Vesak activities to honour Buddha’s wisdom, celebrate co-existence
Religious activities will be prominent at the national Vesak celebration on Thursday and Friday next week at the Kebellawela Sri Rathanasiri Pirivena at Madampe in Chilaw.
Activities for Vesak, when Sri Lankans celebrate the Buddha's birth, enlightenment and death, will also be held in temples island-wide from Tuesday to Sunday.
Religious activities will be held in schools, at Dhamma schools and at Government and non-Government organisations with Divisional and District Sasanarakshaka Mandala guidance.
The Sri Rathanasiri Pirivena is hosting a temporary dansal and a Vesak lantern festival on May 4, observing of seela (right conduct), on May 5 and a Bhikshu training workshop on May 7.
A programme on co-existence will be held at the Lulur Church, involving
Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim and Catholic children.
The Department of Buddhist Affairs had requested the chief incumbents of temples to undertake special programmes.
Activities aimed at spiritual development will be held on May 1 and a programme to protect the environment is being held on May 2. A healthrelated programme is slated for May 3
and events aimed at developing morals, and drug prevention are to be held on May 4.
On May 5, Vesak Poya day, temples will conduct seela programmes. Events such as musical shows are discouraged.
The day after Vesak Poya day, Buddhist culture and arts will be promoted through a programme.
Activities will end with a training programme for monks and ‘dasa sil mata’ (lay nuns who practise Buddhist morality codified in the ten precepts) on May 7.
Temples have been asked to display an 8 ft long 4 ft wide banner in yellow and maroon.
Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Vidura Wickramanayaka told the Sunday Times that Puttalam District was chosen since it represents Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and even people of African descent. “Buddhism is for everyone. The Buddha taught equality in the Sathara Sangraha Wasthu.”