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| Tuesday, 4 May 2004 |
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| Govt. will protect Buddhism and Buddha Sasana - Prime Minister Colombo East group correspondent A ceremony to present the Act of Appointment of Anunayaka Thera of the Sri Lanka Dharmarakshita Nikaya to Ven. Tiricunamale Ananda at Vajiragnana Dharmayatana Hall, Maharagama was presided over by Ven. Weligama Gnanaratana, Mahanayake Thera of the Nikaya. Prime Minister, Mahinda Rajapakse, Chief Guest said that it was written down in the Sri Lanka Constitution that the protection and preservation of Buddhism and Buddha Sasana was the duty of any government that assumed office. The Government of which he is the Prime Minister will abide by the Constitution and take every practical step to fulfil its duty by the Buddha Sasana. Whenever he visited Ven. Agga Maha Pandita and Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha Mahanayake Thera at the Vajiragnana Dharmayatana, he never failed to remind him that the ruined Buddhist shrines in the North and East needed to be looked after, rehabilitated and preserved for posterity. Ven. Tircunamale Ananda Thera, his devoted pupil was present when the Mahanayake Thera uttered these words. The Prime Minister said that he would do his best to comply with the Ven. Mahanayake's request. The Prime Minister reminded the audience that he had known the new Anunayake Thera, Ven. Tiricunamale Ananda for a long time and he always remembered to have a chat with him whenever he came to see the Ven. Mahanayake Thera. His parents had migrated to Trincomalee from the South from where he himself comes and engage in business and other useful activities. They have brought up and educated a promising son, with immense capacity to uphold Buddhism and the Buddha Sasana in the country. He is indeed an asset to the Buddha Sasana. The Prime Minister was really impressed by the way he looked after and attended on Ven. Pannaseeha Mahanayake Thera when he was ailing. The Speaker, W. J. M. Lokubandara said that he had associated with the new and young Anunayake Thera, Ven. Tiricunamale Ananda from his student days. Of course they are both students even now. Venerable Ananda was so close to him almost always, but yet so distant. That was Ven. Ananda's special quality. So near, so far. He is erudite. His knowledge of the Sinhala language, its literature, Pali, the Buddhist doctrine, Sanskrit and English is quite sound. He is indeed an asset to the, Buddha Sasana as his friend, the Prime Minister reminded. The term Ananda has many meanings. Yet which is the most apt for the moment is the definition 'pleasing'. It is a delight to see and talk to him. He is a highly disciplined bhikkhu who understands his responsibility, which is a rare quality nowadays. Ven. Ananda speaks and writes pure, idiomatic and effective Sinhala. He is somewhat offended when someone pollutes the language. He believes in correct usage. Furthermore, he belongs to a great tradition of eminent scholars who enriched Lanka's literature. They were also great teachers. They were Pandit Tudawe Pandita Gunawardena, his son Ven. Pelene Vajiragnana Mahanayake Thera, founder of Vajirarama, Bambalapitiya, his pupil Ven. Madihe Pannaseeha Mahanayake Thera and his colleagues Ven. Narada Maha Thera and Ven. Piyadassi Nayake Thera, only to mention a few, he said. He quoted a line from a modern poet, Sugat putuni mulu lo pala Vidurunaena (Vajragnana). |
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