Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw's World Mission (Translated by U Kyin) ( First published in the Mahasi Golden Jubilee Magazine,1997 )

The Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw's first major contact with the world outside of Myanmar was in 1952. three years after he came to Yangon as the Ovadacariya of the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization at Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha.

The government of the newly independent Union of Burma (now Myanmar), in preparation for forthcoming Sixth Buddhist Council, delegated two religious missions: to Thailand and Cambodia, and to Sri Lanka and India, to seek the cooperation of the Theravada Sangha of those countries. Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw accompanied Nyaungyan Sayadaw on the mission to Thailand and Cambodia for meetings with the chief Sanghanayakas. While there, Mahasi Sayadaw also took a trip to Vietnam.

In 1956, the Union of Burma Buddha Sasana Council deputed a religious mission to Japan. The mission comprised five eminent Sayadaws, namely, Weluwun Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita Anisakhan Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita Mahasi Sayadaw, Aggamahapandita Vijja Landara Sayadaw Visuddhabivamsa, Myingyan Kosaung Taik Sayadaw Venerable Sobhita, and Japanese missionary Sayadaw Kheminda. The venerable monks consecrated the site for the erection of the World Peace Pagoda in the town of Moji, and established an ordination sima. The mission fulfilled its purpose of enhancing the profile of Theravada Buddhism in Japan.

As well as participating in government-sponsored missions abroad, Mahasi Sayadaw did a great deal personally to promote the Buddha Sasana and the practice of Satipatthana meditation.

In making the teachings available to everyone, he selflessly performed his duty following the famous exhortation of the Buddha to "Go forth, monks, wander for the benefit of the many, out compassion for the world, for the benefit and welfare of gods and men. Proclaim, monks, the glorious teaching, preach a life of holiness, perfect and pure~~

In 1953, the Sangharaja of Thailand, Venerable Virnaladhamma, requested the Mahasi Sayadaw to send a meditation teacher (kammatthanacariya) to teach the Mahasi method. In response, the Sayadaw sent his disciple, Sayadaw U Asabha, to Thailand together with U Indavamsa as his assistant. Sayadaw U Asabha is now famous as Dr. Asabha of Wat Vivekasom in Chonburi, about fifty miles from Bangkok. Due to the untiring efforts of Dr Asabha, the practice of the Mahasi meditation method has now spread throughout Thailand.

Twenty-five foreign missions have been sponsored by the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization between 1952 and 1966. However, Mahasi Sayadaw devoted the years between 1960 and 1978 to writing his famous works, Visuddhimagga Nissaya. Visuddhimagga Atthakatha translation from Pali and other works and discourses for the dissemination of the Buddha Sasana.

Promoting the Practice in Sri Lanka

The government of Sri Lanka requested the Prime Minister of Myanmar to send one meditation teacher to Sri Lanka for the promotion of the Theravada Sasana. The Prime Minister respectfully entreated Mahasi Sayadaw to disseminate the Vipassana Sasana in Sri Lanka. As the Sixth Buddhist Council was in progress, Mahasi Sayadaw was unable to leave the country, so he deputed three of his senior disciples: Venerable Sujata, Venerable Uttamavamas and Venerable Javana to carry out those duties. Although the three disciples only stayed in Sri Lanka for just over a year, their work of propagating vipassana there was a tremendous success. During their stay in Sri Lanka the Sayadaws were accommodated in a building donated by a devout Buddhist, Mrs Nissanka. This building served as a meditation centre, but the building was unsuitable for the purpose so Mahasi Sayadaw hinted about this to the Lanka Vipassana Propagation Society. Due to their untiring efforts, some buildings were constructed for the meditation centre.

As soon as the construction of the building was completed, the Lanka Vipassana Propagation Society extended an invitation to Mahasi Sayadaw and Venerable Sujata to pay a visit to Sri Lanka. Mahasi Sayadaw and a party comprising his senior bhikkhu and lay disciples therefore made a trip to Sri Lanka via India, where Mahasi Sayadaw had a chance to visit the sacred places of pilgrimage extensively. In the course of visiting those pilgrim sites, the Sayadaw delivered sermons and had dhamma for the promotion of the Sasana.

The Sayadaw also visited New Delhi where he met the Prime Minister, Shri Nehru. During his talks with the Prime Minister, Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw mentioned that greed, hatred and delusion were at the roof of all quarrels and conflicts. He urged the Prime Minister to give his encouragement to the affairs of the Buddha Sasana. Finally, the Sayadaw expressed his wish for the Shri Nehru's personal happiness and well-being, and for the prosperity of the country in general.

From India, Mahasi Sayadaw proceeded to Sri Lanka. On his arrival, the opening ceremony of the McCarthy Meditation Centre was held with due formalities. Many speeches were made at the ceremony closing with brief talks in Pali by the Mahasi Sayadaw and Venerable Sujata. After the ceremony, Mahasi Sayadaw visited a number of places of pilgrimage and some cities. He delivered sermons at various meditation centres on his travels. Returning to the McCarthy Meditation Centre, he began giving sermons and guidance on Satipatthana meditation to three or four hundred meditators daily. After about one month, the Sayadaw left for Myanmar, assigning three meditation instructors — Venerable Sujata, Venerable Aloka and Venerable Pandita — to remain to propagate Satipatthana Vipassana in Sri Lanka.

A Visit to Indonesia

Just before the convocation of the Sixth Buddhist Council, an Indonesian by the name of Mr Boon Aun came to Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha to practise Vipassana meditation. He worked really hard, strictly according to the Mahasi Sayadaw's instruction's and received the Sayadaw's elucidation of the progress of insight knowledge after little more than a month. He also took higher ordination with Mahasi Sayadaw as his preceptor. His benefactors were Sir U Thwin and Lady Thwin. He was given the monk's name Venerable Jinarakkhita.

Venerable Jinarakkhita returned to Indonesia as a bhikkhu. Though he had to face many hardships in Indonesia, he finally surmounted them in his efforts to promote the Buddha Sasana as a monk in Indonesia. The Indonesia Buddhist Organisations led by Venerable Jiriarakkhita made arrangements to invite a number of missionaries from the five Theravada countries, namely, Sri Lanka. Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia for the uplift of Buddhism in their country.

Mahasi Sayadaw accepted the invitation and proceeded to Indonesia in 1959. So, fourteen Theravada monks, including Mahasi Sayadaw, gathered at Djakarta, the capital of Indonesia. It was a momentous event as there had not been so many Theravada monks gathered in the island for a thousand years. The venerable monks visited many cities, and villages too, to propagate the sasana. They also worshiped at the world famous shrine of Borohudhur.

A most significant contribution made by these Sayadaws was the consecration of a sima and the holding of Novitiation (pabbajja) and Higher Ordination Ceremonies (upasampada) for admission into the Sangha.

First Mission to Western Countries

In 1979, despite his advanced age of seventy five, Mahasi Sayadaw travelled abroad extensively and faced inclement weather conditions for the sake of propagating Buddhism in the West. His trip to America and Europe in 1979 took one hundred and eighteen days in all. After repeated requests from Venerable Dr. Rewata Dhamma in England and from Joseph Goldstein in America, the Sayadaw finally agreed to visit those countries. The Buddha. Sasana Nuggaha Organization made meticulous arrangements with their friends in foreign countries to ensure a smooth and trouble-free journey for the Venerable Sayadaw. Venerable Dr. Rewata Dhamma personally organised and managed the trip.

On 1st April 1979, after delivering a sermon on "Appamadena sampadetha" to an assembly of the Sangha and lay devotees at Sasana Yeiktha, the Mahasi Sayadaw and his entourage left for Thailand. On his arrival in Bangkok, hordes of the Sayadaw's disciples were at Don Muang Airport to greet him, and to pay their respects.

The next day, the Sayadaw and his party proceeded to Japan via Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Sayadaw visited and worshipped at the World Peace Pagoda in Maji town, and the Kamakura Buddha image in Daihatsu. The party then flew to Honolulu, stopping there for a few days at the request of lay disciples. The Sayadaw delivered sermons on Vipassana meditation ensuring that his stopover in Honolulu was very profitable for the devotees.

From Honolulu, Mahasi Sayadaw proceeded first to Los Angeles and then to San Francisco, giving lectures on Satipatthana in both cities. One memorable event was the gathering of Theravada Buddhists in the vicinity of San Francisco on the full-moon of Waso to recite the Dhammacakka Sutta in Pali. Two Sayadaws accompanying the party, Venerable U Silananda and Venerable U Kelasa, were asked to remain in San Franciso to propagate the Theravada Sasana.

Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw flew to Washington D.C after twelve days in California. The President of the Washington Buddhist Society and some Myanmar nationals respectfully welcomed the Sayadaw. The United States Information Service and the Voice America announced the news of the Sayadaw's arrival in America, giving it good publicity. For six days, the Sayadaw tirelessly performed the duties of preaching, teaching and examining the America meditators, working until late in the evenings. The Sayadaw also consecrated an ordination sima at the Buddha Vihara in Washington for the ordination of prospective bhikkhus.

The Sayadaw then flew on to Boston in Massachusetts, to teach at the Insight Meditation Society, in Barre. This society was founded in 1975 by a group of Americans led by Mr. Joseph Goldstein. It is a well-equipped meditation centre having all the amenities of a Myanmar Yeiktha. The convenient location, pleasant environment and peaceful atmosphere were ideal for serious meditation. The leaders of the Barre Meditation Centre had previously travelled not only to Yangon, but also up country to Seikkhun Village, where the Mahasi Sayadaw lived before he moved to Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha in Yangon. They also successfully practised the course in Satipatthana Vipassana under the guidance of Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw.

At the Barre Centre, Mahasi Sayadaw taught a fourteen-day retreat for a group of American meditators. The Sayadaw taught his method of Vipassana meditation and gave regular discourses for their encouragement. He also delivered a sermon based on the Mahasatipatthana Sutta at the Common Hall of the Harvard Centre for the Study of World Religions. Before leaving Barre, the Sayadaw admonished the meditation teachers and instructors on the special virtues required of them. Then Joseph Goldstein and one of his associates were officially recognised as meditation teachers. When the Sayadaw left Boston for New York City, he had been in the USA for about 45 days, but according to his itinerary, more than seventy days still remained. If the Sayadaw felt weary. he did not forbearance and energy.

During his five-day stopover in New York, the Sayadaw gave several lectures on Satipatthana Vipassana at four venues: the Asian Society, the International Zen Centre, St. Paul's Cathedral at Columbia University and the Temple of Enlightenment, which was a Chinese Bhikkhuni's centre. With this, the Sayadaw concluded his tour of the United States.

The United Kingdom and Europe

When Mahasi Sayadaw arrived at London's Heathrow Airport, a welcoming party comprising Ven. Dr. Rewata Dhamma, Second Secretary of the Embassy U Tin Maung Oo and U Sein Tun Aung (UN) led the Sayadaw to stay at the Thai monastery in Wimbledon, Wat Buddhapadipa. The Sayadaw stayed there for three days giving brief discourses and instructions on Vipassana meditation to different audiences. Then he left for Scotland, about four hundred miles to the north of London. There, he conducted a six-day meditation course at the Tibetan, Samye Ling retreat centre where the meditators took refuge in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, and observed the eight precepts. The Mahasi Sayadaw ordained three Myanmar devotees into the Sangha. One lady also become a Buddhist nun (Thilashin).

At the end of the six day retreat, the Sayadaw concluded with a sermon encouraging the meditators to continue their practice of Vipassana. The title of the Sayadaw's final lecture in the evening was "The Way to Happiness", which is of course the practice of Satipatthana.

The Sayadaw then travelled three hundred miles back south to Birmingham where the Venerable Dr. Rewata Dhamma has his permanent residence at the West Midlands Buddhist Centre. There the Sayadaw rested for three days, delivering only a brief discourse on Vipassana at the Town Hall. By the 31st May, the Sayadaw was back in London again.

After that, the Sayadaw toured Europe for about two weeks. First, he crossed to France by air, then continued to Switzerland and then Italy by car and train. Although he spent just fifteen days in those three countries, the Sayadaw achieved a great deal in promoting the Buddha Sasana at every place he visited. In France, the devotees were mostly from Laos and Vietnam, who are traditional Theravada Buddhists. However, on inaugurating a ten-day meditation course in Switzerland, the Sayadaw admitted thirty European meditators who had firm faith in the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. From Switzerland, the Sayadaw journeyed on to Italy where he lectured on Satipatthana Vipassana to a mixed audience of Italian, French and Myanmar people. He also took a sight-seeing tour of Rome, including the Vatican.

The Sayadaw's work in England was not yet finished. His schedule required him to conduct a meditation course at the Oakenholt Buddhist Centre, Oxford, so he flew back from Itlay to London on 16th June. He gave discourses on Vipassana meditation to Myanmar devotees in the London area, and preached the Buddha Dhamma to an audience of Sri Lankan and English devotees at the British Mahabodhi Society in Chiswick.

