'Dhamma education can control mental diseases'

Priyanka Kurugala

According to research carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health, the number of individuals with mental diseases in the country could reach 6,000,000 in the near future.

Therefore the role of Dhamma school teachers is very important to guide and help people get over the stressful situation.

Dhamma school teachers could reduce this tension in society, Sri Lanka Foundation Institute Physiology and Counselling lecturer Wasantha Pathiratna said.

She was addressing the leadership development programme "Introduce good Qualities in Society" at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute on Sunday.

The Programme was organized by the Prime Minister's Office, the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute and the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress. Due to the prevailing rat race parents are occupied at work places keeping their children for long hours confined to homes.

This is fast spreading throughout the society.

This increases the number of children, with mental disease, she said.Children are the wealth of a country. Some parents punish their children for mischief while others penalize their kids to get away from their daily stress. Even though parents are not cruel, they allow their stressfull conditions get the better of them.

Dhamma school teachers can use their skills to help such parents.

The Buddha controlled Angulimala and Nalagiri with kind words. Words are very important to control anybody.

Nobody likes to live in ignorance, she said.