Even though he couldn't shave his beard and cut his hair, he is truly a monk.

The chief incumbent of the temple has taken steps to clarify that the monk with a beard and hair, who was ridiculed on social media at the recently held Sangha Conference, is a monk from the temple in the Henanigala Vedda village where he resides, and that false propaganda was spread by misinterpreting the situation, claiming he was a layman disguised as a monk. This was stated at today's press conference.

"May the Triple Gem bless you. I am Henanigala Chulapanthaka Alankara Thero. Today, I especially decided to address the people of the country through the media. The Sangha Conference held in Colombo on the 27th of this month was very successful.

Among the Maha Sangha who attended that event, our Ven. Vimalakiththi Podi Hamuduruwo, who is seated to my right, also attended. Based on his hair and beard, some individuals made various threats and intimidations, even making phone calls, to our revered senior Maha Sangha who made a great sacrifice for this national mission on that day, especially to our Ulapane Nayaka Hamuduruwo and the Maha Sangha.

One thing they often mentioned was the story that laypeople were dressed in robes and brought in because there weren't enough monks. Also, as far as I know and think, by posting a picture of a young man with the National Organizer of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, and raising the point that this monk is the one in the picture, some people tried to highlight this matter politically.

But I would especially like to remind you that at this moment, during this media coverage, the one seated to my right is our Ven. Vimalakiththi Podi Hamuduruwo, who attended that Sangha Conference on that day. Then some people started saying that he is not an ordained person. But what I have to say is, here is his National Identity Card, his Bhikkhu Identity Card. This identity card is not something that is simply given instantly to a layman.

Therefore, this Sangha Conference was not held on that day with any political motive. It was a Sangha Conference held solely for the upliftment of the Sasana (Buddhist dispensation). None of the monks who attended that event, nor any of the preachers who delivered sermons at that time, engaged in politics verbally or actively at any point.

Therefore, it is especially important to remind all Buddhist citizens of the country that if monks are attacked in this manner, the monks in the country could rapidly decline and even disrobe and leave.

But today, the difficult situation for this monk to shave his head and beard and live is that, as monks in the Polonnaruwa area, due to the extreme heat in this region and also due to his involvement in construction and other activities at the temple where he resides, he was unable to carry out that task. 

But if any person, based on this monk who was involved on that day, made such accusations and insults to this Sangha Sasana, to the monks, and also to our Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Nayaka Hamuduruwo, Ulapane Nayaka Hamuduruwo, and the entire Maha Sangha who were involved on that day, we see that as a great demerit (akusala). Never look at the activities of monks from a political angle. Everyone should always try to protect the monks.

In this matter, the one seated to my right is that monk, and on that day, no one dressed a layman in robes and brought him. It's not possible to bring them. This Sangha Sasana cannot be maintained that way. Therefore, I especially remind you of this matter. We remind those who spread that propaganda by giving media coverage to correct this if possible, and with that reminder, I will conclude. May the Triple Gem bless you. Yes, in those days too, Sangha Conferences were held plenty. But monks attended without shaving their heads and beards. However, those monks who attended were never attacked in this manner. But in the present day, it is the Bhikkhus who are mostly targeted and attacked repeatedly."