"January 13. Unspeakably hot. The equator is arriving again. We are with eight degrees of it. Ceylon present. Dear me, it is beautiful! And most sumptuously tropical, as to character of foliage and opulence of it. 'What though the spicy breezes blow soft o'er Ceylon's isle".
From Following the Equator: A Journey Around the World - Mark Twain
Buddhism
Welcome to the island paradise of
Sri lanka
A tropical paradise in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka boasts a history that spans more than two millennia. The original inhibitors of this isle are called Singhalese. Who are conditioned by Buddhism are friendly and tolerant to the degree that today they face extinction because of foreign invaders who have fooled the whole world to believe that they are the forefathers of this tiny land.
The original inhabitors of this land are farmers and the concept of "Wevay - Dagabay - Gamai - Pansalai" - Tank & the Sthupa and Village & the Temple has sustained and nurtured these innocent people for more than two thousand five hundred years - for which they have a recorded history! - The mahavmsa.
The ancient irrigation systems are a mystery even for today's engineers. They built more than 30,000 tanks to store water and built one of the world's most complex canal systems that is still alive and provide water for irrigation and other needs.
Even though gems are found abundantly in this island, the most precious gem of all is Buddhism. Also threatened by various un-Buddhist pressure groups it is also facing grave dangers - like Buddhists being converted into other religions by offering various gifts, specially poor people in the villages. Sri Lanka is one of the small number of countries which holds the purest form of Buddhism - Theravada. The only scientific philosophy that discuss "who-we-are?"
Remember - Extinction is forever !!!
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