Scholar monk at helm of Vidyalankara

Nirmala SAMARASINGHE Member, Vidyalankara Sabha

************

Vidyalanakara Parvenadhipathi Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma, who attains 73 years of age is making elaborate arrangements to provide meals and clothing to inmates of the two homes for the aged at Makola and patients of the Kiribathgoda Governmental hospital with the assistance of lay patrons.

**********

Vidyalankara Pirivena which pioneered the cause of education in Buddha Dhamma, Pali and Sanskrit in recent times was founded by the Ven. Ratmalane Dhammaloka Nayaka Thero in November 1st, 1875 in a hut made up of wattle and daub at Peliyagoda.

With a small beginning it was developed into a gigantic place of education in Sri Lanka. It has produced erudite scholars in the calibre of Venerables Professor Walpola Rahula, Professor Kotahene Pannakitty, Yakkaduwe Pannarama as well as many other members of the Maha Sangha and laity. The Parivendhipathi of this institution is held in high esteem in the country. The previous Parivenadhipathis of this institution were:

1. Ven. Ratmalane Dhammaloka

2. Ven. Ratmalane Dhammarama

3. Ven. Lunupokune Dhammananda

4. Ven. Kiriwattuduwe Pannasara

5. Ven. Yakkaduwe Pannarama

6. Ven. Nattandiye Pannakara

The present Parivenadhipathi is the seventh in line Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Nayaka Thero, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Colombo and Chilaw districts.

Wise association

I am privileged to associate very closely with two previous Parivenadhipathis: the late Venerables Yakkaduwe Pannarama and Nattandiye Pannakara.

I was fortunate to have been chosen as a lay patron for holding a Pinkama during the centenary celebrations of the Pirivena. My pNayaka Therone before the lNayakankamSat which the patron was Dr. Lakshman Attigalle, president of Vidyalankara Sabha. Ven. Marapona Vijitha, one of the patrons of Vidyalankara Sabha and Chief Sangha Nayaka of Kalutara District delivered the anusasanawa at my pinkama.

I recollect two interesting verses appearing, in the monthly magazine Peramaga written by my friend, Sinhala poet Piyasena Ratuvitana who is at present the Consultant Editor of Subasetha, a weekly paper published by Lake House.

Two important events worthy of mentioning in the history of the Pirivena are:

1. The donation of a Relic of the Buddha by the Indian Government. The late Sir D. B. Jayatilleke, student and president of Vidyalankara Sabha and a Minister of the British Governance at the time requested the Indian Government to offer the Relic to Vidyalankara.

2. The Thripitaka Dharma Sanghayanawa started on 15th August 1950 at the Pirivena premises held continuously for three years, five months and 15 days. U Nu, the then Prime Minister of Myanmar who visited Vidyalankara during his official visit to Sri Lanka was so fascinated by seeing this Sanghayanawa that he inaugurated the Chatta Maha Dhamma Sanghayanawa in Myanmar.

Services rendered by four scholars to Vidyalankara are worth mentioning. They are the late Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Dhammarakkhitha Nayaka Thero, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Sath Korale and First Chancellor of the Pali and Buddhist University Professor Dr. Kakkapalliye Anuruddha Nayaka Thero, Professor Dr. Kumburugamuwe Vajira Thero, Chancellor of Sabaragamuwa University and Ven. Professor Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Nayaka Thero, Chancellor of Sri Jayawardenapura University and Anu Nayaka of Kotte chapter of Siyamopali Maha Nikaya.

Tamil Community

It should be mentioned that a leading member of Colombo’s Tamil Community, lawyer and old Anandian the late Sinnadurai Sunderalingam received his early education at Vidyalankara.

Present Parivenadhipati, Ven. Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Colombo and Chilaw disawes and Chancellor of Kelaniya University was born in Welamitiyawa near Narammala in Kurunegala district on 20th February 1937 and is 72 years old. He was ordained as a novice on January 7, 1954 under the tutelage of the Ven. Kiriwattuduwe Pannasara and the Ven. Yakkaduwe Pannarama Nayaka Theros. He obtained his degree from the University of Kelaniya in 1963 and higher ordination at the historic Uposathagaraya at Malwatte Maha Viharaya, Kandy on May 1958. From 1963 to 1983 he served as the Director and Upa Parivenadhipathi of the branch Pirivena at Pannipitiya.

Ven. Kusaladhamma Thero for many years donates artificial limps and wheel-chairs for disabled twice a year and to-date he has spent more than Rs. 20 lakhs for this purpose.

Ven. Nayaka Thero travels widely throughout the country for Dhamma sermons, pinkamas etc. I have met him at almost every religious ceremony held at Sri Satharthodaya Piriven Viharaya, Edurapotha (near Kegalle) where my close relative late Ven. Dedigama Seelawimala Nayaka Thero, the Chief Sangha Nayaka Thero of Beligal Korale was the Viharadhipathy.

A village in Kurunegala district, Polpithigama, has been chosen for development by the Nayaka Thero. Buildings were constructed for its school and was provided with the essentials. Agricultural and bathing wells were provided for the village and needy students were given scholarships. Many needy students of Sath Koralaya, students of Dharmaloka and Gurukula colleges and other schools in Kelaniya area were given scholarships.

Honoured

Ven. Nayaka Thero was honoured by the government of Myanmar on 2003 when he was given the title ‘Agga Maha Saddhamma Jothika Dhaja’.

Assistance given to the Nayaka Thero by the amicable and versatile medical specialist, Dr. Lakshman Attygalle, President of Vidyalankara Sabha who has found enough time to attend to its activities and other members of the Sabha had successfully fulfilled all the aspirations of the Nayaka Thero and the Buddhist public of Sri Lanka.

Now the time has come where all the aspirations of the founders of Vidyalankara have bloomed and a ‘Golden Age’ for the Vidyalankara has emerged.