Mediaeval Sinhalese Art c6.69

c6.69

What the temples were really entitled to was the usufruct of lands dedicated to them; not to alienate or destroy the value of them. The ordinance of 1856, however, vested absolute rights in the temple authorities and legalized abuse. There have been many subsequent ordinances, none of which have checked the misappropriation of temple property. The last, of 1906, was much resented by Christians on the ground of its giving Government support to Buddhism, by making Government Agents chairmen of local committees! All of which shows how difficult it is for one nation to govern another reasonably, especially when of a different religion, and when the rulers have no permanent personal interest in the land. No ruler who was really “one with the religion and the people,” could have borne for a year with the situation which a succession of Christian rulers has merely aggravated.