“Lankaji Temple” celebrates 40th anniversary

President Ranil Wickremesinghe said in a congratulatory message on the 40th anniversary of the “Lankaji Temple” in Savara, the first Theravada Buddhist temple built in Japan, he highly appreciated the unparalleled great service done by Japan’s chief Sanghanayaka Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera to improve the diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Japan.

It was mentioned in the congratulatory message issued by the President that he wished a long life to Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera, who was awarded the Japan Society Award for his excellent knowledge of the Japanese language.

The message indicated that the reaching of the 40th milestone of Savara Lankaji Temple, the first Theravada Buddhist temple in Japan, is a very special day for the Sri Lankan Buddhists in Japan.

The congratulatory message was presented to the assembly by Urban Development and Housing Minister Prasanna Ranatunga, who represented the country.

Minister Ranatunga, Japanese MP Hajime Yatagawa, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan Rodney Perera and Mayor of the Kathori area Maeda Masayuki were the chief guests of the event.

“The ceremony was to mark the completion of 40 years of Lankaji Temple in Japan, which was commissioned by the then President of Sri Lanka J.R. Jayewardene on May 24, 1984. It is a significant moment of marking forty years of the first Theravada temple built in Japan since the Buddhists in the world are empowered by Buddhist history of more than 2,500 years,” the message pointed out.

After attending the religious ceremonies, the guests who arrived at the temple were escorted to the festival hall by a Sri Lankan dance troupe. The specialty of this dance group is that it consists of young people living in Japan. Ven. Thalangalle Somasiri Thera welcomed the people who were present at the opening of the festival.

Then Ven. Kasajima Soshin Thera gave an exhortation on behalf of the monks who came representing the Mahayana Buddhist temples in Japan and said that the Lankaji Temple is a sacred place that serves not only the Sri Lankan Buddhists but also the Mahayana Buddhists in Japan.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan, Rodney Perera spoke on behalf of the Donor Council of the temple said that during the early days of the construction of this temple, he also participated in Shramadana campaigns which lead to create a symbol of Sri Lanka since new the temple symbolises a respectable image of Sri Lanka.

After that, a new website about the Savara Lankaji Temple in Japan was launched by the guests and a book written by an Indian senior journalist Shakeel Siddiqui about the Lankaji Temple, was presented to Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera and the guests.

A set of young people living in Japan sang the Abhinandana song created for Ven. Banagala Upatissa Thera. Parallel to these events many Dansals were also held in the temple premises for the visitors.

Besides, monks from Mahayana temples in Japan and a large number of Sri Lankans living in Japan joined the event.

The post “Lankaji Temple” celebrates 40th anniversary appeared first on DailyNews.