PGIHS-RC 2018

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://ir.lib.pdn.ac.lk/handle/20.500.14444/4074

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Obstacles in translating latin love elegies into sinhala with special reference to catullus’ elegies
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Dambagolla, Kalpani
Translations link different cultures and societies by language. Ancient civilizations and classical literature are accessible to the general public thanks to translation studies. Among the classical languages, Latin is an inflected and concise but loaded language. A single Latin word, for instance, has several alternative meanings. This complexity of the vocabulary often leads to ambiguities. At present Latin to English translations of Latin literary genres exist and there are extensive translations both rudimentary and standards, analyses, supplementary notes, commentaries and dictionaries. Thus, the English language can be used as a mediator that makes Latin works accessible to readers without knowledge of the language. Moreover, few Sinhala translations of these works also exist. The objectives of this study are three-fold. First is to find out whether the ambiguity and concise vocabulary in Latin love elegies have an impact on the translator. Secondly, to test the practicality of preserving accuracy and clarity of the Sinhala translation close to the Latin original. Thirdly, to find out how the translator can preserve the rhythm of these elegies when translating into Sinhala.This is a library based research study. Therefore, Catullus’ elegies and English translations of them are used as primary sources. Books, articles and journals relating to the topic are also used as secondary sources of the study. English is used as a linking language in these translations since there are no Sinhala-Latin dictionaries. In order to identify the obstacles, Catullus’ poem 85; Odi et amo, quare id faciam fortasse requiris. / nescio, sed fieri sentio et excrucior can be taken as a sample. This poem is popular among the Latin scholars for its highly structural use of vocabulary. It contains short words. Odi et Amo has been translated in to many alternative meanings such as “I hate and I love” in rudimentary translation and “I loathe her, I lust for her” in elevated translation. Even though the essence is similar in these translations, it directs the Sinhala translation in to wide differences such as “මම වෛර කරමි, මම පෙම් කරමි” and “මෙමට ඇය පිලිකුළ්ය, ඇලෙමි රාගෙන් ඇයට” respectively. The following is an attempt to translate the two words “Odi et Amo” in rudimentary form; “මා නුබට පෙම් කරමි, නොවේ එය වෛරයකි”. Hence, the translator should limit his/her self to rudimentary translation in order to preserve the originality of the elegy. Ambiguity of the Latin language requires careful analysis of the context and cohesion of the words in translating into Sinhala. It is also important to understand the socio-political and cultural context of Rome which produced such literary texts, because they inevitably influence the use of vocabulary of the translator. There might be more words than that of the Latin original to express the meaning of it in Sinhala vocabulary. In order to preserve the rhythm of the elegies, there might be additions and modifications to the original.
Fresh dimensions vs. blunt rejections: Sanskrit poetics and siri gunasinghe
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. Upananda, Ambaliyadde
The late Prof. Siri Gunasinghe (1925-2017), a great scholar in several disciplines graduated from the University of Peradeniya with a BA Special degree in Sanskrit. He won renown as a poet, a novelist and a literary critic in particular. It seems that Gunasinghe’s approach to literary criticism is replete with fresh attitudes towards it. This is more relevant to some prime concepts of Sanskrit literary criticism as well. This paper explores critically how Gunasinghe addresses some major concepts of Sanskrit literary criticism i.e. Rasa (sentiment), Camatkāra (astonishment), Pratibhā (intuition) and Śabdārthau sahitau kāvyam (poetry is the union of word and meaning), and identifies to what extent his approach helps to clarify such concepts clearly. Five articles written in English and Sinhala by Gunasinghe on literary criticism are critically and comprehensively examined comparing his approach to aforementioned concepts recommended by Sanskrit critics such as Bhāmaha, Ānandavardhana and Abhinavagupta etc. An article written by Guansinghe in the work titled සම්ප්‍රදාය සහ ප්‍රගතිය (tradition and progress) states ‘...මේ ප්‍රතිභාව හෙවත් කවියාගේ පෞද්ගලික ශක්තිය වශයෙන් සංස්කෘත විචාරකයෝ ගනන් ගන්නේ සම්ප්‍රදායට යටවීම නොව සමකාලීන සමාජය විමර්ශනයට භාජනය කිරීමයි. අපූර්ව වස්තු නිර්මාණයයි.' Seemingly, this quotation emphasizes Gunasinghe’s critical understanding of Pratibhā compared to traditional definitions such as pratibhā apūrvavastu nirmāṇakṣamā pragñā (genius is an intelligence capable of creative new things) and pratibhā navanavollekhaśālinī pragñā (pratibhā is the intelligence that can invent new things) provided by Abhinavagupta (10 AD) and Hemacandra (10-11 AD) respectively. Moreover, Gunasinghe has clarified the concept of Camatkāra through his article 'රසය, චමත්කාරය සහ සාහිත්‍ය විචාරය. It says 'අංග උපාංග, රචනයට අවශ්ය ප්‍රායෝගික උපකරන පමණයි. ඒ උපකරන රචනයේ ප්‍රධාන ලක්ෂන හැටියට ගැනීම නිසා කලා කෘතිය පුරා දිවෙන ධ්වනිතාර්ථ කුලූ ගැන්වීම වැලකෙනවා. රසිකයාගේ මානසික කම්පනය ඇති වෙන්නේ ඒ ධ්වනිත හරය අවබෝධ කරගැනීමෙන් පමනයි. ඒ අවබෝධයයි චමත්කාරය.' These instances underline critical and independent approach to Camatkāra, a central concept of Sanskrit literary criticism. Gunasinghe’s critical views on Sanskrit theories of literature are attractive in several aspects. First, it seems that he is critical in understanding the above concepts of poetics by Sanskrit theorists. Second, he attempts to clarify them in details and in a comprehensive manner. To conclude, it seems that Guansinghe is insightful in defining major concepts of Sanskrit poetics such as Rasa, Camatkāra etc. rather than following them as aphorisms. Moreover, his views on the above concepts seem helpful in widening later discussions on Sanskrit literary criticisms as well.
