HlaMin

Month: May 2025

  • Poetry

    • Various flavors of Poem
    • Kabyar (in Myanmar / Burmese)
    • Poetry, Poem … (in English)
    • Gatha (in Pali)
    • There are websites and groups that post and/or publish Poems (in various languages) and Translations

    Studies

    • Studied Poems in school
    • Studied Translations from books, magazines, special supplements in newspapers
    • …

    Sample presents

    • Poems & Translations by Rev. F Lustig (Ashin Ananda)
    • Collection of Kabyars by Tekkatho Moe War (Saya U Moe Aung)
    • Swel Daw themed Kabyars by Tekkatho Moe War, Okpo Maung Yin Maung, Maung Nyunt Htay (Ah Htet Min Hla), Ko Toe (Myit Che), Win Myint (M72)
    • Nature themed Poems : include poems by Dr. Lyn Swe Aye
    • Kabyars by Ko Yin Zaw (U Jotalankara)
    • Kabyars by Soe Sint (U Myo Sint)
    • Minthuwun’s Kabyars with translation by his Literary Friends
    • Rhyming Dictionary

    My experience

    • My poems and translations published in Guardian, Working People’s Daily, Forward Magazine, RIT Alumni International Newsletter …
    • Translation of selected kabyars in “Poetic Art Series” (organized by U Aung Myaing and illustrated by U Myo Myint)
    • Served as Panelist at 5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival in Mandalay (November 2019)
    Panel with award winning poet from UK

  • Heritage of Bagan

    Poem : Tekkatho Moe War
    Translated by Hla Min

    UNESCO inscribed Myanmar’s ancient capital of Bagan as a World Heritage Site on July 6, 2019.

    Saya U Moe Aung (Tekkatho Moe War) has portrayed the cultural, religious, historical and architectural heritage of Bagan.

    စာေရးသူရဲ႕ ႏွလံုးေသြးမွ စီးဆင္းလာတဲ့
    ႏွစ္သိမ့္ၾကည္ႏူးျခင္း ကဗ်ာ။

    “ပုဂံအေမြ”

    Heritage of BAGAN

    ႏွလံုးေသြးရဲ႕ တဒုတ္ဒုတ္ျမည္သံ
    ပုဂံေျမထဲ လြင့္ပ်ံသြား။

    Rapid, incessant heart beat
    racing towards the Bagan area

    ႏွလံုးသားမွာစူးနစ္
    အေမြအႏွစ္ဟာ ပုဂံ….။

    Deeply rooted in the bottom of my heart
    the cultural, religious, historical and architectural heritage of Bagan

    ကမၻာ႔ ရင္သပ္႐ႈေမာ၊ အံ႔ၾသဖြယ္ၾကည္ညိဳ
    ပုဂံကိုသြတ္သြင္း၊ စာရင္း၀င္ အေမြအႏွစ္
    လြမ္းရစ္ေတာ့ တစ္ဖန္
    ေၾသာ္…. ပုဂံရယ္….။

    Fascinating, full of wonder and memories,
    heart rendering, sublime Bagan
    finally, rightfully inscribed as World Heritage Site
    O … ancient Temple City
    where I left my heart

    ဟိုး အေ၀းထိ၊ လွမ္းေမွ်ာ္ၾကည့္တိုင္း
    ထိ႐ွ လြမ္းေမာ၊ တေ၀ါေ၀ါ စီးဆင္း
    ျမစ္မင္း ဧရာ၀တီ၊ ၀န္းလည္ ရစ္ေခြ
    မႈိုင္းမိႈင္းေ၀ေ၀
    ႏွလံုးသား ေၾကြက်၊ အနဂၣ ခ်စ္ျခင္း၊
    ေၾသာ္….ျမစ္မင္းဧရာ၀တီရယ္….။

    Every time one looks yonder
    touched by the whirling, swirling,
    vibrant Ayeyarwaddy (Lord of the rivers)
    Misty, dreamy panoramic view
    O … my dear Ayeyarwaddy

