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36-696: The order came into existence on August 16, 2019 through the union of the Amarapura Nikāya and Rāmañña Nikāya , which had been in the works for a number of years. Koṭugoḍa Dhammāvāsa Thera notably underscored that there was no need to maintain two separate orders. Siri Kalyāṇī Yogassama Santhā , an independent division of the Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya, is currently the largest body of forest monks and nuns in Sri Lanka. [REDACTED] Sri Lanka portal This Theravada -related article

72-476: A chief monk of Amarapura sect is credited for establishing first Buddhist school in Sri Lanka in 1869. He is also credited for popularizing the 'Poruwa' ceremony at Buddhist weddings in Sri Lanka. Piyaratana Tissa Thero is one of the few monks who exchanged correspondence with Colonel Henry Steel Olcott several years before Olcott arrived in Sri Lanka. Arrival of Colonel Olcott lead to a significant revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka later. The Amaprapura nikaya which

108-532: A core group of ordained monks and provided the required quorum for higher ordination of Amarapura Nikaya monks in Sri Lanka. The higher ordination denied to them in 1764 by the Govigama conspirators had been regained and they were soon granted recognition by the colonial British government. However, the radical change of ordination rules by the Siam Nikaya in 1764 and its continuance despite it being contrary to

144-636: A group within the newly created Siam Nikaya succeeded in restricting upasampada only to the Govigama caste. It was a period when the traditional nobility of the Kingdom of Kandy was decimated by continuous wars with the Dutch rulers of the maritime provinces. In the maritime provinces too, a new order was replacing the old. Mandarampura Puvata, a text from the Kandyan period, narrates the above radical changes to

180-636: A new succession of Higher ordination. Two Sahabandu Mudaliyars and the other prominent dayakayas undertook to bear the expenses of the mission and make the necessary arrangements for the journey. But during the trip, they had an incident where the ship suddenly stopped moving. Once it was able to move again, the Dutch-national captain of the ship suggested that Buddhism was in a more flourishing condition in Amarapura, Burma, than in Siam. The monk agreed to

216-548: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Sri Lanka –related article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Amarapura Nik%C4%81ya The Amarapura Nikaya ( Sinhala : අමරපුර මහ නිකාය ) was a Sri Lankan monastic fraternity ( gaṇa or nikāya ) founded in 1800. It is named after the city of Amarapura , Burma, the capital of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma at that time. Amarapura Nikaya monks are Theravada Buddhists . On 16 August 2019,

252-715: Is a Sangha Sabha of nearly 1000 monks called " Mahamevnawa Maha Sangha Sabha " in the Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monasteries reserve belonging to the Amarapura Sri Kalayaniwansa sect. [REDACTED] Sri Lanka portal 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

288-518: Is a celebration which includes a parade in which the focus is the relic of the tooth of the Buddha . This procession was originally focused on honour to Hindu deities , particularly those incorporated into Sri Lankan Buddhism . Upali Thera believed this to be inappropriate in a Buddhist nation, and his influence led to the king declaring that "Henceforth Gods and men are to follow the Buddha". (Estimates from Ministry of Buddha Sasana, Sri Lanka) By

324-523: The Karava , Durava and Salagama from South India. The establishment of the Amarapura Nikaya was significant because it signaled a change in the social dynamic of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. For the first time, a monastic lineage had been created not through royal patronage of a Buddhist king, but through the collective action of a dedicated group of Buddhist laymen. The Amarapura Nikaya

360-470: The Amarapura and Ramanna Nikaya were unified as the Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya , making it the largest Buddhist fraternity in Sri Lanka. By the mid-18th century, upasampada – higher ordination as a bhikkhu (monk), as distinct from sāmaṇera or novitiate ordination – had become extinct in Sri Lanka. The Buddhist order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and

396-527: The Buddhists in the maritime provinces were denied access to a valid ordination lineage. Hoping to rectify this situation, wealthy laymen from the maritime provinces financed an expedition to Siam to found a new monastic lineage. In 1799, Walitota Sri Gnanawimalatisssa a monk from the Salagama caste , from Balapitiya on the south western coast of Sri Lanka, departed for Siam with a group of novices to seek

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432-654: The Dutch), and the lay administrators were executed. Upali Thera believed the Buddhist Sangha in Kandy was suffering from a state of corruption, which included the practice of astrology and his efforts were aimed at "purifying" the practices of the monastic order. It was also through the efforts of Upali Thera that the Kandy Esala Perahera was reorganized in its present form. Annually in Kandy, there

468-617: The Kandyan Kingdom. The Siyam Nikaya traditionally grants Higher ordination only to the Radala and Govigama castes, Sitinamaluwe Dhammajoti (Durawa) being the last non-Govigama monk to receive upasampada. This conspiracy festered within the Siyam Nikaya itself and Moratota Dhammakkandha, Mahanayaka of Kandy, with the help of the last two Kandyan Telugu Kings victimized the low country Mahanayaka Karatota Dhammaranma by confiscating

