Most Venerable Agga Maha Panditha Kotugoda Dhammawasa Maha Nayaka Thera was one of the few Bhikkus in Sri Lanka who could keep the attention and the interest of his audience from the start of a talk to the end. His identity was his own superb inimitable style of preaching. His serene, compassionate, pleasing and pleasant delivery was coupled with a rhythmic and enchanting voice with simple but brilliant vocabulary.
His in-depth knowledge of Buddhist history and the history of Sri Lanka has made people understand that this great monk was indeed a living encyclopedia. His wide knowledge on Buddhist philosophy and of comparative religions made him the most distinguished and most learned popular Buddhist preacher in the island. Regular programmes uninterrupted for more than 60 years, clearly shows what a genius preacher he was. Millions were glued to the radio sets to listen to Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Maha Nayaka Thera.
During his childhood, after school, Sirimevan had a habit of visiting the village temple. Here, with other children, he studied Buddhist books such as Buddhagajjaya, Namastasatakaya, Vadankavi Potha etc, Sinhala, Pali and Sanskrit under the chief monk Venerable Kotugoda Pemananda Nayaka Thera. The little child was intelligent and hardworking. His meritorious deeds in Samsara must have motivated him to enter the Order.
His close association with the village temple motivated him to be a Buddhist monk. I presume it would have been his meritorious deeds he accumulated in his previous births in his Samsaric journeys that prompted Sirimevan Rodrigo to enter the Buddhist Order. He was an extraordinary child.
The Chief Priest at Kotugoda Temple, Venerable Kotugoda Pemananda Nayaka Thera had a close connection with a monk named Ven. Unawatune Dhammapala Thera, who had a small temple or Awasaya in Mount Lavinia. It was here at Dharmapalayaramaya Temple, Mount Lavinia, that the 15-year-old Sirimevan Rodrigo entered the Order on August 17, 1948, as Kotugoda Dhammawasa.
He started his Pirivena education at the Paramadhammachetiya Pirivena, Rathmalana and later at Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda. The young Samanera, Kotugoda Dhammawasa was a brilliant student. Further, he too attended all religious activities conducted by the Dharmapalayaramaya Temple.
It was during this time he started delivering Dhamma Anusasana. He enjoyed it and was committed to it. As his Guru, Ven. Unawatune Dhammapala Thera suffered from asthma, it was left to young Samanera Dhammawasa to deliver Anusasanas frequently. At a young age, he gained the art of delivering Anusasana.
While studying at Vidyodaya Pirivena, Maligakanda, Ven. Dhammawasa Thera realized the value of English education. He learned English at the Padhanagara Dharmadhuta Vidyalaya and later at the Pembroke Academy close to Royal College, Colombo.
On July 10, 1954, Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera obtained Upasampada - Higher Ordination. The Upasampada ceremony was conducted at the Kalugange Udakuppeke Simamalakaya, Kalutara. It was conducted and officiated by the late Agga Maha Panditha Ven. Beruwela Sirinivasa Maha Nayaka Thera.
The great and pious monk Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera was also a reputed Buddhist writer. He became a ‘Literary Giant’ among the Buddhist monks. Apart from his Dhamma Anusasana from 1965, he contributed enormously to Buddhist literature by writing valuable books on Buddhism and printing them and distributing leaflets on Buddhism.
Anusasana on Radio
Records show that on April 21, 1928, the first-ever Dhammadesanawa was relayed on Radio Ceylon. It was delivered by Most Venerable Pelene Sri Vajiragnana Maha Nayaka Thera of Vajiraramaya, Bambalapitiya. Thereafter, Anusasanas were delivered by many reputed Bhikkus and Buddhist discussions, Buddhist talks, Dhamma Chinta and weekly Anusasanas became a regular feature to date in Radio Ceylon and later at the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera succeeded as the Chief Incumbent of Dharmapalayaramaya, Mount Lavinia after the demise of his ‘Guru Hamuduruwo’, Ven. Unawatune Dhammapala Thera.
Added to his prowess as a leading Dhamma preacher, he took an active part in propagating Buddhist missionary activities in countries such as Nepal, Japan, USA, Pakistan, Thailand, Russia, Myanmar, India, Mongolia, Siberia, and Singapore etc.
Further, Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Nayaka Thera constructed a Buddhist centre named ‘Upali Dharma Ashramaya’ close to Sella Kataragama in a land donated to him by a devotee, Buddhini Devi Bandaranaike.
Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera was honoured with the titles Dharmapala Vansalankara Saddharma Keerthi Sri Tripitaka Visharadha and Kotte Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha gave him the title Pravachana Keerthi Sri Sasana Sobhana.
Venerable Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera was involved with most of the national, religious and cultural development projects. He also served as the most venerated adviser for the Ministry of Buddha Sasana. He also functioned as Patron of the All Ceylon Buddhist Association, Dehiwala Bauddhodaya Samitiya and Sri Lanka Buddhist and Pali Universities.
There are more than 20 pupils ordained under Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera. There are 12 Nepalese priests, eight are from Czechoslovakia and two from Bangladesh. Ven. Dr. Dhammapala Thera is currently in Los Angeles attending to missionary activities. Then there are Ven. Thappasi Dhamma Thera of Nepal and Ven. Professor Medawacchiye Dhammajoti Thera, a senior lecturer at the University of Ceylon, Colombo.
Like their eminent teacher Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera, all his pupils are pious, committed and disciplined monks who devote and commit their entire life to the propagation of Theravada Buddhism.
Many Buddhist devotees are not fully aware that at Dharmapalayaramaya Temple, Mount Lavinia you will find a branch or a sapling of the most venerated Ananda Bodhiya of India. It was gifted to Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera many years ago. Many Buddhist devotees daily flock to worship the branch of the Ananda Bodhiya. Bodhi Poojas are held to venerate this important Ananda Bodhiya daily. This is probably the only Ananda Bodhi branch on Sri Lankan soil.
The great, pious, compassionate and scholarly monk, Sri Lanka’s voice of Dharmadesanas, Ven Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera was the recipient of the prestigious title Agg Maha Panditha. He received this title on March 2, 2007 at Swarnaguha Hall, Myanmar. The Most Venerable Maha Nayaka Thera passed away in the early hours of March 22 after a brief illness. He surely has achieved what all Buddhists yearn for. Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu.
