Ven. Dr. Pitakotte Seelaratana Maha Thera
Bhanthe Pitakotte Seelaratana, Chief monk of Colorado Buddhist Viharaya was ordained 33 years ago in Sri Lanka. Ordained at a very young age, he completed his primary education at Dhamma schools (privena) that also teach Pali and Sanskrit languages, essential for a Buddhist monk. He obtained his Bachelors Degree in Buddhist Studies at the University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka in 2000. In 2012, he obtained his Doctorate in Eastern Buddhist Philosophy specializing in Vinaya Piṭaka (“Basket of Discipline”), at the Uiduk University, South Korea and served on its faculty until 2015.
Having migrated to the USA in 2015, Bhanthe Pitakotte Seelaratana, became a resident monk at the Dharmawijaya Viharaya, Los Angeles. Under the guidance of Ven. Walpola Piyananda Thero there he served the local Buddhist community by conducting Buddhism classes for children, Welfare Services for families and other social service activities.
After visiting Colorado, and with the support of the local Sri Lankan Buddhist community, he started regularly visiting Denver for about a year before finally establishing the Colorado Buddhist Viharaya in February 2020. Since then he has been the only resident monk at the temple. His activities include organizing a weekend Dharma school for the children, conducting meditation classes, Full Moon (Poya) Day programs, other religious activities as well as serving the religious needs of the Buddhist community.