504-570: The Nikaya's higher ordination only to the Radala and Govigama caste, Sitinamaluwe Dhammajoti (Durawa) being the last non-Govigama monk receive his upasampada. This was a period when Buddhist Vinaya rules had been virtually abandoned and some members of the Buddhist Sangha in the Kandyan Kingdom privately held land, had wives and children, resided in private homes and were called Ganinnanses. It

540-575: The Sangha who opposed this change were banished to Jaffna by the leaders of the reform. The Govigama exclusivity of the Sangha thus secured in 1764 was almost immediately challenged by other castes who without the patronage of the King of Kandy or of the British, held their own upasampada ceremony at Totagamuwa Vihara in 1772. Another was held at Tangalle in 1798. Neither of these ceremonies were approved by

576-597: The Siam Nikaya which claimed that these were not in accordance with the Vinaya rules. The principal places of Buddhist worship in Sri Lanka including the Temple of the Tooth Relic , Adam's Peak , Kelaniya and over 6,000 other temples are now under the administration of the Siyam Nikaya. From time immemorial the sacred Tooth Relic of Gautama Buddha has been considered the symbol of the rulers of Sri Lanka. As time went on,

612-536: The Thai monk Upali Thera visited Kandy during the reign of King Kirti Sri Rajasinghe (1747–1782) and once again reestablished the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka in 1753. It was called the Siyam Nikaya after the "Kingdom of Siam". However, in 1764, merely a decade after the re-establishment of the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka by reverend Upali, a group within the newly created Siyam Nikaya conspired and succeeded in restricting

648-473: The initiative of Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero (1698–1778) the Thai monk Upali Thera visited Kandy during the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Kandy (1747–1782) and once again reestablished the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka in 1753. It was called the Siam Nikaya after a name for Thailand . However, in 1764, merely a decade after the reestablishment of the Buddhist order in Sri Lanka by reverend Upali,

684-615: The initiative of Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero (1698–1778) the Thai monk Upali visited the Kingdom of Kandy in 1753 during the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasinha of Kandy (1747–1782), and there performed upasampada for a group of Kandyans. The Buddhist monastic order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and was re-established in the reigns of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591–1604) and Vimala Dharma Suriya II (1687–1707) as well. These reestablishments were short lived. Although hagiographies written within Sri Lanka avoid

720-592: The island they established a udakhupkhepa sima (a flotilla of boats moved together to form a platform on the water) at the Maduganga River , Balapitiya and, under the most senior Burmese bhikkhus who accompanied them, held an upasampada ceremony on the Uposatha of Vesak . The new fraternity came to be known as the Amarapura Nikaya after the capital city of King Bodawpaya. Several subsequent trips to Burma by Karava and Durava monks as well, created by 1810

756-431: The issue, the foundation of the Siam Nikaya was closely linked to both the aristocratic and caste politics of its era, including an attempted coup d'état that is unusually well-documented, due to the interaction of the colonial Dutch and the king of Kandy at the time: [T]he plot of 1760... occurred during the reign of Kirti Sri Rajasimha and shortly after the formal beginnings of the Siyam Nikaya in 1753. One group within

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792-476: The local aristocracy conspired to overthrow the king and place a Siamese prince on the throne. The leaders are said to have included not only key lay administrators... but also some of the leading Siyam Nikaya monks. Valivita Saranamkara, founder of the Siyam Nikaya, and his chief student... were named among the conspirators. The plot was discovered, the Siamese prince was deported (with the reluctant assistance of

828-583: The mid 18th century. At the beginning it was located predominantly around the city of Kandy but now has spread to the other parts of the country as well. It is named as 'Siyam' because it was originated within Thailand (formerly known in Sri Lanka as "Siyam Deshaya" and Europe as the "Kingdom of Siam"). The Siyam Nikaya has two major divisions ( Malwatta and Asgiriya ) and five other divisions within these two major units. The Malwatta and Asgiriya chapters have two separate Maha Nayaka theros or chief monks. On

864-456: The mid-18th century, upasampada (higher ordination, as distinct from samanera or novice ordination) had become extinct in Sri Lanka again. The Buddhist order had become extinct thrice during the preceding five hundred years and was re-established in the reigns of Vimala Dharma Suriya I (1591–1604) and Vimala Dharma Suriya II (1687–1707) as well. These re-establishments were short lived. On the initiative of Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thero (1698–1778)

900-536: The monastic order and shows that it was not a unanimous decision by the body of the sangha. It says that thirty-two 'senior' members of the Sangha who opposed this change were banished to Jaffna by the leaders of the reform. The Govigama exclusivity of the Sangha thus secured in 1764 was almost immediately challenged by other castes who without the patronage of the King of Kandy or of the British , held their own upasampada ceremony at Totagamuwa Vihara in 1772. Another

936-572: The seat of the kingdom was moved from Anuradhapura to Polonnaruwa, then to Dambadeniya and other cities. Upon each change of capital, a new palace was built to enshrine the Relic. Finally, it was brought to Kandy where it is at present, in the Temple of the Tooth. The oldest Buddhist sect in Sri Lanka, the Siam Nikaya (estd. 19 July 1753) has been the custodian of the Tooth Relic, since its establishment during

