His work and sacrifices with Anagarika Dharmapala was one of the steering forces of the upholding of Buddhism in Sri Lanka at one stage. His teachings and life have been an inspiration to many aspiring monks and lay followers.Īnanda Maitreya Thero along with Narada Thero and Madihe Pannaseeha Thero was and still is one of the foremostly revered and respected Buddhist monks of the twentieth century in Sri Lanka. Many Buddhists have experienced his powerful spiritual blessings in many more ways than one. He was known to have practiced both Samatha meditation and Vipassana meditation to a great extent and was considered to be having a highly developed mind through his meditation.
On 2 September 1969, Ananda Maitreya Thero was appointed as the President of Amarapura Sangha Sabhā of Sri Lanka.Īnanda Maitreya Thero was famous for his achievements in Buddhist meditation. On 18 January 1954, Thero was appointed to the post of Sangha Nayaka of Sabaragamu-Saddhammawansa Nikaya and in the same year he participated in the Sixth Buddhist council held in Myanmar. He opened the Sri Dhammananda Pirivena, Colombo in 1930. Īnanda Maithreya Thero's first overseas Dhamma journey was to Kerala, India in 1926. On 1 October 1966, he was appointed to the post of Vice Chancellor at the same university. He was appointed to the post of Dean, Faculty of Buddhist Studies in 1963. Later he became the professor of Mahayana Buddhism at Vidyodaya University, Sri Lanka. It was Thero who named it 'Nalanda' and chose Apadana Sobhini Panna meaning wisdom beautifies character as Nalanda College's motto, which is still being used. He was a self learner in most of his areas of studies.Īnanda Maitreya Thero was the first Dharmarcharya (teacher of Buddhism) at Nalanda College Colombo, when it was first established in 1925. This is understandable when one realizes that he was a theosophist as well as a Buddhist. Unusually for a Theravada teacher, he publicly studied some other traditions, such as Mahayana Buddhism, mantra and esoteric yoga. Thero entered Ananda College, Colombo in 1919 and became a teacher of the same school in 1922. Thero continued his studies after becoming a monk and later became a scholar in Buddhism and languages. Balangdoda Ananda Maitreya Thero received his Upasampada on 14 July 1916 at Olu Gantota Udakukhepa Seema, Balangoda. He was ordained under the guidance of Daamahana Dhammananda Thero and Deniyaye Seelananda Thero was his primary teacher ( Upaadhyaayanwahanse). Punchi Mahattaya had his primary education at Kumara Vidyalaya, Balangoda.He had his secondary education from Ananda College Colombo.Īt the age of 15 he had decided to enter the order of Buddhist monks and was ordained as a Samanera at the temple Sri Nandaramaya, Udumulla, Balangoda on 2 March 1911. Because Punchi Mahattaya's mother died when he was 14 days old, he was brought up by his father's brother and his wife. His birth name was Punchi Mahattaya aka William. īalangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero was born on 23 August 1896 in Kirindigala, Balangoda, to the family of N. Later in March 1997, the Burmese government conferred on Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero the highest Sangha title, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru (Most Eminent Great Spiritual Teacher), which is equivalent to Sangharaja, in honor of his unique service to the Buddhist religion. In recognition of his valuable service at the Sixth Buddhist council held in Burma, the Burmese government conferred on him the title of Agga Maha Pandita (Chief Great Scholar) in 1956. Sri Lankan Buddhists also considered Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero as a Bodhisattva, who will attain Buddhahood in a future life.īalangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero lived a modest life and did a great service for the propagation of Buddhist philosophy. He was highly respected by Sri Lankan Buddhists, who believed that he had achieved a higher level of spiritual development. Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero ( Sinhala: අග්ග මහා පණ්ඩිත බලංගොඩ ආනන්ද මෛත්රෙය මහා නා හිමි 23 August 1896 – 18 July 1998 commonly known in English as Ananda Maitreya ) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who was one of the most distinguished scholars and expositors of Theravada Buddhism in the twentieth century.