There is no single person or creature that will not become a victim of death. The end of life is death, which is a common process, where no one is able to forecast the final call. Many people have visited many cemeteries during their life time, and perhaps such visits help one to realise the impermanence of life on earth, and to transform one’s refracted ‘intelligence’.Death is collectively shared by all human beings as a reminder of the transient nature of the temporary life on earth.
Cause and effect
According to Buddhism and Hinduism, cause and effect governs a person’s life, which in spiritual terms is known as good or bad karma.To those who believe in God, but simultaneously who blame Divinity for all the atrocities befallen upon them (along with atheists), the answer lies in the knowledge of how karma works, as everyone’s actions and activities are carried forward from previous births to the present. When this basic theory is realised, an individual will be able to fathom as to why some of us are born beautiful and powerful, brainy or illiterate, healthy and unhealthy, disabled and end up with terminal diseases etc.
People learn through parapsychology, meditation, psychology and new technology how planetary aspects govern our own character and make everyone a distinctive person according to zodiac signs. Planets, with their motions and energies, are believed to affect each individual on earth. Similarly, planetary formation is supposed to reflect on every country and its people alike. In that sense, one would easily say that Sri Lanka is subject to a barrage of bad karmic effects currently.
Sri Lanka experienced a terrorist war for 30-years. In 2004, she endured the wrath of mother nature in terms of a tsunami, generated out of natural sources where more than 50,000 lives perished. Some would say Sri Lanka is suffering so much due to a curse from Kuveni, the consort of King Vijaya, at the time of cruelty to her, when she implored gods to curse Vijaya and the country that still holds sway over Sri Lanka.
Other Countries
2001 marks a similar incident that took place in the US, when a series of four coordinated terrorist attacks caused a fire to bring about a complete collapse of the Twin Towers in New York, killing over 5000 people.
The massive grave yard in Berlin, Germany, shares another indescribable horrific act by man on fellow human beings, when thousands of innocent Jews were tortured in gas chambers and killed due to a ‘collective karmic’effect.
The most grief-stricken incident in Paris took place when Princess Diana had to pay a heavy karmic penalty by being involved in motor car accident and faced an untimely death.
Could it be God’s wrath, in the form of a karmic consequence on French society, which is predominantly considered a Christian nation that the iconic spire at the top of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris collapsed after a major fire broke out last Monday evening, only days prior to Easter? Some argue that it may be due to the passionately contested legislation on gay marriages for nearly six years and reaching a climax, where there were protests from all quarters of society against it.
Impermanency
Buddha’s Maha Sinhanada Suttaexplicitly explains the meaning of the impermanency of the ephemeral world. Buddha displayed this by preparing to leave his ‘human coil’in Kushinagar, by deciding to lie down in between two Sal trees with his powers of exploration where he could sightsee how to reach the Vangeesa levitation state.
Buddha was able to attain Vangeesa levitation state whereby one could foresee one’s future birth with the help of vibrations (or signals obtained through such spiritual exercises of tapping the human skull).
So, when Karmic effects on a country are taken into consideration, it is clear to any sensible person how this once called Dharma Deepais seemingly approaching its demise .
First and foremost, one has to respect nature and one’s environment and treat the earth as mother. But when man attempts to interfere with nature, it is when the wrath of nature begins to affect the planet as well as the living beings in it.
Deforestation
The deforestation of large areas of rain forest is taking place at alarming levels at present, which can be taken as the main issue towards Sri Lanka’s demise.
Currently there are massive debates, for and against, on deforestation of 2,000 hectares in the forest complex adjoining Wilpattu National Park and 1,000 hectares in Madu, Periyamadu and Sannara area , which have been cleared and divided into plots with paved roads and unauthorised settlements established, thus causing an irreparable damage to the whole environment and eco-system and wildlife habitats.
When man attempts to destroy nature and wildlife habitats, actions of equal and opposite reactions come to play automatically. Animals losing their habitat will naturally become aggressive and dangerous.
This is quite clear from what is reported on news frequently about the agony and destruction of innocent villagers’ pathetic stories where they have to live in fear, and are subjected to wild elephant attacks on their properties. When rain forests are cleared, naturally it affects the weather too, and it is the price we have to pay.
At present it is the scorching heat we experience. Change of weather patterns naturally affect thousands of lives of farmers when their crops die of excessive heat . Even artificial methods to improvise rain has so far failed.
It is a sad state of affairs that modern society in Sri Lanka is hell bent on hoarding money with the sole belief that there is no life after death! Bribery and corruption have become part and parcel of life and is in its zenith.
Everyone’s idea has become to make a buck by hook or by crook in a shameless and self-centered manner without realising the fact that monetary gains are temporary and confined to this world only. Ethics and morality seem to have flown out of the window!
Environment pollution
Not a grain of sand is spared with illegal mining at present ; Deforesting takes place in a shameless manner with allegations of political interference and involvements. Recently an Auditor General’s report revealed how sand mixed with gold had been shipped out of the country .
Not even a simple task from a government office can be resolved without having to oil the palm of the most junior peon and up to the top executive along the line. The high and mighty always get their perks and allowances jacked up shamelessly, turning a blind eye to the suffering masses.
Many development projects, with foreign capital involvement, have ended up and foreigners having retreated declining to pay thumping commissions demanded by those who are responsible for in implementing such projects.
All this is because of the national feeling is drowned by selfish motives, and the detestable and irresistible serpent known as ‘commissions’appear to raise its ugly head, on every count. Opposition politicians are screaming their heads off warning the public that parts of the country and vital assets are being sold to foreigners at present.
In such a backdrop is it not surprising to fathom to what extent nature has been agitated and ,for certain, the tolling of the death knell of Sri Lanka can be heard in the not too distant future!
Future Generation.
Many parents are worried about the future of their young children, at the speed the country is deteriorating as if it were on roller skates.
The writer saw a silver lining through the dark clouds, after watching a popular TV programme, which devoted the New Year week-end to young participants. It was a moment that clearly displayed the mindset of the younger generation and to what extent even young minds are disgusted and apprehensive the way the country is heading today.
Millions of TV watchers were inspired by two contestants, a boy, six years of age, who won Rs.500,000 and a seven-year-old girl who continued to win up to Rs.300,000 and due to be continued next Saturday, and their horror-struck ideas of pollution and corruption that are paramount at present. It was such a relief to hear from ‘tiny minds’ how they would like to put the country back on track towards a prosperous, healthy and an advanced and corruption-free country in the future.
Thank Heavens! At least young minds have comprehended the equation in the correct perspective, whereas the present rulers and those responsible who run the country are blinded only with one aim – to increase their bank account surpluses.
It indeed is blessing that at least the young minds have come to realise the dangers ahead and not allowing this beautiful nation to go towards a gradual death.
Pic credit: Ceylon Today, Google pics
