Anuvrat Movements Theory and Practical

Author(s): Shivani Bothra
Publisher: USA Florida International University

Page 45

economic ideals in harmony with moral and spiritual ends."72 Unlike Tulsi's Anuvrat
Movement, Sarvodaya is a layman's movement promoting meditation for social reform.
Ariyaratne reinterpreted the Buddhist virtue of dana for his social movement. Dana,
traditionally referred to almsgiving for the Buddha or to the sangha (community of
monks) as a merit-making practice. The reinterpretation of this virtue in the movement is:
“Dana becomes the social ideal of sharing, sharing one's wealth and one's labor, as in
shramadana, for the welfare of all."73 Here a reflection of Vinoba Bhave's Bhoodan
movement is observed as concurrent to Ariyaratne's movement. Furthermore, an element
of comparison here with Tulsi's movement is that Anuvrat laid emphasis on non
possessiveness by cultivating sanyam i.e., self restraint and Sarvodaya focuses on non
possessiveness by integrating the virtue of dana i.e., charity within their movement.
Ariyaratne laid emphasis on metta bhavana (meditation) and regarded it "an
energy of love that counteracts the negative thoughts in our psychosphere."74 He
emphasized the pragmatic role of meditation and stated: "The short periods of meditation
at shramdana camps are intended only as reminders to the people that this movement has
a spiritual base and is not like just any other rat race.":15 Yet another point Ariyaratne
made is that “meditation is as an activity for its own sake leading to higher consciousness
and does not constitute a central pursuit in Sarvodaya."76 Thus, Sarvodaya's approach is
72 Ibid., 112
73 Ibid., 124.
74 Bond, Buddhist Revival in Sri Lanka, 277. 7 Nithl, Buddhist Philosophy of Social Activism, 86.
76 ibid.