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Sitagu Sayadaw

Ashin Nyanissara (Burmese: ဉာဏိဿရ; born 23 February 1937), widely known as Sitagu Sayadaw, is a prominent Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk, scholar, and meditation teacher who has founded multiple international Buddhist academies and led extensive humanitarian initiatives in Myanmar.^[1]^[2] Ordained as a novice at age 15 and receiving higher ordination at 20, he earned advanced degrees including a master's in Buddhist doctrine and multiple Ph.D.s, authoring over 150 books and numerous research papers on Buddhist topics.^[1] Sitagu Sayadaw established the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy in 1992 with branches across Myanmar and internationally, alongside the Sitagu Missionary Association in 1980 to promote Dhamma teachings.^[1] His humanitarian efforts include founding 45 hospitals since 1987, a nationwide water donation project supporting over 26,000 monks and nuns, and disaster relief operations through the Sitagu Association, partnering with organizations for medical and educational aid.^[1]^[2] Since 1982, he has traveled to more than 50 countries delivering lectures and fostering interfaith dialogue, including contributions to UN events on peace and coexistence.^[1] Despite his philanthropic reputation, Sitagu Sayadaw has drawn criticism for endorsing Buddhist nationalism and military rule, shifting from participation in the 1988 pro-democracy protests—where he critiqued the socialist regime using Buddhist ethical principles—to accepting offerings from junta leaders after the 2021 coup and urging restraint without outright opposition.^[3] In sermons, particularly to military audiences, he has invoked Theravada texts like the Mahavamsa to argue that violence against non-Buddhists with "wrong views" incurs minimal karmic penalty if motivated by defending the Sasana, framing such acts as justifiable to counter perceived threats from Islam amid Myanmar's ethnic conflicts.^[4]^[3] He supported 2015 laws restricting Muslim practices and offered to encourage monks' military involvement, positions that prioritize national Buddhist identity over universal non-violence precepts.^[3]

Early Life and Monastic Formation

Childhood and Ordination

Ashin Nyanissara, better known as Sitagu Sayadaw, was born on February 23, 1937, in Thegon Township, Bago Division, Myanmar, into a Burmese Buddhist family.^[1]^[2] At the age of seven in 1944, he commenced basic studies in Buddhism at the local Tat Ywa Ale Kyaung monastery in Thegon, receiving initial instruction in Buddhist scriptures and monastic discipline.^[1]^[5] In 1952, at the age of 15, he formally entered the monastic order by being ordained as a samanera (novice monk), marking his initial commitment to the Theravada Buddhist Sangha.^[1]^[6] This ordination occurred under traditional Burmese monastic practices, transitioning him from lay education to full immersion in scriptural learning and meditation preliminaries.^[7]

Education and Early Scholarship

Sitagu Sayadaw, born Ashin Nyanissara, commenced his formal Buddhist education in 1944 at a local monastery, where he pursued foundational studies in general subjects and Pāli scriptures.^[5] This initial training laid the groundwork for his scriptural proficiency, emphasizing memorization and interpretation of core Theravāda texts within the Burmese monastic tradition.^[5] Between 1956 and 1958, he successfully passed the primary, middle, and higher examinations in Pāli Buddhist scriptures, demonstrating mastery of canonical grammar, vocabulary, and doctrinal content required for advanced monastic scholarship.^[5] In 1961, he attained the Sāsanadhaja Dhammacariya degree, equivalent to a master's in Buddhist doctrine, from Khin-ma-gan Pali University in Mandalay, marking a pivotal milestone in his early academic progression.^[5] This qualification, conferred after rigorous examination of Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma, positioned him as a recognized authority on scriptural exegesis.^[6] By 1967, Sitagu Sayadaw had relocated to Hanthargiri Monastery in Sagaing, where he assumed early teaching duties focused on Buddhist scriptures, instructing monks, nuns, and novices in foundational texts.^[6] His pedagogical efforts emphasized practical application of Pāli commentaries, including preparatory work on the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), which he studied in English translation around 1968 to enhance interpretive depth.^[6] These roles honed his scholarly approach, bridging textual analysis with monastic pedagogy without extending into institutional leadership.^[6]

