Most venerable Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera Commemoration of the Founder of Amarapura Nikaya Message from Agga Maha Panditha Davuldena Gnanissara Maha Message from Agga Maha Panditha, the Most Venerable Kotugoda Dham- Thera - the Uththareethara Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka Amarapura mawasa Anunayake Thero - the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha Maha Sangha Sabha The history that great service to the Buddha Sasana, a The commemo- Sasana of the Most Venerable Welitara Sri any country new monopoly had sprung up and so many ration of great Gnanawimalatissa Thera was showing shines brightly divisions had become apparent. When Theras who had proper directions to the Sinhala, Buddhist from the great threats became apparent, and the Vinaya passed away after people of the Low Country, who had lost deeds of the illus- regulations and the Dhamma regulations doing so much for their way among the Catholic missionaries trious characters were being blatently disregarded, the Most the upliftment of and the so-called up-country high caste that were born in Venerable Dhamarajadhirajaguru Welitara the Sambuddha Sinhala Buddhists. that country. Sri Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera, a stu- Sasana of Sri Commemorating the Most Venerable Among such dent of the Sangharaja Maha Thero, spear- Lanka is a valuable Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Maha admirable char- headed the movement to clean up the example for the Thero for his yeoman services of peo- acters is the Sasana. Because of the steps he fearlessly monks, laymen, plizing the Buddha Sasana and demo- Most Venerable Dhamarajadhirajaguru took disregarding the threats to his life and the young and the old living in today's soci- cratically distributing the Dhamma to Welitara Sri Gnanawialatissa Maha Thera, limb, a new generation of Sangha was ety. Among those Theras, the name of the the masses is the duty and the responsi- the founder of the Sri Lanka Amarapura established in Sri Lanka. I consider this Most Venerable Welitara Sri Gnanaw- bility of all of us Buddhists that live in Bhikshu Wanshaya. Ending a very unfortu- commemoration of the 175th anniversary imalatissa Thera takes pride of place. Sri Lanka. nate era in the history of the Buddha of the passing away of the Most Venerable The greatest service to the Buddha Sasana of Sri Lanka, the Most Venerable Dhamarajadhirajaguru Welitara Sri Welivita Sri Saranankara Maha Thera res- Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera, as an act Message of the Most Venerable Dr. Brahmanawatte Seevali Anunayake cued the Sambuddha Sasana of Sri Lanka of of veneration emulating gratitude. May Thera - Chief Secretary - Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha that was controlled by various charlatans the Most Venerable Maha Thera attain The 175th commemoration of the Most Venera- masquerading as monks. Fifty years after Nibbana! ble Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Thera, the It does not seem various monks, the Most Venerable Weli- that till about tara Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera took founder of the Amarapura Nikaya of Sri Lanka, Message from H.E. the President 1761, everybody steps to grant Higher Ordination to Saman- will be held today at the B.M.I.C.H., Colombo. was not able to eras belonging to various castes. If it had I am happy to begun with the influence of the Dutch and obtain the bless- not been for the Most Venerable Welitara be issuing this the English. The Maha Thera untiringly The Most Venerable Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa ings of the Sangha Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera, the whole message of worked to stop the conversion of Bud- Thera, the founder of the Amarapura Nikaya of Sri Lanka, Sasana equally. of the coastal area of Sri Lanka would have greetings for the dhists of coastal areas to other religions. was born in 1766 at Balapitiya. Our Thera proceeded to Even touching the been converted to other religions, under commemoration Then, the Maha Thera proceeded to Senkadagala accompanying Ven. Bowala Dhammananda Arhat flag by the control of the missionaries. The Sang- of the founder of Miyanmar to bring the Higher Ordination Thera, the Chief Sanghanayake of the Low Country, and members of castes ha generation established by the Most Ven- the Sri Lanka to this country and founded the Amara- obtained monkhood under the Most Venerable Sangharaja other than one, is erable Maha Thera, dedicated themselves Amarapura pura Nikaya. In bringing the Higher Welivita Asarana Sarana Saranankara Maha Thera. insinuated as a matter of great demerit. As to serve the people, who were helpless till Maha Nikaya, Ordination to Sri Lanka, the Maha Thera When the Samanera Gnanawimala reached the age of advised by Bowala Dhammananda Thera then, building roads, schools and hospitals. the Most Vener- solved the problem of obtaining Higher Higher Ordination, the Theras handling administration at living at that time, his student Welitara The name of the thera who made all able Welitara Sri Ordination