SALE
Sensation.
ALL PRICES ARE
GREATLY REDUCED
DURING OUR
SUMMER SALE
Come early for best selection.
YEE SANG FAT
& CO., LTD.
Get out in front in money saving
DRIVE THIS LOWEST PRICE CAR-THE NEW 1940
STUDEBAKER CHAMPION
THAT'S OUT IN FRONT IN STYLE AND VALUE !
HONGKONG HOTEL GARAGE
Stubbs Road
EAT AT
Phone 27778-9
Jimmy's Kitchen
INEXPENSIVE SATISFYING
Bringing Up Father
BY JOVE-THIS IS FINE COUNTRY. HERE IN ARKANSASÍ WE'LL BE IN LITTLE ROCK IN ABOUT
FOUR HOURS —
WELL STOP IN THE NEXT LITTLE TOWN. AS I WANT TO GIT A SHAVE BEFORE WE GIT THERE -
THE CHINA MAIL, JUNE 29, 1940
Buddhist Ceylon Is With Britain
The general Buddhist opinion in | Nirwania, but not prevent them from Ceylon is that this war was thrust upon | attaining it eventually. And this they Great Britain.
did not mind, so long as their purpose was altruistic.
The pious Buddhist leaders, both láy and clerical, are all satisfied that Britain did her very best to avoid conflict and had to resort to arms only after everything else failed,
That the purpose of the present war is altruistic is the view expressed by the Very Reverend B. Piyaratana Thero, Principal of Vidyodaya College, Colombo: "Everyone knows the Dicta- The Mahanayake Theras (Chief High tor of Germany, Herr Hitler, who con- Priests) of Malwatta and Asgiriya, sider that might 's right; and will of the Syamopali Maha Nikaya, the not listen to any of the just and rea- oldest and the most influential Sect in sonable proposals made to him, had the Island, expressed this view as started this conflagration by sending follows: "Mr. Neville Chamberlain, his army to Poland. Just as a kind the Prime Minister of Britain, did and brave man goes to the rescue of everything that was humanly possible a poor man drowning in water, our to avoid this catastrophe." And again, Government too has entered the war, in the words of the Very Reverend. when her attempts to secure peace I.. Sri Dhammananda Thero, Principal failed. No one can attach any blame of one of the two leading Colleges of to our noble Government for taking Oriental Studies: "The British Govern- up the cause of justice and righteous- ment tried its best until the last mo-ness." ment to avert the calamity of slaugh- ter by advising the settlement of the Danzig question by peaceful nego- tiations. But it was of no avail.... The Germany that started the last Great War has commenced another be- fore even the lapse of twenty years. Great Britain, after striving to secure peace even at the sacrifice of her own self-respect, was compelled against her wish to take up arms."
In these circumstances, all Buddhist Ceylon is one with England.
Forbids Killing
Had it not been, however, for this firm conviction that it was not possible for the British Government to avoid the war, Buddhists would not have proffered their support so readily. For Buddhism forbids killing.
Buddhist Ceylon is convinced that England's aim in the present war is no- thing but to protect future generations of humanity from wanton aggression
By JULIUS DE LANEROLLE
and to ensure lasting peace, which is so essential to the cultivation of a re- ligious life not only in Ceylon but throughout the world.
The Buddhists of Ceylon share in common with all other religionists, a second no less important motive for. In Ceylon to-day there are three standing by England at this time of main sects and several sub-sects into trial, and that is the traditional loyal- which the Buddhist Order is divided.ty of the people of this country to the The
differences that exist between Throne and their attachment to the these various sects of Bhikkhus Empire. This spirit is exemplified in (priests) are all connected with minor two recent public statements: ecclesiastical theories and do not affect the worship or other religious prac- tices of the lay people. As regards the principal doctrine of the Buddha, the
Bik thus also are all at one. To refrain from destroying life in any form is the first precept in Buddhism. It ad- monishes people not even to hurt living things.
In such an atmosphere where opinion is unanimous against taking the life of any living thing, the idea of war must necessarily be repugnant. But Budd- hism is a religion free from extremes. While killing is not to be tolerated or connived at under any circumstances, it does not debar a man from salvation for eternity. So, while strictly on reli- gious grounds war is to be opposed under all circumstances, yet in practi- cal life it is realised that it is not al- ways that it can be avoided.
Last Resort
Timely Message
"This is an opportunity for the peo- ple of Ceylon to show their charac- teristic loyalty to the Sovereign, as is doubtless in keeping with their tradi- tions of the past two thousand years
At this juncture, our most im- portant duty is to preserve the in- ternal peace of this country as a unit of the Empire and to give our fullest support to the various movements that have been set up in connection with food production and public health.... It is the duty of all units of the Em- pire to be in readiness for any emer- gency" (from a Timely Message by the Very Reverend Palana Vajiranana Nayaka Thero, High Priest of the Am-. arapura Sect.)
"The people of Ceylon should also pray and send up a wish for the wel- fare, happiness and early victory of the British Empire, for the protection it Great Buddhist kings, such as Dutu- has afforded to our country against gammu, often took to war, if only as the ravages of war for over a hundred a last resort. They knew that the years." (The Very Reverend M. killing involved in their action could | Dhammasiddhi, Maha Nayaka Thero, only retard their progress towards Chief High Priest of the Ramana Sect.)
By George McManus
DON'T
HE
YEARS AGO-