Bogoda Seelawimala Thera

Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera

Religion	Buddhism
Lineage	The Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Nikaya
Personal
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Born	Bogoda, Sri Lanka
Senior posting
Based in	Great Britain
Title	Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara and the current Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain

Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera (Sinhala: පුජ්‍ය බෝගොඩ සීලවිමල නාහිමි) is the incumbent Head Priest of the London Buddhist Vihara and the current Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain.^[1] He was appointed Chief Bhikkhu of the London Buddhist Vihara on 8 May 2008 following the demise of Ven Dr Medagama Vajiragnana Nayaka Thera.^[2] Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera hails from the Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Nikaya in Sri Lanka.

Early days

Hailing from Bogoda, a village in the Kurunegala District, Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera was the son of devout Buddhist parents. He entered the order at the age of 14 years under the tutorship of Ven Balalle Seelaratana Nayaka Thera (chief incumbent of Palagala Purana Vihara in Polgahawela and the chief Adhikarana Sangha Nayaka of Dambadeni-Harispattuwa. In 1964, he entered the Heramitigala Shastralankara Pirivena, Pilimatalawa for his primary education under the supervision of Ven Pilimatalawa Chandajothi Nayaka Thera.

Higher education

Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera graduated from the University of Sri Lanka (Peradeniya) in 1975. He had obtained an MA degree, studying under Professor Leslie Gunawardhana, on the subject: Influence of Hinduism on Buddhism. While at University, Seelawimala Nayaka Thera joined the teaching profession. He taught in several schools including Hindagala Maha Vidyalaya and Dharmaraja College, Kandy.

Having studied meditation under the meditation master Godwin Samararatne, Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera further trained under Ven Dr Henepola Gunarathana Nayaka Thera at his Meditation Centre in West Virginia.

Ven Seelawimala continues to engage in scholarly activities, engaging in international Buddhist conferences and contributing articles to Buddhist journals.

Ven. Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera with Queen Elizabeth II, Abbot of the Amaravathi Monastarary Ajahn Amaro and Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams are also in the picture

London Buddhist Vihara

In 1992, Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera joined the London Buddhist Vihara as a resident monk, on the invitation of Ven Dr Medagama Vajiragnana Nayaka Thera. Under the guidance and direction of Ven Dr Vajiragnana Nayaka Thera, and also Ven Professor Walpola Rahula Nayaka Thera (who was a regular visitor to the London Buddhist Vihara), Ven Seelawimala Thera developed as a Dhammaduta and proficient Dhamma communicator. Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera. also began teaching meditation in United Kingdom.

As well as serving as the Chief Bhikku of the London Buddhist Vihara, Ven Seelawimala Nayaka Thera serves as a trustee of the Inter-Faith Network UK, Director of the Heathrow Multi-Faith Chaplaincy Board, the Buddhist Chaplain of the West Middlesex University Hospital and at the Ealing Hospital. He is also the Chief of Sri Lankan Sangha Council in Britain,^[3] Buddhist representative at UK and Commonwealth Remembrance Day Ceremony and at the Commonwealth Day Ceremony at Cenotaph.^[4] Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera is the first Buddhist monk to be invited to a royal wedding in Britain ^[5]^[6] and he attended to the Queens' diamond jubilee as well.It was in the St Paul's Cathedral on 5 June 2012.

Buddhist Vihare at the 2012 London Olympics Games

2012 Olympic organisers, have given the participants at the games assistance in five of the major religions in the world. Followers of Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism have been provided with their own places of veneration at the Olympic Village. Ven Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Thera was appointed as the Buddhist Chaplain to 2012 London Olympics.^[7]^[8]

References

External links

Buddhism topics

Outline Glossary Index

Foundations	Three Jewels Buddha Dharma Sangha Four Noble Truths Noble Eightfold Path Nirvana Middle Way

The Buddha	Tathāgata Birthday Four sights Physical characteristics Footprint Iconography in Laos and Thailand Films Miracles Family Suddhodāna (father) Māyā (mother) Mahapajapati Gotamī (aunt, adoptive mother) Yasodhara (wife) Rāhula (son) Ānanda (cousin) Devadatta (cousin) Places where the Buddha stayed Buddha in world religions

Key concepts	Dharma Three Marks of Existence Impermanence Dukkha Anatta Pratītyasamutpāda Skandha Karma Rebirth Saṃsāra Saṅkhāra Kleshas Ignorance Craving Five hindrances Ten Fetters Indriya Enlightenment Parinirvana Tathātā Dharmas Two truths doctrine Śūnyatā Bodhicitta Bodhisattva Buddha-nature Mindstream

