Sri Lanka, June 10 -- Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, in his Poson Poya message, called for Sri Lanka to strive for self-sufficiency by following the path of Buddhism, aiming to restore its historical prominence as the "Granary of the East."

His message is given below:

"For thousands of years, the people of our country have celebrated the Poson festival with deep faith and devotion, commemorating the arrival of Arahant Mahinda Maha Thero, who brought with him the most profound teachings of the Buddha-the sublime Dhamma. Historical records confirm that along with the introduction of Buddhism, Arahant Mahinda also brought experts from 18 different crafts and cultural traditions, whose knowledge and skills had a transformative impact o...