Crossing borders

by Punyakante Wijenaike

From the beginning of creation mankind has been in turmoil. Animals living within jungles, fish swimming in waters and birds flying through open skies and nesting on treetops have existed in better harmony than mankind. True, killings happen when hunger for food arises but not otherwise.

Does turmoil happen because mankind has been blessed or cursed with thinking powers that other creatures do not possess? Feelings may be ruled out because other creatures also possess feelings. But when mankind entered the scene conflict increased in the universe. Barriers of race, culture, colour, mode of dress, customs and language divided humanity. Nature had no connection with these divisions.

But what appears to have become a truly major issue of today is religion. It was created by man himself for help in his time of need. But now has it has been turned into another issue for argument and division possibly ending in war.

Childhood

I still recall the peace in our old home where I spent my childhood where Buddhism and Christianity lived side by side on two different balconies of the old house. On one balcony stood a shrine with the statue of the Buddha with his eyes closed serenely.

But with the same serenity my grandfather, an ardent Christian, read his Bible daily. Neither religion tried to influence the other.

But in the changing atmosphere of today, is this possible?

Today religions are divided into many denominations. Anglicans, Catholics, Methodists and Protestants. Buddhists have the Theravada and Mahayana way of following the doctrine of the Buddha. The Hindus have many gods and goddesses in a temple and Muslims have their own divisions.

Mankind has been fighting each other over land, kingdoms, property and race, each trying to control the other. It is like Hitler crushing the Jews and the Atom bomb being dropped on Japan.

But now religion, which had always been held in respect, could be and is becoming the next target for the battlefield. This could be the worst tragedy for mankind if one can judge by what is taking place in Egypt. For have we not depended on faith to see us through life and entrance into another world through eventual death? Where or whom could we turn to in need of help through life's troubled journey?

Religion

In Europe and other foreign countries as well, there are problems arising over religion.

It is the duty of mankind to honour and respect each other's faith. It can be the binding factor towards peace in the world. Therefore, I was very happy to read in a newspaper that in Grandpass recently Bhikkhus agreed to chop off branches of a Bo-tree to make space for the extension of a mosque. Maybe we can prove this as an example of religious understanding and harmony to the rest of the world.