On the occasion of arrival of Sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka for an exposition, a Publication entitled “The Journey of the Holy Tree” was released jointly by the Hon’ble Kumari Selja, Minister of Culture, Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation of India and Hon’ble Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of External Affairs of Sri Lanka at a Symposium on “Relic Worship: History, Archaeology and Religion”. The event was held at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS) Auditorium, Colombo on 20th August 2012. The publication contains papers presented by scholars from Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Nepal, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Vietnam at the International Buddhist Conference “Cultural Interface between India and Sri Lanka based on Buddhist History, Art, Literature and Philosophy”, held at Kandy in March 2011.

2. His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and His Excellency the Prime Minister of India have sent congratulatory messages for this publication. In his message, H.E. the President of Sri Lanka, while thanking and expressing his immense gratitude to H.E. the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Government of India for the ongoing exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics, said “from the time of the arrival here of Arahat Mahinda, son of the Emperor Ashoka, more than 2300 years ago with the great message of Buddhism, relations between our two countries have flourished, based on this common heritage, with its emphasis on tolerance, compassion and understanding. The Publication is another milestone in bringing together current thinking on the universal values and philosophy propounded by the Buddha. It further underscores the cultural interaction between India and Sri Lanka in a vast range of social, religious, intellectual and cultural activities. It is a rich thread of interaction woven in the mosaic of good relations between our two countries that have lasted the test of time”. H.E. the President of Sri Lanka also commended the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and other partner institutes for organizing this timely conference.

3. In his message, H.E. the Prime Minister of India Dr. Manmohan Singh, while expressing his happiness at the publication being brought out on the auspicious occasion of the second exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka said “Since Prince Arhat Mahinda’s travel from India to Anuradhapura in the 3rd Century BC, which heralded the arrival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Buddhism continues to be one of the common threads binding India and Sri Lanka together. The spread of Buddhism from the land of its birth to Sri Lanka and other parts of world was not on the strength of the sword but due to its compelling philosophy of universal love, compassion and non-violence. That message of tolerance, brotherhood and mutual understanding remains as relevant today as it was in the past. The exposition will reinforce the common cultural heritage shared between India and Sri Lanka and will strengthen the multi-faceted relationship between our countries.

4. The organisation of the International Buddhist Conference on 20-21 March 2011 at Kandy was the first and foremost among a number of initiatives taken by the Government of India to jointly commemorate the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanti (Anniversary of the Enlightenment of Lord Buddha) with the Government of Sri Lanka. The International Buddhist Conference, organized by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, was inaugurated on 20 March 2011 at the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy (SIBA) by H.E. Mahinda Rajapaksa, President of Sri Lanka. The Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Buddhasasana and Religious Affairs of Sri Lanka, together with the Sri Lanka International Buddhist Academy and the University of Peradeniya, were the Partner Institutes for the Conference.

5. The inauguration of the Conference at Kandy was also graced by the presence of Hon’ble D.M. Jayaratne, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Hon’ble Minister of External Affairs, H.E. Ashok K. Kantha, High Commissioner of India and Mr. Suresh K. Goel, Director General, Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). The Governor of the Central Province, a number of senior Cabinet Ministers, the Attorney General of Sri Lanka, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, Provincial Ministers, Members of the Central Provincial Council and senior officials of the Government of Sri Lanka also attended the inauguration ceremony.

6. The ongoing exposition of the Sacred Kapilavastu Relics in Sri Lanka is the grand finale of the series of joint activities undertaken by India and Sri Lanka to commemorate the 2600th anniversary of the Enlightenment of Lord Buddha - Sambuddhatva Jayanti.

[ A soft copy of this publication is available online at: http://goo.gl/niEz9 ]

Colombo