Statue of Fa-Hsien Thera to be unveiled

A bronze statue of Fa-Hsien Thera on the premises of Abhayagiri Stupa in Anuradhapura will be unveiled on July 28 in a religious ceremony.

The statue was executed on the anusasana of Atamasthanadipathi Ven. Dr. Pallegama Siriniwasa Nayake Thera and is being sponsored by Abhayagiri Viharadhipathi Ven. Kallanchiye Rayanasiri Nayake Thera on the instructions of Buddha Sasana Minister Gamini Jayawickrama Perera, under the patronage of Sri Lanka - China Buddhist Friendship Association.

The statue, weighing two tons, is donated by China’s Guangdong provincial Buddhist association deputy chairman Ming Seng Thera.

This donation is a result of a request made by Ven. Kallanchiye Rathanasiri Nayake Thera and Deputy Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardane during their recent China tour, to Ming Seng Thera.

Ven. Rathanasiri Thera told the Daily News that Fa-Hsien Thera arrived in Sri Lanka via India along the Silk Road in 411-412 AD and resided for nearly three years at Abhayagiri monastery studying pure Theravada Buddhism.

The writings of Fa-Hsien Thera during his stay at Abayagiri are accepted as historic descriptions of an eye witness, similar to the chronicles.

The Thera has written that on an order by King Kithsirimevan, on every Esala Poya, the Dalada Perahara was held at Abhayagiriya Stupa premises on a grand scale and during this period, the Sacred Tooth Relic was placed in Anuradhapura.

The Thera revealed further that there were 5,000 Buddhist bhikkhus at Abhayagiri monastery, 3,000 at Mahavihara, 2,000 at Mihintale and 4,000 at Mihintale, during his two-year stay.

The statue unveiling ceremony will be graced by the Maha Sangha headed by Atamasthanadipathi Ven. Dr. Pallegama Siriniwasa Nayake Thera, Ven. Ming Seng Nayake Thera, the Buddha Sasana Minister, Cabinet Ministers, the Chinese ambassador to Sri Lanka and Buddhist devotees. Anuradhapura government agent R.M. Wanninayake and his staff will coordinate the programme.