Since the arrival of foreigners on the shores of Ceylon and the conquest of the whole country by the British in 1815, the most epoch-making event in the history of Buddhism in this country was the arrival of Colonel Henry Stele Olcott in 1880. His arrival marked the beginning of the Buddhist revival and the drive towards giving Buddhism its rightful place in the country and the restoration of the legitimate rights of the Buddhist population.

It was a dark era for Buddhism. The Christian churches were firmly entrenched in society in general and in the educational system in particular. The Churches had financial assistance and the ear of the government, apart for the proselytisation. To publicly admit to being a Buddhist in that unpropitious era was itself a liability.

But the time had come for a Buddhist revival and stalwarts like Colonel Olcott, the Ven. Migettuwatte Gunananda and Hikkaduwa Sri Sumangala Thera, Anagarika Dharmapala and many others led the crusade against the wholesale proselytisation by missionaries, the denigration of Buddhism as a religion and disabilities placed on Buddhists.

It was an age of “Christian Buddhists” nominal Christians meeting the demands of the state for jobs and other favours. The Buddhist revivalist movement kindled by these pioneers led to the intense realisation that unless people woke up and spoke up and practised their religion, the precious heritage of the Dhamma was doomed. The ferment was felt everywhere, but the fight was hard, long and discouragingly slow.

Missionary activity had reached a high point, creating a culture colonialism and overtaken the educational Sphere and the affluent, influential elite had embraced alien life styles. Every padre in every village was knocking on the doors of supposedly “heathen families” to bring the “light of Christ’ into their lives.