    ယဥ္ေက်းမႈရဲ႕
    ပန္းပု ဗိသုကာ၊ လက္ရာေထာင္ေသာင္း
    ေစတီပုထိုးေပါင္းမ်ားစြာ
    ကမၻာကုန္တည္သေ႐ြ႕၊ ၾကည္ေမြ႕ ႏွစ္လို
    ၾကည္ညိဳ ၀ပ္တြား၊ ေပ်ာက္ပ်က္မသြားဖို႔
    ထားသစၥာဉာဏ္အသိ၊ တိက် မွန္ကန္
    ေၾသာ္…. ပုဂံရယ္. …။ ။
    (ကမၻာ့ ယဥ္ေက်းမႈအေမြအႏွစ္အျဖစ္သတ္မွတ္ျခင္း
    ခံရသည့္ ပုဂံ သို႔. ….)

    Finest culture
    Treasure of sculpture
    Architecture galore
    Countless shrines and pagodas of Pagan
    Will last for eternity
    as World Heritage Site
    to be revered, cherished and appreciated
    O … glorious Bagan

    တကၠသိုလ္ မိုး၀ါ
    ၇-၇-၂၀၁၉
    နံနက္ ၁၁:၃၀

    Tekkatho Moe War (Saya U Moe Aung)
    July 7, 2019
    11: 30 AM

  • SEAP Games

    • Burma hosted the 2nd SEAP Games in 1961
      and the 5th SEAP Games in 1969.

    Till we meet again

    • My poem was published in the Forward Magazine about five decades ago.
    • I received fifteen kyats.
    • Burma was host of SEAP Games for the second time.
    • Myint Aung won six Gold medals in Gymnastics.
    • Jimmy Crampton won Gold in 800 m and 1500 m.
    • Shimbwegan succeeded Mee Tung Naw as the Marathon Champion
    • Htay Aung (M69) represented Burma in Water Polo.
      Mya Thee was his Coach.
    • Tekakatho Moe War wrote :
      Well, Maung Hla Min, this is indeed one of the unexpected from your expected works. Congrats!
    • Aung Min wrote :
      Great collection

  • To The Shwe Duo

    Poem by Tekkatho Moe War (Saya U Moe Aung)

    Translation by Hla Min

    SHWE duo

    Blossom in unison

    Disappear together

    Free from complaint

    Even with thin breath

    Showed mark [of courage and wisdom]

    Never ever wavered …

    Pressed by burden

    At the awaited turn [of journey’s end]

    Body — inheritance [from previous lives]

    Succumbs [to failing health]

    Yet, “Wei-nyin” is fresh, alive and hovering.

    [ Wei-nyin = ဝိညာဥ္ ]

    Translated by:

    HLA MIN (Editor, International Newsletter Updates, USA)

  • Poetic Art Series

    Poems

    • Aged thorn
    • Bloom together Fall together
    • Knotted love
    • Near or far
    • Night of heart throb
    • Prisoner of love
    • Search for beauty
    • Sharing and caring blossoms in Myanmar
    • Vine
    • Write your own history
    • Ywet Hla Pann

    Thanks to the Laureate Poets and the Distinguished Illustrator U Myo Myint (“Myat Myo Myint”)

    Tekkatho Moe War (Saya U Moe Aung)

    • Bagan Heritage
    • Computer in my heart
    • Kabyar Let Saung
    • Search for beauty
    • Shwe YaDu Lann
    • To the Shwe Duo

    Okpo Maung Yin Maung (Saya U Aung Myaing)

    • Aged thorn
    • Knotted love
    • Night of heart throb
    • Our leader
    • Prisoner of love
    • Sharing and caring blossoms in Myanmar
    • Traveler

    Maung Nyunt Htay (Ah Htet Min Hla)

    • Lwan Pyay Aung
    • Near or far
    • Write your own history

    Ko Win Myint (M72)

    • Bloom together Fall together

    Maung Sein Win (Padeegone)

    • Vine

  • Translation

    Translation is done from a Source Language into a Target Language.

