Daily NEWS Srilanka

Samanthrabadra Thera is a monk who from time to time creates various sensational incidents. Why is this? Sri Lanka is a very traditional society. There are no philosophers in this traditional society. No scholars. No men of letters. There is a set of monks known as theras who are live being confined to a small framework. When a person is born  with a good opinion, a good philosophy, who has good

* How do you say that there are no educated people or philosophers in this society?

   Lord Gauthama Buddha is a great sensational character in Bharatha society.

   Ambapali is a well-known prostitute during Buddha's time. Lord Buddha was invited to partake in an alms-giving at her house. If a prostitute in Colombo would come and invite me and if I attend the alms-giving ... would this society favour it my obliging her. But Lord Buddha went to Ambapali's house. Sensational. pure. There's nothing strange to protect as such ... He was pure.

* During the past a certain female sought legal action saying that she has a child by you. Now where is that child? Actually what happened?

   Yes ... sometime back there was a rumour that I have a child. Then where is that child? When legal assistance was sought it was proved through law too that this story was false. Later that female offered flowers offered flowers and asked for forgiveness. That's all.

* Sirisadaham Ashram is a mansion that goes beyond a temple. Is a luxurious mansion such as this suitable for a genuine thera?

   Actually during Buddha's time there were mansions. Here too a place of a mansion has been built up. During Buddha's time Vishaka built the Vihara Dhatu mansion. The Lovamahapeya in Anuradhapura has 7 stories. It was a great royal tradition that existed during Buddha's period. Big temples were built. Europeans are astounded by seeing those. Buddhist tradition is not a begging tradition. It's a valuable tradition that bestowed many an artistic creation to the world. Here it's a wonderful place ... therefore people scorn at it. What we want is not to built a beautiful temple. To develop a new opinion to the society.

* But thera ... Prince Siddhartha abandoned palaces such as Ramya, Suramya and Subha and strived to seek the way to emancipation. Do you want to create palaces by living in the Dhamma that was so discovered?

   Yes ... it's true. It's true that prince Siddhartha left the three palaces of Ramya, Suramya and Subha and attained Buddhahood. But after attaining that state where did Bosathano go once again to? Was he in a drain? Was he at the root of a ficus tsiela? Was he present at Poorwarama of Jetawanarama? A person realises truth after abandoning everything. The person who thus abandons everything and realises everything has nothing more to grab. Even whether he's in a stack of diamonds or on top of an ant hill ... he has understood reality.

* How many under-developed, ancient and Raja Maha Viharas in a ramshackled state in this country even though you make mansions like this? How many temples there are where proper alms are not received and where a mat or pillow is not available?

   It's like this ... There are enough people in this country to build temples. But there aren't people who build opinions. It's because we put forward those opinions that it becomes a sensation.This isn't a temple. What's built here is an opinion. These are royal traditions which we have seen in the village chetiya in the temple. But you have to wander around the world. You have to know about those. You don't need to build small temples anew. Now there are too many temples in the country. But no human resources have developed. There are temples today ... but no monks. There are dogs in dharma shalas. I am against those. Dharma shalas should not be places where dogs should take refuge. On Poya days only the dogs are chased away and the dharma shalas are cleaned up and it's given to upasaka ammas. Then after that the dogs take refuge in the dhamma shalawas once again. These are the things that should be changed.

* There are many young bhikkus who reside in Santhabadra Thera's Ashram. Weren't there many allegations launched in relation to the subject of homosexuality about these young monks?

   Those who are ordained here are the young crowd ... those who are somewhat well-to-do ... those who are educated ... those who have gone to campus. There are even doctors who have ordained and are among us. That's what should happen. If not, the Sasana will not become a reality by ordaining those who have nothing to eat and drink. After they follow their education they go back to their homes. People who can't understand these things insult these young bhikkus.

* Aren't there young bhikkunis in this ashram itself?

   Yes ... the female has a similar status in the Buddha Sasana. There's no issue about it. Anybody could get ordained. We must provide that opportunity. Now one and a half years before we ordained young females. All of them have understood this dhamma. This crowd of  bhikkunis at this ashram is under the governance of Kusuma Bhikkuni. We don't ordain according to our whims and fancies. Only if we develop these things that this dhamma will remain intact. If not there will be a big collapse in the Sasana.

* Isn't there a difference in the hue of the robe of these bhikkunis?

   The reason for that is that monks here are dressed in yellow robes. When travelling abroad the monks too wear long-sleeved robes. In such instances the monks dress in the colour of their robes and the bhikkunis wear a red-type of long-sleeved robe. If not both parties become indistinguishable. There's no big difference in the dress of a bhikku and a bhikkuni. After shaving the head it's difficult to distinguish. It's for that reason that bhikkunis adorn themselves with long-sleeved red-coloured robes.

* 'Wassane heene' is not a Buddhist devotional song as such. Why did you act in it?

   This is not the first visual. This is the second visual where I appeared in. I participated in a song made by Iraj in 2008. This new song ... a good theme. It's a problem in society that is discussed here. If the young crowd can be directed towards the dhamma from a creative angle ... there's nothing wrong in it.

* Don't you admit that acting is something wrong for a bhikku?

   It's wrong if a bhikku involves himself in acting, isn't it. Acting is taboo. If a bhikku communicates with the camera and utter dialogues in the presence of an actor ... it's acting. If not I change gestures in front of the actor. That's acting. If not ... staying seated means not acting.

* An image of yours is created beside Lord Buddha's image. Why is this?

   Anyone can make a statue. This is not the first statue made in the world when a bhikku is among the living. King Ajasatta made a statue from red sandalwood at the time when Lord Buddha was living. 3 statues of Mr. Henry Olcott was created at the time he was among the living. So this one was just another one. Donors make statues. People worship me when I am among the living. Offer flowers. Pay homage. That's their wish.

* For all these things you receive big donations from overseas don't you? What is this talk about a contract that you are trying to distort this Theravada Buddhism?

  There's no such contract. There were many stories woven about me by several people. Even today those are said ... and tomorrow it will be so. Many stories are woven about round a prominent character in Sri Lanka. All this is gossip. when various stories are woven, I take up all those things with much equanimity.there are no contracts involved in aid given by people to the temple. All that is received because of the dhamma. If a person is doing his job properly ... has a good vision ... good policy; earning money is that much of a big thing.

* Some people say that you carry out a large part of work to spread Mahayana in this country with necessary adjustments.

   Those are false rumours. When people want to sling mud ... they say various types of stories. Fish, meat is not consumed in in Mahayana Buddhism. No garlic is eaten ... no red onions. Dried fish, Maldive fish, fish, meat ... nothing of the sort is eaten.

* But in the birthday celebration you celebrated it in a grand scale by bringing all this fish and meat ... made a cake of so many kilos. Was that done to give the impression that we aren't the Mahayana category?

   Yes ... that's true. Even when alms are brought to this temple, fish and meat are brought. Even on the occasion of a birthday all those things are given. Then is it Mahayana or Theravada here? Therefore we need not explain as to what tradition we belong to. Many people said many stories. I challenged them to come to discuss this. But ... none of them came.

* Haven't you achieved the status of Arahat?

  Yes, I have become an Arahat.

* In that case you would have no hopes about any of these things or desires ... don't you?

   Yes, because I have achieved the state of Arahat ... there's no hope about anything. Achieving that state means that every target has been finished. Therefore there is no target ... hope within him. The dhamma says that mythology within society would be destroyed. A new creative idea would be introduced to society. Intellectuals will be created for the society. Will be made prosperous ... made educated.

* If you give sermons like that ... and achieved status of Arahat ... why so many desires and run after mansions, temples, expensive robes, lavish almsgiving festivals?

   The problem is not with material assets in the country. Whether an attachment is created with these? or whether these things are grabbed with greed is the question! The point is that I have no attachment to any of these things. I utilise these things without any attachment to those things as such. I have no lust with me ... no craving. Whatever people say ... I have no attachment for any of these things.

Dishani Jayamali Karunaratna (courtesy -- deshaya.lk)