Pelene Vajirañāna Mahanayaka Thero

Palane Vajiragnana Thera (November 25, 1878 – September 21, 1955) was a Sri Lankan (Sinhala) scholar Buddhist monk, who founded the Siri Vajiraramaya temple in Bambalapitiya, Sri Lanka. He was also the Maha Nayaka (head) of Amarapura Sri Dharmarakshita sect for 37 years from August 5, 1918, until his death in 1955.

Early life Palane Vajiragnana Thera was born to a family in Pelene, Weligama in Matara District on 28 July 1878. His father was Muhandiram Don Andris Tudawe Pandita Gunawardene, a well known Oriental scholar at the time and his mother was Dona Gimara Serasinghe. His lay name was Aron Pandita Gunawardena. Aron had his early education at the village vernacular school and for his English education he was sent to the bilingual school at Mirissa. At the age of 15, on July 20, 1890, he was ordained a monk under the tutelage of Weragampita Siri Revata Maha Thera, who was himself a well known oriental and Buddhist scholar, at Devagiri Vihara, Kabmurugamuwa with the given name Palane Vajiranana. He received higher ordination on April 20, 1900, at the Udakakkhepa Sima on River Nilvalā in Matara.

Establishment of Siri Vajirārāmaya Temple In the 1880s the Buddhists living in Bambalapitiya area formed a society with the name Dharma Samagama, meaning Dharma Society. Later they built a hall for the preaching of the Dhamma (Dharma Sālāwa). They constructed a small room with basic facilities as an adjunct and in 1901 invited young Pelene Vajirañāna to come and reside. Dudley Senanayake, J. R. Jayewardene, Bernard Zoysa, R. Premadasa, Chandrika Bandaranaike and Anura Bandaranaike, Lalith Athulathmudali were a few such leaders.

Scholarship He was considered by his students to be knowledgeable of the Buddhist Texts (Tipitaka), the commentaries and the sub commentaries. He was only 27 years of age.

Among his contemporaries were Kalukondayave Pannasekera Mahanayaka Thera, Anagarika Dharmapala, Piyadasa Sirisena, W. A. Silva, Sir D. B. Jayatilaka, Dr G. P. Malalasekera and Kumaratunga Munidasa. In 1937, he started the Bauddha Lamaya magazine in Sinhala and it had continued to date as a monthly publication of the Vajirārāmaya temple. For the English speaking Buddhist children a similar magazine called 'Bosat' was started. In addition, a magazine called Lak Budu Sasuna was commenced to which he contributed regularly.

Broadcaster Pelene Vajirañāna Maha Thera was the first broadcaster of a Buddhist Sermon over the radio in Sri Lanka. This unique colour of the robe came to be known as the ‘Vajirārāma-colour’, and the dye made by incorporating this colour was known ‘Vajirārāma-dye’. Rules and procedures pertaining to Vajirārāmaya and the monks ordained by him were laid down in the Vajirārāma Katikavata of January 12, 1940.

Pupils Following the tradition of teacher to pupil, he passed down his vast knowledge of the Dhamma and the high monastic traditions he meticulously followed to his pupil monks who in their own way became great achievers. His first pupil was Narada Maha Thera, a Buddhist scholar monk and missionary. Other Maha Theras were Madihe Pannasiha, Piyadassi, Ampitiye Rahula, Ñāṇamoli and Ñāṇavīra English monks.

Notes and references

Sri Vajrañāna Sahityaya 1 & 2 compiled by Ven Madihe Paññāsiha Mahanayaka Thera, 1960 Sasunambara Payu Supun Sanda by Ven Tirikunamale Ananda Anunayaka Thera, 2013 Guna Pabanda (Collection of Articles of Most Venerable Pelene Vajirañāna), 1956 Siri Vajirañāna Charitaya by David Karunaratne, 1955 Tipitaka Dharmakosaya, Ven Sri Vajirañāna Commemorative Volume, 1978 Dinamina National Newspaper of September 26, 1955 Siridamräki Sanga Parapura, Tangalle Dirilakuru, 1978 Pujita Jivita, Vol.1, 1989