'Happy the karma that brought me to thy shores' - Col. Henry Steel Olcott

by Justice P.H.K. Kulatilaka

At the request of the great Emperor Asoka his son Arahat Mahinda Thera accompanied by four theras, a samanera and a laymen using wondrous powers alighted on the pleasant Missaka mountains [ now called Mihintale] in the year 247 B.C on the Poson full moon poya day where he met King Tissa of the beauteous island of Lanka. Thereupon Arahat Mahinda delivered his message to the King.

'Samanas are we, O great king, disciples of the King of Truth. From compassion towards thee are we come hither from Jambudipa'. see Geiger's Mahavmsa, Chapter xiv.

Thera preached Culahathipadupama Suththa. On hearing the discourse the king along with forty thousand men took refuge in The Triple Gem, Buddha, Dhamma and Sanga. Thus was born the Buddhist Kingdom of Lanka.

Since then except during some sporadic South Indian invasions Buddhism had been the State religion and was favoured and patronised by the kings. The archeological remains all over the island speak for the truth of it. In 1505 owing to disunity among the claimants to the throne of Kotte and internecine warfare of the provincial rulers, the Maritime Provinces fell into the hands of the Portuguese and then the Dutch.

In these regions the Buddhists who were referred to as heathens were forcibly converted to the Christian faith in large numbers and those who refused were persecuted. Even though Buddhism continued to receive the Kings' patronage in the Kandyan Kingdom the influence of Hinduism was felt and it lost the hitherto favoured position it enjoyed.

During the British occupation even though the British rulers in terms of the Kandyan Convention undertook to give all support to Buddhism it was not to be. The people of Uva-Wellassa in 1818 and Matale in 1848 revolted against the British rule. The Buddhist clergy including Kudapola Hamuduruvo along with local leaders were in the forefront of the freedom struggle.

British rulers quelled the rebellion mercilessly killing not only their leaders but innocent Sinhalese inhabitants as well in thousands. This was in 1818 and 1848. Irony of it is that the British Government has conveniently forgotten the inhuman cruelty of their forefathers and has turned out to be the champions of Human Rights.

By the last quarter of the 19th century the Christian missionaries were spreading their evangelistic tentacles of the Christian faith to undermine Buddhism, the religion of the masses and their traditional cultures. It was the worst of times for Buddhism. Throughout the island the idea had been spread that Buddhism was a lower religion unworthy of acceptance.

Facing all odds against them the Buddhist clergy kept alive the spirit of Kudapola Hamuduruvo. The prevailing scenario was described by Dr. Ian Goonetileke in his excellent work 'Images of Sri Lanka Through American Eyes' in the following term ' During this process of withdrawal and reconstitution of their forces, the Buddhists declined to enter the competitive arena either in religion or in education. Increasing military and calculated aggression on the part of the Christian missionary establishment in the period following the middle of the century produced a new climate of corresponding defiance and combativeness on the part of Buddhist monks and laymen alike and the stage was set for a crucial confrontation'.

Though of disturbed mind undeterred by what was happening around him great Buddhist Priest Miggettuwatte Gunananda Thera put on the gloves and challenged the Christian missionaries to an open debate on the respective merits of the two faiths. Four debates were held and debate at Panadura popularly known as Panadure Vadaya proved to be crucial. Silver tongued champion orator monk Migettuwatte Thera met and demolished the arguments advanced by his opponents led by Rev. David de Silva and demonstrated the merits of Buddhism. This was in August 1873.

To be continued