'Excessive use of mobile phones by novice monks'

S M Wijayaratne- Kurunegala Daily News Corr

Many young Buddhist monks are in the habit of using mobile phones too much and most of them find no time to study their lessons, said Kurunegala District Dhamma School Chief Adviser Kadigamuwa Dhammadassi Thera addressing a meeting at Bingiriya.

The mobile phone has become their life partner and this unnecessary usage among novice monks has led to the downfall of their pirivena education.

Chief Prelate of the Asgiriya Chapter Most Venerable Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Maha Nayake Thera too has pointed out the unwholesome trend of mobile phone usage by novice monks.

"Only a limited number of Buddhist monks behave politely at universities safeguarding greatness of the monkhood. Some occasions, police officers have to use force to control impolite monks who study in universities when they take part in demonstrations."

The monks should live and behave without causing any discredit to the saffron robe, the Thera said. The government offers facilities to novice monks for their betterment. Monks who enter universities should not be misguided by anti-social elements, the Thera said.