The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Exploring Theravāda's connections to other paths - what can we learn from other traditions, religions and philosophies?
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SarathW
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The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by SarathW »

The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

This is the state of Buddhism in Sri Lanka now days!
irstly we’ll start with the Buddhist country. Thailand is a Buddhist country but its health minister has legalized cannabis. But the clause is if you are caught transporting cannabis there’s a fine. Last month they had a cannabis exhibition showing the world the products that could be made with cannabis. Around 2.2 million visited this exhibition. I think Thailand is more Buddhist than we are and they practice Buddhism than us. Here, we follow Buddhism for the namesake. Cannabis has been associated with our history for centuries. Women used cannabis as a painkiller during their pregnancy. The 2500-year Buddhist culture concept has dragged this country towards bankruptcy today. I come from a Buddhist background but that doesn’t mean that I should sit in a temple and let the country go down the drain. Many Buddhist monks are supporting me with this idea. It was banned in this country by the British and it should be legalized once again. Cannabis goes with our culture. Ravana’s grandson and his association with hemp can be discovered in the manuscripts. The amount of products that could be made using the hemp tree are numerous in number. I use the toothpaste, the toothbrush that has been made out of bioplastics from hemp, hemp cream, shampoo and conditioner. Everything from ice cream to biscuits, cereals, textiles, coffee, tea, chocolate, bricks, bags and paper could be made from the hemp tree. Cultivating hemp for commercial purposes will be one way to end poverty in this country as it would provide more job opportunities to people in these areas. Investors too will invest billions of dollars and we can revive the country back to prosperity. We therefore have to focus on its commercial value.
https://www.dailymirror.lk/opinion/The- ... 172-245301
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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retrofuturist
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings Sarath,

Your post doesn't make much sense.

Who is this SJB MP Diana Gamage person, and why does her perspective have any bearing on Buddhism in Sri Lanka?

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
SarathW
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by SarathW »

retrofuturist wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:37 am Greetings Sarath,

Your post doesn't make much sense.

Who is this SJB MP Diana Gamage person, and why does her perspective have any bearing on Buddhism in Sri Lanka?

Metta,
Paul. :)
Don't you think a member of the parliament openly criticise a Buddhist country a matter when the majority are Buddhists?
This is a classic example of holding the snake by the tail.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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retrofuturist
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings SarathW,
SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:45 am Don't you think a member of the parliament openly criticise a Buddhist country a matter when the majority are Buddhists?
I think Sri Lanka has gotten lost in dogmatic thinking about how special it is, on account of how it views itself in relation to Buddhism.

If it cannot emotionally cope with alternative opinions, no wonder the situation (politically, spiritually, economically etc.) is so dire.

What's required is more Dhamma and less Buddhism... and definitely less Mahavamsa thinking.
SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:45 am This is a classic example of holding the snake by the tail.
I agree, but probably not in the way you're thinking.

Metta,
Paul. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
TRobinson465
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by TRobinson465 »

retrofuturist wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:37 am Greetings Sarath,

Your post doesn't make much sense.

Who is this SJB MP Diana Gamage person, and why does her perspective have any bearing on Buddhism in Sri Lanka?

Metta,
Paul. :)
Agreed, theres not much of a link between what this author is criticizing and Sri lanka being a Buddhist country. Its not like non-Buddhist countries dont hesitate to legalize cannibis. Also, Thailand probably is the most Theravada Buddhist country there is at the moment so shes right in that sense, but its not like Thailand's tyrannical military regime makes its decisions on Buddhist principles. Burma is also Buddhist and has laws that make absolutely no sense in a Buddhist context, such as imprisonment for being homosexual. Yet a Jewish country like Isreal is more tolerant of LGBT people than Buddhist Burma, despite the Jewish holy book literally telling them to execute people who engage in homosexual behavior. Religion is hardly ever the reason for why governments make backward laws, except in places where the religion is the gov.
"Do not have blind faith, but also no blind criticism" - the 14th Dalai Lama

"The Blessed One has set in motion the unexcelled Wheel of Dhamma that cannot be stopped by brahmins, devas, Maras, Brahmas or anyone in the cosmos." -Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by confusedlayman »

Buddhism cant support materialism.. but will help tp go heaven or attain nibbana rather than gng to hell


..
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by SteRo »

SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:27 am
Sri Lanka
? I have to look on a world map where Sri Lanka is. I don't know anything about it and it doesn't appear to be relevant for my life.

Recently it's been in the news due to economic and political failure I recall.
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BrokenBones
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by BrokenBones »

Hasn't it been bankrupted by new age politics rather than Buddhism?
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Re: The ‘2500 year Buddhist culture’ concept has dragged SL towards bankruptcy - SJB MP Diana Gamage!!

Post by confusedlayman »

SteRo wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 5:28 pm
SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 05, 2022 12:27 am
Sri Lanka
? I have to look on a world map where Sri Lanka is. I don't know anything about it and it doesn't appear to be relevant for my life.

Recently it's been in the news due to economic and political failure I recall.
It is near india
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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