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| Wednesday, 24 December 2003 |
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Malwatta honours Ven. Dr. Alutwewa Soratha by Premasara Epasinghe A ceremony will be held at the Sacred Hall of Rituals of Malwatta Monastery, Kandy today (24) to perform the traditional rights associated with the conferring of the Honorary title of Upadyaya to Venerable Dr. Aluthwewa Soratha Nayaka Thera, the Chief Prelate of Ruhunu Magam Pattuwa and the Chief Incumbent of Ruhunu - Kataragama Kirivehera Rajamaha Vihara, by an Assembly of Prelates of the Malwatta Chapter of Shyamopali Sect. This is in recognition of the magnificent service rendered to Buddha Sasana and the Nation, by the Venerable Maha Thera, as a Religious Dignitary, Teacher, Educationist, and a social worker. He became the Chief Incumbent of Kataragama - Kirivehera Raja Maha Viharaya, on 28th October, 1993. In his dedication to human service, Ven. Dr. Soratha Maha Thera symbolizes the essence of Buddhist Teaching. I came to know this learned, pious young monk, nearly four decades ago, at the Walukaramaya Temple, Colpetty. At that time, he was residing at this temple and was a student at the Vidyodaya Pirivena, the crest jewel of Buddhist Education in Sri Lanka. During this period, I was teaching at Mahanama Vidyalaya, Colpetty which was started at the Temple premises. Rev. Soratha was a very keen student and I taught him Indian and Ceylon History and English, during my leisure hours, when he was attending Vidyodaya Pirivena. At the Vidyodaya Pirivena, he shone like a bright star. He learned Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, Buddhism and passed the Finals of Pracheena Examination in 1962. Further, he was very fortunate, he came under the influence of a scholarly monk, Venerable Ambanwelle Sri Pannasekera Maha Thera, who was one of his lecturers at the Vidyodaya Pirivena. Today, Most Venerable Pannasekera Maha Thera is the Anunayaka of the Malwatta Chapter of Siam Maha Nikaya. He will be 79 years, on 27th December, 2003. Ven. Soratha Thera, through dedication and commitments, pursued his higher studies and obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree, and took upto teaching at Boghapellassa Maha Vidyalaya, in the Hambantota District, in 1976. After obtaining his Diploma in Education, he assumed duties as Principal - Kataragama Maha Vidyalaya, Kataragama, where he did yeomen service to the younger generation. He obtained his PhD. (Doctor of Philosophy) in 1990 from the University of Sri Jayewardenapura for the thesis - "The Sri Lankan Bodhi Culture". Most of the names of our villages become popular and known, when those are linked with outstanding learned monks. Some of the names of the Priests that comes to my mind are Thotagamuwa with Sri Rahula, Balangoda with Ananda Maitriya, Kalukodayawa with Pannasekera, Weliwitiya with Soratha Kotagama with Ven. Dr. Vacchiswara, Walpola with Dr. Rahula, Madihe with Pannaseeha, Mawittara with Sri Rewatha, Bellanwila with Ven. Dr. Wimalaratana, Maduluwawa with Sobitha, Pallegama with Sirinivasa and Hemaratnana. The village Aluthwewa, is synonymous with Dr. Soratha Maha Thera. Ven. Dr. Aluthwewa Soratha was born on 04th April 1943, in a remote village - Aluthwewa. His parents were Aluthwewa Welmuladeni Don Elias Dahanayake and Karunawathie Dassanayake. His name was Don David Dahanayake. He is the fourth in a family of five brothers and two sisters. He studied at Govt. Mixed School Aluthwewa. Ven. Aluthwewa Medankara Nayake Thera, ordained David, in the year 1954, as Alutwewa Soratha. He obtained his Higher Education - Upasampada - in 1963. Of the multiplicity of services Ven. Dr. Aluthwewa Soratha has rendered, some stand out in great prominence. Among them, are the guidance provided for the construction of Ran-veta (Golden Fence) at Kataragama Devala Bo-Tree, elevation of Kataragama Maha Vidyalaya to a National School stature. Venerable Soratha Thera as the Principal made this school a complete Educational Institution. He was the first to introduce Computer Literacy, to the under privileged students and children of Kataragama. The recently concluded Menik Ganga Kuda Galamuna Irrigation Project", was Ven. Dr. Soratha's Brain-child. Dr. Soratha Nayaka Thera, with the assistance of Philanthropists has built a series of Housing Units for the benefit of some of the homeless persons. For the benefit of the un-employed youth, a vocational centre was established by him, at Kataragama. A Preschool Educational Centre for the children, under the patronage and assistance of Lake House, which the Venerable Dr. Aluthwewa Soratha initiated, will be declared open by Mr. Keserralal Gunasekera - Chairman - Associated Newspapers of Ceylon (Lake House) on 30th December 2003. Dr. Aluthwewa Soratha is a versatile gold-mine of Dhamma. He is an Erudite scholar and a great teacher. He is reported for his eloquent sermons and travelled widely taking the message of the Buddha" to many countries. May the most pious monk Venerable Dr. Soratha Thera, with the Blessings of the Triple Gem, continue to function as A Beacon of Light, illuminating the Path of the People of this country. In conclusion, I quote a stanze from Mahamangala Sutra - "Asevana ca balanam, Non association of Fools, |
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