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.
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.
Mingun Sayadaw U Vicittasarabhivamsa (GBNF) was listed in the “Guinness Book of World Records” for his phenomenal memory.
When Burma hosted the Sixth Buddhist Council at Kaba Aye Pagoda in 1954 – 56 to commemorate the 2500th year of the “Sasana Calendar”, Sayadaw acted as the “Reciter” of the Tipitaka (Triple Basket : Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma) and the “selected” Commentaries. According to the Kaba Aye Edition, the Tipitaka covers 8000+ pages.
To prepare for the Buddhist Council, Sir U Thwin requested Mingun Sayadaw to take the Tipitaka examination.
Sayadaw passed the Oral and Written tests for the Three Baskets with Distinction.
Oral tests will fail a candidate if he needs five (or six) prompts. Sayadaw did not need a single prompt. The Written tests cover in-depth topics. During the recitation, Sayadaw amazed the examiners by pointing out the variations of the text and highlighted the preferred version.
He was the first Sayadaw to be conferred “Bearer of the Tipitaka & Treasurer of the Dhamma”.
Sayadaw received requisites. He distributed them to the monks (mostly in the town where he received them).
To help ease the monks trying to pass one or more Baskets in the later Tipitaka examinations, Sayadaw set up a monastery in Mingun and accepted monks who had finished their Dhammacariya.
Types of Memory
We have a short term memory and a long term memory.
When people age, most retain their long term memory, but they often experience decline of their short term memory.
My young cousin approached us and then uttered, “I forgot what I was about to say”.
My high school classmate would abruptly stop in the middle of our walk and pondered, “Did I lock the door?”
U Tun Aung’s uncle (GBNF) could recall his primary classmates but could not recognize his beloved grand kid.
There are books and courses about memory.
According to some authors, we could use “chunking”, “association”, “reinforced (non-blind) repetition”, … to move important and worthwhile items in the short term memory into long term memory.
Memory is not static. It is “elastic”. There is restructuring (reorganizing, indexing, …) every time we use it.
There are techniques (“mnemonics”, “visualization”, …) to “train” and “improve” our memory.
Thanks to the sayas and colleagues who complimented for having a good memory.
I was a mini-dictionary, a micro-encyclopedia, and a reliable proof-reader & spelling checker.
May be it was partly because I was born before the pervasive use of Internet and on-line tools, and there was not too much diversion.
There are a few who want to down play the importance of memory.
The first pagoda in the US was built on the Allegheny Mountains in New York by Dat Paung Zon Sayadaw U Thilawunta (also known fondly as “Mon Sayadaw”) in the 50’s.
TKAM
Following the Dhamma Duta Mission by Taung Pu Lu Sayadaw in the late 70’s, two pagodas were built at TKAM (Taung Pu Lu Kaba Aye Monastery) in Boulder Creek, Northern California. Pa yan sayas from Burma/Myanmar were brought in for the project.
Subsequent Pagodas
Pagodas were also built in
Sae Taw Win II Dhamma Center, Sebastapol, Northern California
Azusa Monastery in Los Angeles, Southern California
New Jersey
Sitagu Monastery in (a) Texas (b) Florida (c) Minneapolis
Chaitya Monastery in Nevada, Las Vegas
Note :
Due to restrictions such as zoning laws, scenic routes, and historical buildings, it is not easy to build pagodas in the US.
Mahā Calendar Year 67 (623 BC) – Full Moon Day of Waso (Thursday): Conception took place.
Mahā Calendar Year 68 (624 BC) – Full Moon Day of Kason (Vesākhā) (Friday): Born in Lumbini Park (now known as Padaria in modern Nepal. Name as Buddha: Gotama Name as Prince: Prince Siddattha Mother: Mahā Māyā Devi Father: King Suddhodana Mahārājā City: Kāpilavatthu (now in India) Royal Bride: Princess Yasodharā Devi Son: Prince Rāhula
Mahā Calendar Year 97 (595 BC) – Full Moon Day of Waso (Monday): Renounced worldly life, became an ascetic to seek enlightenment.
Mahā Calendar Year 103 (589 BC – Full Moon Day of Kason (Vesākhā) (Wednesday): Attained enlightenment, became a Buddha. (Time: At dawn on the first Waxing Day of Kason (Vesākhā))
Mahā Calendar Year 104 (589 BC) – Full Moon Day of Waso (Saturday): Expounded Dhammacakkapavatthana Sutta
Mahā Calendar Year 148 (544 BC) – Full Moon Day of Kason (Tuesday): In the Sāla Grove in the City of Kusināra in Māllas (modern Kasia in the eastern part of Nepal), Buddha passed into Nibbānna.)
Mahā Calendar Year 148 (544 BC) – 12th Waxing Day of Kason (Vesākhā) (Sunday): The Buddha’s remains burned on their own in cremation.
Notes
Dr. Khin Maung U (SPHS63) stood First in Burma in the Matriculation.
He is a Multiple Luyechun (Outstanding Student) at IM (1).
He did Teaching & Research in Burma and USA.
