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PDF hosted at the Radboud Repository of the Radboud University Nijmegen The following full text is a publisher's version. For additional information about this publication click this link. http://hdl.handle.net/2066/180766 Please be advised that this information was generated on 2021-10-04 and may be subject to change. BREAKING THE BARRIERS A REFLECTION ON SUFFERING IN BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN THE PERSPECTIVES OF WAR-WIDOWS IN SRI LANKA Rasika Sharmen Pieris Printing: Gestetner Offset Nashua Lanka (Pvt) Ltd 248, Vauxhall Street Colombo 02 Sri Lanka. Cover Design & Page Layout: Sudath Attanayake Cover Painting: Geethika Perera Financial Support: Grateful appreciation to the Radboud University Nijmegen towards the printing of this book. ISBN 978-955-8459-14-0 Copyright © 2017 by Rasika Sharmen Pieris All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information stograge or retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the author. BREAKING THE BARRIERS A REFLECTION ON SUFFERING IN BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN THE PERSPECTIVES OF WAR-WIDOWS IN SRI LANKA Proefschrift ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Radboud Universiteit Nijmegen op gezag van de rector magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, volgens besluit van het college van decanen in het openbaar te verdedigen op dinsdag 19 december 2017 om 10.30 uur precies door Rasika Sharmen Pieris geboren op 31 augustus 1979 te Colombo, Sri Lanka Promotoren: Prof. dr. G.M.F. Troch (Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, Brazilië) Prof. dr. A.J.M. van den Hoogen Manuscriptcommissie: Prof. dr. M.A.C. de Haardt, voorzitter Prof. dr. J. Haers (KU Leuven, België) Prof. dr. C.W. Hübenthal Prof. dr. P.J.A. Nissen Prof. dr. P.J.C.L. van der Velde BREAKING THE BARRIERS A REFLECTION ON SUFFERING IN BUDDHISM AND CHRISTIANITY IN THE PERSPECTIVES OF WAR-WIDOWS IN SRI LANKA Doctoral Thesis to obtain the degree of doctor from Radboud University Nijmegen on the authority of the Rector Magnificus prof. dr. J.H.J.M. van Krieken, according to the decision of the Council of Deans to be defended in public on Tuesday, December 19, 2017 at 10.30 hours by Rasika Sharmen Pieris Born on August 31, 1979 in Colombo, Sri Lanka Supervisors: Prof. dr. G.M.F. Troch (Universidade Metodista de São Paulo, Brazil) Prof. dr. A.J.M. van den Hoogen Doctoral Thesis Committee: Prof. dr. M.A.C. de Haardt, chair Prof. dr. J. Haers (KU Leuven, Belgium) Prof. dr. C.W. Hübenthal Prof. dr. P.J.A. Nissen Prof. dr. P.J.C.L. van der Velde Dedication to women widowed by war anguished and agonised by inter-ethnic violence I, humbly and gratefully dedicate this academic discourse which teems with their tales of woe and reveals their indomitable courage before daunting inhumanity TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments vii Abbreviations ix Introduction 1 Part One THE PANORAMA Chapter One CONTEXTUALISATION OF WAR-WIDOWS IN SRI LANKA 11 Introduction 11 1. An overview of the Context of SL 12 1.1 The Ethnic and Linguistic Situation 13 1.2 The Religious Atmosphere 18 1.3 The Economy since Independence 23 1.4 The Political Ambiguity 25 1.5 ‘This is Our Culture’ 29 2. The Ethno-National Conflict in SL 34 2.1 The Antecedents of the Ethno-National Conflict in SL 34 2.2 War between Two Forms of Nationalisms 49 2.3 The Aftermath of War in SL 56 2.4 International Intervention in SL 64 3. The War-Widows in SL 67 4. The Cultural Perception of Widows in Tamil and Sinhala Communities 69 4.1 Cultural Perception of Widows in Tamil Communities in SL 71 4.2 Cultural Perception of Widows in Sinhala Communities 79 Conclusion 85 Chapter Two THE FIELDWORK: WAR-WIDOWS’ SUFFERING AND THEIR MARGINALISATION 87 Introduction 87 1. Experience as a Source for Theological Thinking 88 2. The Approach of the Fieldwork 89 2.1 A Qualitative Research Approach: An Introduction 90 2.2 Selection of the Qualitative Data Collection Method 92 2.3 Selection of Qualitative Interview Study 94 i 3. Preparation for the Qualitative Fieldwork 95 3.1 Preliminary Discussion as a Preparation for the Fieldwork 95 3.2 Reviewing Previous Studies Relevant to the Present Research 96 3.3 Formulating an In-Depth-Interview Guide 99 3.4 Pre-Testing the Interview Guide: A Pilot Study 100 3.5 The Selection of the Respondents: The Research Sample 101 4. The Boundaries of the Research 103 5. The Actual Fieldwork 105 5.1 The Backdrop to the Fieldwork 106 5.2 Interviewing the War-Widows 107 6. War-Widows’ Resistance to the Dominant Structures 144 6.1 Political Resistance 144 6.2 Religious Resistance 145 6.3 Cultural Resistance 146 6.4 Economic Resistance 147 7. Identification of the Research Gap 148 8. The Significance of the Present Research 149 Conclusion 152 Part Two THE SPECTATORS Chapter Three THE NOTION OF SUFFERING IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGICAL THINKING 155 Introduction 155 I. Suffering from the Perspective of Institutional Christian Thinking 156 Introduction 156 1. The Origin of Suffering 157 2. The “Why” of Suffering 159 3. Jesus as the Saviour in the Plan of God 161 4. The Doctrine of Atonement 163 4.1 The Christus Victor Tradition: A Ransom Paid to the Devil 163 4.2 Theory of Satisfaction: A Ransom Paid to God 164 4.3 The Theory of Moral Influence: Christ as the Example 165 ii 5. The Participation of Christians in Jesus’ Suffering 165 Final Reflection 168 II. A Critical Analysis of Suffering from the Perspective of Two Catholic Liberation Theologians and a Protestant Theologian 168 Introduction 168 1. The Power of Non-Persons: Gustavo Gutiérrez 169 1.1 A Biographical Sketch of Gustavo Gutiérrez 169 1.2 Basic Characteristics of Gustavo Gutiérrez’s Theological Method 171 1.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Gustavo Gutiérrez 172 1.4 Gustavo Gutiérrez’s Understanding of Suffering 173 1.5 Summary 184 2. Christological Thinking: Jon Sobrino 185 2.1 A Biographical Sketch of Jon Sobrino 185 2.2 Basic Characteristics of Jon Sobrino’s Theological Method 187 2.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Jon Sobrino 188 2.4 Jon Sobrino’s Understanding of Suffering 189 2.5 Summary 198 3. The Solidarity of the Crucified God: Jürgen Moltmann 199 3.1 A Biographical Sketch of Jürgen Moltmann 199 3.2 Basic Characteristics of Jürgen Moltmann’s Theological Method 200 3.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Jürgen Moltmann 201 3.4 Jürgen Moltmann’s Understanding of Suffering 202 3.5 Summary 208 Final Reflection 209 III. The Feminist Critique of Suffering 210 Introduction 210 1. Life-Line Politics of Black Women: Delores S. Williams 211 1.1 A Biographical Sketch of Delores S. Williams 211 1.2 Basic Characteristics of Delores S. Williams’s Theological Method 212 1.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Delores S. Williams 213 1.4 Delores S. Williams’s Understanding of Suffering 216 1.5 Summary 223 2. The Erotic Power of the Community: Rita Nakashima Brock 224 2.1 A Biographical Sketch of Rita Nakashima Brock 224 2.2 Basic Characteristics of Rita Nakashima Brock’s Theological Method 226 2.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Rita Nakashima Brock 226 iii 2.4 Rita Nakashima Brock’s Understanding of Suffering 227 2.5 Summary 234 3. Unveiling Feminicide: Nancy Pineda-Madrid 236 3.1 A Biographical Sketch of Nancy Pineda-Madrid 236 3.2 Basic Characteristics of Nancy Pineda-Madrid’s Theological Method 237 3.3 The Theological Conceptualisation of Nancy Pineda-Madrid 238 3.4 Nancy Pineda-Madrid’s Understanding of Suffering 238 3.5 Summary 250 Final Reflection 250 Conclusion 252 Chapter Four THE NOTION OF SUFFERING IN BUDDHIST PHILOSOPHICAL THINKING 257 Introduction 257 I. Suffering in Theravāda Buddhist Philosophical Thinking 258 Introduction 258 1. General Understanding of Suffering 259 2. The Four Noble Truths (Caturaiyasacca) 260 2.1 The First Noble Truth: (Dukkha) 261 2.2 The Second Noble Truth: (Samudaya) 264 2.3 The Third Noble Truth: (Nirodha) 267 2.4 The Fourth Noble Truth: (Magga) 268 3. The Doctrine of Kamma and Rebirth 269 Final Reflection 272 II. A Critical Analysis of Suffering from the Perspective of Three Engaged Buddhist Thinkers 273 Introduction 273 1. The Whole Universe as Inter-Being: Thich Nhat Hanh 274 1.1 A Biographical Sketch of Thich Nhat Hanh’s philosophical Method 274 1.2 Basic Characteristics of Thich Nhat Hanh 276 1.3 The Philosophical Conceptualisation of Thich Nhat Hanh 276 1.4 Thich Nhat Hanh’s Understanding of Suffering 277 1.5 Summary 288 iv 2. Buddhism with a Small ‘b’: Sulak Sivaraksa 290 2.1 A Biographical Sketch of Sulak Sivaraksa 290 2.2 Basic Characteristics of Sulak Sivaraksa’s Philosophical Method 292 2.3 The Philosophical Conceptualisation of Sulak Sivaraksa 292 2.4 Sulak Sivaraksa’s Understanding of Suffering 293 2.5 Summary 301 3. Oneness of the Whole Universe: Bernard Glassman 302 3.1 A Biographical Sketch of Bernard Glassman 302 3.2 Basic Characterestics of Bernard Glassman’s Philosophical Method 303 3.3 The Philosophical Conceptualisation of Bernard Glassman 304 3.4 Bernard Glassman’s Understanding of Suffering 304 3.5 Summary 315 Final Reflection 315 III. The Buddhist Feminist Critique on Suffering 318 Introduction 318 1. The Power of Naming the Marginalisation of Women: Dhammanandā 319 1.1 A Biographical sketch of Dhammanandā 319 1.2 Basic Characteristics of Dhammanandā’s Philosophical Method 321 1.3 The Philosophical Conceptualisation of Dhammanandā 322 1.4 Dhammanandā’s Understanding of Suffering 322 1.5 Summary 331 2.