Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism
Encyclopedia
Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism is a political ideology which combines a focus upon Sinhalese culture and ethnicity with an emphasis upon Theravada Buddhism, which is the majority belief system of most Sinhalese people
in Sri Lanka
. It mostly originated in reaction to the colonization of Sri Lanka by the British Empire, and became increasingly assertive in the years following the independence of the country. Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has also been a driving force of interest in the Sri Lankan Civil War
against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
.
was one of the primary contributors to the Buddhist revival of the 19th century that led to the creation of Buddhist institutions to match those of the missionaries, and to the independence movement of the 20th century. He illustrated the first three points in a public speech:
He once praised the normal Tamil vadai seller for his courage and blamed the Sinhalese people who were lazy and called upon them to rise. He strongly protested against the killing of cattle and eating of beef.
and T. Maheswaran
working with Buddhist groups on the anti-Conversion billLanka Buddhists take on Church Daily Pioneer - June 9, 2009. Also, D. B. S. Jeyaraj noted that both Sri Lankan Hindu nationalism and Buddhist nationalism rose as reactions to Christianity.. Hindu-Buddhist collaboration is growing more prevalent in Sri Lanka, with the rise of groups such as the Hindu-Buddhist Friendship Society.
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It mostly originated in reaction to the colonization of Sri Lanka by the British Empire, and became increasingly assertive in the years following the independence of the country. Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has also been a driving force of interest in the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
against the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
.
Contributions of Anagarika Dharmapala
Anagarika DharmapalaAnagarika Dharmapala
Anagarika Dharmapala was a leading figure of Buddhism in the twentieth century. He was one of the founding contributors of Sinhalese Buddhist Nationalism and Protestant Buddhism...
was one of the primary contributors to the Buddhist revival of the 19th century that led to the creation of Buddhist institutions to match those of the missionaries, and to the independence movement of the 20th century. He illustrated the first three points in a public speech:
-
- "This bright, beautiful island was made into a Paradise by the Aryan Sinhalese before its destruction was brought about by the barbaric vandals. Its people did not know irreligion... Christianity and polytheism are responsible for the vulgar practices of killing animals, stealing, prostitution, licentiousness, lying and drunkenness... The ancient, historic, refined people, under the diabolism of vicious paganism, introduced by the British administrators, are now declining slowly away."
He once praised the normal Tamil vadai seller for his courage and blamed the Sinhalese people who were lazy and called upon them to rise. He strongly protested against the killing of cattle and eating of beef.
Relationship with other religions in Sri Lanka
Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism has a fractious relationship with other religious communities like Christians, with protests often being organized by Buddhist nationalist organizations against the perceived interference of Christians in the country. Relations between Buddhist nationalists and Hindus are more nuanced, with numerous Hindu figures, including Kandiah NeelakandanKandiah Neelakandan
Kandiah Neelakandan is a Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer who is the secretary of the All Ceylon Hindu Congress. He has been active in providing legal expertise and guidance for the Sri Lanka Hindu Congress, and has worked on the interactions between Hindus and the legal system...
and T. Maheswaran
T. Maheswaran
T. Maheswaran was an ethnic Tamil Sri Lankan Member of Parliament from Colombo. He belonged to the main opposition United National Party and was critic of Rajapakse government's war against Tamil rebels...
working with Buddhist groups on the anti-Conversion billLanka Buddhists take on Church Daily Pioneer - June 9, 2009. Also, D. B. S. Jeyaraj noted that both Sri Lankan Hindu nationalism and Buddhist nationalism rose as reactions to Christianity.. Hindu-Buddhist collaboration is growing more prevalent in Sri Lanka, with the rise of groups such as the Hindu-Buddhist Friendship Society.