Buddhist monk with total dedication to Sasana

Ven. Ambanwelle Pannasekara Anunayake Thera passes away :

Ven. Ambanwelle Pannasekara Anunayake Thera has passed away after a brief illness.

At the age of 16, he was ordained at the Deeparama Temple in Kotmale on December 27, 1940.

He entered Sudharmalankara Pirivena at Diyatalawa and continued his studies till January 1948 when he moved to Vidyodaya Pirivena in Maradana, where he excelled in his studies and won many coveted prizes for excellence.

In 1964 he entered the then Vidyodaya Pirivena (Sri Jayewardanapura University) where he obtained his masters degree. From 1955 to 1956 he served as a teacher in the Paramadhamma Chethiya Pirivena, Ratmalana on the personal invitation of Ven. Kalukondayawe Pannasekara Thera. In 1957 he moved back to Vidyodaya Pirivena, his alma mater. It is from there that he joined the Ananda College as a teacher on the request of Col. Rajapaksha and Ven. Diviyagaha Yasassi Thera.

During his sojourn at Ananda, he was responsible for the development of the teaching of Buddhism in the school and for instilling in the pupils Buddhist values which have stood in good stead for a large number of Anandians. The effect of which is evident in the lives of a large number of Anandians who hold important positions in society today.

The deputy principal at that time, Ven. Diviyagaha Yassassi Thera who introduced him to Ananda too was a recipient of his advice and guidance which he acknowledges with gratitude. It was not an easy task for a Buddhist monk to hold the attention of young boys in the classroom. But the Ven. Thera had a singular knack of achieving it during his lessons and discourses.

It was during this period that Mahanayake of the Malwatte Maha Viharaya invited him to takeover the running of the Sangaraja Pirivena, Kandy.

He did this firstly on a part time basis while teaching at Ananda College and later, on January 1, 1981 was made its permanent head. Here he made a number of changes and improved the pirivena for which services, he was made a member of the Anukaraka Sanga Sabha and later to be in-charge of the devotional activities at the temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. He was later unanimously elevated to the membership of the Senior Karaka Sanga Sabha of the Malwatta chapter.

It was during this period that he served on delegations to Thailand and India. During the 125th anniversary celebrations of the Vidyodaya Pirivena he was bestowed the appellation, "Sri Sumangala Vidyawansa".

In 2002 he was appointed Anunayaka of the Malwatta Chapter. Here he performed an incomparable service in that capacity till he fell ill about an year ago. Old anandians who were fortunate enough to have learnt the Dhamma under the venerable thera, on hearing of his sickness brought him to Colombo and looked after him to the best of their ability.

Ven Ambanwelle Pannasekara Thera was an exemplary monk who fashioned his life uncompromisingly on the tenets of the Buddha Dhamma.