Natural Land Ownership

I learnt from my Spiritual Guru – Swami Sai Baba – that there were three I’s – the I others think I am – the I, I think  I am and the real I.  In common terminology they are the body, mind and soul.  The soul I is eternal and is connected to all other soul ‘I’s.

Land ownership likewise could be valued at the three levels – the seen, the calculated and the being. One who believes is the Natural owner. Knowing and recognizing this is important for Governments especially in countries like Sri Lanka where there are wars on the basis of physical occupation of land. Wrong claims of ownership used against a believer -   sow the seeds of the next war.   Due to us being connected to each other through our souls – what we do to others come to us for better or for worse when at least one is a believer.

There is a Tamil saying in relation to God in stone form – ‘One who sees stone does not see God and one who sees God does not see stone’. Now that we Sri Lankans are in election mode – it could be said that one who sees the voter does not see the governor and one who sees the governor does not see the voter. I consider myself to be of the latter category – thanks to my experience in Australia. Today, there was some discussion about the article ‘President on the mat’ at Lanka Truth ( www.lankatruth.com) – in relation Sri Lankan President praying at Sri Venkateshwara Temple at  Thirupathi, in India.  A fellow contributor to Sri Lankan values  wrote that it was not very nice to see a Buddhist pray at Hindu Temple and asked the question: ‘What is Buddha Sasana saying about it?’.  I responded as follows:

“I interpret it as part of the Reconciliation Process. No one can fool God. To the extent MR (Mahinda Rajapaksa) has belief in Hindu Philosophy – through his own personal experiences – he is accessing the minds of Hindus who believe in Lord Vishnu – and that includes mine. I have already received  a good report out of the same event and blessed MR. Governors bless each other and voters. I believe that my blessings would bring real governing power to MR irrespective of whether he wins or loses at the elections.  It was after losing in Australian courts – that I became a wholesome governor of Australia.”

A medical doctor asked in relation to the above response:

1.      ‘What’s the purpose of blessings for governing power when or if MR loses.’

2.      ‘I thought Peter Cosgrove is the governor of Australia’

I  responded:

1.      What position does god have in your life?  The position of governor is a divine position and often can be lost consciousness of when we are too busy with the materialistic positions.

2.      ‘You confirm that you know nothing about self-governance’

This applies to many participants on both sides of  the Sri Lankan ethnic border. Below is a conversation with a Sinhalese:

1.Sinhalese:  ‘The LTTE were terrorists, whichever way one looks at it.  Any entity that raises arms against a democratically elected government and murders in the name of  Eelam or a homeland, cannot be considered heroic by any means.’ 

GP (myself):    If you say they are Terrorists – then you must accept that to you a Government that includes Karuna is also Terrorist government. We need consistency in applying the rule.

I am not bound by  your rules.  To the extent the Sri Lankan Government or the Australian Government list them as Terrorists – I have the duty to accept that.  But I have no such duty to alienate them. I would expect a good Sinhalese to likewise not alienate the JVP. That is how politics works to internally unite communities.

2.Sinhalese:  The homeland of the Tamils is Tamil Nadu, if at all as the area consisting of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andra Pradesh is the home of Dravidian culture.  That is where the Tamils of Sri Lanka came from, with their culture and religion.  They did not evolve here.  Having made Sri Lanka their home, they are Sri Lankan Tamils and by that argument, people of the nation of Sri Lanka.  The Sinhalese, too, have their ancestry in India but the Sinhalese race as we know it, evolved within Sri Lanka, as did the language. There lies the difference, if one is interested in the difference.  What, then, is the homeland of the Sinhalese?  

GP:      I am Australian and I became Australian by upholding my diversity and not by submitting it to Australian mainstream culture. To the extent I feel Tamil – Tamils evolved in Australia. Many Tamils are doing so by rejecting Sri Lanka. I don’t. I include and that is the way of integration. The higher minds integrate. If you are living in a country outside Sri Lanka – as per my observations you would not feel ownership in that nation. You would continue to ‘think’ Sri Lankan.  Feeling Sri Lankan takes sacrifice. I sacrificed Australian benefits to uphold my Sri Lankan qualifications – and even went to prison doing so.  But I upheld my self-dignity as a Sri Lankan.  By doing so – I realised that I was true multicultural Australian – not because the law says so or the one with authority says so. Because I know so.  If you respect the law, you would accept others who are Sri Lankans as Sri Lankans. Full stop. If it is as per your own cultural thinking – then you need to specify what those measures are. If it is about the Land – you cannot be a true Buddhist. According to Buddha’s message through his own life – Nirvana is achieved when you renounce lower level benefits / desires. Once Nirvana is achieved – the whole world is yours and you belong to the whole world.

3.Sinhalese:  The Sinhalese, too, have their ancestry in India but the Sinhalese race as we know it, evolved within Sri Lanka, as did the language. There lies the difference, if one is interested in the difference.  What, then, is the homeland of the Sinhalese?  

GP:If you consider yourself to be Sinhalese of Lankan origin – that is fine. There may be others who would consider themselves to be Sinhalese of Indian origin.  You have the sovereign rights to give form to yourself as per your own belief for your own purposes. But you do not have the right to enforce it on others to claim status. One who has protected her/his sovereignty at all times – would respect and not interfere with others’ sovereignty. The homeland of Sinhalese is Sri Lanka. But the homeland of Buddhists is India. Language is only the looks of our culture.  Belief is the life of culture. If you are looking for ancestry – then some Lankan Buddhists have their origins in India and others in Sri Lanka.  Likewise Hindus.  Kathragama Muruga is not a Buddhist deity. Yet majority worshippers at Kathragama are Buddhists. But the belief of Hindus in Muruga is deeper due to the belief that Muruga is Tamil Hindu God. This does not mean Tamils ‘possess’ but that Tamils have greater opportunity to access Tamil minds – especially in Tamil Nadu – the Land of Origin of Muruga philosophy.

4.Sinhalese:  As for the occupying forces, what rubbish is that?  It is the prerogative of the MOD (Ministry of Defence) to place the forces where they think fit. Please go down South or anywhere in the country and count the number of army and STF camps there are.

GP:If you accept the armed forces in South inviting outsiders into those areas – you cannot be a good civilian. You have abandoned your civil rights based on your position rights to the armed forces. Don’t expect Tamils to do likewise. It’s the civilian who upholds her/his self-dignity as per her/his position – who would maintain the dignity of Sri Lanka anywhere anytime. That is me and not you.

One does not need physical occupation or legal title to feel that one belongs to the land. All one needs is Belief. Such belief develops when we are true at that place. Like time based memorial services, these are place based Energies.

Gajalakshmi Paramasivam – 12 December 2014