Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera

Venerable Professor Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera is the Chief Incumbent (Chief Priest) of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara and Head of the Buddhist and Pali Faculty of the University of Kelaniya.[1]

Kollupitiye Mahinda Sangharakkhitha Thera
TitleChief Incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara
Personal
ReligionBuddhism
NationalitySri Lankan
SchoolTheravada-Sri Lanka
EducationSorbonne University,
University of Delhi,
University of Ceylon,
Royal College, Colombo
Senior posting
TeacherVen. Thalewela Vijitha Dhammarakkhitha Thera
Based inUniversity of Kelaniya

Early life

Educated at the Royal College, Colombo, He was born to Appuhami Dassanayake and Podihamine Dassanayake of Kollupitiya,Colombo. He is the fifth in the family of four brothers and two sisters. Brothers are Upali, Nimal, Nihal and Sunil and the sisters are Sudharma & Pushpa.[2]

Priesthood

Becoming a monk in the 1960s under the guidance of the then chief incumbent of the Kelani Temple Ven. Thalewela Vijitha Dhammarakkhitha Thera, Sangharakkhitha Thera studied scripture at the Gangarama Temple in Hunupitiya and obtained graduated from the Vidyalankara Campus of the University of Ceylon studying Buddhist Philosophy and French language. Thereafter Sangharakkhitha Thera was awarded a two-year scholarship to study at the Sorbonne University to gain a postgraduate degree in French language. After which going on to gain a Masters and doctorate from the University of Delhi.

Returning to Sri Lanka, Sangharakkhitha Thera started lecturing at the University of Kelaniya, Faculty of Buddhist and Pali, later becoming a Professor. Sangharakkhitha Thera was appointed chief incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara in 1992.

Sangharakkhitha Thera started a special Pirivena to teach Buddhism in the English language and has taken laudable steps to encourage the monks who are on missions all over the world.

References
  1. "Kelani Vihara head appointed varsity prof". Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 24 February 2008. ISSN 1391-0531.
  2. "Viharadhipati Nayaka Thera (the Chief Incumbent High Priest) of the Kelaniya". Kelaniya Temple.
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