CHINA'S ELDER BROTHER: INDIA
Marginal Comments by bunpeiris are followed up with gleaningsOnce upon a time India was a great land that made timeless contributions to the Heritage of the World that no other land, since then has ever matched up, far from exceeding: India was the birth place, cradle and home of sages, philosophers and scholars since time immemorial; India gave the world ultimate epic poems of Mahabharata and Ramayana [both of which refer to ancient Sri Lanka then called Lanka], which pushes the ‘The Iliad”, a cornerstone of the Western Cannon to the distant third in the world of literature; India gave birth to the most serene emperor of world, Emperor Asoka; India gave the birth to Prince Siddhartha who went on to become the supremely enlightened Gautama Buddha; India gave the pidgin world the language of Sanskrit [which gave birth to Sinhala, the language of the Sinhalese of Sri Lanka, in addition to Hindi] and Pali [ in which Sri Lanka's Great Chronicle Mahawamsa was composed]; most of all, India gave the pagan world Buddhism [Theravada cannon of which Sri Lanka became the conservator] and Hinduism. And the world was nourished. The ancient land of India was the mother to the rest of the Asia. It was the mother: Mother India. Then.
Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
Wen Jiabao, sixth Premier of China [2003- 2013] quoting Upanishads to express the strong desires of China to realize good neighborly relations with India.
Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
http://www.icec-council.org/india-china/index.php?param=news/379046/74"I do not know why but as soon as I alighted on the land of China, I felt that I have come home. I have come to China not to observe the sceneries as a tourist, nor to bring some gospel as a missionary, but to seek the way as a pilgrim and pay homage to China’s cultural community. I have come to China for some invisible emotion: to be general, my mission is to repair the bridge between China and India which was broken more than a thousand years ago"
Rabindranath Tagore
Then, as the heart rending reversal, the roll back of such supremely distinctive, peerless heritage took place, Free India [with the departure of the British, to the times of Rajiv Gandhi via the regime of Indira Gandhi] would, beginning its march of folly, aligned with communist Soviet Russia. Such uncalled for alignment resulted in partisan politics, and on occasions, led to military interferences, interventions and invasions upon its neighbors. India’s foreign policies with respect of its smaller neighbors can be easily summed up in mere two words: meddle and muddle.
One of the most unfortunate victims of this policy of meddle and muddle has been the little island of Sri Lanka, which itself is a golden pearl of the necklace of ancient India’s heritage: Sri Lanka has been the custodian of Theravada Buddhism originated in India; Sri Lanka has been the land of the Sinhalese, the descendents of the Aryans arrived from Bengal, Eastern India in 543 BC; Sri Lanka has been the home of the language, Sinhalese or Sinhala an Indo Aryan language influenced with Sanskrit. Destruction of Sri Lanka is a destruction of sizeable chunk of the India’s contribution to the heritage of the world itself.
Today Modern India [in this era of micro technology] has aligned or rather malaligned with the most fearsome human rights violator of the world, the only country to drop nuclear bombs upon another nation, the bomber of Vietnam continuously for two decades, now to prosecute this little ancient island of Sinhalese Buddhists and other patriots upon the dubious grounds of western styled opportunistic human rights. When it’s the turn of irony, it could hardly ever get better, or worse than this.
Destabilization of Sri Lanka
battered with 30 years of terrorism and war would result in destruction
of Sri Lanka, a loss of sizeable chunk of the India’s contribution to
the Heritage of the World itself.
One has to read History of the
Sinhalese, who arrived from Bengal (Vanga), East India in 543 BC to
learn of milenniums in which it had suffered at the violent hands of
marauding Dravidian invaders hell bent on pillage & plunder, rack & ruin, mass murder an mayhem from Southern India during the first
capital city of Anuaradhapura & the second capital city of
Polonnaruwa, Today both cities of preserved ruins, restored ruins and irrigation reservoirs are Sri Lanka Holidays attractions-UNESCO World Heritage
Sites. bunpeiris.