The reception of homer’s iliad: a thematic analysis on romanticism of war
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Opatha, O.K.S.M
The Human civilization has often evolved through warfare. “Survival of the fittest” is one such idea that could signify on the core biological need of human beings for war. This urge of war is repeatedly justified with concepts such as bravery, heroism and patriotism. Concepts which are associated with romanticism, are found in Homer’s Iliad, one of the earliest composed works on a war, thus presenting a romanticized version of warfare to its audience. Now, in the modern world, this trend of romanticizing war, which was established by Homer through Iliad, is used as a tool by many hegemonic powers to justify their wars. Homer’s use of characters and their characterizations have established a prototype on the presentation of Heroes. Similarly, the battle scenes and the use of action in Iliad also present themselves as stereotypes in works concerning war. When these aspects of Iliad are compared with movies such as “Saving Private Ryan”, “Lord of the Rings trilogy” and even Television series such as “Game of Thrones” one can see that they shadow a similar form and characterization that was introduced by Homer. Interestingly these movies and other representations on conflict can alter the perception that the common audience has on warfare. They often conceal the brutality of war and offer a romanticized version of conflict, thus feeding the biological urge of Humans for battle. This study aims to identify the way in which Homer’s depiction of war has been received by modern artists to change the perception of war depending on the purposes of hegemonic powers through a careful analysis and a comparison of heroic figures and battle scenes in the Iliad with the above mentioned modern works. Thus, in summation, it is visible that the Homeric tradition of presenting warfare has been received by us moderns as a prototype in depicting war and it has been used as a tool to alter perceptions on modern day battles.
As shier al-ta’leemi and its pedagogical implications in abbasid poetry: a critical analysis
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Hafees, M.S.M.
The Abbasid era (AD 750-1258) is considered as the golden age in arts and sciences in the medieval history of Islam. During this period, Arabic poems were composed with various viewpoints and new types of poetry emerged as well. The “Didactic Poem” (As Shier al-Ta’leemi or As Shier al-Ilmi) appeared during this time as an important form of poetry. Abban bin Abdul Hameedh, a well-known scholar in this period has introduced this kind of poem in Arabic literature. Some of the prominent scholars involved in this field are Hamdhan bin Abdul Hameedh, Muhammed bin Ibrahim Al Fazari etc. Didactic poems were composed for the purpose of teaching certain vital aspects of life such as, realities related to the human life, educational thoughts, and universal truths. Arabic poetry generally consisted of experiences and prudence of the society of Arabia since Pre-Islamic period. Nevertheless, they are not considered to be educational poems, in contrast to that, books and collections compiled as poems based on a particular area or field, are called Didactic Poems. Didactic verse is instructive, adding to one’s knowledge aiming at improving one’s moral. It pleases the ear and aids memory. It is known to go as far back as the dawn of Greek history. The collection of Abban Ibnu Abdul Hameedh on charity and fasting, and Ibrahim Al Fazari’s collection on Astrology are few examples for this type. Arabic Didactic verses found their way to theology, logic and medicine. Many Examples are still in manuscript. This research explores whether the poems composed during this period, which were highly advanced in the field of education, were on the themes related to educational aspects and how these types of poems simplify the process of teaching and learning, especially to teach the Holy Quran, Hadith and Islamic Jurisprudence. This research is based on secondary data. Hence various books and other written documents were used as sources of information. The integration of Muslims with various cultures and their connection with books written in various languages, were the foremost reason for the emergence of such types of poems. Among the poems composed during the Abbasid period, those with educational viewpoints were given much prominence. Thus, this particular research clarifies that, the aspects such as good traits, Islamic law, Arabic grammar, history and Astrology etc. were the core themes of those poems.
