Bulletin 10 – 19.12.1968 – Golden Jubilee of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress

Ceylon Stamp Bulletin No. 10

Office of the Postmaster-General and Director of Telecommunications, Posts and Telecommunications headquarters, Duke Street, Colombo 1 (Ceylon)

10th December 1968

The Posts and Telecommunications Department of Ceylon will issue 2 stamps on 19.12.68 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress.

According to the chronicles, Buddhism first came to Ceylon with the mission of Mahinda, the son of Asoka, the Emperor of India, in the year 247 B.C., when Devanampiyatissa was King of Ceylon. Since then Buddhism became the religion of the majority of the people in Ceylon and the ruling kings gave it their official patronage. From about the beginning of the 13th century, Buddhism and the Sangha suffered alike due to the unsettled political conditions of Ceylon and to want of royal patronage.

The religions introduced by the westerners were well organised, and the missionaries worked zealously for the propagation of their faith. Very soon the Buddhists began to realise that in order to preserve their religion they themselves have to be organised, and hence in the latter part of the 19th century and in the beginning of the 20th century they began to form associations and societies for the purpose of reviving and strengthening Buddhist activities. The first of these societies was the Buddhist Theosophical Society formed by an American, Colombo H.S. Olcott.

The period of religious awakening in Ceylon saw the birth of the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress under the chairmanship of the late Sir Baron Jayatilleke. The inaugural meeting was held at Ananda College on December 21st and 22nd 1919. During the last fifty years this organisation has developed to such an extent that today it has a membership of nearly 300 affiliated organisations representing Buddhists from all parts of Ceylon.

The All Ceylon Buddhist Congress inaugrated the World Fellowship of Buddhists with representatives from 29 countries in May, 1950. The first meeting was held in Kandy at the DALADA MALIGAWA (THE TEMPLE OF THE SACRED TOOTH RELIC). The World Fellowship of Buddhists now has Regional Centres in almost every part of the world.

Technical Data

Date of Issue	19th December 1968
Denominations	05 cents and 50 cents
Design	05 cents stamp depicts the All Ceylon Buddhist Congress Headquarters. 50 cents stamp depicts Sri Pada Padmaya
Sheet Composition	100 stamps per sheet
Format	Horizontal
Duration of Sale	6 months from 19.12.68
Printers	Bruder Rosenbaum, Austria
Printing Process	Photogravure
Size	42 x 32 mm.
Colours	05 cents stamp: Building-white, roof-red, vertical panel- blue, horizontal panel – pinkish red: the Buddhist flag in blue, yellow, red, white and orange. 50 cents stamp: Sri Pada Padmaya in purple with brown background, verticle panel- blue, horizontal panel -yellow; the Buddhist flag in blue, yellow, red, white and orange.