HlaMin

Tag: Talk

  • Dana (Talk)

    Dana (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast

    U Ba Than

    Introduction

    • Dana stands for offering, alms, and donation. It is for Sharing and Caring.
    • Dana transcends religion and culture.

    For Buddhists

    • Dana provides opportunities to gain kusala (wholesome deeds) before, during and after the offering.
    • One can share merits when performing a Dana. One can rejoice past Dana and gain merits.
    • Dana may be performed anonymously, privately or publicly. Dana may be performed daily or on specific occasions (e.g. sabbath, birthday, anniversary).

    Dhamma Dana

    Individuals, groups and organizations offer free books and CDs covering dhamma talks. They include :

    • Dhamma Download web sites
    • Triple Gems Publications
    • Tathagata Meditation Center (TMC)

    An old saying states, “Dhamma Dana excels all Dana”.

    Double Dana

    • Sayagyi U Ba Than donates the Garwara Money that he received from the SPZPs and alumni back to Charitable Organizations.
    • During one my visits, I witnessed the donation of One Lakh Kyat each to ten organizations.
      They include : Bo Bwa Yeik Tha, Little Sisters for the Poor, School for Deaf and Dumb, School for the Blind, U Hla Tun Foundation, Nar Yay Ah Thin.

    Pyinnya Dana

    It may stand for offerings made for the advancement of education (of the people and the society).

    There are different forms of Pyinnya Dana. They include :

    • Sponsoring scholarships (e.g. NorCal RITAA provide some financial assistance to eligible YTU students with the help of RITAA.)
    • Donating to the “YTU Library Modernization”
    • Sharing of experience, knowledge and wisdom

    Health Care

    Swel Daw Yeik Foundation (SDYF) provides some financial assistance to eligible sayas and sayamas for Hospitalization and Frequent visits to the Clinic.

    Individuals and groups donated for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

    Variant strains of COVID-19 were reported in UK in December 2020 in UK; and in Japan in January 2021.

    Cash and Kind

    RIT Ah Nu Pyinnya Shins donate to the various noble causes (e.g. SPZP, Shwe YaDu, YTU Library) in cash and kind (e.g. paintings, cartoons).

  • Twins (Talk)

    Twins (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on January 31, 2021

    • Heavenly Twins
      Castor and Pollux
      Gemini
    • Twin Cities
      St. Paul and Minneapolis
    • Twin Towers
      World Trade Center
    • Twin Blades
      Razor
    • Twinning Program
      Rangoon University and USA Universities
      Proposed by Sayagyi U Ba Hli (Dean of Engineering)
    • Fraternal Twins
      Maung Maung Win (Maung Yit, Cartoonist, Moemaka)
      Mi Mi Win (Junior Win, Bilingual author)
    • Identical Twins
      Navy Commanders Win Thein Maung and Lin Thein Maung
      Director A1 Than Htut and Actor/Director A1 Thein Htut
    • Conjoined Twins
      “Siamese Twins” Chang and Eng Bunker (Born in Siam, Died in USA)
      Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San (Burma / Myanmar)

    First Operation on Conjoinedo Twins in Burma

    • Dr. Pe Nyun, Dr. Htut Saing and team operated on Ma Nan Soe and Ma Nan San
    • Dr. Pe Nyun and Dr. Htut Saing are Past Captains of Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC)
    • Dr. Pe Nyun passed away in Canada
    • Dr. Htut Saing passed away in Hong Kong

    Independence Day Regatta at Kandawgyi in 1948

    1948
    • Dr. Pe Nyun, Dr. Pe Thein, U Khin Maung Wint, U Tin U and Cox represented Rangoon University Boat Club (RUBC) at the Independence Day Regatta held at Kandawgyi in 1948.

    Professor Pe Nyun Award

    • Award given to Young Pediatric Surgeon
    • First established in 2012
    • The award for 2021 will be presented via Zoom Meeting
  • Yadaya (Talk)

    Yadaya (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on January 2, 2020

    Yadaya

    • Stands for Change.
    • Similar to fire
    • Can be a good servant or a bad master.

    U Myint Sein (BARB)

    U Myint Sein
    • According to U Myint Sein (GBNF), former Principal of BARB and Founder of IDEA Astrology, ladies are excellent at Yadaya.
    • They change their appearance (e.g. with the aid of cosmetics).

    Folklore

    According to folk lore, a student went to study at Tekkatho (Tekka Sila) to study under Ditha Par Mauk Kha (Professor). The professor was an expert in Veda. He saw that some calamity (probably death) will fall soon on the student. So, he told the student to return to the village for a while and come back at a later date.

    The student did some good deeds on the way back. He moved some fishes from an almost empty pond to nearby stream. He pruned the hanging branches and righted some bent trees. He used some planks to create a make-shift bridge.

    On his subsequent visit, the student told the Professor about his actions on the way back to his village. The Professor was pleased to know that the student’s Yadaya had thwarted the ill effects.

    Protective Verses

    Buddha and eight disciples (Arahants) recited Protective Verses for a child (who was under the threat of demons). The child lived to be 120.

    “Phaya Koe Su” Pu Zaw Pwe is based on the story. However, the practice got “diluted” with the inclusion of Nine Gyo Min.

    Good Yadaya

    • Perform wholesome deeds and share merits
    • Dana (Charity)
    • Sila (Morality)
    • Bhavana (Samatha and Vipassana Meditation)
    • Parami (Perfection)

    Extreme belief in Yadaya

    The following may be attributed to some then higher authorities who believe too much in the power of Yadaya.

