Final rites of late Maha Nayake of the Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya, Most Ven. Agga Maha Panditha Kotugoda Dhammawasa Nayaka Thero were performed this evening (March 25) at Independence Square in Colombo.

Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thero passed away on Monday morning (March 22) at the age of 88.  He was receiving treatment in a private hospital in Colombo at the time of his passing.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Maha Sangha and many others paid respect to the remains of late Maha Nayake Thero laid in state at Sri Dharmapalaramaya Temple in Mount Lavinia.

The government declared today a national day of mourning in consideration of the immense service rendered by late Maha Nayaka Thero to the nation, religion and Buddha Sasana.

Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thero was the chief incumbent of Sri Dharmapalaramaya, Mount Lavinia. He was selected as Mahanayaka Thera of the Amarapura Nikaya in May 2017, following the demise of Most Venerable Agga Maha Panditha Davuldena Gnanissara Thero.

He was conferred with the “Aggamahapandita” title by the Burmese government on March 2, 2007 at Swarnaguha Hall, Myanmar.

Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thero is credited with the distinction of having delivered sermons over national radio for over 50 years. 

His sermons have also been widely attended by audiences overseas in India, Nepal, China, Japan, Germany, the USA, Russia, Singapore, Burma, Thailand, Pakistan, and Mongolia. 

Ven. Kotugoda Dhammawasa Thero had also been a prolific author, having published more than 36 books on various subjects related to Buddhism since the 1960s.