‘India must stand by Sri Lanka in gratitude for protecting Buddhism’

India should stand for the unity, solidarity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka by supporting them in their nation building, reconciliation and uniting their people, Indo-Sri Lanka Buddhist Network Joint Coordinator Ven Dr Bhadant Rahula Bodhi Maha Thera said in a statement addressed to Indian Cabinet Ministers and members of the Lok and Rajya Sabhas.

The statement added: “Some of our (Indian) brothers were trying to break up the united Sri Lanka in the name of some issues and started pressuring the Indian Central Government to go against Sri Lanka and vote against it in the Geneva International Conference (UNHCR), by helping the demand of breaking up Sri Lanka and disuniting their national sovereignty and integrity. We Indians are always for national integrity, sovereignty, peace and harmony in the region for which late Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi sacrificed their lives for the national unity and integrity. We should always remember their noble advice and great sacrifice to the nation”.

The statement recalled the unique role Sri Lanka played in protecting Buddhism in its pure form by dedicating and devoting their lives for the Dhamma introduced to Sri Lanka about 2350 years ago by King Asoka.

For the first time, the Tripitaka was written on palm leaves in the first century BC in Sri Lanka, the statement added. The statement also said: “Thus we (Indians) are very grateful to them for protecting our Indian Buddhist cultural and the holy way of life.”

The statement said Dr Babasahab Ambedkar, Indian Buddhist savant and father of the Indian Constitution, will be honoured in Sri Lanka shortly by the installation of a (Ambedkar’ s ) life size statue in Colombo and the establishment of an Ambedkar memorial center and cultural Bhavan within two acres of land in Colombo in memory of the work by Dr Ambedkar together with Anagarika Dharmapala for the revival of Buddhism in India.

The statement: “They awakened millions of Indian people and helped them to follow the spiritual path of love towards humanity, universal peace and harmony; millions of Indian people adopted Buddhism and started walking on the universal peaceful path of noble Dhamma and started practicing loving kindness, as set out in the great teachings of the Buddha”.

The statement said the establishment of the Ambedkar mission center and the installation of a statue of Dr Babasahab Ambedkar in Colombo will contribute towards bringing millions of people of both countries closer to each other and in turn enhance the social and Dhamma education field.

Ven Rahula Bodhi Maha Thera together with members of an eight member Indian Buddhist delegation met President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Kandy on February 22.

They arrived in Sri Lanka on February 21 at the invitation of Dr Lilaknath Weerasinghe, President ‘Success Sri Lanka’ based in Kandy and its membership, which hosted the delegation during their stay in Kandy and Colombo.

They also accompanied the visitors to Anuradhapura with assistance from the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress and coordinated by the German Dharmaduta Society (in association with the Indo – Sri Lanka Buddhist Network), all of which entities constitute Regional Centres of the World Fellowship of Buddhists.

During the course of their visit, the Indian Buddhist delegation met the Maha Nayaka Theros of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters, Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayaka Thera, (President, Maha Bodhi Society), Ven Kirama Wimalajothi Maha Thera ( Director, Buddhist Cultural Centre), Ven Dr W Wimalagnana Thera (Gangaramaya, Peliyagoda), Ven Medagama Dhammananda (Asgiriya Maha Viharaya), Ven Getamande Gunananda Thera, Ven T. Palitha (Nalandaramaya, Nugegoda), Ven. Mettavihari and Ven Galayaye Piyadassi Thero (Chief Sanghanayake Thero of the United Kingdom on a visit to Sri Lanka), among others.

Upon returning to Mumbai, Ven Rahula Bodhi left for New Delhi almost immediately and spent over 13 days in New Delhi lobbying support for Sri Lanka's cause at the UNHCR sessions in Geneva, among leading Indian politicians, parliamentarians and Cabinet Ministers.

Consequently there had been an awakening among the important segments of Indian society that had been approached by Ven Rahula Bodhi Maha Thera and his team of 12 Indian Buddhist monks, on the true situation in Sri Lanka, which now enjoys peace and stability after the defeat of terrorism.

Senaka Weeraratna, Joint Coordinator, Indo - Sri Lanka Buddhist Network