Remembering a Buddhist scholar

Prof. A.D.T.E. Perera, an eminent scholar of Buddhist art and archaeology was born on April 29, 1936, at the Sarikkamulla village, Panadura in Sri Lanka. His father was D.B. Perera, a planter, and his mother was Perl Danthanarayana.

Perera had his primary and secondary school education at St. Sebastian's College, Moratuwa, and attended the Daham Pasela close to his house at Sri Taksala Vidyalaya. It was here that Perera was able to form a close bond with a well-known archaeologist and scholar monk Ven. Medauyangoda Wemalakirthi Thera, who resided at a nearby temple 'Sirinandana Pirivena'.

In the late 1950s Perera gained entry to the University of Peradeniya. He studied Pali, Sanskrit, and Buddhist philosophy for his degree in Arts. He was in the last batch of students of Prof. Senarath Paranavitana, who served as the Professor of Archaeology at the University of Ceylon from 1957 to 1961.

Upon leaving the University in 1962 Perera served as a teacher at both St. Sebastian’s College and Sri Taksala Vidyalaya for a short period. Thereafter he worked for a while and also served as a Sub Editor of the ‘Ceylon Daily News’, during the era of Esmond Wickremesinghe.

His scholarly interests in Buddhism led him to establish contact with Ven. Baddegama Wimalawansa Thera, then Head of the ‘Odey Pansala’ at Maradana, also known as Sri Lanka Vidyalaya.

In the mid-1960s Perera married

Sujatha Perera, whom he had first met at the Sri Taksala Vidyalaya.

During the late 1960s, Perera had a rapid rise in his career when he was appointed as an Assistant Editor of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism. Prof. Gunapala Malalasekara was the Chief Editor. During the 1970s his articles were published in English and Sinhala newspapers on topics relating to archaeology and Buddhist art. He delivered lectures at the National Museum, the Royal Asiatic Society, and the YMBA, etc. He also took part in a Radio Ceylon programme and together with Alec Robertson delivered talks on Buddhism related subjects in English.

He gained wide public attention with his pronouncements based on pioneering research that Sigiriya was built by King Ravana.

In 1979 Perera travelled to Canberra, Australia with his family to pursue post-graduate studies at the Australian National University (ANU) under the supervision of Prof. A.L. Basham. He submitted his thesis entitled ‘Evolution of Buddha Image’.

In the early 1980s upon returning to Sri Lanka, Perera participated at various international conferences held in Nepal, India, Hong Kong, etc.

Prof. Perera’s articles were regularly published in various international journals such as ‘East and West’ in Rome, ‘Studies in Indo - Asian Art and Culture', New Delhi and

CHISSAN, Tokyo, and also in magazines and newspapers.

In 1984 A.D.T.E. Perera co–founded the international Buddhist journal ‘World of Buddhism’ together with Ven. Mapalagama Wipulasara Maha Thera (1925 – 2000), who was both an artist and sculptor (primarily Buddha statues). He continued as the Editor until his wife passed away in 2012. It was an indefatigable effort on his part.

He obtained his Master’s Degree from the University of Kelaniya and the DLitt degree (Doctor of Letters) from the Malwatte Chapter of the Siam Nikaya.

In the early 90s, Prof. Perera was appointed as an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico, USA, Department of Philosophy.

Upon returning, he joined the ‘Island’ newspaper and in addition, he served as an Editor of the Sinhala Dictionary. There he prepared the ‘Etymological Sinhala English Dictionary’ with the collaboration of Dr. Saddhamangala Karunarathna, former Commissioner of Archaeology (1979 – 1983). During the mid-90s he was teaching at Wesley College, Colombo for a short period.

In the 1990s his path crossed that of scholar monk and the First Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Ven. (Prof.) Paravahara Pannananda Mahanayaka Thera. It was a propitious meeting. Thereafter they began to work and conduct research jointly on esoteric topics. Through intense research, they were able to discover that Buddhism was the earliest religion in the Arabian region. This finding caused a sensation in academia. In 2013, A.D.T.E. Perera’s book named ‘Buddhism in Ancient Arabia and Israel’ won the Buddhist literary award in 2014. It was later translated into Sinhala. by Ven. Meerigama Gothama Thero.

In 2000 A.D.T.E. Perera founded the ‘All Buddhist Congress of Democrats’, (‘ABCD’) at the Padanagara Viharaya, Maradana.

Professor Perera delivered monthly lectures under the auspices of the All Buddhist Congress of Democrats, at several temples, in Bambalapitiya and elsewhere

Prof. Perera performed an immense service at the Buddhist Cultural Centre (BCC) at Nedimala, Dehiwala on the invitation of Ven. Kirama Wimalajhoti Thera. There he translated several books into English namely Buddhavamsaatthakatha (also known as The Lineage of Buddhas) (in 2011), Chriyapitaka Atthakatha, Vimanavatthy Atthakatha and Jataka Atthakatha.

Prof. Perera also served as the Vice President of the German Dharmaduta Society.

Professor A.D.T.E. Perera spent his entire life of 87 years devoted to both the nation and Buddhism. He supported the idea of ‘Rata, Jathiya, Agama’ with great conviction. His services are unparalleled.

Dr. Harischandra Wijayathunga