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| Sunday, 10 October 2004 |
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Most Ven. Weligama Gnanaratana Thera, Mahanayake of Amarapura Nikaya As a child he played at being a Buddhist monk. On his own he entered the order of Buddhist monks at the age of 11 years on 30th November, 1925 at the Ahangama Bimbarama Maha Viharaya as a pupil of the late Venerable Ahangama Siri Wimalasara Thera. Between then and now, the young monk has made a progress rare in the history of this country. Both among the monks and the laity, both here in Sri Lanka and abroad, he is regarded as a very eminent and erudite Buddhist scholar. True to our tradition, he continues to learn. He continues to write. He is very pleased to receive a book on the Buddha Dhamma. Seeing the Venerable Gnanaratna, bent over the little table in the veranda outside his room at the Mallikarama temple, poring over a book or writing is not an uncommon sight to his devotees even now. What attracts him to his devotees is not so much his erudition but his interest in their lives and his persistent efforts to educate his devotees on the salient aspects of the Buddha, Dhamma relevant to their daily life. He has written many books, big and small, for the laity, which he is in the habit of presenting to his devotees. The sermons delivered at Mallikarama, constitute a series of sermons on definite themes. On different occasions during the year such as during the Vesak month or during the Katina pinkama, different themes are selected and announced in advance. The Mallikarama temple is truly a place of learning for its dayakayas. Of particular significance to his devotees is the fact that despite his becoming the Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Nikaya, he is as accessible to his devotees as earlier. He knows every family and whether we have come to the temple or not on the Poya day. On every full moon poya day, the devotees at the Mallikarama temple have the privilege of listening to a sermon by him. His advancing age and the many commitments contingent on his high office have not prevented him from discharging what he feels as his obligation to his devotees. The Most Venerable Gnanaratana Thera leads a very simple life. He continues to occupy the modest room he has occupied for the last several decades. To all outward appearances, he is a simple Buddhist monk. Going to the Mallikarama temple and meeting him outside his room, one is not made aware that one is meeting the Mahanayaka of the Amarapura Nikaya. He adorns his high office with his erudition and his piety and his concern for this country. He reminds his dayakayas that this is the only country in the world known as the Dharmadvipa and that we all should strive to regain that status. May he live long to help us achieve that goal. Ananda Perera. |
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