Jalan K Sri Dhammananda

The Most Venerable Dr. Kirinde Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera is a great spiritual master in the eyes of Buddhists all over the world. To the non-Buddhists and other co-religionists, he is a man who believes and promotes peace, mutual respect and understanding amongst all mankind.

In the international arena, the late Ven Dhammananda stands tall amongst other great Buddhist Dhamma masters like the His Holiness The Dalai Lama, Plum Village's Most Venerable Thich Nhat Hanh and  Fo Guang Shan's founder Venerable Master Hsin Yun.

In Malaysia he is accorded the highest level of respect befitting a great monk by the Buddhist community and widely recognised as the Father of Malaysian Buddhism amongst the Buddhists. By far he is the only Buddhist monk in Malaysia to be conferred a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Malaysian Buddhist community for his service and contribution towards the propagation and development of Buddhism in his adopted country.

 

For more than 50 years since his arrival in 1952 on the shore of the then colonial Malaya, the late venerable travelled all over the country to propagate the Buddha Sasana to all levels of society. No one is too young or too old to learn from him. He has his ways in disseminating the Teachings of the Buddha to all who came to see him for guidance and spiritual teachings.

 

His capabilities as a charismatic speaker and prolific writer enable him to propogate the Buddha Sasana to many people. To reach out to a wider scale of people who are interested to learn about Buddhism, he founded the Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia which publishes articles and books on Buddhism for distribution all over the country and the world. His religious work had touches and changed the lives of millions when he was alive and after his passing his books are still being read by millions all over the world in different languages.

 

As a man who stand firms on the importance of inter religious understanding and mutual respect amongst people of different religion, he reaches out to people of other religions with loving hands and compassionate heart. Religious leaders of Christians, Hindus, Muslims and others have deep respect for this man of peace and religion.

 

World Buddhist leaders and scholars from different schools and denominations sees him as a great Buddhist teacher and leader. His international and national stature as a religious teacher can be observed from the presence and messages from Buddhist leaders from all over the world during his funeral three years ago.

 

Residing at the same temple for more than 50 years by no means a great feat for one who came from Sri Lanka to share the sublime Teachings of the Buddha to the people of this country. The Brickfields Buddhist Temple, now known as Buddhist Maha Vihara at Jalan Berhala was his base for his Dhammaduta work for more than half a century. The temple became synonymous with Venerable K Sri Dhammanada.

 

Many who passes through the temple arch at Jalan Berhala for the first time became long term devotees of the temple because there is one person that managed to provide answers to the many questions that arises in their mind. That person that able to provide the meaning of life and answers on Buddhism is non other than the late Most Venerable Dr K Sri Dhammananda Nayaka Maha Thera.

 

While many had the highest level of respect for the late venerable when he is alive, it is critically important to have gratitude and remembers all the good deeds that he had selflessly contributed to this country and her people. In this respect efforts must be taken to petition the Malaysian government and the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to proclaim the name of Jalan Berhala to be changed to Jalan K Sri Dhammananda. This will be apt and respectful to honour a person who contributed so much to the spiritual development and peaceful living of Malaysians while based at that particular road for more than 50 years.

 

Buddhist organisations particularly Buddhist Missionary Society Malaysia and temple custodian Sasana Abhiwurdhi Wardhana Society must take the necessary actions to engaged the Kuala Lumpur City Hall to ensure name change for Jalan Berhala, should be changed to Jalan K Sri Dhammananda and not the name of another politician. The spirituality of the road must be maintain and defended. - Loka