Jathaka Stories. Previous lives of Gouthama Buddha Most Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero is a meditation teacher in Sri Lanka. He is the founder of Mahamevnawa Buddhist Monastery, one of the largest Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka. The 'dissemination of the Dhamma' started by the Ven. Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thero, with his thirty years of experience as a Buddhist monk was wide spread throughout the country in a very short period of time. As a result of describing the Buddha's Dhamma in a comprehensible language pattern, devotees of all ages started to join Venerable Thero's meditation programs. Because of his talent in presenting the meditations in a way so that one's mind will get easily surrendered, these programs became accommodating for many people who were looking for meditation classes.