Balangoda Ananda Maithreya Thero🙇‍♂️

Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero lived a modest life and did a great service for the propagation of Buddhist philosophy. In recognition of his valuable service at the Sixth Buddhist council held in Burma, the Burmese government conferred on him the title"Agga Mahapandita" (Chief Great Scholar) in 1956.Later in March 1997, the Burmese government conferred on Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero the highest Sangha title, "Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru", which is equivalent to Sangharaja, in hafor of his unique service to the Buddhist religion.

Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero was born on 23 August 1896 in Kirindigala, Balangoda, to the family of N. A. Mathises Appuhamy and B.Heenmanike. His birth name was Punchi Mahattaya and William. Because Punchi Mahattaya's mother died when he was 14 days old, he was brought up by his father's brother and his wife. Punchi Mahattaya had his primary education at Kumar
a Vidyalaya, Balangoda.

Ananda Maitreya Thero wrote nearly fifty books on sutras (scre Eye), vinaya (monastic discipline), on abhidhamma, and on Pali and Sanskrit grammar. His book, Sakyasimhavadanaya hevat Buddha Charita (The Life of the Buddha), is considered a textbook. Unusually for a Theravada teacher, he publicly studied practices of other traditions. especially esoteric yoga. This is understandable when one realizes that he was a theosophist as well as a Buddhist, Ananda Maitreya Thero was known to have practiced meditation to reach Jhana and he was awarded the ricle 'Abidhadja Mahararraguru' by Thailand to praise his great achievements in Buddhist meditation and Buddhist literature. Buddhists believed him as a Bodhisattva.

Thero also traveled to many countries in the world for the propagation of Buddhism. Most Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Thero died at 11.40 p.m. on 18 July 1998 at the age of 101.This is just a little description of  Ananda Maitreya thero. Finally, I am proud to have studied at the school founded by Venerable Ananda Maitreya thero.