09/06/2026
Congratulatory Blessings from Venerable Akurala Samitha to
London Buddhist Vihara Centenary Celebration 1926-2026
සියවස සමරණ ලංඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරයට පූජ්ය අකුරළ සමිත ස්වාමින් වහන්සේගේ සුභාශිර්වාද 1926-2026
London Buddhist Vihara celebrates 100th year. As an esteemed Buddhist Centre, I wish to convey my blessings and congratulations for the centenary sacred celebration of London Buddhist Vihara.
2026 වසරේදී සියවස සමරණ ලංඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරයට අපගේ හෘදයාංගම සුභාශිම්ෂන පුද කිරීමට කැමතියි. ආසියාවෙන් පිටත එහෙමත් නැත්තම් බටහිර සහ යුරෝපයේ ආරම්භ කරන ලද පළමු විහාරස්ථානය ලෙස 1926 වසරේදී බෝධි සත්ව ගුණෝපේත ශ්රීමත් අනගාරික ධර්මපාල තුමා විසින් ආරම්භ කරන ලද ලංඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරය වර්ථමානයේ කීර්තිමත්ම විහාරස්ථානයක් ලංඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරය ථෙරවාද බෞද්ධ මූලස්ථානයක් ලෙස සුවිශේෂ සේවාවක් සිදු කරනු ලබනවා.
එම සේවාවන් අගය කරමින් සියළු විහාරස්ථාන අතර මූලස්ථානය ලෙස රාජ්ය තාන්ත්රික, රාජකීය වගේම අන්තර් ආගමික සාමාජික පිලිගැනීමකට ලංඩන් බෞද්ධ විහාරය පාත්රවී තිබෙනවා.
මෙම ඓතිහාසික අවස්ථාවේ මෙම සම්භාවනීය තත්වය උදෙසා උදාර සහ මහත් කැපවීමෙන් විශිෂ්ඨ සේවාවක් සිදු කල ඉතිහාසය පුරා වැඩ සිටිය අති ගෞරවණිය නායක ස්වාමින් වහන්සේලාටත්, වර්ථමාන විහාරාධිපති එක්සත් රාජධානියේ ප්රධාන සංඝ නායක අතිපූජ්ය ශාස්ත්රපති බෝගොඩ සීලවිමල නායක ස්වාමින් වහන්සේටත්, නියේජ්ය විහාරාධිපති ඒ වගේම දහම් පාසැලේ ප්රධාන ආචාර්ය සහ රාහුල පුණ්යායතනයේ ප්රධාන අනුශාසක අති පූජ්ය ශාස්ත්රපති තවලම බන්දුල මාහිමිපාණන් වහන්සේටත්, සියළු නේවාසික ස්වාමින් වහන්සේලාටත්, මහාබෝධි සංගමයේ භාරකාර මණ්ඩලයටත්, සියළු දායක පිංවතුන්ටත් අපගේ කෘතඥතාවය පුද කිරීමට කැමතියි.
London Buddhist Vihara was established in 1926 by the visionary leader, historical Sri Lankan Buddhist, a major reformer and a revivalist; Sir Anagārika Dharmapāla.
This the first Buddhist Centre established in Europe or Outside Asia.
We all are eternally grateful for the Founder Sir Anagārika Dharmapāla for initiating such a profound foundation in London the centre of the world. While we remember with deepest gratitude all renowned Most Venerable monks and members of the community who contributed enormously for the present progress, we truly admire the excellent work of present head monk Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Sangha Nayaka Maha Thero the Chief Prelate of the United Kingdom and also the excellent work of the deputy head monk, the principle of London Buddhist Vihara Dhamma School and the founder of Rahula Trust Charity, Most Venerable Tawalama Bandula Maha Thero and Also all other venerable monks, Trustees and other members of the Vihara. Their dedication, vision and hard work to preserve, promote and propagate the prestigious services of London Buddhist Vihara, made a real difference to present progress.
