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The Mahanayaka Madihe Pannasiha -
 a Buddhaputra par excellence

by Nemsiri Mutukumara

A reformer par excellence, a disciplined Buddha Putra seldom appear in the world, illumined the sasana for 77 long years. (He entered the order as Samanera on June 24, 1926: his teacher was the Venerable Veragampita Revata Nayakathera) and distinguished himself as the Mahanayaka Thera of the Sri Dharmarakshita Mahanikaya from 1955 and finally as the President of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha as the leader of the Bhikkhu Sangha the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera, the Uttaritara Sanghanayaka passed away on Monday September 8 at the National Hospital, Colombo.

Mahanayaka Pannasiha, received his Upasampada from the Venerable Pelene Siri Vajiragnana Mahanayaka Thera - the founder of the Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya who was also the Mahanayaka Thera of the Siri Dharmarakshita Maha Nikaya.

A contemporary of world renowned and erudite leaders like Venerable Narada Maha Thera, Ven. Kheminda Maha Thera, Ven. Kassapa Maha Thera, Ven. Soma Maha Thera, Ven. Sri Rahula Maha Thera, Ven. Piyadassi Nayaka Thera and Ven. Nyanaratana Nayaka Thera pupils of the Maha Nayaka Vajiragnana, while others engaged themselves in preaching, teaching and writing, he surpassed them in a totally different role of striving to restore to the people their fields and lands and property plundered by the foreigners. In his struggle to redeem to the innocent people their inalienable rights and privileges, Mahanayaka Pannasiha used his pen.

He wrote to all Governments since independence, beginning with the first Prime Minister D. S. Senanayake to Prime Minister and later President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga and Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Every single head of State and Head of Government were well-known to him. Almost all of them can be considered his dayaka dayika without confining laudable endeavours to Sri Lanka alone, he led delegations - both Bhikkhu and the laity to far off Nepal - when travel was confined to steamer and train and bus - to make representation to the King of Nepal Uyong him to permit the Nepali Bhikkhus to re-enter the Motherland. The King had already deported them and they were languishing in India under extremely difficult conditions.

Listening to the advocacy of Mahanayaka Pannasiha and the Sri Lanka delegation, the King issued a proclamation giving full freedom of returning and engage themselves in Dhammaduta activity throughout the country.

Mahanayaka Pannasiha left no stone unturned to cleanse the society of ills and evils. When preaching was insufficient, he used his pen in the most vehement manner so the culprits would put to utter shame.

His first article on "graft" appeared in the "Sinhala Bauddhaya" which was a weekly then in 1946.

Mahanayaka Pannasiha started his writing spree in a journal named "Lak Budu Sasuna" which appeared on 21st September, 1945. His subject was the "Kakkaru Jatakaya". Dr. Asanga Tilakaratna has performed a fine job of providing in an Annex, the entire list of Mahanayaka Thera's writing from 1945 to May 11, 1998, in his voluminous 396 + VIII page book titled "Madihe Maha Nahimi Caritaya ha Cintanaya".

In all Mahanayaka Thera has written 928 articles to almost all daily, weekly, quarterly and annual publications in Sinhala and English languages.

Had anybody compiled statistics after Asanga's book was printed, the toll would certainly be over 1,500 articles. Because 1998 to 2003 witnessed a hectic life in the socio-political and religio-cultural activity in Sri Lanka and rest of the world.

He was the last link of the Buddhist leadership of the twentieth century which witnessed among other matters, the regaining of independence, the use and misuse of the ancient Lion flag - which was the National Flag of the people for over 2,300 years, the appointment of the Buddhist Commission of Inquiry by the country's eminent Buddhists, the establishment of the World Fellowship of Buddhists (1950), the World Fellowship of Buddhist Youth (1972) and several insurrections by misguided elements, the declaration of weekly poya days as weekly holidays in 1966 and the withdrawal of the holidays, by the 1970 Government.

In all these matters and many more of National importance Mahanayaka Pannasiha was in the forefront of action - supporting all causes that benefitted the masses and opposing strenuously every single misdemeanour that was aimed at causing confusion and chaos.

He was sought after by politicians of shades - for blessing, advise and guidance. The leadership of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi which is also known as the Federal Party and the All-Ceylon Tamil Congress - Appapillai Amirthalingam and M. Sivasithamparam agreed with him most whole-heartedly the proposal the Mahanayaka presented to solve the outstanding problems of the Tamil people at the series of parleys held at the BMICH during President J. R. Jayewardene's time.

All politicians, recognising the Mahanayaka Thera's sincerity to the cause and genuine desire to spread peace and friendship and bring back unity and amity everywhere, he was held in high esteem.

He was thoroughly a political. His name is recorded indelibly as the one and the only Mahanayaka Thera who never succumbed to offers of Marcedes Benz or Volvo or BMW. He was a shining example of a Buddha Putra whose way of life should be emulated by the Bhikkhu Sangha fraternity.