A study on the term “arumana” in Polonaruwa inscription of king Vijayabāhu I
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. Sukha
The term arumaṇa refers to Mon people living in the lower part of Myanmar. Rāmaññadesa means the country of the Mon people. Sri Lanka and Rāmañña country have embraced Theravāda Buddhism since King Asoka’s missionary activities. Buddhism was the factor that brought the two countries into having close relations. Theravāda Buddhist Canonical texts were introduced into Rāmaññadesa from the great monasteries of Sri Lanka. In the 11ᵗʰ century, the canonical texts and learned monks, laymen, and king Manuhā were brought by King Anawratha to Pagan, the then capital of Myanmar. In inscriptions and the Pāḷi chronicles of Sri Lanka, Myanmar was, in the ancient time, referred to by several names: Arumaṇa or Aramaṇa, and Rāmañña. In the Polonnaruwa Inscription of King Vijayabāhu I, which is lying to the west of Vihāra No. 1, about 50 feet north-east of the Latāmaṇḍapaya, ancient Myanmar is known as Arumaṇa. The inscription, which is believed to have been engraved after the death of King Vijayabāhu I, consisting of 49 lines, of which the pertinent passage lines 6 to 11, tells us that King Vijayabāhu, having defeated the Coḷa army, restored Theravāda Buddhism with the help of monks from Arumaṇa. Some scholars tried to identify the place mentioned with some location in India, but they have failed to consider it as a place in Myanmar. This paper will discuss the term Arumaṇa in the Inscription. Critical method and comparative method are applied using primary and secondary sources to deduce conclusion that the term Arumaṇa may be a corruption of the term Rāmañña, referring in whole to ancient Myanmar. This is corroborated by Sri Lankan chronicles such as Cūḷavaṁsa, Rājāvaliya, and Nikāya-saṅgrahava adding more details state that twenty learned and well-conducted monks who carried with them books were invited from Aramaṇa or Rāmañña. The old Burmese chronicle, Sāsanāvaṁsa, also mentions Anawratha’s friendly relations with King Vijayabāhu. The term Rāmañña refers to Mon people living in the lower part of Myanmar. However, due to the long-term relationship between Lower Myanmar (Rāmaññadesa) and Sri Lanka, the whole country was known by Sri Lankans as Arumaṇa, Aramaṇa, and Rāmañña in ancient times. Having examined from Sri Lanka and Myanmar sources, Myanmar and Sri Lanka have maintained a long-term relationship helping each other. Based on various accounts in Sri Lanka and Myanmar sources, the term Arumaṇa on the inscription of King Vijayabāhu I suggests that the name was probably applied to the Land of Myanmar.
Nationalism and the buddhist revivalist movement in colonial Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Edirisinghe, A.N.
Nationalism is a modern concept analyzed by contemporary scholars in the East and the West. The concept of Nationalism and National consciousness emerged in Western countries while forming their own nation states. Nationalism in the western world had been created under the framework of nation state, though in Asia, it emerged while countries sought independence from imperialism. In the first half of the nineteenth century under British imperialism, western culture and missionary activities spread to a great extent throughout the Island suppressing local religions, languages and traditional practices. During this period, the Theosophical society, under the leadership of Anagarika Dharmapala, Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda, Ven. Hikkaduwe Sumangala, Ven.Weligama Sumangala, and Walisinghe Harischandra opposed these missionary activities and launched the Buddhist revivalist movement in Sri Lanka. The main aim of this movement was to create national feelings and promote a national identity among the Sinhala Buddhist community so that indigenous values against the challenges of missionary activities could be protected. To achieve this purpose, they utilized newspapers, pamphlets, novels, dramas, and music as media to propagate their movement. They also organized various lectures everywhere in the island to attract people to their movement. This research studies the background, formation and development of nationalism in Sri Lanka under the British colonial context through the Buddhist revivalist movement. The main objective here is to identify and examine the methods that were used to arouse the Sinhala Buddhist nationalist ideologies and feelings by the Buddhist Revivalist Movement. The research problem addresses the impact of the conditions created by the Buddhist Revivalist Movement in order to organize and develop nationalism in the colonial Sri Lankan society. A historical methodology has been used in this research to gather and analyze data collected from primary and secondary sources with the former being documents of the Buddhist revivalist movement, speeches and diaries of its leaders, contemporary newspapers, and dramas and novels. Analyzing the above data, it seems that the activities of the Buddhist revivalist movement have created an environment to nourish the Sinhala Buddhist nationalist values and feelings. It differed from the concept of European Nationalism. However it was the first step taken against British imperialism in Sri Lanka using the national identity.
The rights of non- muslims in islamic state
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Hisham, B.A.M.
Islam is a religion that provides guidance for human beings in every aspect of their life. It states clearly the rights of non-Muslims as well. The rights Islam has given to non- Muslims are clearly mentioned. However, there is a common notion prevailing in the society that Islam does not consider the rights of non-Muslims. Thus this research aims at discussing the misconception regarding the rights that Islam has given to non- Muslims. The non-Muslims who live in an Islamic state are called Dhimmis. Islam views everyone equally on the basis that they are “Human beings”. Accordingly, in an Islamic state Muslims enjoy all rights while even the Dhimmis could claim for such equal rights. They have the full rights on their part to claim for what is denied to them. The primary sources of Islam, the Quran and the Sunnah emphasize the very fact that the Dhimmis can experience and enjoy their rights. The importance regarding the rights of non-Muslims and the ways to protect their rights are very clearly mentioned in the Quran and Sunnah. The guidance that Islam provides is sufficient to explain the rights of non-Muslims. This research is based on providing answers to the question like what the rights of non-Muslims are and are they justifiable? This research examines the rights of non-Muslims under the Shariah. This study mainly used secondary data, which is qualitative in nature. Teachings of Quran and Sunnah, Historic books and related articles have been used to examine the research question. As far as Islam is concerned, it considers non-Muslims citizens, the Dhimmis as equal human beings and are given rights like the right to live, the right to possess property, religious rights, the right for education, the right to be treated equally before the law (Shariah), the right to seek protection and many others. Tracing back the history, it is evident that the current Islamic Human Right Declaration (1981) is based on the Madina Charter which was formed by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This suggests the fact that non-Muslims living in an Islamic state have rights which are exactly similar to Muslims living in an Islamic state. Thus, this research indicates that privileges of Human Rights are enjoyed by all groups including non-Muslims regardless of their beliefs.
