Bhante Ratana was born in Sri Lanka and came to the U.S to begin his American adventure in 2006. Bhante became a Buddhist monk in 1989 at the age of 11 years old. His monastic training was under the tutelage of the most venerable Malagammana Chandajothi Maha Nayaka Thero in Kandy, Sri Lanka.

Bhante holds a bachelor’s degree with first class honors in Sanskrit from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka and a master’s degree in Pali and Buddhist Philosophy from the University of Kalaniya. Bhante earned his Ph.D. in Sanskrit jointly from Oklahoma City University and University of Andra, India in a combined research program. After the completion of his studies Bhante was a Sanskrit Lecture in the Department of Classical Language at the University of Peradeniya.

Currently Bhante is the senior teacher and Abbot of the Kansas Meditation Center with over 30 years of monastic experience. Bhante guides the community in the Noble practice left to us by the Buddha, sharing continually with the local community. Upon completion of Clinical Pastoral Education, he truly appreciates the opportunity to work with Department of Defense in Chaplaincy service as a Buddhist monk. He leads regular meditation classes throughout the week. He is a Chaplain at the Oklahoma City Veterans Administration Medical Center and volunteers at hospitals in Oklahoma/Kansas region as well as the County correctional services.