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In a landmark moment for global Buddhism, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama met today with the Most Venerable Dr. Pallegama Hemarathana Nayake Thero, the Atamasthanadhipathi of Sri Lanka, marking a historic convergence of two of the world’s most revered Buddhist traditions.
This meeting is being recognised as a watershed event in the centuries-old relationship between Indo-Tibetan and Sri Lankan Buddhism. It is the first time in recorded history that the spiritual leaders representing these two ancient lineages have come together in such a significant capacity, drawing widespread attention from the global Buddhist community.
The office of Atamasthanadhipathi holds exceptional spiritual and legal authority within Sri Lanka’s Buddhist heritage. By ancient royal decree, Sri Lanka recognises three supreme pillars of Buddhism: Sri Dalada Maligawa (Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic), Sri Pada (Sacred Footprint), and the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. As the custodian of the Eight Sacred Places (Atamasthana) in Anuradhapura, the Atamasthanadhipathi safeguards the island’s most ancient living religious legacy.
The meeting symbolised a powerful unification of the Pali and Sanskrit Buddhist traditions, reinforcing shared values of compassion, wisdom, and spiritual continuity.
Adding profound emotional and symbolic significance to the occasion, the Most Venerable Thero presented His Holiness with a sacred sapling of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi. For decades, the Dalai Lama has expressed a deep wish to undertake a pilgrimage to Anuradhapura to venerate the world’s oldest historically documented tree, grown from the original Bodhi tree under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment. Although circumstances had previously prevented such a visit, the offering of this authentic sapling brings the spiritual essence of the Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi directly to His Holiness.
The sacred sapling is scheduled to be planted tomorrow, January 21, at the Buddhist University within the Gaden Jangtse Monastery complex, during a grand ceremony to be conducted with full monastic honours. Tens of thousands of Tibetan monks and devotees from India and abroad are expected to attend.
This meaningful act of “Green Diplomacy” stands as a lasting symbol of the enduring spiritual bond between Sri Lanka and India, ensuring that the roots of the Dhamma continue to flourish for generations to come.
