Resident Monks
Ven. Soorakkulame Pemaratana
Ven. S. Pemaratana was ordained as a Buddhist monk in 1986 and received higher ordination in 1997. His monastic training was under the tutelage of the most Ven. Attangane Sasanaratana Maha Thero at Sripathi Pirivena, Diyakalamulla, Kuliyapitiya, Sri Lanka. He holds a bachelor’s degree with first class honors in Buddhist Studies from the University of Peradeniya and a master's degree in philosophy from the National University of Singapore.
He has lectured at the University of Peradeniya and the Buddhist and Pali College of Singapore. He conducts regular lectures and workshops in Buddhist teachings and meditation.
The Transcultural Society for Clinical Meditation in Japan gave him the 2008 Haruki Award for his research paper on Meditation and Cognitive Behavior Therapy. He is currently the resident teacher and acting abbot of the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center.
Ven. Wetara Mahinda
Ven. Wetara Mahinda was ordained as a pupil of Most Venerable Induruwe Uttarananda Maha Thero (The Chief Prelate of Sri Lanka Ramanna Sect from 1976 to 1986) and received his Higher Ordination in1972. He is an academic and a senior lecturer attached to the Department of Archaeology, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and has been serving the Department from 1984, out of which over five years as Head. He has obtained first degrees in Buddhism (Buddha Sravaka Bhikshu University, Anuradhapura) and Archaeology (University of Peradeniya,) both in Sri Lanka. He has earned an MA in Archaeology (Peradeniya) and a post-graduate diploma in Buddhist Studies (Dharmacakra Vidyapitha, Peradeniya). He has publications in the field of Buddhist psychotherapy, Buddhist monastic medicine and archaeology. He was attached to the Great Lakes Buddhist Vihara, Southfield, Michigan, USA prior to visiting the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center.
Ven. Katukurunde Maithrie - Visiting Sri Lanka
Rev Katukurunde Maithrie Thero was ordained in 1948 and received higher ordination in 1954 under the tutelage of Most Venerable Pohaddaramulle Vibhavi Maha Thero at Walukarama Maha Viharaya, Koralawella, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. He received his monastic training in Dhramagupta Pirivena, Kalutara, and Sri Lanka Vidyalaya Pirivena, Colombo, Sri Lanka. He received his higher education at the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka.
After university, he spent a year in solitary life in forest monasteries in Sri Lanka before traveling to Thailand and Burma for meditation training. He joined the peace movement initiated by Most Ven. Fuji Nichidatsu of Japan and participated in peace marches in Japan and the United States.
He served as the abbot of Walukaramaya Maha Vihara, Koralawella, Sri Lanka, from 1996 to 2002. He handed over the position to a disciple in 2002 to spend his life as a traveling monk dedicated to peace and meditation.
He was invited by the Pittsburgh Buddhist Center to serve as religious advisor and has served in that capacity since May 2008.