Sangharaja Welivita Saranankara Thera
Sri Lanka should have celebrated the 415th Birth Anniversary of Sangharaja Welivita Sri Saranankara Thera as much as the bringing of Upasampada to Sri Lanka in 1753. If not for Sangharaja Wellivita, Sri Lanka would not have been a Buddhist country.
The Sangharaja was born at Tumpane in June 1698 of the Christan era, but the birth date cannot be verified. The birth is referred to as the fifteenth year during the reign of Vimaladharmasuriya II on the seventh day in the dark half moon of the month of Poson. Some say it is the 16th and others say it could be the 19th of June 2005.
But, there is no doubt that Buddhism’s renaissance commenced with the entry of Ven. Welivita Sri Saranankara as a monk, who later was bestowed with the Title of Sangharaja by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe.
During the celebrations of the 250th year of bringing Upasampada to Sri Lanka millions were spent, but the birth place remained in the state as shown in the photograph.
The fact remains that the birth place of the Sangharaja should be made a National Monument or as the residents of the area point out that the entire complex, which includes the Cultural Centre, the Pansala, the Buddhu-ge and the premises where the the Sangharaja and Kithsiri Rajasinghe had planted two Bo-trees should be made into a Sacred Area.
It is time that the the Government or the Archaeological authorities took action to preserve the Birth place of this monk, without whom there would be no Buddhism in
Sri Lanka.
BACKGROUND
Before the Sangharaja entered monkhood and in the renaissance of Buddhism, there were a group of monks, who were titled “Ganninnansa’s”. The Sangharaja opend up the “Silvata’s Assocation” the forerunner to this renaissance. A fantastic amount of money running into millions of rupees had been spent a few years back on the 250th Anniversary commemorating the bringing of Upasampada to Sri Lanka, which transformed the Maha Sangha which was an exercise of the the Sangharaja. But, the very place where Sangharaja Weliwita Asarana Sarana Saranankara was born, the Temple where the Thera resided at Welivita and Vihare remains in a dilapidated condition even up to this very moment.
More over where the very Vihare where Sangharaja used to come and meditate and pray is in utter neglect.
Trekking nearly 20 kilometers this scribe has made his way to Sangharagapura several times, more so as a pilgrimage to the village of Welivita in the Tumpane Divisional Secretary’s Division on a road that needs repair. Every time the visit has brought heart burns to this scribe, that none of the agencies all these years has taken an interest in this field of restoration of the birthplace of the Sangharaja. The house that Sangharaja Asarana Sarana Saranankara Welivita was born is in the most dilapidated condition, which is owned by one S.B.Weliwita, residing in Kandy. Some of the wooden pillars have been replaced by concrete pillars, but the doorways seems to intact. However the building needs repairs and conservation. S.B.Welivita, within his means has tried to ‘do up’ the house and the original wooden frames are intact, though the pillars are in concrete.
This scribe spoke to S.B. Welivita, in Kandy working at the University of Peradeniya and he has a tale of woe. He said a number of public servants and others have come over the years to write articles and also to see the place, but he is the one who even puts up a Buddhist Flag at this birth place during Veask, Poson and other Poya days. He said on Thursday that he was going to Sangharajapura to put up a Flag so that the younger generation would know. He said that this is done for the sake of the younger generation to least know that, “Here lived a monk to whom credit should be given for the upliftment of Buddhism in Sri Lanka”. This is only one aspect of this most regretful history that has befallen to a Thera who should be venerated daily in Buddhist homes and looked upon as the saviour of the Buddha Sasana.
Venerable Asarana Sarana Saranankara Welivita Thera was instrumental in a renaissance of Buddhism in the country, when there was not a single member of the Sangha who was ordained in the ‘Upasampada Karamaya “ or Higher Ordination. Several attempts to bring the Upasampada failed until during King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe’s period. Upasampada was brought by a delegation headed by Maha Thera Upali.
Venerable Welivita was born in this remote village of Welivita named as Kulatunge Banda, whose father was Kiri Banda a farmer. At the age of 12, the young Kulatunge Banda was entrusted to Venarable Suriyagoda Rajaguru to be ordanied a monk at Suriyagoda in the now Yatinuwara electorate. It is from here that he had his basics on Buddhism and went in search of a inner dimensions of Buddhism at a time when there was no books or scholars.
A cave at Balane was his place of meditation and lived in cave close, both which could be located. The two caves are separated by the Kandy-Colombo railway track. But, without so much of a sign to indicate that this Venerated member of the Sangha lived or meditated there.
The irony of the whole situation is that though the then government spent millions through the District Secretary at Kandy and other government functionaries, they did not have an iota of knowledge to even so much to indicate by erecting a plaque at these the places where this Thera lived, studied or meditated. No doubt,. he had been going around the country in order to enlighten the people and the monks.
The Ven. Thera should be recognised not only during celebrations but throughout by the Buddhist public.
There was a time, when the officers of the State banished Venerable Asarana Sarana Welivita Thera without his knowledge, due to jealousy, to Laggala and was also nearly being beheaded for an alleged crime against the King at Malwatta Chapter.
The irony of the whole situation is that though the then government spent millions through the District Secretary at Kandy and other government functionaries, they did not have an iota of knowledge
However, when a wisecrack Brahamin came to the Kandyan Kingdom who went unmatched with arguments on Buddhism, the King sought the help of Venerable Welivita. The King was told that he was banished to Laggala, whereon, the King sent his own Palanquin to bring back Welivita Thera.
At a time when discipline of the Sangha was at a low ebb, he formed what later came to be known as “Silvatha Association” which was the forerunner to these classes.
As a last resort the King called upon a meeting at Poya Maluwa Vihare in Malwatta and selected the persons who should proceed on this errand to Siam (Thailand). In this five were selected was Wilbagedera. The Dutch released a Yatch named “Tharka”. There were two ships that came, one was the ship supplied by the Dutch “Taraka” and the Thai ship. Wilbagedera travelled in the Thai ship while others travelled in the the ship provided by the Dutch.
The Thai delegation stayed at Godapola before they proceeded to Kandy and at Godapola, the Siamese Priests taught the Sri Lankan Pirests how to don the Robe and the finer points of the Upasampada ceremony.
On Poya day of 1753, the first Upasampada was held, firstly on a member of the Thai delegation and secondly on Mahanayake Kobbekaduwa and later on Welivita Asarana Sarana Saranankara Thera. On this day Asgiri Sangha was not present for the first Upasampada. There were five pupils to the Sangharaja and the first been Venerabe Tibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Buddhraksitha Thera followed by
The house that Sangharaja Asarana Sarana Saranankara Weliwita was born is in the most dilapidated condition, which is owned by one S.B.Weliwita, residing in Kandy.
four others. The Temple at Weliwita which is in a most dipilated state is surrounded by new buildings, but the old Temple has been saved. The credit must be given to the present member of the Sangha, as they have not touched this ‘old’ building, though a new building has been built close by. But, the ‘old’ Viharege and the pansala needs conservation and the attention of the government authorities. A question should be asked as to whether the Government agencies did not realise that the ceremonies to mark the 250th year of Upasampada or even the 2550th celebrations should have included Sangharajapurs Vihare or should have commenced by rehabilitating two ancient historic edifices, such as the Vihare and the birthplace. The monies spent have gone in the air and so much so that even a plaque has not been erected to name the palces where the Sangaraja lived or medidated.
A cultural centre, which premises embraces two Bo-trees one planted by the Sangharaja and the other by King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe was construted during on the instructions of Late President Premadasa and in the same premises in 1998 the Cultural Minister Lakshman Jayakody unveiled a statue of the Sangharaja.