Scholarly and Institutional Contributions

Academic Qualifications and Teaching Roles

Sitagu Sayadaw, whose monastic name is Ashin Nyanissara, advanced his scholarly pursuits in the early 1960s following initial monastic studies. In 1961, he obtained the Dhammacariya degree, a master's equivalent in Buddhist doctrine, from Khin-ma-gan Pali University in Mandalay.^[5] Two years later, in 1963, he enrolled at Gabaraye Samgha University in Yangon, where he completed the Diploma in Buddha Desana in 1965, focusing on Buddhist preaching and dissemination.^[1] Concurrently, he earned a diploma in English language studies at the Sangha University in Yangon to facilitate the propagation of Buddhist teachings abroad.^[2] Transitioning to teaching roles, Sitagu Sayadaw relocated to Sagaing Hills in 1968, where he instructed monks, nuns, and novices in Buddhist scriptures while deepening his own studies.^[5] That year, under the tutelage of Anisakhan Sayadaw of Sagaing, he engaged in English-language studies of the Visuddhimagga, the foundational Theravada text on purification and meditation practice.^[6] These efforts positioned him as a prominent meditation instructor, later delivering specialized Visuddhimagga courses to over 200 advanced monastics, including those holding Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in Buddhist studies.^[1] In parallel, from the mid-1960s onward, he developed missionary training initiatives for Burmese monks and nuns, emphasizing the domestic dissemination of Theravada doctrine through structured scriptural and practical instruction.^[6] These roles enhanced the pedagogical framework for monastic education in Myanmar, fostering a cadre of educators equipped to sustain orthodox teachings amid modern challenges.^[1]

Founding of Key Institutions

In 1980, Sitagu Sayadaw established the Sitagu Missionary Association on the full moon day of Kason (May) at Sitagu Monastery in the Sagaing Hills, with the primary aim of training monks and lay practitioners in the propagation of Theravada Buddhist doctrine across Myanmar and beyond.^[5]^[8] The organization focused on systematic missionary education, including courses in scriptural exegesis and teaching methodologies, to build a cadre of doctrinal propagators capable of sustaining monastic traditions amid modern challenges.^[6] This initiative marked an early institutional effort to institutionalize Buddhist outreach, drawing on private donations to fund training programs without reliance on state support.^[9] Building on this foundation, Sitagu Sayadaw founded the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy (SIBA) in Sagaing in 1994, a monastic college designed to provide advanced scriptural and linguistic training in English and Pali for international students, thereby expanding Theravada scholarship beyond Myanmar's borders.^[6] SIBA's curriculum emphasized rigorous textual study and debate, accommodating up to several hundred resident monks and fostering a network of alumni who disseminated Theravada teachings globally.^[10] Concurrently, he established additional monastic colleges, including three specialized institutions by the early 2000s, each dedicated to preserving core Theravada practices through structured ordination and pedagogical programs.^[11] To support meditation practice integral to doctrinal propagation, Sitagu Sayadaw initiated the first Sitagu Vipassana Academy in Sagaing Hills in 2007, followed by a second center in Taungoo in 2011, both equipped for intensive retreats and teacher training to maintain experiential continuity in Theravada insight meditation.^[1] These centers prioritized empirical discipline over interpretive innovation, hosting programs that trained hundreds of practitioners annually in standardized vipassana techniques derived from canonical sources.^[12] International expansion began with foreign missionary journeys in 1979, leading to the founding of the Theravada Dhamma Society in Austin, Texas, in 1993, which established branches as hubs for overseas monastic training and doctrinal dissemination among diaspora communities.^[6]^[5] By the mid-1990s, these efforts had resulted in over a dozen international outposts, empirically growing Theravada presence through localized monasteries and propagation seminars, independent of doctrinal adaptation to host cultures.^[2] This network underscored a pragmatic approach to global outreach, prioritizing institutional replication over localized syncretism.^[13] ![Thitagu Buddhist University, Sagaing][float-right]

