Mahanayaka (also spelled as Maha Nayaka, Maha Nayake)

thero ''Thero'' (commonly appearing in the masculine and feminine forms ''thera'' and ''therī'' respectively) is an honorific term in Pali for senior bhikkhus and bhikkhunis (Buddhist monks and nuns) in the Buddhist monastic order. The word literall ...

s are high-ranking Buddhist monks who oversee and regulate the Buddhist clergy in

Theravada ''Theravāda'' (; 'School of the Elders'; ) is Buddhism's oldest existing school. The school's adherents, termed ''Theravādins'' (anglicized from Pali ''theravādī''), have preserved their version of the Buddha's teaching or ''Dharma (Buddhi ...

Buddhist countries. The title ''Maha Nayaka'' translates to English as 'Great Leader' and it is considered to be a very important position held by a monk in a Theravada Buddhist country. It is usually bestowed upon the senior Buddhist monks who are appointed the chief prelates of monastic fraternities known as '' Nikayas''.

Sri Lankan tradition

In Sri Lankan Buddhist tradition, the title ''Mahanayaka'' is held by the heads of the chapters of all three main sects,

Siam Nikaya The Siam (also Siyamopali and Siyam) Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lankan Buddhism, founded by Upali Thera of Siyam, on the initiatives taken by Weliwita Sri Saranankara thera to revive Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the mid 18th century. A ...

(Estd. 1753),

Amarapura Nikaya Amarapura (, , ; also spelt as Ummerapoora) is a former capital of Myanmar, and now a township of Mandalay city. Amarapura is bounded by the Irrawaddy river in the west, Chanmyathazi Township in the north, and the ancient capital site of Ava ...

(Estd. 1803) and

Ramanna Nikaya ''Ramanaa'' is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language vigilante action film written and directed by A. R. Murugadoss, stars Vijayakanth, Simran (in a cameo appearance) and Ashima Bhalla in lead roles. The film is about a man named Ramana who decides ...

(Estd. 1864). Appointment of senior Buddhist monks to the Mahanayaka position in Sri Lanka began with the re-establishment of Upasampada higher ordination in 1753 on the initiatives taken by

Sangharaja Sangharaja (Pāli: ''sangha'' religious community + ''raja'' ruler, king, or prince) is the title given in many Theravada Buddhist countries to a senior monk who is the titular head either of a monastic fraternity ( nikaya), or of the ''Sangha'' t ...

Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero Weliwita Asaranasarana Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Thero (19 June 1698 – 18 July 1778) or popularly Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero was a Buddhist monk, who was the last Sangharaja of Sri Lanka. He was the pioneer in the revival of Buddhism in Sri ...

during the reign of king

Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Kandy Kirti Sri Rajasinha (Sinhala language, Sinhala: කීර්ති ශ්‍රී රාජසිංහ, Tamil language, Tamil: கீர்த்தி ஸ்ரீ ராஜசிங்கம்; 1734 – 2 January 1782) was the second Nayaks ...

. The deputies of mahanayaka theros are known as ''Anunayaka'' theros (also spelled as ''Anu Nayaka''), who generally succeed to the Mahanayaka position, after a death of an incumbent monk. Next in the hierarchy are Chief ''Sanghanayaka'' theros (also spelled as ''Sangha Nayaka''), who have the jurisdiction over monks in a region, province or a district, while the ''Nayaka'' theros have the precedence in a temple or a group of connected temples. Prominent Mahanayake theros who are presently in office and their immediate predecessors are listed below.

Present Mahanayaka theros

* Most Ven. Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero - Mahanayaka of the Malwatta chapter of

Siyam Nikaya The Siam (also Siyamopali and Siyam) Nikaya is a monastic order within Sri Lankan Buddhism, founded by Upali Thera of Siyam, on the initiatives taken by Weliwita Sri Saranankara thera to revive Buddhism in Sri Lanka in the mid 18th century. A ...

* Most Ven. Warakagoda Sri Gnanarathana Thero - Mahanayaka of the

Asgiriya chapter Asgiri Maha Viharaya (also called Asgiriya temple, Asgiriya Gedige) is a Buddhist monastery located in Kandy, Sri Lanka. It is the headquarters of the Asgiriya chapter of Siyam Nikaya, one of the two Buddhist monasteries that holds the custodians ...

* Most Ven.

Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthy Thero Karagoda Uyangoda Maithri Murthy Thero (born 1 October 1948) is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Nikāya. He has been appointed as the 5th supreme Mahanayaka Thero of Sri Lanka Amarapura Nik ...

- Supreme Mahanayaka of Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha * Most Ven.

Makulawe Wimala Thero Makulawe Wimala Thero (born 25 August 1948) is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya ''Ramanaa'' is a 2002 Indian Tamil-language vigilante action film written and directed by A. R. M ...

- Mahanayaka of Sri Lanka

Former Mahanayaka theros

Some of the former mahanayke theros who have died in recent years are listed below. * Most Ven. Dodampahala Chandrasiri Thero - Former Supreme Mahanayaka of Amarapura Nikaya * Most Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thera - Former Supreme Mahanayaka of Amarapura Nikaya * Most Ven. Napana Pemasiri Thera - Former Mahanayaka of the Sri Lanka

* Most Ven. Galagama Sri Aththadassi Thera - Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter of

. * Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Thero - Former Mahanayaka of the Asgiriya Chapter of

* Most Ven. Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Thera - Former Mahanayake of the Malwatta Chapter of Siyam Nikaya * Most Ven. Davuldena Sri Gnanissara Thero - Former Supreme Mahanayaka of

* Most Ven.

Weweldeniye Medhalankara Thero The Most Venerable Wewaldeniye Medhalankara Thero () (7 December 1909 – 30 August 2012) was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who was the 12th Maha Nayaka of Ramanna Nikaya and the chief incumbent of the Shasanawardhana Pirivena, Mirigama. Following ...

- Former Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya

Privileges

The Mahanayaka theros of the Malwatta chapter and Asgiriya Chapter were traditionally referred by the Sri Lankan Government as the head of the Buddhist clergy in the country. As such certain state privileges have been extended since Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948. These include state provisions for

official residence An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless of whether it carries an actual working space with it) in an organization or government and participates in the exercise of authority (either their own or that of th ...

s (aramayas), official vehicles and

state funeral A state funeral is a public funeral ceremony, observing the strict rules of protocol, held to honour people of national significance. State funerals usually include much pomp and ceremony as well as religious overtones and distinctive elements o ...

s. With the formation of Supreme Mahanayaka post of Amarapura nikaya in 1969, state patronage has been extended to the Mahanayaka theros of the other nikayas as well.Mahanayakes’ Aramayas to be taken over by the Govt.
/ref>

References

{{Reflist

External links