History
The University of Sri Jayewardenepura dates to 1873, when the Ven. Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Nayaka Thero laid the foundation stone for the university as a pirivena (Institute of Buddhist and Oriental Studies) named Vidyodaya (meaning "awakening of knowledge"). It was built on land at Maligakanda, a Colombo suburb, with funds gifted by Andiris Perera Dharmagunawardhana. Mohottiwatte Gunananda, who was a great force in the emergence of this pirivena, intended to train educated orator monks to save Buddhism. For that purpose he made logic compulsory in pirivena education. The pirivena taught Buddhist studies as well as pseudo-sciences like astrology, widely accepted and held in high esteem in traditional society.
The transition from pirivena to university gradually converted it to a secular center of learning.
Read more about this topic: University Of Sri Jayewardenepura
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Only the history of free peoples is worth our attention; the history of men under a despotism is merely a collection of anecdotes.”
—Sébastien-Roch Nicolas De Chamfort (1741–1794)
“Boys forget what their country means by just reading “the land of the free” in history books. Then they get to be men, they forget even more. Liberty’s too precious a thing to be buried in books.”
—Sidney Buchman (1902–1975)
“It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature.”
—Henry James (1843–1916)