Illustrious disciple of the Buddha

By M. Herbert FERNANDO

Madihe in Matara produced an illustrious, great disciple of Lord Buddha. He made an outstanding contribution to the Buddha Sasana and for the material, intellectual and spiritual regeneration of Sri Lanka. This disciple was none other than the Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera who passed away on September 8, 2003.

The monk was born to parents James Carolis Pujitha Gunawardena and Bella Angolina Dheerasekera in Madihe, a hamlet of Matara.

He was the youngest in a family of two boys and three girls and was named Benson Wilmot by his parents. His father was the Head Teacher of the Methodist Mission School in Matara and had to embrace Christianity conforming to requirements of the School. The mother, however, was a devout Buddhist. The parents had no religious conflict or misunderstanding and lived happily in their family home. Buddhist monks and Christian priests frequently visited their home.

The father of young Benson Wilmot spent much time in his profession as Principal whilst his mother was grossly engaged in bringing up all her children in the Buddhist way of life.

Young Benson Wilmot was educated in English at St. Thomas’ Girls School in Matara until he was 10 years of age. Thereafter, he entered the St. Thomas’ Boys High School in Matara. He was a brilliant student in School and was also a good cricketer.

A turning point in Benson’s life was noticed when at the tender age of 13, he showed an immense anxiety to lead a Buddhist way of life. One day he suggested to his parents that he would like to enter the Buddhist Order of monks. The mother who had very closely followed his movements approved his suggestion and in so doing she visited the Ven. Weragampita Revata Maha Thera of the Devagiri Vihara in Kamburugamuwa and informed him of her intention.

Benson was duly ordained on June 24, 1926 and was named Madihe Pannasiha. Thereafter, the young monk was very fortunate to come into contact with the Ven. Palane Sri Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera who brought him to the Vajirarama in Bambalapitiya. At the Vajirarama, the young monk was more fortunate to listen to the Ven. Narada Maha Thera who was competent in English as well, in his dhamma discourses and discussions, which he had with local and foreign scholar monks who very frequently visited the temple.

On June 19, 1933, young monk Madihe Pannasiha received his Higher Ordination, Upasampada, at the Polwatuganga Seema Malakaya at the Gangarama under the tutelage of the Ven. Palane Sri Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera.

Then on November 27, 1955, with the demise of the Ven. Palane Sri Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera, Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Thera was appointed as Maha Nayaka of the Mihiripenne Sri Dharamarakshita Sect of the Amarapura Nikaya, by all the Nikaya monks at the Vajirarama, Bambalapitiya.

The first United Vinaya Karma of the United Amarapura Nikaya after its amalgamation, was held at the Sri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya Seema Malakaya at Maharagama on July 13, 1969 and it was at this site that Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera was appointed the Head of the United Amarapura Nikaya.

Amidst the many accolades the Maha Nayaka earned from foreign countries, he was awarded the title of Panditha in 1987, Sahithiya Chakrawarthi in 1991, Agga Maha Panditha by the Burma Sangha Sabha and the Burmese Government in 1996, and the Doctorate from the Thailand Government in 1999. The Maha Nayaka Thera was a very active member of the Buddha Sasana Commission appointed by the then Government and also worked hard in the Assisted Schools take over by the Government.

The Maha Nayaka Thera succeeded in getting the four Poya days declared as holidays in 1960 and 1961 respectively.

He was instrumental in composing and publishing a booklet titled ‘SEELA BHAVANA’ which ran into millions of copies and distributed freely. The book contained a full day’s religious activity program that could be followed by lay persons who observed Sil on Poya days. Commencing at Vajirarama and Maharagama Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya, he designed two sil campaigns one for the old and the other for the young lay persons in the same temple. Ven. Ampitiye Rahula Maha Thera always assisted the Maha Nayaka Thera in these projects. After the demise of Ven. Narada Maha Thera Vajiraramadipathi, Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera became Head of the Vajirarama temple at Bambalapitiya. He was the founder patron of the Sri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya at Maharagama, founder Patron of the Sasana Sevaka Samithiya, the Buddhist Information in Colombo, and the Dharma Vijaya Foundation respectively. As Head of the Vajirarama, the Maha Nayaka Thera had very cordial relations with the board of trustees chaired by Dr. P. R. Anthonis, the late V. T. and D. H. Panditha Gunawardena former Supreme Court Judge and District Judge, the late B. Winman Soysa and the late G. J. Silva.

The Maha Nayaka Thera in concurrence with the late Ven. Narada Maha Thera established the publication of a Buddhist Monthly Magazine in Sinhala titled the BAUDDHA LAMAYA which was managed by the late Willie Fernando, and P. P. Karunaratna. Another English Buddhist Magazine titled the BOSATH was also a Vajirarama publication. The Maha Nayaka Thera contributed immense articles of Buddhist interest, towards these two publications.

The Maha Nayaka Thera together with the late Narada Maha Thera approved setting up of two sections at the Vajirarama Sunday Dhamma School, one in English and the other in Sinhala. At a later date the Ven. Maha Nayaka Thera appointed the Ven. Gangodawila Soma Maha Thera as Principal of the Vajirarama Sunday Dhamma School. He pioneered the establishment of branches and had Viharas not only in the Western countries but in cities like Washington, New York, Canada and Australia.

Being mindful of the immense contribution made by the late Ven. Narada Maha Thera Vajiraramadipathi in dedicating his life to missionary work both locally and internationally, Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera worked incessantly hard to establish the Narada Maha Thera International Buddhist Centre presently called the Narada Centre, which is situated at the Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Ven. Prof. Dhammavihari Maha Thera is currently Head of this Centre.

I wish that the Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera attain the Bliss of Nibbana.