Venerable Pidiville Piyatissa Nayaka Thero, the head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester, Leeds Buddhist Vihara, and Sumamanasaramaya of Tulawala Sri Lanka, has been appointed Chief Sangha Nayaka for England by the Karaka Sangha Sabha of the Siyamopali Maha Viharawansika Maha Nikaya, Malwatta Chapter, Kandy, Sri Lanka. At a special meeting of the Karaka Sangha Sabha on 29 May 2023, Ven. Piyatissa was given the title in recognition of his important contributions in support of Theravada Buddhists in England through the establishment of Buddhist organizations (Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester and Leeds Buddhist Vihara), and for his important work teaching the Buddhadhamma and meditation. 

Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester held a ceremony of celebration of the Sanga-Nayakanuprapthi of Ven. Piyatissa Nayaka Thero in Manchester on 10 December 2023. Many distinguished monks participated, including Ven. Seelawimala, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain from LBV London Buddhist Vihara, and Ven. Nayaka Theras from Siyamopali Maha Viharavansika Maha Nikaya, Malwatta Chapter, Kandy, Sri Lanka. 

BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) members were delighted to attend. BGKT Secretary Jacquetta Gomes gave a video interview for the ceremony.

BGKT and Keswick Buddhist Group (Theravada) have had a close relationship with Ketumati Buddhist Vihara since it opened under the leadership of Ven. Piyatissa in 1999. Members have attended many talks and ceremonies at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara. BGKT attended monthly meditation retreats at Ketumati on the first Saturday of each month until 2020. BGKT secretary Jacquetta Gomes taught metta (Pali. loving-kindness) meditation. These retreats are now held on the first Sunday, and BGKT attends via Zoom. BGKT also attends Wednesday evening meditation, study, and discussion sessions.

Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa at meetings in Kendal

1999: Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa, head of Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester, has taught for BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group (Theravada) since his first visit on 9 October 1999. He and other monks have visited Kendal regularly since then, leading meditation retreats and Dhamma study and meditation sessions.

2000: Ven. Medagama Vajiragnana Mahanayaka Thera, Aggamaha Saddhammajothika Dhaja, Vishvakeerthi Sri Sasana Sobhana Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and head of London Buddhist Vihara OBE (1928–2006), and Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa Maha Thero, led a meditation and Buddhist teaching meeting for BGKT at Fellside Centre on 30 July 2000. This included a celebration of the 25th anniversary of Jacquetta Gomes becoming Upasika Jayasili, with Ven. Narada Maha Thera as preceptor in Sri Lanka, on 30 July 1975.

2016: BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) celebrated the 25th anniversary of its founding in September 1991 at a retreat at Fellside Centre Kendal, led by Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa and Ven. Udunuwara Indarathana on 25 September 2016.

Precepts, certificates, badges and sashes

A unique aspect of the relationship between Ketumati and BGKT and Keswick Buddhist Group has been in relation to the development of precepts and Dhamma teaching in the West. A decision was made that certificates signed by Ven. Piyatissa would be presented to those taking Panca Sila (Pali. five precepts) and receiving a Buddhist name. And a certificate and a cream sash would be presented to those taking Ajivatthamaka Sila (Pali. eight precepts with Right Livelihood as the eighth) for life. These sashes must be worn when sangha members administer the Panca Sila if a male or female monastic is not present. Dhamma teachers’ certificates and badges would be presented to sangha-authorized Dhamma teachers.

Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa was the preceptor when Upasaka Sumedha and Upasaka Mahinda took the Ajivatthamaka Sila for Life on 1 October 2000 in Kendal. As far as Ketumati and BGKT are aware, this was the first time that these precepts have been taken for life in the UK. They were each presented with a “Certificate for Observing the Ajivatthamaka Sila for Life,” at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara’s Kathina celebrations in Oldham on 22 October 2000. The presentation was made by Ven. Medagama Vajiragnana Mahanayaka Thera, Aggamaha Saddhammajothika Dhaja, and Vishvakeerthi Sri Sasana Sobhana, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Great Britain and head of the London Buddhist Vihara (1928–2006). This event and photographs of the ceremony were reported in the Sri Lankan press. Upasaka Mahinda spent a holiday in Sri Lanka and was recognized in Peradeniya Gardens, Kandy, by a girl who had seen his photograph in the Sri Lankan press.

Ven. Piyatissa was the preceptor when Upasaka Dhammika took the Panca Sila on 14 October 2001.