Despite the lack of professional proficiency of the English language - which he knew to the extent of the need of the moment - his linguistic achievements in Sanskrit, Pali, Sinhala and Tamil equipped him with all the knowledge in the world to grasp any subject under the sun and provide remedies to all the maladies.

Although, the Pirivenas and the Bhikkhu Sangha imparted knowledge and gave education to men to enter Universities and become lecturers, professors and Deans, their very teachers had to languish as pirivena teachers throughout their life.

That was a malady, thought Dr. Gunapala Malalasekera. He initiated a three-year course of studies in the University College in 1941 when it was located in Colombo - and awarded the degree of Vidya Visarada which gave immense encouragement to the Bhikkhus who enjoyed its fullest benefit. Mahanayaka Pannasiha was one of the recipients of Vidya Visarada degree.

He has written fourteen books - in Pali and Sinhala. His collection of writings is published in Eight Volumes as "Pragna Prabha". Under his direction twenty-seven journals are printed. Those include Dictionaries, Dharmakosha.

A World Buddhist Directory is published under his supervision. That is the first ever Directory to be turned out either by the Government or by any Buddhist Educational Institute.

For several decades, he has been carrying on a relentless campaign to combat the liquor menace.

Very rightly, he told the political leadership the ill-effects of the twin menace of gambling and drinking - and also smoking.

Taking the cue from the Mahanayaka Thera several heads of schools and their decent and disciplined academic staff led the students in forming "Amadyapa Samaja" in schools with great success. This country will never prosper as long as this twin menace is allowed to continue, that is his candid opinion. Many other non-Buddhist religions dignitaries joined the Mahanayaka Thera to root out the evil but still it is spreading menacingly with the political clout the book-makers and bootleggers receive.

As a member of the Buddhist Congress appointed "Buddhist Commission" and the 1956 government appointed Sasana Commission, Mahanayaka Thera stressed that priority should be given to those two evils since those are the root causes of the downfall of both individuals and societies.

The appearance of a cog wheel instead of the wheel to display the Dharmacakra in many places both in the State sector as well as certain Viharas, Temple Gates and Buddhist emblems caused deep pain of mind and utter disgust of the Mahanayaka Thera.

He wrote on many an occasion in the newspapers refrain from ridiculing the Dharmacakra which came into being with the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta to five-fold ascetics at the Deer Park in Isipatana in Varanasi, three months after the Buddha's Enlightenment.

He expressed delight and pleasure over the use of the correct cakra design by the World Fellowship of Buddhists of which he is a founder-member and participated in many WFB general conferences.

The Sasana Sevaka Samitiya he initiated in founding opened the first Theravada Buddhist Vihara in Washington DC in the United States of America opened the path for the building Viharas and Theravada Centres in many parts of the USA and in Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The dayikas were encouraged to form the Sasana Sevika Samitiya.

An erudite Pali scholar, he was an invitee to rehearse the doctrine at the Chatta Sangayana held in Myanmar at the dawn of the 2500th Buddha Jayanti.

On many occasions the Sri Lankan community living in European countries invited the Mahanayaka on Dhammadesana tours. Irrespective of faith the participants included all communities for the Prelate spoke on the Dhamma that is wholesome in the beginning, wholesome in the middle and wholesome in the end.

In recognition of his distinguished sasana service the Myanmar Sangha and the Government conferred on him the Ecclesiastical Title of "Agga Maha Pandita". The Peradeniya University conferred on him the postgraduate doctorate in philosophy - Ph.D. Honoris causa, while the coveted National honour of Sarvodaya Jatika Sammanaya was received in 1998.

The Dharma Vijaya Foundation he caused to establish in Colombo - on the Sarana road led the way to set up the Narada Centre in the adjoining premises as a lofty tribute to his elder brother in the Sasana-the Venerable Narada Maha Thera.

The Mahanayaka Thera had close to his heart the welfare of the youth. He welcomed, encouraged and supported the activities of the youth. At the Maharagama Siri Vajiragnana Dharmayatanaya, he provided all facilities to the youth and also led them to form the Turunu Saviya - youth movement. The huge youth participation running into thousands in the Poya day sila samadana bears eloquent testimony to the popularity of the Prelate with the country's youth.

This writer enjoyed the privileged position of receiving the blessings of the Mahanayaka Thera, a few days before he entered the Intensive Care Unit.

The Mahanayaka Thera visited the Apollo Hospital for an eye check-up from Dr. Gandhi. Seeing him returning in a wheelchair. I went up to greet him with my sister Malini and niece Gimhani - who are teachers of the Vajirarama Dhamma School.

When I bent down, the Mahanayaka Thera held me with both his hands and uttered a gatha and blessed me. I told him, that I was taking treatment from Dr. Rajesh Fogla. At that time, the Mahanayaka Thera was hale and hearty.

Such is Samsara!

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