Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

8 October   2016

Avvaiyar Statue on Marina Beach – by Wikipedia

During  Soulbury Commission – Buddhism was not foremost religion

One of our lessons in school was based on Aathisoodi – the consolidated work of Poet Avvaiyar. This included the advice that ‘Begging is Shameful.’  Those of us who genuinely paid our respects to our teachers who taught the above, would have included in our roots the above message also. The more we believe, the less conscious we become of the logic of a message. Belief is the Ignition Power that works our brain from within. When we are involved, the lesser the logic we seek the deeper the belief. Through majority influence we may say the right thing to maintain harmony. But once we do not identify with majority power – we lose that ability to be harmonious. Hence problems in the aged.

Those driven by majority power – would tend to be harmonious even when they become part of a minority group. Hence they assimilate. They are usually effects driven. This is the case with majority Australian migrants of Sri Lankan origin. But until they Believe that they belong as individuals and/or community – they feel lost and alone  when they no longer think that they are connected to a group. The person who is empowered from within – is never alone. S/he may seem to be single but that person carries all those minds included as consolidated part of her/himself at the root.  This is more likely to happen with those of minority status who accept and perform as minorities but in their mind perform at the top level – as if they are responsible if something goes wrong. The ignition power of head of state therefore would rest with such a minority where that person/group believes in the whole more deeply than the occupant of that position who enjoys the status and other benefits from the position. In Hindu literature which is also Tamil literature in my case – the examples of such intuitive / ignition power are usually the ladies. Hence they are known as Shakthi/Energy. One of them is Avvaiyar who was unmarried and hence produced her mind directly to the public. They are true governors. Administrators need to merge their minds with such governors, if the nation is to feel inner harmony.

Begging would therefore be shameful to all Tamils who have included Avvaiyar in their roots. As per Business Standard report ‘Wickremesinghe rejects federal call of northern Tamil CM’:

[“Anyone is free to air their views but the Constitution making process is the work of parliament” Wickremesinghe said, terming Wigneswaran’s demands irrelevant.]

To my mind,  Mr. Wickremesinghe has failed to include in his mind, the confirmation that Mr. Wigneswaran is part of the root cause/ignition power of the restructured mind of the Jaffna Tamil. The ignition power comes from all genuine Tamils to whom Jaffna was/is home. These owners – of all times – were a major cause that  won Mr. Wickremesinghe  the position of Prime Minister in 2015. This happened  – more than a year  AFTER Mr. Wigneswaran became Chief Minister and the pathway through which educated Tamils could invest in Northern Sri Lanka with confidence. To my mind, Mr. Wigneswaran in that position helped many of us to channel our own beliefs in Sri Lanka towards Northern Sri Lanka – so that Northerners  did not get isolated. As a politician – to my mind Mr. Wigneswaran did make some process errors. But in substance – he continues to protect Sri Lanka from another war due to isolation and also from invasion of ‘foreign’ minds – that made beggars of Tamils  during LTTE control and continues to happen in post-war Sri Lanka.

Every citizen who benefits from Foreign Aid – through a Government and/or a group  that is not committed to global policies – or Truth as the basis – is indebted to that source. True belief would result in the receiver feeling  gratitude and merging her/his mind with the provider. Where belief is lacking – there needs to be conscious commitment to common principles and laws. Mr. Wigneswaran is a Bridge of Belief between  Sri Lankan Capital and Sri Lanka’s  Northern Territory. A true Government would celebrate his Declaration and not fear it. In the Prime Minister’s shoes – I would have honored Mr. Wigneswaran through  the Constitutional Reforms Panel – as a leading member. Instead we learn that ‘A new post called the ‘Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister' has been created in keeping with the tradition of the House of Commons for Government MP Jayampathi Wickramaratne’ - Daily Mirror

As per Wikipedia Dr. Wickramaratne is presented as follows:

[Educated at St. Anthony's College and Sri Lanka Law College. He holds a PhD in Human rights and a Master of Public Administration from University of Peradeniya. Wickramaratne was appointed a President's Counsel in 2001.]

 As per my Spiritual Guru – Swami Sathya Sai Baba – King of Lanka - Ravana was clever but Rama was clever as well as Good.  As per my experience – many who were clever in their younger days – become dull in their old age due to lack of ‘sharing’. It’s when we share our earned benefits – that our minds expand. When we genuinely include ourselves with others and/or include others in ourselves – Natural Powers support and cooperate with us. Between Mr. Wignewaran and Dr. Jayampathi Wickramaratne – the latter who shows high academic status – may even be cleverer than Mr. Wigneswaran. But as a Judge – Mr. Wigneswaran was in a sharing position whereas Dr. Wickramaratne would have been driven by winning. If he truly believed in his PhD in Human Rights – he would have insisted on someone like Mr. Wigneswaran being included in the Constitutional Reforms panel – to ensure that the grievances of the Tamil Community are included in the new Constitution through its Laws.

Academics tend to ‘show’ their cleverness. We need practitioners of Equal Opportunity to give life to Common Laws needed by Sri Lanka as a whole. If we include the NEEDS of all Communities it would naturally honor all those to whom Sri Lanka was / is homeland and v.v. Mr. Wigneswaran by nature includes all communities in his makeup. By being with the grassroots in Northern Sri Lanka, Mr. Wigneswaran has confirmed this deeper resource. Absent from Dr. Wickramaratne’s mind is the need of minority communities at grassroots level. As a clever lawyer/academic – he may look good. What we need in that panel is the power of the  good.

As per the above report:

[Mr. Wickramaratne plays a pivotal role in the current Constitution making process in Parliament. Under the Soulbury Constitution, the Deputy Ministers were also called parliamentary secretaries.]

The above structure confirms plagiarism  because during  Soulbury Commission – Buddhism was NOT the foremost religion. If these leaders seek to fool themselves – that is their prerogative. But the Constitutional Reform needs honesty as  the essential criterion and anyone who tries to fool the public disqualifies her/himself from that sacred responsibility.

When the Government continues along this pathway – the logical outcome would be to isolate and those who believe in Avvaiyar would say – ‘we do not beg’. Then they would naturally invoke all genuine Tamils in support. The world is watching. Tamil Entitlements including through the war need to be expressly included  in the new Constitution – as Common Minority Rights. That is the challenge facing Buddhist Sri Lanka which habitually is driven by complacency.  Avvaiyar is watching to ensure that our common belief in Aathisoodi is upheld by Tamil leaders.