Presiding Patron of Naga Hnakaung Monastery of Tachilek in Shan State (East) Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dr Bhaddanta Dhammasiri passed away at 00:02 am on 8 February 2024, Thursday.
The remains of the Sayadaw are kept at Naga Hnakaung Monastery. Chairman of the State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, accompanied by Lt-Gen Ye Win Oo of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and his wife, senior military officers of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and their wives, the commander of Triangle Command and officials, paid homage to the remains of the Sayadaw yesterday afternoon.
After paying homage to the Presiding Patron of Thiladhamma Kontha Tawya Monastery, Wasipeik Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kovida, and members of the Sangha, the Senior General supplicated the plans for holding the final rites ceremony. The Senior General instructed officials to hold the final rites on a grand scale and arrange transport, accommodation, food and water supply for monks, nuns and people for their convenience, as the Sayadaw is one of the leading Sayadaws of the nation.
The Senior General and his wife donated cash to the fund for holding the final rites to the Sayadaws. The Senior General, wife and party paid homage to the remains of Sayadaw.
The Sayadaw-to-be was born to U Haung and Daw Nang Pin on Wednesday’s 9th Waxing of Nattaw 1290 ME, in Yangkein Village of Kengtung Township in Shan State (East). On the full moon of Tabaung 1299 ME, he was novitiated under Kengyin Monastery Sayadaw Bhaddanta Dhammaramsi of Kengtung and ordained on the 13th Waxing of Kason 1310 ME.
From age 10, the novice learned primary education and pursued Pariyatti literature from Kengyin Sayadaw to complete the Mula Dhammacariya examination in the Gon Shan language in 1320 ME.
With four branches, the Sayadaw established the Naga Hnakaung Buddhist Learning Centre in 1357 ME. These centres gave teaching and held basic primary, junior, middle and senior Buddhism examinations in the Gon Shan language in accord with the government’s curriculum for Shan monks and novices 50 times. Starting from 1355 ME, the Sayadaw participated in printing Tri Pitaka treatises and translated treatises into Gon Shan language and supervised carving inscriptions on Tri Pitaka treatises on some 2,500 stone plaques to be kept on the platform of Tachilek Shwedagon Pagoda. Moreover, the Sayadaw served missionary and public welfare measures by donating the land plots for basic education buildings in Tachilek, establishing a home for the aged and an orphanage with necessary aid, donating the land plot for the district hospital and building necessary buildings in his long lifespan. The government conferred the Agga Maha Pandita title to the Sayadaw in 1992, the Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja title in 2001, the Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika title in 2005 and Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru title in 2021 in addition to religious titles conferred by Thailand. The Sayadaw passed away at age 96 and Vasa 77. — MNA/TTA
