Ajahn Khemakā was born in Sri Lanka to a Buddhist family. Hearing the Buddha’s teachings in primary school, the Eightfold Path resonated with her as an important set of principles in living as a human being.
Ajahn Khemakā migrated to the UK in 1982, and has lived at Amaravati monastery since 2006. She took anagārikā precepts in July 2008 with Luang Por Sumedho and received pabbajjā as a Sīladharā in April 2011 with Ajahn Amaro as Preceptor.