By: Dr. Rifai Naleemi
This article should be read contextually with all previous parts.
. It is not my objective to make any derogatory criticism of any
community or any religion. An attempt has been made here to illustrate
how Sinhalese people have been sympathetic and companionate towards all
other religious groups in the past. Though Portuguese and Hindu
invaders from South India try to destroy cultural heritage of Sinhalese Buddhist
people during the colonial and pre-colonial periods, Sinhalese kings
offered unconditional supports and help for all other religious groups
such as Christian, Hindi and Muslims people. I shall try to illustrate
this point with historical evidence to show what BBS doing today is
contrary to their cultural and religious history and teachings.
I shall make some reference to Buddhist texts to justify this
postulate. It is my humble opinion that in the name of religion and
culture BBS
is trying to tarnish good name of Sinhalese Buddhist people across the
country and indeed, attitudes, behaviours and mindsets of BBS are
against very teaching of Lord Buddha. I shall try to gauge and measure
peaceful and companionate attitudes of Sinhalese Buddhist communities in
historical perspectives. I shall explore some historical facts to
illustrate the inherent nature of peace and harmony in the history of
Sinhalese people in this country.
Recent times BBS argues that Buddhist culture and traditions have
been destroyed by Muslims in this country. This is an unfounded
argument. I would like to say that BBS should read Ceylon history well
to understand who indeed destroyed pristine Buddhist culture and
Sinhalese way of life. Sri Lankan historians know well what happened
during the colonial period. It was a historical fact that Muslim people
settled in different part of Kandyan kingdom. It was done with the
invitation and favour of kaniyan kings. It was reported by Robert Knox
that Kings and charitable Sinhalese people donated land to Muslim people
to live (Dewaraja p115). Even some mosques were built in the donated
lands by kings those days. It was reported that some Buddhist temples
fully supported Muslim religious practices and even donated lands to
build mosques in the promises of temples. Moreover, they allocated some
allotments of land for the day to day maintenance of Muslim priest
(Dewaraja. P.113).
This was a real teaching of Buddha who advocated religious tolerance,
communal harmony and peace among communities. Nothing but this teaching
encouraged the Kings and Sinhalese to donate Muslims with these lands.
This would not have happened had there was no amity between Sinhalese
and Muslim those days and It would not be wrong to argue that Islamic
traditions and rituals were fully protected by Sinhalese kings and
Sinhalese people those days. The above mentioned historical account
testifies such postulate. Thus, Muslim community in Sri Lankan had been
an integral part of Sri Lankan community and they never challenged the
Sinhalese or their way of life. In contrary to this harmonious attitude
we should look at what happened to Sinhalese people and Buddhist culture
during the Portuguese colonization periods.
A cursory examination of some historical facts about the introduction
of Catholicism into Ceylon during the Portuguese colonization would
reveal how and in what ways Buddhist culture, religion and way of life
were destroyed by Portuguese colonial power. Portuguese arrival was
regarded as the Dark Age in Ceylon history. They did great damage to
Sinhalese culture and tradition than any one else. Emerson Tennent
records Portuguese arrival in Ceylon in these words. “There is no page
in the story of European colonization more gloomy and repulsive than
that which recounts the proceedings of the Portuguese in Ceylon…….. They
appeared in the Indian seas in the three fold character of merchants,
missionaries and pirates. Their ostensible motto was amity, commerce
and religion. Their expeditions consisted of soldiers as well as
adventurers and included friars and chaplain majors. Their instructions
were to begin by preaching but, that failing to proceed to the decision
of the sword” ( Tennakoon. Vimalanqnda. P .xxiv)
Portuguese invasion of Ceylon was vividly described by Malalasekera in his book (The Pali Literature in Ceylon)
“Every stage of their progress was marked by rapacity, bigotry,
cruelty and inhumanity unparalleled in the annals of any other European
colonial power. Their ferocity and their utter indifference to all
suffering increased with the success of their army, their inhuman
barbarities were accompanied by callousness which knew no distinction
between man, women and child, no feeling of compassion was strong enough
to stay their savage hands in their fell work. To terrify their
subjects and bring home to them the might of the Portuguese Power, they
committed atrocities which had they not been found recorded in the
decades of their friendly historians, seems too revolting to be true.
Babies were spitted on the soldiers’ pikes and held up up that their
parents might hear the young cocks crow. Sometimes they were compelled
to witness the pitiful sight before they themselves were tortured to
death. Men were thrown over bridges for the amusement of the troops to
feed the crocodiles in the river, which eventually grew so tame that at
whistle they would raise their heads above the water in anticipation of
the welcome fest.” (Malalasekera: quoted by Tennakoon. Vimalananda. P
.xxvi.)
Prof Vimalananda notes that Portuguese method of converting Sinhalese
people had been awful and brutal methods. Innocent Sinhalese people
were converted under duress and compulsion. It had been their principle
to “begin by preaching, but that failing proceed to the decision of the
sword”. Because of this forceful compulsion and coercion he argues that
“the Sinhalese Buddhist of the maritime province very cheerfully
submitted to the cruel atrocities of Roman Catholic missionaries” (P.
xxvi). Prof. Vimalananda compares and contrasts the differences between
the invasion of South Indian Tamil and Portuguese Roman Catholics.
