The Massachusetts State House, under the auspicious of Middlesex 13th District State Representative, Carmine Gentile and Bhante Pannasiri, organised an event on May 28, 2024, to commemorate Vesak Day 2024. The Massachusetts House of Representatives adopted a resolution commemorating Vesak Day of 2024 and extended the warmest wishes to Buddhists across the commonwealth of Massachusetts while encouraging its citizens to learn and appreciate the significance of Vesak.
Ven. Pannasiri, representing the New England Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center and the State House’s Asian Caucus spoke at the event, underscoring the relevance of the Buddha's message of 2600 years to the world. Many Buddhist monks and nuns from organisations in the Boston area, including Maha Sangha and devotees from Sri Lanka, Japan, Cambodia, Tibet, Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, Nepal and India also attend the event. This gathering included speeches about Buddhism, cultivating loving-kindness and world peace, and chanting Buddhist Gathas. The event concluded by chanting Karaniya Metta Sutta (The Buddha's words on loving-kindness).
The New England Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Centre was established in 2004 under the direction of Ven. Aluthgama Dhammajothi Thero, to provide Buddhist philosophy and spiritual guidance to the community.
