Ven. Dr. Dodangoda Rewatha Thera was born in the village of Dodangoda in the district of Kaluthara and had his primary education at Sapugahawatta Maha Vidyalaya. At the ceremonial ordinations of 108 young boys to mark the 100th anniversary of Kotte Sangha Sabha in 1960 he entered the Sasana under the tutelage of Ven. Mawanane Devananda Thero the then Viharadhipathi of Dodangoda Sri Sudarshanaramaya and Ven. Dodangoda Indrasara Thero, Chief Sangha Nayake of Kaluthara Thotamune, the present chief incumbent. Having attended Sri Sumangala Pirivena of Pantiya, Mathugama for basic pirivena education he completed his degree of Tripitakacharya after attending Vidyodaya Maha Pirivena under the eminent teacher Most Ven. Kalukondayawa Sri Pannasekera Maha Nayake Thero. His Upasampada took place at Kotte in the year 1975.
The Most Ven. Neluwe Jinarathana Nayake Thero was inspired by the talents of the young monk and persuaded him to join the Missionary work and in 1976 sent him to Sarnath, the sacred place of Buddhist world where the first sermon was delivered by the Buddha and from where the first batch of Missionaries were sent out with the message of noble truth. Ven. Rewatha was entrusted with the management of the Library at Mulagandhakuti in addition to daily religious work. A few years later he was given the task of improving the quality of the central school established and managed by the Maha Bodhi Society. Within a short span of time he was able to complete the task and start even a school for girls. Ven. Rewatha was appointed to be the head of Sarnath Centre after the passing away of Most. Ven. Pothuwila.
Ven. Rewatha obtained the degree of Ph.D. He was appointed a teacher in the department of Foreign Languages of the University where he served twelve years adding luster to the Sri Lanka Bhikkhu community in India.
As the General Secretary he coordinated and monitored the work of all the Centers of Maha Bodhi Society of India and personally attended to the needs of the resident monks, devotees and pilgrims. He constructed the Maha Bodhi Temple at Lumbini to provide facilities to Bhikkhus pilgrims. This magnificent centre named Maha Maya Vishwashanthi Vihara was funded by the Japanese Philanthropist lady Asha Okada.
