Austin Buddhist Vihara

Our mission is to provide to those who seek refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha a place of learning and observing the precepts through practice and participation.

Resident Bikkhus

Panditha Yatagama Sumanajothi Thero 

Panditha Yatagama Sumanajothi Thero

The Panditha Yatagama Sumanajothi Thero was ordained on the 24th September 1957 and received his higher ordination on 24th May 1968 from Gaspe Sri Somananda Maha Ishtavira Thero and Panditha Vinayacharya Gaspe Deerananda Maha Ishtavira Thero in Sri-Lanka. His primary education was completed at the Vidyalankara Pirirvena and he subsequently obtained his Bachelors degree from the University of Kelaniya, Sri-Lanka in 1968. He obtained The Prachina Panditha Degree, with proficiency in the languages of Sinhala, Pali, Sanskrit and Hindi in 1969.

He was in civil service as the Head of The Gampaha Hirikuluwa Vidyadarshi Pirivena, Sri-Lanka from 1968 to 1992. He was appointed the chief incumbent of the Lumbini Vihara, Nepal from 2001 to 2003, by the Mahabodi Society of India. Subsequently he served as resident monk at The Stockholm Buddhist Temple, Sweden from 2003 to 2005, prior to assuming duties as the Chief Incumbent of the Austin Buddhist Vihara.