Who We Are

Mahamevnawa

Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery was established to benefit the spiritual development of human beings through the teachings of Buddha. Founded in 1999 in Sri Lanka by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, its sole purpose is to spread the original teachings of the Buddha. The monastery is a warm and welcoming place for everyone to investigate true happiness through Dhamma and meditation. Here the Buddha’s teachings are presented in modern language that is easy to understand. What makes Mahanevnawa unique is the effort to bring the Supreme Dhamma to listeners in its original form.

Presently, there are more than 800 young disciple Bhikkhus, more than 100 young disciple Bhikkhunis, hundreds of thousands of lay disciples, and more than 90 local and foreign branches of the monastery were created in twelve years of the short time period as a result of this effort.

History of Our Temple

1999

Mahamevanawa Buddhist Monastery was established to benefit the spiritual development of human beings through the teachings of Buddha. Founded in 1999 in Sri Lanka by Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, its sole purpose is to spread the original teachings of the Buddha.

The monastery is a warm and welcoming place for everyone to investigate true happiness through Dhamma and meditation.

2003

Under the guidance of Most Venerable Kiribathgoda Gnanananda, the Mahamevnawa Anagarika Monastery was established for those women wishing to devote their lives to practicing the Dhamma. The first and main nuns’ monastery was built at Mutugala, in Dambadeniya, Sri Lanka on September 10th of 2003.

Mahamevnawa has over 10 Anagarika (female) monasteries at present in Sri Lanka.

2015

Media Expansion — Shraddha TV and Lakviru Radio were launched to spread the Dhamma through modern media.

Shraddha TV and Lakviru Radio were launched aimed at spreading the Dhamma through modern communication channels. Both platforms share Buddhist teachings, sermons, and meditation guidance, making the Dhamma more accessible to people across Sri Lanka and around the world.

2017 to Present

The monastery was established with the noble and genuine intention to increase the knowledge of the Supreme Buddha’s teachings amongst the broader community in New Zealand, Auckland during an era when the words of the Blessed one are slowly fading away from humanity.

Mahamevnawa Auckland, New Zealand, in particular, was founded as the first Mahamevnawa Monastery in New Zealand on the 2017

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Our Mission Statement

As mentioned before, our key aim is to provide awareness as to the original form of the teachings of the Supreme Buddha to the broader community. The Monastery provides children, youth and the elderly community, effective spiritual support as well as systematic guidance for training and practising the principles of the Dhamma (the teachings of the Supreme Buddha) while emphasising its multifaceted benefits.
In order to achieve this goal, Mahamevnawa Monastery in New Zealand has implemented a variety of short term and long-term strategies to promote both regular and special programs. With the original Buddhist teachings as its foundation, it has prioritised developing the fundamental behavioural traits necessary to bring about wholesome mental states needed to reach the end goal of Nibbana. Such traits include but are not limited to loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy and equanimity.
Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery in New Zealand encourages the community to observe and protect the Precepts, the fundamental virtues that lead to the development of noble qualities, social cohesion and the ultimate happiness that comes with the ending of all suffering. The methodical approach adopted in the monastery programs helps participants abandon harmful speech and actions in order to live peacefully and in harmony with others in this diverse, ever-changing society. The Monastery encourages and guides its devotees in understanding the importance of practising the qualities of patience, compassion, generosity, gratitude and respect towards parents, teachers and elders. These qualities lay a solid foundation for the wholesome aptitudes required to live a peaceful and happy life filled with mutual respect.