The Sri Lanka Consulate General in Mumbai organized a Dhamma Talk on 17 March 2019 to commemorate the National Thripitaka Week with the participation of Sri Lankans in Mumbai including Sri Lanka Navy trainees and the students in Maharashtra State.
Welcoming the speakers and devotees, Consul General of Sri Lanka in Mumbai Chamari Rodrigo remarked that the Theravada Thripitaka is a unique national heritage, which was memorised and preserved by generations of Sri Lankan Buddhist monks till modern times. It has been an unbroken practise in the country, which is considered the foundation of the Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition.
Ven. Dr. Naluwela Ananda Maha Thero conducted the religious observances and stated that the Government’s efforts to inscribe the Tripitaka as a World Heritage is a significant move to provide it with the long due proper status.
Prof. Sasanka Perera, Professor of Sociology, South Asia University in New Delhi delivered a lecture on ‘’Beyond Thripitaka: Buddhism in South Asia’s Past and Present’’ and discussed the State patronage since ancient times for preserving Theravada Buddhist teachings in Sri Lanka, referring to the current initiative as another milestone of this process.
A video message on the “Significance of inscribing Thripitaka as World Heritage” by Thripitakavedi Prof. Asanga Thilakaratna, Professor of Pali and Buddhist Studies, University of Colombo was also screened at the event.
