HIS EMINENCE BANA BHANTE
MOST REVERED VENERABLE SADHANANDA MAHATHERA
Biography
The Buddha said “Go forth, o bhikkhus, for the good of the many, for the happiness of the many, out of compassion for the world. Preach the doctrine that is beautiful in its beginning, beautiful in its middle, and beautiful in its ending.”
‘Bana Bhante’, a name of great sanctity pronounced with high veneration among the Buddhist and Non-Buddhist of all walks of life living in Bangladesh and abroad. He was loved and respected by peoples regardless of ethnicity and religious backgrounds.
Bana Bhante Most Revered Venerable Sadhanananda Mahathera was born on 8 January 1920 in Murughona village of the Moghban Mauza in Rangamati hill tracts of Bangladesh. His name was Rathindra Chakma. Since his early life, Ratindra Chakma was very gentle, honest, polite, kind, noble, and religious. It was a turning point in the life of young Ratindra Chakma, when he saw one of the most remarkable incidents in his life, the death of an eleven-year-old girl, the only child of their parents, which gave him an insight to the true nature of life – the impermanency of the world, which led him to set forth in renouncing the worldly life.
On the full moon day of March 1949, Rathindra Chakma got novice ordination under the preceptorship of Ven. Dipankar Shreegyan Mahathera, the Chief Abbot of Nandan Kanan Buddha Vihara. Having been admitted to the holy monastic life, Rathindra Samanera was very keen to practice meditation. He went into deep forests of Dhanpata and absorbed in profound mediation without fear and care of hot and cold, rains or wild animals. Without teacher in the woods, he practice meditation for 12 long years in solitude by remembering the lives of the Chief disciples of the Buddha and great disciples of the Buddha.
In the year 1960, the place was submerged on construction of Kaptai Dam and moved to Dighinala in Khagrachari and he continued with his meditation practice. In June 27, 1961 Ratindra Samanera got His Upasampada Ordination from Compassionate Venerable Gunalankar Mahathera at Boyalkhali vihara and that Rantindra became Sadhanananda.
The fragrance of his virtue wafted in all directions, Venerable Sadhanananda came to be known as Bana Bhante ‘The Forest Monk’. In 1975, The Chakma Royal Family donated a piece of land to established a Vihara. This vihara came to be known as Rajbana Vihara. As the name of Bana Bhante pervades in all directions with the fragrance of his virtue, people from all walks of life came to see him and take blessings. Even a glimpse of Bana Bhante would make the people go home happily. Such was the love and respect for Bana Bhante that Rajbana Vihara became a holy place. Bana Bhante is believed to have attained the Buddhist Highest state of perfection (Arahant), one who has extinguished all defilements.
During the period of his life, Bana Bhante served the people regardless of race, gender, religious backgrounds and always taught the people to practice compassion and loving kindness. He authored many books, booklets, poems, religious songs and articles. Because of his spiritual power acquired through 12 long years of meditation in the deep forests of Dhanpata, To this day still, Most Respected Venerable Bana Bhante has become an object of ultimate veneration and living embodiment of the Buddha.
Bana Bhante passed away at the age of 93 leaving a behind a great legacy of Dhamma for his Monastic disciples and lay followers. His body relics is kept at Raj Bana Vihara, Rangamati.
May the legacy of Bana Bhante reach far and wide.
Life History
MONASTERY
Rajbana Vihara, Rangamati, Bangladesh
BIRTH PLACE
Murughona, Rangamati, Bangladesh
LIFE OF RENUNCIATION
Novice ordination took place on Holi Phalguna Purnima of 1949 under the preceptorship of Ven. Dipankar Shreegyan Mahathera, the Chief Abbot of Nandan Kanan Buddha Vihara.
UPASAMPADA (HIGHER ORDINATION)
Upasampada took place on 27 June 1961 under the Most Venerable Gunalankar Mahathera of Boyalkhali vihara.
PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT THE AGE OF 93
During the period of his life, Bana Bhante served the people regardless of race, gender, religious backgrounds and always taught the people to practice compassion and loving kindness. He authored many books, booklets, poems, religious songs and articles. Because of his spiritual power acquired through 12 long years of meditation in the deep forests of Dhanpata, To this day still, Most Respected Venerable Bana Bhante has become an object of ultimate veneration and living embodiment of the Buddha.
Bana Bhante passed away at the age of 93 leaving a behind a great legacy of Dhamma for his Monastic disciples and lay followers. His body relics is kept at Raj Bana Vihara, Rangamati.
NAME
Venerable Sadhanananda Mahathera
DATE OF BIRTH
08 January 1920
PARENT'S NAME
Father - Late Haru Mohan Chakma
Mother - Late Birpudi Chakma
MEDITATION
Without teacher in the woods, he practice meditation at the deep forest of Dhanpata for 12 long years in solitude by remembering the lives of the Chief disciples of the Buddha and great disciples of the Buddha.
RAJBANA VIHARA
In 1975, The Chakma Royal Family donated a piece of land to established a Vihara. This vihara came to be known as Rajbana Vihara.
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