January 29, 2022

On 29th January, H.E. Ling Rinpoche visited and paid respects to eight of Sri Lanka’s major pilgrimage sites in the ancient Kingdom of Anuradhapura (a UNESCO world heritage site), believed to be visited by Shakyamuni Buddha. This is the place where Buddhism first originated in Sri Lanka and was spread, by Mahinda Thero – the son of King Ashoka. One site contains the Sri Maha Boddhi Tree, the 2329 year old tree descended from the Bodhi Tree in Bodhgaya, India, where Buddha was enlightened. Each of the stupa and monastery sites are more than 2000 years old and contain holy relics of the Buddha. Some remain as excavated ruins and others have been restored. One site historically housed Vajrayana and Mahayana traditions. Rinpoche was very warmly received by the head monks at the sites that currently have monastic communities.

January 28, 2022

On 28th January, H.E. Ling Rinpoche was kindly invited for lunch with the most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero, Head of the Ramanna Order, in Meergama, Sri Lanka on 28th January. They enjoyed an enthusiastic discussion about Vinaya.

January 27, 2022

H.E. Ling Rinpoche was given a special reception by the most senior Maha Sangha, including Venerable Mahanayake Thero of Amarapura Maha Nikaya, at the headquarters of the Amarapura Order in Colombo. Hiru TV News interviewed Rinpoche during this event.

Sri Lankan Buddhism has three major Buddhist orders; Amarapura Maha Nikaya is the largest order among the three. The other two are the Siam and Ramnaya Orders.