The meticulously planned ten-day retreat at the Oadenholt Buddhist Centre was a great success. Nine Myanmar nationals and four Englishmen took practical Vipassana meditation courses as monks. On completion, Mahasi Sayadaw gave them a talk on the Progress of Insight. Then he duly recognised Oadenholt Buddhist Centre as affiliated to the Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha.

After returning to London, the Sayadaw again went to Europe, to visit Amsterdam in the Netherlans and Bonn in Germany, where the devotees arranged to receive the Sayadaw and to listen to his sermons. The Sayadaw stayed three days in Amsterdam and a week in Bonn, fulfilling his duties of propagating the Dhamma. The Sayadaw then returned to London again, via Paris, and left London the next day (16th July) for Thailand. Right up until 27th July, the Sayadaw had a very tight programme, delivering practical discourses on a Vipassana wherever he went. At Wat Mahadhatu in Bangkok, audiences of five hundred heard his two sermons. Seeing a gathering of so many pious devotees was wonderful.

Among the other places that the Sayadaw visited in Thailand, were Dr. Asabha's meditation centre at Wat Vivekasom in Chonburi, Wat Mong Mong in Chiengmai, U Dhammananda's Wat Tamao in Lampang and R Pannavamsa's Wat Si Chun, also in Lampang.

Mahasi Sayadaw finally arrived back in Yangon on 27th July 1979, after a total of one hundred and eighteen days propagating the Dhamma abroad, with hardly any respite.

Second Trip to the United Kingdom

Barely ten months after Mahasi Sayadaw returned from his first tour of Western countries, U Myat Saw of the Qakenholt Buddhist Centre invited the Sayadaw and three others to visit England again. So the Sayadaw set out on a second trip to England in May 1980 accompanied by Chanmyay Sayadaw U Janakabhivamsa, Sayadaw U Indavamsa, U Aggadhamma and Kappiya U Mya Thein.

On arrival at Qakenholt, U Myat Saw asked the Sayadaw to recognize his house as an affiliated meditation centre for the benefit of local meditators, and the Sayadaw, accepted his proposal. A Buddhist Association based on practical vipassana was also formed in the presence of Mahasi Sayadaw with Venerable Dr. Rewata Dhamma as its principal. The house that U Myat Saw donated was a spacious building, big enough for twenty-six monks and up to eight meditators to live and practise meditation. It also served as Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw's residence during his stay at Oakenholt. The Sayadaw preached and taught vipassana to a number of Myanmar people at Oakenholt.

The Sayadaw left England in the last week of July, travelling through the Netherlands, Germany and France, stopping for a few days in each country. He then flew back to Myanmar via Sri Lanka, Singapore and Thailand. The entire trip had lasted fifty-six days.

Pilgrimage to Nepal and India

As the Mahasi Sayadaw's teaching had won worldwide acclaim, it found a lot of new followers in Nepal. After practising vipassana meditation at Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha for one month in February 1980, thirty - five ladies headed by Thilashin Daw Sudhammavati, and Bhikkhu Asagosa invited Mahasi Sayadaw to Nepal to promote the Buddha Sasana. The President of the Lumhini project, while visiting Yangon, paid homage to the Mahasi Sayadaw and requested him to visit Nepal. The Sayadaw accepted for the good of the Sasana and detailed arrangements were made by the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization.

Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw's mission to Nepal and India started on 24th February 1981. With the Sayadaw were Kammatthanacariya U Samvara, Mya Thein Tan Sayadaw U Sobhana, the Nepalese Sayadaw U Nanaponika, Vice-President U Ba Galay, Mangala U Aung Myint and Kappiya U Mya Thein. Photography and video recording throughout the trip was done by U Tun Yee and U Sann Maung. Coinciding with the Sayadaw's trip, seventy Mahasi Yogis in two groups made a pilgrimage, following the Sayadaw's party as closely as possible. They were fortunate enough to be able to worship together with the Sayadaw at the sacred places like Lumbini and Buddhagaya.

Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw stopped in Kathmandu for three days to promote the Buddha Sasana at several nearby places. The Sayadaw was greeted and worshipped by many devotees. In a field in Patama township, fifteen thousand people gathered to hear Mahasi Sayadaw's discourses. Many more people were listening from the nearby buildings. Though the weather was chilly that evening the Sayadaw delivered three consecutive sermons, undaunted by the weather. After giving practical instructions on vipassana meditation, he let the assembly meditate for five minutes. Sayadaw U Nanaponika interpreted for the Sayadaw, the Nepalese audience listened with reverence, which was highly commendable.

Mahasi Sayadaw left Kathmandu for Lumbini, about four hundred miles away, the next day. The pre-arranged nine-day retreat was opened under the direction of Sayadaw U Samvara, Mya Thein Tan Sayadaw and U Nanappnika, for a group of one hundred and nine Nepalese yogis, headed by the wife of Lumbini Project's president.

The two groups of Myanmar pilgrims came together at Lumbini. In a Higher Ordination Ceremony, Mandalay U Sein Win, U Nyo Maung, U Nyunt Maung and U Sein Han were ordained into the monkhood at the Lumbini Sima. Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw then went on to Kusinara, Savatthi and Baranasi. The Sayadaw and his disciples recited the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta at the Migadavana deer sanctuary, and recited the Anattalakkhana Sutta at the Dhamekh Stupa in reverential homage to the Exalted One.

The Sayadaw continued the journey to Buddha Gaya and Rajagaha where he went around worshipping at the Mahabodhi Stupa, the Seven Sacred Shrines (Satta Thana) etc. In the evening the Sayadaw visited the International Meditation Centre in Gaya and gave a Dahamma talk. In Rajagaha, the Sayadaw had a tight schedule, visiting all the places of historical interest such - as Veluvana Vihara, Vebhara Hill, Kassapa Cave and Gijihagutta Hill. The Sayada did not miss the opportunity to visit the famous Nalanda University or the place of Venerable Sariputta's birth and parinibbana. "I

Mahasi Sayadaw then left Rajagaha for Calcutta on the way back to Myanmar. In Calcutta, the Sayadaw stopped for two days and delivered a discourse at the Mahabodhi Society to an audience of one thousand pious Buddhists. Sayadaw U Nanaponika interpreted the Sayadaw's words in both English and Hindi. The Sayadaw and his party finally arrived back in Yangon on 19th March 1981, after a rewarding twenty-four days away from the Sasana Yeiktha. Sadly, it was the Sayadaw's final mission abroad.

Ater the Sayadaw's demise on 14th August 1982 at the Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha, the promotion abroad of the Buddha Sasana and the practice of vipassana meditation slowed down a little. Partly due to the Sayadaw's demise, but also due to the important business of the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization. So there were no more foreign mission for a couple of years. However, the missions resumed in 1984, and since then a number of missions have been sent to different parts of the world. The seed, of the Dhamma that Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw sowed in foreign countries has been flourishing like a robust plant cared for by an expert gardener. The Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization has been trying its utmost to promote the Buddha Sasana and Satipatthana Vipassana meditation abroad. Thanks to the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw's outstanding sila, samadhi and panna the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization trusts that the Sayadaw's practical vipassana will continue to spread throughout the world.

Mahasi Foreign Missions Since 1984

Since foreign missions resumed in 1984, up to 1996, twenty-two missions embarked on journeys to several countries. The Ovadacariya Sayadaws, Nayaka Sayadaws and other Sayadaws from the Mahasi tradition still continue the work started by Mahasi Sayadaw.

Ovadacariya Sayadaw U Pandita took nine trips between 1984 and 1989 to the USA, England, Australia, Malaysia and Nepal;

Ovadacariya Chamyay Aungsi Sayadaw U Samvara visited Thailand and Sri Lanka in 1994.

Ovadacariya Pathein Sayadaw U Acikhana undertook missions to the USA, England and Europe in 1992.

Almost all of the Nayaka Sayadaws have helped to promote Mahasi Sayadaw's practical vipassana. Just to mention their names: Nayada Sayadaws U Lakkhana, U Vayaminda, U Sondara, U Sasana, U Vasava, U Jatila and U Sonada have journeyed separately to the USA, England, Europe, Korea, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

Nyaunggan Aye Sayadaw U Indaka spent over a year in England. At present (in 1997) Sayadaw U Vicittasara is in America. U Vijihobbasa has just returned after a tour of duty in Australia. It should be mentioned that all these Sayadaws, who are the disciples of Mahasi Sayadaw, have done their best in carrying out the tasks given to them. Thus there have been a total of twenty-two foreign missions between 1984 and 1996. Four separate missions were sent in 1984 and at least one mission was sent every year since with the exception of 1990 and 1995.,

Their continued success is largely due to the foundations laid by the Venerable Mahasi Sasana himself as the Ovadacariya of the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization. The other mission under taken by the succeeding Nayada and Ovadacariya I Sayadaws could not be elaborated on here for lack of space. However, all of them have beenfully reported in the Annual Reports of the Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization.