Sayadaw U Pannadipa, Sasanadhaja Siripavara Dhammacariya, Aggamahasadhamma Jotikadhaja

Sayadaw was born on March 16, 1933 at Hninpalei Village, Beelin Township in Lower Myanmar; therefore he is called Beelin Sayadaw. His father was U Kyaw Hmu and his mother was Daw Hla Thin.

He began his elementary education at the village monastery at the age of 8 and was ordained as a samanera (novice) at the age of 12. He culminated his early academic work at Hitlikaryi Buddhist study school in Thaton and passed with honors the Tipitika study program there. He became a Dhamma teacher, a Sasana Dhaja Siripavara Dhamma Cariya. Post graduate work was completed in Yangon and Mandalay.

In 1967 he went to Mahasi Yeiktha in Yangon and practiced intensive Vipassana meditation under Sayadaws U Pandita, U Janaka, and U Sanwara. The following year he was sent to Gyopintha Sasana Yeiktha, near Prome, as a meditation teacher where he taught for 17 years.

Then, he was recognized as Nayaka Kamathana Cariya, a senior meditation teacher by Venerable U Panditabhivamsa and he was asked to teach at Mahasi Center in Yangon, which he did for six years.

Sayadaw has traveled extensively to other parts of the world including, Nepal, Malaysia, Singapore, and Australia.

Beelin Sayadaw next served at Mahasi Meditation Center near Wigan in the UK when the members of the community requested a Sayadaw skilled in patipati (the practice of meditation), and pariyati (the study of scriptures).

He was next invited to serve at Tathagata Meditation Center in San Jose, California in December of 1999. There his strong and serene presence has contributed to the growth of Dhamma in yet another part of the world.

He was recently awarded the title of Aggamahasadhamma Jotikadhaja for his Dhamma Dhuta work abroad.