Biography of
Dr. Ariyawansa (Alodawpyie
Sayadaw) in English
Being born
The most venerable
Ariyawansa, D.Litt. was born in Rathedaung,
Rakhine State in Myanmar in June 5, 1944. His parents are
U Nyo Thar Zan, his father and Daw Nyo, his
mother. At his age of 13, in 1957, he received a novice ordination to be a
Buddhist novice in the buddha’s dispensation under the guidance of preceptor,
Lakkhataung Sayadaw. And at his age of full 20, he was ordained as a
buddhist monk under the supervision of Baddanta Nanacakka
at Khanda Sima (small consecration hall) of
Cittasukha Kamathan Monastery, Sittway, the
capital of Rakhine State,
Myanmar.
Education
The most venerable
Ariyawansa, D.Litt. learned the Buddhist literature primary, middle and
high school education level from the most venerable Nyana
at Zeyathukha Monastery in
Min Bya Town, Rakhine State,
Myanmar, from the most venerable
Narasiha, Aggamahapanditaat KyarRute
Monastery, Sittway, Rakhine
State, Myanmar, from the most venerable
Pandicca, Aggamahapanditaat Devasagara Theingone
Monastery in Bahan, Rangoon,
Myanmar and from the most venerable Acinna,
Aggamahapandita at ChaukHtatGyi
(Remark:
Catummahārājika;
Tāvatimsa; Tusita;
Nimmānarati; Paranimmitta
Vasatti; Yāma; a.k.a.
6 heavenly ones)
Monastery, Bahan, Yangon,
Myanmar and he completed the high school level of Buddhist literature
courses. Moreover, the most venerable Ariyawansa,
D. Lit. studied the higher education level of Buddhist literatures at the well
famous monastic education temples in Mandalay city
and Pakhukgu city as well. He is a Buddhist scholar
who masters in Pali and Buddhist literature such
as- canonical texts, its commentarial treatises and sub-commentarial treatises.
He is also an expertise in Buddhist meditation instruction too.
Retreat of Meditation
The 7 years later after becoming an
ordained Buddhist monk, the most venerable Ariyawansa,
D. Lit. set upon tour for meditation retreat at the forest and he went round the
regions of Kyauk Pa Daung,
Bagan and Thahtone,
Mawlamyine for years
(Remark: in Union of Myanmar).
Undertaking the forest retreat by moving one place to another place, the most
venerable Ariyawansa pursued by himself meditation
practicing ways of the most venerable experienced monks and learned the
meditation methods of Theravada traditions for many
years from the most venerable monks of meditation master well known as the noble
persons such as – Mogoke Sayadaw,
Mingone Sayadaw, Shwethein Sayadaw,
Vebhu Sayadaw and Taungpulu Sayadaw (Sayadaw
means the Master Monk). The most venerable
Ariyawansa continuously followed the meditation retreat for 10 years and
made practice of insight-meditation (vipassana)
and tranquility meditation (Samatha)
until he could understand the dhamma through
self-experience and get the awareness of the natural phenomena of mind and body
through the strongest concentration, psychic power of mental stability.
Missionaries Setting up
After having adhered the meditation
retreat till he got satisfied with his progress of practical knowledge of
dhamma, he arranged to set up the meditation centers and Buddhism learning
temples for the novice, monks and the lay people. He initially set up a Buddhist
learning monastery (school) named “Maha Aung Myay Yadana”
(Remark: regarding
transcript words, "Maha"
is used in both Eastern Civilization and Indian Civilization, and "Aung Myay" in
Myanmar means successful land, and "Yadana" means valuable) for contributing the
teaching of the Buddha and peace message of meditation to the people through the
heart of novices and monks. Since then on, he extended his Buddhism education
service all over the country of Myanmar – extended several meditation monasteries (centers) and learning monasteries under the name of Alodawpyie
– a
learning monastery in Mandalay, a mediation monastery in Bagan, a
meditation monastery in Mitthilar, a meditation monastery in Tachilite, a
meditation mastery in Thangangune, Yangon, a learning monastery in North Dagon,
Yangon, a meditation monastery in Tamwe, Yangon, a Dhammacariya
University in
Dagon Seikkan, Yangon, a meditation monastery in Sittway
in Rakhine, a
meditation monastery in Buthidaung, Rakhine, a meditation monastery in Maungdaw
in Rakhine, a meditation monastery in Rathedaung, Rakhine, a meditation
monastery in MraukOo, Rakhine, a free charged education school for the children
in Minbya, Rakhine: these are total monastery inside
Myanmar. Again outside
Myanmar, a free charged high school in Calcutta, India, a meditation monastery
in California in United States and a meditation monastery in Arizona in the
United States and a meditation monastery in Texas in the United States. All Alodawpyie
Monasteries are rendered under the supervision of the most venerable Ariyawansa, D. Lit. and they all follow same teaching and dominations of
Theravada Buddhism and operate same principles, rules and regulations of
monasteries including all duties of the novices and monks who live in the
monasteries. The most venerable Ariyawansa, D.Litt. still takes religious
service going round all Alodawpyie monasteries all over the world for happiness
and peace of the Buddhist and non-buddhist people through self-experience of the
Buddhism education.
