Sayadaw U Pannadipa

Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja

Biography of Sayadaw U Pannadipa

       Sayadaw was the first Meditation Teacher at The Mahasi Meditation Centre in Billinge since July1990, when the centre was first opened by Ovadacariya Sayadawgyi U Panditar Bhi Vamsa.

       He was born in the Myanmar year 1294 , on the sixth waning day of Tabaung, a Thursday ( March 1932), to mother Daw Hla Thin , and father U Kyaw Hmu, at Hninpalei village, near Thaton in lower Burma.

        He became a Samanera (Novice Monk), at the age of 12. Under the tutelage of his own grand uncle , who was the abbot of Yinyein monastry nearby, he learned the basic Tipitakas . At the age of 16 he continued his studies at Thaton, till he passed the Pathamange, Pathamalat and Pathamagyi exams. At the age of 20 , he became a full fledged monk and continued to study in Rangoon and Mandalay , till he passed his Dhamma Cariya ( Teacher of Dhamma) examination . He served as a Teacher of Dhamma, at Thaton for three years from 1956 to 1959. From 1960 to 1966 , he continued post graduate studies of the Tripitakas in Rangoon and Mandalay.

       In 1967, he practised Vipassana Meditation at Sasana Yeiktha in Rangoon under the Mahasi Sayadaw . In 1968, he was appointed by the Mahasi Sayadaw as Meditation Teacher of Gyobintha Meditation Centre near Prome in Central Burma. He worked at the centre for 17 years till 1975.

        In 1976 , he was appointed Nayaka Kammathana Cariya at the Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha in Rangoon, where he taught Vipassana Meditation to hundreds of yogis.

        In 1990, Sayadaw came to the UK after an itinerary of Dhamma Dhuta trips to Nepal , Malaysia , Singapore and Australia, accompanying Ovadacariya Sayadaw U Pandita of Panditarama. He came to stay in the Mahasi Meditation Centre in Billinge , as Padana Kammathana Cariya . For the most part of eight years until November 1998, Sayadaw was the leading light at the Centre, playing a key role in upholding Theravada Buddhist traditions , and uplifting the moral standards of the Burmese and local people alike. He has shown great Metta and Karuna to all those who came in contact with him. In November , he returned to Burma to nurse his ailing great uncle , the abbot of Yeiknyein, in his late nineties, who is also a monk and his teacher.

        For his Dhamma Dhuta work abroad he was recently awarded the coveted title of Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja.

Sayadaw U Nyanujjotar Bhivamsa

       Sayadaw U Nyanujjotar Bhi Vumsa joined the Centre on 26th November1998, as the Resident Monk and Kammathana Cariya. He is a Nayaka Sayadaw at the Pandita Rama ( Shwe Taung Gon Sasana Yeiktha ) in Rangoon. He trained under the famous Sayadaw U Jannakar Bhivamsa of Mahar Gandar Yone Monastry at Amarapura , the late Mahasi Sayadaw , and also under our Ovadarcariya Sayadawgyi U Panditar Bhivamsa. He is keen to learn good English during his stay here , which would be useful for his Dhammaduta work.

DONATIONS

Donations towards Extended Accommodation:

       To extend the accommodation for yogis at the centre, a small shed has been planned to be erected in the back garden, complete with heating and electricity, which will accommodate three to four yogis. Contributions big and small towards the cost of the building ,as well as the travel costs of Sayadawgyi will be much appreciated.

        Cheques payable to "Mahasi Dhamma Fellowship" and send to "The Treasurer" , MDF , at The Mahasi Meditation Centre , 73 Royden Road, Billinge, Nr.Wigan, Lancs. WN5 7LD, UK. Phone (UK - 01744 895612). ( Newsletter, February, 1999)

Donations by Deeds of Covenant

The gift of Dhamma is indeed the most noble gift.

        Friends of Dhamma , who wish to contribute donations towards the up keep of the Mahasi Meditation Centre may please consider the possible use of a Deed of Covenant.

