News

When your mind is awakened, it makes your inside visible to yourself

Published

5 years ago

2020/11/1

October 30 was Vap Full Moon Poya Day

Let go of all and stay free. Try to awaken the mind. Always make your mind clear. Awaken the wisdom. When your mind is awakened, it makes your inside visible to yourself. Many people don’t see the depth of their mind because their mind is filled with defilements. Let your mind be calm. Let it be serene. Let your mind lower the speed of your thoughts. Make it clear that everything is an illusion. Understand that there should not be attachments, expectations and ambitions.

There should be no point running behind anything. As you come to terms with this, the speed of thoughts will reduce. If you think that things really exist, you have to struggle to protect them. They can never be protected by guarding. But, when the reality is realized, we become equanimous. Accordingly, the number of thoughts become less. We will be in a big trouble if we think that they really exist. Because, we will struggle to protect them.

If we let go of them, there will be no thoughts. If we feel thirsty, we drink a glass of water. We drink water and keep away the glass. Then, there isn’t any thought in the mind. Thereafter, we realize the wonder of Dhamma we have found. If we feel this much happiness by the detachment of the glass of water, we will let go of the table on which the glass was placed. And the flower pot next to the table too. Then, I begin to realize a Dhamma not heard before. That means, the rapidity of the thoughts in the mind is soundly reduced. Thoughts generate in the mind because there is an attachment.

When someone walking on the road sees a youth who has taken drugs or a person who has injured himself, he pities them. Just a few thoughts, but he is hardly affected by them. While walking further, he sees his own son who has taken drugs. What happens? Limitless thoughts flow into the mind and affects him hard. Both children are of the same age. But, he is troubled deeply about his son.

It is not due to a problem with two children. He bears two attitudes regarding the two children. He has never seen the first child before. Therefore, some usual thoughts of pity comes to his mind. But his son has been with him all his life. That was why he felt so much sadness. Why do these thoughts come to your mind? It is only until you feel the idea of “myself” and “mine.” Only an intelligent person realizes this phenomenon. He understands that the thoughts generate until the ego exists.

What should he do to make his mind clear? He should let go of his ego. He can be perceived by letting go of the ego. Ultimately, he will become an enlightened one. After becoming an Arahant, he will see the same sight, that child and his own son. Now what does he feel? He feels the same towards both children. He feels so because he is an Arahant.

You have been thoroughly attached to the idea of ‘my own son or daughter’. When you become free from all the attachments after becoming enlightened, what should be the nature of the mind of such a person? The mind is very clear, pure, holy and sacred. The mind of that person has become blessed. He sees nothing special in the world. The mind is confused because of your ego. The feeling of “myself”, the concept of “myself”, the idea of “myself” struggles in you to protect yourself, look after yourself, nourish yourself and make yourself healthy. You think you should be highlighted. It causes thoughts into your mind at a stretch.

Each and every thought causes fatigue, stress, fear and panic. The root of all these is your ego. Everything has been messed up due to your ego. Everything has entangled due to your ego. If someone wants to untie this entanglement, it is necessary to let go of his ego. The attachment to all the belongings and possessions should be let go. Do free from all.

If you want to get rid of this life struggle, then let your mind be free from all. Then you will be free. When you stay free, your mind becomes clear. Your mind becomes clearer. When your mind becomes clearer, a better consciousness exists in your mind. Now, you have attended to the noble path. You have perceived it. You have realized it. Now you understand that when you keep exploring the deeper inside, the ladder used to get down disappears.

You all have children. They obeyed you when they were small. They dressed what you preferred. They worked according to your desire. They ate what you wanted. But, when they grew up, what happened? They did not obey you. They changed their lifestyle. When they changed their behavior, you felt sad. So, why did you think that they should not change? The problem is yours.

You thought that they should not change their behavior. Did you all behave as your parents’ wished? No, you did not. Understand the reality of the world. Do not live with the idea that everything should exist as your wish. When people think so, they cry, weep, lament and even die.

I read of a recent incident, where a man had built a big house in Texas, United States and later burnt it because he could not sell it. Legal action was filed against him by the authorities for destroying the property. He cannot destroy it even though it belonged to him. He died after he was found guilty. People die because of physical assets. But, if someone had preached him the Dhamma, then he would have become an Arhant as he let go of a huge property without any craving. But, unfortunately he didn’t meet a noble friend to guide him.

– Ven. Sri Samanthabadra Thera

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News

Amendment to the regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) and reregistration of subscriber information related to the SIM cards obtained before 02-08-2019

Published

3 hours ago

2026/02/11

Priyan

As per the provisions of the Sri Lanka Telecommunications Act No. 25 of 1991, the regulations for registration of subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) No. 01 of 2019 have
been declared on 02-08-2019 and the aforementioned regulations are only applicable for the SIM cards issued after that date.

Therefore, the information on certain subscribers who registered before 02-08-2019 is not available with the telephone operating companies, which has led to problematic situations in certain law investigation activities.

