斯里兰卡总统发言要联合佛教国家助斯里兰卡发展

据斯里兰卡《国家新闻网》报道，近日，在斯里兰卡独立广场，由斯里兰卡缅族派和斯里兰卡蒙族派组织的一场向总统表示尊敬和赞美的活动中，斯里兰卡总统马欣达·拉贾帕克萨表示，佛教国家对于斯里兰卡的未来发展起着非常重要的作用，可以平衡其和西方强国的关系。而佛教徒们则可以通过联合这些国家支持斯里兰卡来对斯里兰卡的国际关系发挥作用。

他说道：“我们需要其他佛教国家的支持，他们对于我们国家的发展起着至关重要的作用，而佛教徒们可以在联合他们的方面起到举足轻重的作用。从古时起，佛教徒就对我们国家的历史起到很重要的作用。在反恐战斗中他们也做出了很大的贡献，但现在还有许多的事情需要我们去完成。”他还表示计划在国家行政中融入更多的佛教原则。为了建立一个道德的社会，他呼吁：“一个道德的社会要遵纪守法，而一个遵纪守法的社会才会繁荣。”

缅派的Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera法师表示，总统拉贾帕克萨和僧人、佛教密切的联系使得大众团结在他的周围。他是个诚实正直的人。

“过去很多的总统和佛教没有任何的联系。他们中的大多数也不遵守佛教戒律，这就是为什么僧人和大众一直犹豫着要不要到他们周围去。但总统贾帕克萨一直和僧众走的很近，人们也把他看做是一个有道德的、勇敢的人。

与此同时，斯里兰卡媒体部长Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena 称，斯里兰卡有缅派僧人12700人，蒙派僧人6000人，而两派联合向一位领导人表示敬意和赞扬还是第一次。总统贾帕克萨不仅团结了整个国家，还把所有僧众团结在一起，而这一时刻也将被载入史册。

斯里兰卡佛教在僧伽组织系统上，分成三大宗派：1.惺罗派 2.缅族派 3.蒙族派（编译：子规）

Buddhist countries can play a major role in the future of Sri Lanka and counterbalance the western powers, suggested President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a tribute organised by Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya and Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya at Independence Square, yesterday. He said that Buddhist monks too can play an important role in Sri Lanka’s international relations by bringing these countries to support Sri Lanka.

“We need the support of other Buddhist countries and we need them to play a bigger role in the development of the country and Buddhist monks can play bigger role in rallying their support,” he said. “From ancient times Buddhist monks have played an important role in our national histories and they have done a lot in the fight against terrorism but there is still work to be done,” he added.

The president added that he plans to incorporate more Buddhist principles in the administration of the state. In order to develop a society should be built on morals the president claimed. “A moral society is disciplined and only a disciplined society can prosper,” he said.

Meanwhile, Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera of the Amarapura sect said that the masses rallied around the President because of his close ties with the Sangha and Buddhism. The president is an honest and straightforward man.
“There were many leaders in the past who had no ties with the sangha. Most of them did not adhere to Buddhist principles and that is why the sangha and the masses were hesitant to rally behind them. But President Rajapaksa was always close to the sangha and people recognised him as a moral and courageous man,” Dhammawasa Thera said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Mass Media, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena claimed that this is the first time that the two sects have united to pay homage to a leader. The President has also united the sangha as well as the country he added.
“There are 12 700 monks of the Amarapura sect while there are 6,000 monks of the Ramanna sect and today they have united for the first time to pay tribute to the President. This fact alone makes this a historic moment,” he said.