After 105 years Samitharathana Thero following the path of Sumangala Thero to Oxford

Ven. Wadigala Samitharathana Thero has achieved a historic milestone as the first Sri Lankan Buddhist monk in 105 years to study at the renowned University of Oxford. He is currently pursuing an MPhil in Buddhist Studies at St Cross College, supported by the Glorisun Graduate Scholarship.

The Thero’s academic journey began with an intensive study of oriental languages, including Sinhala, Pāli, and Sanskrit, alongside related disciplines such as philology, etymology, grammar, semantics, and Buddhist philosophy. His early education took place at Siri Sunanda Pirivena in Beliatta and Mahāvihāra Maha Pirivena in Kandy.

In 2013, Ven. Samitharathana Thero won the National First Prize in the Buddhist Religious Final Examination, earning a Korean Government Scholarship. By 2016, he had completed his studies in oriental literature, earning the title Royal Paṇḍita.

In 2019, he embarked on a BA (Hons) in Philosophy at the University of Peradeniya while delving into Buddhist and non-Buddhist texts, including the Pāli canon, exegetical commentaries, and Sanskrit scriptures. His academic excellence was further recognized in 2017 when he received the ‘Outstanding Young Buddhist Scholar Award’ from the International Buddhist College in Thailand.

Continuing his academic pursuits, Ven. Samitharathana Thero accepted an offer from Oxford Brookes University, along with an International Student Scholarship Award, to complete a BA (Hons) in Philosophy. He graduated in 2023 with a dissertation titled Aristotle and Buddhism: A Comparative Study between the Aristotelian Concept of Eudaimonia and the Buddhist Perspective of Nibbāna.

In 2024, he earned an MA in Buddhist Studies from SOAS University of London, supported by the Tibet Foundation Award. His research focused on Buddhaghosa’s Critique of Meditation in the Visuddhimagga, emphasizing ethics, epistemology, and metaphysics in Buddhist meditation.

Ven. Samitharathana Thero has presented research papers at prestigious international conferences in cities such as Zürich, Paris, Oxford, Cambridge, and New York. He also established the Oxford Buddhist Society, serving as its founding president to preserve and promote Theravāda Buddhism for global well-being.

In Michaelmas Term 2024, the Thero formally joined the University of Oxford as a Glorisun Scholar, matriculating at St Cross College to further his academic work in Buddhist Studies.

Historically, Venerable Suriyagoda Sumangala Thero was the first Sri Lankan monk to study at Oxford. In 1919, he joined as a non-collegiate student and later pursued a BLitt at Harris Manchester College. Ven. Samitharathana Thero’s achievement marks a significant continuation of this legacy in Buddhist scholarship.

The post After 105 years Samitharathana Thero following the path of Sumangala Thero to Oxford appeared first on DailyNews.