The Vesak Poya 2024 Sil and Meditation Programme was held on 24th May 2024 at Damrivi Foundation. The event made for a tranquil atmosphere to pay respects to Lord Buddha and engage in mindfulness practices, whilst appreciating and upholding the virtuous doctrines of the Enlightened One.
The Most Venerable Aggamahapanditha Tirikunamale Ananda Mahanayaka Thero commenced the program, emphasizing the importance of practicing both amisa and pratipatti pūja. Thereafter, Mr. Gamini Priyantha, Damrivi Foundation’s regular meditation instructor, guided participants to focus their attention inward, encouraging them to practice meditating on the present moment and bodily sensations in our every action. Following this, Emeritus Professor Asanga Tilakaratne, along with Mr. Priyantha, led a Q&A session on queries raised by the participants regarding Buddhist philosophy and teachings.
The event closed with Venerable Meegoda Sukitha Thero eloquently conveying the concept of one’s identity being a sequence of moments in time, as explained in Buddhist philosophy, and the value of focusing on the present in achieving mental health and wellbeing.