THERAVADA

Lineage: Mahasi (Satipatthana Vipassana)

Biography: b.1904 Seikkhun, Myanmar (Burma). Started training age 6, novice age 12, full ordination 19 under Sumedha Sayadaw Ashin Nimmala. By age 22 had passed 3 grades of Pali examinations, studying under a number of important monks. Was invited to Taungwainggale monastery to help teach and during this time, became deeply involved in the study of the Mahasatipatthana sutta and Vipassana meditation. In 1938 went to well-known Vipassana teacher Mingun Jetavan Sayadaw to study and showed remarkable progress, also passing his Dharmachariya (teacher of the Dharma) examination in 1941. After this, returned to Mahasi monastery in his home village of Seikkhun and gradually became known as Mahasi Sayadaw (the Venerable from Mahasi).
Mahasi Sayadaw’s reputation soon spread. In 1948 he was invited to Rangoon to be the spiritual patron of the Buddhasasana Nuggaha Association and the abbott and teacher of the association’s head temple, the Sasana Yeiktha. Both of these had recently been created especially for him. His meditation techniques and courses rapidly became popular and his reputation spread through Asia. In 1954/1955 the Burmese Government invited the Theravada community of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Burma and Sri Lanka to the Sixth Buddhist Council in Rangoon, and Ven. Mahasi played a major role in events. His prowess and fame as a translator was also growing and he published a number of excellent scholarly retranslation of scriptures.

By this time, Mahasi Vipassana groups had started in several neighboring countries. In 1952 Ven. Mahasi toured Thailand, Sri lanka in 1955 and 1959, Indonesia in 1955 (?), India/Nepal in 1979,80,81. A number of Western students (such as Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg) who had attended courses at the Sasana wrote books (see below) about their experiences, and this resulted in tours to England, Europe and America in 1979 and 1980. These were exhausting tours of several months, yet the Mahasi, at the age of over 75, continued to demonstrate his commitment and energy. Each tour resulted in the establishment of many new centres and affiliated temples.

Ven. Mahasi passed away on the 14th of August 1982 shortly after returning from another tour of India and Thailand. He is succeeded by many dedicated students, and from 1984-1996 the Sasana organisation undertook twenty-two teaching missions to the West. Among the most important teachers are: Sayadaw U Pandita, Sayadaw U Lakkhana, Sayadaw U Janaka and Sayadaw U Silananda. Other students in this lineage include BuddhaNet’s founder Ven. Pannyavaro: [Lineage]: (Mahasi Sayadaw › U Janaka › Ven. Pannyavaro)

>> Biography on BuddhaNet

Comment: The tradition started by Ven Mahasi Sayadaw is one of the most active of all recent Theravada revivals and is of great importance in Burma and the East, as well as the West. Probably several million people have been to centres or courses. The organisation has a loose structure with the unification being in the teachings and lineage rather than in administration or a large centralised organisation.

Particular teachings: Vipassana meditation according to the Mahasatipatthana sutta.