“In the complete destruction of the city of Anuradhapura or the sack
of Polonnaruwa, the last national capital of the Sinhalese people, the
enemy, however, never attempted to convert the Buddhist of Ceylon to the
Hindu faith. But the new invader from the West not only destroyed the
places of worship of Buddhists but forcefully converted many people to
the Roman Catholic faith…. Three agencies fo the Roman Catholic Church
directed operations against the helpless Buddhists: those three agencies
were: 1) The Roman Catholic Emperor of Portugal 2) His Viceroy at Goa
3) The Roman Catholic priests in Ceylon. They were all united in the
effort completely to destroy Buddhism in our country…. As the Portuguese
were in possession of Sea coast of Ceylon the Buddhists could not
communicate with any sympatric power outside Ceylon for the help at that
hour. Thus, the Roman Catholic Church in Ceylon embarked upon a
campaign of destruction and bloodshed, unopposed by any political power.
(P. xxx). Yet, Prof. Vimalananda may not have read that Ottoman Empire
did try to offer help but they could not do that because of some
internal dispute among themselves and because of the fact the Caliph
Suleiman the magnificent died during this period in history.
According to Bernard Lewis one of leading modern historians in the
Middle East history some Non-Muslim rulers in Asian countries sought
ottoman help during this time to repulse the Portuguese invasion but
unfortunately Ottoman Empire was unable to come in support of this call.
(Bernard Lewis. P.15). I recall this people like that of BBS should
read the history before they jump into hasty conclusion about Muslims.
Prof Tennakoon Vimalananda further notes that “In the past the
invader from South India had sacked the Buddleia Viharas, but never
built their religious edifices on their ruins. But the Roman Catholic
Church destroyed the Buddhist vihraras and monstrosities, and with the
materials collected from them they built their churches on the very
spots where once stood the Buddhists Veharas. For example, the Roman
Catholic churches at Kalutara, Toagamuwa, keragala, Wattala. Etc. were
built on the sites for Viharas” . (P. xxxii).
Historians generally agree that Portuguese colonized Ceylon with two
objectives in their mind: The primary objective was to occupy Ceylon for
material and economical objective and yet, Portuguese made it their
primary objective to spread the message of Gospel. C Gastaon Perera
notes that “The salvation of the Non-Christian populations… was of
primary concern at all levels of the Church and State in the Portuguese
Empire. (C Gaston Perera. P.162).
Spreading the message of Gospel, converting the pagans into
Catholicism and baptizing the entire population of colonies under the
control of Portuguese empire were primary tasks of the captain generals
of Portuguese kings those days. It had been a principle of Portuguese
empire that religion of king and his subject should be one and same. In
this case it was Roman Catholicism.
Not only they did this but also they converted some Sinhalese kings
into Christianity. For instance, King Dharamapala was converted into
Christianity. It was King Kandyan Rajasinghe who saved this country from
Roman Catholic subjugation and oppression and that is why still today
this kings get high place in the hearts and minds of Sinhalese people
and Muslims too loved this kings particularly for his generosity and
support to resettle Muslims his kingdom. It was an ironic to note these
same Catholics given shelter by Sinhalese Buddhists under Dutch
Rule. Catholic Christians were persecuted by Protestant Dutch. “In
1658 the Dutch Government in Ceylon issued a proclamation punishable
with death any person harbouring of giving protection to a Roman
Catholic Priest. (P. xxxvii). I shall continue to discuss Kandyan kings’
role in protection and guardianship of religions. I did not bring
these quotations to defame the feelings of our Christian brethren at
all. Rather I would like to tell the historical facts so that these BBS
will know what exactly happened in the past and how Sinhalese kings and
people supported religions in general without any discrimination and
prejudice BBS got now? Where did they inherit this hatred from? True
Buddhists and Buddhism are free from all these hatred and
narrow-mindedness.
My questions to BBS are as follow. Look at Muslim history in this
country. Did we do these destruction in Sri Lanka? Did we destroy
Buddhist culture? Did we destroy any Buddhists temple? Did we harm any
Buddhist monk? Did we destroy any of your sacred places? In stark
contrast to this, we were offered protection by Sinhalese kings and
Sinhalese people for our loyalty to this great Island and for our
dedication and service for this country: Did we loot resources of this
country as all other Europeans did? Why do you spread hatreds against
innocent Muslim people for no reasons? Did we do any conspiracy against
this nation at any point in Sri Lankan history and why do you accuse
innocent Muslims with false and fake accusations: most of these
accusations are unfounded and unsubstantiated? Where is the conscience
of your hearts when you come up with these bogus accusations?
1) Bernard Lewis. What Went Wrong: Western Impact and Middle Eastern Response? Phoenix Paperback publication.London. 2002.
2)Lorna. Dewaraja: The Muslim of Srilanka: one Thousand Years of Ethnic Harmony: 900-1915. Lanka Islamic foundation.Colombo.
3) Gaston Perera. The Portuguese in the Orient: International centre for Ethnic studies.Kandy.2010.
4) Tennkoon. Vimalananda. M.D.Gunasena & Co.LTD.Colombo.1963.
Courtesy: www.colombotelegraph.com
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