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Lotus
Sutra Exhibition Held in Sri Lanka
 From
May 18-22, 2011, the Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) together
with the 2013 International
Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Buddhist Film Festival sponsored by the Light of
Asia Foundation and SGI-Sri Lanka, co-organized the exhibition “The
Lotus Sutra—A Message of Peace and Harmonious Coexistence” at Sirimavo
Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
The exhibition introduced 106 panels in Sinhala, Tamil and
English, featuring excerpts from publications such as the Lotus Sutra
Manuscript Series.
Some 300 people attended the opening ceremony, including Speaker of the
Parliament in Sri Lanka Chamal Rajapaksa, Minister of Agriculture
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena and All Ceylon Buddhist Congress President
Jagath Sumathipala, along with representatives from the Nepalese,
Russian and Thai Embassies and scholars. The ceremony was opened with a
traditional Sri Lankan lighting and a traditional dance.
 IOP
founder Daisaku Ikeda sent a message to the opening, first expressing
his deepest appreciation for Sri Lanka's support in the aftermath of
the March 11 earthquake in Japan. He then introduced three aspects of
the Lotus Sutra, saying it expounds the interdependence and coexistence
of all life, seeks for that which is "eternal" in life and urges
concrete actions to create peace. Mr. Ikeda also spoke about respect
for life, based on a profound trust in each person's inherent Buddha
nature, a theme which pulsates throughout the Lotus Sutra.
SGI-Sri Lanka General Director Ranjith Rupasinghe spoke about
the Sri Lankan people's suffering as a result of the civil war
(1983-2009). He shared his determination to uphold the dignity of human
life and work toward creating a peaceful and harmonious
society that transcends ethnic differences.
The exhibition was aired on over 20 TV stations,
including Sri Lanka National TV. Visitors to the exhibition
numbered 1,500.
Organizers:
The 2013 International Sambuddhathwa Jayanthi Buddhist Film Festival
sponsored by the Light of
Asia Foundation,
The Institute of Oriental Philosophy (IOP) and
SGI-Sri Lanka
Venue:
Sirimavo Bandaranaike Memorial Exhibition Centre in Colombo, Sri Lanka
Date:
May 18-22, 2011
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