Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Sri Lanka has made the biggest contribution to China in history by gifting Vinaya Pitaka to 400Ad Buddhist monk Faxian who travelled through the old Silk Route in search of Buddhist scripts, said a chief prelate announcing a series of Chinese funded welfare projects to mark the 10th anniversary of ‘One Belt One Road’ initiative.

Chief Incumbent of the Sambodhi Maha Viharaya Ven. Boralande Vajiragnana Thera addressing a media briefing at the temple yesterday said the fundamental cause of China – Sri Lanka friendship to begin about 2,000 years ago and the constant Chinese assistance to us on numerous occasions in the history was this reason.

The Thera said a series of welfare projects and donation of funds and agricultural equipment to Sri Lanka worth of Yuan 1.3 million will take place in Kandy, Anuradhapura, Galle and Colombo during an eight-day programme commencing from September 1.

The special occasion would be the tenth anniversary of China’s OBOR initiative as well as the commemoration of the seventh anniversary for the friendship agreement between Ven. Yao Zhi of China’s leading Dafo Buddhist Temple in Guangzhou and the Sambodhi Viharaya in Colombo, the Thera said.

One of the main features of the programme was to hold an international conference to commemorate the China – Sri Lanka Buddhist affiliations on the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road on September 3rd at the BMICH.

Meanwhile, medical equipment worth Yuan 1.1 million (Rs.50 million) to the Karapitiya Teaching Hospital is to take place on September 2 and distribution of agricultural and self employment equipment worth of Yuan 200, 000 will take place in Anuradhapura on September 5th.

The series of programmes will be organised by the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and coordinated by the Long Hua Institution of Sri Lanka.

Prof. Hao Weimin of Director Long Hua Institution of Sri Lanka said China has always been a close friend of Sri Lanka and had assisted with donations collected by seven Chinese temples worth up to Yuan 7.8 million (Rs.350 million) during the Covid-19 pandemic period in 2021.

Chief Incumbent of Mahanuwara Managama Viyaraya Ven. Paranagama Gnanawimala was also present at the press briefing. (Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana)