Saranankara Sangharaja by Ven. Sri Nanissara High Priest

 Courtesy : Ceylon Antiquary & Literary Register 

Courtesy : CEYLON ANTIQUARY & LITERARY REGISTER

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SARANANKARA SANGHA-RAIÄ: The Last Buddhist Hierarch.
By THE VEN. SRI NANISSARA, HIGH PRIEST.

The chief events in the life of the great Buddhist monk are recorded in many Sinhalese manuscripts. As these, however, are not readily available, a brief life-sketch of the illustrious Hierarch, -the last of a long and noble line,may prove generally interesting.

The main sources of information, besides the Mahavansa, which I have utilised are the Sangha-rajotama-sadhuchariya, a Sinhalese prose work, and the Sangha-raja-wata, a Sinhalese poem.

Saranankara, the son of Kulatunga Mudaliyar of a Govi family of the same name, was born on Sunday, the 8th of the lunar month Poson in 1621 of the Saka Era, at the village of Velivita, in Tumpane; which hamlet has in consequence became famous. He had an elder brother, who was known as Kulatunga Patabendi Mudiyanse.

At the age of sixteen Saranankara entered the priesthood as a Samanera (novice) underSuriyagoda Maha Thera, in the reign of King Narendra Sinha, and studied the Balawatara, a Pali Grammar, up to the chapter on nouns, under Lewke Ralahami, known also as Vihare Ralahami, who had himself studied it under Watabuluwe Maha Thera, High Priest of Poyamalu Vihara, nephew of Edanduwawe Disamahatmaya, and was proficient enough to converse in Pali with the Arrakan priests who came to the Island to establish Upasampada Ordination in the reign of King Vimala Dharmasuriya.  Saranankara's study of the remainder of the Pali Grammar was completed under Palkumbure Atthadassi, a Samanera Guru (novice teacher) who had himself been a pupil of the same Watabuluwe Maha Thera. What Saranankara had learned from these teachers he imparted to the Samaneras Sitinamaluwe and Ilupengamuwe.

At that time Saranankara had many friends and well-wishers. Among them Kumbaldivela, Kaderagoda, Isipitiya, Kappagoda, Nagolla, Alutnuwara, Medewela, Vevagedara, Ahugoda, Pahankumbura, Dahingamuwa, Malagammana, Aragoda, Ganegoda, Lindepitiya, Watawana, Halpe, Wellawa, Galatombuwe, Deliwala, Botale, Opagoda and others.

From time to time Saranankara took up residence in various places such as the rock cave of Alagalla, Pushparama Vihara, Hanguranketa, Kundasala, Poyamalu Vihara, Niyamakanda near Embekke Dewalaya in Udunuwara, Aranya Vihara, on Hantana-kanda, etc. He was usually known as "Pindapatika," which implies that he depended on alms for his daily meal.

In the latter part of the reign of King Narendra Sinha, there being 10 ordained monks in Lanka, Saranankara cherished the hope of establishing the priesthood in full strength with ordained priests from abroad

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At this time, in Saka 1662, Sri Vijaya Raja Sinha ascended the throne; and this Sovereign, who warmly seconded Saranankara's efforts for the preservation of the Buddhist religion,
ordered his ministers Doranegama Muhandiram, Mideniya Muhandiram (1), Vilbagedara Muhandiram, with their retinues, to proceed to Siam in order to bring ordained Bhikkus to Ceylon. When, however, the Ambassadors arrived in Siam, they heard the sad news of the untimely death of their King, and the Embassy had to return to Ceylon without fulfilling its mission.

In due time Kirti Sri Raja Sinha ascended the throne in 1669 Saka, and Saranankara  made the same request to the new King, viz., to send an Embassy to Siam to invite ordained priests. The King willingly acceded to his request and appointed Vilbagedera Muhandiram , Ayittaliyadde Muhandiram, Pattiyapala Rate-rala, Ellepola Vedikkara ,Mohottala as Ministers extraordinary to the Court of Siam to secure ordained Bhikkhus (2). They embarked in 2293 B.V. (A.D. 1750) and returned with a number of ordained Bhikkhus led by  Upali Maha Thera (3), the Siamese King Parama Dhammika having granted them permission to depart.

In 2296 B.V. (A.D. 1753) on the full-moon day of Esala month, the Sinhalese Samaneras, Kobbekaduwe (who was the chief of Poyamalu Vihara at the time,) Hulangamuwa, Bambaradeniya, Velivita Saranankara, Tibbotuwawa, Navinne, (then chief of
of Asgiri Vihara), were ordained by the Siamese Sangha in the Uposathagara of the Malwatte Monastery as in Visungama-Sima, Kandy. Afterwards, at Malwatte & Asgiriya, they were provided with two Buddha-Simas, and many monks received the
Upasampada Ordination in these Baddha-Simas.

Some time after, Upali Maha Thera, the head of the Siamese priesthood, died at Poyamalu Vihara, and his body was cremated at Asgiri Vihara. Saranankara, now an ordained monk, was appointed Sangha-raja ("King of the Sangha"), & Tibbotuwawa Siddhatha, Buddharakkhita and Urulewatte Dhammasiddhi were appointed Maha Navakas of Poyamalu and Asgiri Viharas respectively by the King Kirt Sri RajaSinha.

These facts clearly go to show that, during this period, Saranankara Sangharaja was the mainstay and support of Buddhism in Ceylon. Thanks to his fostering influence Oriental languages and sciences, which had been greatly neglected, began to revive in the Island.

1 J. H. Mideniya, J. P., Dissave of Sabaragamuwa, is the present head of the family, descended from Middeniya  ya Mahandiram.

2 According to Ratanapala Sthavira's Sinhalese translation of the Vimana Wastuwa, the full composition of thisEmbassy was as follows: (1) Pattapola Mohottala, the Atapattu Lekama; (2) Ellepola Mohottala, the Vedikkara Lekama; (3) Iriyagama Rala, the Yatinuwara Muhandiram of the Nanayakkara Lekama, (4) Wilbagedara Rala, the Tumpana Muhandiram of the Padikkara Lekama; (5) and Ayittaliyadd Rala, the Dumbara Muhandiram of the Vedikkara Lekama. - The following were commanded to accompany the above Ministers on board ship; (1)Pinnapata, Dissave of Matale; (2) Angammana Mohottala, the Maha Lekama :(3)Dodanwela,Rate Rala of Yatinuwara ;(4) Nilawature Rala, Muhandiram of the Lekama of Musketeers;and (5) Usgiriya Rala, Muhandiram of the Nanayakkara Lekama. For a full and interesting narrative  of the Embassy see Mr. P. E. Pieris' paper in C. A. S. Journal N o .54, 1903, :An Account of King Kirti Sri's Embassy to Siam in 1672 Saka (1750 AD.)."-ED., C.A.& L. R.

3 The same Vimana Wastura gives us the names of these Bhikkus, who numbered" twenty one Theros  and eight  Samaneras." They were, besides Upali Maha Nayaka Thero and Arya Muni Maha Nayaka Thero,  the Maha Theros Anu, Kammavacha, Upasampada, Indrajotassa,Chandrajotassa, Kotthita, Kuyavu, Bojunama, Thuluvan, Thousuvannana, Janna,  ,Prakyavuthan, Lokot, Dabut, Premak, Prami, Kruvakya and others.-ED., C. A. & L. R.

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Some of Saranankara Sangharaja's erudite disciples were Tibbotuwawa Siddhatha, Dhutangadhara Dhammarakkhita, Ginigatpitiye Dipankara or Sangha- rakkhita, Wirasara Rambukwella, Moratota Dhammakkhandha, and many other priest- pupils. Attaragama Bandara was one of many of his lay-pupils.

Saranankara was the author of the following well-known works:-

Muni-gunalankaraya, a Pali poem; Sarartha-sangrahava, a treatise on Buddhist doctrine; a Commentary in Sinhalese on Bodhi-wansa (Pali); a Sinhalese paraphrase of Chatu-bhana- wara (Pali); Rupa-mala, a Grammatical work; and a Sinhalese paraphrase of Bhesajja- manjusa, a great medical work in Pali.

The Sangharaja Saranankara Maha Thera's pupillary succession and its sub- branches are:
(i) Ginigatpitiye Sangharakkhita, High Priest of Seven Korales and his successors.
(ii) Medawala Ananda of Medawala Vihara and his successors.
(iii) Galagedara Indajoti and his successors.
(iv) Tibbotuwawa Siddhatha, High Priest of Ridi Vihara and his successors.
(v) Sitinamaluwe Dhammajoti of Kahandawe Vihara, Matota, and his successors.
(vi) Kadiragoda of Diyasunnata Vihara and his successors.
(vii) Ilupengamuwe and his successors.
(viii) Malimbadaof Velagama Vihara and his successors.

After leading a very active and useful life, entirely devoted to the cause of Buddhism in Ceylon, this great monk, the Sangharaja Saranankara, breathed his last aged 81, at Malwatta Vihara on Thursday the full-moon day of the lunar month Asalha (Esela), 1700 Saka (A.D. 1778) or Wassapagamana day of that year.
The cremation took place on the grounds of Ampitiye Vihara, and a monument to his memory was erected in the premises of the same Vihara.

End.