Teachings and Philosophical Output

Core Interpretations of Buddhist Doctrine

Sitagu Sayadaw emphasizes the Abhidhamma as a profound analytical framework within Theravada Buddhism, detailing the seven methods of examining Dhamma through categories such as citta (mind), cetasika (mental factors), and rupa (matter), which enable practitioners to dissect phenomena for insight into impermanence and non-self.^[14] This approach, drawn from canonical texts, underscores his view that Abhidhamma provides the systematic depth absent in sutta-level teachings alone, taught to advanced disciples like Sariputta to ensure doctrinal precision against misinterpretation.^[15] He advocates vigorous Dhamma desana (exposition of teachings) as a duty for monastics to counteract dilution of the Sasana, establishing institutions like the Sitagu International Buddhist Missionary Association to train missionaries in pure Theravada dissemination worldwide.^[16] This propagation preserves the Tipitaka's integrity by fostering educated sangha capable of countering syncretic influences, aligning with Theravada's historical emphasis on textual fidelity over adaptive reinterpretations.^[1] In interpreting suttas on Sasana preservation, Sitagu Sayadaw highlights causal interdependencies—where threats to the dispensation arise from unchecked external pressures—permitting measured responses grounded in wisdom to safeguard core teachings, as implied in protective narratives like those in the Mahavamsa adapted to Theravada contexts.^[4] Such views prioritize empirical discernment of threats over absolute pacifism, deriving from doctrinal realism in dependent origination. His framework balances karuna (compassion) with panna (wisdom), advocating active metta extended universally yet tempered by safeguarding the majority's doctrinal adherence in diverse settings, ensuring compassion does not erode the Sasana's foundational purity through unexamined inclusivity.^[17] This empirical approach evaluates outcomes based on long-term causal effects on practitioners' path to liberation, rather than sentimental universality.^[16]

Publications and Sermons

Sitagu Sayadaw has produced an extensive body of written works in Burmese and English, emphasizing Theravada doctrinal exposition and practical application. Since approximately 1978, he has authored 96 books in the Myanmar language and 56 in English, covering topics such as sutta interpretations, meditation methodologies, and commentaries on foundational texts including the Visuddhimagga.^[1] ^[5] Notable publications include The Great Occasion of the Buddha, The Mangala Sutta, and The Buddha and His Noble Path, which detail key events in the Buddha's life and protective discourses for ethical living.^[1] These works, often drawing from Pali sources, aim to preserve and clarify canonical teachings for monastic and lay audiences.^[2] His English-language output, exceeding 20 booklets by the early 2000s, facilitates adaptation of Burmese Theravada insights for non-Burmese speakers, including biographical accounts like A Short Biography of the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw, which highlights historical monastic scholarship.^[5] ^[18] Compilations such as Selected Speeches (Vol. 2) document public addresses, underscoring their role in doctrinal dissemination beyond Myanmar.^[19] Complementing his publications, Sitagu Sayadaw has delivered over 5,000 discourses since 1969, many recorded and distributed to propagate meditation practices and scriptural unity.^[1] These sermons, often in Burmese with English translations for broader reach, emphasize missionary efforts to uphold Theravada orthodoxy.^[20] From 1982 onward, he has conducted international lectures in over 50 countries, attending conferences to present adapted teachings on texts like the Visuddhimagga, thereby extending doctrinal influence globally.^[1]

Humanitarian Relief and Disaster Response

Following Cyclone Nargis, which devastated the Irrawaddy Delta on May 2–3, 2008, Sitagu Sayadaw coordinated extensive relief operations, including the distribution of 1,000 tons of rice to affected communities and the mobilization of funds exceeding 6.17 billion kyat for victim support.^[21] His efforts involved rallying monastic networks to deliver aid directly to survivors in restricted areas like Bogalay, where local recipients expressed gratitude for the tangible assistance amid delays in official responses. ^[22] These initiatives also encompassed medical care, with U.S.-based lay disciples under his guidance providing health services to storm-hit populations in Bogale Township as early as July 2008.^[23] In the COVID-19 crisis, Sitagu Sayadaw contributed US$10,000 to Pope Francis's global emergency relief fund on April 16, 2020, to aid pandemic-affected populations worldwide.^[24] Domestically, he distributed essential foodstuffs—including rice, cooking oil, beans, onions, and salt—to over 1,000 vulnerable individuals and institutions in Mandalay, targeting orphanages, homes for the aged, a school for the deaf and mute, a cancer support foundation, and camps for internally displaced persons.^[25] ^[26] These distributions prioritized immediate nutritional needs during Myanmar's early lockdown measures, reflecting a focus on non-sectarian aid to marginalized groups.^[27] Sitagu Sayadaw's disaster responses have consistently emphasized rapid, ground-level delivery to displaced persons and orphans, as seen in post-Nargis refugee support and COVID-era provisions, where aid volumes were scaled to match verified survivor counts in affected regions.^[17] ^[28]

