In search of genuine spiritual encounters, Asia, and India in particular, attract a lot of foreign spiritual seekers, while Theravāda Buddhist travellers frequently travel to places like Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia. But Sri Lanka is frequently overlooked, with the exception of a small number of intermittent travellers who attend retreats.
The less obvious aspect is that it can be difficult for foreigners to study and practice the Theravāda tradition (R.F. Gombrich’s “Theravāda Buddhism: A social history from ancient Benares to modern Colombo” and “How Buddhism began: The conditioned genesis of the early teachings”). The study of the Pali canon, the classical Buddhist texts, and strict meditation are highly valued in this school (R. Gethin’s “The foundations of Buddhism”). For non-native speakers, learning Pali, the language of these scriptures, can be difficult. Furthermore, not everyone will be suited to the strict asceticism and monastic way of life (P. Harvey’s “An introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, history, and practices”).
The Theravāda tradition is also strongly ingrained in Sri Lanka's cultural and historical framework, which may make it less approachable to outsiders (K.N. Jayatilleke’s “Early Buddhist theory of knowledge”). Because the rituals, practices, and teachings are entwined with the island's distinct history and culture, outsiders may not be familiar with them.
The rise of non-duality
An important advancement in modern spirituality is the rise of Advaita, or contemporary non-duality. The non-dual nature of reality is emphasised by the ancient Indian philosophical and spiritual school known as Advaita Vedānta. It holds that Brahman, the ultimate reality, is devoid of distinctions and that Atman, the individual self, is basically equal to Brahman. Advaita has grown in popularity over the past few decades, especially in the West, where it is being spread by hundreds of gurus.
Globalisation and easier access to knowledge are two important elements influencing the growth of Advaita in the West. Advaita is one of the many spiritual teachings from diverse traditions that have been made available to a global audience thanks to advancements in communication technologies, particularly the Internet and social media (P. Eisenlohr’s “How Yoga makes you nervous: Modernity and the transmission of Yoga”). People in Western nations now have easier access to, and connections with, Advaita professors and communities as a result.
The attractiveness of non-duality, the core doctrine of Advaita, is another aspect (A. Versluis’s “The new science and spirituality reader”). The notion that ultimate truth is undivided and that one's actual nature is identical to this reality can be immensely alluring in a world that is complex, divided, and full of conflict. Advaita acknowledges the illusory nature of dualities and separateness, and hence, provides a way to transcendence and inner peace.
A thriving and diversified community of practitioners and seekers has been produced by the abundance of Advaita teachers and speakers throughout the West. The study and discussion of Advaita theory and practice have shifted to retreats, workshops, and Internet forums (R. King’s “The role of retreat in contemporary Western spirituality”, “Theravāda Buddhism: The view of the elders”, “Indian philosophy: An introduction to Hindu and Buddhist thought” and “Orientalism and religion: Post-colonial theory, India, and ‘the mystic East’”).
Advaita Vedānta was founded by Adi Shankaracharya in the early 8th century Common Era. Advaita Vedānta has attracted more and more attention from academics and practitioners in Europe. While modern speakers like Rupert Spira and Eckhart Tolle have made its teachings approachable to a global audience, academic works like those by David Frawley (“Vedantic meditation: Lighting the flame of awareness”) have investigated the philosophical complexity of Advaita Vedānta.
Although not solely an Advaita teacher, Tolle infuses aspects of non-duality into his teachings on presence and mindfulness, while Spira places an emphasis on direct experiential investigation into the nature of consciousness (T.Z. Lavine’s “Tolle's ‘The Power of Now’ as a spiritual manual: A phenomenological analysis”).
Strangely, despite the fact that Buddhism has experienced a resurgence of interest in Europe where notable practitioners and scholars like Stephen Batchelor and Matthieu Ricard have contributed to its growth, foreigners have no desire to travel to Sri Lanka, where the pure form of the Theravāda tradition is reputed to be still practised.
Batchelor's writings, especially "Buddhism without beliefs: A contemporary guide to awakening”, challenges prevalent orthodox Buddhist dogmas in Sri Lanka.
The cultivation of compassion and benevolence, which draws on Ricard's experience as a Tibetan Buddhist monk, does not appear to be supported by the current political and social culture in Sri Lanka (M. Ricard and A. Lutz’s “The habit of happiness”). The Brahmavihārā, which includes Mettā (loving kindness), Karuṇā (compassion), Muditā (altruistic joy), and Upekkhā (equanimity), can only be seen in rhetoric rather than in actual practice among most practitioners.
In addition, Sri Lanka is one of the countries with the highest alcohol consumption rates, followed by higher levels of reported child abuse, rape cases, suicides, and corruption. Poverty is also a problem that cannot exist if the concept of Dāna (offering or sharing wealth) is ingrained in society and the corporate world as per Buddhist teachings. Instead, it can be seen how large quantities of food items and fruits are offered in front of Buddha statues and stupas as a meritorious practice, seemingly unjustifiable.
Examining a paradox
Due to divergent interpretations within its own ranks, Theravāda Buddhism has been subject to scrutiny for some years. One paradoxical idea that the practitioner must seek "no self" is at the centre of this argument, despite the fact that, according to some, the absence of self indicates that the self has never existed in the first place (the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta and the Cūḷasuññata Sutta) thus raising the question as to who has to reach the goal through Śīla (virtues), Samādhi (concentration), and Prajñā (wisdom) as prescribed in the “Path to Purification” compiled by the Ven. Buddhaghosa Thera.
While academics struggle to resolve these conflicts and monks engage their followers through a variety of ritualistic acts, Sri Lanka also has to contend with problems brought on by religious radicalism in the guise of protecting Buddhism in Sri Lanka. Despite the fact that Buddhism is regarded as a non-violent and compassionate religion, incidents of extremism have harmed Sri Lanka's societal cohesion, which is reflected everywhere. This may well be another factor discouraging travellers from studying and practising Buddhism in a place where such conditions exist.