Further, it has been recognized the necessity of amending the regulations appropriate to the current requirements, including the new provisions relevant to the registration of subscribers between the ages of 16 and 17 and the issuance of SIM
cards for foreigners who come to Sri Lanka.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution presented by the President, in his capacity as the Minister of Digital Economy, to introduce new regulations providing the provisions for reregistration of the information of the subscribers who have obtained the SIM cards before 02-08-2019 and amending the currently implemented regulations for registration of Subscriber SIM Cards (Subscriber Identity Modules- SIM) No. 01 of 2019.

News

Police open fire on speeding van in Jaffna: 17-year-old driver killed

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

The van shot by the police

Police are investigating the circumstances under which its men, manning a checkpoint, opened fire on a vehicle, killing a 17-year-old boy in Jaffna, in the early hours of yesterday (10).

Police said that they opened fire at a van that ignored orders to stop at the checkpoint. The dead youth was identified as Albino Arul Bias, a resident of Vaddukoddai. Bias was identified as the driver of the vehicle.

Sources said that the incident happened at a checkpoint at the Alaipiddy junction, along the Jaffna–Urkavalthurai road.

After the vehicle was brought to a stop, the teenage boy, who had been inside, was found to have sustained critical gunshot injuries. He was subsequently transported to the Jaffna Teaching Hospital for emergency treatment. Despite medical intervention, he later succumbed to his injuries.

Two other individuals, who were inside the vehicle, have been taken into custody by police. Authorities have stated that one of those arrested is from the Vaddukoddai area, while the other is from Nallur.

Assistant Superintendent of Police, Attorney-at-Law, F. U. Wootler said that the men had no option but to open fire as they were suspicious of the vehicle. “The incident happened around 1 am in the morning and their failure to heed the police order couldn’t be justified under any circumstances,” the spokesman said (SF)

News

HRCSL employee protests demanding justice, takes swipe at Presidential Secretariat

Published

5 hours ago

2026/02/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Ayanthini Shiromini protests opposite HRCSL main office at R.A. de Mel Mawatha yesterday (10) pic by Nishan S. Priyantha

‘There is no basis for her accusations’- HRCSL

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Permanent employee of Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Ayanthini Shiromini yesterday (10) protested outside its main office at No 14, R.A. de Mel Mawatha, formerly Duplication road, in a bid to draw the attention of the Presidential Secretariat to her plight.

At the protest site, Shiromini told The Island that she had been relentlessly targeted since 2018 and the situation took a turn for worse in 2023 over her protest against the appointment of a particular member to an internal interview board and an incident pertaining to a complaint lodged against the then IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon.

Responding to a query regarding the 2018 developments, Shiromini said that she met with a near fatal accident in 2014 while engaged in official duty and depended on crutches for eight years and was recommended by a medical board to grant the opportunity for suitable work. Mother of two and post graduate social science in Kelaniya University and human rights at the Colombo University alleged that the HRCSL changed her status regardless of the recommendation made by the medical board.

Having failed to convince the top HRCSL administration to treat her fairly, Shiromi said that she sought the intervention of the Presidential Secretariat in late July 2025 to rectify the problems experienced by her.

She alleged that the Presidential Secretariat sided with the HRCSL and did absolutely nothing. “Instead of taking remedial measures, the Presidential Secretariat sent the file submitted by me against the HRCSL top management back to them. They shouldn’t have done that,” Shiromini said.

Shiromini staged a protest opposite HRCSL main office on the world human rights day on Dec 10, last year to highlight what she called injustice done to her by the HRCSL and the Presidential Secretariat. Shiromi said that she called off the protest after receiving an assurance from the Presidential Secretariat that two committees would be appointed to inquire into issues raised by her. “I had no option but to protest again as the Presidential Secretariat did nothing to address her grievances.”

A top spokesperson for HRCSL said that her allegations didn’t hold legal weight. The Parliamentary Ombudsman inquired into her accusations and the HRCSL fully explained the developments since the 2014 accident that took place in the Balangoda area.

The official said that after the accident she was granted the opportunity to work from home and other relief. “But we couldn’t have continued with the same indefinitely and she reacted angrily after a decision was made to treat her like a normal employee after the recovery,” the official said.

Shiromini has served the HRCSL since 2005. The official strongly denied allegations that Shiromini had been mistreated and harassed by a section of the HRCSL staff. “Of course, there had been a series of clashes with other employees and incidents provoked by the disgruntled worker but the HRCSL tried to address the issues in a systematic way,” the official said.

The official alleged that Shiromini exploited the post-Aragalaya situation for her advantage.

Shiromini said that she intended to continue the protest until the Presidential Secretariat ordered an investigation into the conduct of HRCSL top management. In a lengthy letter addressed to members of parliament, Shiromini named the Presidential Secretariat personnel who mishandled her case.

The HRCSL official said that in spite of her being a long-standing employee of the institution she seemed to be unaware that the President couldn’t appoint a committee to inquire into the HRCSL. “We do not have anything to hide,” the official said, calling the lone protester a quarrelsome employee.