Sri Lanka celebrating Vesak and again ranked as number eight in World Giving Index in 2011

Sri Lankans are celebrating Vesak on fifth and sixth of May 2012. Vesak is a supreme religious and cultural festival in Sri Lanka. Buddhists commemorate the important events that took place in the life of Lord Buddha on Vesak Full Moon Poya Day.

It is a birth of Siddhartha Gautama, Siddharta Gautam's supreme attainment as the Buddha (Enlightenment) and Lord Buddha's Parinibbana . This will be celebrated by observing the eight percepts, giving charity and building Vesak lanterns etc.In every Veask day the special attention has been given for the charity and most important event of this can be called as “Dansala”.

A “Dansala” is a form of giving free food or drink to passersby, to commemorate the Vesak.

Sometimes this will be for two days or few hours of one day by depending on the ability of the organizers. People are giving this without considering any disparity of gender, income or religion. And most important aspect is all are doing this with happiness in their heart and soul.

This is a great event which people even small kids can learn the value of charity .Throughout the country it can be seen more than 10,000 “Dasnasls” on Vesak days. Charity can be considered as one important part in Buddhist philosophy. In Vyagghapajja Sutta (part of Anguttara Nikaya) four conditions has been suggested as conditions of spiritual progress namely as the accomplishment of faith (saddha-sampada),< the accomplishment of virtue (sila-sampada), the accomplishment of charity (caga-sampada) and the accomplishment of wisdom (pañña-sampada) See how it has been ellobarated under the theme of “accomplishment of charity” .

"Herein a householder dwells at home with heart free from the stain of avarice, devoted to charity, open-handed, delighting in generosity, attending to the needy, delighting in the distribution of alms. This is called the accomplishment of charity”

So this doctrine of charity has been absorbed well followed by Sri Lankans in order to achieve spiritual progress in this life as well as in Sansara (literally meaning "continuous flow", is the cycle of birth, life, death, rebirth or reincarnation) .But it is worth to note that in other religions also this has been said and followed.

That is the mere reason that Sri Lanka has been ranked as number eight in World Giving Index. This was same as in 2010 as well. In the World Giving Index 2011, Sri Lanka ranks behind the USA, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand,Uk, Netherland and Canada(all are developed countries) is followed closely by Thailand. By looking at following table it is clear that how Sri Lanka can be highlighted despite of lower income by compare with other countries.

Table one. World Giving Index vs Per capita Income

World Giving Index aims to help organizations and individuals who have an interest in civil society by providing evidence on the extend of giving globally. The report basically try to cover three questions which discuss three aspects of giving behavior namely as individuals in the preceding month, asking whether they had donated money to a charity, volunteered time to an organization or helped a stranger. The findings were based on more than 150,000 Gallup polling interviews with members of the public around the world with 153 countries.

Sri Lanka is in the top in Asia and in the category of “volunteered time” it has ranked as third.

So this is all about the culture and relationships with the history of civilization of more than thousand years of motherland. The country is now try to regain the dignity with all people are celebrating Vesak which also will enlighten you about the reality in your life in the sense of Sansara.

- Asian Tribune –

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