Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera

Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera
Ven. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera
Religion	Buddhism
School	Theravada
Dharma names	Ven. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Sangharaja Thera
Personal
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Born	1408 Dematana, Kegalle District
Died	1491 Ambana Indurugiri cave, Elpitiya, Galle District
Senior posting
Title	Sangharaja 'Shad Bhasha Parameshwara'
Religious career
Teacher	Uthurumula Rahula Thera Wilgammula Thera Widagama Maithrie Thera
Students	Weththawe Thera

Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera (1408 - 1491) was a Buddhist monk and an eminent scholar, who lived in the 15th century in Sri Lanka. He was a multi-linguist who was given the title "Shad Bhasha Parameshwara" due to his mastery in six oriental languages which prevailed in the Indian subcontinent.Sangharaja Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera was also a distinguished author, veteran astrologer and a proficient ayurvedic physician.

Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula thera was born in 1408 at Dematana, a village close to Dedigama in Kegalle District. His lay name was Jayaba. Though his parentage is uncertain, some sources reveal that his mother was the elder sister of queen Keerawelle Kumari, who was the chief consort of King Parakkramabahu VI of Kotte. Accordingly, his mother was princess Seelawathi and his father was prince Wickramabahu. Since prince Jayaba's mother died when he was an infant, he was kept under the guardianship of King Parakkramabahu VI and his wife. Prince Jayaba had his education initially under Uthurumula Rahula thera and Wilgammula thera who were also relatives of him. They have ordained prince Jayaba as a novice monk and was given the religious name Wachissara Rahula thera.

After getting ordained as a Buddhist monk young Rahula thera moved to the Wijayabha pirivena of Thotagamuwa for his further education. Vijayaba Pirivena in Thotagamuwa, Hikkaduwa in Galle District served as the most renowned and popular education center of the Kotte era. King Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa was the founder of this famous pirivena which has produced many oriental scholars to the country. In a short period of time young Rahula thera acquired a wide knowledge in literature, oriental languages and Buddhist scriptures. He was well competent in reciting the entire Tripiṭaka by rote and amused his teachers and the king. It was at Vijayaba Pirivena in Thotagamuwa, Sri Rahula thera spent most of his life and created some of his most famous literary works. Later he succeeded his grandfather Uthurumua Rahula thera and Galthurumula thera as the chief prelate of Vijayaba Pirivena in Thotagamuwa, Hikkaduwa. Thotagamuwe Sri Rahula Thera was also the first Sri Lankan Bhikkhu to obtain the post of Sangharaja, which was conferred on him by King Parakramabahu VI.