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Theme of ‘Sex & Love’….a philosophy rich in Dhamma

 
Female fans invading the stage; their intimate apparel flying over the artistes when popular singers perform are common occurrences though it happened for the first time in this thrice blessed island.

Junius Richard broke open the flood gates 38 years ago; but for 30 years, Tigers kept blocking it preventing a ‘smooth flow’; Percy Mahendra …. unleashed his Lions to conquer the dam: no force, however powerful would hold sway the pressures built over the years; young ones have been let loose.  With Ranil the ‘mega-polis-men’ now back in the saddle wearing protective vests and safety riding apparel and gear, would certainly ensure the uninterrupted flow of water under the bridge, a sacred task he had undertaken, also a ‘dream of uncle Dick’ who was nick named Yankee Dickie by journalists of early fifties. Old fox missed a chance to accomplish the task due to his own mishandling of main issue.

During Ranil’s short stint as PM in 2001-2004, a five star hotel organised kissing competitions on 31st night—couples were observed indulging in necking and kissing on magnificently landscaped and well-lit open gardens.

 

Cultural values, bras, madu-valiges and exhibitionism

The sentiments expressed by President Maithripala Sirisena, slamming the organisers of the ‘uncivilized’ and ‘indecent’ concert is a result of his Sinhala-Buddhist cultural background.

His threatening remarks going viral on social media sparked off a huge controversy. The unprecedented attention it received from international media would certainly cause more harm than good to our hospitality industry. A Sinhala-Buddhist champion of former regime, who crossed-over as Maithri’s man, is now a Ranil loyalist.

This ‘savior of Sinhala-Buddhism’ once opposed Kerry Packer’s Casino and said ‘bringing casino first then Filth’ but he maintains mum when they are planning to bring ‘filth first then casino.’

“He who does not master the nude cannot understand the principles of architecture.” --Michelangelo


 

Sex and Love theme

The Spanish recording artist Enrique Iglesias’ tenth studio album Sex and Love was released on March 14, 2014 by Republic Records. Three Spanish singles: “El Perdedor”, “Loco” and “Bailando” reached No. 1 on Hot Latin Songs chart, The Billboard.

Explaining the philosophy behind titling as Sex and Love, Iglesias, the Latin pop singer said:

“It’s one of the vital factors I thought about paying attention to the entirety, it’s something we can all recount to, no matter what personality, no matter what religion, no matter what colour we can all relate to it. Irrespective of your race, nationality, or religion, people experience both and all beings like them!”
The suggestion for the individual living on Earth is that he/she is part of a greater whole, such is Enrique’s theme; ‘SEX and LOVE’ as he sees has deep and significant meaning for everyone.

We are all in this life together and part of the whole, labelling has divided humans in to groups. The message of civic-mindedness that comes from visualising oneself as part of a greater whole also provides direction for compassion as an expression of religious devotion. Love is universal like music and is the foundation of all religious teachings. The first three of Satara brahma viharas, [four sublime states] Metta, Karuna and Muditha[Loving-kindness; Compassion and Sympathetic Joy]speaks of love A pessimistic understanding of sexuality, such as from Kant, believes that sex undermines values, and he says, “it makes of the loved person an Object of desire” In this belief, sex is often recommended only for the purpose of procreation. A positive consideration of sexuality, such as from Russell Vannoy, believes sexual activity as satisfying the self and the other at the same time.

 

"There cannot be any magic in the art of a woman removing her lingerie with her outer garments remain intact. If that is the case it is none of our business to make a big hue and cry, though it is quite natural for the conservatively brought up, culturally nurtured President to make an emotional response. The magic of it, I too, am, somewhat oblivious to the specific intricacies involved in the operation."

