Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri

Professor Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri
Born	1936 Tangalle Sri Lanka
Nationality	Canadian
Education	Nalanda College Colombo, Ananda College, Vidyalankara University, University of London, University of Pennsylvania, University of Toronto
Occupation	Professor
Known for	Novelist, poet and scholar

Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri (known as Suwanda Sugunasiri) is a Canadian academic, educator, Buddhist monk, author, journalist and poet. He is a former education professor at the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa, Ontario, and the founder of the now-defunct Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies (Canada) in Toronto.

Early childhood and education

Sugunasiri was born to Buddhist parents in Tangalle, Sri Lanka, and educated at Nalanda College Colombo and Ananda College in Colombo. While at Nalanda he was active in sports, serving as vice-captain of an under-16 team, and also a lance-sergeant of a junior cadet platoon at Nalanda.

Although he failed to gain admission to University of Ceylon, Sugunasiri earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from University of London through self-study, specializing in the Pali, Sanskrit and Sinhala languages.

In 1964 he earned a Fulbright Smith Mundt scholarship from the University of Pennsylvania in the United States.

Sugunasiri also holds a master's degree in linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania, and two master's degrees in moral philosophy, and scientific study of religion and Buddhism from the University of Toronto. He was awarded a Doctor of Philosophy in national development by the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education at the University of Toronto.

Later life

Sugunasiri is also the founder of Nalanda College of Buddhist Studies (Canada), and served as its president in the early 2000s.

He was a columnist at the Toronto Star from 1993 to 1998. He is the president of the Buddhist Council of Canada. After January 1, 2019 he was ordained as a Theravadin Buddhist monastic, taking the name Ven. Bhikkhu Mihita.

He has authored numerous books in Buddhism, South-Asian Canadian literature, and Canadian multiculturalism. He also wrote fiction and poetry.

References

Works cited

• "Cricket: A civilized and happy sport". Dailynews. 7 April 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
• "Slice of life: complex or complicated?". Dailynews. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 4 July 2011. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
• "Musings of a ghost from the past : Random thoughts on Prof. Sucarita Gamlath". Sunday Observer. 12 January 2003. Archived from the original on 18 January 2003. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
• "Arahant Mahinda - Redactor of the Buddhapujava in Sinhala Buddhist". youtube. 24 March 2013. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
• "NALANDA - CANADA'S FIRST BUDDHIST COLLEGE". Lankaweb. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
• "Triune Mind in Buddhism". Lankaweb. 1 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.

External links

• Suwanda H. J. Sugunasiri archival papers held at the University of Toronto Archives and Records Management Services