       This method will enable you to make a regular donation whilst allowing the centre to claim tax refund from the Inland Revenue.

       For as little as £5 a month (£60 per annum) the Fellowship will be able to claim £20 tax refund per year.

        Please find an enclosed form of a deed of covenant, and return to "The Treasurer, Mahasi Dhamma Fellow ship, 73 Royden Road, Billinge, Nr. Wigan, Lancashire WN5 7LD, UK "Phone: ( UK - 01744 895612).

Directions to the new Meditation Centre
at 420, Lower broughton Rd., Salford. Gr. Manchester

       From M62(Jn.12) or M60 follow M602 towards Manchester. Leave M602 at Jn.2 to follow A576 towards Pendleton ; straight on for about 2 miles on A576 (Eccles old road ) until an underpass (A6) ; bear left im mediately after underpass and follow A576, turning left towards Ashton U Lyne. Continue straight on for about 1 mile on A576 (Broughton/ Cromwell Rd.) until you cross over a small bridge over the river Irwell . Immediately after the bridge crossing, turn left at the traffic lights into Lower Broughton Road ; straight on for about half a mile; as soon as you passs Manchester United football practice ground on the left, and after climbing a small gradient for about fifty yards, 420 is on your right.

       2. From Billinge, follow A580 (East Lanc. Road ) towards its end when it joins A6; Follow A6 and turn left into A576 (Broughton/ Cromwell Rd), and follow A576 as above.

       Alternatively, leave M602 at Jn.1 (instead of Jn.2 ), bear left into A5063(Albion way); At the second set of main traffic lights turn left into A6 towards Pendleton ; follow A6 until at the big roundabout, follow A576 towards Ashton U Lyne as above.

News Letter: February, 2000

"Noble Harvest"

        "What you sow, so you shall reap". If you sow good and noble seeds of Dana (Giving and Sharing) , Sila (good conduct and morality), and Bhavana (walking the Eightfold Noble Path, Satipatthana Meditation), you will surely reap invaluable rewards. In the case of Satipatthana Meditation, the rewards, such as freedom from mental impurities like Lobha, Dosa and Moha , will be attained as soon as the Practice starts.

        It has been ten years since our little Meditation Centre in Billinge was established, supported by your Goodwill and Generosity. During that period, many Yogis have practised Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation, participating in many of the long, short , or weekend Retreats. Nearer the end of his Dhamma Dhuta trip to Europe, our Ovadacariya Sayadawgyi U Panditar Bhi Vamsa will be conducting a Meditation Retreat at Wakefield from 25th June to 2nd July, 2000.

        As accommodation is limited at our little place in Billinge, and is not ideally suited for a proper Meditation Centre, we are looking for a suitable place to establish a New Meditation Centre . People have donated generously towards that end , but we need more help from you. We have assets of about £50,000 in donations and pledges, and around £50,000 on the present property (the mortgage on which is virtually settled). To buy a property worth around £ 150,000, we would need to borrow a sum of about £50,000. To free the cash value on the property in Billinge, however, we will need ten generous donors to lend us £5,000 each as interest-free loans, (which will be repaid of course, as soon as the house is sold). This arrangement will enable us to buy the new property as soon as possible, instead of waiting for the house in Billinge to be sold first, which may take some time. There will also be a smooth transition and move to the new centre.

       Practising Satipatthana Vipassana Meditation transcends traditional Buddhism. The Buddha said it is invariably the only way towards attaining Nibbana (Nirvana), the Ultimate Peace. We tried to establish a little Meditation Centre in the U.K., with limited success. We have an excellent Meditation Teacher in Sayadaw U Nyanujjota Bhi Vamsa, who is teaching Vipassana Meditation in the tradition of the late Mahasi Sayadaw, and our present Ovadacariya Sayadawgyi U Panditar Bhi Vamsa. Our little centre served as meeting place for all Buddhists and other religions , all nationalities and Burmese community alike, where they can study and practise Buddhism. It has been a heaven for yogis seeking peace of mind.

