Kadawedduwe Jinavamsa Mahathera
Encyclopedia
Kadawedduwe Sri Jinavamsa Mahathera (Pali
: Siri Jinavaṃsa, sometimes spelled Jinawansa) was a Sri Lanka
n Bhikkhu
(Buddhist monk
). He was the founder of Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha, a reform movement within the Sri Lankan Rāmañña Nikāya
.
. He was the fourth and youngest child in the family. Don Dinesh had his primary education at the Yatiyana Vernacular School.
When Dinesh was 10 years old, he was invited to stay and attend upon Ven. Kadawedduwe Siri Sugunatissa Mahathera, the elder brother of Dinesh's father and the abbot of Srivardhanaramaya, a temple in Yatawara. There, Dinesh learnt Pali
and Sanskrit
from the Ven. Kothmale Siri Saddhammavamsa Mahathera. In 1921, at the age of 14, Don Dinesh received Pabbajja
with the name Kadawedduwe Jinavamsa, with Ven. Sugunatissa Mahathera as his Upajjhaya
. In 1927, at the age of 20, Ven. Jinavamsa received Upasampada
, with Ven. Sri Ñāṇindasabha Mahathera as his preceptor.
under the Government on the recommendation of C. W. W. Kannangara. Ven. Jinavamsa obtained the monastic degree ‘Rajakeeya Panditha’ in 1945, and was awarded honorary membership of the Oriental Languages Society in 1946.
Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera left the Granthakara Pirivena and adopted a life of a forest monk in 1950. He was accompanied by Ven. Gatamanne Vimalavamsa Thera, one of his closest disciples. With the Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera as the chief preceptor, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera founded the Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha on 18 June 1951, and 12 lay aspirants were given the ‘going forth
’ in the new organization on this date. The main Ramanna Nikaya
gave permission to the Yogasrama Samstha to manage its own administration and conduct its own Upasampada
.
During the early years of the Yogasrama Samstha, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera travelled throughout the network of forest monasteries which numbered around 150. Later he settled down at the Gunawardena Yogasrama in Galduva, Ambalangoda, and made it the organization headquarters. Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera
was his foremost student, and closely assisted him in his teaching and administrative duties.
On 11 July 2003, two days before he died, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera called all his students in the monastery to his residence and gave a Dhamma talk, in which he mentioned that he would not last more than two days. On 13 July 2003, an Uposatha
day, he died peacefully.
awarded the honorary title of ‘Paṭipatti Sobhana Gaṇapāmokkhācariya’, appreciating his service to the Sasana
. Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera was invited to be the head of the Ramanna Nikaya when the post fell vacant, but he politely refused.
Páli
- External links :* *...
: Siri Jinavaṃsa, sometimes spelled Jinawansa) was a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n Bhikkhu
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
(Buddhist monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
). He was the founder of Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha, a reform movement within the Sri Lankan Rāmañña Nikāya
Ramanna Nikaya
Ramanna Nikaya is one of the most orthodox Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara, returned to Sri Lanka after being ordained by the Neyyadhama Munivara Sangharaja of Ratnapunna Vihara in Burma.-Similar orders:Ramanna Nikaya is said to be similar to the...
.
Early life
Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera was born Don Dinesh on 1 April 1907 in the Kadawedduwa village in MataraMatara, Sri Lanka
Matara is a city on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, 160 km from Colombo. It is one of the largest cities in Sri Lanka. It was deeply affected by the Asian tsunami in December 2004.-History:...
. He was the fourth and youngest child in the family. Don Dinesh had his primary education at the Yatiyana Vernacular School.
When Dinesh was 10 years old, he was invited to stay and attend upon Ven. Kadawedduwe Siri Sugunatissa Mahathera, the elder brother of Dinesh's father and the abbot of Srivardhanaramaya, a temple in Yatawara. There, Dinesh learnt Pali
Páli
- External links :* *...
and Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
from the Ven. Kothmale Siri Saddhammavamsa Mahathera. In 1921, at the age of 14, Don Dinesh received Pabbajja
Pabbajja
Pabbajja literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of monks . This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice...
with the name Kadawedduwe Jinavamsa, with Ven. Sugunatissa Mahathera as his Upajjhaya
Upajjhaya
An Upajjhāya is a teacher in the Indian religions of South Asia.An upajjhāya is specifically a professional teacher in the technical subjects of Vedanga, i.e. Sanskrit grammar and other basic skills required for the perusal of the Vedas...
