Proposed act attempts to promote Mahayana Buddhism: Gammanpila

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya General Secretary and Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila today opposed the move to introduce an act named ‘Theravada Bhikkhu Dialogue’ to monitor and take disciplinary action against monks who break ‘Vinaya’ rules.

The observation was made at a press conference held in Colombo.

Gammanpila stressed that the government attempts to formulate the new act in a bid to prevent the Buddhist monks from entering into politics.

“This dialogue will only be applicable for the Theravada Buddhist monks. Thus, it looks like, this act attempts promote Mahayana Buddhism here,” said Gammanpila. 

However, the President, yesterday meeting a group of leading Buddhist intellectuals said that the government will not take steps to pass it as an Emergency Act, but will adopt it with the blessings of the Maha Sangha. 

“The ability of Buddhist philosophy to influence issues in the fields of environment, social and cultural is very comprehensive,” the President said that adding that the issues should be studied thoroughly to utilize them to find practical solutions to issues.

A draft bill was presented to the Parliament in a bid to introduce the ‘Theravada Bhikkhu Dialogue’ last week. The initiatives have been taken in this regard under the guidance and advice of Sanaga Nayaka thero of the Tri Nikayas. The draft bill will focus on facts range from monitoring the behaviors of monks, provisions with respect to disciplinary procedures, and what kind of disciplinary action to be taken, etc.