Biography of Ven. Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thero (Himi)

By Dr.K.D.G.Wimalaratne (The director Department of Archives in Sri Lanka)

Noble Career Achievements

Born in the village of Madiha within the four gravets of Matara District in the ancient Ruhuna, to a Sinhala school master named James Carolis Pujitha Gunawardhana, better known as Madihe Maha Iskole Mahatmaya, decending from the Pujitha Gunawardhana family circle, which had produced eminent scholars such as Venerable Madihe Siri Sumitta Dhammakkhandha Thera, author of the poetical version of Ummagga Jataka, Sutanu Jataka, Dalada Puda etc. And Carolis Pujitha Gunawardhana, who was associated in the designing of the Buddhist Flag on 17th April 1885.

James Carolis Pujitha Gunawardhana married a grand daughter of another Sinhala scholar of the same period, named Bella Angelina Dhirasekara. Her father, Disneris Dias Dhirasekara was the storekeeper of the salterns at Hambantota, Kirinda and Bundala.

Although Pujitha Gunawardhana and Dhirasekara families were devoted Buddhists, James Carolis Pujitha Gunawardhana, Head Teacher of the Methodist mission school, Paramulla, Matara , happened to be a Christian. The Methodist father spent his full time for his teaching profession, while the Buddhist mother was engaged in bringing up her children according to the Buddhist way of life. There was no Buddhist temple at the locality at that time. The present temple is situated in premises, a portion of which has been gifted by the Methodist father. As there was no place close by for worship, a separate Buddhist service Room was in existence in the house of the Methodist father and periodical reciting such as all night Pirith and the preaching of the Dhamma and alms giving to Bhikkhus were done. Occasionally, Methosist Priests made visits to the house and they performed their religious observances in the house without creating any problem.

The happy parents produced 2 sons and 3 daughters and according to the father’s wishes named them charlotte Stella, Charles Lindon, Thames Sansi, Arlotte Kinsor and the youngest, Benson Wilmot, who was born on June 21, 1913. All the others have passed away.

Benson Wilmot started his education in the English medium at St. Thomas’ Girls’ High School, Matara, till 10 years of age and received admission to St.Thomas, Boys High School, Matara. Arrangements were made to send him to Mahinda College, Galle, where his elder brother was attending, but owing to a sudden sickness he could not and remained at St.Thomas’ Matara.

At the age of 13 years he showed an enthusiasm to enter the Buddhist order. The news spread and leading Buddhist Priests were after him. It became a problem to the mother, who were anxious to give him over and rushed to Devagiri Vihara, Kamburugamuwa and explained her problem to Venerable Weheragampita Revata Maha Thera, the Guru Deva of Venerable Palane Siri Vajiranana Nayaka Thera, who jumped at the idea and stated that Devagiri Vihara was founded by Venerable Madihe Siri Sumittha Dhammakkhanda Maha Thera, descendant of the Pujitha Gunawardhana family and as such the only place to which the boy should be entrusted was the Devagiri Vihara and not any where else. The mother agrees happily remembering the forecast of the astrologer, who cast the boy’s horoscope that one day this boy, would be a renowned leader, either as a Buddhist Priest or a laity.

Ordination

The ordination was held at Devagiri Vihara, Kamburugamuwa on June 24, 1926 in the presence of a gathering of relations and well wishers. The note absentees were the father, who had disappeared and the elder brother, who was on the sick bed. He was named Madihe Pannasiha at the ordination.

A few months after his ordination, Venerable Palane Siri Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera had visited his Guru to pay his periodical respects and finding a samanera and questioning him, decided to remove this samanera to Vajirarama, Bambalapitiya, where he received the Buddhist education appropriate to lead a life of a true disciple of the Buddha. He had the good fortune to listen to the discussions Ven.Narada Thera had with local and foreign scholars and also the deliberations of Palane Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera had with dignitaries such as W.A.Silva, the novelist Prof.Gunapala Malalasekara, the oriental scholar, Prof.Senarath Paranavithana, Sir Baron Jayatilake, D.S.Senanayake. He received the higher ordination at Polwatuganga Seema Malaka near Gangaramaya, Palane, on June 9th 1933, under the tutelage of Palane Vajiranana Maha Nayaka Thera.

Vidya Visarada Title

The Colombo University College opened a course of training for diploma of Vidya Visarada. All those who had followed the course were holders of the title “Rajakeeya Panditha”, and Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Thera happened to be an exception. However, at the final examination he fared than some of his colleagues in the class.

Elected Mahanayaka

An election by secret vote was held on November 27, 1955 at Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya, to select the Maha Nayaka Thera to succeed Venerable Palane Siri Vajiranana Nayaka Thera. At the election those 141 Bhikkhus of the Nikaya who had cast their votes, Venerable Madihe Pannasiha receiced 109, and the other contender 32 votes. Accordingly, Venerable Madihe Pannasiha was elected the Maha Nayaka Thera of the Amarapura Siri Dharmaradshita Nikaya by a clear majority vote.