Modern India has aligned or rather malaligned with U.S. A. [which will not be forgiven by Sri Lanka’s history to unfold in the next couple of millenniums till the arrival of Maitreya Buddha] to prosecute a little island at peace. Much more than any other country, in this dark fall from grace, in this fathomless depths of depravity, India, being the most important neighbor of Sri Lanka, though reluctantly [in view of the political pressure from opportunistic Tamilnadu politicians], closing ranks with U.S.A, has shown how deep it has sunk on selective justice upon singular circumstances.Selective justice since Sri Lanka has been selected by U. S. A. solely in view of Sri Lanka’s Chinese connection and not for its human rights record at all. Where is the gun; where is the death pit; where is the corpse. And the country is at peace now, there is no war now. And the Tamils in Sri Lanka themselves have appealed to the Tamil diaspora to let them live in peace in their island.
“I am a Tamil. But I am a Sri Lankan first. I can assure you that there has been immense peace all around Sri Lanka since May 2009 and the Tamils are living very happily here. They are treated equally well." Muttiah Muralitharan, 31st March 2013Singular justice, since U.S.A. has conveniently set aside the 30 years of terrorism and war only to focus upon the last battle that lasted no more than a couple of months.
“So I call upon the U.S. to find a better way forward rather than using UN resolutions to de-stabilize developing nations like Sri Lanka while ignoring human rights abuses in nations like Indonesia where our geopolitical interests supersede our human rights agenda. The U.S.-led UN resolution also should be withdrawn for focusing only on the last few months of the war and failing to acknowledge that for almost 30 years the Tamil Tigers hacked to death innocent men, women and children – Sinhalese and Tamils alike – and carried out over 378 suicide attacks – more than any other such organization in the world.”
American congressman Eni Faleomavaega of the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. February 26, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0ogJ7MfBrcAt this juncture the country is at peace; the war ravaged areas are being reconstructed at a faster clip than the rest of the island. Destabilising Sri Lanka by way of arousing the communal fears of Sinhalese and Tamils would ultimately, result in destruction of Sri Lanka. Destruction of Sri Lanka would be a destruction of sizeable chunk of the India’s contribution to the heritage of the world itself.
What’s the purpose of your visit [ to India], sir?The marginal comments above are written by My Sri Lanka Holidays bunpeiris.
Oh! Just visiting some friends in Nerul.
You came all the way to visit friends?
That’s right.
You aren’t allowed more than 2 liters of spirits.
Yes, I noted that only on arrival. But these for my friends.
Ok, go and enjoy with your friends.
Mmm., that’s nice. Thanks a bundle.
Following is a gleaning from a booklet titled "Talks in China: Rabindranath Tagore" [ISBN 81-7167-926-9] that I bought in Mumbai while visiting Lewises in Nerul, Navi Mumbai, a decade ago. This would testify to greatness of the land of India in the ancient times.
Rabindranath Tagore in China
Liang Chi Chao
(President, Universities Association, Peking)
The Great Indian sage & poet-philosopher Rabindranath Tagore will arrive very soon and meet our students to the number of several thousands. I take this opportunity, therefore, of preparing a welcome for him.
First of all, I want you to understand that all great personalities are many-sided. They are like the seven colored Mani, which presents different aspects of brilliance to different observers. You all know that I am fond of treating things from a historical point of view; you know too that I have deep faith in Buddhism. As the proverb says: ‘No man can speak three words without disclosing his craft.’ So what I am going to tell you today is but my own impression as a historian and a Buddhist. I cannot give a proper introduction to Rabindranath Tagore, still less can I pretend to give adequate expression to the enthusiastic welcome of all sections of our people.
Rabindranath Tagore has visited Europe, America and Japan. Whenever he goes he receives a tremendous welcome. You will recall that outburst of enthusiasm in the Chien Men Station, on the day he arrived, such as never been corded to any other foreign guest, so warm it was, and so sincere.
