China accused of blocking Dalai Lama’s Sri Lanka visit
A top Sri Lankan Buddhist leader has said that China has been blocking the visit of Tibetan Buddhist Spiritual leader, Dalai Lama to the country.
Most Venerable Dr Waskaduwe Mahindawansa made the comments in an exclusive interview with Wion’s diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal in Delhi.
He said, “We respect him and invited him to Sri Lanka, but China did not like that. China pressed against our government as well, we don’t like that. He is a Buddhist leader, he has the freedom, and we have the freedom to invite.”
Most Venerable Dr Waskaduwe is the head or Mahanayaka Thero of Amarapura Sambuddha Sasanodaya Maha Nikaya. It is a Buddhist monastic order or sect in Sri Lanka. It is one of the major Nikayas (sects) in Theravada Buddhism, which is the dominant form of Buddhism practiced in Sri Lanka and many other parts of South and Southeast Asia.
The prominent Buddhist leader is in India this week to hand over part of Kapilavastu relics of Buddha to His Holiness Dalai Lama.
He said, “Dalai Lama is a very important person. Buddhism was born in India, and his doctrine in India, his doctrine went to Sri Lanka via Ashoka’s son- Mahinda, and daughter Sanghamitra. So I think, this is the way, one or two, original Buddha relics are presented to His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.” (Courtesy Wion)
