Welcome to the Center for Insight Meditation Rathmalkanda Ella

“One day spent with concentration is better than 100 years of distraction”
-Lord Buddha.

About Madawala Upali Thero and his teachings.

Ven.Madawala Upali Thero

Ven.Madawala Upali Thero is one of Sri Lanka’s most senior and deeply experienced Insight Meditation (Vipassana) teachers. Renowned for his profound compassion toward all living beings and his ability to bridge the gap between Buddhist philosophy and modern scientific inquiry, he has dedicated his life to spiritual cultivation and teaching.

Early Life and Pre-Ordination Career

Ven. Madawala Upali Thero was born on October 27, 1950, in the village of Madawala, located within the Kandy District of Sri Lanka. Prior to embarking on his monastic journey, he pursued a career in education, serving as a dedicated science teacher..

Ven. Madawala Upali Thero Family (the little Kid sitting on a horse is the ven. Madawla Upali Thero).

During his lay life, his burgeoning interest in spiritual development led him to practice intensive insight meditation under the guidance of the revered meditation master, Ven. Kahatapitiye Sumathipala Thero(in the first picture) at Kanduboda Meditation Center.

Kanduboda Meditation Center was established in 1955 by Ven. Kahatapitiye Sumathipala Thero which was the First insight meditation Center facilitated insight meditation for lay people. In the 2nd picture this old building is where Ven. Madawal Upali Thero meditated during his lay life before the oridnation in 1982.

Through this lineage, Ven. Upali Thero is deeply rooted in the world-renowned Mahasi Sayadaw(in the picture) tradition of Myanmar (Burma). His teacher, Ven. Kahatapitiye Sumathipala Thero, was a direct student and close disciple of the legendary Burmese meditation master Most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw. This tradition emphasizes the strict, systematic development of mindfulness (Satipatthana) and bare insight to comprehend the true nature of mental and physical phenomena.

Monastic Ordination and Leadership

Driven by a deep commitment to the Dhamma, he entered the Buddhist monastic order on January 11, 1982, receiving his ordination at the prominent Kanduboda Siyane Meditation Centre, the very hub established to propagate the Mahasi Sayadaw Vipassana lineage in Sri Lanka.

His spiritual aptitude and mastery of meditation mechanics eventually led him to become the chief monk of the Kanduboda Meditation Center. During his tenure, he served as a guiding light for spiritual seekers, systematically teaching Vipassana meditation to thousands of students.

Literary Contributions and Scientific Research

Ven. Upali Thero is a distinguished author who has written extensively on advanced Buddhist concepts and practice. His major publications, available through platforms like SLBooks, include a widely referenced Meditation Handbook (භාවනා අත්පොත) and a seminal work on Parapsychology / Higher Mental Sciences (අධිමානසික විද්‍යාව).

Currently, the Thero resides at the Rathmalkanda Aranya Senasanaya monastery. Integrating his background in science with deep meditative insights, he continues to conduct unique scientific research across various subjects. By filtering empirical observation through the lens of the Dhamma, he actively shares this holistic knowledge with his students, providing them with a logical and transformative framework to comprehend the true nature of life.

Philosophy of Universal Compassion

A defining characteristic of Ven. Madawala Upali Thero is his boundless compassion, which extends equally to humans and animals. In alignment with his teachings on loving-kindness (Metta), he is widely recognized for his hands-on benevolence toward helpless creatures. The Thero is well known for personally rescuing, providing medical aid, and sheltering injured stray cats and dogs. This seamless integration of high spiritual practice and practical, everyday kindness serves as a living testimony to the core tenets of the Dhamma he teaches.

Staying at the Center

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Address

Ratmalkanda Meditation Centre,Kithal Ella, Ella, SRI LANKA.

Phone

Tel: +94 572 050 234
Mobile: +94 773 681 065

Email Address

madawala8@gmail.com