THE PROFOUND HISTORIC MESSAGE

Today (Poson Poya day) marks the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera in Sri Lanka along with the message of Gautama Buddha.

At the present time, all ruins around Mihintale and Anuradhapura testify how that period and generation were prosperous and united. It was called and named the ‘State of Reservoirs and Island of the Dhamma’

The paramount part of the Buddha’s teaching merely has become only a lip service

“Go forth, O Bhikkhus,  for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world, for the good, benefit and happiness of divine beings and human beings. Let not two go by one way: Preach, O Bhikkhus, the Dhamma, excellent in the beginning, excellent in the middle, excellent in the end, both in the spirit and in the letter. Proclaim the Holy life, altogether perfect and pure.” 

This is the profound guidance and significant admonition which was given by the Blessed One to his fully qualified and fully equipped enlightened disciples to propagate the Dhamma.

After the successful accomplishment of his considerable numbers of enlightened disciples the Buddha compassionately advised and guided them to carry out the task.

Today (Poson Poya day) marks the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera in Sri Lanka along with the message of Gautama Buddha.  

By admiring and respecting the Buddha’s impeccable words, Emperor Asoka profoundly launched a Dhamma mission throughout numerous countries.

The son of Asoka – the great disciple of the Fully Enlightened One, Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera was requested by his preceptor Ven. Moggaliputta Tissa Maha Thera to visit Sri Lanka to introduce an incomparable message of the Buddha and establish a dispensation of the Buddha in Sri Lanka.

Human life is precious and worthy. There are no words, terms and phrases to descriptively elaborate the worth of a human life. Only a human being can develop the mind. Only the human being can let go and abandon defilements. Only the wise human being can watch and read his or her own mind.

Poson Poya of June is a significant month for Sri Lankan Buddhists.

Two thousand three hundred and twenty eight years (2328) years ago King Devanampiyatissa was a Head of State. There was a national festival; both people and the king took part in it at Mihintale.

At the present time, all ruins around Mihintale and Anuradhapura testify how that period and generation were prosperous and united. It was called and named the ‘State of Reservoirs and Island of the Dhamma’.

After an amicable meeting and cordial discussion with Arahant Mahinda Thera the head of state Devanampiyatissa placed unwavering and unshakable confidence in three refuges or the Triple gem. He was a devoted Buddhist leader who governed our country without hatred and prejudice. He supported efforts to establish and safeguard the Buddha-Sasana in Sri Lanka.

The above mentioned facts were very visible and evident in the past in our history, but at the present most of them have dramatically eroded and become topsy-turvy because most people have embraced “Party Politics” and changed the whole atmosphere in our human society.  Values of human life are degraded and this has taken turn for the worse. State of Dhamma or Dharmarajjyaya has perilously become a state of injustice. The paramount part of the Buddha’s teaching merely has become only a lip service and unfortunately it has become a Goods and Services business in the domain of some cult of personalities. 

Arahant Mahinda Thera never requested or proposed King Dewanampiya Tissa to be an authoritarian or tyrant. The first and the foremost novel conversation proved and ascertained the sagacity and the intellectual capacity of  understanding the doctrine then, Maha Thera implanted Dhamma seeds and enriched him to be a righteous leader.
Fortunately, at that time, disciples of the Buddha or Buddhist monks were not politicized or was party politics like today. Even though a multitude of various preachers recite day and night neither does any positive improvement nor a slight change take place in our society. Original teachings of the Buddha have inscribed and paraphrased into their own personal interpretations and dogmas. 

Rulers, leaders, high prelates, Minister of Buddha Sasana and members of Task force of Buddha Sasana are blind and deaf. These individuals concentrate and dedicate only how to misappropriate and embezzle even from foreign borrowings and public funds. 

Unfortunately, those who do not understand the benefit of wholesome kamma and repercussion of unwholesome kamma, will never refrain from wrongdoing and immoral activities.

Rulers, leaders, politicians, and their henchmen must be learning about THEMIYA JATHAKAYA in previous birth stories of the Gautama Buddha. Kindly advise Maha Nayakas and Anunayakas to read and preach daily to their leader about this special Jathaka Story. 

In the Dhamma it says immediately effective and to be experienced by wise for themselves.

Whether one believes it or not, the Law of Kamma will pave the way to one’s own destination which is designed by oneself.

The teaching of the Buddha is completely based on the mind. In his first and foremost discourse he clearly and explicitly explained about suffering, cause of suffering, cessation of suffering and the way to cessation of suffering. No one can understand this till one treads on this path. In other words anyone can endlessly argue with various information and   numerous facts, but, in reality, till one eradicates one’s own defilements he or she is not free from suffering.

