How is the ideology system in Sri Lanka different from that of India? And, is Hindu ideology and science equivalent to the modern science of the West?

 At the conference of the Indian Science Congress, several Indian scientists claimed that India had knowledge of space exploration, information technology, the internet, nuclear weapons, and other advancements thousands of years before the West. They also spoke of a story in the Mahabharata about a woman who gave birth to a hundred children, suggesting that ancient Hindu scientists made significant progress in reproductive technology.

However, it's important to note that Hinduism arose after Shankaracharya in the sixth century and was inspired by Buddhism and Jainism. Therefore, it may be more accurate to refer to the scientific knowledge of that time as Vedic science, rather than Hindu science. While some university vice-chancellors and others speak of a so-called Hindu science, the majority of scientists of Indian origin reject this notion, including Venky Ramakrishnan, current President of the Royal Society of London and Nobel Laureate in Chemistry.

Some argue that the concept of Hindu science has gained traction since Modi became India's Prime Minister in 2014, with some viewing it as an attempt to promote Hindu nationalism and attack scientific rationalism. The scientific wing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the organization that founded Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, known as Vijnana Bharati, is also thought to have contributed to the growth of Hindu science. However, not all Indian scientists endorse this view, and many reject the idea of conflating nationalism with scientific knowledge.

In Sri Lanka, some nationalist groups also claim that a unique form of ancient science existed in the country's past, similar to those who speak of Hindu science in India. However, these groups often overlook the diversity of knowledge systems and assume that there is only one system of knowledge in the world. They believe that the elements of contemporary western knowledge are present in past knowledge, without considering the critical thought that developed in Western Europe in the fifteenth century.

By contrast, India rejected critical thought and did not question its system or features, even rejecting the Buddha's questioning. While Indian knowledge systems incorporate elements of Buddhism, Jainism, the Mahabharata, and Ramayana, they also accept western knowledge, resulting in a system filled with contradictions. In Sri Lanka, Sinhala Buddhist nationalists also emphasize ancient knowledge and Western scientific knowledge, without questioning their underlying systems. However, it is crucial to develop knowledge based on Sri Lankan culture and traditions, rather than attempting to replicate Western scientific models.

To achieve this goal, we need to study our thinking, attitude, theory, vision, and the basics of the Buddha's religion. Sri Lanka's cyclical thinking and holistic approach to knowledge are distinct from Western linear thinking and reductionist approaches. We must reject the dominance of Western Christian modernity and instead create knowledge that reflects our culture and traditions. We need to develop knowledge based on our spiritual and ancient knowledge systems, rather than attempting to replicate Western models.

In conclusion, the ancients of Sri Lanka had a wealth of knowledge that was distinct from Western knowledge systems. Sri Lankan medicine, for example, is fundamentally different from Western medicine. In creating a unique Sri Lankan knowledge system, we must recognize and appreciate the spiritual dimension of our knowledge and reject attempts to reduce it to Western scientific paradigms.