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Former Berlin Viharadhipathi passes away

Ven. Athurugiriye Nyanawimala Nayake Thera, former Viharadhipathi of the Berlin Vihara (1966-1981), passed away on Sunday, January 5. He was 90 years old.

The cremation of Ven. Athurugiriye Nyanawimala Nayake Thera is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 9 commencing at 3 p.m. at the Habarakada General Cemetery, Homagama.

The remains of the late monk are now lying-in-state at the Sri Sugathanandaramaya, Mullegama, Homagama.

Accepting an invitation from Asoka Weeraratna, the founder and Hony. Secretary of the German Dharmaduta Society, the Ven. Nyanawimala Thera proceeded to Germany in 1966 to engage in Dharmaduta work at the Berlin Vihara. He acted as the Viharadhipathy of the Berlin Vihara for an unbroken period of 15 years, during which time he oversaw substantial improvements in the dissemination of the Dhamma to the German public.

He learnt the German language and delivered Buddhist discourses in German. Some of these talks have been published in a book under the title 'Berlin Lectures' in Sinhala. Ven. Nyanawimala Thera was instrumental in translating and publishing a number of Sutras in the Pali Tripitaka into German. He initiated the publication of a Buddhist Newsletter which was then posted to an increasing number of German Buddhists.

Ven. Nyanawimala was born on March 24, 1912. His lay name was Sepala Arangala Vithanage. He received higher ordination (Upasampada) in 1933. In his younger days he was closely associated with Ven. S. Mahinda, the Tibetan monk and poet, and Munidasa Kumaratunga. He pursued Buddhist and Pali studies at the Panadura Gorakapala Vidyaraja Pirivena.

He was a prolific writer. He has authored over 30 books and contributed an innumerable number of articles on Buddhist topics to newspapers and journals. His books include a German-Sinhala Dictionary, and books on Consciousness, and Re-birth.

In appreciation of his invaluable services to the Buddha Sasana, both the Amarapura Maha Nikaya and the Ramanna Maha Nikaya accorded him with prestigious titles. The Amarapura Maha Nikaya bestowed on him the title 'Sasana Kirthi Sri Saddharma Bhanaka' and in 2001, the Ramanna Maha Nikaya conferred on him the title 'Sri Saddharma Vachiswaracharya Tripitaka Vagiswara'.

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