Book review:

Theory and practice of secular Buddhism

Reviewed by Padma EDIRISINGHE

One may opine that giant personnel and institutions like the Buddha and Buddhism need no media help for propagation. But the fact that the Buddha himself in the initial stages sent 60 Bhikkhus in all directions to propagate the Dhamma He preached should not be overlooked.

Laukika Bududhahama (Siddantha Saha Bhavithaya) Authors: Prof Chandra Wickremagamage and Dr H.A.P. Abeywardena Published by Tharanji, Maharagama

The Thathagatha himself, according to Buddhist legend, foresaw the extinguishing of the faith in a certain segment of time, say 5,000 years of which more than 2,500 years have already passed.

Ebbing

Hence its ebbing at certain phases is nothing to be marvelled at. The author himself was humble enough not to exclude his own institution from the Law of Impermanency that was the cornerstone of the Dhamma.

We talk of Buddhism betrayed , Buddhism threatened and now we are in this second condition when with increasing materialism and extravagant consumerism, the religion is almost going “out of fashion” among some veering towards tinsel saviours.

Even in this nucleus–country of Theravada Buddhism almost all facets of life seem to be directed to a particular way of life that crudely put hinges on “The Kapalla Beepalla jolly karapalla.

Heta marunath hithata sapai (Eat, drink and make yourself merry. Living so even death tomorrow is welcome”).

This popularises certain faiths which though the initial author never advocated (no aspiring saviour of man would ever do so) have now got designed by subsequent followers to execute such a line of thinking in keeping with their uninhibited life-styles. So, it is but natural that those who wish to attack Buddhism tend to picture it as a gloomy and pessimistic religion (once opined so by the pillar of the Papacy) that concentrates only on Death and After Life while overlooking this life.

Crying need

So, the book written by two well–known academics with wide experience in many fields does come out at a time when “advertising” on how the Buddha never limited himself to the after world but gave enough instructions to make one’s present lay life successful is almost fulfilling a crying need. In fact the book is a composite of essays written by a galaxy of well–known Buddhist scholars on this aspect.

It is a weakness of the compilers that the titles of the 20 topics do not immediately imply this purpose but are a rendition of seemingly oft-handled common topics as The Buddha, evolution of the universe ,Buddhist education in the island, ethics of Buddhism and counselling in Buddhism etc.

Had the topics been more explicit as Buddhist thinking on Human Rights (Ch. 6), The economic philosophy of Buddhism (Ch. 9), Hints on practical Management as reflected in Buddhist philosophy (Ch. 13), The psychological approach to Moral living and Buddhist thinking that nurtures public administration (Ch. 20), the book would have generated more enthusiasm. In these days of time pressure the index is very important. And many sieve the contents via the index.

Mature minds

But one must not throw away the baby with the bath. Though the very topic does not provide a fitting key to the contents encased are the product of very mature minds who are all intent on illustrating how Buddhism could answer the complex and ever –proliferating needs of the present society.

Reading them it is almost as though the Great One foresaw the calamitous situations in our world at the eve of the 20th Century and the dawn of the 21st Century and advocated remedies.