Complex sentence: He was born in Sri Lanka in 1919 and was initiated as a "Samanera", meaning, a novice, monk, when he was just 12 years of age.
Split into simpler sentences: He was born in Sri Lanka in 1919. When he was just 12 years ol, he initiated as a "Samanera", meaning, a novice, monk, when he was just 12 years of age.