Late Most Ven. Na Uyaney Ariyadamma Tero Funaral

State funeral for late Most Ven.Nauyane Ariyadamma Nayaka Thera Most Ven. Nauyane Ariyadhamma Maha Thera‍ (Sinhalese: අතිපූජ්‍යය නා උයනේ අරියධම්ම මහා ථේර, 24 April 1939 – 6 September 2016) was a Sri Lankan bhikkhu (Buddhist monk) and a senior meditation teacher. He was the spiritual advisor of the Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha, and for many years resided at the Na Uyana Aranya. In 2011 he moved to Meetirigala Dharmayatanaya to help revitalize this long-standing place of learning and dhamma practice. The final rites of late Most Venerable Nauyane Ariyadhamma thero , the Anunayake of the Sri Lanka Ramanya sect was held on the evening of Monday September 12, at the Parliament grounds, with full state honours. The cortege carrying the mortal remains of most venerable Nauyane Ariyadhamma thero departed from the Sri Kalyani Yogashramaya at one p.m. and made its way towards Parliament Grounds, amidst floral tributes from the air. President Maithripala Sirisena arrived at grounds to pay his last respects, along with members of the Maha Sanga representing all three sects and a number of politicians. Born on April 24, 1939 in Nauyana, Kurunegala, Most Venerable Na-Uyane Ariyadhamma thero was one of the leading theros of our time. He was ordained on March 27, 1957 under the tutelage of Veegoga Bodirukarama Thero. On July 15, 1959, the most venerable Thero obtained Upasampadhava and went on to become a scholar of Sanskrit. He was also lauded with many accolades and titles. During the 1960s, Ven. Ariyadhamma thero studied the Mahasi meditation system under Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera, and was guided in traditional Sri Lankan meditation methods by Ven. Matale Silarakkhita Mahathera of Ruwangirikanda Aranya. He did retreats at Mahasi centres in Burma in 1992 and 1993. In 1996, Ariyadhamma practiced under Ven. Sayadaw U Acinna (Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw) at Pa-Auk Meditation Centre in Mawlamyine, Burma. On returning to Sri Lanka in the beginning of 1997, he introduced the method to the Sri Kalyani Yogasrama Samstha, and there are several monasteries in the organization now practicing the Pa-Auk method. Ariyadhamma did further retreats at the same centre in 1997, 2001 and 2010. Ariyadhamma taught meditation to monks and lay practitioners since 1977. In 2006, he was awarded the ‘Mahākammaṭṭhānācariya’ (‘Great Meditation Teacher’) title by the Government of the Burma in recognition of his services in teaching Dhamma and meditation.