17 Facts About Walpola Rahula

Walpola Rahula Thero was a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, scholar and writer.

Walpola Rahula once held the position of Vice-Chancellor at the then Vidyodaya University.

Walpola Rahula has written extensively about Buddhism in English, French and Sinhala.

Walpola Rahula wrote the book What the Buddha Taught about Theravada Buddhism.

Walpola Rahula was born in 1907 at Walpola, a tiny village in southern Sri Lanka.

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Walpola Rahula's education covered Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit, Buddhism, history and philosophy.

Walpola Rahula was noted not only for his erudition but for his strong socialist views, as well as his belief that monks have a duty to play a role in guiding the political consciousness of the people.

Walpola Rahula's book Bhikshuvakage Urumaya was a strong voice in the Buddhist Nationalist movement that led to the 1956 electoral victory of Solomon Bandaranaike.

Walpola Rahula left Vidyodaya University in 1969, due to political differences with the government of the day.

Walpola Rahula returned to Sri Lanka during his last days, and lived in the temple near the New Parliament in Kotte, until his death.

Walpola Rahula obtained a B A Honours degree, and then earned a Doctorate of Philosophy, having written a thesis on the History of Buddhism in Sri Lanka.

Walpola Rahula Thero is the first Buddhist monk to become a professor in a Western University.

Walpola Rahula later became a Professor Emeritus at the same university.

Walpola Rahula was a visiting lecturer at Swarthmore College and Regents Lecturer at UCLA.

Walpola Rahula became Vice-Chancellor of Vidyoda University in 1964.

Walpola Rahula was later instrumental in encouraging the formation of the first Theravada temple in the United States, the Washington Buddhist Vihara, located in Washington, DC.

Walpola Rahula was awarded the title "Aggamaha Panditha" from Burma.