Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero

Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero
දොඩන්දුවේ ශ්‍රි පියරත්න තිස්ස මහ නායක ස්වාමින් වහන්සේ
Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero
Personal life
Born12 December 1826
Died20 May 1907(1907-05-20) (aged 80)
NationalitySri Lankan
Known for
  • Revival of Buddhism
  • Established Sri Lanka's first Buddhist school (1869)
  • Popularised the 'Poruwa' ceremony at Buddhist weddings.
Other namesVen. Dodanduwa Piyaratana Mahanayaka Thero
Relations
Religious life
ReligionBuddhism
SchoolTheravada
LineageAmarapura Nikāya Sect.

Sri Piyaratana Tissa Mahanayake Thero (Sinhala: දොඩන්දුවේ ශ්‍රි පියරත්න තිස්ස මහ නායක ස්වාමින් වහන්සේ; 12 December 1826 – 20 May 1907), also known as Dodanduwa Piyaratne Thero, was the Mahanayaka Thero of the Amarapura Nikaya (circa 1860s), and the Sanganayake of the Southern Province. He popularised the 'Poruwa' ceremony at Buddhist weddings.

He established Sri Lanka's first Buddhist school in 1869, Jinalabdhi Vishodaka, now known as Dodanduwa Piyarathana Vidyalaya. He is believed to be the founding father of Buddhist education in Sri Lanka.

He was a member of the Weerasooriya family of Dodanduwa and Hikkaduwa, he was the brother of David Weerasooriya and uncle of Arnolis Weerasooriya.

The Tibetan Monk S. Mahinda was ordained by him. He was also a close friend of Henry Steel Olcott and administered 'pansil' to him.