Venerable Katukurunde Ñāṇananda Mahā Thero

Venerable Katukurunde Ñāṇananda Mahā Thero was a highly esteemed Theravāda Buddhist monk, scholar, and meditation teacher renowned for his profound insights into early Buddhist thought. A monastic of the Meethirigala Forest Tradition, he lived a life of deep renunciation, intellectual clarity, and meditative depth.

Born Nandasiri Abeywardhana on July 10, 1940, he graduated with First Class Honours in Pāli from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya. After a brief academic career as a lecturer, he chose the path of renunciation in 1967, ordaining at Polgasduva Forest Monastery under the guidance of German-born scholar-monk Ven. Ñāṇatiloka Thero.

He later trained extensively at Nissarana Vanaya Forest Monastery under the esteemed meditation master Ven. Mātara Ñāṇārāma Mahā Thero, forming a deep teacher-disciple bond that lasted nearly two decades. At his teacher’s request, Ven. Ñāṇananda delivered a series of Dhamma sermons exploring the concept of Nibbāna, later published as the landmark 7-volume series Nibbāna: The Mind Stilled (Nivane Nivīma). His teachings offered original interpretations rooted in the early discourses, often challenging later commentarial views.

An exceptional communicator, Ven. Ñāṇananda authored over 60 works in Sinhala and personally translated 30 of them into English. His writings on subjects such as conceptual proliferation (papañca), dependent origination, and insight meditation continue to influence scholars and practitioners worldwide. Many of his works have also been translated into German and French.

Following the death of his teacher in 1992, he lived in secluded forest hermitages, including Pothgulgala and later Dammulla in Ingiriya, dedicating himself to meditation, teaching, and writing. He passed away peacefully on February 22, 2018.

His legacy lives on through the Katukurunde Ñāṇananda Dhamma Trust and the website www.seeingthroughthenet.net, which preserve and share his teachings with a global audience.