Our Venerable Monk - Sunlun Sayadaw U Vinaya

 Sunlun Sayadaw U Vinaya

(1914, 5th August Wednesday - 2012 6th October Saturday)

(full moon day of WahKaung 1276 in Burmese calendar - 1374)
(Sayadaw at 59 years of monkhood.)

Childhood Memory

I remembered when we went together with our grandparents and our parents to the 7th Mile Gabaraye Sunlun Gukyaung Monastery to practice meditation under the guidance of our venerable Sayadaw U Vinaya, Sayadaw warmly welcomed children and encouraged them to practice meditation like adults. But we could not observe such a hard meditation as adults do. But we learned something about mindfulness since our childhood a little by little. When we grew older, me and my twin brother went to the Sunlun monastery by bicycles where our Sayadaw U Vinaya resided, and practiced meditation once per week. We admitted that meditation made our mind peace. Sayadaw was glad to see us when we came and took meditation under the roof of the monastery. 

 

Sayadaw suggested that we should practice meditation regularly at home although we could not come to the monastery regularly. We could do meditation at any place by the instruction of the meditation master; Sayadaw U Vinaya. Sat in a suitable place, shut tight our mouth and eyes, breathed hard in and out of the nose, not to change our position, required breathed hard for fifty minutes, after this to set the mind on the most pronounced physical sensation of which we were aware for fifteen or ffifty minutes’. At school, when the examinations were nearer, we obeyed what our Sayadaw suggested as to do meditation for our mind peace and calm.

History 

(photo – Sayadaw U Vinaya(middle) resided as a meditation master at our house in 1956 – 1968. My father sat at the left hand side of the Sayadaw when he was as a temporary monk.)

We were proud to hear that our grandparents and Sayadaw U Vinaya were old friends since 1950. Sayadaw U Vinaya (Ko Hla Pe – Sayadaw’s real name) once resided as a monk at our house for more than 10 years (1952 to 1968). I was told that when our grandparents bought this place, they built a suitable residence for Sayadaw. At first, Sayadaw came only on Sundays as a meditation master to give instruction for the people who came and practiced meditation. Later, Sayadaw moved to the residence that our grandparents offered and gave guidance all the time here to his disciples who came and practiced meditation.

There were four meditation sessions daily, at 7o’clock in the morning, at 12:30, at 3 o’clock and lately at 7 o’clock in the evening. The people could come at the time they liked and practiced meditation. Later people became crowded and crowded. Sometimes there was a hundreds of people here, especially in the holiday seasons. There was not enough space for all. So my grandmother arranged with temporary roofs and mats for the people to sit meditation in the garden. But it was not still enough. My grandparents considered to hire a suitable place which was at the T.T.C near our house for the people to practice meditation. At the time (about 1965), their friend Senior General San Myint was also the Sayadaw’s disciple, who was the head of the T.T.C (Teacher Training School) helped our grandparents needed. Then the people could practice meditation in two places. So Sayadaw gave guidance at both places during the meditation hours.  But the people came to practice meditation was still more and more crowded. In 1967 - 68, Sayadaw moved to Gabaraye Monastery which was now known as the 7th Mile Sunlun Vipassana Meditation Centre.

The Time Went On

(photo – Sayadaw in 2010 february at Sunlun Monastery. Sayadaw smiled and gave His loving kindness to all of us.)

However, whether we met Sayadaw U Vinaya or not, we practiced meditation as Sayadaw instructed. In March 2010, I went to the monastery to pay respect to Sayadaw. But I could not see Sayadaw as usual. I was told that Sayadaw was not very well. I was sad by the news of Sayadaw's illness. I wept at the moment of being afraid of losing Him. When I went back home, I told my parents and my uncles, my aunties about Sayadaw's health. Next day, we all went to the Sunlun Monastery and paid respect to Sayadaw.

We wished for Sayadaw' health to recover again. Later Sayadaw could no longer instruct all the yogis who came and practiced meditation at the monastery. He stayed in bed and gave a smile and sometimes a little talk to the people who came and paid respect to Him. On 1st September 2012 (Full moon day of Wah-Kaung), Sayadaw’s 99th birthday was celebrated at the monastery. We all there and wished for Sayadaw’s next Birthday.

 

But Sayadaw passed away on 6th October of 2012 at 8:55 AM. We heard this sad news in the afternoon from our uncle who was there at the moment. We all received the news very sadly.

We went to the Sunlun Monastery in the evening and gave respect to our beloved Sayadaw U Vinaya. 

 

Sayadaw Rest At Peace.

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