Buddhism arrives in Sri Lanka (Poson)

Maya, Wisdom Quarterly; Dharma Vijaya Buddhist Vihara; Mane l08 UK

Sri Lanka has long been important as a repository of the Buddha's teaching.

Today is the Poson (June) full moon observance day commemorating when the Arhat Mahinda together with his enlightened sister, Ven. Sanghamitta, children of the Indian Buddhist Emperor Asoka, brought the Dharma from India to the island of Sri Lanka.

They arrived in what is now the hamlet of Mihintale (Ambastala) with the monastics Ittiya Uttiya, Sambala, Bhaddasala, and the novice Sumana and the lay disciple Bhanduka.
 
The Buddhist Chronicles, the Mahavamsa, state that following the first Buddhist Council held under the patronage of King Dharmashoka, Buddhist missionaries were sent to sent countries. They were most successful in Sri Lanka as the then King Devanampiyatissa and the local people were very receptive. A revival took place in the religious, social, cultural, and economic aspects of the country with the spread of Buddhism. It was through the light provided by Buddhism that Sri Lankans could stand independently.

The full moon observance day Dharma sermon (bana) regularly organized at the Temple Trees was held at the President's House in Anuradhapura. The Chief Abbot (Sangha Nayaka) of the Ramanna school in the north-central province, Ven. Pothane Dhammananda Thera, delivered the sermon. 

(LINK)
 
Pres. Mahinda Rajapaksa, First Lady Shiranthi Rajapaksa, ministers, and parliamentarians were present. A gold plated Buddha statue donated by the Sri Lanka-Korea Friendship Foundation for World Peace was presented to the President. The special observance day program of ITN's "Savanak Ras" was broadcast from the great royal Situl Pawwa Raja monastery today. Various religious program were organized under the patronage of Ven. Mataramba Hemaratana Thera. Meanwhile, the Sasanaloka ["Dharma-in-this-world"] program organized by Lakhanda Radio was held at Situl Pawwa monastery. Dharma books were offered to novices, while lay devotees were given white cloth and Buddha statues. ITN staff also participated in the religious program. (Source)

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Bodhi Tree to be planted in India for 2600th

Janaka Alahapperuma (Onlanka News) translated from "English" by Wisdom Quarterly

Siddhartha culminated six years of rigorous striving by letting go and was thereby able to gain supreme enlightenment when he resolved to simply sit under the Bodhi tree. The straining had prevented him, and slacking off would have ruined him. But in between, the heart/mind was freed. What was his practice? He became tranquil through the jhanas gained through breathing meditation then practiced the Foundations of Mindfulness and Dependent Origination (Wisdom Quarterly).

Honored Tree involved in the Great Enlightenment to be taken to Bodh Gaya, India to mark 2600th anniversary of the Supremely Enlightened Buddha Festival

SRI LANKA - A sapling from the Bodhi tree in Anuradhapura was brought to Temple Trees (the official residence or Sri Lankan "White House"), which is ready to be sent to India as of February 14.

Prime Minister and senior monks with Bodhi tree sapling (Sudath Silva/Onlanka News)

The sapling to be taken to India for planting at Bodh Gaya, where Siddhartha became a supremely enlightened teacher (sam-buddha), will mark the 2600th anniversary celebrating that event: Sambuddha Jayanti (festival).

Bo trees send runners and saplings making them easy to transplant.

The Bodhi or Bo tree (Ficus religiosa) the Buddha sat under to become enlightened is the "world's oldest documented living tree." There are of course much older undocumented trees. It is a kind of fig or pipal tree, whose wonderful but small fruit is only eaten as starvation rations during famine. The original tree in India was intentionally destroyed by Muslim marauders incensed to see a "tree" being "worshipped." Of course, people were honoring the living tree as a way of honoring the Buddha's accomplishment by proxy. Those who destroyed it were apparently not aware that a branch had been taken and planted in Sri Lanka in ancient times, where it has survived, prospered, and grown to enormous size.

The tree sapling was recently taken from the Uda Maluwa at Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi (where the offspring of the original Bodhi tree is kept and honored in Sri Lanka) in a colorful ceremony.

(Sudath Silva/Onlanka News)

This special religious ceremony was attended by the Maha Sangha (Greater Order, comprised of representatives from the various monastic groups or nikayas in Sri Lanka) led by the chief incumbent senior monk (Atamasthana Adhipati), Ven. Pallegama Siriniwasa, and a large number of devotees including North Central Province Governor, Karunaratne Divulgane, Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake, and members of parliament and provincial councilors.

The sapling was placed in a gilded pot by Chief Minister Dissanayake. After a parade in honor of the Bo-sapling, it was taken in a special motorcade to Anuradhapura city then airlifted to Dambakolapatuna on the Jaffna peninsula on the north coast of the island escorted by Dr. Palitha Mahanthegama. Other politicians and officials from the Ministry of Buddhist Affairs as well as Naval personnel were also present. Source

Sri Lankan president re-elected

President Mahinda Rajapaksa shows a victory sign after casting his vote (AP).

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka – Sri Lankans crowded polling stations Tuesday throughout Colombo in a hard-fought election to decide whether the incumbent president or his former army chief should lead the nation's recovery from a brutal civil war both men helped win. However, enthusiasm for the poll in minority Tamil areas most affected by the fighting remained light, and early morning explosions in the northern city of Jaffna were expected to further suppress voting. More>>

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Burma gets vist from Sri Lankan president

Burmese military dictator, Senior-General Than Shwe (AP)

Official media hail Sri Lankan president's Myanmar visit
(chinaview.cn, Editor Zhang Xiang, 6/16/09)

YANGON, Burma (Xinhua) -- Myanmar official media Tuesday hailed the current visit to Burma of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa, saying that the president's visit contributes to the continuous strengthening of the two countries' bilateral cooperation.

Burma and Sri Lanka have maintained relations in the field of religion since time immemorial. Throughout the course of history, the two countries have been able to strengthen friendship and cooperation, said the New Light of Myanmar in its editorial.

"As the diplomatic relations of the two countries have turned 60 years, they have been able to cement friendship and cooperation all the more. And their cooperation in religious, trade economic, education, agriculture, and forest, hotels, and tourism and transport is ever more apparent," the editorial added.

Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa (sulekha.com)

Rajapaksa arrived in the new capital Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday morning on a state visit to the country, during which he met with Chairman of the State Peace and Development Council (formerly "SLORC") Senior-General Than Shwe and had talks with Prime Minister General Thein Sein on the promotion of cooperation in the two countries' bilateral ties, religious affairs, trade, economy, education, agri-culture, forestry, hotels, and tourism and transport as well as regional cooperation and mutual cooperation in international arena.

For the occasion, Myanmar and Sri Lanka signed an agreement on mutual exemption of visas for diplomatic and service passport holders of the two countries and a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in tourism.

The Sri Lankan president also visited the former capital Yangon and unveiled a bronze plaque of Mitta Village in cyclone-hit Kungyangon township, Yangon division, which was established and donated by Sri Lanka.

Aimed at further strengthening the two countries bilateral ties, Rajapaksa's Burma visit came on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the nations.

They established diplomatic relations on June 7, 1949 and have enjoyed cultural and religious ties since the 11th century.

Both countries are members of the subregional grouping of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which also comprises Bangladesh, India, and Thailand. Source