[2] Becoming a monk in the 1960s under the guidance of the then chief incumbent of the Kelani Temple Thalewela Vijitha Dhammarakkhitha Thera, Sangharakkhitha Thera studied scripture at the Gangarama Temple in Hunupitiya and obtained graduated from the Vidyalankara Campus of the University of Ceylon studying Buddhist Philosophy and French language.
Thereafter Sangharakkhitha Thera was awarded a two-year scholarship to study at the Sorbonne University to gain a postgraduate degree in French language.
Returning to Sri Lanka, Sangharakkhitha Thera started lecturing at the University of Kelaniya, Faculty of Buddhist and Pali, later becoming a professor.
Sangharakkhitha Thera was appointed chief incumbent of the Kelaniya Raja Maha Vihara in 1992.
Sangharakkhitha Thera started a special Pirivena to teach Buddhism in the English language.[when?]