The Most Venerable Tripitakavageeshwaracharya, Upadhyaya, Aggamahasaddhammajotikadhaja, Dr. Welamitiyawe Dharmakeerthi Sri Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera, Parivenadhipathi and Director of Vidyalankara Pirivena, Peliyagoda and Chancellor of University of Kelaniya, Chief Sangha Nayake of Colombo – Chilaw two divisions passed away after a brief illness at the age of 84. The funeral will be held at Independence Square on Sunday October 31 with full State honours. The Nayake Thera was a prelate who led an exemplary life of a disciplined and selfless religious leader. He can be described as a great prelate who was prudent, wise, erudite and learned in the Dhamma according to the discourse of the Buddha.
Ven. Thera was a great prelate endowed with a unique personality of his own. For over 30 years he had provided the leadership to Vidyalankara Pirivena, Peliyagoda, the crest jewel of Education for Buddhist monks. He was a great Buddhist prelate who has rendered an enormous religious service over a long period of seventy years to uplift Buddhist education in Sri Lanka. He was the guide of all religious and socio-cultural activities launched in affiliation with Vidyalankara tradition.
Buddhist educational institutions
The Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maligakanda and the Vidyalankara Pirivena in Peliyagoda are the two main reputed Buddhist educational institutions in Sri Lanka. The Vidyalankara Pirivena was founded on the first day of November 1875, by Most. Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmaloka Maha Thera, a prominent Buddhist scholar of the 19th Century. The Parivenadhipathi position was held by great scholars like Most Ven. Ratmalane Sri Dharmarama Nayake Thera, Ven. Lunupokune Sri Dharmananda Nayake Thera, Ven. Kiriwattuduwe Sri Pragnasara Nayake Thera, Ven. Yakkaduwe Sri Pragnarama Thera and Ven. Nattandiye Sri Pragnakara Nayake Thera. The seventh Parivenadhipathi position was conferred to Most Ven. Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera in 1990.
The Vidyalankara Pirivena has functioned over a period of 146 years as a great seat of Buddhist learning which has spread its fame not only in Sri Lanka but also all over the world. The Pirivena has carved its name in gold as a reputed centre of education renaissance of Sri Lanka. As one of the main Buddhist educational institutions, the Pirivena has contributed to the betterment of the country, nation, Buddhism and oriental studies including Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit languages. They have initiated a separate tradition in their academic works which is called the Vidyalankara tradition. Most Ven. Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera tried his best to protect and continue the Vidyalankara tradition.
Eighty-four years ago, on the 20th date of February, 1937, a son was born to the family of Palihawadana Arachchilage John Sinyo and Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Gunamalethana who were residing in the village of Welamitiyawa in the Kurunegala district. He was the third of the family with seven children and was named Tikiri Banda. It may be due to the merits accumulated over a long cycle of Samsara that little Tikiri Banda was destined to enter the Buddhist Order of the Sangha at a later date and handed over to the care of Ven. Hurukgamuwe Gunaratana Thera, chief incumbent of the Hurukgamuwa Raja Maha Viharaya. Due to the untiring efforts of Most Ven. Yakkaduwe Sri Pragnarama Nayake Thera, then Parivenadhipathi of the Vidyalankara Pirivena, the little boy was then taken to Vidyalankara Pirivena.
Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa presenting commemorative volumes on the centenary commemoration ceremony of the late Ven. Panditha Ratmalane Sri Dharmarama Nayake Thera, to Most Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhmma Nayake Thera.
