Nissarana Vanaya
Encyclopedia
Nissarana Vanaya is a famous meditation monastery in Sri Lanka
. It is located in western province close to the town of Kirindiwela
.
and the Berlin Buddhist Vihara in Germany). He equipped the monastery with all the facilities conducive to the meditative life, found an accomplished meditation master, Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera (author of 'Seven stages of Purifications' and 'Seven Contemplations', both published by the BPS
), to direct the meditation training, and then, his mission accomplished, he himself entered the Buddhist order under the name Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi. Meditators and monks go alms begging in the traditional style, male meditators are allowed to stay for up to 2 weeks, but only after receiving prior invitation.
The distinguished senior monk Venerable Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera was the first abbot and the meditation master. During his period Nissarana Vanaya became one of the most respected meditation monasteries of Sri Lanka due to the fame of its meditation master as well as its secluded and contemplative life where monks practiced sincerely with the aspiration of attaining Nibbana in this very life. Many foreign monks and lay people also practiced meditation under the guidance of Venerable Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera. Due to his enormous influence on the revival and study of meditation techniques Ven. Nanarama was appointed as the head meditation master of a chain of forest monastery throughout the island called Kalyāṇi Yogāsrama Samsthava
or Galduwa Samsthava. One of Ven. Nanarama's greatest gifts was his ability to incorporate the Burmese Vipassana techniques into Sri Lankan meditation traditions and balance them with the teaching of samatha meditation. It is here that the famous Buddhist nun Ayya Khema
was taught by Ven. Ñāṇanārāma in the practice of the jhāna or samatha meditation.
On his passing away in 1992 a senior pupil, Venerable Panaduwa Khemananda became the new abbot and meditation teacher and served the monastery for 15 years. During this time one of the closest pupils of Ven. Nanarama, Ven. Katukurunde Nanananda Thera
(famous for his books 'Concept and Reality', 'Magic of the Mind' and his series of 33 sermons on Nibbana) left the monastery due to its shifting away from the meditation training established by Ven. Ñāṇārāma.
Ven. Nanananda moved to Potgulgala Aranya near Devalegama
, Kegalla where he is still residing. Nissarana Vanaya moved closer to current Burmese Vipassana teachings. After Ven. Panaduwa Khemananda thero died in July 2006 the new most senior meditation teacher became Venerable Uda-Iriyagama Dhammajeewa Thera. Ven. Dhammajeewa (or Dhammajiva) is fluent in English and Burmese and has translated many meditation guides and books from Burmese into English and Sinhalese. Apart from the years of training under Ven. Matara Sri Nanananda he spent several years of training under Sayadaw U. Panditabhiwansa in Myanmar (Burma).
Meetirigala (sometimes written Mithrigala or Meethirigala) is also the location of two other monasteries. One is the Dharmayatana a place for Tipitaka studies which was later turned into a Vipassana meditation facility for monks to follow Venerable Pa Auks system of instructions.
The third monastery in Mitirigala follows in the meditation system propagated by Ven. Nanananda. There is also a meditation center for women closer to the village which is loosely associated with Ven. Nanananda′s group.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It is located in western province close to the town of Kirindiwela
Kirindiwela
Kirindiwela is a town in the western province, Sri Lanka of Sri Lanka. It is the main administrative centre for the "Dompe" electorate in Gampaha district...
.
History
Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya is a monastery in the strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka. It is considered as one of Sri Lanka's most respected meditation monasteries and was founded in 1968 by Asoka Weeraratna (the founder of the German Dharmaduta SocietyGerman Dharmaduta Society
The German Dharmaduta Society was founded to propagate Buddhism and establish the Buddha Sasana in Germany and other Western countries. The society was founded in 1952 by Asoka Weeraratna....
and the Berlin Buddhist Vihara in Germany). He equipped the monastery with all the facilities conducive to the meditative life, found an accomplished meditation master, Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera (author of 'Seven stages of Purifications' and 'Seven Contemplations', both published by the BPS
BPS
BPS can stand for:In science, mathematics and technology*Base pairs, a measure of length of DNA using the number of nucleotide pairs*Basis points, equal to one one-hundredth of a percentage point...
