Kapilawastu Sacred Buddha Relic Exhibition at Manelwatta Temple

The Sacred Kapilawastu Relics were brought to Sri Lanka on 19th of August in 2012 on special request made by President Mahinda Rajapaksha to India Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to commemorate the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanti and as a special symbol to mark the friendly bilateral ties between the two countries. President Mahinda Rajapaksha recieved the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics at the Katunayake International Airport from India's Cultural Affairs Minister Kumari Selja amidst the chanting of Seth Pirith by the Maha Sangha led by the Chief prelates of the three Nikayas. The scared Kapilawastu Relics were last brought to Sri Lanka in 1978 at the period of President J. R. Jayawardhana. 

An Exposition of the Sacred Buddha Relics will be held at 8 places from 19 of August to 12 of September to enable the people to pay homage to the Sacred Relics. They were first placed at the Manelwatta Temple, Bollegala, Kelaniya under the guidance of Chief Incumbent Ven. Dr. Bodagama Chandima Thero, for veneration from 19 to 22 morning of August.

On first day Anu Nayake Thero of the Malwatte Chapter Ven. Nyangoda Vijithasiri Thero and Ven Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero conducted the Buddha pooja religious activity. A large number of members of the Maha Sangha (Bhikkhu, Bhikkhunis), Parliament Speaker Chamal Rajapaksha, Ecomomic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksha, External Affairs Minister Prof G. L. Peries, Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa, Deputy Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Defense Secretary Gothabhaya Rajapaksha, Indian Cultural Affairs Minister Kumari Selja who arrived in Sri Lanka with the Sacred Relics and Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Ashok kantha and thoushand of devotees also participated for this Buddha pooja religious activity. On same day President Mahinda Rajapaksha also came to pay homage to Sacred Buddha Relic at Manelwatta Temple. 

Thousand and thousand devotees were came to pay homage to Sacred Buddha Relic at Manelwatta Temple from 19 to 22 morning at 07:00 am. There was Buddha pooja everyday at 04:00 am, 07:00 am, 11:00 am and 05:00 pm. Pirith chanting was also held there 24 hours from starting day to ending day. President Mahinda Rajapaksha participated twice to Sacred Relic Buddha pooja on 19th and 20th at evening.

Kapilawastu Sacred Buddha Relic were taken to the Palmadulla Raja Maha Vihayara at Palmadulla by helicopter after conducted last Buddha pooja by Ven Uduwe Dhammaloka Thero at 07:00 am on 22th of August.

Sacred Buddha Relic

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Alms-Giving Ceremony for bhikkhuni

It has been another auspicious day at Manelwatta Temple.

Beginning at 10 am, there was a ceremony for the inauguration of an  Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva shrine. Although Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva was once popular in Sri Lanka, it was usually presented in a male image. The new Avalokiteshvara Boddhisattva shrine at Manelwatta Temple is presented in a Chinese, female image.

Around noon, an Alms-Giving Ceremony for Bhikkhunis, sponsored by Jiuhuashan Daxinshan Nunnery, took place. It is estimated that nearly 1,000 bhikkhunis attended the ceremony.

Following the Alms-Giving Ceremony for Bhikkhunis, a graduation ceremony for the second group of nun-students who had completed the training programme at Manelwatta Temple. Their dipomas were presented by the head bhikkhuni of Jiuhuashan Daxinshan Nunnery of Taiwan, who sponsored the training programme.

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Alms-Giving Ceremony for Ten-Precept nuns

Jiuhuashan Daxinshan Nunnery of Taiwan, in coorperation with Theravada Samadhi Education Association, commenced an Alms-Giving Ceremony for Dasa Sila nuns (ten-precept nuns) at Manelwatta Temple on 24 July 2012.

It is estimated that 1,400~ 1,600 ten-precept nuns attended the Ceremony. Ven. B. Chandima Mahathero and the tree head nuns of Daxinshan Nunnery presided over the event. For more picture, click here.

World Peace Blessing Ceremony

To celebrate the 2556th Buddha Jayanti, a special ceremony (World Peace Blessing Ceremony) was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka in 7-11 May 2012.

 More than six hundred delegates from 24 countries attended the ceremony. It was the first time in the modern Sri lankan history that sangha members from all three major Buddhist traditions (Theravada, Mahayana and Vajayana) jointly hosted a blessing ceremony together. H.E. President Mahinda Rajapaksa also attended the ceremony and gave alms to the sangha.

Under the guidance of Ven. B. Chandima Mahathero, Theravada Samadhi Education Association assisted the organizing of the Ceremony.

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Ten-days Meditation Retreat

To promote Dhamma through spiritual practice, Theravada Samadhi Education Association invited the revered Ven. Polpitiye Kasapa Nayaka Thera to lead a ten-days meditation retreat in Taipei.

The retreated was well-received and appreciated by many who urgently need retreat in the busy modern life. It is expected more meditation retreats will be organized in the future.