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** [http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items02/030902-2.html Lanka Web News: 'Beware of Swarna's Buddhism']
** [http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items02/030902-2.html Lanka Web News: 'Beware of Swarna's Buddhism']
* [http://milinda.org/Assets/PDF/UrumayakaUlpath/UU%20-%2024.pdf Sinhala Transcript of TV program: "Urumayaka Ulpath"]
* [http://milinda.org/Assets/PDF/UrumayakaUlpath/UU%20-%2024.pdf Sinhala Transcript of TV program: "Urumayaka Ulpath"]
* [http://www.lankaweb.com/news/items08/200508-1.html "Inauguration of the Mahamevnawa Bhavana Monastery of New Jersey, USA", LankaWeb News]


[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]

Revision as of 23:23, 21 May 2008

Ven Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero.
Ven Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero.
Born1962
Kiribathgoda, Sri Lanka
Occupation(s)Founder monk, Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monetary
Websitewww.buddhavision.com/founder.html

Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero is the founder of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastry [1].

Spiritual Biography

Gnanananda Thero was born in to the Roman Catholic family, parented by Cristy Kabraal and Violet Perera. The circumstances that followed his birth were 'miraculous' [2], as the whole family became Buddhists right after his birth, going to the extent of giving up their main source of income: 'animal husbandry for meat' (a livelihood advised against by the Buddha). Opportunity for Buddhist education was therefore available for him from the childhood.

Ordained on March 26th, 1979 (i.e. at age 17), he received traditional Buddhist academic education and entered the University of Sri Jayewardenepura[3]. Having understood the inability to achieve what he wanted in a university, he quit and started associating meditation centers and hermitages.

Having practiced and preached Dhamma for years, he founded Mahamevnawa in 1999 under the guidance of Kotapola Amarakitti Thero, in Waduwava, Polgahawela. Mahamevnawa is currently spreading steadily under his guidance (It has around 40 branch monasteries for meditation throughout Sri Lanka, and overseas: Canada [1], USA [2] and Australia [3]).

Teachings

He now teaches Buddhism (Theravada), emphasizing the need of practicing it in pure form (i.e. as in the Suttas) and casting off what not advocated by the Buddha.

Our Teacher, the Buddha has taught that birth as a human being is, indeed, a very rare achievement. Fortunately, we have now obtained that rare achievement. Yet, we have to remember that man's greatness does not lie either in his nationality, caste clan or any such feature. His greatness depends solely on his conduct. Man's experiencing of happiness and suffering, too, is related to his three modes of action namely, mental, verbal and physical action.

The Buddha devoted all his life to save man from dukkha - suffering. We are followers of the Buddha and our fervent hope is to see a world full of people who are freed from dukkha.

Mankind's wonderful treasure of wisdom is the Teaching of the Buddha. This doctrine illuminates our lives bringing happiness and joy. Go in search of this wonderful Dhamma yourself, lead your life accordingly, get rid of your suffering and join that fortunate band of people who experience the Supreme Bliss

— A Message by Venerable Thero[4]


File:TeachingDamma.jpg
Teaching Damma


Thousands of practicing Buddhists are associated with Mahamevnawa; and trying to follow the path the Buddha showed.

"Maha Sthupa Wandanawa" [5] conducted on the 2nd February, 2008 at Anuradhapura with participation of over 100000 disciples, bears evidence for the popularity his Damma program has achieved.


File:TipitakaChanting.jpg
Participation of Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero at Tipitaka Chanting at Bodhgaya, India


References

  1. ^ About the Founder, Official English Website of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery
  2. ^ Short Spiritual Biography of Bhikku Ñānānanda (Buddha Vision)
  3. ^ 'Only four people attended my first sermon' - An article from 'Daily News' News Paper
  4. ^ www.mahamevna.org
    note: at the moment this URL gets redirected to its new website www.gautamabuddha.org; hence the source is not available online.
  5. ^ Ruwanvaliseya Picture Gallery (Sinhalese)

See also

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery

Damma Sermons/Articles by Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero

Relevant Search Results

Other

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