State festival to felicitate visiting Sangharajas, Mahanayake Theras

Chamikara Weerasinghe

COLOMBO: A State festival was held yesterday at the BMICH, Colombo, to felicitate the visiting Venerable Sangharajas and Mahanayake Theras from various Buddhist countries to Sri Lanka.

The festival was organised by the Buddha Jayanthi Secretariat of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to commemorate the 2550th Buddha Jayanthi.

The Sangharaja of Bangladesh Dharmasen Mahathera, His eminence the Lopen Kinley -the Dorji Lopen of Bhutan deputising for His Holiness the Je Khenpo, Most. Ven Sangharaja Tep Vong of Cambodia, Ven. Do Young who was deputising for Most Ven. JiKwan, president of the Jogye Order of Korea, Most Ven. Sambuddha Sasana Jothika Sanghanayake Younggong DosungPunnyasanto Maha Thera, Most Ven. Bouakham Saribout who was deputising for Most Ven. Phramaha Vichit Sangharaj, Ven. Vicara Nayake Thera of Mayanmar deputising for Most Ven. Kumara Mahanayake Thera and Ven. Phra Rajavaramuni of Thailand were present.

Most of the monks thanked President Mahinda Rajapaksa on this occasion for making the Buddha Jayanthi a Buddhist festival and for declaring the year beginning from May 12, 2006 to May 12, 2007 as the official Sambuddha Jayanthi Year.

They also expressed their gratitude to late Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar for his efforts in bringing the Vesak Day to the attention of the international community and making it an internationally accepted holiday.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka, Science and Technology Minister Prof. Tissa Vitharana, Prof. Chandra Wickramagamage, diplomats, religious dignitaries, members of the Maha Sangha and members of Christian and Hindu clergy were present.

Sannasas were presented to Bhikkhu Bodhi and master meditation teacher Achariya S. N. Goenka on this occasion. Aggamahapanditha Most Ven. Dawuldena Gnanissara Mahanayake Thera of the Amarapura Nikaya delivered the keynote address welcoming the visiting Buddhist leaders.

Prof. Omalpe Sobhitha Thera and Ven. Dr. Godagama Mangala Thera also spoke.