President's Poson Day message

President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in a message to mark Poson Poya day called upon all Buddhists to commemorate Poson giving pride of place to pratipatti pooja and spreading love and compassion towards all beings.

The President in her message said, it is most timely to issue a dhamma message to all Buddhists while commemorating the advent of Arahat Mahinda Thera on a Poson Poya day like today during the time of King Devanampiyatissa.

With the advent of Arahat Mahinda our forefathers who were following wrong beliefs clearly understood the true nature of Buddhism and gained the privilege of inheriting a religion with lasting principles. Apart from this the foundation of our nation, heritage, culture and arts were also established.

The ability of man to enter a spiritually advanced society by disciplining the mind, body and speech through the principle of seela and promoting moral values were some of the great values taught us by Arahat Mahinda those days.

Arahat Mahinda taught us that as well as man, animals too had the right to live on this earth. What we need most today is respect to others, display of non-violence and disciplined living with a sense of comradeship. I believe that this valuable example is most suitable today more than any time before in our history. Today we have utilised the valuable examples in Buddhism taught us by Arahat Mahinda Thera in our march towards peace.

"I believe that the influence we gained from the teachings in Buddhism based on noble human values would enable us to fulfil those hopes and overcome many prevailing obstacles.

"I call upon all Buddhists to commemorate Poson Poya day giving pride of place to pratipatti pooja and spreading love and compassion towards all beings."