|
World Tipiṭaka Tipiṭaka Presentation Royal Gift for Sri Lankan Parliament
|
|
|
|
The Special Anniversary Tipiṭaka Presentation to Sri Lanka
The Buddhist Era 2500 Great International Council Pāḷi Tipiṭaka Presented by H.R.H. Princess Galyani Vadhana of Thailand Honorary President of Tipiṭaka Presentation to Leading Institutions Worldwide Given to His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka At The Parliament of Sri Lanka, Colombo March 6, B.E. 2549 (2006)
On March 06, 2006 a very special ceremony
took place at the Parliamentary Complex of Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte,
Sri Lanka. At the ceremony, upon the request of the Hon. W.J.M.
Lokubandara, the Speaker of the Parliament, Rear Admiral His Serene
Highness Prince Pusarn Savastiwat, the special envoy of Her Royal
Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana Krom Luang Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra
of Thailand, made a special presentation of the 40 volume new
International Council Tipitaka Edition in English (Roman) Script to His
Excellency Mahinda Rajapakse, the President of Sri Lanka. The President
in turn presented it to the Speaker of Parliament for its enshrinement
in the Parliamentary Complex.
The origin of this event was a result of a request made by the Hon. Speaker to Her Royal Highness to make a fresh presentation of the International Tipitaka to the Parliament of Sri Lanka, while he was attending the 2nd Meeting of the World Tipitaka Council in Bangkok, January this year. The presentation of the Scriptures of the Supreme Teachings of the Buddha to the Parliament and its enshrinement in the Parliamentary Complex marks Sri Lanka as the first state in the world history to integrate the Tipitaka, the wisdom-based heritage of humanity, into a modern political institution of the world. This royal presentation also marks the beginning of the International Tipitaka presentation worldwide from Asia to the West. This is not the first time that Thailand has donated the Pali Tipitaka to Sri Lanka. More than a century ago, the King Chulalongkorn Chulachomclao of Siam who printed the world’s first printed Tipitaka edition in 1893 in Siam-script presented copies to Sri Lanka. This royal donation of the King is still to be seen at the Temple of the Tooth Relic in Kandy. The current edition is the result of the collective effort of all manuscript traditions in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Burma, Laos and Cambodia. It is the actual outcome of the International Council held in Myanmar in Buddhist Era 2500 in which the erudite Sangha from all Theravada countries participated. The new edition comes in the international script of English, and also with Tipitaka references to 14 editions available in the world. “I have no second thought in declaring that what we are receiving today to the Parliament of Sri Lanka is the best of the Pali Tipitaka editions available at present”, said the Hon. Speaker in his speech. He further added: “No doubt the Parliament of Sri Lanka will benefit from the teachings of the Tipitaka and also from the ways and means that the Dhamma Society Thailand utilized in preparing and presenting it to the world. Soon, the Parliamentarians from various parties, religions, and ethnicities will sit together to make new laws for an honorable peace settlement in Sri Lanka. Therefore, the ceremonial conducting of the international Tipitaka to the Parliament has taken place at the most appropriate time in the political history of Sri Lanka.” At the ceremony, the royal gifts of the 40 volumes of the International Council Tipitaka edition were conducted to the Main Hall in a procession. The presentation speech of Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana was read at the event in both Thai and English. After the presentation, His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka made the acceptance speech. Then the recitation of six Ratanasutta verses from the new Tipitaka Edition together with the reading of their Sinhala, Thai and English translations took place. The ceremony was concluded by airing the national anthems of Sri Lanka and Thailand. The organizers requested the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to declare March 6 as the World Tipitaka Day. March 6 also marks the first anniversary day of the presentation of the inaugural International Council Tipitaka Edition in English Script to the Presidential Palace of Sri Lanka by Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana last year. The Most Venerable Mahanayaka Theras, the distinguished members of the Mahasangha, the Prime Minister, the Opposition Leader, the Ministers, all of the law-makers, the Supreme Court Judge, Ambassadors residing in Sri Lanka, the academic community, the business community and other dignitaries in Sri Lanka and other Buddhist countries attended this august ceremony for the presentation of the esteemed and universal Dhamma jewel of peace and wisdom to the people of Sri Lanka by the people of Thailand. A fifty member royal delegation headed by His Serene Highness Prince Pusarn Savastiwat, Major Suradhaj Bunnag the Chancellor of the Dhamma Society Thailand, and The Dhamma Society representatives from Sri Lanka, China, Singapore and Malaysia were also present at this ceremony.
Source : Socio-Cultural Event. www.parliament.lk
Image printed from the Dhamma Society Electronic Archives |
| < Prev | Next > |
|---|
