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Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi Thera’s version in regard to the turmoil at the Siri Sadaham Monastery.
A few days ago (on 7th November) there was turmoil and a much tensed situation among two factions at the Dehiwala Bellantara Siri Sadaham Monastery with the invasion of about 60-80 monks and their supporters with the intention of taking over the temple. In this regard Ven.Pitiduwe Siri Dhamma Thera has had an interview to Goosiplanka news web site furnishing all details of the incident.
However in complete contrast to the version of Ven.Siri Dhamma, Jagath Jayasundara on behalf of Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi has sent via a letter explaining everything what happened on that day.The letter in question is appended below:
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“This is the truth. Through the Gossiplanka news web site Ven. Pitiduwe Siri Dhamma Thera had explained his version of the story. In his story he had mentioned about the ugly manner the Buddhist monks and their supporters had behaved within the Temple premises during the incident.
Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera had made a statement to the Gossiplanka news web site that those who filed against him in courts that the Mt. Lavinia Courts had lawfully issued an interim order warning him not to harm the neighbours. Majority of the neighbours according to him are Catholics and they always made to sling mud at him. On the Bellantara lane up to the temple there are only 17 houses, 14 of the occupants are Buddhists, there are only 2 families who are Catholics and there is only just one Muslim family. All the Catholic families and the only Muslim family are all very innocent residents. They have never done any harm to the Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera or the temple. We are challenging against his statement to prove that most residents around are Catholics had slug mud at him.
In July 2004 during ‘Vas’ season the property at Bellantara was owned by Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera formerly the ‘Sir D.B.Jayatillake Walauvwa’ (the present Siri Sadaham Monastery) was gifted to Ven. Pituduwe Siri Dhamma Thera as a Priesthood deed. Since the Priesthood deed of gift was donated to date the activities and the behaviour of Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera had been condemned by a large cross section of people including prominent Buddhist monks as well as less educated junior Buddhist monks. They were all very unhappy about all his entire activities. When his obnoxious activities were felt by the Chairman of the Samadi Foundation (famous Photographer Dyan Vitharana) who gifted the first motor vehicle to Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera, the Treasurer and the Secretary left him in sheer disgust. All employees of the Siri Sadham Monastery also left for good.
When in the same year 2004 came to know about the faults and disgraceful acts of Ven. Siri Dhamma a meeting was called by the Chairman of Samadi Foundation, Dyan Vitharana, the Secretary , Treasurer and six members for a discussion when Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera was thoroughly warned to correct all his faults and advised him to act accordingly. On that day Ven. Siri Dhamma promised that he will correct all his faults and abide by them and not to repeat his faults thereafter.
Despite the advice given and his promise not to repeat his mistakes, he continued in the same vein and this wrong doings skyrocketed. Once more complaints against him started pouring into police stations. Among them was several detrimental newspaper articles, abuses and he challenging the senior monks for Dhamma debates were some of the main allegations.
In the context of the above the main aim of Ven. Kirama Wimalajothi Thera was to curb and to stop all such anti Buddhist activities against the ‘Sasana’. This was the prime intention of many other prominent Buddhist monks as well.
As there was no change in his attitudes as a last resort the owner of the Nedimale Buddhist Cultural Institute Ven. Kirana Wimalajothi Thera together about 20 other monks and about 25 supporters against this cause on the 7th November 2011 at around 4.30 p.m. stormed into the Bellantara Sadaham Monastery through the small gate and immediately asked for Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera. The employees informed that the Thera is out of the temple. They had told to inform the Ven. Siri Dhamma that we have come to meet him. In disbelief they had stormed the upstairs where only the Monks searched the upper floor. They were astonished to see the luxurious items inside. There were luxurious attached bathrooms, modern pantries, expensive tables with folks and spoons, washing machines, luxury chairs, fish tanks etc. The place resembled a mansion and not like the state of a premises within a buddhist temple.
*As mentioned by the Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera no camera, room keys, sound mixtures, cell phones were stolen by those who invaded. Also no harm was done to any article in the temple. The Ven Kirama Wimalajothi Thera and his supporters challenged that no such harm was made if is true to prove it.