Nudity and Sex in Literature
Mahagama Sekara translated a verses from four millennium-old Mahabharat for Chitrasena to create his masterpiece Opera, Nala-Damayanti: ‘…ranin kalavan pulul urayen…hasun lamede musa karanne’ meaning the swans on damsel’s upper body would go crazy seeing Prince Nala’s broad shoulders. Damayanti herself go nuts on hearing the description from her golden swan according to the script. Shadbasha parameshwara, Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula thero wrote ‘…nisi pulu-ukula riyasakaweni thisara thana-[Selalihini Sandesaya] comparing women’s breast to swans.

Buddhist literature is rich with stories of nudity and exposure. When beleaguered Patachara rushed into Jetawanaramaya, the Buddha was preaching; like in today’s case, Dhayakes, the owners of the temple attempted to obstruct the woman who had gone off her senses and wore nothing, for the Buddha to intervene and allow her entry; the rest is history. Then there was the Arahant and his young pupil monk who kept on pondering over a trivial matter where the teacher had to carry a young woman across a stream; her clothes got disoriented by the mischievous waters. The teacher left her on the bank and proceeded to temple only to realize the young one’s dismay and inquired into it.

Venerable sir, “You shouldn’t have carried that half naked woman”

“O dear, samanera, I left her there and walked up to our abode, you seem to yet carry her in your mind”

Wisakhavo, the devoted upasika on one morning dispatched her maid to the nearest temple to inquire about alms requirements of arahant bikkhus residing there. The maid finding no response to her calls decided to walk around the back yard where pond used by resident monks for bathing was situated. She was dumbfounded by the unexpected sight she ran back to Wisakhavo, screaming,

“O’ madam, all the arahants have vanished from the temple and it is invaded by Nighantas”

The resident monks including the arahants were bathing as usual in their birthday kit, a well known secret at the time of the Buddha. However, listening to Wisakhavo’s advice Buddha imposed a vinaya rule, that every bikkhu should use a wrap-around known as Madakada, a practice that all of them are supposed to adhere to even today.

There cannot be any magic in the art of a woman removing her lingerie while her outer garments remain intact. If that is the case it is none of our business to make a big hue and cry, though it is quite natural for the conservatively brought up, culturally nurtured President to make an emotional response.  The magic of it, I too, am, somewhat oblivious to the specific intricacies involved in the operation. My mind goes back to the Sathasivam murder case where Dr. Colvin R de Silva and his junior flew to Edinburg for consultation with world renowned forensic expert Sir Sydney Smith. Sir Sydney, who was naïve to Asian dress saree worn by the victim at the time of her death, requested Dr. Colvin to dress one of Sydney’s staff in a saree. Colvin, the witty man retorted, “Sir Sydney, we only know how to undress them.”

Today it is a quite common feature at any function, for the dancing girls to expose an erotic-length of their pelvic region in front of any audience with political high-ups and Maha Sangha occupying the front rows. Tourism, foreign aid and politics They are trying to obtain aid on political grounds by marketing the devolution formula. On the political front PM expects the international community, especially the western nations to provide the finances to bail the nation out of the economic mess it had got into under the former regime and continued under Yahapalanaya. We could do nothing on our own without the help of the West it seems. The PM is well known for his liberal economic policies; during his UNF term in 2001-2004, he made some significant reforms, privatising state ventures and in cutting down government workforce, he also stopped all recruitments. His policies set off a fair recovery in the falling country’s economy. In 2002 he was able to keep the inflation within a single digit. Wickremesinghe brought forward Regaining Lanka ‘to reduce the poverty and to achieve debt reliefs’?

While inconsiderately cut down on subsidies, they tended to inactively wait for aid to flow in from the west—naturally along with aid many Enrique Iglesiases will do mark their presence too. Bras, pants will soon be joined by other outfits as well. The poor President will be left only with half a dozen of his coteries that he chose out of rejects on whom the people used Madu Valiges [stingray tail]. Yet they don’t realise they are naked, and shamelessly appear in public under his own sponsorship.

“They say ‘well-dressed exhibitionism’ is worse than ‘clothe-less exposure’. Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked”—Warren Buffettw