Why make virtuous promises in Pali – a language we don’t understand?

Crime – from murder, rape, robbery and fraud to blackmail and white-van thuggery – is rampant, and increasing at an alarming rate. What is happening to this country?

One reason is a breakdown in religious discipline and values. During the reign of King Maha Naga, the Ven. Buddhagosha translated all the Sinhala Buddhist scriptures into Pali. Like parrots, we Buddhists repeat stanzas in Pali saying we will never kill, steal, lie, commit sex crimes, indulge in liquor, and so on – and all this in a language we do not understand.we should pray and conduct our religious rituals in the language we use daily. If we repeat these same stanzas in our mother tongue, we will be impressing these promises deep in our minds.

The Maha Sangha should launch a vigorous islandwide campaign to have the Pansil and Atasil gathas translated into Sinhala and Tamil. All Buddhist temples, associations, schools and tertiary institutions should be involved in this exercise.

Dr. D. Malwatte-mohotti

I live in a secluded corner of Kandy where whiffs of fresh air manage to penetrate the growing fog of pollution, the trill of bird- song and the background roar of traffic. A roar which is increasingly getting more insistent, as carpeted roads have insinuated themselves into our area too; regarded as ‘magic carpets’ by the motorists intent on getting from A to B in a twinkling of an eye.

Our town gets more and more congested with commercial and residential buildings, and pedestrians.

Despite this, the number of restaurants remain static. The choice is limited to, “Captain’s Table” [Indian], and “Flower Song” [Chinese]. No, I am not complaining, but just explaining my mind- set, and my reaction to the ‘gossip columns’ of the newspapers.

It never ceases to amaze me how unrelated these columns are to the lives of the average middle class citizen.

There is the food column which exhorts us to try out “Smoothies” (totally alien to me) in café A, and ‘cup cakes” (totally alien to Kandy), in cafe B.

The theme continues with the weekly columnists, who seem to indulge in a continuous round of entertaining, or being entertained by friends.

The other major obsession is Fashion. Fashion shows which seem to justify their frequency, by contributing to a charity. Fashionable socialites splatter the pages -very few of them seem to wear that most elegant and enduring of costumes-the saree.

Fashion boutiques, again promoted by columnists, which are springing up like mushrooms. There is no such limiting factor as “Prime residential areas” for them.

And no wonder, as our amiable Minister Bandula Gunawardene, assures us that a family can live comfortably on Rs.7,500 per month.

This leaves that something extra that can be frittered away on fashion and exotic food.

Alas, the former teacher of economics has got it wrong! A gas cylinder, which costs over Rs. 2000 lasts two to four weeks.. the bread consumption per day for an average family could be three to four loaves,[morning and night meals, and sandwiches for school]. This totals Rs.4,950 to 6,600 per month. No less an authority than the Bible tells us’ man cannot live on bread alone….”

At the moment, my blinkered vision is restricted to Colombo society, the struggling middle class and the sprinkling of millionaires.

I am not talking of ‘desperation ‘or the “War-ravaged”, but even in this limited context, one is reminded of the artificial society of the Batista regime in Cuba in the 50’s which was literally blasted from their rum and champagne saturated chandeliered existence.

Is it too much to ask of our journalists, to be in touch with the more positive aspects of society, instead of laying on the gloss of consumerism?

Via email