Most Venerable Aggamaha Panditha Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera, the Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya passed away yesterday (22) morning at the age of 88 while receiving treatment at a private hospital in Colombo.
The Most Venerable Aggamaha Panditha Maha Nayake Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera was born on January 23, 1933 in the village of Kotugoda, Minuwangoda and was ordained in 1948.
The cremation will be held with full state honours on Thursday, March 25 at 4.00 pm at Independence Square, Colombo, on the instructions of the President, the Department of Buddhist Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office, Colombo Government Agent District Secretary Pradeep Priyankara Yasaratne said.
The Mahanayake Thera was conferred with the “Aggamaha Panditha” title by the Myanmar Government on March 2, 2007 at Swarnaguha Hall, Myanmar.
He was selected as Supreme Mahanayake Thera of the Amarapura Nikaya in May 2017, following the Passing Away of Most Venerable Agga Maha Panditha Davuldena Gnanissara Thera.
Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera is credited with the distinction of having delivered sermons over national radio for over 50 years.
His sermons have also been widely attended by audiences in India, Nepal, China, Japan, Germany, the USA, Russia, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Pakistan and Mongolia.
Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa was also a prolific author, having published more than 36 books on various subjects related to Buddhism since the 1960s.
