Reflections Of A Buddhist Intellect: A Light In Dark Times
By Dayan Jayatilleka -August 11, 2013 |
Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka
A distinguished Sri Lankan, Dr Thakshan Fernando, died last Thursday in New Zealand at the age of 81. A Muslim place of worship was attacked on the day after Eid, in Grandpass, Colombo, on Saturday. What is the connection?
The distinguished Sri Lankan in question, a former student of Ananda College and a Buddhist of Sinhalese ethnic origin, had an understanding of Buddhism and a commitment to interreligious coexistence and cultural fusion that was the complete and explicit anti-thesis of the ideology of intolerant, fundamentalist, fanatical ‘Sinhala Buddhism’. Dr Fernando wove his understanding of the Buddha and the Dhamma in one of the most brilliant trans-cultural presentations I have read on the subject, even during my years at the UNESCO.
Dr Thakshan Fernando retired as Director of Mental Health of the Ministry of Health of New Zealand. Having obtained a fellowship in general medicine to the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Paris in the early 1970s, he switched his field to psychiatry and was Senior Lecturer in Psychological Medicine and Consultant Psychiatrist in Wellington, New Zealand. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) awarded him somewhere in the 1990s, the College Citation to honour his special contribution to Psychiatry and the RANZCP.
He refused one of New Zealand’s highest honours because it would be from the Queen, and Thakshan had been a principled anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist most of his life. An exceedingly well-read man of the Left, he was the doctor of the Cuban Embassy when it opened in Colombo and had been close to the leaders of the Communist Party. He evolved into a left liberal.Read More
Grandpass: parties agree to settlement     All concerned parties including the Buddhist and Muslim clergy have agreed to amicably resolve the issues that led to Saturday night’s attack in Grandpass, where a newly built Muslim praying Centre was damaged.The parties had decided to develop the old Mosque and remove the newly built prayer centre, sources said. The decision has been taken following a meeting held at the Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Ministry, Colombo 02. The meeting was attended by JHU General Secretary Champika Ranawaka, Western Province governor Alavi Maulana, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister Rishad Badhiutheen, Minister Rauff Hakeem, Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakoon and Buddhist and Muslim Clergy. Speaking after the meeting, JHU General Secretary Champika Ranawaka told reporters that the government and authorities would help to develop the old mosque. Parties had also agreed to remove a Bo tree that was near the mosque. Western Province governor Alavi Maulana said an outside gang had attacked an old mosque in Grandpas area making a threat to the harmony between the communities in the area. (YP & LSP) |
