Mitirigala Nissarana Vanaya ( Mitirigala Forest Hermitage) was founded by Asoka Weeraratna in 1967, who also founded the German Dharmaduta Society and Berlin Buddhist Vihara in Germany. Asoka Weeraratna entered the Order of the Sangha in 1972 as Ven. Mitirigala Dhammanissanti Thero He passed away in 1999 at the age of 80 years.