The boy was lucky to see and participate in the prestigious Tripitaka Sangayana at the Vidyalankara Pirivena in the 1950s. At the end of the Tripitaka Sangayana, he was ordained as a novice monk under the tutelage of Most Ven. Kiriwattuduwe Sri Pragnasara Nayake Thera, Parivenadhipathi of the Vidyalankara Pirivena and the first Vice Chancellor of the Vidyalankara University. At the Pirivena, he was able to enrich his young life as a Buddhist monk in the company of most learned Buddhist monks of the calibre of Ven. Kotahene Pagnakeerti Thera, Ven. Walpola Rahula Thera, Ven. Bambarende Siri Seewali Thera, Ven. Hedipannala Pragnaloka Thera, Ven. Degammeda Sumanajoti Thera and Ven. Etulgama Dewarakkitha Thera. The novice monk received higher ordination at the Malwathu Maha Viharaya, Kandy in 1957.
Excellent academic record
When the Vidyalankara Pirivena was elevated to university level in 1959, Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera was eligible to enter the university as a member of the first student intake due to his excellent academic records in Piriven life. After completing the Bachelor of Arts degree in Sinhala, he was invited to the academic staff of the university. Ven. Thera started his career as a teacher of his own alma mater, Vidyalankara Pirivena in 1963. Later he was appointed as the inaugural director of the Pannipitiya Vidyalankara Pirivena, an affiliated branch of his alma mater.
In 1983, Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera was nominated to the next Parivenadhipathi position by the Vidyalankara Council due to the recommendation of Most. Ven. Yakkaduwe Pragnarama Nayake Thera. After the demise of Ven. Pragnarama Thera in 1986, Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera was eligible to become the headmaster of the Pirivena, but paying respect to the teachers, Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera handed over the Parivenadhipathi position to Ven. Nattandiye Pragnakara Nayake Thera, one of his teachers. Thus, Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera was appointed as a director of the Pirivena.
In 1990, Ven. Pragnakara Thera passed away and Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Thera was elevated to the Parivenadhipathi position. The Supreme Sangha Council of the Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Sect conferred on him the prestigious positions of Chief Sanghanayake of Colombo Chilaw two divisions and Upadhyaya position with ‘Tripitaka Vageeshwaracharya’ and ‘Dharma Keerthi Sri’ titles. As the chief monk of Western Sri Lanka, the Ven. Nayake Thera rendered a great leadership to the Sri Lankan Sangha community. While serving as the Upadhyaya of Malwathu Maha Viharaya, he held the leadership of Upasampada (Higher Ordination) ceremonies of thousands of novice monks.
The Ven. Thera was appointed as the Chancellor of the Kelaniya University in 1997 by the President of Sri Lanka. Most Ven. Kusaladhamma Thera made the names of Vidyalankara Pirivena and the Kelaniya University known the world over. In addition to being the Principal and Director of the Vidyalankara Pirivena, the erudite Nayake Thera became the Chief Incumbent of more than 40 temples including Ratmalana Purana Viharaya, Hunupitiya Wijayasundararamaya, Waragoda Bodhirukkharamaya, Keragala Padmawathi Pirivena, Dematagoda Dharmaprasada Viharaya, Nattandiya Vidyaratna Pirivena, Galahitiyawa Weluwanaramaya, Batapota Sarananda Pothgul Viharaya and Gonawala Wardhanaramaya.
The Most Ven. Nayake Thera has become well-known for his qualities of humility and friendliness. He accepted all invitations for Dhamma sermons, almsgivings and opening ceremonies throughout the country without being concerned about his health conditions. The Nayake Thera helped thousands of disable people to protect and secure their lives.
The people of our country are familiar with his name so much. It is not necessary to reiterate that the Most Venerable Thera had performed an enormous service on behalf of the country and the religion. The voice he raised on behalf of the Sinhalese Buddhists was unique.
The selfless services rendered by Most Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera, brought greater light to the Buddha Sasana. His actions portrayed a most efficient and esteemed personality. The Most Ven. Nayake Thera earned the respect of the Maha Sangha by his tireless efforts towards the unification of the three Maha Sangha Chapters. Most Ven. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma Nayake Thera was a mine of knowledge. His pleasant charismatic personality, along with his humble demeanour added colour to his brilliance. May he attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbana.
(The writer is a Lecturer at the University of Moratuwa)
– Daily News Sri Lanka
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