The Most Venerable Dodampahala Chandrasiri Maha Nayaka Thera, the chief patriarch of the great Sangha Council of Sri Lanka Amarapura monastic fraternity passed away this week at the age of 84. He successfully completed the two years of the tenure of chief prelateship of the Sri Lanka Amarapura monastic fraternity, which comprises over 4,000 temples and over 12,000 monastic members. His exemplary monastic life and his compassionate leadership were an inspiration for many monastic leaders. His demise is a great loss for the monastic community in Sri Lanka. Reflecting on his life-journey can provide us with further inspiration and encouragement to live our life compassionately for the benefit of all.
He was born on December 20, 1939 as son of Ediriweera Patabandige Saranolis Silva and Mrs. Edirisuriya Kattadi Arachchilage Misinona, who lived in Dodampahala village in Dikwella, Matara District, Southern Sri Lanka. The boy was named Gunadasa. Following the inner call due to the abundance of merits in previous lives, he was interested in becoming a monk when he was receiving the primary education at the Dodampahala College. Later, he was ordained under the Most Venerable Matara Sri Saddharama at the Valukarama Temple in Kudawella, Matara on November 25, 1950. The Venerable Mahathera belonged to the Na Otunna Monastic lineage of Amarapura Kalyanawansa sect established by the successive disciples descended from the chief prelate Most Venerable Kathaluwe Sri Gunaratanatissa.
Having successfully completed the monastic education at the Weeraba Pirivena in Matara and the Vidyaloka Pirivena in Galle, on June 17, 1962 he received his higher ordination under the tutelage of the chief prelate the Most Venerable Matara Sri Medhananda at a ceremony held at the Udakukkhepa Sima the pavilion raised over the waters of the Nilwala River in Matara which is situated in the vicinity of Jayamaha Vihara in Nupe, Matara. Following the higher ordination, the Nayaka Maha Thera moved to Colombo in order to practice Vipassana meditation under the guidance of the Most Venerable Kudawelle Wangeesa Maha Thera who was one of his senior monastic brothers.
Under the guidance of the Most Venerable Kudawelle Wangeesa and with the patronage of Matikamata Society, the Gotama Tapovanaya Forest Monastery was established in Kalapaluwawa on September 9, 1962. The establishment of this monastery dedicated to meditation practice allowed the young Chandasiri Thera to extend his service to a new level. Living in this forest monastery from its very inception up to his last moment, he dedicated his entire life to the development of this monastery and for the promotion of the essence of Theravada Buddhism.
Followed by the sudden demise of the Venerable Kudawelle Wangeesa Maha Thera, Venerable Chandrasiri Thera was appointed as the head of the main forest monastery in Kalapaluwawa and its branches situated in many parts of the island such as in Padaviya, Kegalle, Udawatta Forest of Kandy. He was also the chief meditation master of these Tapowana monasteries. He served thousands of meditators providing them with the necessary knowledge and guidance. In 1986 he also established Wangeesa Pirivena, a monastic training centre in honour of his late monastic brother and meditation teacher.
He also served as one of the committee members of the Kalyanawansa Sect. He was later appointed to be the Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka - the Chief Justice in the Buddhist jurisdiction, thereupon to the deputy prelate post of the Kalyaniwansa Sect. By the middle of the twentieth century, the Kalyanawansa Sect had been split into three sub-sects and run under the leadership of three separate prelates. They were holding three separate higher ordination events within the same Nikaya. Nayaka Thera played a pivotal role in reunifying the divided sub-sects. Having calling upon all three prelates, the leading monks of each sub-sect to the Ministry of Buddhist Affairs, he had them all agree upon the condition that all three existing prelates must be recognized as co-prelates and not to appoint the successor following the demise of each until the demise of all three, which allows the opportunity for the members of the entire Nikaya to appoint one single prelate for all.
He became the chief prelate of the Kalyanawansa Sect in 1996 and became one of the longest-serving chief prelates in the country. He and his monastic sect joined the great Sangha Council of Sri Lanka Amarapura monastic fraternity in 1996. Since then, he served in the council as a committee member, Vice President and eventually as the President. On July 21, 2021, he was appointed as the Chief Prelate, the highest position of the council. In recognition of his service the Government of Myanmar conferred him the honorary titles of Aggamaha Pandith and Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru.
The selfless service, compassionate and humble nature and pleasant appearance of the chief prelate will be remembered by both monastics and lay people for many years to come. May his exemplary life shine the path for the next generation of Sri Lankan monks. May the chief prelate have a steady journey towards enlightenment.
(Ven. Karagoda Uyangoda Maithree Moorthi Mahanayaka Thera, President, Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Council)
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