Monday, September 20, 2004
Speaker exhorts Finance Minister to fashion Budget on Buddhist ideals
Monday, September 20, 2004
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara yesterday called upon the Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama to consider Sinhala Buddhist way of finance, which upholds simplicity and ease when presenting the budget.
Delivering the Chief Guest's speech at the 140 th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmmapala at Mahabodhi Mandiraya yesterday. The speaker stressed the necessity of cutting down on useless indulgence to deliver relief to poorest of the society.
He requested Minister Amunugama, who delivered the commemoration speech to reintroduce the Buddhist economical style, which prevailed in the country before the Portuguese invasion.
"Greed never existed in pre-colonial Sri Lanka," Speaker Lokubandara pointed out adding that old Singhalese believed that he belonged to the nature.
Praising the immeasurable service done by Anagarika Dhammapala to revive the Sinhala Buddhists values in colonial Sri Lanka Minister Amunugama pointed that Dharmapala was the first to point out the inseparability of Buddhism and the Sinhala nation.
"He was the first to introduce Buddhist Culture and Buddhist values to the International stage," he said.
Dharmapala used his wealth, heritage and power trying to advocate Buddhism as a rare and valuable philosophy, essential to the sustainability of the world, minister said.
He pointed out that Dharmapala believed it is the main duty of Sri Lankan Sinhalese to protect, learn and spread the word of Buddhism to the world.
Born on September 17, 140 years ago as the eldest of a leading merchant family, Don David Hewawitharana abandoned his inheritance and used his time and means to create an awareness of Sinhala Buddhist heritage and the urge to free Sri Lanka from Colonial bondage .
Freeing Buddhagaya from the hands of Hindus, initiating Mahabodhi movement, establishing Sinhala Buddhist schools, introducing Pali and Buddhism as a subject at universities worldwide and playing a main role in Sri Lankan and Indian freedom struggles were a few services rendered during his 67 year long life.
By Damitha Hemachandra
The Speaker W.J.M.Lokubandara yesterday called upon the Finance Minister Sarath Amunugama to consider Sinhala Buddhist way of finance, which upholds simplicity and ease when presenting the budget.
Delivering the Chief Guest's speech at the 140 th Birth Anniversary of Anagarika Dharmmapala at Mahabodhi Mandiraya yesterday. The speaker stressed the necessity of cutting down on useless indulgence to deliver relief to poorest of the society.
He requested Minister Amunugama, who delivered the commemoration speech to reintroduce the Buddhist economical style, which prevailed in the country before the Portuguese invasion.
"Greed never existed in pre-colonial Sri Lanka," Speaker Lokubandara pointed out adding that old Singhalese believed that he belonged to the nature.
Praising the immeasurable service done by Anagarika Dhammapala to revive the Sinhala Buddhists values in colonial Sri Lanka Minister Amunugama pointed that Dharmapala was the first to point out the inseparability of Buddhism and the Sinhala nation.
"He was the first to introduce Buddhist Culture and Buddhist values to the International stage," he said.
Dharmapala used his wealth, heritage and power trying to advocate Buddhism as a rare and valuable philosophy, essential to the sustainability of the world, minister said.
He pointed out that Dharmapala believed it is the main duty of Sri Lankan Sinhalese to protect, learn and spread the word of Buddhism to the world.
Born on September 17, 140 years ago as the eldest of a leading merchant family, Don David Hewawitharana abandoned his inheritance and used his time and means to create an awareness of Sinhala Buddhist heritage and the urge to free Sri Lanka from Colonial bondage .
Freeing Buddhagaya from the hands of Hindus, initiating Mahabodhi movement, establishing Sinhala Buddhist schools, introducing Pali and Buddhism as a subject at universities worldwide and playing a main role in Sri Lankan and Indian freedom struggles were a few services rendered during his 67 year long life.