Women’s status in public administration in Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Priyanwala, K.B.G.M.
Women in developing countries are more likely to experience challenges than other individuals in the course of their everyday life. There is a continued inequality and defenselessness of women in all sectors where women remain unrepresented and oppressed. The struggle for mainstreaming women in politics and public administration continues to be a challenge in many contemporary democracies. In the context of Sri Lanka, the representation of women in public administration is relatively high, however their advancement at the public sector remain challenged. Given this context, this study examines the challenges of female administrators who are in the top positions in the district secretariat level in Sri Lanka. For this qualitative study, 20 female respondents in addition to five male administrators in the Galle District were chosen to gather information on factors that hinder women’s status in the public sector in Sri Lanka. The findings of this sturdy uncover the fact that women in public sector in Sri Lanka experience challenges in balancing work and family. Also this study reveals that women have experienced severe workplace challenges than their male administrators who are considered as efficient and active to perform administrative tasks. Finally this study concludes that even though women have been experiencing challenges at their workplace and family life, still they remain active in the male dominated public sector.
Buddhist perception on legalising abortion in Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Talagune, N.S.
Abortion though ‘illegal’ under existing laws — strictly speaking it is ‘permissible’ under certain identified circumstances — has emerged as a social problem in Sri Lanka due to the increasing number of ‘illegal’ abortions taking place daily. Sri Lankan Buddhists, like people of other religions, share different views about abortion and are thus divided. The main impetus of the study was to ascertain Buddhist perceptions on abortion by studying their attitude[s] in general towards the issue of abortion. The present government’s decision to accede to the long agitation for liberalisation of abortion laws, also has made it timely to study how receptive the Buddhist community is towards such liberalisation. The principal focus of this research was twofold. Firstly, to identify whether a majority of Buddhists disapprove of abortion ‘under any circumstances’ or not. Secondly, to study whether Buddhists are receptive to the idea of introducing abortion laws into the Sri Lankan legal system. This research was conducted across six electorates in the two districts of Colombo and Kalutara in the Western Province of Sri Lanka in 2015. The targeted sample consisted of 300 respondents were selected using random sampling methodology. 250 respondents consisting of 161 females and 89 males participated in the survey. Data collection was carried out using a questionnaire consisting of both open and close ended questions. It adopted a mixed methodology using both qualitative and quantitative data. Buddhists, while agreeing with the view that the foetus has the right to life, are of the opinion that abortion should be permitted, subject to certain circumstances. Thus, they do not agree with the view that abortion should not be permitted ‘under any circumstances.’ The modern trend among Sri Lankan Buddhists appears to be liberal regarding abortion if performed under certain circumstances. This is reflected in the gap between those ‘in agreement’ and ‘not in agreement’ being only four per cent according to the responses to the questionnaire. The majority of 54 per cent of the respondents held the view that abortion should be legalised in Sri Lanka. Therefore, if the Government introduces legislation to legalise abortion in the future, it should be permitted under exceptional circumstances. However, in such an event a control mechanism must be introduced allowing performance of abortion only to be carried out in licensed clinics. It is also necessary to raise public awareness regarding the means of minimising the need for abortion by encouraging the use of viable contraceptive methods.
Possible application of buddhist and confucian teachings to promote social wellbeing
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. Arunasiri, Thittagalle
Determining a body of moral ideals that could be universally adopted with ease by contemporary society and could spread over different geographical regions and take root despite the inherent diversities of their cultures is no easy task and it is indeed problematic. However, it is not impossible to conceptualize in the modern context in which the world has drastically contracted due to technological advancements thanks to modern methods of transportation and communication. They could provide a useful platform to disseminate and discuss universally valid ethical notions. By contrast, however, modern society lacks the awareness with regards this concept but in spite of that the people are willing to enjoy their lives by fulfilling individual needs. In these circumstances self-interest becomes paramount and people always attempt to hoard rather than share choosing to run away from moral values. The current world needs to be persuaded to build an ideal, appreciative society, because it is unique and key to existing in harmony and prosperity with its members. Although there are reliable resources fostering to establish such an ideal concept, comparative studies on Buddhist and Confucius teachings in terms of building social wellbeing are rare. Qualitative method is used to collect and analyse the data from both primary and secondary sources. Both these teachings advocate the building of an ideal society on ethical formations. The establishment of appropriate social relationships is important to achieve that purpose, because man can’t live alone and he is a gregarious being that depends on inter-personal relationships. It is important to fulfill duties and obligations by oneself in order to an ideal appreciative society. The golden rule of building social well-being is quality of human life according to Buddhism and Confucianism. The attempt in this study is to see how far both Buddhist and Confucius teachings could be effective in accomplishing the task of establishing and ideal society for the achievement of social well-being.
