'Welivita Saranankara Thera re-establish pirivena education'

H L Sunil Shantha - Kalutara Central special corr

Most Ven Weliwita Saranankara Thera built 'Niyamakande Sashra Shalawa' Niyamakanda Education Hall) at Udunuwara and re-established the pirivena education in Ceylon after the re-start of higher ordination, said Samastha Lanka Sasanarakshaka Mandalaya Secretary and Kalutara Divisional Buddhist Conservation Board chairman and Wadduwa Korosduwa Purana Vajrakoth Temple Chief Incumbent Most Ven Gonaduwe Gunanandha Thera. The Thera was delivering the main anusasana at an educational scholarship presentation ceremony of oriental languages to 108 Buddhist monks at the Kalutara Bodhi Trust Dhamma Hall recently. Sixty nine monks from Kalutara and 39 from Galle received scholarships to learn Oriental Languages, English, and Thripitaka Dhamma.

Gunanandha Thera said pirivena education and the Buddha Sasana in Ceylon was so badly affected after the arrival of Portuguese that it was difficult to find a higher-ordained monk during that period.

He said as a result of Dharma Shashri Shala (Dhamma Educational Halls) established in Pelmadulla and Ratmalana, pirivena education was successful.

The Thera said Vidyodaya and Vidyalankara Pirivenas were highest achievements of the pirivena education. The main objective of pirivena education is to generate a good, exemplary, well-educated Bhikku generation well-conversant in oriental languages and Thripitaka Abhi Dhamma for the well-being of the Buddha Sasana.

He said as a result of school subjects being added to the Pirivena Syllabuses, Thripitaka Dhamma and oriental languages were done away with little by little from the pirivena education system. The pirivena syllabus should be changed for the betterment of the pirivena educational system which has been existent for more than 23 centuries in the country.

Asgiriya Chapter of Shyamopali Maha Nikaya Anunayake Most Ven Udugama Sri Buddharakkhitha Thera, Colombo Hunupitiya Gangarama Viharadhipathi Ven Galaboda Gnanissara Thera and Sri Jayawardhanapura University Chancellor and Bellanwila Raja Maha Viharaya Chief Incumbent Prof Bellanwila Wimalarathana Thera also spoke