[1] Gunananda Thera was born in 1823 to a rich Buddhist Sinhala Salagama caste family in a village called Migettuwatta or Mohottiwatta, near Balapitiya.

He had close contact with a Roman Catholic priest, who resided in a nearby church, and gained knowledge of the Bible and Christian doctrine.

[3] Originally intending to become a priest, he changed his mind after coming into contact with Buddhist monks from the nearby temples.

He was ordained while in his twenties in the Dodanduwa Gala Uda Vihara by Venerable Thelikada Sonutthara Thera, the chief incumbent of the temple.

His eloquent first sermon was given on the night that he was ordained; the people gathered in the temple exclaimed that the young Thera would cause Buddhism to prosper in the country and pledged their support for his religious work.

Hikkaduwe Sri Sumangala Thera wrote Christiani Vada Mardanaya and Samyak Darshanaya in 1862–1863.

After Gunananda Thera delivered several sermons at various places in Gampola, people arranged a procession, taking him to the Peradeniya railway station and sending him back to Colombo.

David de Silva delivered a sermon on the soul at the Wesleyan Chapel, Panadura on 12 June 1873.

The debate revolved around topics ranging from the nature of God, the Soul, and resurrection, to the concept of Karma, Rebirth, Nirvana and the principle of Pratītyasamutpāda or dependent origination.

David de Silva, a fluent speaker in Pali and Sanskrit addressed the audience of around 6000 -7000 - but only a very few understood him.

In complete contrast was Mohottiwatte Gunananda Thera who used plain language to counter the arguments of his opponents.[5]"Dr.

Migettuwatte Gunananda's triumph at Panadura set the seal on a decade of quiet recovery of Buddhist confidence.

In retrospect, the establishment of the 'Society for the Propagation of Buddhism' at Kotahena, and the Lankaprakara Press at Galle would seem to mark the first positive phase in this recovery.

[6] The editor of Ceylon Times newspaper, John Cooper, arranged for Edward Perera to write a summary of the debate; thousands of copies of which were published.

[7] After reading a copy of the book, Henry Steel Olcott, the co-founder of the Theosophical Society, came to Sri Lanka on 17 May 1880.

S. Langden, who was present when Gunananda Thera spoke in the Panadura debate, remarked: There is that in his manner as he rises to speak which puts one in mind of some orators at home.

[4]Gunananda Thera continued work to revive Buddhism in the country and published many Buddhist periodicals, including Riviresa, Lakmini Kirana and Sathya Margaya.