The Heritage of the Bhikkhu by Walpola Rahula

Author:Walpola Rahula
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Grove Press Book
Published: 1974-03-15T00:00:00+00:00

19. NATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS DEGENERATION

So, in the manner described earlier, with missionaries imported from foreign countries with government assistance, schools were opened in different parts of the country. Through these schools the British Government began to spread Christianity and western culture and convert Buddhists to Christianity. All social and welfare activities hitherto undertaken by bhikkhus fell into the hands of these missionaries, and their power loomed large. Because of the privileged position of the missionaries, their help and assistance were sought. The intervention of the missionaries was necessary even to secure employment. A certificate issued by a missionary was respected by the Government. Moreover, the Government favored Christians. A Buddhist had no place in the higher strata of society. He did not belong to the elite. Therefore, for the sake of materialistic gains, many Sinhalese embraced Christianity. Buddhists were reluctant to profess their faith in public places such as the Law Courts and the Kachcheries.

Foreign missionaries taught the Sinhalese children to look down upon and despise Sinhala Buddhist culture as low and base—a thing inferior—and to value and appreciate Christian culture as immeasurably superior.1

Those Sinhalese who forsook Buddhism and embraced Christianity despised Sinhala Buddhist habits and customs, discarded Sinhalese names and dress, and imitated western styles. They scorned the Sinhala language and looked down on Sinhalese literature as a thing of no value or significance. They were prouder of Rome or Canterbury than of Anurādhapura or PoỊonnaruva. They even began to think of England as their motherland instead of Mother Lanka, Ceylon.

It was this attitude which encouraged people, particularly the growing generation, to despise their own heritage and take up an alien culture which brought about the decline of Sinhala Buddhist culture—the foundation of the Sinhala nation. If a nation loses its own culture, it cannot hope for freedom or develop ment; it can only expect degeneration and slavery.

With the missionaries asserting their power under the Christians, the position of the bhikkhu began to deteriorate. As the Buddhist monks could not adapt themselves to suit the changed political, economic, and social situation, they were rendered useless to society. Nor did they receive an education to prepare them for these new conditions. They had no plan of action. Their word was no more respected. Laymen had nothing to learn from them. Therefore, laymen—particularly those of the upper class—dissociated themselves from bhikkhus and the bond between the laity and the clergy declined. Bhikkhus lost their places and positions in society. Functions and privileges which they had enjoyed hitherto were usurped by, or fell into the hands of, the missionaries.

Thus the bhikkhu, circumscribed both with regard to personality and education, was by force of circumstances driven to limit his activities to the recitation of the Suttas (Pirit chanting), preaching a sermon, attendance at funeral rites and alms-givings in memory of the departed, and to an idle, cloistered life in the temple. In spite of this melancholy and abject situation into which the bhikkhu was forced, any remnants of Sinhala Buddhist culture in the

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