DHAMMA SANGAYANA IN 2017: RANIL

The United National Front for Good Governance (UNFGG) yesterday pledged to hold a Dhamma Sangayana (Buddhist Religious Discourse) in Sri Lanka in 2017 if it’s elected to office, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said yesterday.

University of Pali and Buddhist Studies would be upgraded to similar status of Nalanda in India

Addressing the Sanga Samuluwa for Good Governance at the Ape Gama model village in Battaramulla, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the Mahanayakes of the main chapters should decide on having a Dhamma Sangayana and the government could facilitate it. He said such s Dhamma Sangayana was needed to resolve certain issues regarding Buddhism in the country.

The Prime Minister said Sri Lanka would be made the centre of Theravada Buddhism to propagate and preserve Theravada Buddhism in the region and the globe as a whole. He said Sri Lanka would be able to play a role in preserving Theravada Buddhism in the way it was done by Emperor Asoka in the ancient past.

Further, he said the University of Pali and Buddhist Studies would be upgraded to similar status of Nalanda in India which is a Mahayana Buddhist University. However he said it would be a Theravada Buddhist University. Referring to politics he said Buddhist principles would also be instilled into parliamentary practice.

Power and Energy Minister and UNFGG Colombo District Candidate Patali Champika Ranawaka said the overall objective of the UNFGG is to introduce a civilized political culture. The Minister told the Maha Sangha not to get deceived by false reports claiming that the UNFGG was going to implement federalism. He said the UNFGG strongly denounce federalism. “We are not proxies of the LTTE,” he said.