Courtesy Hiru News

In a move to ensure the Maha Sangha fulfills its constitutional duty of securing the Sambuddha Sasana, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has established a Bhikshu Coordinating Centre at the Presidential Secretariat. This Centre was inaugurated today (17th) under the patronage of the Thrainikayika Maha Sangha, with the coordination of the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake.

The creation of this Centre follows the recent statement by President Ranil Wickremesinghe made at the inauguration ceremony of the Gurudev Suwa Arana Gilan Bhikshu Centre in Kiriwaththuduwa. The new office is situated on the third floor of the Chartered Bank Building located in Colombo Fort. The inauguration ceremony featured the chanting of Seth Pirith by the Maha Sangha.

Anunayake of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero, expressed that the President’s initiative to empower Sri Lanka economically, despite the economic, social, and cultural challenges faced by the country, will always receive the blessings of the Maha Sangha. He emphasized that the new Bhikshu Centre would help strengthen the relations between the Maha Sangha and the government.

Deputy Registrar of the Asgiri Chapter, Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thero, also delivered a special address. He highlighted that, in an era marked by numerous religious crises, government intervention is crucial. He commended the opening of the new Bhikshu Centre as a timely action and praised President Ranil Wickremesinghe for his dedication to the perpetuation of the Sambuddha Sasana.

Addressing the gathering, Anunayake of the Malwathu Chapter, Most Venerable Niyangoda Vijithasiri Thero, further elaborated:

“The establishment of the Bhikshu Coordinating Centre in the Presidential Secretariat is a commendable initiative with highly valuable objectives. It is anticipated that this unit will enable more efficient and meaningful efforts in addressing issues related to the Sambuddha Sasana in our country.

This institution can play a crucial role in solving problems such as maintaining temples, preserving traditional teachings, and overcoming various contemporary challenges. It is believed that these efforts will yield significant results and contribute to the development of the Sambuddha Sasana.

I would like to highlight that the President’s program to empower Sri Lanka economically, while overcoming the economic, social, and cultural challenges we face today, consistently receives the blessings of the Maha Sangha.

Deputy Registrar of the Asgiri Chapter, Most Venerable Narampanawa Ananda Thero;

I am personally happy to be involved in the inaugural event of establishing a Bhikshu Coordinating Centre within the Presidential Secretariat premises. As stated in the Constitution, there is no need to say anything about the special favours that have been received for the Sambuddha Sasana since time immemorial.

Specially this era is an era in which many crises have been created. Many problems related to the Sambuddha Sasana have arisen due to various forces that do not consider the traditional Bhikshu leadership and disregard the traditional Sasanika value system.

It is not enough for the monks to intervene in solving the religious problems. It must be said that government intervention is essential for that. Therefore, it is very timely to establish this Centre to contact the authorities of the country to discuss the problems that arise especially for the monks. For the sake of the perpetuation of the Sambuddha Sasana, I hope to be able to effectively fulfil the President’s concept.

Narahenpita Abhayaramadhipathi, Chancellor of the Colombo University, Venerable Dr. Muruththettuwe Ananda Nayaka Thero,

Every government that assumes power often makes promises involving the Bhikshu, but many of these promises remain unfulfilled. President Ranil Wickremesinghe stands out as a leader who genuinely addresses systemic issues. Regrettably, certain individuals posing as monks have significantly disrupted the order, and we deeply regret this situation.

Considering these concerns, we have recently brought these matters to the President’s attention. We urged him to reform the Sangha system and safeguard the country from such disruptions.

Consequently, the Bhikshu Coordinating Centre has been established following the directives of President Ranil Wickremesinghe. While a Bhikshu Advisory Board was initiated under the previous government, it did not achieve success. The Maha Sangha appreciates the leadership of President Ranil Wickremesinghe in this initiative.

Sri Sambuddhaloka Maha Viharaya – Fort Chief Incumbent, Former Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist and Pali University, Venerable Prof. Ittademaliye Indasara Thero,

The Maha Sangha deserves commendation for the establishment of the Bhikshu Coordinating Centre at the Presidential Secretariat today. This office will effectively address the issues faced by monks in remote villages. Within the bhikshu community, there already exists a well-organized body known as the Shasanarakshaka Mandala, unmatched by any other organization. This body operates in a hierarchical structure, comprehensively addressing all Sasana-related challenges.

