Banana Leaf Kidness From Sri Lankans – Ven Pannakara Thero

The American-based Vietnamese Venerable Pannakara Thero, who has been walking around the world in search of peace, returned to America today. At a special media conference held there, the words he uttered managed to draw the attention of the entire world to Sri Lanka. The Venerable said that although he had traveled to many countries in the world, he had never encountered a country as full of humanity as Sri Lanka.

Describing his experiences, the Venerable said that the most memorable sight he saw on his journey from Dambulla to Colombo was the banana leaf road.

“I have seen red carpets rolled out all over the world for kings and diplomats. But ordinary Sri Lankans had spread banana leaves for miles to cool our feet as we walked barefoot on the scorching sun. I saw them splashing cold water on those banana leaves. I see it as a cloak of respect that is a thousand times more valuable than a red carpet.”

It is a fact that the world knows that Sri Lanka is in an economic crisis. Venerable Pannakara Thero made a wonderful point about this in his sermon. He said that although the people of Sri Lanka are short of money, the faith and kindness in their hearts cannot be compared to any other wealthy country in the world.

He recalled how everyone on both sides of the road, from small children to old grandmothers, gave alms to the best of their ability without any expectation of profit.

“Sometimes people loved us so much that they were crushed by our bodies. It was not pressure, it was an outpouring of devotion in their hearts,” the Venerable said.

Speaking to journalists in the US, the Venerable further said that if the world wants to learn peace and kindness, it should look to Sri Lanka. He emphasized that the country is an example to the world, where people are so noble that they do not limit themselves to religious observances but spread banana leaves along a path and offer a drop of water to a person in distress.
The Venerable Pannakara Thero concluded his speech by saying that even after leaving Sri Lanka, the banana leaf hospitality and humble smiles of the Sri Lankans will remain in his heart forever. (A copy)