On Dusseela Monk Gnanasara: Sequel To The Letter To The Mahanayakes
By Vishnuguptha -May 2, 2014
Venerable Sirs, you failed the test, the country and the Great Teachings…
“However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do if you do not act upon them?” These words articulated by Siddhartha Gautama two thousand and six hundred years ago, seem to have had no impact, either superficially or spiritually, on Your Reverence. As the traditional heads of the Buddhist Order, Maha Sangha, you chose, when that ‘gangster’ in saffron robes who identifies himself asGalagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero called on you both, to betray not only the trust of all loyal devotees of the Dharma, you betrayed the Dharma itself.
As reported in the news media, when Gnanasara met with Your Most Venerable, you failed to prevail upon this Dusseela monk to refrain from his anti-Buddhist activities. You failed to let him know that he had brought immeasurable dishonor and disrepute to the Maha Sangha and their devotees by indulging in a practice of religious debauchery and social perversion. Just because he was garbed in a Saffron robe and just because he knelt down at your feet, all seem to have been forgotten and forgiven. Forgiveness is indeed a greatly appreciable deed yet to let this kind of modern-day ‘Devadattha’ free is the unkindest cut of all. You may have whispered into his ear what he ought or ought not to be doing, but whatever was exchanged between this Dusseela monk and you must be heard by the rest of the world. As Your Eminence may well be aware, there is no secrecy in Buddhist practices; Lord Buddha did not practice his great philosophy nor did he preach his teachings in whispers and murmurs. His way of teaching was an open book.