Buddhism among Tamils in Tamilakam and Īlam

Part 3

Extension and Conclusions

Uppsala 2013

Editor-in Chief: Peter SchalkCo-Editor: Astrid van Nahl

ACTA UNVERSITATIS UPSALIENSIS Historia Religionum 33

Editor-in-Chief: Peter Schalk

Buddhism among Tamils in Īlam is complex from a historical point of view. It comprises at least five different profiles. One is Siṃhala Buddhism which has expanded enormously with the help of the Sri Lankan Armed Forces to the North after May 2009. In this region Caivam and Christianity are dominant among Tamil speakers. We see a thought provoking process of a spread of Siṃhala Buddhism through militarisation. A “Civil Military Coordination (CIMIC)” pat-ronises the activities of a Tamil Buddhist Association in Yālppāṇam. In 2012 it donated exercise books and schools bags to 100 school children in the presence of senior military officers from the 51st division. Dress material to 100 school children of low income fami-lies were distributed. A Buddhist monk donated in a public show Rs 10 000 to a girl from a low-income family. Dhamma education all over the peninsula is planned to be supervised by a colonel of the 53rd division. The centre of these “activities” is the Nāga vihāra in Yālppāṇam. On the picture below we see soldiers of the Lankan army instructing Siṃhala speaking pilgrims about the alleged arrival in Jambukoḷa of Saṃghamittā (according to Mahāvaṃsa 19: 23). Buddhist monks peep out in the background giving the scenery a Buddhist touch. They too instruct pilgrim groups in incoming in busloads. In modern Siṃhala the place is called Dam̆bukoḷa paṭuna. (Photo: Anon., August 2012)

ISSN 0439-2132 ISBN 978-91-554-8412-5

Distributor: Uppsala University Library Uppsala, Sweden Box 510, SE-751 20 Uppsala, Sweden

www.uu.se; acta@ub.uu.se

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