The Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhikkhu Mahasabha, the Supreme Sangha Council of Bangladesh (SSCB), appointed Venerable Dharmapriya Mahathera, 92, as the 14th Buddhist supreme patriarch of Bangladesh on 24 November. Ven. Dharmapriya previously served as the deputy supreme patriarch, a position to which he was appointed in 2015.
Ven. Dharmapriya serves as the abbot of Mahananda Sangharaj Vihar in Pahartali, Chittagong, the village where the first supreme patriarch, Ven. Saramedha Mahathera, began reforming Theravada Buddhism in Bengal in 1856.
The office secretary of the SSCB, Ven. Ratana Nanda, stated that the Executive Council met on 24 November at Binajuri Shasan Vihar, where Ven. Dharmapriya was appointed as the 14th Sangharaja.
“I humbly pay my respects to His Holiness the 14th Sangharaja,” Ven. Ratana Nanda shared. “He will take his role the night before the national funeral of His Holiness the 13th Sangharaja, Ven. Jnanashree Mahathera.” (Ratana Nanda Facebook)
The SSCB conveyed its condolences for the passing of the 13th supreme patriarch, Ven. Jnanashree Mahathera, who died at the age of 100 on 13 November. His funeral is scheduled to take place on 29–30 January. Notably, his body will be transported to various places where he made significant contributions to Buddhism and society, allowing local Buddhists to pay their respects. In this regard, the Bangladesh Buddhist Association is organizing a memorial ceremony in Chittagong City on 1–2 January.
Senior monks receive elaborate funerals in Bangladesh, with their bodies preserved for six months to as long as two years. The actual ceremonies can last 2–3 days or more, with hundreds of monks and thousands of devotees in attendance. Traditionally, funerals are followed by cultural entertainment, such as religious songs and performances.
According to the SSCB’s constitution, when a supreme patriarch passes away, a new monk must be elected to the position in an Executive Council meeting within 15 days, followed by a general meeting to approve the selection.
Ven. Dharmapriya Mahathera was born Amalendu Barua on 7 July 1933 in Mirzapur Village, Hathazari, Chittagong District. He became a novice monk in 1946 at the age of 13, adopting the Dhamma name Ven. Dharmapriya. He was fully ordained in 1953 under the preceptorship of the Sixth Supreme Patriarch, Ven. Dharmananda Mahathera.
In 1962, Ven. Dharmapriya attended the Rangoon Buddha Shasana Council, where he had the opportunity to study for five years on scholarship. During this time, he learned the Dhamma under Ven. Aggamahapandita Praggalok Mahathera and practiced meditation under Mahasi Sayadaw, later learning the Vinaya from Ven. U. Pandita.
Although Ven. Dharmapriya wished to remain in Burma to continue his studies and meditation practice, political changes prevented him from obtaining permission to stay, leading him to return to Bangladesh.
Ven. Dharmapriya received a gold medal for outstanding achievement in Vinaya examinations organized by the Pali and Sanskrit Board in Dhaka in 1970. Two years later, he established the Vimalananda Shiksha Sanskriti Samaj Kalyan Sangha, which organizes religious programs annually, including providing scholarships to those in need.
In 1974, Ven. Dharmapriya founded Vimalananda Pali College, where beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels of Sutta, Vinaya, and Abhidhamma examinations are conducted each year.
In recognition of Ven. Dharmapriya’s long-standing contributions to the welfare of the Buddha’s teachings and society, the SSCB awarded Ven. Dharmapriya the title of “Shasanastambha” (Pillar of the Buddha’s Dispensation) in 2013.
Bangladesh has two supreme councils for the Buddhist sangha in the plains: the Bangladesh Sangharaj Bhikkhu Mahasabha, which will be led by Ven. Dharmapriya Mahathera as the 14th supreme patriarch, and the Bangladesh Bouddha Bhikkhu Mahasabha. Other Buddhist sangha councils also exist among the Chakma and Marma monks in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
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Ratana Nanda (Facebook)
নব মনোনীত সংঘরাজ শাসনস্তম্ভ ভদন্ত ধর্মপ্রিয় মহাথের’র জীবনী (Tathagata Online)
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