2002 Report of the Presidential Commission on the Buddha Sasana
Posted on May 1st, 2012
Chapter 09 Conversion of Buddhists to other religions
translated from Sinhala
9.1 Currently in Sri Lanka, there are followers of four main religions, viz. Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Christianity. There are historical reasons that account for this.
9.2 Historical sources bear witness that many belief systems existed in Sri Lanka and in India when Buddhism was officially introduced at the time of King Devanampiyatissa. Buddhism, which was so sensible, became popular among the people of Sri Lanka, and by the 4th and 5th centuries Anuradapura became the centre of Theravada Buddhism. Sri Lankan Buddhists have protected this proud state up until now.
9.3 Various influences contributed to the establishment of South Indian Tamil settlements and to the presence of Hinduism in various places in the country by the end of the Anuradapura Era. These influences include a marriage to a princess from south India, Indian invasions, and the fact that some Sinhalese kings hired mercenaries to capture kingdoms and to retain power.
9.4 By the 14th and 15th century, Muslims and Arabians dominated the Indian Ocean spice trade. The geographical environment of Sri Lanka made it an important sea trading centre. This caused Muslims and Malay people from the Arabic world, as well as Southeast Asia, Malakka, and Java, to establish their settlements in Puttalam, Chilaw, Beruwala, Waligama, and Hambanthota. These people married Sinhalese women and those women were eventually converted to Islam. Because of trade, these people went into the interior parts of the country and established settlements. Muslims who engaged in trade in coastal….
Full Report Link
http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items12/Conversion%20of%20Buddhists%20to%20Other%20Religions%29.pdf
May 1st, 2012 at 8:04 pm
Quote: This caused Muslims and Malay people from the Arabic world, as well as Southeast Asia, Malakka, and Java, to establish their settlements in Puttalam, Chilaw, Beruwala, Waligama, and Hambanthota. These people married Sinhalese women and those women were eventually converted to Islam. Unquote.
This is not true.
It was South Indian (Tamil and Kerala) Muslims who created settlements in these areas. British records clearly identify over 90% Muslims (except Malays) as of Indian extraction. They married mostly Tamil women and retained their language (Tamil).
Very few Arabs and South East Asians arrived in the island during the 14 – 15 centuries. Most South East Asians arrived subsequently as traders and as part of the British army.
That explains their Tamil fluency and lack of Sinhala, Arabic or Malay fluency until recently. If they were from Arabia or South Asia, and if they married mostly Sinhalese women, there is no way they could be fluent in Tamil.
Arabs and Muslims were losing spice trade during this time to the Spanish and the Portuguese.
However, the end result was the same.
May 1st, 2012 at 8:14 pm
As for Tamil settlements, changing the capital city southward was the main reason. That led to a diminishing native (Sinhala) population in the north. Apart from military bases, Sinhala settlements have followed the capital and moved southward from the 11th century to the 15th century.
However, most Tamils today arrived in the country during the 19th and 20th centuries.
Detailed accounts of them were kept by the British. During the 19th century alone over 940,000 South Indians (both Tamils and Muslims) migrated to Sri Lanka. These numbers can be reconcilied to the 1881 census. Some of them became Sinhalese but most retained their identity.
There were Dravidians in the island for over 2,000 years but they integrated into the majority Sinhala community. So did Arab, Malay immigrants of the 13th century. Tamils, Arabs, Malays of the pre-colonial era are not Tamils, Arabs or Malays today. They are part of the Sinhalese.
May 3rd, 2012 at 11:24 am
For an ordinary Buddhist, he/she has to earn a living in the modern day world first, and next practice his Buddhism. The Buddha was very clear on the duties of the householder to earn a living. One has to survive in this world first in order to practice at least some Buddhist values. To this end, our Development Plans in Lanka must have an Education
System geared for the needs of the country, and Job Creation.
When reciting the 5 Precepts, we suggest that the Buddhists take only the vows that he/she can fulfill or else there is a split in the psyche with loss of self respect and integrity. Reciting the vows in Sinhala will help note exactly which promises can be kept.
If human beings need to eat some fish, meat & eggs, we have to go fishing and grow the chickens ourselves. Buddhists ought to be able to do this too, without feelings of guilt. If we can eat it, we ought to be able to grow it too.
Same with pesticides, if we have to use, do it ourselves. Leave out “panathipatha … ” since if you don’t promise it, you don’t have to follow it. But at that same time, be as life supportive as is possible, particularly toward human life. No offense meant to anyone here, but please do let us be practical. Or be prepared to be subservient to those who are more able to survive real life.