Rāmañña Nikāya (රාමඤ්ඤ නිකාය, also spelled Ramanya Nikaya) was one of the three major Buddhist orders in Sri Lanka. It was founded in 1864 when Ambagahawatte Saranankara,[2] 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.[3]
Similar orders
Rāmañña Nikāya was said to be similar to the Thammayut Nikaya order of Thailand.[how?] Rāmañña Nikāya is currently survived in Thailand, Burma and Sri Lanka.
Rāmañña Nikāya was established on 12 June 1864 in participation with Ven. Ambagahawatte Indaasabhawara Gaanasaami Maha Thera, Ven.Puwakdandawe Paññānanda, Ven.Warāpitiye Sumitta thera.
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 Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā of Rāmañña Nikāya which is the most strictest forest tradition in Sri Lanka.
Resistance to Modernization
Though it has been impossible to resist completely, many old and simple traditions have been still survived in Rāmañña Nikāya. The monks of the Nikaya can be distinguished by the traditions such as using palm leaf umbrellas and alms bowls and covering both shoulders while traveling. "Ramanna nikaya had its own distinctive style. They used begging bowls instead of plates. Instead of umbrellas, they used folded palmyrah leaves, in the form of “bogava”. The bogava introduced by Ven. Ambagahawatte Thero was made usable by CB Nugawela, chairman of the Up country Sabha for the Protection of Nikaya. They wore robes that were dyed according to the traditional rules."[6]
Forest Dwelling and Meditation Practice
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 Rāmañña Nikāya. Most ven. Kadavedduve Jinavamsa Maha Thera was a well-known founder of Śrī Kalyāṇī Yogāśrama Saṃsthā the major forest sect of Rāmañña Nikāya.
The Princeton Dictionary of Buddhism by Robert E. Buswell Jr., Donald S. Lopez Jr.,Princeton University Press,Princeton,2014,p. 696 :ISBN978-0-691-15786-3
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