Ven. Meegahatenne Sangharakkhita Thera to be honoured

Venerable Meegahatenne Sangharakkhita Thera, born on December 08, 1977 at Meegahatenne as the eldest son of Mr.Premadasa Hapuarachchi and Mrs.Somalatha Kaluarachchi,  was named Isanka Prabhath Hapuarachchi. He had his primary education at Makalandawa Kanistha Vidyalaya.

As a child he practiced virtuous acts of good behaviour and was inclined to priesthood from his early days. Due to his repeated requests for permission to enter the priest hood,  he was entrusted to Venerable Parakaduwe Saranankara Thera, Adhikarana Sangha Nayake of Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Kalutara Disawa and the chief incumbent of Kalutara District Asokaramaya Maha Viharaya.  

He was ordained on August 11 1986 under the preceptorship of the Maha Thera. Under the guidance of a teaching staff led by Venerable Abhidharacarya Kalutara Dharmakeerti Maha Thera,  Sangharakkhita Thera easily studied the Buddhist doctrine as well as the rituals and ceremonies at the pirivena attached to Asokaramaya temple.

He attained the higher ordination (Upasampada) in 1997   at Embilipitiya Chandrika Wewa Sima Malakaya.

Meanwhile, in response to the earnest request from venerable Parakaduwe Saranankara Thera by the Dayaka Sabha of Vivekaramaya temple for a priest to attend to the religious activities at their temple Venerable Sangharakkhita Thera was sent to Mahara in 1997. 

From thereon, during a period of 26 years Sangharakhita Thera undertook a tremendous load of work with the devotees who rallied round him and brought Mahara Vivekarama Temple which was in a very poor condition to a fully fledged place of worship. The two storied shrine room, the parapet wall               ( Ranwata) for the sacred Bo tree, a two storied Sanghavasa, the shed in front of the library building, and most importantly the completion of the ground floor of the three storied Dharmashala as well as the renovation of the old Dharshala are some of the much needed work undertaken during the period,  in addition to the performance of religious rites and ceremonies. Construction work in the Dana shala building is under way.

In appreciation of the immense religious services rendered to the Sasana and the people in the area, particularly to the young Buddhist generation, by venerable Meegahatenne Sangharakkhita Thera the honorary position of “Adhikarana Sangha Nayake” in Gampaha Disawa together with the honorary degree “Siri Sugatha Sasana Shobhana Saddhamma Keerthi Sri Saranankara Wansalankara” has been awarded to him by the Karaka Sangha Sabha of Amarapura Sri Dharma Yuttika (Matara)Maha Nikaya chaired by the Mahanayake Thera.

The “Akta –Patra”relating to the new position will be awarded to the Venerable Meegahatenne Sangharakkhita Thera in the evening of 11th instant at a gathering at Vivekarama Viharaya chaired by the most venerable Ambalangoda Sudharma Maha Nayake Thera.

Let us bless him courage and strength to continue valuable services to the Sasana.