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'Can pirith chanting make Buddha statues extraordinarily powerful?'

Now commemoration of important Buddhist religious days such as Vesak and Poson have been converted into 'carnivals' and 'musical' evenings. While there are thousands of Bhikkus in the country, the leadership of the 'religious' carnivals are chaired by corrupt politicians, businessmen and some media personnel. As the so-called Amisa puja are organised by any person in any place and at any time, the Buddhists in Sri Lanka are diverted.

Vesak is now not on a single day for Sri Lankans anymore, it is a 'Vesak week' and instead of a one-day carnival, people enjoy a week-long entertainment, diverted from the Prathipaththi puja which Buddha expected.

I wonder where the Bhikkus who cry foul and organise protests when they hear of Buddha statues being damaged in other parts of the world or, when they see a Buddha painting on a dress or a hand bag. Can't they see or hear what is happening in Sri Lanka during Vesak week and on other important religious days for Buddhists?

Vesak Kalapaya

Another gimmick is the introduction by an FM radio channel, during Vesak titled 'Vesak Kalapaya'. They announced on the radio channel that Buddha statues will be given to those who book through a phone call.

The radio channel recommended the power of the statues which they said were blessed by pirith chanting. They said the Buddha statues which were blessed at the 'Vesak Kalapaya' were extraordinarily powerful (Mahanubhava sampanna). They interviewed some people who were given the statues, who in turn praised the FM channel. Announcers of the channel said 'the worship of the powerful Buddha statues' was the same as worshipping a living Buddha.

For some reason, there wasn't much of a demand for these statues as a result, the FM channel is now announcing that listeners of their programs can request for the 'powerful' Buddha statues, and they coild get one.

What has happened to Buddhism in Sri Lanka? Can any person or a group of people or any organisation for that matter introduce anything in the name of Buddhism? Where are the Buddhist leaders - the chief incumbents of the three Nikayas in Sri Lanka? Have they consented for anybody to do anything to commemorate important religious Buddhist occasions in Sri Lanka?

It is well- known in history that the statues of the Buddha have been introduced for worship by some kings and some Bhikkus who did not understand the teachings of the Buddha, about four or five centuries after Buddha's time.

The Buddha never spoke of any kind of worship or offering of rice or flowers to statues depicting the Buddha or of any paintings (Amisa puja) because Buddhism is a teaching of principles which should be practised (Prathipaththi puja).

Practise the Buddha's teachings

The concept of Buddha statues has been a favourable amisa puja for those who want to pretend that they are Buddhists but practice non-Buddhist actions. It is they, including some so- called Bhikkus who have popularised the practise of worshipping statues and offering pujas to trees including Bo trees and stones, instead of leading the people to practise the Buddha's teachings.

The art of making statues has been developed through all available material and technology and now Buddha statues are made of clay, cement, concrete, wax, wood and even plaster of Paris. Never mind the material or technology used in making these statues, the question is, can these statues be given power by chanting pirith on them? Has the Buddha stated anywhere that statues could be empowered by chanting pirith on them and where the Buddha could be equated to a statue?

If the Buddha statues blessed by chanting pirith are extraordinarily powerful, what about the rest of the objects and materials like sand, stones, bricks, tiles and everything else in the Vesak Kalapaya where pirith was chanted and those within the area that sound waves of the pirith could travel. If Buddha statues have been energized with extraordinary powers, all other materials and objects also must have been similarly empowered.

I request Bhikkus, at least the chief incumbents of all the three Chapters in Sri Lanka, not to remain silent, while politicians, businessmen and some media personnel corrupt Buddhism in this country. Some groups, particularly non Buddhists who earn money through nefarious means may give their black money to suppress the true value of Buddhism.

Bhikkus should take immediate action to stop anti-religious activities and non-Buddhist practices which are being introduced to society to commemorae Buddhist events.

K.R. Abhayasingha,
Visiting Lecturer, Post Graduate Institute of
Science (PGIS), University of Peradeniya and Retired
Director of Meteorology