President proposes setting up of Maha Vihara University | Sunday Observer

President proposes setting up of Maha Vihara University

21 May, 2023

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said that he intends to seek the Japanese Government’s assistance during his upcoming visit to Japan, to set up a Maha Vihara University, an international standard university to study Theravada Buddhism.

The President said that the contribution of Buddhist countries such as Thailand and Bhutan will also be sought for this purpose.

The President was speaking after visiting the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters in Kandy yesterday.

President Wickremesinghe also presented a Bill to amend the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance and establish a Theravada bhikkhu discourse to seek the guidance of the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters.

The Chief prelates stressed the importance of formalising the Tripitaka Conservation Bill and the Buddhist Publications Regulation Act, and the President instructed the Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Sasana to prepare the amendments.

President Wickremesinghe, who first arrived at the Malwathu Maha Vihara yesterday morning, received the blessings of the Chief Prelate of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera, and engaged in a brief discussion.

Stressing the need to develop Kandy as a state-of-the-art city by developing the infrastructure, the President said that the development related to the Kandy Metropolitan Plan will be launched this year, and that all major city development plans in the country will be implemented and completed promptly.

President Wickremesinghe also visited the Asgiri Maha Vihara and met the Chief Prelate of the Asgiri Chapter, the Most Ven. Sri Gnanarathana Thera, and engaged in a brief conversation. The President also inquired about the development of the Asgiri Maha Vihara.

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