Every culture has its own interpretation of life. No culture or religion is ready to admit that it is ignorant of diseases that affect the body and mind. Some attribute all worldly ills to the acts of dead spirits and others to the inscrutable will of an almighty god.  

In consequence of different beliefs, different religions and races have developed various cures for diseases. The news of the ‘healing session’ which was conducted recently at the Vihara Maha Devi Park, should not pass unnoticed by the people of Sri Lanka, be they Buddhist or otherwise. The intention of the ‘healing session’, which was broadcast on television, was to rid the afflicted of possession by the devil. As a man prayed, many patients entered a state of delirium, being held down by the ‘sane’ participants. This activity has claimed two innocent lives.

The majority of the people who had attended the healing session were Sinhala Buddhists who have been oppressed by mental and physical diseases to such an extent that they had come here to be ‘healed’. It has been revealed that the two victims of the Healing Session had not been suffering from any serious physical ailments, but had attended the session chiefly to rid themselves of their domestic problems. Had the unfortunate women been aware of the teachings of the Buddha, they could have averted their terrible fate.

When one contemplates the effects of the ‘healing session’ on the patients, one realises that their troubles, amplified to a lethal degree by various incantations, had resulted in the wild expression of their suppressed emotions. The Buddha has preached Vipassna Bhavana, to comprehend life and its vicissitudes by looking at things as they really are. Through Vipassana, or insight, one could analyse his emotions logically, maintaining his presence of mind, and come to understand Anitya, Dukka and Anatma. If people practice the dhamma, they would not have to resort to occult practices such as ‘healing sessions’ in order to ‘release’ their mental stress.  

The Buddha has preached that the Dhamma should be one’s shelter. Buddhists therefore, should not seek to worship gods, for the Buddha has affirmed that there are no powerful gods or a Mahabrahma (Creator) who can influence life. Thus, as true Buddhists, we should live only by the Dhamma of the Buddha.

If a child is obedient to his teacher, he will behave well in the teacher’s presence but not in his absence. But a child obedient to the Dhamma, he will be a noble child or "Kulaputhraya" always. It is my wish that all Buddhists will become such "Kulaputhras", casting aside dangerous superstitious beliefs.