Infrastructure and Community Development

Sitagu Sayadaw established the Sitagu Āyudhana Hospital in Sagaing Division as a charitable medical facility, with construction commencing in 1985 and the 100-bed institution opening in 1989.^[29]^[6] The hospital, operated on a non-profit basis, primarily serves monastic communities, elderly residents, and individuals from affiliated institutions such as blind schools, emphasizing free or donation-based care aligned with Buddhist principles of compassion.^[1] A second facility, the Sitagu Sakkhu Hospital in Homalin Township, Sagaing Division, was inaugurated in 2014 to expand access in rural Buddhist-majority areas.^[6] In 1980, Sitagu Sayadaw founded the Sitagu Missionary Association and launched the Sitagu Water Donation Project to address chronic water shortages in Sagaing's monastic settlements.^[5]^[1] This initiative involved constructing a comprehensive water supply system between 1980 and 1984, later expanded in 1982 specifically for monasteries and nunneries, providing sustained access to clean water for over 100 religious sites by 2024 through a dedicated hub.^[30]^[31] These projects prioritized infrastructure in regions with dense Buddhist populations, fostering self-sufficiency in essential utilities without reliance on government aid. Sitagu Sayadaw has also funded the development and maintenance of community facilities, including schools, homes for the aged, and programs for the deaf in Myanmar's Buddhist heartlands.^[1] These efforts support long-term educational and welfare infrastructure, such as dedicated schools for hearing-impaired children and geriatric care centers, benefiting thousands in underserved rural areas through ongoing monastic-led philanthropy.^[25]

Political and National Engagement

Involvement in the 1988 Uprising

During the 8888 Uprising, which erupted on August 8, 1988, against the Burmese socialist regime's economic failures, corruption, and authoritarianism, Sitagu Sayadaw publicly criticized the ruling leaders for failing to uphold the Dasavidha-rājadhamma, the ten virtues of a Buddhist king outlined in canonical texts such as the Cakkavatti-Sīhanāda Sutta. In a prominent sermon, he invoked these principles to question the generals' legitimacy and moral authority, arguing that their governance deviated from Buddhist ethical standards expected of rulers, thereby aligning with widespread civilian and monastic demands for political reform and accountable leadership.^[3]^[11] This address, broadcast by the BBC Burmese service, resonated amid the protests involving students, workers, and monks across cities like Yangon and Mandalay, amplifying monastic voices calling for an end to one-party socialist rule and greater democratic aspirations. Sitagu Sayadaw's critique contributed to the monk-led resistance, where clergy organized processions and provided moral support to demonstrators seeking governance changes, though empirical records emphasize his rhetorical rather than direct street-level participation. The sermon's reach elevated his stature as a defender of public interests against regime excesses, drawing sympathy for the uprising's participants.^[11]^[3] Following the military's violent suppression of the uprising, which resulted in thousands of deaths and the establishment of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the regime threatened Sitagu Sayadaw with arrest for his outspokenness. At the time overseas establishing a monastery in Austin, Texas, he extended his exile to evade reprisal, studying comparative religions in the United States before returning to Myanmar in the mid-1990s under conditions that shifted his focus toward humanitarian and stabilizing initiatives, reflecting a pragmatic pivot from confrontation to national reconciliation efforts amid ongoing instability.^[11]^[3]

Relations with Military Administrations

Sitagu Sayadaw has maintained engagements with Myanmar's military administrations since the late 1980s, focusing on initiatives to preserve Buddhist institutions and promote social stability amid political transitions. Following the 1988 uprising, during which he initially criticized the junta, he shifted toward collaborative roles, including advisory discussions on safeguarding the Sāsana (Buddhist dispensation) from perceived threats of disorder. These interactions emphasized national unity under military governance to protect monastic orders and religious heritage, as evidenced by his participation in ceremonies and dialogues with successive leaders.^[32]^[11] In the years leading to the 2021 coup, Sitagu Sayadaw held multiple meetings with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, including a documented conversation on October 29, 2020, where discussions centered on religious harmony and institutional support. He accompanied Min Aung Hlaing on official trips to Moscow in 2018 and 2019, aligning with efforts to foster international Buddhist ties during arms procurement visits. These engagements underscored his prioritization of order to avert chaos that could undermine Buddhist preservation, as articulated in his discourses advocating stability for the Sāsana.^[33]^[34] Post-2021, Sitagu Sayadaw continued ceremonial collaborations, such as the July 12, 2022, event in Moscow where Min Aung Hlaing and his wife presented a diamond orb for a Shwezigon Pagoda replica to him, symbolizing joint promotion of Myanmar's Theravāda heritage abroad. In March 2022, he publicly praised Min Aung Hlaing for conferring Myanmar's highest religious title on a prominent nationalist monk, framing it as a step toward religious and national cohesion. These actions reflect his role in bolstering military legitimacy through Buddhist symbolism, distinct from direct political endorsements.^[35]^[36]

