The Most Venerable Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Mahanayaka Thera:

Eighty years of dedicated service

BY SUNIL Thenabadu

THE Most Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera, the Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Dharmarakshita Maha Nikaya is 92 years old today. A series of religious ceremonies has been organised by the devotees of the temple to mark this occasion.

The Most Ven. Maha Nayaka Thera was born on October 14, 1913 to devout Buddhist parents at Welliweledeniya, Weligama in Southern Sri Lanka about 8 miles from the city of Matara. He was the youngest in a family of 12 children, comprising seven brothers and four sisters.

The Maha Nayaka Thera obtained his primary education at Weligama Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya, a well-recognised school in the South.

On November 30, 1925, at the tender age of 12, while a sixth standard pupils, he was ordained under Devundera Sri Dharmananda Maha Thera, Chief Incumbent of Devundera Sri Dhammarakshita Pirivena.

The Thera was nurtured initially in his primary monastic training education at the feet of his first mentor, Most Ven. Polwatte Dhammatilaka Maha Nayaka Thera and subsequently at the monastic college, Sri Dhammarakshita Pirivena, Devundara where the Thera completed his primary monastic education.

In 1931, he entered the Vidyodayagra Pirivena, Maligakanda, one of the leading monastic centres recognised even internationally.

The Thera acquired from the renowned academic centre the required higher monastic education to receive the 'Upasampada' ordination on June 9,1933 from the Maha Sangha.

He simultaneously commenced Oriental Studies, which he completed. He passed the final examination in Traditional Studies obtaining a Pandith Degree in 1948, Mastering Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit languages. This is the highest qualification one can obtain in Sri Lanka to be conferred an honorary 'Panditha'.

The Most Ven. Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana's most important milestone in his distinguished prolonged career in the Sasana was the invitation he received to stay at the Sri Lanka Sri Vajiraramaya Temple.

The invitation was issued by the temple's Chief Incumbent, the Most Ven. Palene Vajiragnana Thera, who was at that time the foremost of the modern erudite monks in Sri Lanka.

The Vajiraramaya is undoubtedly the most famous monastery in the country with many renowned monks such as the Ven. Narada, the Ven. Piyadassi, the pupils of Vajiragnana Maha Nayaka Thera.

The Ven. Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana was invited to Vajiraramaya to nurture and fathom the young monks at the temple as he was one of the most learned monks in the Dhamma and Oriental languages.

As a stern disciplinarian and an ardent and staunch Buddhist, the responsibility bestowed on him was an opportunity to impart his wide and profound knowledge in the teachings of the Buddha and he welcomed the exercise with great pleasure and immense satisfaction.

In addition, he had learnt well the important aspects of national culture and heritage, which he always cherished.

In 1950, as a senior monk, the Ven. Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Thera was invited to accompany the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera to India on pilgrimage and study.

During this tour, which lasted six months, the Myanmar Government recognised the Most Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera by conferring upon him the title of 'Agga Maha Panditha'. This tour gave an opportunity for the Maha Nayaka Thera to get the required knowledge about the Indian Buddhist heritage as well.

Another significant milestone of the Panditha Nayaka Thera during his tenure at Vajiraramaya was his journey to Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha along with a group of monks in 1951. This pioneering effort was aimed at reintroducing the Theravada tradition to Nepal and in conducting, the higher ordination 'Upasampada' ceremony, which had not been held in Nepal for centuries.

This was a memorable event and an important landmark in the Sasana career of the Maha Nayaka Thera. The bonds of cultural and religious and cordial links between the two countries exist even today.

In 1955 another memorable event in the life of our Nayaka Thera took place. He participated in the historic meeting, the Chattha Sanganayana, the sixth council in Myanmar (Burma) along with the Sri Lankan delegation. This tour afforded an unique opportunity for the Nayaka Thera to study the Burmese Buddhist tradition by travelling widely in Myanmar.

Mallikaramaya temple

In 1956, he participated in the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal. The same year, he was elected joint secretary of the Dharmarakshita chapter of the Amarapura Sangha Sabha.

A relative of the Maha Nayaka Thera, D. J. Kodituwakku Hewamallika, a reputed businessman, who had done a lot of voluntary and philanthropic work for temples islandwide, had on several occasions offered the Maha Nayaka Thera financial assistance for the development and uplift of the Buddha Sasana.

At this time the Maha Nayaka Thera was actively engaged in propagating the Dhamma nationally and internationally while based at the Vajiraramaya.

He was convinced that the immense knowledge gained in propagating the Dhamma could be imparted to a larger public from a new 'Avasaya' in an urbanised area in the suburbs of the city.

This was a great opportunity for our Maha Nayaka Thera to request for a plot of land to be purchased in the suburb of the city from his relative, wealthy devotee D. J. Kodituwakku Hewamallika, who without the slightest hesitation looked for a suitable place.

