Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Viharaya

Weliwita Saranankara Sangharaja Viharaya

Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Viharaya (Sinhala: වැලිවිට ශ්‍රී සරණංකර සංඝරාජ විහාරය) is a Buddhist temple situated in Vegolla village in Kandy District, Sri Lanka.

History

This is the temple where the eminent Buddhist monk Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thera (1698-1778 A.D.) resided during the early years of his monastic life (Abeywardana, 2004).

Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thera, who is considered to be the pioneer of the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka, was instrumental in re-establishing the Upasampada (higher ordination) in the country in 1753 with the support of King Kirti Sri Rajasingha (1747-1782 A.D.) of Kandy after the religion declined in the 17th and 18th centuries. He was also the last Sangharaja of Sri Lanka.

The site consists of two Bo trees, a commemorative building and four residences of Buddhist monks (Abeywardana, 2004). Of the two Bo trees, one has been planted by Weliwita Sri Saranankara Thera and the other by King Kirti Sri Rajasinha (Abeywardana, 2004). Both trees are said to be saplings obtained from Sri Maha Bodhi Tree at Anuradhapura (Abeywardana, 2004).

A protected site

The Bhikkhu dwelling house and the image house at Weliwita Sri Saranankara Sangharaja Viharaya situated in Vegolla village in the Grama Niladhari Division of Weliwita, Pahalagama in Hatharaliyadda Divisional Secretary Division are archaeological protected monuments, declared by a government Gazette notification published on 8 July 2005.