Letter from a Ceylonese Bookseller to Mahatma Gandhi on Buddhism and World Peace

Sub title : A Prophecy of a Righteous King and a Global Buddhist Era

Subject: Mahatma Gandhi | Buddhism | Prophecy | World Peace | Buddhist Era | Global Unity | Religious Vision

Date of publication: 1946

Language: English

Page: 1p.

Source: National Archives of Pakistan

Serial no: 28495

Keyword: G.A. Perera -- Colombo -- Mahatma Gandhi -- Buddhism -- Prophecy 2500 Buddhist Era | World Peace -- Global King -- Ceylonese Sage -- Religious Vision

Abstract: This is a letter from G.A. Perera, a second-hand bookseller in Colombo, Ceylon, addressed to Mahatma Gandhi. The writer praises Gandhi's noble work and expresses a desire to add to it by sharing a prophecy from a Ceylonese sage made 500 years prior. The prophecy foretells the appearance of a meritorious world conqueror king named Jagath Sen or Jiyana around the 2500th year of the Buddhist era (approximately 1956 CE), who would help the entire world embrace Buddhism, end wars, and usher in a global age of prosperity, unity, and brotherhood. The author hopes his letters will be published as a book to guide humanity toward salvation.

Description: This document is a fascinating example of the global and spiritual reverence Mahatma Gandhi inspired. Written by a humble bookseller in Ceylon, it blends personal admiration with a grand, mystical vision for world transformation based on Buddhist eschatology. The letter reflects the post-WWII yearning for peace and unity, channeled through a specific religious and prophetic lens. It also illustrates how Gandhi was perceived beyond India's borders—as a figure capable of catalyzing a universal moral awakening. The mention of a coming righteous king (Jagath Sen) echoes messianic beliefs across traditions, tailored here to a Buddhist framework. While unrelated to M.A. Jinnah, it provides context to the pluralistic ideological landscape of 1940s South Asia. SCANNED BY: NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF PAKISTAN.

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