Vesak celebrated at the Berlin Vihara
Sunday Island , May 29, 2011
Berlin, Germany -- The Berlin Vihara commemorated the 2600 Sri Sambuddhatva Jayanthi (2600th Anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment) in conjunction with the Vesak Maha Pinkama conducted over a period of two days at the Vihara (Das Buddhistische Haus ) situated in Berlin-Frohnau, Germany on May 14 and 15.
Ata Sil was observed by Buddhist devotees on Saturday (14) and on the following day, a public meeting was held in the Library of Das Buddhistische Haus to commemorate and highlight the significance of the 2600th Anniversary of the Buddha's Enlightenment.
Altogether, six Buddhist monks including Ven. Kongaspitiye Santharakkhitha Thera (resident monk), Ven. Rambukwelle Devananda Thera, Ven. Tammannawe Dhammananda Thera and Ven. Kusalagnana Thera participated in the proceedings. A Dansala providing lunch catered to the numerous devotees and visitors to the Vihara.
Several speakers drawn from both the clergy and the laity spoke at the ceremony placing emphasis on the relevance of the Buddha’s message to the spread of peace, non – violence and compassion to all sentient beings. They also commended the role played by the German Dharmaduta Society founded by Asoka Weeraratna in 1952, in maintaining Das Buddhistische Haus with monks in residence, as the centre of Theravada Buddhism in continental Europe for over 53 years.
Tissa Weeraratna, Vice- President of the German Dharmaduta Society, was in charge of the organizing of the event.
On May 14, Professor Dr. Oliver Krüger of the University of Freiburg in Switzerland visited the Berlin Vihara with around 20 students for an extended discussion on several aspects of the Buddha Dhamma.
