The ideological inspirer of the Center for the Study of Consciousness was the Buddhist teacher Ajahn Nyanadassano, who has been a monk for more than 20 years. Having grown up in Soviet Latvia and studied for a long time in Buddhist monasteries in Europe and Asia, Ajahn has a deep understanding of the peculiarities of the mentality of people living in the post-Soviet space, and a confident knowledge of Buddhist theory and practice. The founders of the center included Russian practitioners and followers of various Buddhist traditions who have actively contributed to the development of Buddhism over the past decade: they organized training programs, participated in the translation and publication of important literature, and conducted regular meditation practice sessions.

The project of the Dhammavichaya Center is based on the principles of the Thai Forest tradition, to which Ajahn Nyanadassano belongs and follows. This tradition has inspired and continues to inspire thousands of people around the world. Its founder was Ajahn Chah— a famous teacher who made a huge contribution to the spread of Buddhist teachings. His direct disciple Ajahn Sumedho is his teacher, as well as the founder of the Amaravati Monastery in England. Followers of the Thai Forest tradition are known for their commitment to practice, strict moral discipline, and the addition of book and conceptual knowledge gained through meditation. It is this view of practice that we want to maintain and develop at the Dhammavichaya Center.

The founders of the project, whose names are listed below in the organization's documents, have deep ties with the Thai forest tradition. Since the early 2000s, our joint efforts have already organized teacher visits and retreats in Russia.: Ajana Sumedho, Ajana Jayasaro, Ajana Amoro, Ajana Titamedho, Ajana Vimalo, Ajana Nyanaroto, Ajana Sundara and the Khemaki Sisters, Bhikku Dhammachoto; and, of course, the repeated visits of Ajana Nyanadassano.

The project of the Dhammavichaya Center arose thanks to the Thai Forest Tradition, which is followed by Ajahn Nyanadassano, it has inspired and continues to inspire thousands of people around the world. The founder of this tradition was Ajahn Chah, a famous teacher who made a huge contribution to the spread of Buddhist teachings. His direct disciple Ajahn Sumedho is a teacher, as well as the founder of the English monastery of Amaravati. Followers of the Thai Forest tradition are known for their commitment to practice and strict moral discipline, and they supplement their book and conceptual knowledge with the experience gained through meditation. It is this view of practice that we want to maintain and develop at the Dhammavichaya Center.

Ajahn Nyanadassano (Alexandr Kirillov) is a son of a Russian soldier, who completed his obligatory military service in Czechoslovakia. He then married a Czech woman, and on the 6 July 1971 Alexandr was born. A few years later his farther had to return to the Soviet Union and from the age of 3 Alexandr lived with his father in Riga. He has finished his schooling there, worked in different jobs and then returned to the Czech Republic in 1993, at the age of 22.

In search of spiritual life, in the summer of 1999, Alexandr arrived to Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, where Ajahn Sumedho was the Abbot. In the first days of the year 2000 he became an Anagarika there, a postulant with 8 precepts. A year later, in January 2001, he was ordained as a novice and in July 2002 was accepted into the Sangha as a Bhikkhu.

Ajahn Nyanadassano has lived and practised in many Buddhist monasteries in Europe, Asia and even in New Zealand, where he started sharing his knowledge of Dhamma for the first time. He teaches in English and Russian languages and led his first 7 day meditation retreat in the spring of 2011 near Moscow.

In 2015, after spending about 5 years in Thailand, Ajahn Nyanadassano returned to England, to Amaravati Buddhist Monastery. Occasionally he travels to other monasteries in Europe and Asia, giving retreats, supporting monastic communities, or simply taking time to be in solitude.