June 29, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has called on Sri Lankans to revive the nation’s moral and ethical values while working together to build a modern, enlightened and civilised State, in his Poson Full Moon Poya Day message.
Marking the significance of Poson, the President said the arrival of Arahat Mahinda Thera on a Poson Poya Day marked a defining moment in Sri Lanka’s history, introducing the teachings of Buddhism and laying the foundation for the country’s spiritual, cultural, social and political development.
He noted that Buddhism not only strengthened the nation’s spiritual heritage but also transformed education by establishing temples as centres of learning and monastic education. The President said the religion also inspired remarkable achievements in architecture, irrigation engineering, painting, wood carving and other artistic traditions, helping Sri Lanka gain international distinction.
Reflecting on the country’s present challenges, President Dissanayake said Sri Lankans, as heirs to this rich heritage, have a collective responsibility to restore the values and moral principles that have gradually diminished in society. He added that his Government is already working to restore civility across public life, including Parliament and State institutions.
The President stressed that no nation can achieve genuine progress without a strong ethical foundation. Referring to the Cūḷa Hatthi Padôpama Sutta expounded by Arahat Mahinda Thera, he highlighted the importance of gradual training and disciplined development as guiding principles for national progress.
Calling for unity, the President urged all citizens to join hands in rebuilding a society founded on ethical, social and environmental values, saying such principles are essential for creating a modern and enlightened State.
Concluding his message, President Dissanayake wished that the sacred Poson Festival would fill every heart with compassion, loving-kindness and wisdom.
Full Statement:
“It was on a Poson Full Moon Poya Day such as today that the noble teachings of Buddhism, which profoundly transformed the course of the Sri Lankan nation, were first bestowed upon this land.The arrival of Arahat Mahinda Thera marked the beginning of Sri Lanka’s emergence as a centre of Theravada Buddhist philosophy and tradition. That momentous event, which gave rise to both a spiritual awakening and a far-reaching social transformation, extended far beyond its religious significance and laid the foundation for a more advanced cultural, social and political order throughout the country.Buddhism not only established a strong foundation for the nation to flourish but also brought about a transformation in education. By turning temples into centres of learning and monastic education, it fulfilled a vital social role as a hub of knowledge, fostering a profound spiritual renaissance among the people. Moreover, it inspired remarkable developments in architecture, painting, irrigation engineering, building
design, wood carving and other artistic traditions, elevating our nation to a position of distinction and pride before the world.As the present-day heirs to such a glorious and noble heritage, we all bear an inescapable responsibility to revive the values and moral principles that are gradually fading from society and to work together towards building a civilised State. In this endeavour, we are already engaged in the struggle to restore civility across all spheres of public life, including Parliament and State institutions.No nation can achieve genuine progress without an ethical foundation. The Cūḷa Hatthi Padôpama Sutta, expounded by Arahat Mahinda Thera, underscores the importance of gradual training and disciplined
development. By re-establishing on Sri Lankan soil the proud legacy of the civilised society that came with Buddhism, let us join hands with unwavering determination to build a modern and enlightened State founded
upon the ethical, social and environmental values that our nation so urgently requires.I therefore invite all citizens to unite in this noble endeavour with strength and conviction.May this sacred Poson Festival illuminate every heart with compassion, loving-kindness and wisdom.”