A committee has been appointed to recommend to the government action to be taken in response to a request from the Sangha that there are people spreading misconceptions about the Buddha’s character, the Tripitaka and Buddhist places of worship.
According to the Government Information Department, the committee was set up in response to a written request made by the Trincomalee Chief Incumbent to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa at a meeting of the Buddhist Advisory Council at the Presidential Secretariat on Friday afternoon.
At the Buddhist Advisory Council, the monks have pointed out to the President that Sri Lanka is the headquarters of Theravada Buddhism, and that Buddhist images and images of false monks are trying to distort the basic teachings of Buddhism.
The Government Information Department further stated that the Maha Sangha had emphasized that the government had taken immediate action to thwart the planned conspiracy to destroy pure Theravada Buddhism and that a program was needed to defeat the heretics academically.
The monks have further emphasized that these miscreants are systematically insulting the monks who are engaged in the task of protecting the Buddha Sasana and the Tripitaka.
The Maha Sangha expressed their regret over the incident and pointed out the importance of paying close attention to the program being carried out through social media.
The government has further stated that the need to regulate places of worship and disease treatment centers was also discussed at the meeting.
“The Archaeologists Ordinance was amended to conserve antiquities and to consolidate national heritage and its progress was reviewed.”
Members of the Buddhist Advisory Council, members of the Maha Sangha, State Ministers Vidura Wickramanayake and Vijitha Berugoda, Chief Adviser to the President Lalith Weeratunga and a number of officials have joined the meeting.