Late Venerable M M Mahaweera Maha Nayaka Thero started the Sunday Dhamma classes for the propagation of the Buddha's teachings. He adopted the syllabi set by the Young Men's Buddhist Association of Sri Lanka.

The response was encouraging. People of all ages from teenagers to retirees came to register for the Dhamma classes. The students took up the challenge of taking the YMBA Examination. There were candidates for the Preliminary, Junior and Senior Examinations. They did very well and won the Saduwardane Challenge Shield. The shield is given to schools in recognition of the highest percentage of passes throughout the world.

Subsequently, 3 students sat for the Higher Stage Certificate Examination and all of them passed well to form the nucleus of qualified teachers. Over the years, the dedication and efforts of the Dhamma teachers were reflected in the good results of the examination. In fact, the whole Dhamma education programme at Mangala Vihara Buddhist Temple was well-maintained under the guidance of the late Venerable M M Mahaweera Maha Nayaka Thero and are greatly supported by temple members and devotees who generously donated their time and services to keep the classes going. It is through their generous support that these Dhamma classes continue to be provided at no charge to the students up to today.

In 1980 two students sat for the Diploma in Dhamma Examination and passed. Since then, none of the candidates has failed in Diploma Examination.

To run the Dhamma classes smoothly and effciently, a simple system was instituted whereby a Dhamma Supervisor is appointed by the Management Committee to coordinate the activities of the Dhamma classes. Qualified Dhamma teachers are invited to conduct the classes for all levels - Kindergarten, Preliminary, Junior, Senior and Higher Certificate and Diploma. A monthly teachers' meeting is held to discuss routine problems and to look into suggestions for the welfare and betterment of the Dhamma students.

Presently, there are about two hundred qualified Dhamma teachers of Mangala Vihara Sunday Dhamma Class. With the blessings of our late founder, some teachers have also been appointed to conduct Dhamma Classes at other Buddhist temples.