Previously, the Education Protection Board solely supported activities like Dhamma knowledge and speech competitions, benefiting no one else. However, this organization also possesses information about the bhikshus residing in remote villages. Today, society faces increasing distortions of religious truths and discussions on various behaviours of the monks, necessitating immediate information gathering. I believe that by guiding the Shasanarakshaka Mandala to act on this, we can offer solutions to these emerging challenges concerning the Sasana and the monks. Therefore, I am grateful for the government’s intervention in establishing an institution to secure the monks.

Senior Lecturer of the Department of Philosophy -University of Kelaniya, Most Venerable Professor Kandegoda Wimaladharma thero;
We are delighted to see the establishment of a Bhikshu Coordinating Centre in the Presidential Secretariat dedicated to safeguarding the Sambuddha Sasana. We deeply appreciate President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s vision in this regard. The guidance provided to uphold the order through the main institution in the country holds great significance for the future.
The venerable Maha Sangha has travelled from far and wide to participate in this significant initiative, aiming to bestow blessings for the enhancement of religious morality. It is our hope that the inauguration of this centre today will pave the way under its auspices resonating not only across our nation but also throughout the world, ensuring success in every endeavour.

Former Director of Piriven Education Venerable Watinapaha Somananda Thero;
We are pleased to announce the establishment of this centre under the guidance of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, on behalf of the monks of our country. The Maha Sangha encounters numerous challenges, yet often lacks avenues to address them effectively. With this new initiative, any issues within the Maha Sangha can now be directly presented to the President.

During the inauguration of the Gurudev Suwa Arana Gilan Bhikshu Centre in Kiriwaththuduwa, the President pledged to create a dedicated centre for monks. The timely establishment of this centre fulfils that promise and is a significant step forward.
Anunayake of the Sri Rohana Chapter of the Shyamopaliwanshika and Ilangangoda Purana Viharadhipathi, Most Venerable Dr. Omare Kassapa Anunayaka Thero;
It is widely recognized that establishing such a centre is of utmost importance, particularly given the challenges threatening the existence of the Sambuddha Sasana. Despite previous governmental efforts to address these issues, doubts linger over their effectiveness in resolving them. Therefore, there has been a collective focus on safeguarding and nurturing the Sambuddha Sasana. We greatly value the establishment of this new monk coordination unit as a significant step in this direction.

Adhikarana Sanghanayake of Western Province, Professor of Sinhala Studies Department – University of Colombo and Lunawa Bodhirajaramadhipathi, Most Venerable Agalakada Sirisumana Thero;
While we have the Ministry of Buddha Sasana and the Department of Buddhist Affairs, we hold high hopes that the unit established under the President’s Office will significantly benefit the Monk Order. Despite on-going correspondence concerning monks’ issues, solutions have often remained elusive. Hence, we anticipate that this newly established office will effectively address and resolve the challenges faced by monks.

Senior Adviser to the President, Professor Sunanda Madduma Bandara;
Following the British rule, a centre has been established within the Presidential Secretariat to address the esteemed Maha Sangha, marking a historic initiative by the President.

Recently, during the inauguration of the Gurudev Suwa Arana Gilan Bhikshu Centre in Kiriwaththuduwa, the President made significant remarks concerning the country’s religious landscape and the relationship between government and religion. While some advocate for the separation of government and religion, the President emphasized that the Constitution grants freedom to practice any religion or none at all. However, Buddhism holds a privileged position in the Constitution, and any suggestion to alter this is deemed unconstitutional by the President.

The Maha Sangha has consistently highlighted the government’s delayed responses and inaction on pressing issues. It is imperative to heed their concerns and take necessary actions accordingly. In accordance with the President’s directives and under the guidance of the Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, steps have been taken to establish this new monk coordination unit to address these matters.

Following the inauguration of the new Bhikshu Coordinating Centre, an Alms Giving was organized at the President’s Media Division premises to honour the Maha Sangha who attended the event.