The fate of children in Sri Lankan Buddhist society is sealed by the astrologers at the time of birth.
I tried hard to imagine Roomassala during the fifties while, my friend described in details his days as a child.
Having born in forties, my friend lived in this tombola, formed by a meteorite millions of years ago although, Indian and Sri Lankan myths refer to a piece of land dropped by Hanuma the monkey God.
Myself and my friend crossed our paths through life’s journeys very recently despite the fact that our birthdates fell on the same year of 1948 and lived not very far from each other.
Having born in forties, my friend lived in this tombola, formed by a meteorite millions of years ago although, Indian and Sri Lankan myths refer to a piece of land dropped by Hanuma the monkey God.
Myself and my friend crossed our paths through life’s journeys very recently despite the fact that our birthdates fell on the same year of 1948 and lived not very far from each other.
It was his 92 year old mothers funeral and the usual gloom that prevailed in a funeral was not there. Attendees paid their respect to this old lady with 9 children and nearly a hundred grand and great grand children.
Kids oblivious to the fact that their grand mother was no more, were running around playing and having a frolicking time. The next generation were busy organizing the funeral while enjoying the company of friends whom they have met after decades.
A very few of the disabled or partially disabled living friends of the dead mother visited with drawn down faces paying their respects helped by someone. It was as if the only people who are disturbed by this death was the old people in their nineties.
Kids oblivious to the fact that their grand mother was no more, were running around playing and having a frolicking time. The next generation were busy organizing the funeral while enjoying the company of friends whom they have met after decades.
A very few of the disabled or partially disabled living friends of the dead mother visited with drawn down faces paying their respects helped by someone. It was as if the only people who are disturbed by this death was the old people in their nineties.
During the fifties as a young mother she delivered her 7 th baby, a lovely little boy and the house filled with joy and laughter. Friends and relatives came to see the boy and the inmates of the house were busy preparing sweets and serving tea to the guests.
The closest relative rushed to the family astrologer with a piece of paper crumbled by the curious relatives taking a look at the time of birth written with a lead pencil. The most curios ones who were aware of a bit of astrology were trying to figure out the birth sign in an attempt to predict the fate of this just born child.
After a few hours he returned with anxiety and went straight to the father of the just born child. Everyone rallied around him to get a firsthand report of what the astrologer had to say. He seemed to be more than tired after climbing the hill and was sweating.
After a moment of silence having got hold of his breath he informed the gathering of well-wishers that the baby has to be taken to the Buddhist temple and offered to the priest before bringing him home because, his horoscope is extremely powerful.
The closest relative rushed to the family astrologer with a piece of paper crumbled by the curious relatives taking a look at the time of birth written with a lead pencil. The most curios ones who were aware of a bit of astrology were trying to figure out the birth sign in an attempt to predict the fate of this just born child.
After a few hours he returned with anxiety and went straight to the father of the just born child. Everyone rallied around him to get a firsthand report of what the astrologer had to say. He seemed to be more than tired after climbing the hill and was sweating.
After a moment of silence having got hold of his breath he informed the gathering of well-wishers that the baby has to be taken to the Buddhist temple and offered to the priest before bringing him home because, his horoscope is extremely powerful.
Eyebrows raised and murmurs filled the house. Unlike the varying present day views on astrology prevalent in today’s society, during the fifties nobody dared to challenge the words of an astrologer who was the interpreter of the stars and the unseen.
Despite the fact that everyone present were followers of Buddhism where, the teachings of Lord Buddha never agreed with astrology, everyone present approved this decision in unison. The first place the baby visited on the hands of his father straight from the hospital was the closest village temple.
He was offered to the head priest, thus sealing his fate for the rest of his life.
Despite the fact that everyone present were followers of Buddhism where, the teachings of Lord Buddha never agreed with astrology, everyone present approved this decision in unison. The first place the baby visited on the hands of his father straight from the hospital was the closest village temple.
He was offered to the head priest, thus sealing his fate for the rest of his life.
Being an excellent narrator my friend next took me to a temple at Nittambuwa. The head priest of Nittambuwa Temple one day was visited by the head priest at Roomassala where the baby boy was offered around 8 years before.
The priest at Nittambuwa casually mentioned his deep interest in ordaining a boy from the south of Sri Lanka into his temple since, at this time he had no child bhikku in his temple. The two priests conversation led to the ordainment of the child at Roomassala at the temple at Nittambuwa amidst protests from the child but, solely on the pressure exerted by the priest on this family as well as the prediction by the family astrologer.
The priest at Nittambuwa casually mentioned his deep interest in ordaining a boy from the south of Sri Lanka into his temple since, at this time he had no child bhikku in his temple. The two priests conversation led to the ordainment of the child at Roomassala at the temple at Nittambuwa amidst protests from the child but, solely on the pressure exerted by the priest on this family as well as the prediction by the family astrologer.
Being an atheist, I always despised ordainment of children and depriving them of their childhood. It reminded me of the days when poor underage children were brought as servants to the city. Physical and sexual abuse always marred their childhood.
The narration stopped for a while when the priest approached the visitors to say hello in the traditional manner. He is a well built, handsome person with a strong voice. Everyone bowed down and worshipped him. I do not know whether they worshipped the priest or his robes. The common argument that, when you worship a Buddhist priest you actually worship his robes and not him in person flashed through my mind. Whoever started this argument did a good job in justifying worshipping priests of unscrupulous character.
At the restart of his narration my friend took me to probably the seventies or late sixties when the child bhikku was around 14 years of age. One day he entered his ancestral home at Roomassala unannounced to the astonishment of the family members. Although they smelt a rat, they casually bombarded the priest with questions to get a glimpse of the situation. The child was careful not to reveal anything but the atmosphere created by this incident quite evidently indicated to a disagreement with the head priest.
It did not take much long for the head priest to come running, totally exhausted after climbing the hill, looking for the child priest. He was happy to see the boy still in robes, but never mentioned it to anyone. Neither did he nor the child priest mentioned the real reason for what happened on that day. Whatever the reason that tempted this child to abandon the temple is a secret to the family to this date but, not to anyone who can logically interpret the situation.
The head priest cajoled the child and took him back to the temple and to this day having been educated to the standard of a pandith and a head priest, he remains a proud and a distinguished priest to this day.
The head priest cajoled the child and took him back to the temple and to this day having been educated to the standard of a pandith and a head priest, he remains a proud and a distinguished priest to this day.
A few minutes later I heard my friend’s voice over the speakers informing the gathering the time cortege will leave for the cemetery. I left the house with feelings of resentment on child ordainment.
(Based on a true story)
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