June 18, 02.15 AM:Anunayaka Thero of the Malwatte Chapter , the Most Venerable Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala is the most likely candidate to succeed the office of the late Malwatte Maha Nayaka the Most Venerable Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi , sources close to Siyam Nikaya said.
The Chief incumbent of the historic Ridi Vihara in Kurunegala District, the Maha Thero, who is the senior-most Anunayaka of the Malwatte chapter , was elected to the office in 1998.
The karaka Sangha Sabha or the Supreme Executive Council of Bhikus of the Malwatte Chapter of the Siamese Sect, the largest and foremost of all Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka is to meet soon to fix a date for the election of the new Mahanayaka Thero, the same sources said.
The same sources said, due to urgent ecclesiastical functions like the certification of higher ordinations were waiting, the election would not be delayed at all.
When the Supreme Executive Council of the Malwatte chapter meets soon in Kandy’s historic ‘uposhathagaraya’ the aspirant to the highest office in Sri Lanka’s largest Buddhist order would submit his application in writing. If there were to be more than one application an election would take place. In the case of only one applicant he would be selected unanimously. This time, many speculated , that the Maha Nayaka would be selected without any contest.
When the new Maha Nayaka is selected, he will the 26th head of the largest order of the Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka, since its inception, 250 years ago during the Kandyan King Kirthi Sri Rajasinghe in 1753. Welwita Sangharaja was the first head of the newly established Nikaya, that revived a deteriorated state of Buddhism due to foreign invasions. To revive Buddhism the Andra Predesh born King sent Bhikku emissaries to the then Thailand to import higher ordination to the country with the help of the Dutch, who ran maritime provinces in Sri Lanka..
The cremation of the Late Maha Nayaka the Most Venerable Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi was held at the Police Grounds Kandy, last Sunday in the midst of a distinguished gathering representing the government, other Buddhist sects, non-Buddhist religious leaders of Hindu, Christian and Muslim religions and foreign dignitaries.
President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a message read by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said at the funeral that the late Maha Nayaka Thero expressed himself without fear or favor with regard crucial and important issues relevant to Buddha Sasana.
Many noted the late Maha Nayaka’s strong stand taken against Buddhist monks contesting elections and entering the Parliament. To the visiting JVP Ministers of the Kumaratunga cabinet, he recently said, “Since time immemorial the Buddhist monks of this country have been involved in counseling kings and ministers as how to run the country. Apart from that, we definitely need not get ourselves in to the Parliament to rule the nation.”
Kandy Mayor Kesara Senanayaka welcomed the gathering at the funeral which was also addressed by the Minister of Buddha Sasana Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe , Ven. Niyangoda Vijithasiri, Secretary General of the Chapter and Japanese Buddhist Ms. Mitchiko Ito.
According to ancient traditions , the nephews of the late Maha Nayaka, Sangaratna Bandara and Punchibandara Rambukwelle lit the funeral pyre.
