Rāmañña Nikāya (, also spelled Ramanya Nikaya) was one of the three major

Buddhist Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...

orders in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara, returned to

after being ordained by the Neyyadhamma Munivara Sangharaja of Ratnapunna Vihara in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

. It was one of three Sri Lankan orthodox Buddhist monastic orders, along with Siam Nikaya and Amarapura Nikaya. On 16 August 2019, the Amarapura and Rammana Nikaya were unified as the

Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya The Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya () is the larger of the two Theravada, Buddhist Nikāya, monastic orders () in Buddhism in Sri Lanka, Sri Lanka, the other being the Siam Nikaya, Siyam Nikāya. History The order came into existence on August ...

, making it the largest Buddhist fraternity in Sri Lanka.

Similar orders

Rāmañña Nikāya was said to be similar to the

Thammayut Nikaya Dhammayuttika Nikāya (Pali language, Pali; ; ; , ), or Dhammayut Order (), is an Buddhist monasticism, order of Theravada Buddhist ''bhikkhus'' (monks) in Buddhism in Thailand, Thailand, Buddhism in Cambodia, Cambodia, and Buddhism in Myanmar, ...

order of

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

. Rāmañña Nikāya is currently survived in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka. The Most Ven. Napana Premasiri Thero was appointed the Head of the Rāmañña Nikāya on 3 September 2012 following the demise of Venenerable

Weweldeniye Medhalankara Thera 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. Followi ...

aged 103. Rāmañña Nikāya was established on 12 June 1864 in participation with Ven. Ambagahawatte Indaasabhawara Gaanasaami Maha Thera, Ven.Puwakdandawe Paññānanda, Ven.Warāpitiye Sumitta thera. First Maha Nayaka Thero - Most Ven. Ambagahawatte Indrasabhawara Gnanasami Maha Thera. Main Station - Mūla Maha Viharaya, Payagala,

Kalutara Kalutara (, ) or Kalutota is a major city in Kalutara District, Western Province, Sri Lanka. It is also the administrative capital of Kalutara District. It is located approximately south of the capital Colombo. The city holds a unique posit ...

Ascetic Tendency

In the beginning, the Majority of monasteries of Rāmañña Nikāya were forest monasteries. Although many village temples have been emerged in modern days, the forest tradition is still being continued by Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā of Rāmañña Nikāya which is the most strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka.

Resistance to Modernization

Though it has been impossible to resist completely, many old and simple traditions have been still survived in Rāmañña Nikāya. The monks of the Nikaya can be distinguished by the traditions such as using palm leaf umbrellas and alms bowls and covering both shoulders while traveling. "Ramanna nikaya had its own distinctive style. They used begging bowls instead of plates. Instead of umbrellas, they used folded palmyrah leaves, in the form of “bogava”. The bogava introduced by Ven. Ambagahawatte Thero was made usable by CB Nugawela, chairman of the Up country Sabha for the Protection of Nikaya. They wore robes that were dyed according to the traditional rules."Kamalika Pieris, Buddhist Nikayas in Sri Lanka part 3, May 5th, 2020

Forest Dwelling and Meditation Practice

Many of the well known 'Forest Meditation Masters' and 'Forest Monasteries' are said to be in the former Rāmañña Nikāya. Most ven. Puwakdandawe Paññānanda Maha Thera was the pioneer of forest dwellers of Rāmañña Nikāya. Most ven. Kadavedduve Jinavamsa Maha Thera was a well-known founder of Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā the major forest sect of Rāmañña Nikāya. Most ven. Matara Sri Gnanarama Maha Thera, Most ven. Matale Silarakkhita Maha Thera. Most ven. Madawala dhammatilaka and Most Venerable Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahāthēra were well-known meditation masters of Rāmañña Nikāya Forest Tradition.

Mahanayaka Theros of Rāmañña Nikāya

The following is a list of Mahanayaka theros of Sri Lanka Ramanna Nikaya. #Ven. Ambagahawatte Indrasabhawara Gnanasami Maha Thera (1880–1886) #Ven. Deepegoda Saddammawara Jothipala Seelakkandabidhana Maha Thero (1887-1916) #Ven. Obadakannde Siri Vimalananda Maha Thero (1917-1924) #Ven. Matara Gnanindasaba Maha Thero (1924-1937) #Ven. Kodagoda Upasenabhidhana Maha Thero (1937-1939) #Ven. Matale Dhammasiddhi Maha Thero (1939-1940) #Ven. Karathota Siri Indasarathissa Maha Thero (1941-1954) #Ven. Hisselle Siri Gnanodaya Maha Thero (1954-1966) #Ven. Deepegoda Chandavimala Maha Thero (1966-1976) #Ven. Induruwe Uttharanandabidhana Maha Thero (1976-1986) #Ven. Pottewela Pannasara Maha Thero (1986-1997) #Ven. Weweldeniye Medhalankara Thero (1998–2012) #Ven. Napana Pemasiri Maha Thero (2012–2020) #Ven. Makulawe Wimala Thero (2020–present)

References

External links

Official website of the Sri Lanka Rāmañña Nikāya

Official website of Ven. Weweldeniye Medhalankara Thera
*''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'' by Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr.,Princeton University Press,Princeton,2014,p. 696 : {{Buddhism in Sri Lanka Religious organizations established in 1864 Theravada Buddhist orders Schools of Buddhism founded in Sri Lanka 1800s establishments in Sri Lanka 2019 disestablishments in Sri Lanka