Speech made by Sarath N. Silva, Chief Justice at the BMICH on March 6, on the occasion of the newly compiled Romanized Theravada Buddhist Thripitaka being presented by Princess of Thailand to the President of Sri Lanka.

I consider it a rare honour to be invited to make this address at the most significant event of the Theravada Buddhist world, at which the newly compiled Romanized (meaning written in the English script) Theravada Buddhist Thripitaka is presented by Her Royal Highness Princess of Thailand to Her Excellency the President of the Republic of Sri Lanka.

I wish to avail of this opportunity to address broadly on three matters, firstly with regard to the historic relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and Sri Lanka, being two of the foremost countries where the practice of the pristine Theravada Buddhist teaching is adhered to.

Significance

Secondly, I wish to address at least briefly on the significance of Thripitaka Dhamma to the Theravada Buddhists. And, finally to state the course of action that we intend to take commencing with the historic presentation of the Romanized Thripitaka, that we witness today.

The historic ties between the Kingdom of Thailand and Sri Lanka have been woven around the practice of Theravada Buddhism. Both countries embraced the Theravada tradition of the Buddha Dhamma many centuries ago. Pali writers such as the author of the Sasanavamsa believe that the missionaries of the great Emperor Asoka of India were sent to the Kingdom of Yonarattha, now being a part of Thailand and to Sri Lanka too at about the same period.

King Rocaraja

The first occasion in which the people of Thailand came into contact with Sri Lanka was in the reign of King Rocaraja. It is stated in the historic texts that a Buddha image reputed to possess miraculous powers was taken from Sri Lanka to Thailand during that period. This is the famous Emerald Buddha venerated by the Royalty and Buddhist devotees throughout Thailand. This image known as the Sihalapatima probably derives its name from the origin in Sri Lanka.

An inscription found in Thailand now preserved at Bangkok also records that a sprout from the Sacred Bo-tree at Anuradhapura was planted in a Vihara near Sukhodya. Another inscription gives a detailed account of a King by the name of Lidayya of Thailand (Siam) who invited a Sangaraja from Sri Lanka to organise the Buddhist religious institutions in that country.

It records that the King himself entered the Order of Bhikkus. It has also been recorded that in the year 1425 CE a number of monks from Siam and Cambodia received Higher Ordination at Kelaniya in Sri Lanka and on their return founded a sect known as the Sihalasangha.

Hazardous journey

With the decline of the Buddhasasana in Sri Lanka due to foreign rule, in the year 1753, it was our turn in Sri Lanka to seek the Higher Ordination from the well established Sangha in Thailand during that time.

It is well-known in our country that a young priest by the name of Welivita Saranankara, with the blessings of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe, then King of Kandy, embarked on a hazardous journey to Siam and returned with a team of 21 senior Siamese Bhikkus headed by Upali Maha Thera sent by King of Siam himself to establish the Higher Ordination in Sri Lanka. This took place on the Full Moon Day of July 1753 in the historic Malwatte Vihare in Kandy and marks the establishment of the Shyamopali Maha Nikaya.

The name Shyamopali is composed of two elements Siam (Thailand) being the country from which the tradition of Higher Ordination was brought and of Upali Maha Thera head of the Royal Delegation.

Historic event

The historic event that takes place today at which the Romanized version of the Thripitaka is presented to Sri Lanka by a Royal Delegation from Thailand is thus a continuation of the great Theravada Buddhist tradition of exchange between our two countries that has survived many centuries.

It is now relevant to say a few words about the significance of the Thripitaka, in the practice of Theravada Buddhism.

Lord Buddha shortly prior to Parinibbana addressed Ven. Ananda who was in a state of grief stated that none should grieve over His passing away, because that Dhamma He preached and the Vinaya He laid down should be taken as the Teacher from thereon. The Theravada tradition in the strict adherence to the Dhamma that was preached.

Preserved teachings

The teaching that were preserved in the oral tradition was compiled at a gathering of 500 leading Arahants, that took place in the City of Rajagaha within three months of the Parinibbana. The teaching was arranged in the form of three baskets the, Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma.

The Vinaya lays down the rules of conduct, the Sutta contains the preaching mainly of Lord Buddha done throughout His long ministry of 45 years and of certain other Arahants such as Arahant Sariputta and Mogallana. The Abhidhamma is the scientific exposition of the teaching.

The Thripitaka remained in the oral tradition till about the year 83 B.C. when during the reign of the pious King Vattagamini Abhaya it was committed to writing at Aluvihare. It is a token of recognition of this great contribution to the preservation of the Theravada Buddhist teaching that the Royal Delegation from Thailand selected Sri Lanka as the first country to be gifted with the Romanized Thripitaka.

The Dharmayatanaya

The historic event we felicitate today, we assure you would not end with this presentation. This event is arranged mainly by Ven. Daranagama Kusaladhamma Thera of the Sambodhi Viharaya, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo. We are now in the process of constructing a six storeyed Dharmayatanaya at the Sambodhi Viharaya which would house a fully equipped library in which the Thripitaka we received today would be placed.

The library will be named after our late Prime Minister Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike who was above all a great Buddhist social worker and contributed much to the Buddhasasana. We intend to make this Dharmayatanaya a centre of study of the Theravada Buddhist teaching serving the needs of Buddhists from Sri Lanka as well from foreign countries. The Romanized version would be of immense use to persons who would come to study the Great Teaching and derive benefits therefrom to humanity.

Shorty after this ceremony is concluded we would proceed to the Sambodhi Vihara to lay the foundation stone for the Dharmayatanaya. The initial work of this building is already completed. I would be remiss in my duty if I do not make a special mention of one person who has made an immense contribution to the construction of the building which would be our Dharmayatanaya.

He is present in our midst, he is well known in Sri Lanka as the foremost Buddhist philanthropist Deshamanya H.K. Dharmadasa, Chairman of the Nawaloka Group of Companies, who has made an immense contribution to sustain Buddha activities in Sri Lanka. The construction of the Dharmayatanaya has been personally undertaken by him and would be undoubtedly his greatest contribution to the growth of Buddhist activities in Sri Lanka. We wish him good health and the blessings of the noble triple gem.

Verse 102

In conclusion I wish to cite a verse from the Dhammapada of the Kuddhakka Nikaya of the Suttapitakaya. I cite verse 102 which reads as follows:

Yo ce gathasata bhase though one a hundred verses chant anatthapadasamhita composed of meaningless lines,

ekam dhammapadam seyyo better the single Dhamma-line

yam sutva upasammati (8.3) one hears, then comes to calm.

The purpose of Dhamma is to bring us to a state of calm.

As stated in verse 361

Being calm in action, calm in speech, calm in mind and calm everywhere is the restraint that free us from all dukka (suffering).