The meaningless idolatry of here-worship is common amongst the peoples of Europe and America. We, Chinese, have not yet acquired this fashionable habit. We, who welcome Rabindranath Tagore, may each have our several reasons,-it may even be that, like the Europeans and Americans, some of us are merely hero-worshipping him; but we must all recognize the one great central idea, that he comes to us from the country which is our nearest and dearest brother,-India.
To say that the country of India is our brother is not mere matter of courtesy to our guest. It has its foundation in history.
In ancient times China did not enjoy that facility of communication which was the privilege of the races bordering the Mediterranean Sea.We suffered from the disadvantage of being shut up in one corner of eastern Asia without any means of communicating with other great races and cultures. The islands in the eastern and southern oceans were populated by savages. America, on the far side of the Pacific, gave no sign of civilization. Beyond our western and northern frontiers there were those barbarous and ferocious races, whose business it ever was to threaten and devastate, but never to help us.
External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna receives a memento from his Chinese counterpart s, Yang Jiechi, in Beijing on .
8th June 2012Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
8th June 2012Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
It is well for us to remember that this little privilege of culture, which we possess today, has been handed down to us by our ancestors, who labored long within secluded boundaries, unaided and single-handed. It is also due to this seclusion, un aided and single-handed. It is also due to this seclusion of its environment that our culture gives the impression of being monotonous and conservative to an extraordinary degree.
But across our south-western boundary, there was a great and cultured country, India. Both in character and geography, India and China are like twin brothers. Before most of the civilized races became active, we two brothers had already begun to study the great problems which concern the whole of mankind. We already accomplished much in the interests of humanity. India was ahead of us and we, the little brother followed behind. But nature had not been kind. She had placed between us a vast area of unfeeling desert and two great ranges of cruel snowy peaks, which separated us for thousands of years. It was not till two thousand years ago that we were given gradually to know that we had good elder brother on the earth.
Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
When did these two great countries begin to communicate with each other?
According to Indian history, King Asoka sent a number of missionaries to propagate Buddhist ideas. Probably come of them ha d travelled as far as China. Our own tradition says that in the time of the famous Can Sze Huang (who built the Great Wall), there were already more than ten Hindus, who had been to Chang-an and who were imprisoned and killed by him. Asoka and Chin Sze Huang were contemporaries and therefore this might have been true. But we need not worry over half fairy tales.
There is goodwill between India and China at the Nathu-la border Above image is reproduced herein by the kind courtesy of
During the period of 700 or 800 years, we lived like affectionate brothers, loving and respecting one another.
And now we are told that, within recent years, we have at least come into contact with civilized (!) races. Why have they come to us? They have come coveting our land and our wealth; they have offered us as presents cannon balls dyed in human blood; their factories manufacture goods and machine which daily deprive our people of their crafts. But we two brothers were not like that in the days gone by. We were both devoted to the cause of the universal truth; we felt the necessity for cooperation. We Chinese specially felt the need for leadership and direction from our elder brothers, the people of India. Neither of us was stained in the least by any motive of self-interest-of that we had none.
During the period when we were most close and affectionate to one another, it is a pity that this little brother had no special gift to offer to its elder brother, whilst our elder brother had given to us gifts of singular and precious worth, which we can never forget.
Now what have we received?
1. India taught us to embrace the idea of absolute freedom,- that fundamental freedom of mind, which enables us to shake off all the fetters of past traditions and habits as well as the present customs of a particular age,- that spiritual freedom which casts off the enslaving forces of material existence. [1] It was not merely that negative aspect of freedom, which consists in ridding ourselves of outward oppression and slavery, but that emancipation of the individual from his own self, through which men attain greater liberation, great ease and great fearlessness.
2. India also taught us the idea of absolute love, that pure love towards all living beings which eliminates all obsessions of jealousy, anger, impatience and disgust, which expresses itself in deep pity and sympathy for the foolish, the wicked and the sinful,-that absolute love, which recognizes the inseparability between all beings, ‘The equality of friend and enemy,’ ‘The oneness of myself and all things.’ This great gift is contained in the Ta Tsang Jen (Buddhist classics). The teachings in these seven thousand volumes can be summed up in one phrase: to cultivate sympathy and intellect, in order to attain absolute freedom through wisdom, and absolute love through pity.
