Buddhini Karunathilaka

Article by Buddhini Poornima Karunathilaka Lecturer (Temporary) Japan, known for its rapid industrialization and technological advancements, also serves as a global model for environmental conservation. The nation’s approach to preserving its natural resources while maintaining economic growth offers valuable lessons for countries like Sri Lanka, which face their own unique environmental challenges. By examining Japan’s strategies and the role of human engagement in their success, Sri Lanka can develop effective conservation practices tailored to its needs. Japan’s Environmental Conservation Strategies 1. Legal Framework and Policies Japan's commitment to environmental conservation is deeply embedded in its legal framework. Key legislations, such as the Basic Environment Law and the Environmental Impact Assessment Law, establish clear guidelines for sustainable development. These laws ensure that environmental considerations are integrated into every stage of development projects. ...

Japan, an archipelago nestled in the Pacific Ocean, boasts a culture that is as rich as it is diverse, captivating the hearts and minds of people worldwide. From its ancient traditions to its modern innovations, Japanese culture holds profound importance both within its borders and across the globe. At the heart of Japanese culture lies a profound reverence for tradition. Centuries-old customs, such as the tea ceremony, ikebana (flower arranging), and the art of bonsai, continue to be practiced with meticulous attention to detail, serving as a testament to the country's deep-rooted cultural heritage. These traditions not only provide a glimpse into Japan's past but also offer valuable lessons in mindfulness, discipline, and respect for nature. Furthermore, Japan's cultural tapestry is interwoven with a myriad of festivals and rituals, each with its own unique significance. Whether it's the awe-inspiring spectacle of cherry blossoms during Hanami, the vibrant celebration...

Conference 38.0 Committee: United Nations Women (UN Women) Agenda 1: Generation equality: Ensuring Women’s Rights for an Equal Future Name: N.M.B. Poornima Kumari Karunathilaka Delegate of Cuba Generation equality includes equal pay, equal sharing of unpaid care and domestic work, ending all forms of sexual harassments and violence, health-care services that meets their needs, equal participation in political context and all the decision making platforms. Gender equality is beneficial for everyone, not just women and girls. People of every gender should have the access to equal rights, shared responsibilities to power, resources, and opportunities. There are four ways that can be used accelerate the progress of generation equality. Firstly, equal political participation of both men and women needs to be a norm. Secondly, governments need to accelerate laws that protect the rights of women and girls, which mean the discriminatory laws should be abandoned. Thirdly, the harmful s...

“Each time you love, love as deeply as if it were forever” -Audre Lorde- Some people fall in love at first sight. Moreover, remain happy for the rest of their lives. Some others fall in love at first sight, only to realize that it was infatuation and regret it later. However, love takes time to grow. Valentine's Day, in other words Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Roman Catholic feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, through later folk traditions, has become a significant cultural, religious, and commercial celebration of romance and romantic love in many regions of the world. Valentine’s Day is a holiday when lovers express their affection with greetings and gifts. The holiday has expanded to express affection between relatives and friends. The day gets its name from a famous saint, but there are various stories of who he was. The popular belief about St. ...

"Time decides who you meet in life, Your heart decides who you wants in your life, and your behavior determines who stays in your life" The decisions that you have made before, the decisions that you make today or the decisions that you make tomorrow will be the future that you are creating for yourself. You have control over your destiny. ‘The Fate’ and ‘the destiny’ are two different thing. Fate is what puts opportunities in front of us, but our destiny is ultimately determined by our decisions. To illustrate, if you go to an event and you meet the perfect person is your fate. However, what you do about it or the decision makes your destiny. Have you ever experienced fate putting an opportunity in front of you, but you didn't seize it and it passed you by? That was destiny. You should make deliberate actions to create your own destiny. Control your own destiny or someone else will. Your destiny is not something that you should sit aside and let happen to you. You hav...

You should feel proud about yourself and you should celebrate your small achievements. You do not need to be shy to elebrate your own achievements because at the end of the day, only you know what you have been going through. The struggles that you have overcome and the victorious moments of your life, deserves your appreciation. Being your own hero means showing yourself real love by developing your own values and staying true to any commitments you have made to yourself. Have you ever said ‘thank you’ to yourself? Not yet right? If so start being thankful to you first because if you do not treat well and if you do not see yourself as a hero, then how woul others believe that? Sometimes you might have wondered how far you have come in your life. Instead, believe that life is taking you to the place that you really deserve. You are a part of the action-plan of your destiny. Do what you say you are going to do and feel proud of yourself, confident in your character. How to become a h...

“I believe that everything happens for a reason. People change so that you can learn to let go, things go wrong so that you appreciate them when they’re right, you believe lies so you eventually learn to trust no one but yourself, and sometimes good things fall apart so better things can fall together.” — Marilyn Monroe Have you ever thought about the meaning of your life? if not, then take a deep breath and start thing about your life. The struggles you were going through, the victories that you cherish, the disappointments that you had, the lessons you learned and the things that you have always wanted to do, but could not do. If you think carefully, you could see that everything has a connection. Only because of the struggles that you were going through, you have become stronger than ever before. You have identified the real-hearted people who will never lose you no matter what, only because of the tough situations of your life. The victories of your life would not become a reali...

