Book on Fa Hsien relaunched

Priyanka KURUGALA

The book, Buddhist Kingdoms of Fa Hsien and Description of Pilgrimage which had been translated by W Charles de Silva in 1921 was relaunched at Ananda Collage on September 20 to commemorate the 1,600th anniversary of Fa Hsien Thera's visit to Sri Lanka.

Prof Praneeth Abesundara said Sri Lankan children should study their country's history. Records of Fa Hsien's tour are very important in the study of our history. "Ven Fa Hsien reached Sri Lanka in 414 AD during the reign of King Mahanama.

When he was in India he had heard about an Arahath Maha Thera in Sri Lanka. He wanted to talk with him. By the time he arrived here the Thera had passed away.

He only got the opportunity to participate at the funeral," Prof Abesundara said. Ven Monk Yuan Ci said as a follower of Fa Hsien Thera I got an opportunity to attend the ceremony of the 1,600 anniversary of this eminent monk.

"Sri Lanka is very peaceful now. In 1986, The Buddhist Association of China sent five monks to Sri Lanka to study Theravada Buddhism.

These five monks are devoted to the sacred mission of Buddhist education," Ven Yuan Ci said