Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thero is a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk who is the present Mahanayaka Thero of the Malwatta chapter of Siam Nikaya.
Background
Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala Thera was born on May 30, 1944, in the village Thibbatuwawe in "Kohonsiya Paththuwa" of Matale District. A descendant of a respected family, his father was Badnaranayake Wasala Mudali Tikiri Bandara Nilame of Thibbatuwawe Walauwa and his mother was Loku Kumarihamy of Karalliyadda Idame Walauwa.
Career
He was appointed as the 26th Mahanayke Thera of Malwatta Chapter on 20 June 2004, by the Karaka Sangha Sabha of Malwatta chapter, after the demise of Most Venerable (of an Archdeacon) Rambukwelle Sri Dharmarakkitha Vipassi Mahanayka Thera. His act of appointment was presented on 16 August 2004 at the historic Magul Maduwa in Kandy.
His lay name was Loku Bandara and was the youngest of the family with two elder sisters.
Purijjala Sri Siddhartha Saranankara Mahanayake Thera and Most Venerable (of an Archdeacon) Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddhartha Medankara Nayake Thera of Ridi Viharaya, Kurunegala.
Amunugama Rajaguru Vipassi Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatta Chapter. Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala thera was appointed to the Karaka Sanga Sabha, the highest administration body of the Malwatta Chapter in 1968, when he was only 24 years old, by the then Mahanayake Thera of the Malwatte chapter.
He was appointed to the prestigious position of Anunayake Thera (Deputy Chief Prelate) of the Malwatta chapter on May 13, 1992, when Venerable (of an Archdeacon)
Rambukwelle Sri Dharmarakkitha Anunayake Thera died. Rambukwelle Sri Vipassi Mahanayake Thera on 7 June 2004. Most Venerable (of an Archdeacon) Thibbatuwawe Sri Siddartha Sumangala Mahanayake Thera is the 26th Mahanayake Thera of Malwatta Chapter and his Acting of appointment was presented on 16 August 2004 at the historic Magul Maduwa in Kandy by the then Sri Lankan President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.
Membership
Thibbatuwawe Sri Sumangala thera"s performance of duties to the satisfaction, lead to his appointment as a Senior Member of the "Karaka Sanga Sabha" of the chapter on 5 January 1990, at the age of 45.