The certificate of appointment of Maha Nayaka was handed over by the most elderly Maha Thera of the said Nikaya at Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya, in the presence of a very large gathering of Nayaka Theras of the 3 Nikayas, Viz; Siam, Amarapura and Ramanna and leaders of the Buddhist laity presided over by Venerable Kiriwattuduwe Pannasara Maha Nayaka Thera.

A few days after the appointment, Sir Cyril de Soysa and Mr.R.Premadasa the late former president in Sri Lanka as M.M.C. Colombo at that time had called on the Maha Nayaka Thera individually and after conferring his good wishes had made a request which has come to effect and that was to unite all sects of the Amarapura Nikaya to one. The first united Vinaya Karma was held at Maharagama on 13.07.1969. It has not only been united the Nikaya but also made him the Head of the united Amarapura Nikaya.

Buddhist Committee

In April 1954 a committee was appointed by the A; Ceylon Buddhsit-Congress composed of members from Buddhist clergy and laity in order to ascertain salient facts about the conditions and ways of Buddhist life Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Thera was among the members of that committee which issued its report on 4th February 1956.

Buddha Sasana Committee

Sir Oliver Gunatilake, Governor-General appointed a Sasana commission on March 04, 1957 under the Chairmanship of Venerable Kalukondayawe Pannasekara Maha Nayaka Thera and Venerable Madihe Pannasiha was also a member of that commission, which issued its after visiting Buddhist Countries abroad.

After this was issued it was Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera, who took up the issues such as taking over all assisted schools to the government and making all Poya days public Holidays instead of Sundays. Both these issues sere given effect to on December 1, 1960 respectively.

On National Issues

Regional Council of Rata Sabha

After the agreement arrived by Mr. Dudley Senanayake and Mr. S.J.V.Chelvanayagam, an act to enforce the terms of the agreement being scrutinised, Venerable Madihe Pannasiha Maha Nayaka Thera published an open letter on the proposed act in the press and Mr. Dudley Senanayake, the then Prime Minister after reading the letter of the Maha Nayaka Thera decided to abolish it after a discussion with Madihe Pannasiha Mahanayaka Thera.

Propagation of buddhism

The Thera visited China in 1946 for the propagation of Theravada Buddhism. Had to return after a stay of 9 months owing to internal disturbances in China.

He also visited Khatmandu in Nepal fir a higher ordination of Bhikkhus in 1951 and in 1954 to establish a seema Malaka in Lalith Pura, Nepal and renamed the Buddhist Vihara there from “young Sumangala Vihara” to “ Sri Sumangala Vihara”.

Ven. Thera visited Burma on 4th January, 1954 and attended the Dharma Sangayanawa (Buddhist Council) and in 1956 during the 2500 Buddha Jayanthiya took part in the establishment of a Seema Malaka there. The Maha Nayake Thera left for America on 27th March, 1964 on an invitation from the Asia Foundation to gain am idea of the educational training prevailing there, ways and means of rural development, and also for the propagation of Theravada Buddhism in America. He spent 5 months there and made arrangements to establish a Vihara in Washington in 1964. Other places of his visit were England, West Indies, Scotland, Denmark, France, Italy, Germany, Japan, Vietnam, Honk kong and Singapore.

On his return to homeland, he establishes the Buddhist Information Centre at Greenpath, Colombo, (at present it is at Sarana Road, off Bouddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo) the first of its kind, in order to furnish information to any interested in Buddhism. The World Buddhist Directory is published by this Information Centre.

Sasana Sevaka Samithiya (Society)

This society was established by the Maha Nayake Thera on 21st July, 1957 at Colombo 7, Barnes Place, with the able assistance of Venerable Ampitiye Sri Rahula Maha Thera in order to: -

 Train Buddhist Monks
 Propagate Buddha Dhamma all over the world
 Get the laity to accustom with the Buddhsit way of life
 Endeavour to make Sri Lanka a Dharma Deepa once again

The work carried out by the Society is incomparable.

Thurunu Saviya

After returning from U.S.A. the Maha Nayaka Thera organised the Thurunu Saviya at Maharagama to organise the youths of this country. The Maha Nayaka Thera considered that the young generation in Sri Lanka should be directed in the correct lines. This movement attracted many youths and this resulted in a society called Samma Ajeeva Sangamaya in 1974. This was necessary to counter the increasing rate of drug addiction and alcoholism among the youths of this country. The Venerable Maha Nayaka Thera played an important role in the rehabilitation of youths after the insurrection of 1971.

Dharma Vijaya Foundation

The Dharmavijaya Foundation established in 1979 under the patronage of the Maha Nayaka Thera has noble objectives. To make Sri Lanka a Dharma Deepa or a country where Righteous people live, to develop the economy and the culture of the country simultaneously and also to serve the poor in their social needs and education.

Temperance Movement

He succeeded the Venerable Kalukondayawe Pannasekara Maha Nayaka Thera as the President of the Sri Lanka Temperance Movement, to carry out the good work commenced during the early part of the country.

The Maha Nayaka Thera is a popular preacher, and also a prolific writer who has enlightened many hearts. He has many publications and articles, which are thought provoking and containing a mine of information. His fearlessness in expressing views on national matters and his devotion to a course has made him a respected personality by all here and abroad.