The Embassy of Sri Lanka honours the Most Venerable (Dr.) Henepola Gunarathana Nayake Maha Thero for 55 years of religious and social service in the United States of America
As part of the 75th Anniversary of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and the United States, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Washington D.C. in association with the Bhāvanā Society and Maryland Buddhist Vihara held a ceremony on 25th August 2023 at the chancery premises to honour the Most Venerable (Dr.) Henepola Gunarathana, founder of the Bhāvanā Society in West Virginia for his 55 years of religious and social service in the United States of America. The main objective of the event was to symbolically offer the postage stamp approved by Ranil Wickremesinghe, President of Sri Lanka in honour of the Most Ven. Henepola Gunarathana Nayake Maha Thero.
The event commenced with welcoming the Nayake Maha Thero, a procession followed by a traditionalpooja dance. During his welcome remarks, Ambassador Mahinda Samarasinghe mentioned that the Most Ven. Gunarathana Thero has been the beacon of Buddhist missionary service worldwide particularly in the US rendering an immense social service not only to Sri Lankans in the US but to the US nationals seeking truth as well as to Theravada Buddha Sasana. He further mentioned that his decision to host the ceremony at the Embassy premises was also as a reverence to the exemplary services of the Nayake Maha Thero to the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. Ambassador Samarasinghe applauded his enormous service of publishing books that had been translated into many languages whilst practising his spiritual manoeuvre. The Ambassador also appreciated the US for the opportunity given to Buddhist Monks to spread the words of dhamma as well as to establish temples in the US.