3. But our elder brother had still something more to give. He brought us invaluable assistance in the field of literature and art. In the first place, these came indirectly through Si Yu; and then directly from the Indian sages, who came to China bringing with them as gifts for presentation to our Emperor, their pictures, sculptures and books. Thirdly, they were brought by the Chinese scholars on their return from India; for instance in the biography of Tuan Chuang, besides his observation on the classics, there was a list of articles in which were included all kinds of works of art. Lastly, we learnt from the translated classics not only of India’s wisdom, but also of its art.
UNQUOTE Liang Chi Chao
In the speech Liang went onto enumerate of minor gifts from India to China
Indian influence upon on Chinese music, Architecture, Painting, sculpture, drama,, poetry and Fiction, Astronomy & colander, medicine, literary style, educational method 7 social organization
Footnotes by bunpeiris
[1] Liang Chi Chao seems to refer to the concepts outlined by Buddhism and not the customs and traditions that still being practised in the Indian society to date.
http://www.icec-council.org/india-china/index.php?param=news/379046/74
QUOTE
The year 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), the famous Indian writer, artist, philosopher and social activist. In 1913 Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature as the first laureate from the Oriental for his anthology of poems – Gitanjali. During those days under Britain’s colonial rule, he was the pride of India, and a hero in the Oriental world that was suffering from humiliation by western powers. Tagore is a big name in China. During China’s New Culture Movement, he and many of his works were introduced to China, influencing generations of Chinese readers. Tagore had always been very friendly with the Chinese people.
In 1881, a young 20-year-old Tagore harshly condemned British imperialists for dumping opium on China and forcing the Qing government to cede territory and pay indemnities. In his famous article China Maraner Elyabasay (The Death Trade in China) in the Bengali Magazine Bharati, he wrote:
After China’s War of Resistance against Japan broke out, Tagore published letters and speeches several times to condemn Japan’s atrocity. He also took the lead in raising funds to support China in the war at his best. He once said with all emotion, “I believe I was a Chinese in my previous life!” In the International University of India, where Tagore served as the President, he established a China Institute for Chinese students. At the invitation of two great Chinese scholars, Liang Qichao and Cai Yuanpei,
Tagore paid his first visit to China on March 21, 1924. While setting foot on China, he couldn’t help but say,
UNQUOTE You Jianhua
With the India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue, India and China could potentially join forces and foster economic power. This dialogue could lead to gaining high-speed Chinese trains and to having Indian information technology experts working in China. This dialogue would also open up more opportunities for foreign direct investment between the two countries. The India-China Strategic Economic Dialogue aimed to achieve $70 billion of trade by the end of 2012 and hopes to achieve more than $100 billion of trade between the two countries by 2015. This could even strengthen their strong trade relationship. Currently, China is India’s biggest trade partner. Photo: AP
Now what have we received?
1. India taught us to embrace the idea of absolute freedom,- that fundamental freedom of mind, which enables us to shake off all the fetters of past traditions and habits as well as the present customs of a particular age,- that spiritual freedom which casts off the enslaving forces of material existence. [1] It was not merely that negative aspect of freedom, which consists in ridding ourselves of outward oppression and slavery, but that emancipation of the individual from his own self, through which men attain greater liberation, great ease and great fearlessness.
2. India also taught us the idea of absolute love, that pure love towards all living beings which eliminates all obsessions of jealousy, anger, impatience and disgust, which expresses itself in deep pity and sympathy for the foolish, the wicked and the sinful,-that absolute love, which recognizes the inseparability between all beings, ‘The equality of friend and enemy,’ ‘The oneness of myself and all things.’ This great gift is contained in the Ta Tsang Jen (Buddhist classics). The teachings in these seven thousand volumes can be summed up in one phrase: to cultivate sympathy and intellect, in order to attain absolute freedom through wisdom, and absolute love through pity.
