Rāmañña Nikāya: Difference between revisions

'''Rāmañña Nikāya''' ({{lang|pi-pi|label=none|script=sinhSinh|රාමඤ්ඤ නිකාය}}, also spelled '''Ramanya [[Nikaya]]''') was one of the three major [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] orders in [[Sri Lanka]]. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara,<ref>''The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism'',2014,p.696</ref> returned to [[Sri Lanka]] after being ordained by the Neyyadhamma Munivara [[Sangharaja]] of Ratnapunna Vihara in [[Burma]]. 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]], making it the largest Buddhist fraternity in Sri Lanka.<ref>[http://www.themorning.lk/amarapura-and-ramanna-denominations-unified/ Amarapura and Ramanna denominations unified], the Morning Lanka, accessed 2019.08.17</ref>

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]] aged 103.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.adaderana.lk/news.php?nid=19493|access-date=2020-11-18|website=www.adaderana.lk|title=Ven. Napana Premasiri Thero appointed Mahanayaka of Ramanna Chapter}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Times|first=Colombo|date=2020-11-17|title=Most Venerable Napane Pemasiri Thera, the 13th Mahanayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya passes away at 98|url=http://colombotimes.net/most-venerable-napane-pemasiri-thera-the-13th-mahanayake-of-the-sri-lanka-ramanna-maha-nikaya-passes-away-at-98/|access-date=2020-11-18|website=Colombo Times|language=en-US}}</ref>

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 [[Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha|Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā]] of Rāmañña Nikāya which is the most strictest forest tradition in Sri Lanka.

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 RamannaRāmañña NikayaNikāya. Most ven. Kadavedduve Jinavamsa Maha Thera was a well-known founder of [[Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha|Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā]] the major forest sect of RamannaRāmañña NikayaNikāya.

Most ven. [[Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera|Matara Sri Gnanarama Maha Thera]], Most ven. Matale Silarakkhita Maha Thera. Most ven. Madawala dhammatilaka and Most ven.Venerable [[Nauyane Ariyadhamma Mahathera|Nauyane Ariyadhamma Maha TheraMahāthēra]] were well-known meditation masters of Rāmañña Nikāya Forest Tradition.

#Ven. [[Ambagahawatte Saranankara Indrasabhawara Gnanasami Maha Thera]] (1880–1886) {{lang|si|අතිපූජ්‍ය අඹගහවත්තේ සරණංකර ඉන්ද්‍රාසභවර ඤාණසාමි මහා ථේර}}

#Ven. [[Weweldeniye Medhalankara Maha Thero]] (1998–2012) {{lang|si|අතිපූජ්‍ය වේවැල්දෙණියේ මේධාලංකාර මහා ථේර}}