By Dr M D P DISSANAYAKE

The best Prime Minister we had in Sri Lanka was none other than Mr S W R D Bandaranaike. He had a habit of meeting people in the early hours to discuss their problems and find solutions. For Buddhist Monks who are waiting to see him, Mr Bandaranaike always served a glass of milk, by himself. On September 25, 1959, when he served the glass of milk to a Buddhist Monk, the Monk pulled a revolver and shot the Prime Minister several times. This has shell shocked the entire nation. There was no TV at that time, main media was Radio Ceylon. The first person to express his anger and sadness over the Radio Ceylon on the attempt to kill the Prime Minister was the Chief Priest of Kelaniya Raja Mahavihara, Ven. Mapitigama Buddharakkitha Thero.

ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Sri Lankan Government called Scotland Yard of UK to undertake extensive investigations. Surprisingly, Mapitigama Buddharakkitha (MP) was found guilty by the supreme court, as the prime suspect for plotting to kill the Prime Minister. Talduwe Somarama converted into Christianity days before his death sentence. MP died in prison by heart attack following long years of hard labour.

The main reason why MP went against the Prime Minister was his failure to secure major contracts from the government. MP was a very rich person, he also dabbled in business and later proved that he had sexual encounters with a women by the name of Wimala Wijewardene on regular basis.

Following the killing of PM, majority of Sri Lankan Buddhists, refrained from offering meals (dana) to Buddhist monks for several months. Buddhist treat monks as a sole representative of the Lord Buddha. Whilst Prince Siddhartha gave up all luxuries to find the cause of suffering, todayƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s most MahanayakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s are flourished with power, money, limousines such as Mercedes Benz, BMW, 3 meals a days, tele dramas, sexual encounters. These are not true Buddhists and they should not be respected by the Buddhists.

A gang of four MahanayakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s are now calling a ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-conventionƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ to discuss grave matters concerning democracy and governance. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha was well known as a supporter of UNP for a long time. Indeed he may not have understood the basics of suffering as a Buddhist monk as he was living in luxury in an ivory tower at Kandy Dalada Maligawa. These Dussela Buddhist monks have a special recipe of the food they eat, no ordinary Buddhist can afford to offer Dana for them. They love John Keels juicy sausages and meat balls as a specialty.

When Sarath Fonseka announced that he will disclose all state secrets to an International Court regarding war crimes, the MahanayakeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s did not raise any objections. When SF used rude words over the TV, these monks did not advise SF to mind his language. When SF dabbled in politics whilst in service, these monks were hibernating. When SF provided asylum to thousands of army deserters and kept in readiness for a possible attack, where were these monks? Do they think that just because SF was an ex Presidential candidate he is above the law? Why are they trying to protect a person who is being interrogated and arrested for breach of military and civil law? What promises and undertakings have been given to these monks by SF and Ranil Wickremasinghe, in return for favour?

If the government agrees to give money making business ventures to these monks, they will be in the Rajapakse camp at once.

With large sums of money collected at the Kandy Dalada Maligawa and other main Buddhist temples, how much money do they spend for the welfare of poor people. Catholic churches spend vast sums to help the poor, but not the Buddhist temples.

These monks may have never read Parabhava Sutra, which clearly outlines the reasons for ones downfall. The following basic principles of Parabhava Sutra clearly demonstrate the doctrine:

Easily known is the progressive one, easily known he who declines.
He who loves Dhamma progresses; he who is averse to it, declines; The wicked are dear to him, with the virtuous he finds no delight, he prefers the creed of the wicked ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall; Being fond of sleep, fond of company, indolent, lazy and irritable ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
Though being well-to-do, not to support father and mother who are old and past their youth ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To deceive by falsehood a brahman or ascetic or any other mendicant ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To have much wealth and ample gold and food, but to enjoy one’s luxuries alone, this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To be proud of birth, of wealth or clan, and to despise one’s own kinsmen, this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To be a rake, a drunkard, a gambler, and to squander all one earns ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
Not to be contented with one’s own wife, and to be seen with harlots and the wives of others ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall; .
Being past one’s youth, to take a young wife and to be unable to sleep for jealousy of her ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To place in authority a woman given to drink and squandering, or a man of a like behavior ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall;
To be of noble birth, with vast ambition and of slender means, and to crave for rulership ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬‚ this is a cause of one’s downfall.

Many modern day leading Buddhist monks could pride themselves for having all hallmarks of Parabhava Sutra. Sri Lanka has once experienced the tragedy of losing a great Prime Minister, because Mr Banadaranaike trusted Buddhist monks too much. It is now time for the great Executive President Mahinda Rajapakse to keep an arms length relationship with Dusseela conspirators who have no love for the nation, but only will look after their selfish desires.