    Burma Translation Society was formed primarily to translate reference and text from English to Burmese.

    Pali Text Society in the UK publishes selected English translations of Pali texts.

    One of the Objectives of the Sixth Buddhist Council was to translate the Scriptures (including Commentaries and selected Sub-commentaries) from Pali into Burmese. Mahasi Sayadaw and his team (including Sayadaw U Silananda) compiled a Pali-Burmese Abhidan (Dictionary) to aid the translation of the Tipitaka.

    Lexicographers

    Reverend Judson and his team compiled the “English to Burmese” and “Burmese to English” dictionaries. They translated the Bible into Burmese.

    There are several Dictionaries compiled by Burmese. The early works were done by

    • U Tun Nyein
    • Dr. Ba Han
    • Tet Toe (U Ohn Pe)

    U Hoke Sein took two decades to complete his Pali-English-Burmese Dictionary.

    Lost in Translation?

    Some meaning can be lost in Translation.

    Grapevine says that the Japanese were given an ultimatum by the US. The response supposedly had two meanings :
    (a) We will consider
    (b) We don’t care
    Due to miscommunication or “wrong” translation, the second meaning was taken, and the first A-bomb was released over Hiroshima.

    Interpreters find it difficult to translate jokes or puns. One interpreter pleaded : “The dignitary is making a joke. If you want to help me retain my job, please applaud loudly and laugh heartily.” His job was saved.

    WPD Sunday Supplement

    Working People’s Daily (WPD) carried a Sunday Supplement. It carried the translation of renowned authors and scholars.

    They include

    • MMT (former Chief Justice U Myint Thein)
    • Tet Toe (U Ohn Pe)
    • ZMT (former Ambassador U Zaw Myint Thein)
    • Sao Hso Holm (English First Class Honors, son of Arzani Sao San Htun)

    The Assistant Editor Daw Khin Swe Hla (formerly “Dawlay” at Guardian) wanted some fresh blood. She assigned me to translate a short story “Nge Thay Lo” by Sayagyi U Thu Kha. I tried my best to come up with “Still So Young” and received a remuneration of fifty kyats. Sayagyi was given fifty kyats.

    My experience

    • Translator and Interpreter at Meditation Retreats and selected events
    • Loose rendition of articles and poems by Sayas and alumni

  • Dependent Origination

    Subtitle: Paticca-samuppada

    The Wheel of life

    Author: Sayadaw U Silananda

    Editor: U Hla Myint

    Publisher : Tathagata Meditation Center

    CONTENTS

    Publisher’s notes

    Venerable U Silananda’s biography

    Dependent origination

    Introduction

    First link : Avjja-pacaya sankhara

    Second link : sabkahara-paccaya vinnanam

    Third link : Vinnana-paccaya nama-rupam

    Fourth link : Nama-rupa-paccaya salayatanam

    Fifth link : Salayatanam-paccaya phassa

    Sixth link : Phassa-paccaya vedana

    Seventh link : Vedana-paccaya tanha

    Eighth link : Tanha-paccaya upadana

    Ninth link : Upadana-paccaya bhavo

    Tenth link : Bhava-paccaya jati

    Eleventh link : Jati-paccaya jara-marana

    Conclusion

  • Mon Sayadaw

    Mon Sayadaw U Thilawunta (1912 – 2011)

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is mon-sayadaw.jpg

    Known fondly as “Mon Sayadaw”, DPZ Sayadaw U Thilawunta built pagodas in Burma/Myanmar, USA, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and several other countries.

    Sayadaw visited the United Nations and U Thant. He build the first Burmese pagoda in the Allegheny mountains near New York.

    He served as the Chief Abbot of the Dat Paung Zon Aung Min Gaung monastery on Windermere Road, Rangoon, Burma from 1949.

    At the invitation of U Thant, Sayadaw traveled to the US (via the ocean liner – predating the days of air travel) and build a pagoda on the Allegheny Mountains.

