A view is put fortn in this paper that the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka during the 19th century was a reaction to the religious, cultural and political pressures brought to. bear by Western colonicalism. It rekindled religious feelings and nationalist sentiments among the Sinhalese, which in turn dealt a blow to colonicalism but afterwards became a snake in the grass in Sri Lanka’s post-independence political life or a negative factor in the Sin- halese-Tamil relationship.
