Traditional dancers perform during the annual Buddhist festival in Colombo on Feb. 5, 2023. (Photo: AFP)
The Sri Lankan government has promised measures to prevent distortion of religious teachings after a Buddhist preacher and seven of his alleged followers committed suicide by consuming poison in separate incidents.
“The cabinet has formed a committee to look into the activities of people, who mislead the society by distorting religious beliefs,” said the Ministry of Buddhist Religious and Cultural Affairs in a Jan.9 statement.
The aim is to help people practice their religion within the existing legal framework, the statement said.
The Criminal Investigation Department in the island nation has started a probe into the death of preacher Ruwan Prasanna Gunaratna, who committed suicide on Dec. 28, and the death of seven persons, including three teenagers, who committed suicide after Gunaratna’s death under similar circumstances.
All seven people were reported to be followers of Gunaratna and attended his funeral.
The next day after Gunaratna's suicide, his 35-year-old wife was reported to have committed suicide by consuming poison after feeding poison to her two sons and daughter at their home.
Later, the body of a 21-year-old woman was recovered in her house and a 34-year-old man was found dead at a guest house where he was temporarily staying.
According to police, all seven deaths were the result of ingestion of the same type of poison. Buddhism believes in rebirth.
Police spokesperson Nihal Thalduwa has cautioned people against listening to the sermons of Gunaratne.
Venerable Jinananda Thera filed a police complaint on Jan. 9 against a person who claims to be 'Avalokitheswara Bodhisattva,' a person who has attained enlightenment.
Videos of his followers worshiping him have gone viral.
In his complaint, the monk said the preacher was abusing Buddhism.
On Jan. 9, Jinananda Thera stated that “there was a direct relationship between Gunaratne and Avalokitheswara.”
Avalokitheswara has made statements about destroying lives for the sake of Lord Buddha, added Jinananda Thera.
Buddhist leaders, including Akuratiye Nanda Thera, chancellor of Ruhuna University, have called on people to listen to the sermons of Buddhist monks who preach pure Buddhism.
“Don't follow myths,” said Nanda Thera.
Sri Lanka is a Buddhist-majority nation with around 70 percent of its 21 million people following it. Among the rest are 13 percent Hindus, 10 percent Muslims and 7 percent Christians.