About half an hour of the arrival of the Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi Thera and his supporters the Boralesgamuwa Police OIC arrived at the temple. At that time three women devotees who were within the temple with their cell phones were speaking to various people. Soon after a long haired person sporting a beard arrived with his wife. His intention was to provoke Ven. Kirama Wimaljothi Thera to induce him to come for a fight. But the Thera did not retort.
*Although Ven.Siri Dhamma Thera had confessed that those invaded had assaulted many his supporters within the temple it was all incorrect, as confessed by him no one was under the influence of liquor and no one was armed with iron bars. That too is a fraudulent statement. We challenge to prove these allegations also.
Soon after SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon’s request was to have a discussion and to come to a compromise and reconciliation. The outsiders barring the Buddhist monks were asked to stay away in participating. All were asked to stay at the main gate of the temple. Within minutes about 200 supporters of the Ven Siri Dhamma Thera faction thronged the temple; hearing about this incident may be to create a chaos but were not allowed in. It was real headache for the police personnel to curb their misbehaviour. At 5.30p.m Minister Mervyn Silva came to intervene. He was however sent in. It is learnt that he was beaten by some monks when he tried to interrupt and he slowly walked away saying ‘that if any harm is done to Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera he will set himself on fire.’
At this moment Ven. Medagoda Abeytissa Thera came to the temple. The supporters of Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera protested against his arrival. But with the intervention of the Police he was allowed in. At this moment of time the news had spread to the neighbouring temples and devotees and supporters of both factions thronged the outside of the temple premises creating a real pandemonium. Buddhist monks amounting to about 10 also had made their appearance in support of Ven. Kirama Wimlajothi Thera. The supporters of Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera had attempted to assault them. The Police intervention prevented this incident also. But the monks were advised to be a little away. However one supporter, a 21 year old youth was however assaulted. They did not go to retaliate but stayed calm. After a discussion which spanned for nearly 2 hours the following conditions were laid and strongly advised to abide by them.
“To continue the activities of the temple, without harming the neighbours.
To strictly observe and practice the ’Threvada Buddhist Culture’, and not to attempt to preach and practice the ‘Mahayanika’ Buddhist culture.
Stop all distorted Buddhist sermons
Avoid insulting Buddhist monks
Pardon all Buddhists for his all irregular Buddhist practices.
To revert back to his name as Ven. Pitituwe Siri Dhamma Thera from his present name ‘Samanthabadra’.
The list of this discussions and what was revealed is with SSP Deshabandu Tennakoon who was attending the discussion until it was over.
After the discussion was over at 7.45 p.m and reconciliation was brought about leaders of both factions Ven. Pitiduwe Siri Dhamma and Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi Thera and other monks came out of the temple premises under heavy Police guard. While leaving Ven.Medagoda Abeytissa Thera advised Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera to strictly adhere to the ‘Threvada Culture’ of Buddhism from now on and not to have any clashes with the neighbours. In reply Ven. Siri Dhamma Thera promised that he will not get indulged in clashes with the neighbours but remained mum about the rest of the conditions he was requested to abide by. At that time all got dispersed from the drama that unfolded.”
On the following day some supporters of Ven.Pituduwe Siri Dhamma Thera had assaulted a neighbour of the temple premises. A complaint in this regard has been lodged in the Boralegamuwa Police Station. The Police had made investigations in this regard. On the Poya day as usual “Mahayanika Manthree’ and ‘Illmaha Maithree” pooja and the Perahera were held in the usual manner. When a large number of devotees were present it was announced through loud speakers that during the incident on the 7th Ven.Kirama Wimalajothi Thera and other Buddhist monks had distorted the correct stand on really what was discussed was made known to the devotees of the temple.
Bellantara Samadi Monastery
(Now Siri Sadaham Monastery)
Secretary of the first Dayaka Sabawa
Jagath Jayasundara.
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This letter is in response to a the version of Ven.Pitituwe Siri Dhamma Thera published in our web site after the incident following an interview with the Thera: could be read from HERE: