English Daily Highlights Army Contribution to Buddhist Places of Worship

Sri Lanka's English daily, 'Daily News' newspaper in a full page feature article on Friday (25), themed 'Sri Lanka Army's dedicated service to Buddhism' points out that the Army since it's founding in 1949 has been at the forefront of supporting Buddhist places of worship and its nurturing while giving the same respect for other religious places.

Here follows the full text of the feature;

SL Army’s dedicated service to Buddhism

The unstinting cooperation extended by the Army for the promotion of the Buddhist faith and Buddhist spiritual values by way of infrastructure development of places of Buddhist worship and provision of assistance to resident religious dignitaries for diverse purposes, continues unabated across the country, under the close attention and direction of the Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake, parallel to its commitment to ongoing multifaceted nation-building projects.

At present, a few more than a four-digit number of officers and other rankers of the Army countrywide from the Security Force Headquarters, Corps of Engineering Services, 53 Division Headquarters, Regimental Centres, Independent Brigades and the Army Headquarters actively participate in a multitude of Buddhist temple projects after the Commander, in close touch with peripheral and relevant commands, positively responded to appeals from the respective incumbents for assistance. In most of these projects, Army troops are into construction of basic infrastructure facilities and renovation of dilapidated buildings, structures, etc. Additionally, a few groups have been assigned to provide security to those sacred places, generally frequented by scores of pilgrims and devotees, as per the requests of those incumbents.

Similarly, Army troops deployed in the North and East have, in some instances, gone to the extent of providing even alms (daana) to monks residing in remote Buddhist temples where poverty-stricken villagers live. Most of such hospitality is done after resident monks as well as Buddhist civilians bring the need for such assistance to the attention of Army authorities in the respective areas.

Nurturing the Buddha Sasana

Since its formal founding in 1949, the Army has offered its maximum cooperation for the protection and nurturing of Buddha Sasana giving it pride of place as enshrined in the country’s Constitution as the faith observed by the majority in Sri Lanka, while providing equal respect, protection and regard for all other religions in the country. This practice, needless to say, has been upheld closely in the organization along the same lines and fostered by all predecessors of the incumbent Army Commander. Lieutenant General Senanayake, in fact, took another leap forward and threw his weight behind the successful realization of a number of new Buddhist projects of both international and local significance.

Moreover, the Army, as the most sought-after service provider in the country, like its role in the previous year in Wattarama National Vesak Zone, erected a spacious preaching hall this year in the Bingiriya temple Vesak Zone, saving a considerable sum of funds for the government.

Prior to the most recent Vesak season, hundreds of skilled troops in the Wanni, at the request of respective incumbents, actively contributed to re-painting, renovation and repair work in the most sacred Ruwanweli Maha Seya, Jethawanaramaya, Mihintale Raja Maha Viharaya, Sandahiru Seya and Hadakalannda Viharaya precincts and prepared the necessary surroundings before the dawn of Vesak Full Moon Poya day (April 29).

Security Force Headquarters - Wanni (SFHQ-W) contributing their share to the commemoration, organized a series of features in line with the national event, in close coordination with the District Secretariat for Vavuniya. A sil campaign and devotional song concerts were conducted, dansel were held and Vesak lanterns and Buddhist flags in and around the SFHQ-W were displayed.

Vesak festival

In the East, hundreds of troops serving in all formations of the Security Force Headquarters –East, honouring requests and considering priorities, offered expertise and their labour for diverse Vesak projects. Re-painting, repairing, re-building, erection of temporary huts and cleaning of those religious places dominated the agenda in many of those sacred sites, such as Polonnaruwa Somawathiya Rajamaha Viharaya, Kantale Mahawelipura Maha Viharaya, Trincomalee Dehiwatte Rajamaha Viharaya, Seruwavila Mangala Raja Maha Viharaya, Aralaganwila Sri Visuddaramaya, Dehiattakandiya, Kadjuwatta Aranya Senasanaya, Ratmaltenna Sunadarama Viharasthanaya in Aralaganwila, Buddangala Aranya Senasanaya, Namaltalawa Sri Shailabimbaramaya, Mahavapi Viharasthanaya, Mahiyangana Raja Maha Viharaya, Aluththarama Sri Sudarmaramaya, Hingurana Yasodara Silmatha Aranya Senasanaya, Rangiri Ulpatha Raja Maha Viharaya and Pottuvil Muhudu Maha Viharaya, to name a few.

Kilinochchi troops attached to all formations under the Security Force Headquarters -Kilinochchi (SFHQ-KLN) contributed their share to the Vesak commemoration by way of assisting repairs, repainting and cleaning work, preparation of Vesak decorations and meals to sightseers in different temples, including Kilinochchi Lumbini Viharaya, Sugatha Viharaya in Mankulam, Pooneryn Junction Viharaya, Jayapuram Nelum Statue and the Paranthan Junction temple. On Vesak day, troops in all formations under the SFHQ-KLN held dansel, distributed refreshments and put up their own decorations at specific locations.

