Mahopadyaya Aluthgama Dhammananda Nayaka Thera:

True propagator of Dhamma

Nirmala Samarasinghe

Born on November 22, 1915 in Aluthgama near Thumpane in Kandy District to parents Maha Arambe Rajakaruna Wasala Dukganna Ralahamillage Dingiri Banda, a Village Headman and Herath Mudiyanselage Ranmenika, he was named Heenbanda. He received his primary education at Muruddeniya Vidyalaya and Idamagoda Vidyalaya.

He was ordained as a novice under the tutelege of Ven. Pahamune Dhammakeerthi Sri Sumangala, the then Maha-Nayake Thera of Malwatte Chapter and Ven. Aluthgama Sri Piyadassi Nayake Thera.

He received his education at Sri Sangharaja Pirivena, Kandy and gained higher ordination at the historic ‘Uposathagaraya’ of Malwatte Maha Viharaya in 1935.

Aluthgama Dhammananda Nayaka Thera

In 1936, he founded Sri Mahinda Daham Pasala at Ampitiya and was the head teacher until 1950. He started the Katina Cheevara Pooja at Malwatte Maha Viharaya in 1944 and held it annually for 66 times. Sasana history has been created in 1944 when two Katina Cheevarayas were offered to the Maha Sangha who lived in two temples of Malwatte Maha Viharaya namely Malwatte Maha Vihara and Poya Malu Viharaya. With the opening of the official residences of Maha Nayake Thera in 1966 to-date three Katina Cheevarayas were offered to the Maha Sangha who lived in the three temples placing at the same place.

This has been continued until last year. State and foreign patronage has been received for most of the Katina Pinkamas.

In 1950 he started teaching at Dharmaraja College, Kandy and served until 1958 without any renumeration. In 1958 he got a Government teaching appointment and served as a teacher at Gurudeniya Vidyalaya and from 1966 to 1972 again at Dharmaraja College.

He inaugurated Sri Sangharaja Gunanusmarana Sangamaya, Kandy in 1947 and held the Sri Sangharaja Perahera uninterruptedly for 64 years. He founded the Sri Sangharaja Kantha Sangamaya and Sri Sangharaja Daham Pasala in 1951.

As the Buddhist chaplain at Bogambara prisons from 1950 onwards he has pioneered in the construction of a Viharaya, Chaithya and Bodhi Prakara at the premises of Pallekele open-air prison. A Dhamma school has been inaugurated in the name of Sir Richard Aluvihare, the first Sri Lankan IGP, for the benefit of children at Police quarters in Kandy.

In 1951 he started the Poya Day sil program at Malwatte Maha Vihara which exists to-date. Under his patronage, Sri Vaishakadana Sangraha Samithiya was inaugurated which pioneered in the construction of Keppetipola Pilgrms Rest.

When the then Government decided to donate a governmental land adjoining the Sri Dalada Maligawa to the Church, he opposed that move and was successful in obtaining it to Sri Dalada Maligawa. Pilgrims Rest of Sri Dalada Maligawa stands on this land. He has started a scholarship scheme for students attending his alma-mater, Murundeniya Maha Vidyalaya.

More than six thousand cattle were freed from slaughter houses in Kandy by Mahanuwara Avihimsa Samithiya where our Nayake Thera is the patron. Four cows were freed recently wishing long life and good health to the Nayake Thera by Dharmodaya Daham Samajaya where Nayake Thera is the patron.

I was fortunate to hear a bout a miracle which occurred after the Nayake Thera performed a Satya Kriya at Isipatana Migadaya, the place where the Buddha delivered his first sermon.

He was the president of Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya of Kadawath Sathara and Gangawata Korale for the past 34 years and presently serves as the patron of Kandy District Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya. He was a past patron of Samastha Lanka Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya.

Following the instructions of the Nayake Thera, the Kandy Municipal Council changed the street names of Victoria Drive to Sri Sangharaja Mawatha, Glen Dale Road to Saranankara Mawatha and the road leading to his avasa as Welivita Mawatha.

He initiated the issue of postage stamps by the Postal Department on the occasion of the 200th anniversary of passing away of the Sangharaja Thera and 225th anniversary of establishing Upasampada at Malwatte Maha Viharaya.

In 1973 he was appointed for Thewawa at Sri Dalada Maligawa and in 1989 appointed to the Karaka Sangha Sabha of Malwatte Chapter.

In 1990 he was appointed ‘Mahopadyaya’ of the Malwatte Chapter by the late Ven. Sirimalwatte Ananda Maha Nayake Thera.

He has travelled to UK, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Pinangna and India for Buddhist missionary work.

The statue of King Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe at Algama Raja Maha Viharaya in Kurunegala district and the statue of Welivita Sangaraja Thera at Dambulla Raja Maha Viharaya were made ‘Protective Archaeological Monuments’ by the Archaeological Department on a request made by the Nayake Thera.