Witiyala Seewalie Thera
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Witiyala Seewalie Thera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Title | Founder/President and Abbot of the Minnesota Buddhist Vihara and Deputy Chief monk (Sangha Nayaka) of North America |
| Personal life | |
| Born | Witiyala, Sri Lanka |
| Nationality | Sri Lankan American |
| Religious life | |
| Religion | Buddhism |
| School | Theravada |
| Lineage | The Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Nikaya |
| Senior posting | |
| Based in | North America |
| Website | Official Homepage |
Witiyala Seewalie Thera (Sinhala: පූජ්ය විටියල සීවලී නාහිමි) is the founder and chief incumbent priest of Minnesota Buddhist Vihara. Currently, he is serving the Buddhist spiritual needs for people in six midwestern states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, North Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska.
Seewalie Thera was born in Witiyala, Sri Lanka. He was ordained as a Buddhist monk at the age of 12, and received his education at Migadaya Pirivena,(a monk's school) in Matara. He received upasampada (higher ordination), when he was 20, in Malwatta Maha Vihara, Kandy.
He received his higher education at Vidyalankara Maha Pirivena, Peliyagoda, Sri Lanka. He obtained the degree of Royal Pundit from Oriental Studies Society of Sri Lanka, B.A. honors degree from University of Kelaniya, M.A. degree from Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, Doctor of Literature degree from Vidyalankara College, Kelaniya, Diploma in Pali Language & Buddhism from Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, and Diploma in Bible Studies from Bible Society of Kandy.
In June 2009, he received Basic Emergency Service Chaplaincy Diploma from Minnesota Emergency Service Chaplain Association.