    • A classmate told us that there was a night walk on Minn Lann (Royal Road) by the high authorities.
      The lights were out during the walk.
    • Some other events (e.g. the construction of Karaweik) allude to the revival of a Kingdom.
    • The change to Nyar Lann Maung (Keep to the Right) without making revisions to the road and the vehicles may be a Yadaya to simulate a change to the right (from left [or Socialist]).
    • The issue of bank notes such as 45 Kyats and 90 Kyats may be due to the belief of Nawin or “Nines”.
    • The issue of bank notes honoring Saya San and Thakin Po Hla Gyi may be a Yadaya to simulate the revolutionaries throughout the nation, and thereby thwart revolutions.
  • English Study 3 (Talk)

    English Study 3 (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Judson

    Video Broadcast on January 24, 2021

    Thesaurus

    • Roget’s Thesaurus
      Original : Organized as 1000 Topics
    • Thesaurus
      Dictionary form : Alphabetical Order
    • Visual Thesaurus

    Thanks to my Parents and Uncles

    • Classics Illustrated
    • Junior Classics Illustrated
    • Look and Learn
    • How and Why
    • Stories / Tales
      Aesop’s Fables
      Grimm Brothers
      …
    • Pears’ Cyclopedia
    • Encyclopedia Britannica
    • Five Minute Biographies
    • Readers’ Digest (Magazine and Books)
    • Comics
    • Cartoons
  • November (Talk)

    November (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on November 21, 2020

    Nov means 9

    • 9th month of old Roman Calendar
    • 11th month of Gregorian Calendar

    November 1919

    • Truce declared for First World War (WWI)
    • Nov 11, 11:11 AM
    • Armistice Day
    • Veteran’s Day (USA)

    November 1963

    President John F Kennedy

    • “Men on the Moon” speech at Rice University in Houston, Texas
    • Assassination on November 22 at Dallas, Texas
    • Books, Movies about JFK

    Thanksgiving

    Fourth Thursday

    • Dinner
    • Family gathering

    Black Friday

    • Discount for shopping

    Cyber Monday

    • Discount for online shopping

    Commercialization

    • Extended period for shopping

    US Election

    Second Tuesday of November

    Yearly :

    • Local

    Every two years :

    • House of Representatives
    • One third of Senators

    Every four years

    • President
    • Inauguration on Jan 20 the following year

    November 2019

    • Gatherings in Singapore and Yangon
    • Panelist at 5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival in Mandalay

    November 2020

    • Wrote “Countdown to RU Centennial” posts
    • Complete 100+ Daily Videos
    • Complete 2500+ articles in Personal Web Site
    5th Irrawaddy Literary Festival
    Videos
  • Audio Book (Talk)

    Audio Book (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on January 27, 2021

    Books

    • Regular Print
    • Large Print
    • Braille
    • e-Book
    • Audio Book
    • Special hardware and software to “scan and read” books

    Audio Books

    • Some may be available from Public Libraries
      Early : CDs
    • Some may require “Subscription”
      For downloading
    • Some may be offered at Discount in a Bundle
      Podcasts
      Book summaries
      Books
      e.g. Premium Subscription to Blinkist

    Listeners’ Heaven

    https://www.facebook.com/listenersheaven

    • Established in November 2020
    • Facebook Group
    • Provides “Subscription”
    • Offerings
      Win Pe
      Minthuwun
      Zat Kyee Hse Bwe
      Selected Novels
      Overview of selected “hot” topics
    Talks
  • MahaGandayone Sayadaw & U Ba Kyi (Talk)

    MahaGandayone Sayadaw & U Ba Kyi (Talk)

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast on January 5, 2010

    U Hla Min

    Illustrated History of Buddhism

    YMBA

    • The Burmese version of the Book was published by YMBA (Young Men’s Buddhist Association) in 1951.
    • YMBA requested Mahagandayone Sayadaw Ashin Janakabhivamsa မဟာဂန္ဓာရုံဆရာတော်အရှင်ဇနကာဘိဝံသto write a brief “History of Buddhism” and Artist Saya U Ba Kyi to provide illustrations.
    • Saya U Ba Kyi observed eight precepts for 45 days before undertaking the project.
    • In 1953, Saya U Ba Kyi gained international reputation.
    • In 1954, YMBA later published an addendum (English translation of Sayadaw’s text in Burmese) for readers who are not conversant in Burmese.

    TBSA

    • Dhammananda Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa ဦးသီလာနန္ဒာဘိဝံသ sought permission from YMBA to reprint the book with descriptions in both Burmese/Myanmar and English.
    • In 1994, the book was printed and published in the US and was distributed by TBSA (Theravada Buddhist Society of America).
    • Several books were left.
      Some were handed as prizes for the successful participants of the “Summer Dhamma Class / Camp”.

    Missed Opportunity

    • An Arts professor from Stanford University expressed desire to use “The Illustrated History of Buddhism” as a text for his course provided the book can be “ordered” from the University Book Shop.
    • Since the book was meant for dhamma dana, the book had no ISBN (International Standard Book Number) that is used by book shops.

    Miscellaneous

    • There have been some requests to reprint the book.
    • There are probably newer reprints of the book and/or PDF version of Saya U Ba Kyi’s drawings.

    U Ba Kyi

    • Saya translated a verse of the song “Hna yauk hte nay gin de” while invigilating an examination at the Institute of Education.
    • Saya Dr. Maung Maung Kha used to accompany Saya U Ba Kyi’s vocals with his violin at the functions (mostly at Rangoon University Ah Nu Pyinnya Ah Thin).

    Darling
    Only two we will live dear
    On the high crest
    Of the Mount Everest
    And the Sahara Desert
    Driest without water
    To the North Pole
    May be freezing cold
    Where the sun will never never grow
    With all my heart and soul
    Only two darling We will go