Controversies and Debates

Positions on Ethnic Conflicts and Rohingya Issues

Sitagu Sayadaw has articulated positions emphasizing the defense of Myanmar's Buddhist Sasana (dispensation) against perceived existential threats from ethnic insurgencies, including those involving Rohingya militants, framing such actions within a doctrine of justifiable violence under duress. In a sermon delivered on October 17, 2017, to military officers at a camp in Karen State amid the escalating Rakhine conflict, he recounted a parable of villagers confronting invaders intent on "rob-rape-raze" destruction, positing that killing non-Buddhists who pose an irredeemable threat to Buddhist communities and heritage does not constitute grave sin if motivated by protection rather than hatred.^[4]^[37] This interpretation draws on selective Theravada readings permitting defensive force against irreconcilable adversaries, distinguishing it from pacifist ideals by prioritizing communal survival over absolute non-violence.^[38] His views align with broader nationalist concerns over demographic pressures on Myanmar's approximately 88% Buddhist majority, including unchecked immigration and jihadist activities in border regions.^[39] Rohingya populations in Rakhine State trace significant origins to Bengali inflows during British colonial rule (1824–1948), with major waves post-independence in 1978 (over 200,000 fled to Bangladesh amid citizenship denials) and 1991–1992 (another 250,000), often viewed domestically as illegal settlers rather than indigenous Arakanese.^[40]^[41] Sitagu Sayadaw's association with the Ma Ba Tha (Association for the Protection of Race and Religion), where he served as a prominent supporter and vice-chairman figure, underscored advocacy for laws safeguarding Buddhist identity against interfaith marriages, conversions, and land encroachments perceived as eroding majority status.^[42]^[43] At a Ma Ba Tha rally on October 4, 2015, he endorsed elevating Buddhism as the state religion to counter such shifts.^[43] These stances gained context from empirical patterns of violence initiated by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army (ARSA), formed in 2016, which launched coordinated assaults on Myanmar police posts starting October 9, 2016, killing at least nine officers and seizing weapons in Maungdaw Township.^[44] Further ARSA actions included the August 25, 2017, attacks on 30 police outposts, killing 12 security personnel and triggering the military clearance operations that displaced over 700,000 Rohingya.^[45] ARSA also perpetrated massacres, such as the killing of 99 Hindus in Kha Maung Seik village cluster on August 25, 2017, involving beheadings and shootings of non-combatants.^[45] Locally, such rhetoric is often interpreted as pragmatic safeguarding of Buddhist communities against recurrent patterns of arson, rape, and insurgency, echoing pre-2012 communal clashes where both sides inflicted casualties but insurgent elements escalated border threats.^[44] International outlets have criticized Sitagu Sayadaw's statements as incitement justifying ethnic cleansing or genocide against Rohingya, particularly given their timing during the 2017 exodus.^[38]^[46] However, these portrayals frequently overlook ARSA's documented provocations and the Myanmar government's classification of the group as a terrorist entity, with defenses rooted in first-hand accounts of militant tactics rather than unprovoked aggression.^[44] Sitagu Sayadaw has maintained that his guidance targets existential defense, not hatred, consistent with his broader sermons on ethical warfare under Buddhist precepts.^[4]

