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‘Face challenges in life without fear’
Sunday is Medin Poya Day
We should prepare ourselves for challenges in life. Accept everything calmly and do not be disturbed by anything that happens. Those willing to accept challenges would tread the path I preach. Those who run away from the challenges would not understand the path. The second step of accepting challenges is not to be frightened. Compared to the way you faced danger a few years ago, the way you do it now is a step forward.
Earlier we went to bed in fear of what would happen in the morning. Now it’s different. We sleep and wake up peacefully. Face everything happily. What has happened to your fear? It has disappeared. How do we eliminate the fear? You need to answer all the questions asked from you. Otherwise, you will not progress when traversing the path, which is built on the answers you give to the simple questions.
There was a time when we expected only good and beautiful things. But nothing happened as expected. There were also incidents which were not beautiful, and they made us weep. Now, we say we are ready to accept anything happily. What has happen to your mind? It has developed and become stronger. The Dhamma which causes that strength is the noble path or the path to Nirvana. Accept all the challenges calmly in life.
After you decided to accept the challenges, how would the mind react? The mind would spontaneously say ‘do not accept’. But, as you know Dhamma, the same mind would allow you to accept it saying ‘now you know how to remain calm’. Fear lasts within you as long as your ego exists. Fear exists as long as you feel you need protection and comforts.
More the expectations, the more the fear. Living without any expectations is freedom. Similar to an infant. What we need to do is prepare ourselves to live sans fear. Irrespective of you being scared or not, you will die one day.
Even though you fear falling sick, you will get sick one day. See how stupid it is to be afraid. Isn’t it better not to be scared than to be scared? So, it doesn’t matter even if you die because you have lived without any fear. This is important when you tread on the path of Nirvana.
Living without expectations and desires lead to fearlessness. Your mind is clear and clean. You know how to live without fear. You know how to face challenges. You have conducted mindfulness in two ways. Now, enjoy your life to the fullest. When you were small you ate sugar on the sly. Did you feel the taste? But when you ate it leisurely, how tasty the sugar was. People cannot enjoy life because of fear. People are afraid to enjoy the beauty of something as they fear. They are full of fear inside. When someone do not fear, he can enjoy the beauty of life.
A rich man was relaxing near a river after his meals. He was so attracted by the scenery and was enjoying nature. A beggar was passing by and the rich man said, “look at the sun setting, clouds and the coconut trees, a man rowing a boat, sunshine reflecting on the water, how beautiful it is”. The beggar replied, “I can’t see anything as I am hungry.” What was the problem there? Was it a problem with nature or in the mind. You do not enjoy life because you harbor fear. You don’t see the beauty of nature because you are frightened. Let go the fright and enjoy life. When you start doing this you will feel the taste much better than earlier.
Ven. Siri Samanthabadra Thera
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
