Maha Sangha preserved our civilisation - PM

Priyanka KURUGALA

Our civilisation began with the arrival of Arahant Mahinda and after the introduction of Buddhism to the island, it was preserved by the Maha Sangha. When there were wars even during times of Mahasena and Dutugemunu it was the Maha Sangha who counselled and brought peace to the country, said Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne at the final Commemoration Ceremony to mark the 125th anniversary of the Buddhist Flag at the Independence Square in Colombo yesterday.

Prime Minister Jayaratne said during the dark years of terrorism President Mahinda Rajapaksa gave the stewardship to curb it and the Mahasangha was behind him in that endeavour.

"While in some countries Buddhism is on the wane it is preserved in Sri Lanka in its pristine form because of the great leadership of our Maha Sangha. When you look at the Buddhist flag and the image of the Buddha you are inspired and your thoughts are filled with veneration and sublime thoughts," he said.

"The war was ended successfully and now it is time to steer the national development effort to a similar success under the Mahinda Chintana Program mobilising all political parties and different ethnic communities and President Mahinda Rajapaksa is committed to accomplish this great national endeavour," the PM said.

"In real terms our country has no food scarcity. We can produce all we need to stave off hunger. If we do not quarrel about political rivalries in three months we can make our country a completely developed one unsurpassed in the world," he said.

"In our country there is a deterioration of human values. This problem could only be solved by developing the moral values of our people - not through law. People must be taught moral and spiritual values," the Prime Minister said.

There have been critical assessments of our country by foreign forces inimical of our society but our President had met them squarely through his genuine leadership. "All of us must rise above partisanship and work together with the motto that "This is our country."