Venerable Ananda Maitreya was one of the most respected Buddhist monks of the twentieth century in Sri Lanka. Venerable Ananda Maitreya was born near Balangoda in Sri Lanka. He was ordained as a novice on 2 March 1911 in Sri Lanka. His upasampada [higher ordination] was conducted on 14 July 1916 in Balangoda Sri Lanka. Although he travelled overseas, he remained rooted in Balangoda and opened Dhammananda Pirivena a monastic college for novice Monks in Balangoda. Venerable Ananda Maitreya played important roles in the revival of Buddhism in Sri Lanka. He served as a lecturer in Pali, Sanskrit and Sinhalese at Ananda College in Colombo. When Nalanda College in Colombo was opened in 1925, he became the first teacher of Buddhism On opening in 1959 Vidyodaya University appointed him a Professor of Mahayana Buddhism in 1959, Dean of the Faculty of Buddhist studies in 1963, and Vice Chancellor in 1966. In 1969, Venerable Ananda Maitreya was appointed as the Mahanayaka [Head] of Am

Venerable Rewata Dhamma born in Myanmar [Burma], was head of the Birmingham Buddhist Vihara until his death in 2004. His book Maha Paritta: The Discourses of the Great Protection (With the Threefold Refuges, Precepts, Salutations to the Triple Gem, Dependent Origination and Metta Bhavana), gives the formula in Pali and English for requesting Ajivatthamaka Sila (The Eight Precepts with Right Livelihood as the Eighth). (pages 9-12) Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya Mahanayaka Thera Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru Agga Maha Pandita (1896-1998) Venerable Balangoda Ananda Maitreya, born in Sri Lanka, attended the Sixth Buddhist Council held in Myanmar [Burma] (1954-56). In 1956, during the third session of the Council, he served as Chairman of the Convocation for a few weeks. The Council was convened by the Myanmar [Burmese] government to prepare an authorized re-edit and reprint of the entire Tipitaka (the Pali Canon) and its commentaries. Venerable Ananda Maitreya was appointed the Sri