SFHQ-West troops offered their assistance to Kanduboda Bawunseth Bhavana Centre, Kelaniya Rajamaha Viharaya, and Meth Sith Arana after requests for assistance were extended to the SFHQ-West, prior to commencement of Vesak commemoration week.

Similarly, the Western Province-based Independent Brigade troops of the Army, Regimental Centres, Training Schools and other auxiliary units separately launched their own Vesak programmes and assisted the Buddha Rashmi National Vesak Zone, Manelwatte Buddhist temple, Hunupitiya Gangaramaya, Sri Sambodhi Viharaya and Kelaniya International Buddhist Centre. In addition, Army troops crafting hundreds of Vesak lanterns, hung them for display in their specific service formations. Many other meditation programmes, sil campaigns, religious observances, offering of alms as well as conducting of dansel added importance and colour to the commemoration of Vesak.

Giving the same priority, Security Force Headquarters - Central (SFHQ-Cen) continues to provide all possible assistance to the Sri Dalada Maligawa in Kandy, Nelligala Viharaya, Ranawatha Viharaya, Sri Vimalarama Viharaya, Kalpawrooksha Viharaya, Weeraketiya, Sooriyawewa Nasevana, Kebbilitta Devalaya, Sithulpauwa Rajamaha Viharaya, Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya and Wedasitikanda. Troops are engaged in construction, renovation, repainting and repair work of those sacred places in close coordination with relevant incumbents and prelates.

In the meantime, Security Force Headquarters - Jaffna (SFHQ-J) in connection with Vesak, launched elaborate arrangements to commemorate the festival. The Yapapatunai - Daham Amawai Vesak Zone and exposition of Sacred Relics from India during the Vesak season were the highlights in the peninsula. Troops also took part in the distribution of refreshments and sweetmeats among sightseers. Jaffna Sri Naga Viharaya, Kandarodai Temple, Nagadeepaya and Sammiddi Sumana Viharaya in Navatkuli were among some of the colourfully illuminated places of worship. Similarly, all divisions, brigades and units under the SFHQ-J were decorated with multicoloured bulbs and lanterns throughout the season. A combined team of Army singers and students from Navatkuli School staged a bethi gee concert, showcasing the spirits of reconciliation, harmony and co-existence.

Diverse projects

Dambulla-based 53 Division troops meanwhile continue their commitment to the construction work of the Sandahiru Seya in Anuradhapura, a pagoda which will remain eternally dedicated to the memory of fallen war heroes.

Mullaitivu troops attending to the needs of resident monks in the Mullaitivu area provide labour assistance for maintenance of those sacred buildings. Kokilai Buddhist centre and a few other Buddhist places of worship receive a helping hand from the troops.

Similarly, Security Force Headquarters - Mullaittivu (SFHQ-MLT), 59 Division, 64 Division and 68 Division joined the event by producing multicoloured Vesak lanterns and holding a dansala for civilians in the Mullaitivu area. Distribution of refreshments was among other major attractions held around the Mullaitivu area.

Engineer troops attached to Corps of Engineer Services Corps (CES) of the Army, to their credit now an indispensable service-provider to all nation-building tasks, are currently engaged in more than 20 temple development projects across the country in response to requests referred to the Army Commander. Their engineering and technical expertise is widely used in those temple projects since the Army is capable of saving estimated expenses by almost half.

Recently, troops of the Security Force Headquarters - West (SFHQ-West), Quarter Master General of the Army, Directorate of Agriculture, Directorate of Army Band and Drama Art Performance, Corps of Engineer Services (CES) and other auxiliary wings on the directions of Lieutenant General Senanayake, jointly assisted arrangements for the ‘Collective of World Buddhists for Environment-Friendly Sustainable Development’ conference, at Sri Sadaham Sevana premises in Rajagiriya, Borella.

Soon after, the government decided to commemorate the 2018 National Vesak Festival in Bingiriya. Lieutenant General Senanayake extended his full support for its successful implementation in close coordination with the Buddhasasana Ministry and all other stakeholders.

Accordingly, Army troops showing their professional engineering skills, undertook the challenge of constructing a complete new dharmasala at the designated Bingiriya Devagiri Raja Maha Viharaya premises that could accommodate more than 1,000 devotees. The construction is 142 ft long and 68 ft wide and was opened by President Maithripala Sirisena to coincide with the Vesak 2018.

Sri Lanka Army troops, who have assisted in numerous ways to hold the National Vesak Day (29 April) on a grand scale exhibited their elegant Vesak decorations at the Army Headquarters, island-wide Security Force Headquarters, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Valukaramaya, Kollupitiya and Gangaramaya National Vesak Zone and elsewhere in the island.

Army Headquarters and the Army Buddhist Association contributed to the festival by staging elaborate arrangements across the country with special focus on Vesak decoration zones, bakthi gee, dansel and special religious programmes.