“The concept of public religion and early buddhism”: insight into buddhist attitude to disengagement of religion from wider society
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Basnayake, D.S.
The “disengagement” of religion from the wider society is an important theme. If a religion is disengaged from the common people, it marks the absence of “public religion” leading to a “private religion”. Public religion is a religion which has a direct impact on society. The present paper examines the early Buddhist standpoint regarding public religion with a reflection on some of the issues. As a teaching perceived to be focusing more on individual salvation, does Buddhism place private religion over public religion? Also, does Buddhism qualify as a public religion considering the attempts of the Buddha to ensure the betterment of some oppressed social groups? The research intends to address these issues. The research objectives entail an examination of the concept of “public religion”, early Buddhist position on public religion and private religion, and some issues in considering Buddhism as a private or a public religion. This is primarily a literature survey employing the early Buddhist discourses as the primary sources. Apart from them, the modern sociological works and other writings were used to clarify the sociological concepts related to the study. There are several instances in Buddhist discourses which admire individual religiosity over public religious behavior of the ordinary masses. However, religion appears to have played an important role in the public space in the 6ᵗʰ century B.C. India according to some Buddhist discourses. The entering of religion into the public ideology is not unusual even in Buddha’s time. More importantly, the commitment to social well-being is not a deviation from the Buddhist goal. The Buddha did not confine his Dhamma to a community living in monasteries. The Buddha’s advice given to his first missionary group reveals how far the doctrine was expected to be conducive to social benefit. However, if the “social liberation” in Buddhism can be explained in terms of individual salvation, it challenges the idea of public religion. Several issues were found when recognizing Buddhism as a public religion in the 6ᵗʰ century B.C. India, even though the impact of Buddhism on social betterment is of undeniable value. Considering all, it can be said that the commitment of Buddhism for a better society is secondary to its summum bonum and yet it has ingredients which can nourish the “public sphere” by improving justice, liberation and democracy, which all have an appeal to the common masses.
Buddha’s foot print: reasons for its origin and renown as a historical symbol
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Harshana, Kavindranath
The foot print of the Buddha is one of the greatest symbols that represent the greatness of the Buddha. It is a noticeable vestige of artistic value in Indian and Sri Lankan art history. People are used to worshiping it considering it as the Buddha, even before and after the creation of the Buddha's statue. It can be considered as a relic as well. Some research is available in India regarding the Buddha's foot print. Most of the time such research has been connected to stone slabs. Some investigations have been done in Sri Lanka but this has not received in depth study. Worshipping the Foot is a multireligious practice. The Foot print as a symbol occupies a significant place in the Buddhist field of art. The Religious and philosophical significance of the Buddha’s foot print is an interesting subject for research. The study is not confined to the investigation of stone slabs alone but cultural implications and traditions are also considerations. Discussing how the foot prints of the Buddha were conceptualized and how the idea of foot-print gained popularity as a Buddhist symbol constitute the main objectives of the research. The findings of the study show that religious and philosophical views have played a role in creating this Buddhist symbol. The foot print has become part of religious and philosophical cognition. This research is relevant not only to the field of Buddhist studies but also to the field of art. Combined with archaeology and Buddhist art this investigation produces interesting results. This research attempts to identify some religious principles and cognitive principles that influenced the production of the foot print. How religious principles affect the people, and how their traditions and customs affected their art can be seen through this investigation.
A literature review of factors that affect the intention to purchase Sri Lankan gems and jewellery
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Lenaduwa, L.L.Y.R.; Warnakulasooriya, B.N.F.
Sri Lanka’s top luxury goods industry, the gem and jewellery trade, has been associated with international trade in gem and jewellery. Although this industry is an important part of the Sri Lankan economy, limited research has been conducted in this domain. Consumers’ intention of purchasing gemstones, which is a costly, credence-based product, within a complex and highly involved market has rarely been examined. Also, studies that examine factors that influence consumers’ purchasing trends of gold ornaments in Sri Lanka are limited. Therefore, based on a review of the literature on the subject, this paper aims to fulfill this gap. Thus, the study has been conducted as a systematic review of extant literature in the field. Psychological issues influence decision-making in most behavioural patterns, which is well explained in the theory of planned behavior. It serves well to explain the gem and jewellery consumers’ intention to purchase. The paper primarily addresses two objectives. Firstly, it attempts to understand how intention to purchase is defined in literature. Secondly, it considers the key determinants that influence the intention to purchase gems and jewellery in the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery industry. The theory of planned behaviour suggests that human action is guided by three kinds of considerations: behavioural beliefs, normative beliefs and control beliefs. In their respective aggregates, they produce a favorable or unfavorable attitude towards behaviour; normative beliefs result in perceived social pressure on a given subjective norm; and control beliefs give rise to perceived behavioural control. More positive the attitude towards behaviour and subjective norm, the greater the perceived behavioural control, and the stronger it is for an individual’s intention to perform the behaviour of interest. The review revealed that the role of many other constructs such as demographic variables, country of origin, vanity, brand equity, product knowledge, product quality etc., might directly impact purchase intention of luxury goods. Apart from providing possible avenues for future studies, the findings of this paper will enable the Sri Lankan gem and jewellery companies to understand the gem and jewellery consumers’ psychology, and to equip themselves accordingly with better marketing strategies to win consumers. Also, it would facilitate the gold retail businesses to be competitive so that they could develop appropriate positioning and marketing strategies that enhance business success.
