THE MOST VENERABLE MAKULEWE WIMALA MAHANAYAKE THERO WAS APPOINTED AS THE SUPREME HEAD OF SRI LANKA RAMMANNA MAHA NIKAYA ON SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2020 AFTER THE UNANIMOUS DECISION OF THE MAHA SANGHA COUNCIL OF THE ASSEMBLY.
The Most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero, the newly appointed highest prelate of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya of the Sangha ancestry of Mahavihara was born on the 25th of August 1948 and entered bhikkuhood as a samanera (novice monk) at Minioluwa Vidyawasa Pirivena (Monastery) on the 24th of March 1960.
The Mahanayake Thero was opportune to receive his initial monastic education, under the guidance of the Most Venerable Mahopadyaya Kumbukwewe Vijithasena Nayake Thero, Venerable Pidume Rathana Nayaka Thero, the Deputy Chief Incumbent of Minioluwa Widyawasa Pirivena and the Most Venerable Mahopadyaya Loluwagoda Gnanarathana Nayaka Thero.
Thereafter, having been excelled in all requisite qualifications in Pracheena Prarambha and Maddhyama he entered Anuradhapura Buddha Sravaka Bhikshu University, Sri Lanka in 1971 and had further education under able guidance of the Most Venerable Induruwe Uththarananda Mahanayake Thero, the then Dean of the said university.
The Mahanayake Thero, having received “Thripitakacharya Title” in the year 1974 from the central administration of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya had his “Thripitakavedi Title (Bachelor of the Tripitaka)” from the Buddhasravaka Dharma Peetaya (Faculty) in 1976. In 1976, the Degree of “Thripitaka Visharada (Hons) was conferred on the Mahanayake Thero from the apex body of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya and equally proved his prowess in eruditeness of Dhamma by excelling in the “Saddhammachariya” and “Vinayachariya” examinations conducted by the Sumangala Commemorative Assembly of the Maligakanda Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena (Monastery) and was thus graduated. Whilst outshining of his unquenchable thirst in Dhamma, the Mahaayaka Thero obtained B.A. (Hons) degree in 1982 from the University of Kelaniya, M.A. from the Postgraduate Institute of Kelaniya University in 1990.
Having all these honorific titles in the field of education to his credit before stepping into the threshold of perfect path to liberation, he finally received the higher ordination at the holy precinct of Udakukkepa Seema Malakaya of Thotalanga Kelani River in Colombo under the tutelage of the Most Venerable Induruwe Uththarananda Maha Nayaka Thero.
Here I would like to list some of the Mahanayake Thero’s past appointments and achievements in brief.
- On the 30th June 1984, he was appointed as the Secretary of the Sri Saranakaropana Sangha Sabha.
- On the 07th July 1984, appointed to the Central Administration of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Niyaka.
- In 1987 he was appointed as Preceptor.
- On the 12th March 1993, he was appointed as an Advisor to the Administrative Council of Mirigama Sangha Assembly of Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya and in 1996 appointed as the Senior Advisor.
- In 1996, he obtained life membership of the Society of Oriental Languages.
- On the 28th March 1998 he was appointed to the Honorary Action Committee of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
- On the 19th December 1991, he was appointed to the post of Honorary President of the Shananarakshaka Bala Mandalaya in Meerigama district of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
- In 1998, he was appointed as the Hony. President of Sub-Committee of the Srimath Anagarika Dharmapala Paropakara Padanama (Shri Anagarika Dharmapala Charitable Foundation)
- On the 31st March 2001, he was appointed as the Deputy Secretary to the Administrative Council of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
- In 2001, he was appointed to the Action Committee of Society of Oriental Language
- On the 03rd October 2006 – Appointed to the Secretary of Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya
- On 26th November 2011 – Appointed to the position of Venerable Mahopadyaya of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
- On the 19th October 2012 – Appointed to the position of Most Venerable Judiciary Prelate (Sangha Nayake) of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
- On the 25th September 2020 – Appointed to the position of the Anunayake (Deputy High Prelate) of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya.
In recognition of the great and enormous services the Most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Mahanayake Thero has rendered for the Nikaya itself and Buddhist religious education and social spheres at national and international level, the most covetous honorary title of “Aggamahapanditha Title” was conferred upon the Mahanayake Thero by the Union of Myanmar in 2019.
Apart from the above, the noble religious titles such as “Dhrmakeerthi Sri Saranakara”, “Saddharmakeerthi Sri Sashthra Visharada”, “Sashthra Keerthisri Pariyaththadhara”, “Siri Saranankaropasena Wansalankara”, “Shashana Sobhana”, “Thripitaka Visharadha”, and “Shasthrapathi”, were bestowed upon the Mahanayake Thero.
May the Most Venerable Makulewe Wimala Maha Nayaka Thero, who fulfilled all virtues being perfect embodiment of moral conduct and wisdom in Dhamma to its core to reach at the highest position as the newly elected Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, live longer in good health whilst treading on the sublime path of Dhamma “for the good of the many – for the happiness of the many” in many more years to come!
Sukhi deegayu ko bhawa!!!
Dr. Damenda Porage
Chairman, The Buddhist Brotherhood