We, as members of human family in the globe, experience the culture of violence. Hatred, jealousy, ill will, anger, resentment, animosity, craving, covetousness and many more mental toxics are the governing forces of one’s life. 
Lack of inner qualities and dearth of spiritual development have designed this atmosphere in our society today. The pursuit of commercial culture and materialism has paved the way to extermination of selflessness and effacement of other human values. Many people try to quench and satiate their insatiable desire and unquenchable craving till their last breath.

As a genuine disciple of the Blessed One one should diligently follow the path to freedom and inner peace. The person who diligently and honestly practices the Dhamma will experience the taste of freedom. 

Human life is precious and worthy. There ar no words, terms and phrases to descriptively elaborate the worth of a human life. Only a human being can develop the mind. Only the human being can let go and abandon defilements. Only the wise human being can watch and read his or her own mind.

One should be a genuine human being, not in form but with innermost qualities.

This is the great message that we received 2328 years ago and was compassionately delivered to us by Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera.

Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera established the Buddha Sasana in Sri Lanka with paramount support of King Devanampiyatissa.  He implanted the seeds of Dhamma in humanity. After embracing the Dhamma people completely changed the way they led their lives and substituted unblemished values of Dhamma. They genuinely understood the value of social and communal harmony and unity. Venerable Maha Thera revealed the true danger of the culture of violence.

Ven. Arahant Maha Mahinda Thera was of exemplary character. Even though he and his fellow monks received all supports from king Devanampiyatissa he did not enter any political avenue. This is an outstanding and paramount distinguishable disposition of an Arahant.

We all know the qualities of an Arahant. He is the embodiment of a true disciple of the Buddha. He is neither bias to a king nor any other person in the country to lead a life as a monk. Though Arahant Mahinda Thera was foreign to the people; he was greatly welcomed and treated with respect. The message of the Buddha was established and the Head of state along with people started to follow the Buddha Dhamma.

An Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera’s arrival is memorable and considered a historic event. His commendable service was significant and remarkable. Every year the month of Poson gives us an opportunity not only to commemorate, but also go back to the message of high ideals parted to us.

The great Master the Buddha is our impeccable and incomparable role model.  Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera was our spiritual leader. Specially all monks should reflect upon this remarkable character. The Dhamma mission he launched in a small island was extraordinarily successful and meaningful. Maha Thera never divided humanity into classes or groups, but he united all. Unfortunately, most so-called preachers have destroyed the whole society. Most of them are actively involved in party politics. They are the ones who led this country into hell.

Unfortunately, in order to preserve and secure their political hidden agendas our politicians influenced and manipulated monks to engage in politics. Politicians fancied divide and rule. Even though people destructively criticize westerners, no one divided us. We ourselves have separated and discriminated us. It is apparent and distinct, even in so-called Sri Lankan, specially Sinhalese Communities in the globe. It is in fact ridiculous that they talk about Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. 

What is the purpose to be a Buddhist monk? What is the prime role and responsibilities as a monk?  No one can find any advice or word of the Buddha where he had asked monks to engage in party politics. Now they have completely changed the Buddha’s words as they wish.  This is the way that monk should behave as a true disciple of the Buddha thus:

“Good is restraint in the body; good is restraint in speech; good is restraint in thought. Restraint everywhere is good. The monk restrained in every way is freed from all suffering” (The Buddha)
“He who is friendly amidst the hostile, peaceful amidst the violent, and unattached amidst the attached – him do I call a holy man.”  (The Buddha)               

                 
One’s own introspection is the profound examination and analysis. 

Now the time has arrived for all humans to look inward and reflect on ones own mentality, thoughts, feelings, how they treat others, what refined language they speak with others, how they address others, how polite you are, do you verbally hurt or physically harm others, are you jealous of others, are you happy about others achievements and accomplishments, are you strong enough to tolerate others mistakes, do you discriminate others, do you tolerate others beliefs, faiths and culture, and so on. 

Human rights and equal rights are the most crucial and exigent issues in our global society today. Individually, multitudes of people hold discussions and criticize as they wish according to their political partiality and personal propensity. But people rarely concern about their own individual vicinities and nuclear families, such as home, office, school, working place and so on. This is very pivotal and significant fact which most people have forgotten.
History has taught a lesson.  Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera was an exemplary spiritual master. Hope  monks will follow his examples rather making or building gigantic statues of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thera, and misguiding innocent devotees.

As a righteous and virtuous head of state who wholeheartedly practiced the Buddha Dhamma and compassionately governed the country, king Dewanampiyatissa was an outstanding leader and the ruler. Hope present ruler will be compassionate towards our citizens. 

“Watchful of speech, well controlled in mind, one should not commit evil with the body. Let one purify these three courses of action, and win the path made known by the Great sage – the Blessed One.”

 “Overcome the angry by non-anger; overcome the wicked by goodness; overcome the miser by generosity; overcome the liar by truth.” - (The Buddha)