Bhante Dhammaratana was ordained as a monk at the age of 13 and arrived in Sweden in 1989. In 1995, he became the Chief Incumbent of the Vihara in Sweden, a position he holds to this day. He is a highly knowledgeable individual, holding a BA Honours degree in Buddhism from the University of Kelaniya and an MA degree from the University of Jayawardenapura in Sri Lanka. Furthermore, he has educational diplomas in oriental language studies such as Pali, Sanskrit, and Sinhalese. He also possesses extensive administrative experience, having served as a Co-coordinating Officer for Pirivena and Religious Education in the central province of Sri Lanka.