Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero
| Agga Maha Panditha Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero | |
|---|---|
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Theravada |
| Lineage | Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Nikaya |
| Dharma names | Most Ven. Udugama Sri Dhammadassi Ratanapala Buddharakkhitha Mahanayaka Thero |
| Personal | |
| Nationality |
 Sri Lankan |
| Born |
March 17, 1930 Udugama, Kurunegala District |
| Died |
April 8, 2015 (aged 85) Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Singapore |
| Senior posting | |
| Title | Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Nikaya |
| Religious career | |
| Teacher | Most Ven. Udugama Sri Rathanapala Mahanayake Thera |
Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero (17 March 1930 - 08 April 2015) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, who was the 20th Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya chapter of Siyam Nikaya.[1] He was presented with the religious title of Agga Maha Pandita by the government of Myanmar on March 7, 2007, in recognition of his contribution to the purification, perpetuation and propagation of Buddhism. His complete title was Most Venerable Agga Maha Pandita Udugama Sri Dhammadassi Rathanapala Buddharakkhita Mahanayake Thero.
Born on March 17, 1930, at Udugama village in Wariyapola Kalugamuwa in the Kurunegala District, to the family of J. M. Punchi Banda and Muthu Menike. He entered the order of Buddhist monks as a novice at the Asgiri Maha Vihara on July 21, 1945. He received his higher ordination Upasampada at the historic Mangala Upostagara in Asgiri Maha Viharaya on June 12, 1951 at the age of 21. Prior to entering the order of Maha Sangha, he received his primary education at the government school in Udugama. As a Samanera, he received his higher education at the Dharmaraja Maha Pirivena, Matale. He was a pupil of the late Mahanayake of the Asgiri Chapter, the Most Venerable Udugama Sri Rathanapala Mahanayake Thera.[2]
In 1966, Buddharakkitha Thera was appointed a member of the prestigious Karaka Maha Sangha Sabha, of the Asgiriya chapter. On many occasions he functioned as the Chief Custodian of Services to the Sacred Tooth Relic at Sri Dalada Maligawa, Kandy. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera was appointed Chief Incumbent of Dambulla Rajamaha Viharaya in 1992.[3] In the year 1998, he was elevated to the post of Anunayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter of Siyam Nikaya.[4] On December 13, 1999, he was appointed to the supreme post as the Mahanayake of the Asgiriya chapter, after the demise of Palipana Sri Chandananda Mahanayaka Thera . As a missionary, he visited several foreign countries on numerous occasions such as Korea, Thailand, Japan, India, Singapore, Taiwan, China, Tibet, Hong Kong, Burma and Cambodia for the propagation of Buddhism.
Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero died on 08 April 2015, while receiving treatment at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore, after falling ill for few weeks. He was 85 years old at the time of his death. As a mark of respect, the government of Sri Lanka has declared April 12, 2015, the day on which Mahanayake Thera's final rites were observed, as a Day of National Mourning in the country.[5]
References
- ↑ Tribute to an erudite Mahanayake, Kumar Wettasinghe, Daily Mirror
- ↑ Most Venerable Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero brought greater light to Buddha Sasana - President, NEWS.LK
- ↑ Chief Prelate Of Asgiriya Chapter Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera Passes Away, Asian Mirror
- ↑ Maha Nayake Thero was an erudite and scholarly monk, Daily News
- ↑ Sacred Remains Of Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thera Placed At Asgiriya Temple
External links
- Most Venerable Udugama Sri Dhammadassi Rathnapala Buddharakkhita Mahanayake Thero.- Asgiriya Chapter
- Past Mahanayake Theros of Asgiriya Monastery
| Buddhist titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Palipane Sri Chandananda Thera |
Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya chapter of Siam Nikaya 1999 – 2015 |
Succeeded by Vacant |