Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera

Most Ven. Rajakeeya Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera, is the Maha Nayaka of the Amarapura Dharmarakshita Maha Nikaya (Amarapura Nikaya).

Biographical introduction

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

He conducted his primary education at Weligama Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya, and at the age of 12, on November 30, 1925 he was ordained under Devundera Sri Dharmananda Maha Thera, Chief Incumbent of Devundera Sri Dhammarakshita Pirivena. Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera commenced his education under the tutelage of Ven. Polwatte Dhammatilaka Maha Nayaka Thera and subsequently at the monastic college, Sri Dhammarakshita Pirivena, Devundar.

In 1931, he entered the Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda, one of the leading monastic centres of Theravada Buddhism, and received 'Upasampada' - higher ordination on June 9,1933.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, for which he was conferred the 'Panditha' degree – the highest scholastic achievement under the traditional Sinhala education system.

Panditha Weligama Gnanaratana thera then entered the Vajiraramaya Temple in Bambalapitiya following an invitation by the temple's Chief Incumbent, the Most Ven. Palene Vajiragnana Thera - foremost of the modern erudite monks at the time. Vajiraramaya also ‘home’ to numerous renowned monks including Ven. Narada, the Ven. Piyadassi

In 1950, now a senior monk, the 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'. In 1951 Gnanaratana Thera journeyed to Nepal, the birthplace of Buddha along with a group of monks, in a bid to reintroducing the Theravada tradition to Nepal and in conducting, the higher ordination 'Upasampada' ceremony, which had not been held in Nepal for centuries. In 1955 the Nayaka Thera participated in the historic meeting, the Chattha Sanganayana, the sixth council in Myanmar (Burma) along with the Sri Lankan delegation. The following year, in 1956 Weligama Gnanaratana Maha Nayaka Thera was elected joint secretary of the Dharmarakshita chapter of the Amarapura Sangha Sabha.

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.

The Maha Nayaka Thera has written nearly a 100 books on Buddhist theories and practices, including ‘Gihi Vinaya’, emphasises the discipline for lay Buddhists based on various ‘Suttas’. Known to rarely use his writing dest, most frequent visitors to his temple are familiar of the site of the Maha thera drafting his manuscripts on the veranda of his room overlooking the main entrance.

Mallikaramaya temple

The foundation stone for a new monastery in the suburbs of Mount-Lavina was laid on the May 28, 1958 by DJ Kodituwakku Hewamallika a relative of the Maha Nayaka Thera who had purchased a parcel of land for the construction of a temple – thus the Mallikaramaya temple was born.

In eight decades as a monk, seven of which as an ‘upasapan thera’ – higher ordain monk, the Maha Nayaka Thera has nurtured over 50 young monks at the Mallikarama monastery and at other monasteries, of which about 30 novice have so far received 'Upasampada'.

References

* [http://www.dailynews.lk/2005/10/14/fea03.htm Eighty years of dedicated service]
* [http://www.dailymirror.lk/2004/03/25/feat/2.asp Amarapura gets a new Mahanayaka]