About

The Most Ven. Mankadawala Sudassana Thero

The most venerable Mankadawala Sudassana thero is the Kammattanacharya of Labunorwakanda Forest Monastery at Muriyankadawela, Galenbindunuweva, Sri Lanka. He is unique in his way of delivering the Buddha’s message to us. He has analyzed Dhamma with his penetrative wisdom and delivers it with compassion. His talks are enriched with concepts and explanations from Abhidhamma, yet easy to comprehend, demonstrating the direct application of Dhamma in daily life for purification of the mind. He encourages us to verify whether what we hear as Dhamma is in conformity with the four noble truths and the well-known six qualities that is spelled out in Swakkatho Bhagawatho Dhammo……” to identify the true Dhamma.

If you have been searching for Dhamma that leads to purification liberation, these talks will help you find it. Ven. Sudassana delivers the talks in formal as well as informal tone, with a good sense of humor. He has come up with excellent similes to beautifully illustrate deeper aspects of Dhamma and explains in simple terms. Listening to Ven. Sudassana you will be surprised to find out the gaps in your knowledge on even apparently simple topics such as Seela. His teachings includes the Dhamma that Ven Arahath Sariputta taught Anathapindika and mentioned that this type of teachings are not given to householders, but only to those who have gone forth (Anathpindika Sutta).

Ven. Sudassana’s primary message is to have the right view and vision as the forerunner of our practice. He emphasizes the importance of knowing the meaning, purpose and results of the Seela (moral conduct) and Bhavana (meditation), before we start doing it. The right view (Samma Ditti) is often explained in detail in one aspect or the other (out of the 16 ways defined in the Samma Ditti Sutta). Most of the talks cover a wide range of topics starting from the Avidya we are in now to the right view (Samma Ditti) and to the practice (patipada). Ven. Sudassana often covers Dependent origination (Paticcha Sammuppadaya) and explains everything in terms of the law of cause and effect (Hethu-pala dahama) to illustrate the concept of non-self. Most talks end with some meditation instructions and how to use the teachings while doing the day-to-day tasks to develop Sathi and also to avoid further accumulation of Sankhara.

Ven. Sudassana encourages people to look at their lives with an open mind and with right view to see the truth as it is. Suggests the need of seela for sense restrain (Indriya Sanvaraya) which helps develop a calm mind through Samatha practice. Vipassana with the calm mind helps us see the truth as it is (Yathabhutha) to understand Dhukka, which leads to dispassion (Nibbida) and finally to eliminate attachment and craving which ultimately will result in cessation of Dukkha.

Acknowledgement

We thank with gratitude and reverence Most Venerable Makadawala Sudassana Thero, the compassionate teacher with wisdom for teaching the Dhamma tirelessly. Thanks are due for for all those who provided the long list of recorded talks in this site, recorded and made them publicly available and those who provide Ven. Sudassana with four requisites so that he could continue his teaching. May all of them share the merits of this Dhamma Dana and further their understanding of Dhamma for continuation on the path to liberation.