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Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero

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Most Venarable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero
Title1.Most Venerable

2.Founder & Chief Advisor of Mahamevnawa Maha Sangha Saba, Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery Network and Shraddha TV Media Network

3.Former Anunayaka Thero of the Sri Kalyaniwansa Sect of the Amarapura Nikaya.
Personal life
Born (1961-07-01) 1 July 1961 (age 63)
Iriyawetiya, Kiribathgoda,
Sri Lanka
NationalitySri Lankan
Religious life
ReligionBuddhism
OrderSri Kalyaniwansa Nikaya
SchoolTheravada
SectAmarapura Nikaya (for registration purposes)
InitiationMahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery
Senior posting
TeacherDambagasare Sri Sumedhankara Mahanayaka Thero and Dikwelle Pannananda Thero
Based inSri Lanka
Websitehttps://mahamevnawa.lk/

Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero (born: 1 July 1961) is a Sri Lankan monk. He is the founder & chief advisor of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery,[1] Mahamevnawa Maha Sangha Saba(මහමෙව්නාව මහා සංඝ සභාව) and Shraddha Media Network. Many people address Him as "Pinwath Loku Swamin Wahanse(පින්වත් ලොකු ස්වාමීන් වහන්සේ)"

Spiritual biography

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Gnanananda became a monk at age 17 on 26 March 1979 under Dambagasare Sumedhankara Thero and Dikwelle Pannananda Thero at Seruwavila. He received a traditional Buddhist academic education and entered the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.[2] He founded Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery in August 1999 in Waduwava, Polgahawela. Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery now has more than 80 branch monasteries in Sri Lanka and more than 35 overseas monasteries in Canada,[3] the United States,[4] Australia,[5] the United Kingdom,[6] Germany[7] Italy, Dubai, South Korea,India and many more.[8]

In 2012 he started Shraddha TV and Radio with the aim of spreading the pure Dhamma.Today, it operates as the largest Buddhist media network in Sri Lanka, spanning a wide range of media including television, radio, the Internet, Buddhist magazines, web software, etc.. He also has the largest group of student monks in Sri Lanka, which is more than 1000. He has also written more than 300 Buddhist scriptures and translated the Sutta Pitaka into simple Sinhala Language. Several of his books have been translated into various languages, including English, Thai, and French. He also translated the "Pirith Book" into Sinhala and English in a way that allows chanting. In addition, he took the initiative to print Buddhist scriptures in Tamil and the Bale system for the first time in Sri Lanka. In 2019, he was appointed as the Anunayaka of the Sri Kalyaniwansa Sect of the Amarapura Nikaya.

Teachings

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He now teaches Buddhism (Theravada), emphasizing the need to practice it in pure form (i.e. as in the Sutras) and casting off what is 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 Dharma 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'.

[citation needed]

Thousands of practicing Buddhists are associated with Mahamevnawa.

Maha Sthupa Vandanawa[9] conducted on 2 February 2008 at Ruwanwelisaya,Anuradhapura with the participation of over 100,000 disciples,Somawathi Stupa Vandanawa[10] conducted on 8 May 2010 at Somawathiya temple with the participation of over 1,000,000 devotees,Rankoth Vehera Maha Arahanthaka Vandanawa[11] conducted on 18 August 2018 at Rankoth Vehera with the participation of over 600,000 disciples & Mihidhu Maha Kruthaguna Puja[12] conducted on 05 October 2019 at Mihintale with the participation of over 800,000 devotees bear evidence for the popularity his Damma program has achieved.

Gnanananda reintroduced the usage of "Namo Buddhaya" to the Sri Lankan Buddhists as a way of Buddhist greeting. Also, there was a weekly dhamma discussion program telecasted on TNL television named "Namo Buddhaya" in which Thero participated. [13]

Publications

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Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero is considered to be the Buddhist monk who wrote the largest number of Buddhist texts.Gnanananda Thero has written over 300 books based on the teachings of Buddha and also translated many Pali written books like Mahavamsa and Nettipakarana. In addition, he translated the Sutta Pitaka into simple Sinhala Language and he also translated the "Pirith Book" into Sinhala and English in a way that allows chanting. Besides, he took the initiative to print Buddhist scriptures in Tamil and the Bale system for the first time in Sri Lanka. This may be the first time in the world that Buddhist books have been printed using the Bale method. These all publications are aimed to emphasize uncontaminated Buddhism that can be understood by anyone who reads it.

The Thera has also instigated a culture in Sri Lanka (traditionally known as Dhamma Dīpa – Island full of Buddha's Teachings) to teach the Buddha's teachings in the national language of Sinhala (සිංහල), even though the teachings are traditionally taught in the Pali language. Many disciples believe that they are now able to teach the Buddha's teachings with the right understanding. Many of the Buddhist scriptures he wrote have been translated into English, Hindi, Chinese, Indonesian, Vietnamese, French, Thai, Burmese, Arabic, Spanish, etc...

Below are some of the English books written by him:

  • Buddha - The Marvelous Sage
  • Buddhism
  • The Supreme Bliss of Nibbana: Maha Satipatthana Sutta
  • Dependent Origination
  • Arahant Kondanna - The first Bhikkhu
  • Mahamevnawa Pali-English Paritta Chanting Book
  • The Wise Shall Realise
  • Pali-English Maha Satipatthana Sutta - Specially prepared for Chanting
  • This Was Said by the Buddha: Itivuttaka
  • What Happens After Death? - Buddha Answers
  • What Does the Buddha Really Teach? - Dhammapada
  • The Voice of Enlightened Nuns - The Theri Gatha
  • The Voice of Enlightened Monks - The Thera Gatha
  • The Life of Buddha for Children
  • Stories of Sakka, Lord of Gods
  • Stories of Heavenly Mansions from the Vimanavatthu
  • Stories of Ghosts from the Petavatthu
  • Stories of Brahmas from the Brahma Samyutta

References

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  1. ^ "StartLogic". Buddhavision.com. Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  2. ^ "Features | Online edition of Daily News - Lakehouse Newspapers". Archived from the original on 14 December 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  3. ^ "Mahamevna Asapuwa- gautamabuddha.ca, Buddhst Meditation Centre, Toronto Canada". Archived from the original on 21 May 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  4. ^ "Mahamevnawa Bhavana Monastery of New Jersey". Archived from the original on 14 June 2008. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
  5. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2 May 2008. Retrieved 26 April 2008.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Mahamevnawa UK Branch". Sites.google.com. Retrieved 2 June 2016.
  7. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 2 June 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ https://mahamevnawa.org/worldwide-mahamevnawa-branches/
  9. ^ [1][dead link]
  10. ^ "Somawathi Stupa Wandana Part 1". 2 August 2010. Archived from the original on 19 December 2021. Retrieved 2 June 2016 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ https://www.budusarana.lk/budusarana/2018/08/18/tmp.asp?ID=news04
  12. ^ https://www.budusarana.lk/budusarana/2019/10/13/main_news.asp
  13. ^ "Namo Buddhaya :: The Live Dhamma Discussion on TNL TV". 12 February 2012. Retrieved 2 June 2016 – via YouTube.
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