Export oriented apparel industry in Sri Lanka: Competitiveness and labour productivity
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Rathnayaka, R.M.U.
Apparel has become the largest industry that accounts for 46% of the export income of the Sri Lankan economy at present. That value equals to US$ 4.6 billion. But the international market share of Sri Lankan apparel has been retained at 1.5% for a considerable period of time. China that has captured 40% in the apparel market shares appears to have withdrawn from the industry gradually by about 16% according to the 2016 statistics of the World Trade Organization (WTO) including Hong Kong. Meanwhile Vietnam, Cambodia and Bangladesh have increased exports by 10%, 8%, and 6% respectively. Similarly, Sri Lanka has a great opportunity to boost its market share in the global apparel business. The Joint Apparel Associations Forum of Sri Lanka (JAAF) plans to increase the apparel income up to US$ 8 billion by the year 2020. Hence, the Sri Lankan apparel industry needs to amplify its production quantitatively. Manpower is the main Sri Lankan contribution to this industry, and improving human productivity would allow the Sri Lankan apparel industry compete better in the global market. However, there is a considerable crisis in human capital within the Sri Lankan apparel industry with an overall efficiency of around 50% approximately. The objective of this research is to examine labour related challenges of the domestic apparel industry that has lost much of its competitiveness in the global market. This research probes into the conceptual, structural and practical factors that affect labour shortage and low human productivity problem in the Sri Lankan apparel industry. Quantitative and qualitative, primary and secondary methodologies such as industry site visits and the literature review respectively have been used in determining the impact of labour shortage on the level of competitiveness in the country’s apparel industry. The sample for site visits unbiased sample that covers large, medium and small-scale factories, which are geographically distributed over the country, is selected to collect quantitative and qualitative data. Fifty factories that represent almost 10% of Sri Lankan apparel industry were taken into consideration in this research. Under the quantitative technique, industrial productivity indicators have been measured. Further, existing production systems and procedures, and management systems have also been recorded. Qualitatively, industrial interviews were conducted to determine the socio-cultural behavior of the human capital in the industry. Statistical correlation analysis has been used to understand the relationship between reasons and results or cause and effect quantitatively. According to the current findings, on average, recruitment, training, labour utilization, promotion and order acceptance policies seem to be erroneous. Due to wrong policies of management, the industry has to confront continuous tribulations. Thus, it is evident that scientific and behavioral management techniques could be applied successfully to improve the productivity of the Sri Lankan apparel industry.
Skill accumulation of Sri Lankan temporary migrant professionals in the gulf region: A case study of Qatar
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ekanayake, E.M.A.P.; Amirthalingam, K.
Since the boom in the oil industry in the mid-1970s, the Gulf region has increasingly become an attractive destination for Sri Lankan professional migrants. In the Gulf, Sri Lankan professionals get the opportunity to enhance various skills that are beneficial for Sri Lanka. Unfortunately, a significant proportion of these professionals do not return to Sri Lanka upon completion of their initial employment contracts, which prevents the country from capitalising on the skills and knowledge they obtain in the Gulf. The objectives of this case study on Sri Lankan professional migrants to Qatar is to identify the nature of skills these professionals gain in their host Gulf country, the usefulness of these skills for Sri Lanka and how they could be attracted to return to serve the needs of the country. The study is based on primary data gathered via in-depth interviews with 12 key informants as well as an online survey of 125 professionals representing three professions (engineering, quantity surveying and accounting). The sample for the online questionnaire was selected using a combination of non-probability methods of convenient, snowball and judgment sampling and the data gathered was analysed using a mixed methodology. This study identified that the primary skill gained by Sri Lankan professionals working in Qatar is communication skills followed by industrial exposure, technical skills and personality development. The study also found that the majority of Sri Lankan professionals in Qatar believe that Sri Lanka will benefit from the skills they accumulate in Qatar if they return to Sri Lanka. They believe that their exposure to cutting-edge technologies, and the confidence, efficiency and commitment that they develop by working in mega-scale projects in Qatar would be valuable for Sri Lanka. However, the study found that the majority of Sri Lankan professionals in Qatar have extended their stay in that country beyond their initial plans. Moreover, a significant number of these professionals intend to migrate to the OECD countries like Australia, Canada, etc. permanently without returning to Sri Lanka. These factors prevent Sri Lanka from capitalising on the skills they gained in Qatar. Therefore, it is important to implement policies to encourage such professionals to return to Sri Lanka. These policies should be designed in a way that makes maximum use of the overseas experience of the professionals for the development of Sri Lanka.
