Dhammalankara Thera calls for sensible talk

One must not speak in a foolish manner when even Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith had accepted that this is a Buddhist nation, Venerable Ittapane Dhammalankara Thera said yesterday.

Venrable Thera said Sri Lanka was a unique country with its Buddhist values.

"Cardinal Ranjith has said Catholic and Christian priests are respected more in Sri Lanka which is a Buddhist country than in the so called Catholic countries. It is only in Sri Lanka you get seats reserved in buses and trains especially allocated to the clergy. You enjoy all these benefits because of Buddhist values,” he said.

"The Cardinal has also said that a person could become the President and Prime Minister of this country, no matter what religious or ethnic group one belongs to," he said quoting the Cardinal.

"However such a person should respect Buddhism," he said.

"This county is of great beauty because of its variety when it comes to its population,” the Thera added

Further he said it was better to have one ministry in charge of all religions rather than having different ministries in charge of different religions.

“One must strive to bring all religions together rather than dividing them,” he said. (Yohan Perera)