What do we know about our Ancient Sinhala Buddhist history.

I would like to gather & show some important historical events, historical people & how much of the Sri Lankan history has been altered up to today, the year 2009. My intentions in writing this article is to collect information in the sake of Sinhala Buddhists all round the world to be proud of their glorious history & hopefully that we do much more to find, research, restore & save our history for the future generations to come. (Sri Lankan history is a very broad subject, but hear I have taken a much smaller portion from it.)

Our ''human history is dating from as early as 18,000 BC''[1] & the Buddhist history as early as lord Buddhas first visit to Sri Lanka[2]. If we talk about the first visit of Lord Buddha to Sri Lanka & the expectations of Lord Buddha, was that to establish Buddhism in the island. Who was on the island when this historical event happened ? It was a group of people who called them selves as ''Yakka''[3]. But they were not civilized & after the lord Buddhas visit, these people became civilized & Buddhists. So if there was civilised Buddhist Yakka people in Sri Lanka after this event, how can our civilization begins from ''Vijaya''[4] a banished prince from India.

What is the purpose of saying that, after Vijaya our civilization began ? Is this the truth about our civilization & our roots of origin ? Sinhala people have their origins from the ''Lanka king Ravana''[3]. From what I have heard, the idea to say that ''after Vijaya our civilization began'' was to combine the Sinhala peoples roots to Vijaya, whom had a close family roots to Lord Buddha. Personally I do not see any problem, if something is true. But if we are forced to believe something is true but it is Not, then I can not except that.

Later on we became under colonialists three times in the past. More peaces of our true history was forgotten & some times we were forced to forget ! Things like our own ancient marshal arts ''Angam Pora'' & many other cultural & historical things & some things were lost forever, only myths are left today.

I think it is now the time to dig deep & restore our true identity ones & for all in this world. It's now or newer. Further more ''it is time for us to stop believing things as it have been don for long time, but start finding the truth''(Soma thero). In addition pleas read & listen to the information from the articles & videos which are shown below. Both articles & videos contain much in-depth information about this topic & much more.

* Soma theros video is including one of the best ''Bana'' that I have listen for a long time.

A special thanks to Wikipedia.org, ''sinhalabuddhism'' & ''LankaRavana'' YouTube channels for their work.

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[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanniyala-Aetto#Roots

[2] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X3aE_WeFHQ&feature=related
(from 6.10min in this video by Soma thero from
''sinhalabuddhism'' in YouTube)

[3] http://www.youtube.com/user/LankaRavana#play/uploads/5/CSKvPUDMXiA

(from''LankaRavana'' in YouTube)

[4] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5uWlPebeus&feature=related

(from 5.27min in this video by Soma thero from

''sinhalabuddhism'' in YouTube)

Common Humanity

In Buddhism we are encouraged to dwell on those truths which ennoble the mind. One of them is our common humanity. We learn to reflect on the things which bring us together rather than those things separate us. Of course, the differences between each of us – even born in the same country or in the same city or come from the same social background – are already considerable. But if we concentrate on those things that set us apart, then they will come to seem more and more real, and we will despair of finding true peace and harmony in our lives together in this world.

The Lord Buddha encouraged us to consider that every one of us on this planet are companions; companions in birth, companions in old age, companions in sickness, companions in death. Every single one of us sitting here today will, without doubt, sooner or later, have to face the reality of death. Every one of us has already experienced the reality of sickness to some extent or another. And unless any of us is unfortunate enough to meet a premature death we will all have to experience the infirmities of old age.When we give serious consideration to our companionship in birth, old age, sickness, and death with all other beings in the world, it gives us a fresh perspective – and I think a wise one – on that which separates us.

Amaravati Buddhist Monastery

The Serenity At Amaravati Buddhist Monastery In Hemel Hempstead


source:
Nelu Manel
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlg5AO49_dY
http://www.youtube.com/manel08uk

Amaravati Buddhist Monastery is a monastery in the Thai Forest Tradition of the Theravada lineage of Buddhism. Amaravati is a centre of teaching and practice. It is located in Great Gaddesden, in the Chiltern Hills, near Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, England.

Amaravati means "Deathless Realm" in Pāli, the scriptural language of the ancient Buddhist Pali Canon. The temple was founded by the disciples of the noted Thai meditation master, Luang Por Chah (1918-1992). Its current abbot is Ajahn Sumedho. In addition to the monks' and nuns' residences, there are accommodations for long-term lay residents and shorter-term lay guests.

