Past Event – Cheng Beng Memorial Service 清明节法会 2018

Venerable Bellanwila Dhammaratana, or more affectionately addressed as Bhante, is the founding and pivotal figure of the Buddhist Library (BL). He gave up a ready-made life of an abbot in the well-established Bellanwila Temple located near Colombo in Sri Lanka, to pursue his vision of creating in Singapore ‘a door to learning’ for the benefit of humanity.

In 1981, Bhante founded the Buddhist Research Society (BRS) and established the first dedicated Buddhist book service in Singapore. In 2004, Bhante was appointed the Chief Sangha Nayaka of Singapore by Kotte Sri Kalyani Samagri Dhama Maha Sangha Sabha.

Bhante’s Background

Bhante was born in Sri Lanka and received his Buddhist ordination at the age of 13. In 1973, Bhante left Sri Lanka for Dhammaduta activities (i.e. to make available the Buddha’s teachings) in Singapore at the invitation of Venerable M. Mahavihara. He is the senior pupil of the late Venerable Bellanwila Sri Somaratana Nayaka Thera. He, a student of Vidyalankara Pirivena, is a graduate of Vidyalankara University.

After graduation, Bhante served as the Deputy Principal and Principal at two prestigious seats of learning, Sunethradevi Pirivena and Paramadhamma Chetiya Pirivena, respectively. In 2003, Bhante obtained his Master of Philosophy Degree from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. In 1999, Bhante founded a meditation retreat centre, the Paramita Meditation Centre, located at Kadugannawa, Sri Lanka, with the assistance of Buddhist devotees from Singapore. Bhante is concurrently the present chief incumbent of Bellanwila Rajamaha, a well-established Buddhist temple located close to Colombo in Sri Lanka.

1979年7月16日礼马来西亚、金马仑、三宝万佛寺、上本下道老和尚出家。同年，在台湾受戒，并在台湾参学三年；也在香港与泰国等地参学。

1983年9月9日回国後，在新加坡的佛教寺院与团体开佛学班、教导静坐、领导修持等佛教法务，并受邀到马来西亚各地讲经说法，并开佛学班、静坐班等法务。

曾任社会辅导工作者；并任多个佛教团体之宗教导师与顾问。也常举办大型的佛教弘法、修行与活动。现任多个佛教团体之宗教导师与顾问，讲经说法与修持。学校假期办有〈佛教朝圣团〉与〈佛教团〉，带领信众、学生与社会人士到佛教圣地朝拜，让大家对佛教有正信的认识与行持。