He found an ideal 30 perch block suitable for a temple, which was purchased, immediately in early 1958. This place was later described by the Maha Nayaka Thera as 'a very lucky plot'.

The auspicious time was found by Kodituwakku Hewamallika and the foundation stone was laid on May 28, 1958 amid chanting of Pirith by the Agga Panditha Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Thera and the Maha Sanga during a simple ceremony.

A new era commenced in the Maha Nayaka Thera's religious and Buddhist educational service with the establishment of the Mallikaramaya temple in July 1959. The Maha Nayaka, a true servant of the Buddha, had a vision and a mission. He felt deeply for the plight of Buddhism, Buddhaputra and the Buddhasasana.

Concepts such as sin, shame, determination, concentration and right-mindedness were common topics chosen for his sermons. His approach to devotees was to instigate and stimulate the Dayakas and Dayikas to take an active interest in the activities of the temple and its growth.

Under the able guidance of the Maha Nayaka Thera, it did not take long for Mallikaramaya to become a fully-fledged religious centre and a monastery in a growing urbanise area.

It now comprises a two-storeyed building to house the students, a spacious shrine room, a Viharaya, a large relics room and a Bo tree surrounded by a gold plated brass fence.

The Maha Nayaka Thera's philosophy is that a Buddhist Vihara must always be nothing other than a vihara and a religious institution. The temple is devoid of a devalaya and is unaffiliated to any established political party.

Although the Maha Nayaka Thera always maintains impartiality, he does not hesitate to speak out on matters concerning the Sasana and society.

The Maha Nayaka Thera has been a renowned preacher on SLBC for over five decades and more recently on television.

Having delivered more than ten thousand sermons to audiences in all parts of the island as well as in several foreign countries, he has the ability to get the attention of listeners and viewers and to keep them spell-bound. He knows exactly how lay Buddhist should be educated.

Although delivered in simple language, his sermons have special characteristics and are imprinted with his own inimitable style.

Knowing very well that a sermon must be pleasing in the beginning, pleasing in the middle and pleasing at the conclusion, he has developed over the years a unique preaching technique that entices listeners of all ages.

The Maha Nayaka Thera has rendered a memorable contribution to the print media by writing nearly 100 books on Buddhist theories and practices and by contributing frequently to Buddhist magazines.

He has the habit of presenting autographed books to Dayakas and Dayikas. The Maha Nayaka Thera found the time to write his own autobiography in 1993 to coincide with his 80th birth anniversary and has also completed biographies of nearly 15 loyal Bouchees who have made immense contributions to the Sasana.

'Gihi Vinaya'

The Maha Nayaka's most lengthy book, 'Gihi Vinaya', emphasises the discipline for lay Buddhists based on various 'Suttas'. He has also translated and edited many books.

The Maha Nayaka Thera has nurtured over 50 young monks at the Mallikarama monastery and at other monasteries, of which about 30 bouchees have received 'Upasampada'.

The Venerable Monk has spent eight decades as a member of the Maha Sangha and seventy years as an 'Upasampada' monk. He has travelled widely for Buddhist activities to many countries including India, Burma, Nepal, United States, Canada, Australia, United Kingdom and Europe.

He is one of the most senior Buddhist monks in the country. Not only in Sri Lanka but the entire Theravada Buddhist world respects him as an extraordinary, erudite monk who maintains a higher position among the most respected monks in the history of our country.

On September 12, 2003, the Most Venerable Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayake Thera was unanimously appointed the new Maha Nayake of the Amarapura Dharmarakshita Chapter, a position vacated with the demise of the Most Ven. Aggra Panditha Madihe Pannasiha Thera.

He has continued his contribution to the Sasana in the same vein even at the age of 92 years by conducting several ordination ceremonies, attending many functions pertaining to the Sasana. He has ordained over 30 Buddhist monks and has groomed over 40 pupils.

He is the most sought after Maha Nayake Thera and is invariably invited for various religious functions. Pansukulas, Buddhist meetings, pirith ceremonies and alms-givings.

At the main funeral oration given by him at Ven. Soma Thera's funeral, he made a plea to the President to bring an Act to Parliament to prevent Buddhists being converted to other religions by unscrupulous foreign elements.

He is very firm on this stand and has visited several foreign countries with a lot of aspirations and determination for opening of Buddhist temples. He is also involved in monitoring the condition of old Buddhist temples islandwide and renovating those that have been neglected.

On his 92nd birth anniversary, all devout Buddhists in our country and those abroad would no doubt wish our Maha Nayaka Thera good health and longevity with the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem for a trouble-free tenure as the Maha Nayaka Thera of the reputed Amarapura Nikaya as well as the chief incumbent of the Mallikaramaya Temple.