3. But our elder brother had still something more to give. He brought us invaluable assistance in the field of literature and art. In the first place, these came indirectly through Si Yu; and then directly from the Indian sages, who came to China bringing with them as gifts for presentation to our Emperor, their pictures, sculptures and books. Thirdly, they were brought by the Chinese scholars on their return from India; for instance in the biography of Tuan Chuang, besides his observation on the classics, there was a list of articles in which were included all kinds of works of art. Lastly, we learnt from the translated classics not only of India’s wisdom, but also of its art.
UNQUOTE Liang Chi Chao
In the speech Liang went onto enumerate of minor gifts from India to China
Indian influence upon on Chinese music, Architecture, Painting, sculpture, drama,, poetry and Fiction, Astronomy & colander, medicine, literary style, educational method 7 social organization
Footnotes by bunpeiris
[1] Liang Chi Chao seems to refer to the concepts outlined by Buddhism and not the customs and traditions that still being practised in the Indian society to date.
TAGORE & CHINA
Following is an extract from the speech of You Jianhua, at China-India People’s Dialogue in December, 2011. You Jianhua is the Secretary-General of China NGO Network for Internationalhttp://www.icec-council.org/india-china/index.php?param=news/379046/74
QUOTE
The year 2011 marks the 150th anniversary of the birth of Rabindranath Tagore (1861–1941), the famous Indian writer, artist, philosopher and social activist. In 1913 Tagore won the Nobel Prize in Literature as the first laureate from the Oriental for his anthology of poems – Gitanjali. During those days under Britain’s colonial rule, he was the pride of India, and a hero in the Oriental world that was suffering from humiliation by western powers. Tagore is a big name in China. During China’s New Culture Movement, he and many of his works were introduced to China, influencing generations of Chinese readers. Tagore had always been very friendly with the Chinese people.
In 1881, a young 20-year-old Tagore harshly condemned British imperialists for dumping opium on China and forcing the Qing government to cede territory and pay indemnities. In his famous article China Maraner Elyabasay (The Death Trade in China) in the Bengali Magazine Bharati, he wrote:
“Britain sits on the chest of the biggest Asian civilization, dripping poison into her healthy body and soul, driving her to death. One makes a killing while the other suffers tremendous loses. Such cruel robbery is indeed unprecedented.”Tagore made a speech in Japan in 1916, condemning the malefaction of Japan’s invasion of China’s Shandong Province.
After China’s War of Resistance against Japan broke out, Tagore published letters and speeches several times to condemn Japan’s atrocity. He also took the lead in raising funds to support China in the war at his best. He once said with all emotion, “I believe I was a Chinese in my previous life!” In the International University of India, where Tagore served as the President, he established a China Institute for Chinese students. At the invitation of two great Chinese scholars, Liang Qichao and Cai Yuanpei,
Tagore paid his first visit to China on March 21, 1924. While setting foot on China, he couldn’t help but say,
“I do not know why but as soon as I alighted on the land of China, I felt that I have come home.” He added, “But I may put it this way, India feels that it bears an extremely close alliance with China. China and India are both very old and beloved brothers.”He also said, “I have come to China not to observe the sceneries as a tourist, nor to bring some gospel as a missionary, but to seek the way as a pilgrim and pay homage to China’s cultural community. I have come to China for some invisible emotion: to be general, my mission is to repair the bridge between China and India which was broken more than a thousand years ago; to be more specific, I want to get sincere sympathy from you—the youth of China.
Let us work together, Chinese and Indians. We shall not be afraid of difficulties for we have the hoes on our shoulders to root out misunderstanding, and we have fresh seeds in our pockets that will bear fruits of humanity. Sun or rain, let us clear the land and sow the seeds, while singing loud new songs to encourage sprouts to grow out of darkness.”His words are remembered even today.
UNQUOTE You Jianhua
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