Most Ven. Weligama Gnanaratana Mahanayake Thera completes 80 years in Sasana Service

COLOMBO: The Most Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Mahanayake Thera of the Amarapura Dharmarakshita Maha Nikaya was born on October 14, 1913 to a devout Buddhist parents in Weligama. He was the youngest in a family of 12 comprising seven brothers and four sisters.

The Mahanayake Thera was ordained on November 30, 1925, at the age of 12, while still a sixth standard pupil of Devundera Sri Dharmananda Maha Thera, Chief Incumbent of Devundera Sri Dhamarakshita Pirivena.

A ceremony Asiri Sansanda was organised by a committee headed by Ranasgalle Gnanaweera Thera of Mallikaramaya Temple, Ratmalana to felicitate the Thera.

The Prime Minister, Defence Staff Chief, IGP, Milinda Moragoda, Karu Jayasuriya, were among the invitees at this ceremony held at the BMICH.

The Mahanayake Thera completed his primary and higher monastic education and received the Upasampada Higher Ordination on June 9, 1933. He completed the Pandith Degree in 1948 mastering, Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit languages which is the highest qualifications one could obtain in Sri Lanka to be conferred as a honorary Panditha.

Most Ven. Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Thera was invited to accompany the Most Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera to India on pilgrimage and study, which lasted for six months in 1950.

The Mahanayaka Thera while at Vajiraramaya journeyed to Nepal, the birthplace of the Buddha along with a group of monks in 1951. This journey aimed at reintroducing the Theravada tradition to Nepal and conducting, the Upasampada ceremony was a memorable event and an important landmark in his Sasana career. The cultural and religious bonds and cordial links between the two countries exist even today.

He participated in the Buddha Jayanthi celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal in 1956. In the same year, he was elected Joint Secretary of the Dharmarakshita Chapter of the Amarapura Sanga Sabha. The Thera who was propagating the Dhamma nationally while at Vajiraramaya.

The Thera has been a renowned preacher on the SLBC for over seven decades and more recently on television. Having delivered more than 10,000 sermons to audiences in all parts of the island as well as in several foreign countries, he has the ability to grab the attention of listeners and viewers and to keep them spellbound. He knows exactly how laymen should be educated. His sermons have special characteristics and are delivered in his own inimitable style.

The Mahanayake Thera has rendered a memorable and a remarkable contribution to the print media by writing nearly 100 books on Buddhist theories and practices and by contributing frequently to Buddhist magazines. The Maha nayake Thera amidst his busy schedule found time to write his autobiography in 1993 to coincide with his 80th birth anniversary has also compiled to-date biographics of over 15 loyal Bhikkhus who have made immense contributions to the Sasana.

On September 12, 2005 the Most Venerable Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Maha nayake Thera was unanimously appointed new Maha Nayake of the Amarapura Dharmarakshita Chapter, a position vacated with the demise of the Most Ven. Aggamaha Panditha Madihe Pannasiha Maha nayake Thera. The Prelate was the Anu Nayake Thera of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya for a number of decade prior to the demise of the Most Ven. Aggamaha Panditha Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayake Thera.

The Mahanayake Thera received Akta Patra from the then Prime Minister at a solemn ceremony at the BMICH on January 11, 2004. He has continued his contribution to the Sasana in the same vein even at the age of 92 years by conducting several ordination ceremonies, Bana preachings. He has ordained over 30 Buddhist Monks.

The Mahanayake'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. Among them about 30 Bikkhus have received Upasampada Higher Ordination.

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

- Sunil Thenabadu