An Appreciation

Prof. A.D.T.E. Perera who passed away recently was an eminent scholar of Buddhist Art and Archeology was born on April 29, 1936 at the Sarikkamulla village, Panadura. His father was D.B. Perera, a planter, and his mother was Pearl Danthanarayana.

Perera had his primary and secondary school education at St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa, and attended Sunday school (Daham Pasela) which was close to his house at Sri Taxala Vidyalaya, It was at an impressionable age and at this venue that Perera was able to form a close bond with a well-known archaeologist and scholar monk Ven. Medauyangoda Wimalakirthi Thero, who resided at a nearby temple named ‘Sirinandana Pirivena’. Perera was a good artist in his younger days. But he didn’t continue the interest on this subject.

University of Peradeniya

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

Upon leaving the University in 1962 Perera served as a teacher at both the St. Sebastian’s College and Sri Taxala Vidyalaya for a short period of time. Thereafter he worked as a Press Officer for the government for a limited period and also 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 Thero, then Head of the ‘Odey Pansala’ at Maradana. Also known as Sri Lanka Vidyalaya. He did some lecturing at this temple cum school.

In the mid-1960s Perera married Sujatha Perera, whom he had first met at the Sri Taxala Vidyalaya.

Assistant Editor of the Encyclopedia of Buddhism

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 with the approval of Prof. Gunapala Malalasekara who was the Chief Editor.  The Office was based at the Peradeniya University. During the 1970s A.D.T.E. Perera’s articles were published in English and Sinhala newspapers on topics relating to Archeology 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 program moderated by Lucien Bulathsinhala, a reputed playwright, author, and stage drama producer. And also together with Alec Robertson (the well known Buddhist lay preacher) Perera delivered talks on Buddhism related subjects in English on Radio Ceylon. Perera’s writings dealt with concepts underlying Asanagara, Sandakada Pahana, and the rock carvings at Isurumuniya and Sigiriya, etc.

He gained public attention with his pronouncements based on pioneering research that Sigiriya was built by the legendary King Ravana whose name finds mention in the Hindu Sanskrit epic ‘Ramayana’. Arthur C. Clarke, the world-renowned Science fiction writer, upon reading the writings of A.D.T.E. Perera gathered some ideas from Perera for his popular television series ‘Mysterious World’. Their friendship continued since then.

Australian National University (ANU)

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’. During his stay in Canberra, he delivered Guest Lectures at the Department of Asian Civilizations, ANU and attended several international conferences held in Australia. He also delivered lectures to the Sinhala community based in Canberra at ANU on Saturdays in 1979. He was also a part time teacher at the Canberra Grammar School in 1979.

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 ‘The Buddhist’, ‘World Buddhism’, ‘Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society, Sri Lanka branch’ and newspapers e.g., Sunday Observer, Daily News, Island, etc. and Sinhala newspapers.

In 1984 A.D.T.E. Perera co–founded the international Buddhist journal ‘World of Buddhism’ together with the famous monk Venerable Mapalagama Wipulasara Maha Thera (1925 – 2000), who was both an Artist and Sculptor (primarily Buddha statues).   He continued with the ‘World of Buddhism’ Journal as the Editor until his wife passed away in 2012. It was an indefatigable effort on his part to create Buddhist Opinion via this Journal.

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.

Perera also kept close contact with leaders of other religions. In the late 80s, he visited the Ambassador College, U.S.A, founded by Herman W. Armstrong, on the invitation of the late. Dr. Hoeh of California and delivered several lectures at this institution. In the 1990s he also delivered several talks at the Sai Baba Center at Barnes Place, Colombo 07, and visited Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India, the ashram of Sri Sathya Sai Baba in 1992.

In the early 90s, A.D.T.E. Perera was appointed as an Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico, USA, Department of Philosophy. There too he continued his scholarly work. He also attended as a Guest Research Fellow at the Department of Disarmament and Development, UNO New York.

Upon returning to the Island in the late 90s 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 Karunaratna, former Commissioner of Archaeology (1979 – 1983). During mid 90s Dr. Perera worked at Wesley College, Colombo for a short period.

In the 1990s his path crossed that of the well-regarded Scholar monk and the First Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna, Ven. (Prof.) Paravahara Pannananda Mahanayaka Thero, who resided at the Padanagara Viharaya, Maradana, It was a propitious meeting. Favourable for in-depth Buddhist scholarly work.

‘Buddhism in Ancient Arabia and Israel’

Thereafter both scholars 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 at the Dharmendraramaya Temple, Mt. Lavinia..

All Buddhist Congress of Democrats

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

German Dharmaduta Society

Prof. Perera also served as the Vice – President of the German Dharmaduta Society which maintains the Berlin Vihara in Germany and visited Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya (all three institutions of which were founded by Asoka Weeraratna later known as Ven. Mitirigala Dhammanissanti Thero).

Professor A.D.T.E. Perera spent his entire life of 87 years (1936 -2023) devoted to the cause of both the nation i.e., Sri Lanka, and the Religion i.e., Buddhism. He supported the idea of ‘Rata, Jathiya, Agama’ with great conviction. His services are unparalleled.

Dr. Harischandra Wijayathunga