London Buddhist Vihara has touched many hearts as an inspirational spiritual and cultural hub to many walks of life including government officials and diplomatic dignitaries. It has never been a destination. It has always been a mission (process) that rises and reaches beyond paradigms. We are indebted to the founder and all other abbots and devotes (members of the community) throughout the history who contributed generously to the present spiritual culmination of London Buddhist Vihara.
London Buddhist Vihara renders yeoman service to the community. Throughout the year it hosts various number of regular programmes such as cultural, spiritual, interfaith, mental health, social welfare activities, child sponsorship, relief Aid and blessings services. I am personally very proud to witness and support the great work of London Buddhist Vihara at this historic juncture of marking the 100 years mile stone of excellent service.
Inception of this vihara (temple) was a timely need when we carefully study the Involvement of Sir Henry Steel Olcott, Mrs Helena Blavatsky and others of the Theosophical Society and also the philanthropist Madam Mary Foster. Though this was long time ago, this purpose is still and more than before deeply relevant to the present climate of the world.
London Buddhist Vihara situated in the heart of London, the one of the prestigious city in the world, is not just a centre for Buddhists. Being a centre for Theravada school of Buddhism, London Buddhist Vihara continues to create a living bridge to all Buddhist denominations and Cultures, Mindfulness Meditation, Buddhist Education, Interfaith & social cohesion and even diplomatic relations.
We are pleased to see the service in motion at London Buddhist Vihara progressing from strength to strength abide by the foremost advice of the Lord Buddha;
“for the welfare of the many (Bahujana Hitaya), for the happiness of the many (Bahujana Sukkhaya), through compassion to the world (Lokanukampaya)”.
With deep gratitude, we admire the hard work and tireless contributions of The Head Monk of the London Buddhist Vihara and the Chief Prelate of the United Kingdom, Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Sangha Nayaka Thero and also the Deputy Head Monk, the principle of London Buddhist Vihara Dhamma School and founder Member and Trustee of Rahula Trust Charity Most Venerable Tawalama Bandula Maha Thero and all other resident venerable monks, Trustees of Maha Bodhi Society and other members of London Buddhist Vihara.
All the monks and devotees of London Buddhist Vihara throughout the history adorably identified its vision and mission and foresee the future and prepare a ground for today, for all of us to proudly celebrate this historic mile stone of the journey of London Buddhist Vihara in the history of the Buddhist world.
May London Buddhist Vihara continue to shine bright!
May it live long with spreading the fame of Dhamma fragrance to every corner of the world and beyond.
Theruwan Saranai!
May there be the blessings of the Noble Triple Gem!
“Sukha Sanghassa Sāmaggi”
“The purity, unity, amity, stability and frequent congregations of Sangha (Noble Order of Monks) by all means are an abundant blessing to this universe.
"Chiran Titthatu Lokasmin - Samma Sambuddha Sasanan"
"Long may securely last in the whole universe, the teachings and the order of the Gauthama Lord Buddha".
it is with greatest honour and humility I convey my blessings to the Head Monk, Deputy Head Monk and all at London Buddhist Vihara.
A Very Happy, Successful and Prosperous Anniversary!
Wish you all a Remarkable and Historic Centenary Celebration!
Thank you.
Venerable Akurala Samitha
Letchworth Dhamma Nikethanaya Buddhist Centre
Milton Keynes Vihara
Sir Anagārika Dharmapāla Venerable Sri Devamitta Dharmapala (1864–1933)
Most Venerable Narada Nayaka Maha Thero (1898-1983)
Most Venerable Professor Hammalawa Saddhatissa Nayaka Maha Thero (1914–1990)
Most Venerable Dr Medagama Vajiragnana Nayaka Maha Thero (1928-2006)
Most Venerable Bogoda Seelawimala Nayaka Maha Thero (2004 onwards)
Most Venerable Tawalama Bandula Nayaka Maha Thero (1988 onwards)
Madam Mary Elizabeth Mikahala Robinson Foster (1844–1930)