facing the monks of the low the Malwatte Viharaya refused to give him the Higher Gnanawimalatissa Samanera Thera, pro- these possible, the Most Venerable Weli- Gnanawimalatis- country. Ordination. Samanera Gnanawimala came to the Ambaga- ceeded to Burma, studied Buddhism and tara Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera, will sa Maha Thera. The Amarapura Nikaya occupies a sig- hawatte Temple in Balapitiya and occupied himself in reli- obtained the Higher Ordination. Overcom- remain undying, till the Buddha Sasana The Buddha Sasana that was gradually nificant place among the main Nikayas of gious work. Samanera Gnanawimala admitted several stu- ing the various obstacles placed on his path remains in Sri Lanka. May his name be being eroded due to foreign invasions was Sri Lanka. Thousands of monks and tem- dents to monkhood and explained the difficulties in doing by the government officials at that time and worshipped with the due honour and rev- revived by the Most Venerable Welivita ples belonging to the Amarapura Nikaya religious work without Higher Ordination to his Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Maha Thera. have spread right throughout the island. I Dayakayas. As a result, the Samanera got the opportunity The Buddhist revival initiated by the see this commemoration of the immense to proceed to Siam to obtain Higher Ordination there. Message from Co-Deputy Chairmen of the Most Venerable Welitara Sri Sangharaja Maha Thera spread through- service to the Buddha Sasana done by the In 1798, Samanera Gnanawimala and his group set off Gnanawimalatissa Thera Commemorative Foundation out Sri Lanka from Kandy, where it was Most Venerable Welitara Sri Gnanaw- by ship and reached Burma as a result of a sudden storm. started. imalatissa Maha Thera as a very impor- The Samanera learnt more Dhamma in Burma and The Most Venerable Welitara Sri tant occasion. received Higher Ordination in 1801 and returned to Sri Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera studied May the Most Venerable Welitara Sri Lanka in 1802. Performing Higher Ordination in 1806, Buddhist Philosophy and Pali Language Gnanawimalatissa Maha Thera, the Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Thera established the Ama- under the Most Venerable Welivita Sri founder of the Amarapura Maha Nikaya, rapura Nikaya confirming that the Sangha Sasana belongs Sangharaja Maha Thero at the Malwathu who passed away about 175 years ago, to everybody without any divisions. Maha Vihara, Kandy. The Most Venerable attain the Supreme Bliss of Nirvana! My Because of this accomplishment of the Venerable Thera, Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Maha salutations go to every one who values the monopoly established by a particular party was Thera who passed away about 175 years the services to the Buddha Sasana carried destroyed, making the Sangha Sasana an inheritance of ago, took great pains to end the era of the out by the Maha thera. everybody, keeping the low-country Buddhists in the faith. erosion of the cultural values that had Mahinda Rajapaksa The Most Venerable Welitara Sri Gnanawimalatissa It is no secret that devout, disciplined by the Most Venerable Thera, propagated Thera gave monkhood to a large number of student monks and erudite monks illuminated the unsul- throughout Sri Lanka and instigated a Bud- and did a yeoman service to the national culture of Sri lied Buddha Sasana of Sri Lanka. And, the dhist revival in the country. It should be Message from the Prime Minister Lanka. The Most Venerable Welithara Sri Gnanaw- Sangha Sasana was protected by the efforts stated that the Buddhist revival launched by imalathissa Thera passed away on July 8, 1833. of such monks. Because of the service to the Most Venerable Thera, paved the way The Sri Lanka Myanmar. Accordingly low country the Sasana done by the devout, disciplined for independence for the country.The Amarapura bhikkus studied Vinaya rules in Myan- Message from Mr.Ajith De Zoysa and erudite monk the Most Venerable Weli- courage, perseverance and the dedication of Nikaya has pro- mar and returned to Sri Lanka after tara Sri Gnanawimalatissa Thera, every- the Maha Thera, and the sponsorship of the vided the neces- obtaining “Upasampada”. Ven. Welitara Organizing a program of national body got the opportunity to embrace Buddhist philanthropists of that era, should sary Buddhist Sri Gnanawimalatissa Thera who was scale to commemorate the unparal- monkhood and obtain Higher Ordination be remembered with gratitude every day. It leadership to one of the Buddhists who returned with leled service of the Most Venerable despite differences in nationalities or is clear that, if the Maha Thera had not the people of Sri Upasampada made a great impact on the Welitara Sri Gnanawilalatissa Thera castes. No one can demean the task of the come forward at that time, the Low Coun- Lanka by country. is a very timely act. most venerable Welitara Sri Gnanaw- try Buddhists would all have embraced achieving much Among them was the opportunity for The yeoman services rendered by imalatissa Thera. He was a Maha Thera other religions by now.