The Ambasthala Dagoba. A white dagaba marks the spot where
the Buddhist prince and missionary Mahinda first appeared to
the king of Sri Lanka to teach the ideas of the Buddha.
"..there are in all Buddhist countries simple and beautiful ceremonies on religious occasions. There are shrines with statues of the Buddha, stupas or dagabas and Bo-trees in monasteries where Buddhists worship, offer flowers, light lamps and burn incense. This should not be likened to prayer in theistic religions; it is only a way of paying homage to the memory of the Master who showed the way. These traditional observances, though inessential, have their value in satisfying the religious emotions and needs of those who are less advanced intellectually and spiritually, and helping them along the path." (Walpola Rahula, What the Buddha Taught, rev. ed. New York: Grove Press, 1974, p. 81)
However there are those who are not so sure that the Buddha or Buddha spirit is not present in some form. According to scripture, before his death, a monk asked the Buddha whether or not an enlightened person lived on after death. The Buddha refused to answer the question saying that it would only confuse those who seek enlightenment since the final reality was too profound, indescribable, and incomprehensible for the human mind.
By remaining silent on the exact nature of Nirvana, the Buddha left the door open for speculation and the development of practices that seem to assume that some aspect of the Buddha may still be present in the world.
On Sri Lanka, this led had to the development of a cult of the Buddha and his image.