Responses to the 2021 Military Coup

Following the 1 February 2021 military coup in Myanmar, Sitagu Sayadaw initially maintained silence amid widespread protests, drawing criticism from pro-democracy activists for not condemning the junta's actions or supporting the civil disobedience movement.^[3] On 4 February 2021, he accepted ritual offerings (dana) from senior junta officials, including Major General Tun Tun Naung, an act interpreted by supporters as affirming monastic continuity and by detractors as tacit endorsement of the new regime.^[3] In March 2021, Sitagu Sayadaw co-signed a statement with other monks from the Shwe Kyin Sangha Order, urging coup leader Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to immediately halt the "violent crushing [of] unarmed civilians" and adhere to the Buddhist Ten Duties of the King, reflecting a measured call for restraint rather than outright opposition.^[47]^[3] This position contrasted sharply with thousands of monks who joined anti-coup protests, formed strike committees under the Civil Disobedience Movement, or faced arrests for opposing the junta, as monastic communities fractured along lines of loyalty to democratic processes versus perceived national stability.^[48] By mid-2021, his stance evolved toward visible alignment with the military, including high-profile travels such as accompanying Deputy Commander-in-Chief Soe Win to Russia in September 2021 for an arms deal oversight and military events, where he participated in joint monastic-military rituals.^[47]^[49] He also joined Min Aung Hlaing on a trip to Russia earlier that year for a pagoda dedication, reinforcing perceptions of endorsement for the junta's efforts to maintain order amid escalating civil war, resistance from ethnic armed groups, and fears of foreign interference.^[32]^[48] Debates within Buddhist circles framed Sitagu Sayadaw's approach as fulfilling a monastic duty to preserve national unity and avert anarchy—echoing his prior nationalist sermons—against ideals of supporting democratic elections and human rights, with critics attributing his relative silence on ongoing violence (over 1,500 civilian deaths by late 2021 per junta-opposition tallies) to bias toward military protection of Buddhist-majority interests.^[3]^[36] Pro-junta sources portrayed his actions as pragmatic stabilization, while exile media and resistance networks, such as the National Unity Government, condemned them as enabling suppression of protests that involved over 100 monk arrests by mid-2021.^[47]^[50]

Honors, Titles, and Legacy

Ecclesiastical and Academic Recognitions

Sitagu Sayadaw holds the ecclesiastical title of Agga Maha Pandita, conferred by the Myanmar government in 1997, recognizing his distinguished contributions to Theravada Buddhist scholarship and scriptural exegesis within the national monastic hierarchy.^[6] This honorific, reserved for senior monks demonstrating exceptional mastery of Pali texts and doctrinal teaching, underscores his role in advancing monastic education and Vinaya observance.^[1] He also serves as State Ovadacariya Sangha Raja of the Shwekyin Nikaya, a position entailing advisory leadership over this orthodox Burmese monastic sect, which emphasizes strict adherence to the Patimokkha disciplinary code and has historically produced influential Pali scholars.^[51] In 2016, he received the title of Abhidhaja Maharatthaguru, denoting profound national service in propagating the Dhamma through teaching and institutional development.^[1] Academically, Sitagu Sayadaw obtained the Dhammacariya degree in 1961, qualifying him as a certified teacher of Buddhist doctrine, followed by a master's degree in Buddhist studies from Khin-ma-gan Pali University in Mandalay.^[2] He has been awarded honorary doctorates, including Ph.D.s in Buddhist philosophy from Mahamakut Buddhist University in Thailand (2008) and Nalanda University in India (2008), affirming his international scholarly standing in comparative Theravada studies and meditation pedagogy.^[6] These recognitions, tied to his pre-2020 monastic and academic output, reflect peer-evaluated expertise in Abhidhamma analysis and sutta interpretation, independent of governmental or political affiliations.^[1]

International Awards and Enduring Impact

In May 2024, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) conferred its International Award for Promotion of Buddhism—covering the year 2023—upon Sitagu Sayadaw Dr. Ashin Nyanissara during a ceremony at the Indian Centre in Yangon on May 31.^[52] The accolade recognizes his lifelong dedication to propagating Theravada Buddhism internationally through missionary efforts, scholarly works, and charitable initiatives that extend Buddhist teachings beyond Myanmar.^[53] Sitagu Sayadaw's global influence manifests in the establishment of overseas Theravada centers and the ordination of Western monks, facilitating the tradition's adaptation in non-Asian contexts. For instance, in 2009, he ordained American monk Bhikkhu Cintita (formerly Jay Dahl) at a Myanmar monastery, who subsequently founded and led communities like the Sitagu Buddha Vihara in Austin, Texas, authoring key texts on Theravada practice for English-speaking audiences.^[54] These efforts have supported the growth of Theravada sanghas in the United States and elsewhere, with affiliated viharas providing meditation training and doctrinal education grounded in Pali canonical sources.^[55] His enduring impact lies in promoting a pragmatic Theravada ethos that integrates ethical compassion with realistic engagement in societal challenges, influencing international Buddhist discourse on monastic involvement in welfare and education. Recent addresses, such as his keynote at the 3rd Convocation of Lumbini Buddhist University in Nepal on November 29, 2024, underscored sustainable development through Buddhist principles, while his receipt of an honorary Doctor of Literature from Sri Lanka's University of Kelaniya on August 21, 2024, highlighted his scholarly contributions to global Buddhist studies.^[51]^[56] As of 2025, his oversight of international academies continues to train monks from diverse nations, fostering a legacy of doctrinal purity amid modern exigencies and sustaining Theravada's expansion into new cultural domains.^[57]

References

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Apr 17, 2020 · Sitagu Sayadaw gives $10000 and food items to the needy as the country grapples with coronavirus.
[27]
Prominent Burmese Monk Donates to Catholic COVID-19 Fund
Apr 20, 2020 · In addition, the monk also provided bags of rice, cooking oil, beans, onions, beans and salt for orphanages and others in need in Mandalay ...
[28]
https://buddhistchannel.tv/index.php?id=51,6780,0,0,1,0
[29]
Welcome to Sagaing Hills - MyanmarNet.net
The Sitagu Association was founded by the Venerable Sayadaw, Ashin Nyanissara, Abbot of Sitagu Monastery, in 1980 on the full-moon day of Kason (Vesak). That ...Missing: Hanthargiri | Show results with:Hanthargiri
[30]
[PDF] Myanmar Traditional View on Civil Society - Korea Science
May 9, 2022 · The Sitagu Water Donation Project was begun in 1982 to alleviate water shortages experienced by the monasteries and nunneries in the Sagaing ...
[31]
Sitagu Academy opens water supply hub for monastic communities
Mar 9, 2024 · A Sitagu water facility with the capacity to supply water to over 100 monasteries, nunneries, and meditation retreats at the foot of the ...Missing: infrastructure | Show results with:infrastructure
[32]
Revolution or Order? Buddhist Responses to the 2021 Military Coup ...
Jun 20, 2024 · This article seeks to analyse possible shifts in the ways that Buddhism has contributed to both justification of the military's action and resistance to it.<|separator|>
[33]
Myanmar Junta Finds Allies Among Well-Known Buddhist Monks
Sep 9, 2021 · Military chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and his wife Daw Kyu Kyu Hla have a conversation with Sitagu Sayadaw on Oct. 29, 2020.<|separator|>
[34]
Myanmar's Monks, Leaders of Past Protests, Are Divided Over the ...
Oct 18, 2021 · When General Min Aung Hlaing went to Moscow on arms-buying trips in 2018 and 2019, Sitagu Sayadaw accompanied him. When the general, now ...
[35]
Myanmar Junta Chief and His Two Favorite Monks Consecrate ...
Jul 14, 2022 · Min Aung Hlaing and Daw Kyu Kyu Hla hand over a diamond orb for the Shwezigon Pagoda replica to Sitagu Sayadaw on July 12 in Moscow.
[36]
Monk Praises Myanmar Junta Chief for Honoring ... - The Irrawaddy
Mar 21, 2022 · Sitagu Sayadaw, viewed as a junta ally, lauded Min Aung Hlaing for giving Myanmar's highest religious title to an ex-head of the notorious ...
[37]
Sayadaw: Killing non-Buddhists is not a sin - Engage!
Nov 3, 2017 · Myanmar's most revered Buddhist leader gave a speech on Monday in which he urged hundreds of military officers to not to fear the sinfulness of taking human ...
[38]
Religion and Violence in Myanmar | Foreign Affairs
Nov 6, 2017 · Sitagu Sayadaw, one of Myanmar's most influential Buddhist monks, recently delivered a sermon that offered a religious justification for the ...
[39]
What Forces Are Fueling Myanmar's Rohingya Crisis?
Hundreds of thousands of Rohingya, a Muslim ethnic minority group, have fled persecution in Myanmar's Rakhine State, fueling a historic migration crisis.Missing: empirical | Show results with:empirical
[40]
Burmese Refugees In Bangladesh - Historical Background
Thousands of Rohingya fled to what is now Bangladesh in four main periods: the late 1700s and early 1800s, the 1940s, 1978 and, most recently, in 1991and 1992.Missing: data | Show results with:data
[41]
The Current Rohingya Crisis in Myanmar in Historical Perspective
Mar 1, 2019 · This paper critically examines the longstanding Rohingya crisis in Myanmar. It argues that the crisis is rooted in the British colonial era.
[42]
Ma Ba Tha: Who Hate the Rohingya
The Vice Chairman Sitagu Sayadaw (also known as Ashin Nyanissara) is also an Agga Maha Pandita and is one of popular and influential monks. He has publicly ...
[43]
