US Thripitakabhivandana Week | Sunday Observer

US Thripitakabhivandana Week

24 March, 2019
The start of the Thripitakabhivandana Week at Maryland Buddhist Temple, March 16, 2019
The start of the Thripitakabhivandana Week at Maryland Buddhist Temple, March 16, 2019

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington DC, under the patronage of four Buddhist temples in Washington DC and Maryland, organised a series of religious events from March 16- 24, 2019.

In keeping with President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to declare the Thripitakabhivandana Week from March 16 – 23, 2019 to mark the declaration of the Theravada Thripitaka as a national and world heritage, The Thripitakabhivandana Week commenced with the Maryland Buddhist Temple and Washington Buddhist Vihara hosting two events on March 16 and 17.

At the launch of the Thripitakabhivandana Week on March 16, the Chief bhikku of the Maryland Buddhist Temple, Ven. Katugastota Uparatana Thera expressed immense pleasure for the honour and privilege of hosting the maiden event of this historic national endeavour at the Maryland Buddhist Temple.

The Thera extended his profound gratitude to President Sirisena for declaring the Thripitakabhivandana Week and the great honour bestowed on the Thripitaka. Seth pirith was chanted to invoke blessings on the President and the country. Ven. Nedagamuwe Pragnaloka Thera preached a sermon .

Chargé d’Affaires, Sarath Dissanayake appreciated the directives and guidance of the Presidential Secretariat and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in celebrating a historic milestone in Sri Lanka’s Buddhist calendar. The day’s proceedings came to a close with the offering of Pirikara to the bhikkus and serving of snacks and sweetmeats to devotees.

The Washington Buddhist Vihara, which is the oldest Theravada Buddhist Temple in the US, hosted the second event of the Thripitakabhivandana Week on March 17, 2019, with a Buddhist sermon conducted by the Chief bhikku, Ven. Maharagama Dhammasiri Thera on the significance of the Thripitakabhivandana Week followed by a spiritual briefing on the historical context of writing the Thripitaka, its preservation to date and the contribution of the Thripitaka for the propagation of Buddhist teachings and values.

The bhikkus conducted a Bodhi Pooja and invoked blessings on President Sirisena and the country and welcomed his noble endeavour to declare the Thripitakabhivandana Week to symbolise the proclamation of the Thripitaka as a National Heritage in January 2019.

Chargé d’Affaires, Sarath Dissanayake appreciated the blessings of the Maha Sangha for organising a special religious activity in celebration of the Thripitakabhivandana Week at the Washington Buddhist Vihara and spreading the Buddha’s teachings and creating awareness of the sacred scripts of the Thripitaka among local and foreign devotees. He sought the audience’s support on the campaign launched by Sri Lanka to inscribe Thripitaka as a world heritage in the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

The arrangements at the Washington Buddhist Vihara and the Maryland Buddhist Temple were coordinated by the Embassy under the guidance of the Maha Sangha with the support in collaboration with the respective Dayaka Sabha.

The Thripitakabhivandana Week in the US will conclude with two more religious events at the Nisala Arana Buddhist Monastery and the Mahamewnawa Meditation Centre in Maryland today.

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