Zen Buddhism: The Art of Simple Living Zen Buddhism is one of the branches of Mahayana Buddhism. Zen Buddhist schools of thought were originated in china and it is called as chān Buddhism. The term ‘chān’ means the Sanskrit term ‘dyāna’. In other words, Zen Buddhism emphasizes the value of meditation to attain nibbana. Bhikku Bodhidharma introduced Buddhism to china. Mahayana Buddhism in china has its practical and theoretical aspects in both Zen and Hua-Yen Buddhism, which means Zen Buddhism is considered the practical aspect of Chinese Hua-Yen Buddhism. The goal In Zen Buddhism is to achieve sudden awareness or the pure awareness (Satori). Satori means the immediate experience of meditation. There are two forms of Zen practices. They are, Rinzai – tries to break through everyday thinking via Koans. (Koans are the riddles in the form of questions) Sato Zen – a slower approach to enlightenment through meditation Zen Buddhism could give the real understanding of life directly as it wo...

In life, people live with hopes for tomorrow and for future. The way that people live shows that they are intentionally forget about the death, which is certain in life. When we go through the moments in our lives, people are not aware that they are approaching the death day-by-day. Chapter two describes the way in which the absurd man live. He presents a set of examples of the absurdity of life. Camus tries to introduce his definition of absurdity and the strategies that people can use when living with absurdity. Absurd is interpreted as the meaninglessness of life. Nevertheless, it is the argument between man’s desire for meaning, order, and the world’s inability to satisfy that desire. The character of Sisyphus represents the struggle human beings make to go with the flow of absurdity of life. Sisyphus comes as a figure in Greek Mythology. He was condemned to repeatedly perform the same task of pushing a boulder up to a mountain, which is obviously meaningless, to see it roll down ...

The Golden Mean or the Golden Middle way of Aristotle can be defined as the enviable middle between two extremes. The following are the virtues and their accompanying virtues (Table 1). Too Little Virtuous Mean Too Much Humbleness High-mindedness Vainglory Lack of Purpose Right Ambition Over-ambition Spiritlessness Good Temper Irascibility Rudeness Civility Obsequiousness Cowardice Courage Rashness Insensibility Self-control Intemperance Sarcasm Sincerity Boastfulness Boorishness Humour Buffoonery Shamelessness Modesty Shyness Callousness Just resentment Spitefulness Pettiness Generosity Vulgarity Meanness liberty Wastefulness People would blame you if you take money that is not yours. In the same way, if one does something virtuous, then the world will praise them. According to Aristotle, only if a person acts voluntarily, then only that particular person deserves blame or praise because then only that person can take the responsibility for what he has done. For ...

Buddhism has usually regarded as a teaching, which is based on non-violence and peace. This article examines the fundamental principle of the Buddha, which can be used to peace-building and peace-keeping. Need for security is one of the fundamental psychological drives. The Buddhist doctrine of non-violence (ahimsā) is used in this study in order to highlight what the Buddha emphasized instead of violence. The Buddha denounced violence and asked his followers to cultivate and practice non-violence towards all the sentient beings. This sublime principle is accompanied with two other principles. They are loving-kindness (mettā) and compassion (karunā). The Buddha he himself exemplary showed how to spread peace and good-will among all the beings without any discrimination. He also stated that one becomes a noble person only when he becomes a person who is harmless to all the beings. In the KosambiyaSutta, the Buddha has mentioned about quarrelling, throwing sharp words at each other, dis...

Albert Camus was born in 7, November 1913 in Mondovi, French Algeria. He belongs to the 20th century philosophical era. He is a French philosopher, novelist, journalist, and an author. He was best known for his winning of the ‘Nobel Prize in Literature’ in 1957. The Outsider, The Myth of the Sisyphus, The Fall, The Rebel, and The Plague are some of the notable works of Albert Camus. His views on absurdity highly contributed to its emergence in the context of philosophy. He refused to accept the categorization of him as an existentialist in several occasions. His works are belong to the schools of continental philosophy, existentialism, Absurd and Anarchism.

Courage The true meaning of courage is the mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty. There are Four Types of Everyday Courage. Moral Courage- Moral Courage is the courage to stand up for one’s beliefs in the face of overwhelming opposition. Intellectual Courage- Intellectual Courage is the courage to challenge old assumptions and understandings and act on new understandings and insights gleaned from experience and/or educational research. Disciplined Courage- Disciplined Courage is the courage to be reflective, strategic and focused in the face of constant distractions and opposition. Empathetic Courage- The courage to open and feel deeply for others. https://www.tepsa.org/resource/the-courage-to-lead-activating-four-types-of-courage-for-success/