The post-election future of Buddhist nationalism in Myanmar
Nov 19, 2015 · The popular Sitagu Sayadaw endorsed making Buddhism the state religion at the MaBaTha rally on 4 October, another potentially controversial ...
[44]
Myanmar: Attacks by the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Army on ...
May 22, 2018 · This briefing focuses on serious crimes – including unlawful killings and abductions – carried out by ARSA fighters against the Hindu community living in ...Missing: pre- | Show results with:pre-
[45]
Myanmar: New evidence reveals Rohingya armed group massacred ...
May 22, 2018 · On a recent investigation in Myanmar's Rakhine State, Amnesty International uncovered evidence of appalling massacres of almost 100 Hindus ...Missing: pre- | Show results with:pre-
[46]
'Our duty to fight': The rise of militant buddhism | SBS Dateline
Jul 9, 2019 · “When someone as respected as Sitagu Sayadaw says something, even if it is strongly dismissive of a certain group, people listen,” said Khin Mar ...Missing: Sasana | Show results with:Sasana
[47]
Myanmar Coup: Military Regime Seeks to Weaponize Religion
Dec 16, 2021 · Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing meets with Buddhist leader Banmaw Sayadaw in November. (Office of the Commander-in-Chief of Myanmar's Defense ...
[48]
A Silent Sangha? Buddhist Monks in Post-coup Myanmar
Mar 10, 2023 · These responsibilities included protection of the Sangha, which came to be associated with safeguarding access to Buddhist teachings for all – ...Missing: Sasana | Show results with:Sasana
[49]
Myanmar's military turns to Buddhism in bid for legitimacy - Al Jazeera
Jan 30, 2022 · ... Sitagu Sayadaw, another controversial monk known for holding hardline views. ... Sitagu defended the military's actions, saying that “non ...Missing: defensive | Show results with:defensive
[50]
Sitagu Sayadaw and the coup - Insight Myanmar
Oct 29, 2021 · One of the most critiqued figures since the February 2021 coup has been Sitagu Sayadaw. From not issuing full support to the democracy movement to being seen ...
[51]
Sitagu Chancellor attends 3rd Convocation of Lumbini Buddhist ...
Nov 30, 2024 · Sitagu Sayadaw addresses the 3rd Convocation of Lumbini Buddhist University ... Honorary Doctorate Degree in Literature for her lifelong ...
[52]
[PDF] dg, iccr, shri kumar tuhin, presented iccr's
ICCR's International Award for Promotion of Buddhism – 2023 to Venerable Sitagu Sayadaw Dr. ... The award ceremony took place on May 31, 2024, at the India Centre ...
[53]
Sitagu Sayadaw receives International Buddhism Promotion Award ...
Jun 1, 2024 · The ceremony to confer the International Award for Promotion of Buddhism title on State Ovadacariya Sangha Raja of Shwekyin Nikaya Buddhist ...
[54]
About Ashin Cintita Dinsmore
In 2009, at the invitation of Ashin Ariyadhamma, Ashin Cintita traveled to Myanmar and was ordained as a bhikkhu by Sitagu Sayadaw. He lived in Myanmar for ...
[55]
Dr. Ashin Nyanissara (Sitagu Sayadaw) - Religions in Minnesota
“Sitagu” was the name of the original monastery where Nyanissara was an abbot located in the Sagain Hills near Mandalay, and Cintita explains that in Burma ...Missing: achievements | Show results with:achievements
[56]
Sitagu Sayadaw Ven. Dr. Ashin Nyanissara, awarded the Honorary ...
Aug 21, 2024 · Sitagu Sayadaw Ven. Dr. Ashin Nyanissara was awarded the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Literature by the University of Kelaniya at its 143 rd convocation.Missing: Desana | Show results with:Desana<|separator|>
[57]
Sitagu International Buddhist Academy, Sagaing. - Facebook
Jan 8, 2025 · The convocation is scheduled to take place on March 13th, 2025. Students are therefore strongly encouraged to register for the convocation. The ...Missing: 2023-2025 | Show results with:2023-2025