972-666: The suggestion of the captain and the latter, through the Dutch consul at Hanthawaddy (now Bago, Burma), obtained the necessary introductions to the religious and administrative authorities in Amarapura. The first bhikkhu was ordained in Burma in 1800 by the Sangharaja of Burma, his party having been welcomed to Burma by King Bodawpaya . The members of the mission studied under the Sangharaja for two years. The initial mission returned to Sri Lanka in 1803. Soon after their return to

1008-663: The teachings of the Gautama Buddha , plagues the Sri Lankan Buddhist Sangha, which remains divided on caste lines. This division maybe justified from a certain perspective given the Dravidian origins of the Karava , Durava and Salagama peoples. It maybe further justified by the fact that the Govigama were the earlier inhabitants of the Sinhalese ethnicity before the arrival and integration of

1044-510: Was a period when the traditional nobility of the Kandyan Kingdom was decimated by continuous wars with the Dutch rulers of the Maritime Provinces. In the maritime provinces, too a new order was replacing the old. Mandarampura Puvata, a text from the Kandyan period, narrates the above radical changes to the monastic order and shows that it was not a unanimous decision by the body of the sangha. It says that thirty-two ‘senior’ members of

1080-577: Was appointed as the first president of Amarapura Mahasangha Sabha. On 16 August 2019, the Amarapura and Ramanna Nikaya were unified as the Amarapaura-Ramanna Samagri Maha Sangha Sabha, making it the largest Buddhist fraternity in Sri Lanka. The following is a list of Supreme mahanayaka theros of the Amarapura Nikaya. Right before its unification into the Amarapura–Rāmañña Nikāya , the Amarapura Nikāya

1116-484: Was divided in to several sub nikayas (sub-orders) in the past was united on the initiatives taken by Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero and Madihe Pannaseeha Thero in the late 1960s. 'Sri Lanka Amarapura Mahasangha Sabha' was formed and a common higher ordination ceremony for all Amarapura nikaya was performed at the Uposathagharaya situated at Siri Vajiranana Dharmayatanaya, Maharagama on July 13, 1969. The event

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1152-1043: Was divided into no less than 21 sub-orders. These sub orders are believed to have been formed along caste divisions and regional differences. 1.Amarapura Mulawamsika Nikaya 2.Udarata Amarapura Nikaya 3.Amarapura Sirisaddhammawansa Maha Nikaya 4.Amarapura Sabaragamu Saddhamma Nikaya 5.Saddhamma Yutthika (Matara) Nikaya 6.Dadalu Paramparayatta Amarapura Nikaya 7.Amarapura Mrammawansabhidhaja 8.Amarapura Vajirawansa Nikaya 9.Kalyanavansika Sri Dharmarama Saddhamma Yuttika Nikaya 10.Sri Lanka Svejin Maha Nikaya 11.Sabaragamu Saddhammawansa Nikaya 12.Amarapura Ariyavansa Saddhamma Yuttika Nikaya 13.Amarapuara Chulagandhi Nikaya 14.Udarata Amarapura Samagri Sangha Sabhawa 15.Uva Amarapura Nikaya 16.Amarapura Sri Dhammarakshita Nikaya 17.Udukinda Amarapura Nikaya 18.Sambuddha Sasanodaya Sangha Sabhawa 19.Amarapura Maha Nikaya 20.Amarapura Chapter of Amarapura Nikaya 21.Amarapura Sri Kalyaniwansa Nikaya In addition to this, there

1188-505: Was graced by William Gopallawa , the governor-general of Ceylon. A supreme Mahanayaka position for the Sri Lanka Amarapura Mahasangha Sabha was created with this initiative and Madihe Pannaseeha thero was appointed as the first monk to hold the prestigious title. In addition to the supreme Mahanayaka position a post for the president of the Amarapura Nikaya was created and Balangoda Ananda Maitreya thero

1224-456: Was held at Tangalle in 1798. Neither of these ceremonies were approved by the Siam Nikaya which claimed that these were not in accordance with the Vinaya rules. King Rajadhi Rajasinghe (1782–1798) had made an order restricting the right of obtaining higher ordination to the members of a particular caste. As a consequence of this 'exclusively Govigama' policy adopted in 1764 by the Siyam Nikaya,

1260-458: Was reestablished during the reigns of Vimaladharmasuriya I of Kandy (1591–1604) and Vimaladharmasuriya II of Kandy (1687–1707). These reestablishments were short lived. This was a period when the Vinaya had been virtually abandoned and some members of the Sangha in the Kingdom of Kandy privately held land, had wives and children, resided in the private homes and were called Ganinnanses . On

1296-540: Was thus both independent of government and royal power, and more closely tied to its patrons in the growing middle class. This presaged both the growing power of the middle class in Sri Lanka during the 19th and 18th centuries, and the rise of so-called Protestant Buddhism among the Sinhalese middle class- a modernized form of Buddhism in which increasing power and authority were vested in the laity, rather than monastic authorities. Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero ,

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