.. If I need to elaborate) equal and we should not criticize other people's believe..

You know what ? Lets not waste any resources on them, they are just... A JOKE...

[Rihanna]

Buddhism promotes love, kindness and compassion towards all sentient beings and do not promote harming others at all cost. Such acts such as creating hatred among different religions is  against Buddhist principle. Any religion that is promoting hatred and hurt to others is not a religion. I feel the authorities should act quickly to prevent this group called BBS from creating more damage and to disrepute Buddhism. BBS should instead promote harmony rather than hatred to other religion. It is sad to see one religion harming the other.