Tripitakabhivandana Week has been declared from March 16 to March 23, to mark the occasion of initiating the process to declare the Theravada Tripitaka, the sacred scripture of Buddhists, as a World Heritage.
The National ceremony to announce the proposal by Sri Lanka to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to declare the Theravada Tripitaka as a World Heritage, with the assistance of all the Buddhist countries, will be held under the patronage of the Maha Sangha including the Maha Nayaka Theros of the Tri-Nikayas and the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Maha Maluwa (Great Terrace) of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic on March 23.
The Theravada Tripitaka was declared as a National Heritage of Sri Lanka by the President on January 5, 2019 at the Aluviharaya Temple in Matale.
The effort taken by the President Sirisena to declare the Theravada Tripitaka as a World Heritage has been appreciated by the Maha Sangha and Buddhists around the world.
The Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Ministry of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs in collaboration with other Ministries have organised many religious programs to mark the ‘Tripitakabhivandana’ Week and a request has been made to the public to hoist the Buddhist flag in all state and private institutions, houses, vehicles and roads.
The Tripitakabhivandana week’ program will also conduct an island wide Sound Offering (Shabdha Pooja) from 6.00 pm to 6.15 pm during the week island wide. The Tripitakabhiwandana, along with the exposition of Sacred Relics, was organised simultaneously in several Buddhist places of worship throughout the country.
On March 16, the Tripitakabhivandana Week will be held at the police divisional level based on the Pindapatha Alms giving tradition and various Buddhist programs based on Sri Lankan temples abroad.
Today, March 17, a program is to be implemented to construct buildings for Sunday Dhamma Schools in 226 temples where children have their Dhamma classes under the trees. On March 18, religious programs will be held island wide and various programs will be organised by non-governmental organisations on Tuesday, 19th March.
On March 20, the Poya Day, the Janapathi Sadaham Yaththra’ program will be conducted and on the same day arrangements will be made to inform the public about the Tripitaka Dharma offering at temples island wide.
On Thursday, March 21, the Presidential Secretariat and all Governor’s Offices will jointly organise alms givings . Various religious programs including alms givings by all state institutions will be held on Friday, March 22. On March 23, the national festival will take place at the historical Dalada Maligawa, concluding the Tripitakabhivandana week.