Katukurunde Nanananda Thera
Encyclopedia
Katukurunde Nanananda Thera (spelled Ñāṇananda in Pali
, sometimes called Gnanananda in Sinhala) is a Sri Lanka
n Bhikkhu
(Buddhist Monk
) and a Buddhist scholar. He is best known for the research monograph Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought and the exploratory study The Magic of the Mind. Ven. Nanananda is the abbot of Pothgulgala Aranya, a small forest monastery in Devalegama
, Sri Lanka
.
in Sri Lanka
. He received his school education from Mahinda College
, Galle. In 1962 he graduated from the University of Peradeniya
specializing in Pali Studies, and served as an Assistant Lecturer in Pali at the same University for a brief period of time. He renounced his post in 1967 to enter the Order of Buddhist monks under the name Katukurunde Nanananda in the forest monastic tradition of Sri Lanka.
. Three other monks were ordained with him, two of them being Ven. Ñāṇasuci (later Samanera Bodhesako
) and Ven. Ñāṇajivako (Prof. Čedomil Veljačić).
After the Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya
was established with Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera as the abbot and the meditation master, Ven. Nanananda moved to that monastery in 1972 and re-ordained under Ven. Nanarama. When Ven. Nanarama Mahathera passed away in 1992, Ven. Nanananda moved to Pothgulgala Aranya, where he still resides as the abbot. Ven. Nanananda has continuously maintained a simple and austere way of practice with a strong commitment to strict Vinaya
standards.
18), which he regards as the “locus classicus as it affords us a clearer insight into the problem of papañca”. His radical interpretation of papañca as ‘conceptual proliferation
’ is now widely accepted and used by modern Buddhist scholars. The book was introduced as “an imaginative interpretation of the Buddhist critique of conceptual thought in the Pali tradition” in the Encyclopedia of Religion.
4.24), a canonical discourse of hallowed tradition that had subsequently fallen into neglect. Ven. Nanananda gives an annotated translation of the sutta prologued by a humorously conceived parable of a magic show. The main theme of the work is the illusory nature of Viññaṇa
. The book attempts to draw out the psychological and philosophical implications of the text, centered on a discussion of Paticcasamuppada as a golden mean which freely transcends the dualities of existence and non-existence and mind-and-matter.
, during the period 1998.08.12 – 1991.01.31. This often controversial set of talks were then distributed in cassettes among interested monastics and lay Buddhists. In 1997, a publications trust named Dharma Grantha Mudrana Bharaya (D.G.M.B.) was set up with the public trustee
of Sri Lanka to freely distribute Ven. Nanananda's works. The first publications of D.G.M.B. were these sermons in Sinhala, made available in 11 volumes, titled Nivane Niveema. Since 2003 the English translations have been made available in a 7-volume series titled Nibbana – The Mind Stilled.
In these sermons Ven. Nanananda attempted to “trace the original meaning and significance of the Pali term Nibbana based on the evidence from the discourses of the Pali Canon
”. This has led to a detailed analysis and a re-appraisal of some of the most controversial suttas on Nibbana. While this collection develops on his earlier works, the Nibbana sermons are presented with a more pragmatic outlook to benefit those who are keen on realizing this ultimate goal of Buddhist practice.
Páli
- External links :* *...
, sometimes called Gnanananda in Sinhala) is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n Bhikkhu
Bhikkhu
A Bhikkhu or Bhikṣu is an ordained male Buddhist monastic. A female monastic is called a Bhikkhuni Nepali: ). The life of Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis is governed by a set of rules called the patimokkha within the vinaya's framework of monastic discipline...
(Buddhist Monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
) and a Buddhist scholar. He is best known for the research monograph Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought and the exploratory study The Magic of the Mind. Ven. Nanananda is the abbot of Pothgulgala Aranya, a small forest monastery in Devalegama
Devalegama
Devalegama is a small town in Sri Lanka located on the A19 highway running from Kegalla to Polgahawela. The phrase 'Devalegama' means 'The village of the shrine'...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
.
Early life
Ven. Nanananda was born in 1940 to a Buddhist family in Galle DistrictGalle District
Galle is a district in Southern Province, Sri Lanka.- Geological background :Its area is , in which is water and is land. Galle District bounded on the North by Benthara river, South and West by the Indian Ocean and East by Matara and Ratnapura Districts. Topography of Galle District is very...
in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. He received his school education from Mahinda College
Mahinda College
Mahinda College is a Buddhist boys' school in Galle, Sri Lanka. It is a national school, which provides primary and secondary education. The school was established on March 1, 1892 by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
, Galle. In 1962 he graduated from the University of Peradeniya
University of Peradeniya
The University of Peradeniya is a world renowned state university in Sri Lanka, funded by the University Grants Commission...
specializing in Pali Studies, and served as an Assistant Lecturer in Pali at the same University for a brief period of time. He renounced his post in 1967 to enter the Order of Buddhist monks under the name Katukurunde Nanananda in the forest monastic tradition of Sri Lanka.
Monastic life
Ven. Nanananda initially ordained at the Island HermitageIsland Hermitage
Island Hermitage on Dodanduwa Island, Galle District, Sri Lanka is a famous Buddhist forest monastery founded by Ven. Nyanatiloka Mahathera in 1911. It has an excellent English and German library...
