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Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara – much more than a temple
Bellanwila is a typical Sri Lankan suburban village situated in a picturesque rural setting in the outskirts of Colombo, the commercial capital of Sri Lanka. Just three kilometers away from the City limits, Bellanwila is famous for its Buddhist temple with a long history dating back to the Anuradhapura era, the golden age of Sri Lanka, over 2000 years ago. That was the time when the Sinhalese monarchs ruled the country strictly according to Buddhist principles and the people led a way of life in keeping with the teachings of the Buddha.
The great sanctity attached to the Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara (signifying that the temple was in existence from the time of Sinhalese monarchs) is its Bodhi-tree and history records that it is one of the thirty two saplings that sprung from the fruits of the sacred Bodhi-tree in Anuradhapura where a branch of the original tree under which the Buddha attained Enlightenment thrives to this day. Devotees flock to the temple daily to worship at the foot of the Bodhi-tree with the firm belief that such devotion gives them mental happiness and a healthy life. They offer flowers, 'bathe' the Bodhi-tree and light lamps in the traditional way using coconut oil.
The
present chief incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara is Ven.
Bellanwila Dhammaratana Maha Thero, the senior pupil of the late Ven.
Bellanwila Sri Somaratana Nayaka Thera. He, a student of Vidyalankara
Pirivena, is a graduate of Vidyalankara University. After graduation, he
served as the Deputy Principal and Principal at two prestigious seats of
learning Sunethradevi Pirivena and Paramadhamma Chetiya Pirivena
respectively.
Ven. Dhammaratana left Sri Lanka for Dhammaduta activities to Singapore in 1973 on the invitation of Ven. M. Mahavihara. There he founded the Buddhist Research Society and established the first ever Buddhist Library in Singapore. Conducting regular Dhamma classes, lectures and seminars are the main activities of the Singapore Buddhist Library . He also founded the Paramita International Buddhist Centre at Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka with the assistance of Buddhists in Singapore.
In 2003, he earned a Master of Philosophy from Kelaniya University and in December 2004, was appointed as the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Singapore by Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dhama Maha Sangha Sabha.
Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratana,
deputy incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha Vihara and President of the
Bellanwila Community Development Foundation, is the General Secretary of the Kotte
Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of the Syamapali Maha Nakaya, one of the three sects of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.
In 1980, he
earned his Ph.D. at Lancaster University in the U.K.and taught as a professor at the Department
of Pali and Buddhist Studies, Sri Jayawardhanapura University. Ven. Dr.
Wimalaratana is also the General Secretary of the
World Buddhist Sangha
Council and Core Secretary of the Congress of Religions, Sri Lanka.
The Sri Lanka Community Development Foundation, now popularly known as the Bellanwila Community Development Foundation was established by Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Wimalaratana Nayaka Thera in November 1980. As a non-profit making organization, it has been in the forefront of technical education in the area. It is providing training to youth in a wide range of professions and skills, such as courses in house wiring, computers, draftsmanship, refrigeration, air conditioning, and motor mechanics, etc. enabling many young people to enter into the job market. The Nayaka Thera has begun expanding the activities of this organization to the remote areas of Sri Lanka where youth in large numbers need the services of such an organization to lead them to the modern society.
Besides these programs, free medical clinics are held for the indigent elderly, nutrition programs are conducted to prevent malnutrition in children as well as general welfare projects.
The Bellanwila Dayaka Sabha (Temple Committee) performs yeoman service in all activities connected with the temple. It is a very dynamic organization, really forming the link between the temple and the devotees, marshalling their services and help whenever the temple is involved in performing social and cultural activities.
Sri Bodhiraja Kulangana Samitiya is the women's wing of the temple society. It is constituted of the women of the village and plays a very vital role in all religious activities of the temple. Besides taking an active role in Poya day activities and annual religious ceremonies, they help the children of low-income families by annually distributing books and stationary.
The Young Buddhist's Association is another wing of the temple organization. The membership of this organization is mainly constituted of the youth of the villages in close proximity to the temple, such as Bellanwila, Boralesgamuwa, Rattanapitiya, Divulpitiya, Pepiliyana, Nikape and Attidiya.
They shoulder a great responsibility in the realization of the annual Perahera and the week-long pirith chanting. Along with the Dayaka Sabha and the Kulangana Samitiya, the Young Buddhgist's Association is doing commendable work.
This is the temple in which Ven. Thengodagedara, who rediscovered Bellanwila temple, resided. This temple has been renovated by Most Ven. Sri Somaratana and the present deputy incumbent of the Bellanwila temple. There is a Dhamma school and computer training centre in this temple.
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Rajamaha Vihara Bellanwila Boralesgamuwa, Sri Lanka
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Visitors since February 22, 2005