Upasaka Sumedha was the first member of BGKT to be presented with a “Dhamma Teacher’s Certificate” from Ketumati, and Upasaka Dhammika was presented with a “Certificate for Observing the Panca Sila” at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara’s Kathina celebrations in Oldham on 4 November 2001.

Upasaka Mahinda was the second member of BGKT to be presented with a Dhamma teacher’s certificate at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara’s Kathina celebrations in Oldham on 27 October 2002. The presentation was made by Ven. Kirindigalle Dhammaratana Maha Thera, Chief Sangha Nayaka of Scandinavia and head of the Stockholm Buddhist Vihara. Upasaka Punna was presented with a “Certificate for Observing the Ajivatthamaka Sila for Life” at the same ceremony. Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa Maha Thera had been the preceptor when he took the Ajivatthamaka Sila for Life on 29 September 2002 in Kendal.

At the 2006 Vesak celebrations at Ketumati Buddhist Vihara Manchester, Ven. Piyatissa presented “Sangha Authorized Dhamma Teacher” badges to four lay teachers: Titus Gomes, Bodhicarini Upasaka Jayasili Jacquetta Gomes, Upasaka Sumedha, and Upasaka Mahinda. Cream sashes were presented to Upasakas Sumedha, Mahinda, and Punna, who had taken the Ajivatthamaka Sila for Life with Ven. Piyatissa as preceptor, and to Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili for having taken the Bodhicari Precepts. 

The 2006 Vesak celebrations included the distribution of the booklet Requirements and Ceremonies for the Five Precepts (Panca Sila), The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth (Ajivatthamaka Sila), Dhamma Teachers Certificate by Ketumati Buddhist Vihara and BGKT. This booklet was subsequently published for worldwide distribution by the Corporate Body of the Buddha Educational Foundation, Taiwan, as part of the 2007 edition of Introducing Buddhism. The booklet is available on several websites, including BGKT, Google Books, and the Internet Archive.

In 2004, Jacquetta Gomes had an article published in an academic journal describing this work: “The Development and Use of the Eight Precepts for Lay Practitioners, Upasakas and Upasikas in Theravada Buddhism in the West.”* Several other articles have been published in Buddhist newsletters (including the “Ketumati Buddhist Vihara [Manchester] Newsletter”) about this important relationship between Ketumati and BGKT. 

Ven. Piyatissa was the preceptor when further upasakas and upasikas from BGKT and Keswick Buddhist Group took Panca Sila and Ajivatthamaka Sila in Kendal. They have received certificates and sashes. Ven. Piyatissa has also given more Dhamma teachers’ certificates.

20th anniversary of Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa teaching at BGKT and Keswick Buddhist Group 

In 2019, Ven. Piyatissa celebrated 20 years of teaching BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group (Theravada).

Ven. Piyatissa led a retreat for the two groups on 29 September at Kendal Fire Station. (As far as we are aware, he led the first retreat by a Buddhist Monk at an operational Fire Station in the UK, at Kendal Fire Station in September 2011. He presented a sash for taking the Bodhicari Precepts to Bodhicarini Upasika Jayasili Jacquetta Gomes at this retreat.)

The then mayor of Kendal, Councillor Alvin Finch, invited Ven. Piyatissa and the two groups to the Mayor’s Parlour in Kendal Town Hall on 30 September. The mayor offered Ven. Piyatissa a dana lunch on behalf of the people of Kendal. Another guest was the mayor of Dalton. Ven. Piyatissa presented the mayor with a copy of his book An Exposition of Buddhism. The mayor presented Ven. Piyatissa with a copy of Religion, Belief and Culture in our Community; Cumbrian Supplement (2nd edition).

This was not Ven. Piyatissa’s first visit to the Mayor’s Parlour. In September 2009, the then mayor of Kendal, Councillor John Bateson, invited Ven. Piyatissa and other guests to the Mayor’s Parlour. In March 2008, Councillor Gwen Murfin, mayor of Kendal (2007–08), invited Ven. Pidiville Piyatissa to lead a celebration and Pali-language blessing ceremony in the Mayor’s Parlour in Kendal Town Hall.

BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada) and Keswick Buddhist Group (Theravada) are very grateful to Ven. Piyatissa for his teaching, support, and inspiration.

* Gomes, Jacquetta. “The Development and Use of the Eight Precepts for Lay Practitioners, Upasakas and Upasikas in Theravada Buddhism in the West,” in Contemporary Buddhism, Volume 5(1) (May, 2004) 47–63: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1463994042000249535

See more

BGKT Buddhist Group of Kendal (Theravada)
Ketumati Buddhist Vihara

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