Beyond the pandals, let us practise the Dhamma
The ringing of bells in tens of thousands of temples with Buddha Dhamma sermons and pirith broadcast on loudspeakers, a new dawn broke in Sri Lanka today to mark the thrice-blessed day of Vesak along with the added significance of this day being the 2600th anniversary of the enlightenment of the Lord Buddha. Vesak ceremonies and celebrations this year were more devout intense and enthusiastic than in previous years with huge pandals, lanterns and dansals all over the country. While the externals do have some meaning and purpose, Vesak this year needs to be a time of deep reflection when the people – especially the political leaders and decision makers – turn the search-light inwards, examine their conscience and honestly assess whether we are practising the precepts and principles of the Dhamma or only having head knowledge of it and occasionally practising pieces of it.
The core of the Buddha Dhamma is, “May all beings be happy”. We need to take some time to reflect today on the deep meaning of this. We all are born for some reason with a self-centered nature that makes us selfish and gives priority to self-interest, the desire for personal gain or glory and the desire for power, popularity and prestige. Until and unless we are liberated from our slavery to this self-centeredness we will be hypocrites pretending to be helpful and caring for others while deep within our motive is to seek something for our own benefit, comfort or convenience. When the Dhamma says may all beings be happy, it really means that we will have lasting happiness only when we make other people and all beings happy. If we are trying to make ourselves happy and fulfil ourselves, we are putting up a deceptive act. Tragically most people are doing that and it prompted Shakespeare to say that the world is a stage and we are actors. He was not referring to Ceasar or Romeo and Juliet but to all the people especially the political leaders and other decision makers. They are pretending or acting. We also are pretending or acting. We know they are acting and they know we are acting and so the drama or the devilry goes on putting all in one hell of a mess. In a quiet time of Vesak, we need to seek the inner spiritual power to be liberated gradually from self-centeredness and selfishness because otherwise we are on a self destructive course where we will destroy ourselves and destroy others through a life of double standards and deception.
Another important principle in the Buddha Dhamma is the attitude of detachment. A deep study of the Dhamma will show us that detachment means not so much giving up what we have although that is also good. The deeper and more important meaning of detachment is the awareness that all things including absolute or executive power and highly powerful positions are transient and impermanent. They change and decay. It is only when we are aware and convinced that every thing passes away that we will give and give and forgive with a generous and magnanimous heart without expecting anything in return.
In the aftermath of the war we also need to reflect on the Lord Buddha’s important message given by the Lord Jesus and other religious leaders also that violence and hatred will not cease through counter violence and hatred but by forgiveness and mercy, accommodation and dialogue. The war and terrorism may have ended but the conflict has not been addressed, instead it appears to have worsened with Sri Lanka facing its biggest international crisis in the light of the UN panel report. We hope that at least now our decision makers will act sincerely and selflessly for the common good of the country and begin a dialogue not only with the international community but also the minority parties to meet their grievances and aspirations on the hallowed middle path.
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