Nexus between workers’ remittances and economic growth in Sri Lanka
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Aslam, Ahamed Lebbe Mohamed; Sivarajasingham, Sellaiah
In recent times, workers’ remittances are emerging as a major source of international financial flows in developing countries. Thus, the workers’ remittances are receiving increased attention because of their large contribution and influence on the economies of recipient countries. The impact of the traditional sources of economic growth such as physical capital, human capital, transfer of technological change, and flow of private capital have been well documented in economic literature. However, the role of increased portion of workers’ remittances in the total international capital flows, and the relationship between the workers remittances and economic growth have not been investigated in depth in developing countries. This issue has received relatively little empirical attention in Sri Lanka. This study attempts to fill the gap in literature and provide an in- depth analysis on the topic. The aim of this study is to explore the long – run and short – run relationships between workers’ remittances and economic growth in Sri Lanka over the period from 1975 to 2016. In this study, the auto–regressive distributed lag (ARDL) technique is employed to test the co-integration relationship between variables. Per Capita Gross Domestic Product (PCGDP), Fixed Capital Formation (FCF), Human Capital Index (HCI) and Workers’ Remittances (WR) were used as variables. In order to test the stationarity of the variables, the ADF and PP tests are used and these tests show that all variables are integrated order one, I (1). The estimated F – statistic (7.922601) and the lower bound value (3.74) and upper bound value (5.06) at 1% significant level show that there is co-integration relationship between the workers’ remittances and economic growth in Sri Lanka during the study period. The speed of adjustment (-0.934) is negative and significant at 1% level, which implies that there is a long – run equilibrium between workers’ remittances and economic growth. The results confirm that workers’ remittances positively and significantly spur economic growth both in the short – run and the long – run. The findings of this study therefore are expected to guide the policy makers in formulating relevant policies related to workers’ remittances in Sri Lanka.
Buddhist teachings for the alleviation of poverty and the establishment of economic sustainability: A study on sammā ājīwa
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Ven. Pagngnaloka, Viharagala
Today, in this world of unlimited wants yet limited resources, global economies have been based on profitability which have immensely actuated selfishness, greed and egoistic tendencies among people. As a result, socio-economic imbalances have been inevitable in societies and problems such as poverty, corruption, theft, robbery among others have also been inescapable. Moreover, the modern economic policies such as privatization which were introduced to reduce the gap between the haves and have-nots have instead escalated and enlarged the gap disproportionately as they promote competition rather than cooperation. Most of the time, a profit-oriented economic system gives no place for ethical values. This overwhelmingly leads people to engage in unethical means of livelihood which often make others unhappy and suffer but they wish their children’s happiness with money accumulated by such means. A society based on Buddhist teachings however, recognizes that one should aim at promoting the good of the larger society to which one belongs, and as a minimum requirement one must not look for one’s own satisfaction in ways that may cause harm to others. Thus, in the Buddhist approach to social and economic development, the primary criterion governing policy formulation must be the well-being of all members of the society as a whole. In The Noble Eight-fold Path, teachings of the Buddha emphasize the importance and the practicality of Right Livelihood, Sammā Ājīva, in building a peoplefriendly economy based on the motto of happiness and welfare of the whole society. This paper discusses the significance of Sammā Ājīva in bringing about ethical livelihood as a practice, and to show how such means can bring economic security in society. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of a two-fold development – spiritual and material, as explained in the Buddhist teachings, which provides solutions to many problems in the world today.
Chinese economic penetration in the Indian Ocean region: the geo-strategic and diplomatic importance of Sri Lanka in the one belt one road project
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Thotadeniya, D. T. G. S. Maheshika
China is a rising global power in the 21st century. It is important to analyse its activities of the Indian Oceanic economic penetration. Sri Lanka is included as a part of the chain of infrastructure projects “One Belt, One Road” initiative of China. As a result of this, Colombo Port City and Hambanthota port are becoming two of the prominent financial and commercial centers on what has been dubbed the twenty first century Maritime Silk Road, the sea-based portion of China’s pan-Eurasia investment strategy. The research problem addressed here analyses the geo-strategic and diplomatic importance of Sri Lanka’s role in the “One Belt One Road” Project, as a maritime center in the region. It should be noted that China is playing an important role in the process of changing the global economic centre from west to Asia. Despite the rising risk of depending on the Western trade market, China’s current strategy is to establish an export market in developing countries by providing them with opportunities to achieve economic progress through their investments in infrastructure development. Moreover, it is a strategic step that has been taken to strengthen the energy and security. But, the rise of China is becoming a huge challenge to the strategic position of India as a regional power, and the US as a world power, especially, considering their quantitative and qualitative development of military feasibility along with their economic capability in the Indian Ocean. China is attempting to win over neighbors and other countries in the region through increased trade incentives and transport connectivity. In this context, being a small state in the region, the impact exerted on the Sri Lankan economic and foreign policies by the triangular conflict connecting America, India and China, is but inevitable. However, centrality of Sri Lanka to China’s alleged “string of pearls” project, emphasizes the geo-strategic and diplomatic importance of the role of Sri Lanka. Also, China’s strategy of creating a network of ports in friendly countries supports and protects its massive volume of export goods and imports of energy along the “One Belt One Road” Project in the region.
