Ven Balangoda Ananda Maitreya
Ven Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Maha Swaminweahanse
Reproducing in ectronic media in memory of his death anniversay which fell on 23 August) The 99th birthday of the Most Ven. Aggamahapanditha Balangoda Anandamaitreya Mahanayake Thero was celebrated at The Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre, Kingsbury, North West London on 23 August 1994. The Ven. Mahanayake was observing the lent of Rainy Season (Vassna Retreat) in London at the time. Addressing the large gathering on this occasion Ven. Thera said : ‘ You are celebrating my birthday and I am reaching my 99th year. That means my life span is fast coming to an end. Is this a thing to celebrate ? Well ! as for me, it is a thing for celebration, because nearer I go towards death happier I feel, as I know nearing my death means I am moving towards a new birth. My humble wish is to be reborn over and over again among human beings for the service of the Buddha Dhamma. In this life I could not fulfil my wish to its pristine purity. But I know in my next life I will be more influential, better learned, much stronger and capable of carrying out my service to propagate Buddhism in the world. It is common knowledge in Sri Lanka that my aspiration is to attain Buddha hood some day in the distant future. Perhaps it will be decided when I see Lord Maitreya’. Q. I am sure people in Sri Lanka would like to know something about your life prior to your priesthood. Would you like to talk about it? A. I was born on 23 August 1896 to Heenmenike and Mathies Appuhamy. Fourteen days after I was born my mother had died and my saddened father had left the village altogether. It was my uncle Dingirihamy Mudalali (father’s brother) and his wife Yasohamine who brought me up. To me they were my parents. Q. What were you called in your childhood, and what made you to enter priesthood? A. My (gihi) name was Punchi Mahattaya. At the age of 9 an eminent figure from the Mahabodhi Society, Brahmacharya Walisinghe Harrischandra visited my
Reproducing in ectronic media in memory of his death anniversay which fell on 23 August) The 99th birthday of the Most Ven. Aggamahapanditha Balangoda Anandamaitreya Mahanayake Thero was celebrated at The Saddhatissa International Buddhist Centre, Kingsbury, North West London on 23 August 1994. The Ven. Mahanayake was observing the lent of Rainy Season (Vassna Retreat) in London at the time. Addressing the large gathering on this occasion Ven. Thera said : ‘ You are celebrating my birthday and I am reaching my 99th year. That means my life span is fast coming to an end. Is this a thing to celebrate ? Well ! as for me, it is a thing for celebration, because nearer I go towards death happier I feel, as I know nearing my death means I am moving towards a new birth. My humble wish is to be reborn over and over again among human beings for the service of the Buddha Dhamma. In this life I could not fulfil my wish to its pristine purity. But I know in my next life I will be more influential, better learned, much stronger and capable of carrying out my service to propagate Buddhism in the world. It is common knowledge in Sri Lanka that my aspiration is to attain Buddha hood some day in the distant future. Perhaps it will be decided when I see Lord Maitreya’. Q. I am sure people in Sri Lanka would like to know something about your life prior to your priesthood. Would you like to talk about it? A. I was born on 23 August 1896 to Heenmenike and Mathies Appuhamy. Fourteen days after I was born my mother had died and my saddened father had left the village altogether. It was my uncle Dingirihamy Mudalali (father’s brother) and his wife Yasohamine who brought me up. To me they were my parents. Q. What were you called in your childhood, and what made you to enter priesthood? A. My (gihi) name was Punchi Mahattaya. At the age of 9 an eminent figure from the Mahabodhi Society, Brahmacharya Walisinghe Harrischandra visited my