Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
Senior Buddhist Prelates Call for Discipline Amid Monastic Protests
The Mahanayaka Theros of Sri Lanka's principal Buddhist orders have issued a statement urging protesting monks to maintain monastic discipline and resolve disputes through Dhamma and Vinaya principles.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The chief prelates of the main Nikayas released a statement on October 25 addressing ongoing demonstrations by Buddhist monks, calling for adherence to traditional monastic codes and harmony within the Sangha.
The statement emphasizes that disputes should be resolved in accordance with Dhamma and Vinaya—the Buddha's teachings and monastic discipline—rather than through protest action. The Mahanayaka Theros expressed concern that certain factions were exploiting the demonstrations for other purposes.
The protests have centered on demands for a presidential pardon for a senior monk, drawing significant participation from the monastic community. The statement reflects attempts by senior religious authorities to restore order and redirect the resolution process through established Buddhist institutional channels.
The intervention by the Mahanayaka Theros underscores growing tensions between younger activist monks and the traditional Buddhist establishment over appropriate means of addressing grievances within the Sangha.