When Dinesh was 10 years old, he was invited to stay and attend upon Ven. Kadawedduwe Siri Sugunatissa Mahathera, the elder brother of Dinesh's father and the abbot of Srivardhanaramaya, a temple in Yatawara. There, Dinesh learnt Pali and Sanskrit from the Ven. Kothmale Siri Saddhammavamsa Mahathera. In 1921, at the age of 14, Don Dinesh received Pabbajja with the name Kadawedduwe Jinavamsa, with Ven. Sugunatissa Mahathera as his Upajjhaya. In 1927, at the age of 20, Ven. Jinavamsa received Upasampada, with Ven. Sri Ñāṇindasabha Mahathera as his preceptor.
