Mahayana Temple devotees paid Rs.10 million

6 October 2011 02:14 pm

The Kollupitiya police, who are investigating the activities of the controversial Nichiren Shoshu Buddhist Temple run by two laymen and a Japanese monk at the Liberty Plaza, said according to the statements given by 25 people they had paid more than Rs.10 million to learn ‘true Buddhism’.

Kollupitiya Crimes OIC M.P.D.I. Kulasekara told Court that the Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs Ministry had in a letter to the Public Trustee requested that the registration of this organisation be cancelled to avoid attempts at degrading Buddhism.

The police said they would seek the Attorney General’s advice on legal action to be taken against the ‘temple.’ They told Court that extracts of the investigation report, where it had been alleged that several devotees who visited the place had been swindled and a complaint regarding child abuse would be forwarded to the AG.

Inspector Kulasekara under the instructions of the Kollupitiya OIC Sisira Peththathantri are conducting further investigations.

According to the trust deed, Rev. Shindo Nomura, Kyoko Komatsu and Nihal Nillegoda had been named as the board of managing trustees.

According to the deed of trust the objective of running the temple was to encourage the practice of true Buddhism and propagation of its essential teachings, specially the lotus sutra and its profound essence. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)