Everything begins in the heart and mind. Every great achievement began in the mind of one person. They dared to dream, to believe that it was possible. Take some time to allow yourself to ask “What if?” Think big. Don’t let negative thinking discourage you. You want to be a “dreamer.” Dream of the possibilities for yourself, your family and for others. If you had a dream that you let grow cold, re-ignite the dream! Fan the flames. Life is too short to let it go. Your dream needs to be big. It needs to be something that is seemingly beyond your capabilities. But it also must be believable. You must be able to say that if certain things take place, if others help, if you work hard enough, though it is a big dream, it can still be done. For further reading: https://www.success.com/7-steps-to-achieve-your-dream/

As Aristotle has mentioned it, the ultimate goal of human life is about happiness. Therefore, ethics is categorized as the science of achieving happiness. Contemplation is the highest completion the nature of human beings as rational beings, ‘the connection between the human function and human happiness implies that contemplation is a supremely important element in happiness’ (Craig, Routledge Encyclopedia of Philosophy 1998, 429). The highest good is defined in terms of happiness. Aristotle emphasizes a different opinion of the notion of happiness. Happiness cannot be merely categorized into pleasure. You do not need rational capabilities to feel pleasure. Even animals do have pleasure because pleasure can be derived even from wicked behaviour. However, to feel happiness one needs to have rational capabilities. That is where humans are animals become different. Aristotle says, ‘A Virtuous person makes a decision (Prohairesis) to do the virtuous action for its own sake’ (Craig, Routl...

Nichomac hean Ethics is one of the most important books of Aristotle. This work consists of 10 books. The object of inquiry of the book signifies its value which is to inquire how men should best live. For Aristotle, ethics is more practical than a theoretical one. It studies how the individuals should best live. Ethics is not totally theoretical or intellectual which gives understanding about what it means to live a better life. One should use it as a way to become better. One could live better life if he is raised well by cultivating virtuous habits. Aristotle begins with the synopsis, which says that the highest good for humans is happiness or well-being. People would blame you if you take money that is not yours. In the same way, if one does something virtuous, then the world will praise them. According to Aristotle, only if a person acts voluntarily, then only that particular person deserves blame or praise because then only that person can take the responsibility for what he has...

Buddhist ethics can be classified into several categories. They are,  Religious ethics Social ethics Political ethics Economical ethics Buddhist religious ethics teaches people to live without having conflicts. It is mentioned as ‘na kenaci loke viggaiha titthati’. It improves the values and leads people towards a virtuous life. Buddhist ethics encourage people to use ethical ways to develop their life. It can be categorized under several sub sections as purisakāra which means human effort, attakāra which means personal effort, purisāthāma which means human strength, purisa vīriya which means human courage, purisa parakkama which means human adventure and purisa dhoraiha which means human responsibilities. Furthermore, the main thing in Buddhist ethics is it respects all the other religions and the leaders of those religions. Buddhism was aimed to develop wisdom of the people in accordance with the morality. Therefore, they could understand what to believe by themselves. It is stat...

Buddhism has usually regarded as a teaching, which is based on non-violence and peace. This article examines the fundamental principle of the Buddha, which can be used to peace-building and peace-keeping. Need for security is one of the fundamental psychological drives. The Buddhist doctrine of non-violence (ahimsā) is used in this study in order to highlight what the Buddha emphasized instead of violence. The Buddha denounced violence and asked his followers to cultivate and practice non-violence towards all the sentient beings. This sublime principle is accompanied with two other principles. They are loving-kindness (mettā) and compassion (karunā). The Buddha he himself exemplary showed how to spread peace and good-will among all the beings without any discrimination. He also stated that one becomes a noble person only when he becomes a person who is harmless to all the beings.  In the KosambiyaSutta, the Buddha has mentioned about quarrelling, throwing sharp words at each other,...

   Anything which is directed to the welfare of the individual is considered as morally good whereas everything injuries is considered as morally bad. The study of ethics has become the foundation of Islam. The practices of Muhammad and the interpretations of Qur’an have codified the foundation source of Islamic ethics. Muslims believe that Muhammad was sent by the God in order to remind the moral responsibility that people have. There is a motive force in the ethical principles of Islamic ethics command the good and forbid the evil which is common to many religious ethical principles. There is set of commandments on ethical behaviour of the people in Islamic ethics. Some of them are listed in the below. . Worship God BE kind, honorable and humble top parents Be neither misery nor wasteful in one’s expenses  Do not engage in mercy killings Be honest  Keep promises Muslims are asked not to attach the ephemeral pleasure in the world and to control their passions and de...

  Christian theology can be defined as the theology of the believes, and practices of Christian People. Christian ethics is one of the main branches that come under Christian Theology. The behaviour of the people is defined through a Christian perspective in order to define virtuous and wrong behaviour. Systematic theology (moral theology) is the discipline that defines Christian theology in an orderly rational manner. The virtues are the traits or qualities which organize people to conduct them in a morally high-quality manner. The virtues in Christian theology are divided into two main categories. Cardinal virtues Theological virtues  Cardinal virtues are the basic virtues required to have a virtuous life. Ambrose who was a theologian used these cardinal virtues in the Commentary on Luke. Cardinal virtues questions about the way in which the rich should act towards the poor, women are to be treated and the morality of war. There are four cardinal virtues.  Prudence/ wis...