A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
A Brief Colonial History Of Ceylon(SriLanka)
Sri Lanka: One Island Two Nations
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Thiranjala Weerasinghe sj.- One Island Two Nations
?????????????????????????????????????????????????Monday, July 10, 2017
New Constitution: New clause to safeguard Buddhism
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said on Saturday he would come up
with a new proposal shortly to include provisions in the Constitution
that would prohibit Governments from interfering with internal matters
of three main Buddhist Chapters.
The Prime Minister said this at the opening of the Weli Maluwa at Ruwan Weliseya in Anuradhapura over the weekend.
“I will come up with proposal to include a clause in the Constitution
that the Government cannot get involved in deciding on the matters
relating to the three Nikayas, followed by Sri Lankan Buddhists."
He added that Therawada Buddhism had suffered during the reign of King
Mahasen, where the Maha Vihara in Anuradhapura was destroyed by the
Vaithullayas, while killing some monks. The Vaithulayas were controlling
Abhayagiriya and Jethawanarama temples at that time. It was these monks
of Maha Vihara, who spread the Therawada Buddhism to several countries
such as Laos and Thailand.
The Premier pointed out that after the division another generation of
monks had to be brought down from Thailand and set up the Asgiriya and
Malwatte Chapters. Later those who ruled this country decided to
safeguard all the Chapters and made the Government bound by the
Constitution to safeguard Buddhism.
“However, this tradition was broken by the rulers of this country around
five years ago. The Mahanayake was threatened by them as he allowed one
of their opponents to hold a Pooja at Dalada Maligawa. They threatened
to divide the Malwatte Chapter and set up another Chapter.
“They went on to the extent of constructing a Stupa taller than Ruwan
Weliseya in Anuradhapura, which is not possible as per the traditions,
norms and beliefs. These rulers are bound by the tradition to tender an
apology to the Mahanayake of Malwatte Chapter and to sweep the premises
of Ruwan Weliseya and other sacred places of worship in repentance,” he
added.
He said he would bring in a clause to the new Constitution under which
government intervention in deciding on the composition of the three
chapters would be prohibited. (Yohan Perera)