"Meetirigala Nissarana Vanaya is a monastery in the strict forest tradition in Sri Lanka. It is considered as one of Sri Lanka's most respected meditation monasteries and was founded in 1968 by Asoka Weeraratna (the founder of the German Dharmaduta Society and the Berlin Buddhist Vihara in Germany). He equipped the monastery with all the facilities conducive to the meditative life, found an accomplished meditation master, Ven. Matara Sri Nanarama Mahathera (author of 'Seven stages of Purifications' and 'Seven Contemplations', both published by the BPS), to direct the meditation training, and then, his mission accomplished, he himself entered the Buddhist order under the name Meetirigala Dhammanisanthi.

"The internationally famous Buddhist nun Ayya Khema received her Samatha training from Ven. Nanarama. The current incumbent Chief meditation teacher Venerable Uda-Iriyagama Dhammajeewa Thera has travelled extensively to Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Singapore, Burma, United States, Germany and Canada and has taught in English and Sinhala, the practical path to Nibbana, for those seeking to achieve an end in this very life to the apparently endless, inescapable, and intrinsic suffering, that we daily endure and call life. He has taught at centres related to Ven. Bhikku Bodhi, Ven. Ajahn Brahmavanso and Ven. Henapola Gunaratna. His sermons are available at this site. Under his guidance a residential meditation centre with modern amenities was constructed adjacent to the monastery with facilities for 50 laymen and laywomen to practice Samatha and Vipassana meditation in accordance with the Theravada tradition. The programs are free but have to be booked early and the details of programs and the booking procedure is available at this web site. "