        For us to be able to continue our noble work more efficiently, and for the sake of convenience of the Yogis, we need a bigger premises to establish a Proper Meditation Centre, in a more suitable location. Please give generously. After all:

The gift of Dhamma excels all gifts.

News Letter: September, 1998

        Buddha's Day: was commemorated at the centre, with a good gathering of families and friends Sayadaw U Pannadipa delivered a sermon on Dhammacakka Sutta, Buddha's first turning on the wheel of Dhamma, and also on the significance of the beginning of Buddhist Lent. The occasion was made more memorable by Lesley, who has become our first Buddhist convert at the centre, with the formal acceptance of refuge in The Triple Gem under the Sayadaw's guidance. Congratulations! Lesley.

        Meditation Retreats. There were three meditation retreats at the centre in August, the most recent one being a nine day retreat attended by five female Yogis and three male Yogis.

        Yogis attending regular meditation sessions on Wednesday and Saturday evenings have increased to 14, which is a good indication of progress made at the centre.

        Kathina Ceremony : will be held on 10 October 1998, SATURDAY, at Whiston Community Centre, Dragon lane, Prescot, Liverpool, from l0 am to 3 pm. Every body is cordially invited.

        Annual General Meeting of the Mahasi Dhamma Fellowship: will be held from 3pm onwards after the Kathina ceremony. Every body is invited to attend by notice of this letter.

News Letter: February 1999

        Sayadaw U Pannadipa: For his Dhammaduta work abroad, Sayadaw was awarded the coveted Title of Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dhaja by the Ministry of Religious Affairs in Burma. He has returned to Rangoon temporarily, to look after his ailing grand uncle.

        Sayadaw U Nyanujjotar Bhivamsa : Joined The Centre on 26th Nov.1998, as the Resident Monk and Kammathana Cariya. He is a Naryaka Sayadaw at the Pandita Rama ( Shwe Taung Gon Sasana Yeiktha ) in Rangoon. He trained under the famous Sayadaw U Jannakar Bhi Vumsa of Mahar Gandar Yone Monastry at Amarapura , the late Mahasi Sayadaw , and also under our Ovadarcariya Sayadawgyi U Panditar Bhi Vumsa. He is keen to learn good English during his stay here , which would be useful for his Dhammaduta work.

        Meditation Retreats: A Nine Day Meditation Retreat , has been arranged from 9th to 18 July 1999. Hopefully , Ovadacariya Sayadawgyi himself, may be able to conduct the retreat. We have invited him to come to the UK in the second week of July, on his way back from his Dhammaduta journey in the US. We will announce the details of the retreat later. As accommodation at the centre is limited, those yogis interested in the retreat are requested to enroll their names, with Sayadaw U Nyanujjota or Kappiya Ko Nyunt Sein at the centre well in advance. Yogis who wish to meditate at the centre for weekends and long weekends are also welcome, by prior arrangement.

        Donations: To extend the accommodation for yogis at the centre, a small shed has been planned to be erected in the back garden, complete with heating and electricity, which will accommodate three to four yogis. Contributions big and small towards the cost of the building ,as well as the travel costs of Sayadawgyi will be much appreciated.

        Cheques payable to "Mahasi Dhamma Fellowship" and send to "The Treasurer" , MDF , at The Mahasi Meditation Centre , 73 Royden Road, Billinge, Nr.Wigan, Lancs. WN5 7LD. Phone (01744) 895612.

News Letter: Octoberber, 1999

Calender of Programmes for 2001

Thingyan (Myanmar New Year)/
Easter Meditation Retreat

Buddha Day

'May' Long Weekend Retreat

Mahasamaya Day

Special Meditation Retreat

Dhammacakka Day

MDF Annual General Meeting

'August' Long Weekend Retreat

Abhidhamma Day, Thadingyut Pwe

Kathina Day

New Year Retreat