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Devarakkitha Thera appointed as Deputy Sangha Nayaka of Kolamba Nava Korale 

10 Jul 2022

By Prof. Sirimevan Colombage The Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Malwatta Chapter headed by the Most Reverend Mahanayaka Thera unanimously decided to award the prestigious position of Deputy Sangha Nayaka of Kolamba Nava Korale to Pallewela Devarakkitha Thera, Chief Prelate of the Subadhrarama Viharaya, Gangodawila, Nugegoda, and the affiliated temples.  The title was awarded at a ceremony held at the Malwathu Viharaya Mangala Uposathagaraya on 9 July.  Devarakkitha Thera was born on 8 June 1954 in the village of Pallewela. A descendant of a respectable family, his father Kodisinghe Wickramaratna and his mother D.I. Amarasekera were school teachers. He was the third child in a family of five.    He was ordained as a novice Buddhist monk on 10 April 1968 under the tutelage of Ven. Boruggamuwe Devamitta Nayaka Thera at Pallewela Wickramashila Pirivena. At the age of 20, Devarakkitha Thera received higher ordination at the Malwathu Uposathagaraya on 22 June 1974.  Devarakkitha Samanera Thera studied Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, and Tripitaka Dhamma at the Subadhrarama Pirivena and passed the Prachina Madhyama Examination. He obtained a BA (Hons.) degree from the University of Peradeniya in 1981 and completed a law degree in 1989. Since 1982, Devarakkitha Thera has served as a teacher at the Subadhrarama Vidyathana Pirivena. While being the Head of the Paramitha Buddhist Temple in Rockbank, Melbourne, Australia he provided yeomen service to the Buddhist community and others to learn, observe, and practise Buddhist teachings.  Devarakkitha Thera held that position until he was appointed as the Chief Prelate of the Subadhrarama Temple in 2018 following the demise of the Chief Prelate, Thabbowe Ananda Revatha Thera.   Devarakkitha Thera established the Udahamulla Paramitha medical institution for the treatment of monks for their ailments with his generous financial donations. He has been contributing immensely for the development of the Subadhrarama Temple, Wickramashila Pirivena in Pallewela, Sri Vivekaramaya in Pangiriwatta, Sri Sumangalaramaya, Kurunegala, Sri Swarna Bimbaramaya in Kotuwewatta, and Sri Vijayaraja Viharaya in Karuwalagaswewa, Puttalam.  The Subadhrarama temple, headed by Devarakkitha Thera, was established during the reign of King Parakramabahu VI (1412-1467) at the request of Queen Subhadra. Despite the destruction of the temple on several occasions during foreign invasions, it has been revived by dedicated monks to reach its present glory. The Subadhrarama Viharaya has a long historical background, enriched by several learned monks.  Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera who was the founder of Maligakanda Vidyodaya Pirivena and a pioneer of the Buddhist revivalist movement in the 19th century regularly visited the Subadhrarama temple and contributed immensely to its development.  Under his guidance, Kindelpitiye Rathanapala Thera who was residing at the temple took the initiative to appoint his student monk Heiyanthuduwe Devamittha Thera, Deputy Principal of Vidyodaya Pirivena and Depuy Sangha Nayaka of Kolamba Nava Korale, as the Chief Prelate of the Subadhrarama temple. The most scholarly monk ordained by Kindelpitiye Rathanapala Thera was Boruggamuwe Sri Revatha Thera. Other student monks ordained by Rathanapala Thera included Kukulnape Devarakkitha Thera, Boruggamuwe Devamitta Thera, Madithiyawela Sumangala Thera, and Devamitta Dharmapala Thera. The Subadhrarama Vidyathanaya has earned its reputation over the years as a centre of excellence in Buddhist teachings with its links with the Maligakanda Vidyodaya Pirivena and Malwathu Maha Viharaya.  Being close associates of Devarakkitha Nayaka Thera, we are fortunate to be inspired by his enlightening insights not only on Buddhist philosophy but also on contemporary socio-economic issues. We wish Nayaka Thera good health and every success for his religious and social endeavours. (The writer is a Professor Emeritus – Open University of Sri Lanka.)


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