Sangha Dāna at Nalanda Centre in honour of Ven. Sri Saranankara Nāyaka Thero.

28 October 2013 marks the auspicious 60th birthday of the Most Venerable Bootawatte Sri Saranankara Nāyaka Thero.  Nalanda Buddhist Society records our felicitations and deep appreciation to Ven. Sri Saranankara for his tireless efforts in promoting the welfare of Malaysian people and in cultivating the spirit of social service and unity amongst Buddhists.

Ven. Sri Saranankara arrived in Malaysia from Sri Lanka 30 years ago.  Over the past 3 decades, his reverence has been working energetically to fulfill the spiritual and religious needs of Buddhists throughout the country.  As its abbot, his reverence had built the Sri Lanka Buddhist Temple in Sentul into an important monastery today with many resident bhikkhus.

Ven. Saranankara has been encouraging and supporting Nalanda’s monthly Pindacāra Programmes at Taman O.U.G. and Seri Kembangan since the beginning.

Besides, Ven. Sri Saranankara had also been instrumental in establishing many other Buddhist Societies, notably the Maha Karuna Buddhist Society, Kinrara Metta Buddhist Society, Mudita Buddhist Society, Upekkha Compassionate Home, and Sungai Long Buddhist Society.  Venerable Sri Saranankara is also the Spiritual Advisor to many Buddhist Societies throughout Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

In recognition of his vast contributions to the development of Malaysian Buddhist movement, the Malwatte Chapter of the Syamupali in Kandy, Sri Lanka, conferred upon Ven. Sri Saranankara the ecclesiastical title of “Adhikarana Sangha Nāyaka” in 2008.  The Theravada Buddhist Council of Malaysia also appointed him a Monastic Advisor in 2012.

Ven. Saranankara was a consistent participant of WACANA Conferences since 2007. Seen here with Nalanda Award recipients at WACANA 2007.

Nalanda’s relationship with Ven. Sri Saranankara stretches back to the earliest days of our Society.  In fact, his reverence either officiated at or was present for the launching of EVERY Nalanda facility – starting with the original Nalanda Dharma Centre (2003), Nalanda House (2005), Nalanda Institute (2007), Nalanda Book Cafe (2009), Nalanda Centre (2009), Pustaka Nalanda (2011), NEO Centre KL (2011), and most recently, NEO Centre JB (2013).

Nalandians certainly feel proud to be associated with a respectable, venerable, humble, and inspirational senior monk such as Ven. Sri Saranankara.  We pray that his reverence will be blessed with good health, long life, peace and happiness.  May his reverence carry out his noble mission successfully!  Bhavatu sabba mangalam!  Namo Bhante!