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Poojas in London to remember tsunami dead |
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Monday, 09 January 2006 |
The Sri Lankan community in the East london city of Ilford and its suburbs gathered at the Redbridge Buddhist Viharaya at Ilford recently to remember the over 30,000 Sri Lankans who perished in the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, writes Manjula Fernando, Daily News 090105 at http://www.dailynews.lk/
Forwarded by Budhi Mulyawan 090105.
The remembrance pooja was organised by Chief Incumbent of the Viharaya Ven. Pethigamuwe Hemarathana Thera to invoke blessings on the departed victims.
Ven. Hemarathana Thera delivered an anusasana to explain the Buddhist interpretation of the catastrophe, the biggest ever natural disaster in the recent past. Over 250,000 people lost their lives and many more were made homeless in 11 Asian and African countries.
A large gathering of families flocked to the temple to attend the remembrance pooja which began at 6.00 p.m.
The Ven. Thera said different faiths had different interpretations of the biggest catastrophe the world has seen in the recent past. Some said it was a god punishing the sinners, or it was a test of faith and Hindus identified it as Karma.
He said according to Buddhist teachings all events are subject to five orders (Niyama Dharma) and not everything can be blamed on Karma.
The pooja comprised a meditation session conducted by Ven. Wilpita Dhammaratana Thera.
With generous donations by the devotees and the Dayaka Sabha of the Redbridge temple, over 100 students affected by the tsunami are being given funds and educational equipment every month to help their schooling.
This will continue for two years in addition to various other tsunami projects funded by the temple.
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