Buddhism: India’s greatest gift to Sri Lanka 2300 years ago during the Poson

Buddhism evolved as one of the foremost philosophies in the world that prescribed humankind a path to salvation. It was only after Lord Buddha's passing in Kusinara, now known as Kushinagar, that the philosophy gained momentum and spread throughout the world.

Saranth has served as the epicentre of Buddhism and spirituality since ancient times, since Sarnath is the holy site where Buddha preached his first sermon.

Sarnath is a small village in Uttar Pradesh, 13 kilometres northeast of Varanasi. Formerly known as Isipatana,
According to historical evidence, the Parinirvana Stupa or Mahaparinirvana Temple in Kushinagar, India, is said to be the place of Lord Buddha's death.

Alexander Cunningham gained the most attention for his work in the area because he conclusively proved that Gautama Buddha passed away there. Alexander Cunningham proved this by finding several ancient inscriptions at the temple that told the story of Lord Buddha's death and also by examining archaeological remains that date back to Lord Gautama Buddha’s time.
 
Buddhism was founded on Metta, Muditha, Karuna, and Upeka. Metta represents the unconditional love for all living beings; Muditha is the joy developed by understanding that all beings are interconnected; Karuna is the compassion for those who suffer; and Upeka is the equanimity needed to maintain a balance between joy and sorrow.
 
In his pursuit of Buddhist philosophy and its teachings, Ashoka the Emperor, often referred to as Ashoka the Emperor and also referred to as Chakravartin Samrat Ashoka, discharged everything at his disposal for Buddhism's well-being. He gave large sums of money for stupa repair and monastery building. He spread peace and tolerance messages through rock edicts, pillars, and his own personal visits to different parts of his empire. He also pardoned prisoners, released slaves, and provided medical care to all. He was the third emperor of the Indian subcontinent.
 
The mighty emperor of India renounced violence and became a pious monarchy. He developed the qualities of a magnanimous ruler with a generous disposition. Asoka sought to implement Buddhist principles into his rule, such as non-violence and compassion. He sought to promote justice, welfare, and religious tolerance, and he actively worked to reduce poverty and suffering. He also developed a system of public works, such as hospitals and roads, to improve his people's lives.

Buddhism's principles made him a lay disciple of the Buddha. He made a significant contribution to propagating the Buddha’s doctrine throughout India, including Afghanistan.

The emperor communicated with friendly nations through emissaries and sent his own son to Sri Lanka with the greatest gift from India, Buddhism.

His selections were unique in that he chose his own son, Arahat Mahinda, as the emissary to Sri Lanka to talk to his conventional friend, Devanampiyatissa. He had never seen him but exchanged pleasantries through court ambassadors.

Arahat Mahinda’s mission was to bequeath Buddhism to the tiny teardrop of the Indian Ocean, where it would survive for a long time. Emperor Asoka’s selection of Arahat Mahinda for the mission was a bold move, as it was a direct line of communication between two friends. Asoka was confident that his son would be well-received and that Buddhism would be embraced in the region, thus ensuring its survival and propagation.
 
As Arahat Mahinda stepped into the hilly terrain of Missaka Pawwa, popularly known as Mihintale, the warrior king Devanampiyatissa was hot on the trail of a deer but stopped to answer the call of Arahat Mahinda, ending one phase of his life to start yet another, embracing the doctrine of noble truth, having answered the crucial riddle under the historic mango tree.
 
Buddhism is the greatest gift Sri Lanka has received from India. Approximately 2300 years later, India and Sri Lanka have become closer than ever before as strategic partners in the Indian Ocean region. Buddhism has been a unifying force between India and Sri Lanka, creating a strong bond of religious and cultural understanding between the two countries. This shared understanding has enabled closer political ties. This, in turn, has created an ideal platform for the two countries to cooperate as strategic partners in the Indian Ocean region.
 
During this Poson season, the Indian High Commission in Sri Lanka organised an exhibition to showcase the age-old link and highlight the cultural relationship between the two countries.
 
The High Commission of India in Colombo organised a special exhibition on India’s rich Buddhist heritage as part of the Homagama Poson Zone from June 3–4, 2023. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Minister of Transport and Highways and the Minister of Mass Media, Bandula Gunawardana. It was in the presence of several dignitaries, including members of the diplomatic corps.
 
The exhibition showcased a series of photographs depicting some of the prominent Buddhist pilgrimage sites in India. These included Dhamek Stupa in Uttar Pradesh, Mahabodhi Temple and the Ashoka Pillar in Bihar, and Sanchi Stupa in Madhya Pradesh. Photographs of centuries-old sculptures and carvings are also exhibited.
A special attraction of the exhibition was a lantern depicting Arahat Mahinda's arrival in Sri Lanka on one of its panels.

The other panels depict the strong linkages between Buddhism's four virtues, i.e., Metta, Karuna, Mudita, and Upekka, and the theme of India’s ongoing G20 presidency, i.e., One Earth, One Family, One Future.
The festival marked the arrival of Arahat Mahinda to Sri Lanka with Buddhism teachings from India. It commemorated the age-old ties between India and Sri Lanka.

In order to further this flourishing civilizational connection, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi announced a special grant of USD 15 million for the promotion of Buddhist ties. Work is underway to electrify hundreds of temples across Sri Lanka under this grant. Last month, as part of the sacred Vesak Festival, the High Commission of India organised a special exhibition at Seemamalakaya, Gangaramaya Temple, in Colombo.
 
The solar electrification programme to supply power to temples in Sri Lanka would boost rural temples. It would be a commendable social programme similar to the Suwaseriya countrywide ambulance service in Sri Lanka, which started with the help of the Indian government in 2015. It was launched during the Yahapalanaya government under Dr. Harsha de Silva.

Recently, there was a huge hue and cry over the removal of concessionary electrical rates given to religious places over the years.

The temple chief priests threatened to keep the temples dark at night if the concessions were removed. As a solution, the government devised a scheme to electrify temples countrywide, and the Indian grant would help achieve this target easily.

Solar electricity was implemented as an alternative to concessionary rates. This was so that temples could still receive electricity without the government bearing the high costs associated with discounts.

This allowed the temples to remain lit at night while saving the government money. The Poson was celebrated grandly throughout the country. This was to commemorate the advent of Arahat Mahinda, who brought Buddha's message to this resplendent island. The gift of Buddhism is the greatest gift Sri Lanka has received from India.