'Island of Light' free with SUNDAY OBSERVER

Island of Light: Buddhism in Sri Lanka, a 72-page full-colour book authored by T.Y. Lee of Singapore, will be issued free with the Sunday Observer on May 29, to mark the 2600th Sambuddhatva Jayanthi. The book is a concise but complete guide to Buddhist sacred sites in Sri Lanka.

The publication of the book in Sri Lanka is a collaborative effort between the author and the Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Limited (ANCL).

Readers who are keen to ensure that they get a copy of this valuable book can subscribe to the Sunday Observer for one year by contacting the ANCL Circulation Department. In case the Sunday Observer runs out of stock at your preferred news agent, such subscribers are however, guaranteed a copy.

The book is an invaluable resource for every Buddhist and also for local and foreign travellers. It is also a study guide for schoolchildren.

Illustrated with colour photographs, it has a wealth of information on Buddhist sacred sites throughout the country, from the well-known to the obscure. Their historical background is also described. The book also has details on several non-religious cultural monuments and sites such as Sigiriya.

The book covers sacred sites in Colombo, Kotte, Negombo, Yapahuwa, Kandy, Matale, Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa and Dambulla, among others. It also has a section on the history of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.The book, first published in 2010, has an informative foreword by Ven. P. Gnanarama Thera, Principal of the Buddhist and Pali College of Singapore.

The author has studied Buddhism extensively in Sri Lanka and Singapore and distributed the book free in several countries. He has written this book as a service to the Buddha Sasana.He has written two other books on Buddhism and also maintains the Buddhist website www.justbegood.net. Nearly 700,000 copies of his books are in circulation worldwide, in seven languages. He also gives lectures on Buddhism in Singapore and Malaysia.

Written in clear, concise English and printed on high quality paper, the book is easy to read and comprehend. No Buddhist can do without this book and even those of other religions will treasure the book for its wealth of information on Sri Lanka and its religious and cultural sites.