. Three other monks were ordained with him, two of them being Ven. Ñāṇasuci (later Samanera Bodhesako
Samanera Bodhesako
Sāmanera Bodhesako was an American Buddhist monk. Born in Detroit, Michigan, in 1939, he studied at the University of Iowa, specializing in Literature and Creative Writing...
) and Ven. Ñāṇajivako (Prof. Čedomil Veljačić).
After the Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya
Nissarana Vanaya
Nissarana Vanaya is a famous meditation monastery in Sri Lanka. It is located in western province close to the town of Kirindiwela.-History:Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya is a monastery in the strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka...
was established with Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera as the abbot and the meditation master, Ven. Nanananda moved to that monastery in 1972 and re-ordained under Ven. Nanarama. When Ven. Nanarama Mahathera passed away in 1992, Ven. Nanananda moved to Pothgulgala Aranya, where he still resides as the abbot. Ven. Nanananda has continuously maintained a simple and austere way of practice with a strong commitment to strict Vinaya
Vinaya
The Vinaya is the regulatory framework for the Buddhist monastic community, or sangha, based in the canonical texts called Vinaya Pitaka. The teachings of the Buddha, or Buddhadharma can be divided into two broad categories: 'Dharma' or doctrine, and 'Vinaya', or discipline...
standards.
Scholarly career
Ven. Nanananda′s best known works are Concept and Reality in Early Buddhist Thought, published in 1971, and The Magic of the Mind, published in 1974, both completed during his stay at the Island Hermitage. His latest major work is a collection of sermons on Nibbana that was initially published in Sinhala and later in English translation, titled Nibbana - The Mind Stilled.Concept and Reality
This penetrative study shed new light on the early Buddhist views on the psychology of perception, the conceptualizing process and its transcending. The discussion focuses upon two important but controversial terms found in the Buddha's discourses: papañca and papañca-saññā-saṅkhā Ven. Nanananda was the first to analyze the unique grammatical shift found in the sections in which the compound papañca-saññā-saṅkhā appears in the Madhupiṇḍika Sutta (MNMajjhima Nikaya
The Majjhima Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the second of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that compose the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
18), which he regards as the “locus classicus as it affords us a clearer insight into the problem of papañca”. His radical interpretation of papañca as ‘conceptual proliferation
Conceptual Proliferation
In Buddhism, conceptual proliferation refers to conceptualization of the world through the use of ever-expanding language and concepts. The translation of papañca as conceptual proliferation was first made by Katukurunde Nanananda Thera in his research monograph Concept and Reality.[2] It is a...
’ is now widely accepted and used by modern Buddhist scholars. The book was introduced as “an imaginative interpretation of the Buddhist critique of conceptual thought in the Pali tradition” in the Encyclopedia of Religion.
The Magic of the Mind
This is an exposition of the Kālakārāma Sutta (ANAnguttara Nikaya
The Anguttara Nikaya is a Buddhist scripture, the fourth of the five nikayas, or collections, in the Sutta Pitaka, which is one of the "three baskets" that comprise the Pali Tipitaka of Theravada Buddhism...
4.24), a canonical discourse of hallowed tradition that had subsequently fallen into neglect. Ven. Nanananda gives an annotated translation of the sutta prologued by a humorously conceived parable of a magic show. The main theme of the work is the illusory nature of Viññaṇa
Vijnana
Vijñāna or viññāa is translated as "consciousness," "life force," "mind," or "discernment."...
. The book attempts to draw out the psychological and philosophical implications of the text, centered on a discussion of Paticcasamuppada as a golden mean which freely transcends the dualities of existence and non-existence and mind-and-matter.
Nibbana - The Mind Stilled
While at Nissarana Vanaya, at the invitation of the Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera, Ven. Nanananda Thera delivered 33 sermons on the subject of NibbanaNirvana
Nirvāṇa ; ) is a central concept in Indian religions. In sramanic thought, it is the state of being free from suffering. In Hindu philosophy, it is the union with the Supreme being through moksha...
, during the period 1998.08.12 – 1991.01.31. This often controversial set of talks were then distributed in cassettes among interested monastics and lay Buddhists. In 1997, a publications trust named Dharma Grantha Mudrana Bharaya (D.G.M.B.) was set up with the public trustee
Public trustee
The public trustee is an office established pursuant to national statute, to act as a trustee, usually where a sum is required to be deposited as security by legislation, where courts remove another trustee, or for estates where either no executor is named by will or the testator elects to name...
of Sri Lanka to freely distribute Ven. Nanananda's works. The first publications of D.G.M.B. were these sermons in Sinhala, made available in 11 volumes, titled Nivane Niveema. Since 2003 the English translations have been made available in a 7-volume series titled Nibbana – The Mind Stilled.
In these sermons Ven. Nanananda attempted to “trace the original meaning and significance of the Pali term Nibbana based on the evidence from the discourses of the Pali Canon
Pāli Canon
The Pāli Canon is the standard collection of scriptures in the Theravada Buddhist tradition, as preserved in the Pāli language. It is the only completely surviving early Buddhist canon, and one of the first to be written down...
”. This has led to a detailed analysis and a re-appraisal of some of the most controversial suttas on Nibbana. While this collection develops on his earlier works, the Nibbana sermons are presented with a more pragmatic outlook to benefit those who are keen on realizing this ultimate goal of Buddhist practice.