Nay Pyi Taw April 5
Patron of Naga Hnakaung Monastery in Tachilek, Shan State (East) State Ovadacariya Sayadaw Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Dr Bhaddanta Dhammasiri passed away at 2 am on 8 (Thursday) February 2024.
The remains of the Sayadaw were placed at the monastery.
This afternoon, Chairman of State Administration Council Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, accompanied by wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla, Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air) General Maung Maung Aye and wife, the Commander-in-Chief (Navy) and wife, the Commander-in-Chief (Air) and wife, the SAC Joint Secretary and wife, SAC members and wives, union ministers and wives, the Shan State chief minister, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief and wives, the Triangle Region Command commander and officials, looked into the requirements of the preparations to hold the funeral rites successfully.
First, the Senior General and wife and party arrived at the monastery, inspected the arrangements to convey the Sayadaw’s remains to the place where funeral rites will be held and the exhibition of Sayadaw’s historical documentary photos and gave instructions to officials.
Later, the Senior General and wife and party paid respects to the Sayadaw’s remains. They then paid respects to Sayadaws led by Patron of Thiladhamma Kontha Retreat (Wazibaik) Sayadaw Bhaddanta Kovida, a member of the panel of patrons of funeral rites, and Mongphone Sayadaw Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Agga Maha Kammhtanacariya Bhaddanta Nyannasanvara, who was there to attend the funeral rites. The Sayadaws presented dhamma gifts to them.
The Senior General and wife presented offertories to the Sayadaws. The Senior General supplicated preparations to successfully hold the funeral rites, and arrangements to collect the late Sayadaw’s personal items for exhibition, and sought counsel from the Sayadaws.
The Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), the SAC Joint Secretary, SAC members, union ministers and senior military officers presented offertories to the Sayadaws.
The Senior General and wife then paid respects to the Sayadaw’s remains.
The Senior General and wife and party inspected the funeral arrangements at the place where funeral rites will be held and gave instructions on pleasantness and cleanness of the road on which the remains will be conveyed, convenience of members of the religious order including monks and nuns who will attend the funeral rites in travelling and accommodation, and to hold the funeral on a grandest scale and other matters.
The would-be Sayadaw, the patron of Naga Hnakaung Monastery, was born of parents, U Haun and Daw Nang Ping, on the 9th waning of Nattaw (Wednesday) 1290ME at Yangkein Village, Kengtung, Shan State (East). He was novitiated under the patronage of Kyaingyin Monastery, Kengtung, Sayadaw Bhaddana Dhammasiri on the fullmoon day of Taboung in 1299ME and entered monkhood on 13 waxing of Kason 1310ME. At the age of ten he as a novice learned primary education. He learned Pariyatti in Gon Shan language from Kyaingyin Monastery Sayadaw till he passed Mula Dhammacariya course in 1320ME. The Naga Hnakaung Monastery Sayadaw established the Naga Hnakaung Pariyatti School in 1357ME and later opened four branches. At the schools he conducted basic, primary, junior level, mid-level and senior level courses in Gon Shan language according to the government’s Pali Pahtmabyan curriculum for 50 times for Shan monks and novices.
The Sayadaw’s religious activities from 1355ME included the publishing of Three Pitaka in Pali and Gon Shan translated books, recording of Three Pitaka in Pali on 2500 stone tablets and that were erected on the platform of Shwedagon Pagoda in Tachilek. He also took part in social welfare activities such as donating land for basic education schools in Tachilek, setting up home for the aged and orphanage, providing land and health aid buildings for district hospital. Due to his lifelong religious and welfare activities, the State conferred Agga Maha Pandita Title on him in 1992, Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotikadhaja Title in 2001, Abhidhaja Agga Maha Saddhamma Jotika Title in 2005, Abhidhaja Maha Rattha Guru Title in 2021. Thailand also conferred titles on the Sayadaw. The Sayadaw continued his religious work till he passed away at age of 96 and vasa 77.The funeral rites will be held on 6 April on a grand scale.
