Ven. Galabodatte Gnanasara Thero, one of the Buddhist monks who formed the Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) soon after the demise of Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thero says that the JHU has completely forgotten the pledges given to the people before the 2004 general election. In an interview with The Sunday Leader the monk said the lay leaders in the JHU are now controlling the party and some monks too have gone astray with the parliamentary privileges and perks which they earlier promised not to accept.

A: Buddhist monks entering mainstream politics could be approved if they could prevent evil and unwholesome thoughts arising in the minds of the rulers and work towards banishing the evil thoughts already arisen, to produce and develop wholesome thoughts and try to promote and maintain the good thoughts already present. From the early days it was the duty of the monks to advise our rulers but never went on a collision course with them.

But as Buddhist monks we had to enter mainstream politics in 2004 considering the fact that the then government and the opposition did not walk on the righteous path for a better tomorrow. Instead the Buddhists of this country elected monks as their representatives to parliament to bring back the lost reputation of the country, but that has not had the desired effect.

A: There were many Buddhist monks like Ven. Saranankara Thero, Ven. Weedagama Thero, Ven Henpitagedara Gnanaseeha Thero and many more monks who worked tirelessly for the betterment of the country. Even now there are some monks who are determined to carry out the good work of those reputed monks of yesteryear. But unfortunately with the formation of the JHU the monks who were actively engaged in social service entered the political mainstream and went astray with the perks they received. Instead of implementing their pledges, to satisfy their needs and a comfortable life these innocent Buddhist monks had to abide by the orders of the lay leaders in the party. That was the downfall of the JHU and the Buddhist aspirations.

But those who could stand on their own feet immediately moved away from the party as well as active politics. That is why Ven. Kolonnawe Sumangala Thero gave up his parliamentary seat.

The JHU lay leaders whom we consider as ‘cardboard heroes’ are now ruining the party. Since these cardboard leaders emerged from nowhere, the people are now fed up of the party and even the elected representatives.

What happened to the Sihala Urumaya? The vote bank declined from 150,000 to 50,000 and the same would happen to the JHU at a future election. When Ven. Gangodawila Soma Thero came forward to rescue the nation and the religion it was the JVP and the JHU lay leaders who opposed it strongly.

But with the demise of Ven. Soma Thero they consolidated their vote bank over his body to enter parliament with a view to carrying forward Ven. Soma Thero’s ideas — however all their pledges have been only confined to words.

A: Of course yes. It was the Buddhist monks who always advised our rulers. They never went behind them for personal gain unlike today’s monks.

A: How can you consider the JHU a political party if they cannot fulfill the Buddhist aspirations which they promised to uphold before the 2004 election? Now they have become part and parcel of the government purely for personal benefit. With laymen joining the JHU parliamentary group and certain monks in parliament, the JHU has now become just a Marxist party.

A: Naththi Loko Aninditho — There is no one in this universe who is of good repute all the time. Even Lord Buddha was accused of various things by certain people, but he was strong as a solid rock.

So being monks we should know how to face criticism more than laymen. If someone enters the political mainstream then he should know how to accept gain and losses, good repute and ill repute, praise and censure, pain and pleasure alike. If our JHU members say that they are strong Buddhists then they should cultivate equanimity in life. Amidst blame and praise, success and failure they should be firm as a concrete block. So if the JHU members have cultivated self reliance they should not be confronting others; instead they should face the vicissitudes of life with a brave heart.

There is nothing wrong if people point out the faults of monks and vise versa. Especially we as Buddhist monks should refrain from hatred but it is sad to note the JHU members do not know what metta, karuna, mudhitha and upekka is. Instead they only know hatred and jealously. That is why they are slandering those who oppose their ideology.

A: Absolutely. Other than Tilak Karunaratne all the other lay leaders of the Hela Urumaya wanted to win votes over the Tamil issue. But later they knew that it was not successful and saw how people flocked round Ven. Soma Thero and myself since we were on a mission against unethical conversions.

We held Bodu Samulu and Ama Wessa which gathered Buddhists in their thousands from all over the country under one roof; and these cunning lay leaders knew that our concept was the only way to achieve their goals and invited reputed monks of the calibre of Ven. Dr. Medhananda Thero to join the political mainstream to bring an anti conversion bill to halt unethical conversion.

A: No, I cannot justify what they have done. Before entering parliament it was Ven. Medhananda Thero who pledged not to accept any parliamentary privileges. But now they have acted against their own promises. Although Ven. Rathana Thero and H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya have admitted that the JHU monk parliamentarians have sold their duty free vehicle permits, it is hilarious to note how Udaya Gammanpila denies it.

Anyhow now the JHU is trying to convince the public that they have sold the permits to support the innocents in the north and east. If that is their theology, then we have to accept if Kudu Naufer says that he sell drugs to help the down trodden in society.

It is sad to note that the JHU members have sold their vehicle permits, in which case, as true Buddhist monks they should have accepted their mistake before the people. Why are they still trying to cover up the whole issue? It is not good for Buddhist monks to lie.

A: The government’s first priority should be to bring the terrorists to the negotiating table failing which fighting against them is not wrong.

Ours is a small country and we have to abide by the international rules and regulations.

But the JVP and JHU stances are quite different to the others. They accuse the superpower of interfering in our internal affairs during the day but meet them over a meal in the evening. These are the double standards adopted by these two extremist parties.

A: No.

A: This is totally against the Buddhist doctrine. Monks should not accept any gifts from laymen.

A: Certainly yes, if you are a true Buddhist there is no room for revenge. Is this how the JHU is going to create a Dharmarajya. They preach one thing but do another thing. This alone shows the hatred some so called JHU leaders — mainly the laymen — are sowing instead of the four sublime states of metta - loving kindness, karuna - compassion, muditha - sympathetic or appreciative joy and upekkha - equanimity.

A: Yes, since I came out strongly against the present JHU’s state of affairs I have received many death threats which I am not scared of. I am not a coward. Only those who are engaging in cowardly acts cannot come before me. I am ready to face life’s intricacies as a practicing Buddhist who loves the country and the religion but nothing else.