The cover page reproduces a picture taken at Baranas (Varanasi) of mustard plant flowers. It symbolism to Sri Lankan culture is explained in the chapter entitled ‘I saw mustard flowers at Baranas’.

The book contains 17 chapters and an additional chapter on the reasons behind the writing of this book. The 1^st Chapter is entitled: “Failed independence and the caste system in Sri Lanka”. It deals with the history of universal suffrage introduced to Sri Lanka in 1931 and how the influence of the caste system undermined the possibilities of the development of a democratic system. The 2^nd Chapter, “Four stages of Buddhism in India” describes how the rise, fall and resurrection of caste in India impacted on Sri Lankan culture. “Bullshit and absurd talk” (Chapter 3) deals with the ideas of Prof. Harry G. Frankfurt of Princeton University in his book ‘Bullshit’ and is explained in terms of Sri Lankan culture and impact on democracy and human rights. The gradual ending of a dream born in the early part of the 19th century (Chapter 4) is about the aspirations and expectations of the Sri Lankan elite to better their future through close collaboration with the British who started their rule over the whole country in 1815 and how the end of this dream has taken place in post independent Sri Lanka. It also explains how the elite failed to understand the end of their dream and their refusal to readjust to the new forces alive in the country. This is shown as a major cause leading to the rise of various conflicts.

Chapter 5 is titled “Two absurd characters that held the post of President in Sri Lanka” and explains how the absurd styles of ruling of J.R. Jayewardene and Chandrika Kumaratunge caused the Sri Lankan state to be what it is now. The next Chapter (6) discusses how positive democratic avenues were abandoned in favour of corrupt regimes. Chapter 7—“Brahmins that confused the minds of the Sinhalese”—deals with the adverse influence of Brahmanism on Sri Lankan culture. Chapter 8 is about a criticism of some behaviour and habits of the Sinhalese by the Sinhalese. The next Chapter (9) queries as to how Sri Lankan society degenerated to such an extent and this is explained in a cultural contexts.

The pride of Sri Lankan civilization is its early irrigational development based on the achievements of engineering relating to the use of sluice gates to provide water for irrigation. The loss of this creativity and the negative developments, which have made mass graves a common experience is discussed in Chapter 10 titled: “In the past it was the sluice gate and now it is mass graves”. Chapter 11—“From a strong control to criminalization of politics leading to the collapse of political control”—discusses how the political ideology which emerged in the early 70’s for strong rule, meaning some limitations on democracy lead to the complete criminalization of politics and the collapse of political control altogether.

Chapter 12 contrasts the usual religious and societal propaganda about improving values as against the refusal to improve norms and standards. The need of mass movements not affiliated to political parties speaking in a loud voice to end conservatism is the subject matter of Chapter 13. This chapter also discusses the dangers of human rights movements being too closely affiliated to political parties and provides a strong argument for independent civil society movements.

In the Chapter: “Will the sun rise to Veyangoda” (Chapter 14) the conflict between feudal values and democracy is discussed. Chapter 15 -- the propaganda on all sides, which tries to transform conflict into armed conflict treating war as an ideal is discussed with references to post World War 2 anti-war movement concepts. “Cruelty and criminality that the Sri Lankan intellectuals have not managed to exclude” (Chapter 16) discusses the roots of caste consciousness that remains in the intellectual traditions in Sri Lanka.

The final Chapter (17), “I saw mustard seed flowers at Baranas” is a discussion on original Buddhist values based on the famous Buddhist story of the mustard seed.