Malwatte Mahanayake Thera Passes Away
 |
Posted by Lobsan Payat in Spiritual section |
|
The Most Ven Thera passed away on 06/08/2004 afternoon at the General Hospital Kandy. The Most Ven. Mahanayake Thera, 88, was warded at the Intensive Care Unit for five days. He passed away at around 3.15 pm.
The Most Ven Thera became the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter in 1989.
He was born to a very devout Buddhist family at Deegala Gangoda in Ududumbara on October 30, 1917. Abeykoon Wasala Mudiyanse Punchibanda of Weragama, a retired Village Headman was his father. His mother was Istala Aguluwanna Ekanayake Mudiyanse Ralahamilege Rambukkwelle Wimalamune Walawwe Muthubanda Nilamege Medduma Kumarihamy.
He followed his maternal uncle Ven. Rambukwelle Sri Dhammaratana Sobitha Thera of the Malwatte Viharaya into the Sasana . He was ordained at the Malwatte Maha Vihara on May 12, 1930. The Head of the Chapter at that time was the late Ven. Pahamune Dharmakeerthi Sri Sumangala Mahanayake Thera.
In 1934 he entered the Vidyalankara Pirivena at Peliyagoda, where he continued higher studies for 10 years. He received Higher Ordination on May 13, 1938, which was a Vesak Poya Day.
The Most Ven. Mahanayake Thera passed the Praschhena, First Examination of the Pirivena in 1943 and in 1945 he was appointed a Karmacharya of the Malwatte Chapter by the then Mahanayake Thera.
Subsequently he was appointed to serve the Sacred Tooth Relic of the Sri Dalada Maligawa. He was appointed Trustee of the Gangaramaya in Kandy in 1949 and in 1970 he was elevated as the Viharadhipathi of the Gangaramaya by the Mahanayake Ven. Madugalle Dhammsiddhi Thera.In 1950 he was appointed to the Karaka Sanga Sabhawa (Executive Committee) of the Malwatte Chapter by the Mahanayake Thera.
At the age of 72, he was unanimously elected Mahanayake of the Malwatte Chapter by the Karaka Sanga Sabha in 1989 succeeding the late Ven. Sirimalwatte Ananda Mahanayake Thera. He was the Head of the chapter for 15 years.
Government leaders, politicians from all sides and prominent personalities constantly sought his advice on important matters. He raised his voice on vital national issues.
Before his appointment as the Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte Chapter, the Most Rambukwelle Vipassi thera held the posts, Thevadura of Dalada Maligawa, The head of the service at Dalada Maligawa) and head of Malwathu Karaka Sangh Sabha.
Thousands of mourners were converging on the Malwathu Vihara in Kandy to pay their last respects to Most Ven. Mahanayake Thera at the time this edition went to press. Among them was Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse who paid his respects as the thera’s remains lay at the Kandy National Hospital.
Buddhism has Lost a Buddha....
|
