The Vihāradevālagam Act and the Monasticism:

Study of the Rules of Colonial Rulers on Monastic Properties

Abstract

The Vihāradevālagam Act, also referred to as the Buddhist Temporalities Act, was instituted by British colonial rulers in 1931 to regulate Buddhist monastic properties in Sri Lanka. This legislation is one of the most authoritative in Sri Lankan history, surpassing traditional Buddhist monastic disciplinary rules (Vinaya). Despite extensive research on the Vihāradevālagam Act, its relationship with the Vinaya Piṭaka (the collection of Buddhist monastic disciplinary rules) remains underexplored. This paper examines how the Vihāradevālagam Act influenced the Buddhist monastic administrative system, highlighting significant changes introduced by the colonial administration. The interconnections between the Vihāradevālagam Act, medieval Sri Lankan Katikāvatas (legal texts written by previous monarchs), and Vinaya Piṭaka are explored to provide a comprehensive understanding of their impact on monastic practices.