Due to inherent contradictions in texts published 400 years after the Buddha's demise, the Theravāda philosophy has been confined to a small number of nations where ceremonial traditions have taken precedence and are supported by multiple layers of beliefs. On the other hand, a recent generation of spiritual authorities, such as Tolle, Jeff Foster, Adyashanti, Mooji, Gangaji, and others, has gained significant followings by advancing non-duality, a philosophy that contests the idea of an individual self, particularly in the West.
Recently, more extreme non-duality proponents have made claims that "This is what is'' and "What is" has no distinct identity. These proponents include Tony Parsons, Jim Newman, Lisa Cairns, Naho Owada, Kenneth Madden, and Richard Sylvester. This drastic change runs counter to the “expressed” traditional Theravāda doctrine, although the Anattalakkhaṇa Sutta, the Rohitassa Sutta, the Mogharāja Sutta, and the Bāhiya Sutta imply similar versions but are less openly discussed. Sunīta, Sopāka, Khujjuttarā, Rajjumālā, and Ambapālī have not represented the educated rich elite, but are said to have attained enlightenment after finding resonance with short discourses offered by the Buddha.
Similarities and differences
Many Theravādians contend that Adi Shankara appropriated the Buddha's teachings, which may or may not be true. That said, this author (Wanigasekera) somewhat predicted the ongoing change in Sri Lanka in the thesis "Analytical study of modern non-duality with reference to early Buddhist teachings", which was presented in 2019 with the conclusion that the Dhamma or the teachings in fact “resonate”, and that it cannot be grasped by knowledge.
Buddhism and Advaita Vedānta both adhere to identical philosophical principles. According to this author’s (Wanigasekera) research, the non-dual teachers' advice has its roots in Buddhist doctrine, particularly the Sutra section. The idea of "no self (‘Anatta’)”, which is important to Theravāda Buddhism, lies at the centre of this conflict.
The concept of "no self" is apparently being interpreted by more and more Theravāda scholars giving it a meaning that there is no "permanent" self. However, that topic is thoroughly handled and overridden in the three marks of existence and the discussion of Anicca, or the nature of impermanence, and therefore, there is no necessity for the Buddha to mention Anatta if the real meaning of the term is “no ‘permanent’ self”.
This writer's (Wanigasekera) thesis examined the overlaps and differences between Buddhism and non-duality. The complexity of these traditions and their potential for harmony are revealed by these academic activities.
For instance, Advaita seeks liberation (Mokṣa) by realising one's true nature as Brahman, transcending the cycle of birth and death, while Buddhism seeks liberation (Nirvāṇa) through the cessation of craving, ignorance, and attachment, without positing an eternal self. According to this study, the similarities between Advaita and Buddhism rest on no-self, emptiness, oneness, the nature of impermanence, and suffering.
Both faiths place emphasis on meditation, not necessarily in a jungle cave or in isolation, although they do so in distinct ways. Buddhism places emphasis on mindfulness meditation as well as the development of wisdom and compassion, whereas Advaita Vedānta promotes self-inquiry (Ātmavicāra) to recognise one's actual nature.
Emerging local teachers
The late Ven. Aranadhamma Thera of Sri Lanka was instrumental in recent attempts to reform Theravāda Buddhism's discourse. A new generation of monks and lay practitioners has been motivated by his teachings, particularly the analogy of the "mirror seeing the image", which is available on YouTube.
They are bridging the gap between Theravāda Buddhism and non-duality by promoting direct non-dual messaging through Buddhist philosophy, which ought to have happened before the Westerners carried the ball and ran. In addition, the majority of non-dual speakers mention that Buddha is the first teacher to have learned about the true essence of life, followed by Jesus and the rest.
A fundamental shift in Sri Lanka's Buddhist landscape may be seen in the rising acceptance of non-duality-like teachings within Buddhism among both the clergy and lay Buddhists. This change challenges conventional Dhamma preaching and promotes self-realisation and critical thought, more closely resembling the core of the Buddha's teachings.
Young Buddhist monks like the Venerable Samanthabadra, Thiththagalle Anandasiri, Ratnapure Wimalabuddhi, Bandarawela Wangeesa, and Wanduramba Sangananda Theras, among others, have emerged as part of this revolution, which has the potential to revitalise Theravāda Buddhism and advance our understanding of the path to enlightenment. In the end, this path might actualise the Buddha's goal of self-realisation through candid and insightful debates among his devotees.
The fact is that Westerners looking for spirituality have not yet been enticed to Sri Lanka. A considerable linguistic barrier still exists despite the emergence of a youthful clergy capable of properly addressing ideas like Śūnyatā or emptiness through Theravāda teachings. Hopefully, this will change, marking the end of the road for monks in Sri Lanka who are either politically motivated or looking to gain financial and material possessions.
The other texts referred to in this article include the Buddha’s Kālāma Sutta (translation by Ven. Kotahene Soma Thera), Thich Nhat Hanh’s “The heart of the Buddha's teaching: Transforming suffering into peace, joy, and liberation”, Bhikkhu Bodhi’s “In the Buddha's words: An anthology of discourses from the Pāli Canon”, J. Ganeri’s “The concealed art of the soul: Theories of self and practices of truth in Indian ethics and epistemology”, M. Hawley’s “Seeking enlightenment... Hat by hat: A sceptic’s path to religion”, and E. Stutchbury’s “Globalisation and the Advaitic self”.
(The writer is a former diplomatic envoy and the former Head of the Tourism Authority and the Convention Bureau, and is currently an academic, business diversifier, wellness tourism expert, and healing therapist)
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The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of this publication.