Vesak Dhamma sermon in Bangkok

The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bangkok organised a ‘Dhamma’ sermon on 29 April, for the Sri Lankan community in Thailand and their Thai friends. 

An erudite sermon was delivered by Venerable Walmoruwe Piyarathana thero, Senior Lecturer at Mahachulalon-gkornrajavidyala University – the leading seat of Buddhist learning in Thailand. 

This meritorious event was graced at a high level of Thai government, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Wissanu Krea-ngam. The Thai Foreign Ministry was represented by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Virasakdi Futrakul, together with his spouse, as well as officers of the South Asia Division. 

The Director of Foreign Relations from the Office of National Buddhism of Thailand and Secretary of the Department of Religious Affairs also joined the Sri Lankan devotees. The Heads of Mission of Myanmar and Cambodia, as countries celebrating the Vesak Poya day during the same period, also participated in this occasion. Members of the Sri Lankan community in Thailand were also present, together with their families.

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Thailand Kshenuka Senewiratne, in her welcome address, drew the attention of the guests to this artistic and cultural expression of Sri Lankan Buddhists and acknowledged the beautiful creation of a Vesak Koodu by the Sri Lankan students of the Asian Institute of Technology, lighting the venue. She elaborated on the cultural inspiration of these lit up creations, as signifying the light of merit and goodness of the dhamma, dispelling the darkness in thoughts of desire, greed and other evils, that perpetuate the cycle of life. 

On conclusion of the sermon, guests were treated to vegetarian Sri Lankan food in fellowship.