Rehabilitation of
Ruined Pagodas in Historic Areas
The most venerable Ariyawansa, D. Lit. is a Buddhist who initiated maintaining the ruined pagodas in historic area of Bagan, the ancient city. In 1992, he rehabilitated and maintained the Alodawpyie pagoda first which was fallen down in earthquake striking in 1975 in Myanmar. Later on, he consequently became well famous as Alodawpyie Venerable Monk. Additionally, he requested the government of Myanmar to take care of all pagodas to be maintained in historic area of ancient city, Bagan. The government, therefore, remodeled all pagodas which were hit in earthquake strike in 1975. He also by himself reestablished several ruined pagodas as much as he could. Moreover, he built the standing Buddha statue in Irrawady region which is swiped by Nagic cyclone storm in 2008 for the people’s happiness and peace and he also built another standing Buddha statue in Thandway, Rakhine so the fishermen could see and pray for freedom from danger in water and from fear when they fish in the sea.
Social Service
The most venerable Ariyawansa, D. Lit.
excavated any number of ponds for water supply to the people living in draught
area in region of Bagan, central part of Myanmar and he did same project in Punnakywan
township in Rakhine State, Myanmar
too for the people who have
difficulty to get water resources. And he collected the people who have no
permanent places to dwell, food to eat and medicine for health into same place
and donated each family of them a small wooden houses supplied with necessary
infrastructures like food, clothes and medicine. He also provide assistance to
those victims of communal violence that clashed between two communities in
Rakhine State, Myanmar in 2012 – with no distinction of Buddhists and non-buddhists,
he donated all them the necessary things for survive like food, clothes,
medicine and money cooperating with Myanmar governments. Furthermore, he
annually makes arrangement for health care program for those who live in
undeveloped countryside areas and takes care of all them with no charge: it is
every year donation of him. He even though the old age of 72 right now (Remark:
in 2017/2561),
still carries on such the social and religious service for the people’s
happiness and goodness according to the buddha ’s teaching. He did a lot more for
the people than what could be described.
Honorary Degrees
awarded for his social and religious service
As he did a lot of social and religious
excellent performances for the people inside and outside the country and he went
to some countries round the world for religious services such as – Singapore,
Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, United States,
Canada and Australia, the Myanmar government confronted him with the union
highest honorary Titles (degrees) such as – the title of the expert at great
excellent teaching (Aggamahagandha - vacakapandita), the title of beneficial
performance of the Buddha’s teaching (Pariyattihitadhara), the title of the
great outstanding promotion of the Buddha’s teaching (Aggamahasaddhammajo - tika)
and the title of the greatest wise (Agga maha pandita), this title of which is the
highest honorary title in union level and that is used to be awarded only to
those monks who are fully endowed with wide rang knowledge in
Tipitaka (three baskets) of Buddhist literature and virtuous
attributes of personalities such as – firmly trusted morality, the strongest
mental concentration and insight wisdom. He, who qualifies the said
proficiencies and capacities to be output for benefits of people, only deserves
the last honorary degree. Addition to it, he was awarded the one Doctorate
Degree of Literature in honor and one honorary title – the honorary degree of
Doctor of Philosophy in field of Social Work and World Peace by New Age
International University, Italy in 2005 and the title of Tipitaka Maha pandita
for
his outstanding service for world peace through contribution of
buddh’s peaceful
message by United Buddhist Samgha Council of India and siddharth
United Social Welfare
Mission in India in 2006.
Baddanta Ariyawansa, D.Litt. (Chairperson of ABSDMMC) ;
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