Bhante Anuruddha

The Venerable Anuruddha Thero Karuwelagaswewa was born in Sri Lanka in 1971. At 8 years old he joined the monastery, was ordained as a monk at age 12, and later studied Buddhist philosophy at the University of Jayawardhanapura and a Buddhist approach to counseling at the University of Kelaniya’s Postgraduate Institute of Pali Buddhist Studies. Bhante Anuruddha earned a postgraduate diploma in counseling in Vellour, India.
Since 2003 Bhante Anuruddha has been the abbot of the Zurich Buddhist Vihara in Switzerland where he teaches Theravada Buddhism and Vipassana meditation to all those who want to expand their knowledge and their horizons. Bhante Anuruddha was first introduced to Insight Dialogue on retreat in 2005. Insight Dialogue is what he had looked for in the counseling field for many years and Bhante Anuruddha is happy to practice the Dhamma in a practical way.

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Upcoming Programs by Bhante Anuruddha

Awaken Together: An Insight Dialogue Residential Retreat

Also With Jessica Mui and Riët Aarsse

August 15 - 20, 2026
In this Insight Dialogue retreat we will explore this teaching of the Buddha and how it applies when we are meditating together. How does mindfulness and relationality unfold while practicing with the support of the mindfulness and presence of a spiritual friend. Much of our dukkha is relational. You are invited to investigate how the relational can support the cultivation of the factors of awakening and thus create further insight in the conditions for awakening together.