The ‘Tripitakabhivandana’ Week has been declared from today, March 16 to 23 to mark the occasion of initiating the process in order to declare the Theravada Tripitaka, the sacred scripture of Buddhists, as a World Heritage.
The National ceremony to announce the proposal made 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 in the world, will be held under the patronage of Maha Sangha including the Maha Nayaka Theras of the Tri-Nikayas and with the participation of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Maha Maluwa (Great Terrace) of the premises of the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic on March 23.
The Theravada Tripitaka was declared as a National Heritage of Sri Lanka by President Maithripala Sirisena on January 5, 2019 at the Aluviharaya Temple in Matale.The effort taken by President Sirisena to declare the Theravada Tripitaka as a World Heritage has been appreciated by the Maha Sangha including all the Buddhists around the world. The Presidential Secretariat, Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Ministry of Housing, Construction and Cultural Affairs in collaboration with other Ministries have organized many religious programmes to mark the ‘Tripitakabhivandana’ Week and a request has made to the public to hoist Buddhist flags in all state institutions, private institutions, houses,vehicles and roads.
A Sound Offering programme will be conducted from 6.00 to 6.15 pm in the week islandwide. Meanwhile, the Tripitakabhivandana, along with the exposition of Sacred Relics, was organised in several religious institutions throughout the country.
On March 16, the Tripitakabhivandana Week will be held at the police divisional level based on the Pindapatha Alms giving and the various religious programmes based on Sri Lankan temples abroad.
On Sunday, March 17, a programme will be implemented to construct Sunday Dhamma Schools buildings in 226 temples selected for children studying the Dhamma education under the trees. On March 18, islandwide religious programmes will be held and various programmes will be organised based on non-governmental organisations on Tuesday, March 19.
On March 20, the Poya Day, the ‘Janapathi Sadaham Yaththra’ programme will be conducted and on the same day arrangements will be made to inform the public about the Tripitaka Dharma offering at Temples islandwide.
On Thursday, March 21, the Presidential Secretariat and all Governor’s offices will jointly organise alms giving programmes.Various religious programmes including alms-giving by all state institutions will be held on Friday, March 22. On March 23, the national festival will take place at the Sri Dalada Maligawa, concluding the Tripitakabhivandana week.