The Ceremony of Ordaining Sri Lankan Buddhists

The Most Ven. Somdej Phramaharajmangalajarn, Acting Supreme Patriarch of Thailand, was the President of the Ceremony of Ordaining Sri Lankan Buddhists to celebrate the 260th Foundation Anniversary of Siam Sect.  Mr. Nopparat  Benjawatananun, Director General of Office of National Buddhism, was the President of Laypeople.  On this occasion, Mr. Nopparat unveiled that Thailand and Sri Lanka have the Buddhist relationship for a long time.


Back to 700 years ago, Phra Upalī Maha Thera of Dhammaram Temple in Ayutthaya led other 23 Thai Buddhist Missionaries to go to restore Buddhism in Sri Lanka.  They were invited by King Kirti Sri Raja Singha who ruled Sri Lanka at that time.  The king wanted to restore Buddhism because there were no monks who could be the preceptors.


Those Buddhist missionaries had ordained 700 Sri Lankan people as monks and 3,000 ones as novices and one of the ordained novices were Novice Velivita Saranan-kara who became the Buddhist Supreme Patriarch and established the Siam Sect for the Sri Lankan Buddhist Ordination.


This project belongs to the Most Ven. Somdej Phrathirayanmuni, Abbot of Debsirin Temple and Member of Sangha Supreme Council.  The venerable intends to support the Sri Lankan Buddhist Ordination especially those who believe in Buddhism strongly.  This ordination took place in Thailand for celebrating the 260th Foundation Anniversary of Siam Sect of Buddhism.



Translated by Chadawee Chaipooripat