Abstract:
The struggle to regain, maintain and practice Buddhism was a continuing theme when
Sri Lanka went under European colonial rule in the 16th century. This period witnessed,
not only brutal repression, but also equally valiant attempts to regain valuable texts and
accompanying practices from within and also outside Sri Lanka. The continuous
historical thread which connects together all these struggles is to be seen as but one
process. Recent western writers and Sri Lankans scholars located in the west, unaware
of primary sources have superficially examined the resurgence that appeared in the late
19th century, and have falsely labeled it as Protestant Buddhism.
It is alleged by them that those monks and laymen who rose to prominence in the new
Buddhist movement adopted Protestant themes and rewrote Buddhism. The 19th century
Buddhist resurgence begins with the British Christian grip loosening from around the
early decades of the 19th century. Key makers of the resurgence were the emergence of
the Paramadhammacetiya in Ratmalana (1841) and the re-establishing of key centres of
Buddhist learning, Vidyodaya (1873) and Vidyalankara (1875) after the monastic
institutions had been burnt down by the Portuguese in the 16th century debates between
Buddhists and Christians culminating in the Panadura Controversy (1873). Some of the
original documents of the Panadura Controversy still exist, as well as the oral histories.
The present authors examine both documents as well as oral histories to identify areas
where traces of Protestantism can be found. It is concluded that the total thrust, not only
of the Panadura Controversy, but also of the other debates and the Buddhist resurgence
in general were ideologically and organizationally against Protestantism. The theory of
Protestant Buddhism is shown to be a complete perverse reading of the factual situation
of putting facts on their heads.
