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| Why? Says W.P.A.S. Jayathilaka, "I don't believe the tsunami happened because of karma because people from all religions were affected." He views it as something that just had to happen, unconnected with any religion. "Personally I don't think there is any connection between Buddhism and the tsunami," says Hasini Jayasinghe on the same wave length. Her explanation is that if it is karma, all those who died would have had to have committed the same type of sin in their previous life. "It's not just karma, there are physical factors that contribute to it as well," she says. "It was an eye-opener for a new start," says Parvani De Silva adding, "So many lambs had to be sacrificed for us to see our evil ways." Like her, many seem to think that the tsunami came to put an end to the evil rampant in our country. A warning is what most see it as. "We never understood the power of God," says Mohamed Faizeen adding, "but now people have realised and are starting to obey His law." "God works in mysterious ways and there must therefore be a reason He chose to create a big wave which ruined so many lives," says a medical officer who feels that our duty now is to console those who have been widowed, orphaned, left homeless and without a livelihood. Though he does not feel that the tsunami was divine punishment, K. Manickavasagar says Hindus believe that God is the Generator, Operator and Destroyer. This is portrayed in the dance of Shiva where the dancer playing God Shiva dances with one leg on a person, showing that God operates humans. In one of his four hands the dancer carries a drum, symbolising creation and in another hand a torch of fire symbolising destruction. "I believe the astrology of the Hindus have a connection to the tsunami," says Mr. Manickavasagar explaining that any change in the planetary positions, movements and alignments could have caused the tsunami. With all the loss and tragedy many people seem to be turning to religion for solace. Places of worship are overflowing with devotees, there to participate in religious ceremonies or simply to light a candle for a lost loved one. "It was not caused by religion but religion has an explanation," says Chaminda Gunawardene. He agrees that Buddhism explains this type of occurrence through its Niyaya Dharma, which includes natural disasters. "Maybe it was because of something good I did in my past life that I was not affected," says C. Fernando who sees a connection between the tsunami and karma. "I see it as a natural disaster but the consequences of it must have depended on each person’s karma," she says. Viewing the incident through the subjects he studies, a 23-year-old science student says, "For humanity's sake, can't we just accept that the shifting of tectonic plates led to the tsunami, instead of playing 'My God is nicer/bigger/more vengeful than yours?' This isn't the Middle Ages. Science explains this phenomenon more than adequately." "A catastrophe of this magnitude illustrates how there is no distinction between people, regardless of their race and religion," says a Sociology Lecturer at the Kelaniya University mirroring the thoughts of all whom The Sunday Times spoke to. What
the Buddha says Buddha explains through what is known as The Pancha Niyama Dharma, the cause and consequence of everyday life. The First Niyama (Utu Niyama) is the law of physical matter. It is the physical, inorganic order of existence. Seasonal changes, earthquakes, floods, gravity and heat are some of the many examples. It roughly embraces the laws of physics and chemistry as the sequence of cause and consequence replaces a divine lawgiver. In Buddhism there is a moral law, but no lawgiver and no one to administer it. "Buddha once said that there are so many things in the universe that are inexplicable. Trying to solve these mysteries would only get us more and more confused," says the Thera. "The only way to move forward is to look to religion, whatever religion we belong to," he adds. God
brings good out of evil Also seeing it as a natural phenomenon, Fr. Ferdinandez however believes that God teaches us through the works of nature. "A natural disaster is not something we can help but have to learn from," he says explaining that it is an eye-opener for Catholics to see that life on this earth is not permanent and that we must be ever ready to give up our earthly possessions and leave this world. "God gives us freedom, but when we abuse our freedom, God is not responsible," he says explaining that this may be a result of man's interference with the forces of nature. "Man destroys nature, now nature destroys man," he adds. Beyond
human understanding Natural
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