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is first-pagoda-in-the-us-1.jpg

    In 1958, Leslie Dawson, Canadian of Irish and Scottish descent, asked Mon Sayadaw to be his mentor. Dawson traveled to Bodh Gaya, India to rejoin the Sayadaw and received ordination as a samanera (novice monk). He continued on to Burma where he was ordained as Anandabodhi bhikkhu at the Shwedagon temple, Rangoon (21 Dec 1958). Ananda Bodhi had followers in Canada and New Zealand, most of whom have visited Sayaadaw and the Dat Paung Zon pagoda. Two of them also ordained as Buddhist monks with Mon Sayadaw as preceptor.

    Ananda Bodhi became a Tibetan Master with the name Namgyal Rinpoche in 1971, but continued to preach dhamma from Theravada, …

    Mon Sayadaw built pagodas in the several countries including US, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.

    Details of Sayadaw’s dhamma duta missions can be found in the official biography (in Burmese and English) and the web pages of his disciples.

  • Practical Vipassana Meditation Exercises

    by The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

    Talk given to his disciples on their induction into Vipassana Mediation at Sasana Yeikhta Meditation Center, Yangon, Myanmar

    Translated from the Myanmar language by U Nyi Nyi

    Original Publisher : The Buddhasasanuggaha Association, Yangon, Myanmar

    Dhamma dana distribution : Tathagata Meditation Center, San Jose, California

    22 pages

    Vipassana (Insight Meditation)

    Understand correctly the nature of the psycho-physical phenomena taking place in the body

    (a) rupa : material qualities

    (b) nama : acts of consciousness or awareness

    (c) breathing : vayodhatu (the element of motion)

    …

    Yogi should behave as if he were a weak invalid

    Noting (at all times)

    Physical object of attention and the mental act of noting occur as a pair

    Realize all phenomena are anicca, dukkha, and anatta

    Experience

  • Doctors from the 60s

    • Dr. Thane Oke Kyaw Myint (SPHS60) was the top Paulian in his class, but the Brothers were disappointed when he missed the top five positions by a mark each. He founded the group “Alumni of the Institute of Medicine in Myanmar (Overseas)” and wrote about his mentors and other trail blazers.
    • Dr. Kyaw Win (Robin Ban, SPHS61) stood 2nd in Burma.
    • Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS63) stood 1st in Burma. He was the first student to have almost perfect score in Mathematics, Chemistry and Physics with 299 marks out of the possible 300. Grapevine says that one Chief Examiner gave him 100 and then reluctantly took back a mark.
      Dr. Min Oo (2nd in Burma) pursued a Doctorate in Mathematics.
      Dr. Myo San (Freddie, 3rd, GBNF), Dr. Nyunt Wai (Victor, 4th), Dr. Thein Wai (5th), Dr. Aung Kyaw Zaw (Johnny, 9th), Dr. Khin Maung Zaw (17th) studied Medicine.
      U Hla Min (7th) studied Engineering and Computer Science. U Maung Maung Kyi (11th) studied Dip. Ing in Chemical Engineering (specializing in Pulp and Paper). U Aung Thurein (Brownie, 13th, GBNF) studied Electrical Communications.
    • Dr. Aung Win Chiong (SPHS64, USA) had the second highest “raw” score behind Dr. Cherry Hlaing and Dr. Lyn Aung Thet. He had a perfect ILA score of 50 and was admitted to IM(2) as Roll Number One. He is now retired. His spouse Dr. Winnie Tan is co-founder of USA Con-Bro Association.
    • Dr. Winston Sein Maung (3rd in Burma, GBNF), Dr. Yi Thway (UK, 5th in Burma, Roll No (1) for IM1) and Dr. Paing Soe (retired Deputy Minister, Roll No (2)) were among the top students from SPHS65 (the last batch before Nationalization).
      Due to the rules, Bernard Khaw (who stood first in Burma) could not apply for professional studies and then left for USA and Canada.
      Maung Aye (who stood second in Burma) and his twin brother left to study Doctorates in the USA.