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NEW MAHA NAYAKA OF MALWATTE APPOINTED UNANIMOUSLY
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The Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Siddhartha Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Of the Malwatte Chapter of the Siyam Maha Nikaya
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles

June 21, 10.30 PM: The Karaka Sangha Sabha, the supreme executive council of Buddhist monks, of Sri Lanka’s foremost Buddhist Sect, the Malwatte Chapter of the Siyam Maha Nikaya unanimously appointed the Most Venerable Thibbotuwawe Siddhartha Sri Sumangala (60) as the 26th Maha Nayaka of the Malwatte chapter.

Appointed June 20 to the highest Buddhist ecclesiastical position of the island nation’s largest and most influential Buddhist order of monks the amiable new Maha Nayaka was already holding the senior most position of the Anunanayka of the Malwatte chapter and the Chief incumbent of the historic Ridi Maha Vihara in the Kurunegala District.

Immediately after the most prestigious position of the Buddhist monks in the island nation was unanimously bestowed on him the Most Venerable Siddhartha Sri Sumangala Thero said, instead of promises that would soon be forgotten he would firmly dedicate himself to do his duties by the Buddha Sasana , the laity and monks, and the country and provide necessary advise and guidance, on national issues after consulting the views of the Karaka Sangha Sabha.

To do this, the new Maha Nayaka Thero said, he sought the cooperation of the government as well as the Opposition. He also said he wanted to consolidate the unity and strength of all Buddhist monks in Sri Lanka through his office.

The karaka Sangha Sabha meeting that appointed him unanimously was chaired by Rajakeeya Panditha Ambanwelle Pannasekera, one of the Anunanayaka Theros of the chapter. His name was proposed by Venerable Walgowwagoda Wimalabuddhi Thero and seconded by Venerable Henepola Nandasiri Thero

Born to aristrocratic parents of Kohonsiyapattuwa of Matale , Tikiri Bandara Nilame and Loku Kumarihamy, May 30 1944, as Lokubandara Tibbotuwawe he was ordained as a novice monk at the age of 13 and received his religious education at the Sangharaja Pirivena of Malwatte. He received his higher ordination, at the Malwatte Mangala Uposhathagaraya. in 1964.

The new Mahanayaka Thero was elevated to the karaka Sangha Sabha of the chapter in 1968 and as an Anunayaka Tero in 1992. Earlier he has also served as the deputy registrar of the chapter in 1979 and the registrar of the chapter in 1985. He was appointed the new maha Nayaka Thero of the chapter following the passing away of the Most Venerable Rambukwelle Vipassi Thero, the 25th Maha Nayaka of the chapter.(

( go2lanka.com)