The literal meaning of the word Pahansila is the flame of the lamp; "pahana" in Sinhalese means the lamp and "sila" means the flame. The choice of the name is more about the cultural perception of what it means than its literal meaning. In Sri Lankan culture, light symbolizes knowledge and the darkness, the lack of it. The goal of the Pahansila Scholarship Project is to help educate Sri Lanka's needy children, hence bringing light into their lives.