. In 1927, at the age of 20, Ven. Jinavamsa received Upasampada
Upasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
, with Ven. Sri Ñāṇindasabha Mahathera as his preceptor.
Monastic career
In 1932, Ven. Jinavamsa founded the ‘Granthakara Pirivena’ with 5 students. Later it was registered as a grant aided PirivenaPirivena
Pirivena is a monastic college for the education of Buddhist priests in Sri Lanka. These have been the centers of secondary and higher education in ancient times for lay people as well. Today 561 Piriven are founded and maintained by the Ministry of Education...
under the Government on the recommendation of C. W. W. Kannangara. Ven. Jinavamsa obtained the monastic degree ‘Rajakeeya Panditha’ in 1945, and was awarded honorary membership of the Oriental Languages Society in 1946.
Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera left the Granthakara Pirivena and adopted a life of a forest monk in 1950. He was accompanied by Ven. Gatamanne Vimalavamsa Thera, one of his closest disciples. With the Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera as the chief preceptor, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera founded the Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha on 18 June 1951, and 12 lay aspirants were given the ‘going forth
Pabbajja
Pabbajja literally means "to go forth" and refers to when a layperson leaves home to live the life of a Buddhist renunciate among a community of monks . This generally involves preliminary ordination as a novice...
’ in the new organization on this date. The main Ramanna Nikaya
Ramanna Nikaya
Ramanna Nikaya is one of the most orthodox Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara, returned to Sri Lanka after being ordained by the Neyyadhama Munivara Sangharaja of Ratnapunna Vihara in Burma.-Similar orders:Ramanna Nikaya is said to be similar to the...
gave permission to the Yogasrama Samstha to manage its own administration and conduct its own Upasampada
Upasampada
Upasampadā literally means "approaching or nearing the ascetic tradition." In more common parlance it specifically refers to the rite of ordination by which one undertakes the Buddhist monastic life....
.
During the early years of the Yogasrama Samstha, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera travelled throughout the network of forest monasteries which numbered around 150. Later he settled down at the Gunawardena Yogasrama in Galduva, Ambalangoda, and made it the organization headquarters. Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera
Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera
Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera is a Sri Lankan bhikkhu and a senior meditation teacher. He is the Spiritual Advisor of the Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha, and resides at the Na Uyana Aranya.- Early life :...
was his foremost student, and closely assisted him in his teaching and administrative duties.
On 11 July 2003, two days before he died, Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera called all his students in the monastery to his residence and gave a Dhamma talk, in which he mentioned that he would not last more than two days. On 13 July 2003, an Uposatha
Uposatha
The Uposatha is Buddhist day of observance, in existence from the Buddha's time , and still being kept today in Buddhist countries. The Buddha taught that the Uposatha day is for "the cleansing of the defiled mind," resulting in inner calm and joy...
day, he died peacefully.
Awards
The Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya awarded Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera the titles of ‘Śrī Āryavilāsa Vaṃsālaṇkāra Saddharmavāgīśvarācārya’ and ‘Mahopādhyāya’. The Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha SabhaAmarapura Nikaya
The Amarapura Nikaya is a Sri Lankan monastic fraternity founded in 1800. It is named after the city of Amarapura, Myanmar , the former capital of the Burmese kingdom...
awarded the honorary title of ‘Paṭipatti Sobhana Gaṇapāmokkhācariya’, appreciating his service to the Sasana
Sasana
Śāsana , is a term used by Buddhists and Shaivites to refer to their religion or non-religion. It has a range of possible translations, including teaching, practice, doctrine and Buddha Śãsana, which means "the teaching of the Buddha"...
. Ven. Jinavamsa Mahathera was invited to be the head of the Ramanna Nikaya when the post fell vacant, but he politely refused.