Most Ven. Agga Maha Panditha Gnanaratana Thera felicitated

On June 23, 2008 a function will be held at the BMICH with State patronage to felicitate the Most Venerable Weligama Gnanaratana Thera on his receiving the prestigious title of Agga Maha Panditha from the Union of Myanmar (Burma). He was invited by the government of the Union of Myanmar to visit their country to receive this award.

It is fitting that we mark this occasion by taking note of the many achievements and contributions by this scholar monk who in addition to his being a Buddhist scholar of international repute, continues to remain, at the age of 95 years a simple bhikkhu dedicated to the emancipation of his devotees.

From the perspective of those of us living at Ratmalana, we and our descendants will remember with gratitude the legacy he has bequeathed to us in the form of the Ratmalane Mallikaramaya. He has over a period of nearly fifty years, transformed a relatively small plot of land in a suburban setting into a fully-fledged temple and also established a Pirivena for the education of novice monks.

The Mallikaramaya has all of the components of a Buddhist Temple many of which were in place within the first few years. The Mallikaramaya combines these into an aesthetic whole exuding a sense of serenity and calm which cannot but impress anyone entering the premises.

Despite being the Maha Nayake of the Amarapura Shri Dharmarakshita Nikaya, he continues to reside in the humble room he occupied since he came to Ratmalana. He is still accessible to any devotee. His age has been no bar to his services to the devotees.

He still visits their houses to render the traditional services expected from a Buddhist monk by them. He still continues to preach. And not only that, for it is his habit to present a booklet on the Dhamma, which he has himself written, to visiting devotees.

Apart from the many booklets and leaflets he has authored for the benefit of the lay devotees, the Venerable Mahanayaka is the author of many scholarly works. His Commentary and the Translation of “Kudusika Vivaranaya” is regarded as an important secondary Vinaya source among Buddhist scholars. From 1997 he has been a member of the Council of the Buddha Sravaka Bhikkhu University of Anuradhapura.

In addition the Venerable Nayake Thera is a member of the Advisory Council for Pirivena Education; a member of the Advisory Council for Buddhist Affairs; a member of the Advisory Panel of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation and an Executive Council member of the Oriental Studies Committee.

He has been and is still playing a leading role in many scholarly works undertaken by the State. He has been a member and is currently the Chairperson of the Board for the translation of the Pali Canon into simple Sinhala.

Having been ordained as a monk on November 30, 1925, the Most Venerable Agga Maha Panditha, Rajakeeya Pandita, Vinaya Visharada, Dharma Keerthi Shri Weligama Gnanaratana Thera counts a period of 83 years as a Buddhist monk.

It is not just the number of years as a Buddhist monk which singles him out. He has been and continues to be an exemplary Buddhist monk in the traditional mould. We, his devotees at Ratmalana are very fortunate that we can worship and pay homage to a very saintly and erudite monk as our ancestors did centuries ago. May he live long amongst us.

Ananda Perera, Joint Secretary, Ratmalane Mallikarama Karya Sadaka Samitiya