VENERABLE PITIDUWE SIRIDHAMMA’S TEMPLE IN A QUANDRARY

Turmoil at Venerable Pitiduwe Siri Dhamma Thera’s Temple and Monastery:

Yesterday the 7th evening there was a tensed situation owing to the unruly behaviour of several Bikkhus and their supporters in and around the Dihiwala Bellantara Siri Sadaham Monastery and temple of Venerable Pituduwe Siri Dhamma  Thera.The Monks and their supporters had thronged the Monastery owing to the peculiar behaviour of the Prelate in various incidents in the recent past.The prelate had openly challenged several prominent bikkhus to come for an open debate on several issues in Buddhism. Among the prominent Prelates who gathered were most Ven.Kirame Wimalajothi Thera, Ven.Akmeemana Dayaratna Thera, Ven.Medagoda Abeytissa  Thera and several undergraduate Bikkhus of the Universities and their close supporters.
About 70 of them had come to the Monastery and had inquired for Ven.Pituwe Siri Dhamma Thera. When they were told that the Prelate is away on some work the protestors did not believe it .They started to look for the Prelate inside, outside and at every nook and corner of his Monastery Temple. Their behaviour was very unruly and hence caused a tensed situation. While the Siri Dhamma Thera was on his way back via a telephone call he had been informed of the situation that prevailed in the temple. The Prelate correctly made a decision to lodge an entry in this regard at the Mirihana Police station. His complaint was accepted to be of a serious nature. The OIC Deshabandu Tennakoon had ordered a fleet of 60 Police personnel to immediately report to the Monastery and to bring the tensed situation under control. Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera had come to his temple under heavy police protection.

Having come to know about the unruly and the tensed situation that prevailed at the Temple as a person who was in and out of the temple and a close associate of the Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera, Minister Mervin Siva had rushed to the scene. He tried to bring the situation under control through a dialogue. But as his efforts failed he safely left the Temple premises.
At 8.30 p.m also the crowd of Monks and supporters of both sides had not dispersed even braving the rain. They wanted the issue be resolved through a dialogue.  However at 9 p.m the Police personnel tactfully separated the two factions to two sides and wanted to pose their grievances and the answers to resolve this matter amicably amidst huge security. The police was able to convince Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera to explain matters to those opposing Monks and their supporters who were made to understand his stance.
What was discussed was confidential and not released to any Media. After the discussion both leaders of the two factions Ven.Siri Dhamma and Ven.Medagoda Abeytissa were of the opinion that both were winners.
 It is relevant to mention that this Thera was a very popular presenter of the famous ITN channels “Doramadalawa” programme. However in the recent past he had become unpopular owing to his involvement with women devotees, collection of money for Dhamma activities and having made serious allegations about Buddhist affairs. He had got entangled in court cases having had conflicts with neighbours.
Recently he had quipped that he has elevated to the position of “Sowan Sakrudagamee” position and even had changed his name from Ven.Pituduwe Siridhamma Thera to Ven.Siri Samanthabadda. Thera. He had also become unpopular by challenging four very prominent Bikkhus in Sri Lanka to come for a debate with him. In the meantime the Thera’s “Guru’s” have been chased away to Paris and these Bikkhus had confessed that Ven. Siri Dhamma is not their pupil. Among the Bikkhus who cordoned he Monastery is the prominent Bikkhu Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi Thera who it is reported that, the temple and Monastery belongs to him and he intends becoming the Chief Incumbent of the Bellantara Siri Sadaham Temple and Monastery.

The Derana TV video of the incident  could be viewed and heard from below:

See below the Gossiplanka news letter published earlier when Ven. Pituduwe Siridhamma  Thera had left the country having had conflicts from HERE: