Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation

Salient Points of PM Modi’s address at the International Vesak Day celebrations in Colombo on 12 May, 2017

  • A day for humanity to revere the birth, the enlightenment and the Parinibbana of Lord Buddha, the “Tathagatha”. A day to rejoice in Buddha. A day to reflect on the supreme truthand timeless relevance of Dhamma, and the four noble truths.
  • I also bring with me the greetings of 1.25 billion people from the land of the Samyaksambuddha, the perfectly self awakened one
  • Our region is blessed to have given to the world the invaluable gift of Buddha and his teachings
  • Buddhism and its various strands are deep seated in our governance, culture and philosophy
  • Sri Lanka takes pride in being among the most important nerve centres of Buddhist teachings and learning
  • Vesak is an occasion for us to celebrate the unbroken shared heritage of Buddhism
  • I have the great pleasure to announce that from August this year, Air India will operate direct flights between Colombo and Varanasi
  • My Tamil brothers and sisters will also be able to visit Varanasi, the land of KashiViswanath
  • I believe we are at a moment of great opportunity in our ties with Sri Lanka
  • You will find in India a friend and partner that will support your nation-building endeavours
  • Lord Buddha’s message is as relevant in the twenty first century as it was two and a half millennia ago
  • The themes of Social Justice and Sustainable World Peace, chosen for the Vesak day, resonate deeply with Buddha’s teachings
  • The biggest challenge to Sustainable World Peace today is not necessarily from conflict between the nation states
  • It is from the mindsets, thought streams, entities and instruments rooted in the idea of hate and violence
  • On Vesak let us light the lamps of knowledge to move out of darkness; let us look more within & let us uphold nothing else but the truth