Cosmology	Ten spiritual realms Six realms Heaven Human realm Asura realm Hungry Ghost realm Animal realm Hell Three planes of existence

Practices	Refuge Buddhist devotion Puja Offerings Prostration Chanting Merit Paritta Dāna Nekkhamma Śīla Five Precepts Bodhisattva vow Prātimokṣa Threefold Training Śīla Samadhi Prajñā Brahmavihara Mettā Karuṇā Mudita Upekkha Pāramitā Bodhipakkhiyādhammā Seven Factors of Enlightenment Sati Dhamma vicaya Pīti Passaddhi Vīrya Four Right Exertions Iddhipada Five Strengths Faith Mindfulness Satipatthana Dhyāna Bhavana Satya Sacca Meditation Mantras Kammaṭṭhāna Recollection Smarana Anapanasati Samatha Vipassanā (Vipassana movement) Shikantaza Zazen Kōan Mandala Tonglen Tantra Tertön Terma

Nirvana	Bodhi Buddhahood Pratyekabuddha Bodhisattva Four stages of enlightenment Sotāpanna Sakadagami Anāgāmi Arhat

Monasticism	Bhikkhu Bhikkhuni Śrāmaṇera Śrāmaṇerī Anagarika Ajahn Sayadaw Zen master Rōshi Lama Rinpoche Geshe Tulku Householder Upāsaka and Upāsikā Śrāvaka The ten principal disciples Shaolin Monastery

Major figures	Gautama Buddha Kaundinya Assaji Sāriputta Mahamoggallāna Mulian Ānanda Mahākassapa Anuruddha Mahākaccana Nanda Subhuti Punna Upali Mahapajapati Gotamī Khema Uppalavanna Asita Channa Yasa Buddhaghosa Nagasena Bodhidharma Nagarjuna Asanga Vasubandhu Atiśa Padmasambhava Nichiren Songtsen Gampo Emperor Wen of Sui Dalai Lama Panchen Lama Karmapa Shamarpa Naropa Xuanzang

Texts	Tripiṭaka Madhyamakālaṃkāra Mahayana sutras Pāli Canon Chinese Buddhist canon Tibetan Buddhist canon

Branches	Theravada Mahayana Chan Buddhism Zen Seon Thiền Pure Land Tiantai Nichiren Madhyamaka Yogachara Navayana Vajrayana Tibetan Shingon Dzogchen Early Buddhist schools Pre-sectarian Buddhism Basic points unifying Theravāda and Mahāyāna

Countries	Afghanistan Bangladesh Bhutan Myanmar Cambodia China India Indonesia Japan Korea Laos Malaysia Maldives Mongolia Nepal Pakistan Philippines Russia Kalmykia Singapore Sri Lanka Taiwan Thailand Tibet Vietnam Middle East Iran Western countries Argentina Australia Brazil France United Kingdom United States Venezuela

History	Timeline Ashoka Buddhist councils History of Buddhism in India Decline of Buddhism in India Great Anti-Buddhist Persecution Greco-Buddhism Buddhism and the Roman world Buddhism in the West Silk Road transmission of Buddhism Persecution of Buddhists Banishment of Buddhist monks from Nepal Buddhist crisis Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism Buddhist modernism Vipassana movement 969 Movement Women in Buddhism

Philosophy	Abhidharma Logic Buddhology Eschatology Reality God Secular Buddhism Humanism Eight Consciousnesses Engaged Buddhism Socialism Economics Atomism Evolution Ethics The unanswered questions

Culture	Jaya Sri Maha Bodhi Temple of the Tooth Art Greco-Buddhist art Poetry Buddha statue Budai Symbolism Dharmachakra Flag Bhavacakra Swastika Thangka Prayer wheel Mala Mudra Mantra Om mani padme hum Funeral Music Holidays Vesak Uposatha Magha Puja Asalha Puja Rains retreat Kassaya Architecture Temple Vihara Wat Stupa Pagoda Candi Thai temple art and architecture Pilgrimage Lumbini Maya Devi Temple Bodh Gaya Sarnath Kushinagar Bodhi Tree Mahabodhi Temple Calendar Cuisine Vegetarianism

Miscellaneous	Lineage Maitreya Avalokiteśvara Guanyin Amitābha Brahmā Māra Dhammapada Vinaya Sutra Koliya Hinayana Sacred languages Pali Sanskrit Dharma talk Kalpa Abhijñā Ṛddhi Siddhi

Buddhism and:	Science Psychology Hinduism Jainism Judaism East Asian religions Christianity Influences Comparison Theosophy Gnosticism Violence Western philosophy

Lists	Buddhas Twenty-eight Buddhas Bodhisattvas Buddhists Suttas Books Temples Candi

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