Amaravati has a retreat centre, where meditation retreats of varying lengths are held for lay people. Both the monastery and the retreat centre are run on dana (free-will donations).

Amaravati was created in 1984 when the English Sangha Trust purchased a residential school (previously an army base) from Buckinghamshire County Council.
It is linked to Cittaviveka (Chithurst Buddhist Monastery) in West Sussex, and to monasteries in Devon, Northumberland, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, Switzerland, North America and Thailand. Amaravati officially opened in 1985. In the late 1990s, a temple building was constructed. It was officially opened by the King of Thailand's sister, Princess Galyani Vadhana, on the 4th of July, 1999.
The nuns at Amaravati (and Cittaviveka) are part of the ten-precept order created by Ajahn Sumedho at Cittaviveka in 1983..

It has become one of the more popular lineages in the West. Amaravati's sister monastery at Chithurst is not open to the public and is occupied by serious long-term practitioners.
This Monastry is located in a large woodland.The uniqueness of this Monastry is the silence that prevails within its surroundings...


Venerable Ajahn Sumedho
Ven.Ajahn Sumedho is a bhikkhu of the Theravada School of Buddhism,a tradition that prevails in Sri Lanka and S.E.Asia.
In this last century its clear and practical reachings have been well received in the West as a source of understanding and peace that stands up to the rigorous tests of our current age.

Ajahn Sumedho is himself Westerner having been born in Seattle,Washington,USA in 1934.He left the States in 1964 and took bhikkhu ordination in Nong Khai,N.E. Thailand in 1967.Soon after this he went to stay with Ven.Ajahn Chah, a Thai meditation master who lived in the forest monastery.....

Ajahn Chah's monasteries were renowned for their austerity and emphasis on a simple direct approach to Dhamma practice, and Ajahn Sumedho eventually stayed for ten years in this environment before being invited to take up residence in London by the English Sangha Trust with three other of Ajahn Chah's Western disciples....
Ven. Ajahn Sumedho the head priest has written many books on the Dhamma.His knowledge of Buddhism is Amazing.....

This article from:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlg5AO49_dY
http://www.youtube.com/manel08uk
Nelu Manel 
Please visit there for more videos.

Buddha statues Emitting Rays.

Prof. Nalin De Silva explains the phenomenon of Buddha statues emitting rays.


source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qH0c-_JzQoE

We saw that Buddha statutes emitting rays in August 2006. At that time Sri lanka Army started the battle against LTTE. And now we are feeling the glorious victory.

Also please note that this emitting rays started in Medamulana Temple. So that is the Temple of our Grate Leader H.E. Hon. President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The "Mahawansaya" says that when the battle started against Elara by King Dutugemunu, at that time such a emitting rays were suddenly visible.

If that situation happen due to the mix with yellow and red colors, why now we can't see such a thing? Also why other colors were not mixing like that? Could you see a green color rays in the image below as that was visible in the Buddha statues?

 

Prof. Nalin De Silva is quite right. Because not only for that situation but also for the war, those western educated so called broadminded people gave a wrong opinions. If Sri Lankans believed them, we are still thinking, how to survive from the LTTE!

Rosi Senanayaka against Sinhala Buddhists

source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bQTdtb2g0nY

NoEalamInSL 

Rosi Ramanayake married to Athula Senanayke, She became Rosi Senanayake. Her controversial statement is an insult to Senanayaka name in Sri Lanka. I personally like her and respect her for bringing honor to Sri Lanka when she became Mrs World 1985. But the statement she made "Sinhalese-Buddhists in Sri Lanka should be removed" is unacceptable and should withdraw by her. If she thinks that is the cause of the war, she needs to do more research. Separatism nothing to do with Sinhala-Buddhism
 

eranjenes

any person has right to believe in any religion. but religion defines the country's culture as well. e.g in America they say god bless even in white house. in middle east islam comes before everything. so in Sri lanka buddhism should get that place too. apart from SL where can we do that. in England? in Norway u cant go to parliament if u r christian. but in SL its different. we ve given 2 much freedom to missionaries so we have to do something about it. we have a cultural identity.

sri lanka is already a multi religious country. we dont have a name like ' Buddhist republic of Sri Lanka' like some countries who have names like 'Islamic republic of Iran' , 'Islamic republic of Pakistan'. and we haven't prevented any other religion from building churches, mosques or kovils in any area they like. we dont interrupt them anyway. what more to be  multi cultural? this is not about multi cultural this is about this woman Rosi offending Buddhists in SL. she has no cultural identity.