), to direct the meditation training, and then, his mission accomplished, he himself entered the Buddhist order under the name Mitirigala Dhammanisanthi. Meditators and monks go alms begging in the traditional style, male meditators are allowed to stay for up to 2 weeks, but only after receiving prior invitation.
The distinguished senior monk Venerable Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera was the first abbot and the meditation master. During his period Nissarana Vanaya became one of the most respected meditation monasteries of Sri Lanka due to the fame of its meditation master as well as its secluded and contemplative life where monks practiced sincerely with the aspiration of attaining Nibbana in this very life. Many foreign monks and lay people also practiced meditation under the guidance of Venerable Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera. Due to his enormous influence on the revival and study of meditation techniques Ven. Nanarama was appointed as the head meditation master of a chain of forest monastery throughout the island called Kalyāṇi Yogāsrama Samsthava
Kalyāṇi Yogāsrama Samsthava
Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃstha , is an independent part of the Sri Lankan Ramañña Nikāya Buddhist ordination line, with their headquarters in Galduva. They are keeping a strict standard of Vinaya , recognised as the strictest standard of any major organisation in Sri Lanka...
or Galduwa Samsthava. One of Ven. Nanarama's greatest gifts was his ability to incorporate the Burmese Vipassana techniques into Sri Lankan meditation traditions and balance them with the teaching of samatha meditation. It is here that the famous Buddhist nun Ayya Khema
Ayya Khema
Ayya Khema , a Buddhist teacher, was born as Ilse Kussel in Berlin, Germany, to Jewish parents. Khema escaped Nazis persecution during World War II. She eventually moved to the United States. After travelling in Asia she decided to become a Buddhist nun in Sri Lanka in 1979...
was taught by Ven. Ñāṇanārāma in the practice of the jhāna or samatha meditation.
On his passing away in 1992 a senior pupil, Venerable Panaduwa Khemananda became the new abbot and meditation teacher and served the monastery for 15 years. During this time one of the closest pupils of Ven. Nanarama, Ven. Katukurunde Nanananda Thera
Katukurunde Nanananda Thera
Katukurunde Nanananda Thera is a Sri Lankan Bhikkhu and a Buddhist scholar. He is best known for the research monograph Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought and the exploratory study The Magic of the Mind. Ven...
(famous for his books 'Concept and Reality', 'Magic of the Mind' and his series of 33 sermons on Nibbana) left the monastery due to its shifting away from the meditation training established by Ven. Ñāṇārāma.
Ven. Nanananda moved to Potgulgala Aranya near Devalegama
Devalegama
Devalegama is a small town in Sri Lanka located on the A19 highway running from Kegalla to Polgahawela. The phrase 'Devalegama' means 'The village of the shrine'...
, Kegalla where he is still residing. Nissarana Vanaya moved closer to current Burmese Vipassana teachings. After Ven. Panaduwa Khemananda thero died in July 2006 the new most senior meditation teacher became Venerable Uda-Iriyagama Dhammajeewa Thera. Ven. Dhammajeewa (or Dhammajiva) is fluent in English and Burmese and has translated many meditation guides and books from Burmese into English and Sinhalese. Apart from the years of training under Ven. Matara Sri Nanananda he spent several years of training under Sayadaw U. Panditabhiwansa in Myanmar (Burma).
Meetirigala (sometimes written Mithrigala or Meethirigala) is also the location of two other monasteries. One is the Dharmayatana a place for Tipitaka studies which was later turned into a Vipassana meditation facility for monks to follow Venerable Pa Auks system of instructions.
The third monastery in Mitirigala follows in the meditation system propagated by Ven. Nanananda. There is also a meditation center for women closer to the village which is loosely associated with Ven. Nanananda′s group.