The trade potential of Sri Lanka: Application of the gravity model
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Hettiarachchi, H.A.B.W; Jayawickrma, J.M.A.
International trade has become an essential element in the growing economies and therefore exports determine the economic power of the country. During the last 15 years, direction and magnitude of Sri Lanka’s trade have moved towards the market of commodities, especially, in the context of changing global demands, and new trade agreements. The objectives of this study are to identify the trade determinants of Sri Lanka’s trade using the extended gravity model and then estimate Sri Lanka’s trade potential to recommend a specific trade policy to promote foreign trade. The gravity model of international trade takes the concept from Newtonian physical science that the gravitational force between any two objects is proportional to the product of their masses and inversely proportional to distance, similarly, trade between any two countries is proportional to the product of their GDPs and inversely proportional to distance. The study employs panel data of annual observations on a cross-section of 27 major trading partners of Sri Lanka over 15 years between 2000 and 2015 in order to analyze the determinants of Sri Lanka’s trade flows within the framework of the gravity model. This paper uses data on exports published by the United Nations Commodity Trade Statistics (UN-COMTRADE). The coefficients obtained from the model are then used to predict Sri Lanka’s trade potential worldwide and within the region. The estimated coefficients show that the gravity model is very successful in explaining the determinants of Sri Lankan exports. Coefficients of the standard gravity variables such as GDP Per Capita, Population, Distance, Trade openness, Real Exchange rate, and Bilateral Trade Agreements (BTA) bear expected signs, and these variables are statistically significant. As per basic idea of the gravity model, distance to trade partner countries is highly significant implying higher the distance lower the trade. The country-specific fixed effect model shows that time-invariant factors are also substantial to determine Sri Lanka’s trade. Further, the results reveal that Sri Lanka’s trade potential is high with India, China, Malaysia, USA, Ukraine, UK, France, Pakistan, Japan, Israel and Saudi Arabia. Therefore, Sri Lanka should explore ways and means to improve its trade relations with the countries concerned. Sri Lanka’s trade potential with Singapore, Thailand, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, Germany, Belgium, Hong-Kong, UAE and Chile, is already exploited and the actual trade exceeds the potential in recent years.
A study on the landslide risk areas in kaglle district
(University of Peradeniya, 2018-04-03) Jayathilaka, D. M. S. C. D. M.
In the Sri Lankan context landslide is emerging as a prominent hazard. The term landslide is used to explain the movement of rock, debris or earth down a slope by the force of gravity. When examining the causes for landslides, human environment factors become salient due to the unsustainable land use practices. In the Sri Lankan context, there are different focuses on landslides, especially on the landslide hazard assessment. National Building and Research Organization (NBRO) works as the focal institution on landslide hazard identification and mitigation. NBRO has prepared landslide hazard maps based on bedrock geology, soil, slope, hydrology, landform, land use and management. Almost all physical factors and some human environmental factors have been included in those maps. The focal point of those maps is landslide hazard but a combination of hazard and vulnerability results in creating risk factors. Vulnerability can be depend on socio- economic background of the community concerned, and their capacity to absorb any shock. So identification of landslide risk is the next step after identification of hazard. This process is both conducive and effective in landslide mitigation. NBRO already identifies hazard zones in the hill-country of Sri Lanka. Kagalla district has been included in the high hazard region for landslides. The objective of this study is to identify the landslide risk areas in the Kegalle district by using Spatial Analysis tool- GIS. First, high and moderate hazard areas for landslides in the Kegalle district were identified through the Hazard Zonation map prepared by the NBRO. Densely populated areas were then identified according to Gramaniladari Divisions (GNDs), according to the census of 2012. Settlements and human-constructed urban areas were also identified by LANDSAT 8 satellite imagery. All three maps were overlaid, and were analyzed by ArcMap GIS software in order to develop the final risk map. According to the hazard map, the high hazard zone is located in the South East quarter of the district, but population density does not display any regular pattern, and is mostly concentrated in the nodal points and other city areas. According to the final risk map, high risk areas can be identified as follows: Bulathkohupitiya- Kandewa GND, Dehiovita- Viharakanda, Galabalana GNDs, Ruwanwalla DSD- Ruwanwella and Doraduwa GNDs. All the above locations are occupied by tea plantations, and the following locations have village settlements: Aranayake DSD- Galbokka, Theleka, Duldeniya, Ambalakanda, Moragammana, Mawanella DSD- Hemmathagama GND and Dehiovita DSD- Galapatha GND. Other than these specific locations, Daraniyagala and Dehiovita DSD have high and moderate risk for landslides. Identification and awareness is mandatory for landslide disaster mitigation in those areas by both the communities and authorities. The findings of this study is critical to community capacity building so that their vulnerability could be minimized.

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