He translated a part of Dr. Nandamalabhivansa’s course on Abhidhamma.
He and his spouse Dr. Nyunt Nyunt Wai are Gawpaka at a monastery in Maryland, USA.
METTA SUTTA => Third sutta in “Paritta Pail” also referred to as KARANIYA METTA SUTTA Desirable qualities of a “practitioner” Loving kindness “meditation”
During a Dhamma Duta mission in the late 1970s, Mahasi Sayadawgyi agreed to leave U Silananda and U Kelasa to carry on the Sasana work in the US.
U Silananda taught classes and conducted meditation retreats in California.
U Kelasa did the same in East Coast of USA.
Dhammananda Vihara
Several devotees including the Khoo siblings and cousins (Eddie, Stanley, Molly) and Dr. Tin Wa established the Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA).
TBSA helped set up the Dhammanada Vihara with U Silananda as the Chief Resident Monk and U Sobhana. U Jotalankara would later join the sayadaws.
The initial Vihara was a rented house in San Francisco. It later moved to Daly City. It is currently in Half Moon Bay.
Hlaf Moon Bay monastery
Resident Monks (over the years)
U Silanandabhivamsa (First Sayadaw, GBNF)
U Sobhana (GBNF)
U Jotalankara (Second Sayadaw)
U Nandisena (Moved to Dhamma Vihara in Mexico)
U Osadha
U Kondannadhaja (Uzin Chan Min)
…
U Silanandabhivamsa
Sayadaw life and accomplishments have been recorded in the Dhammananda Newsletters and the TBSA web site.
I was an Editor for the Newsletter and web site for several years.
Highlights
Sayadaw was born in Mandalay on December 16, 1927.
Father : Saya Saing (Famous Myanmar Pithuka)
Studied at Kelly (an American Baptist Mission School)
During the war, his family took refuge at the Sagaing Hills
Ordained as a samanera (novice)
Paid respect to Shwe Hintha Sayadaw, who gave the novice his robes and requested him not to leave the order
Became a Trailblazer when Mahasi Sayadaw left him to do dhamma duta in California and beyond.
Served as the Abbot of the Dhammananda Vihara, the Spiritual Advisor of the Theravada Buddhist Society of America (TBSA) and the Dhammachakka Meditation Center in California, and several other monasteries in Myanmar and Mexico.
First Rector of IMBTU.
Sayadaw passed away on August 13, 2005.
IMBTU sent Sayadaw U Nandamalabhivamsa and Dr. Myint Kyi to attend the Funeral Services for Sayadaw U Silananda.
I served as Master of Ceremonies at the Funeral Services for Sayadaw.
I was a Contributing Editor and Committee Member for the publication of the book paying Homage to Sayadaw.
TBSA consecrated a Dhamma Hall in memory of U Silananda.
Ceremonies to honor Sayadaw are done in August and December.
Additional materials can be found in the commemorative book (“Maw Gun Win Sar Saung”) and the DVDs about Sayadaw’s “Last Journey” and his lifelong achievements (including the first Rector of IMBTU).
Ceremony in memory of SayadawDevoteesVolunteers
Books
The Biography & First Sermon
Sayadaw wrote the book as a young monk
The book was reprinted as Dhamma Dana for Sayadaw’s 75th Birthday
Paritta Pali and Protective Verses
Ms. Srinuch Pongavas, a disciple of Sayadaw, published the book “Paritta Pali and Protective Verses” for Sayadaw’s birthday in 1995. The book displays Paritta Pali on the even-numbered pages and the Paritta Text (in English) on the odd-numbered pages. Sayadaw recorded the Pali and the English Text. CD was also provided as Dhamma Dana.
It can also be listened on You Tube
U Silanandabhivamsa’s Dhamma Duta Missions
by Nyaung Kan Aye Sayadaw
Nyaung Kan Aye Sayadaw is from the Dhamma Lineage of Mahasi Sayadaw.
Dhamma Lecturer
Dedicated the book to his mentor U Silanandabhivamsa
Aye Thet Scholarship
Dr. Swe Aye and Dr. Khin Nyo Thet provided the seed money for the “Aye Thet Scholarship”.
The number of young adults and children attending the TBSA Summer Dhamma Camp has grown close to 200.
The classes cover
Recitation (for very young children)
Levels 1 to 6
Some who passed Level 6 would volunteer to be Teaching Assistants.
Several donors augment the “Aye Thet Scholarship” to give prizes to the attendees of the TBSA Summer Dhamma Camp.
My Contributions
EC member (VP and/or Director)
Editor of the Dhammananda Newsletter.
Per Sayadaw U Silananda’s request, I simplified the book “A Manual of Buddhism” for use at the Summer Dhamma Camp.
I also edited the book based on the transcripts — by U Osadha — of Sayadaw’s dhamma talks (mostly at the meditation retreats).
Master of Ceremonies at Sayadaw’s Memorial Service
Accompanied Saya U Myat Htoo (then President of TBSA) for scattering Sayadaw’s ashes into the water near Golden Gate Bridge.
Committee member and Contributing Editor for the book “Homage to Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa“.
HlaMin 