Venerable Ashin Pannyathara (1973 - )

Venerable Ashin Pannyathara is the abbot of the Chanmyay Vihara center of Springfield, Illinois. He has taken this order in March 10, 2017. Ashin Pannyathara is also teaching vipassana meditation techniques in accordance with the of Mahasi tradition and following the guidelines of the Most Venerable Mahasi and Most Venrerable Chanmyay Sayadaw Ashin Janakabhivamsa. Venerable Ashin Pannyathara was born in Sue Pyit San village in 1973, Thit Ya Kuk precinct, Magwe Township, . He is the fourth son of U Khin Maung and Daw Htwe Hla. He was ordained as a novice immediately after finishing the basic high school education in Magwe, Myanmar by Myat Lay Su Sasana Yeiktha Sayadaw Venerable U as a preceptor and practiced meditation for three months under his guidance. He was later re-ordained by Ven. Sayadaw U Sumana as Shin Pannyathara. He studied basic Buddha education at that monastery, and helped Sayadaw with teaching Buddha Dhamma and Buddhist cultures to the children. On February 12, 1993, he was ordained higher ordination by Ven. Sayadaw U Sumana and became a monk, Bhikku, sponsored by his parents. He studied successfully the Patthamagne primary, Patthamalat secondary and Patthamagyi higher levels of Buddha Dhamma under the guidance of Venerable Tipitaka Saysadaw U Kudhala and other teachers at Maha Yadanayama monastery in Magwe, Myanmar. He received the Bachelor of Arts in Burmese and Pali (distance learning degree program from Magwe University) in 1997. After three-year of study at Maso Yein Priyatti monastery, Mandalay, he obtained the Dhammacariya degree (Masters’ degree in Buddhism). In 1999, he practiced intensive Vipassana meditation at Hmawbi Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation center for two months under the guidance of Ven Chanmyay Sayadaw Ashin Jannaka Bhivamsa. He also helped the center by teaching Buddhist cultures to children who attended summer school at the monastery. From October 2001 to July 2005, he had taught the Buddha Dhama Pali canon and commentaries at Maha Yadanayama Pali Monastery, Magwe. In 2005, he returned to Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Center, and practiced Vipassana meditation intensively for three months. Since then he has become meditation instructor and junior teacher under the guidance of Ven Chanmyay Sayadaw. In July 2009, he went to South Africa to disseminate Buddha Dhamma and taught Vipasanna meditation and Buddha Dhamma to both local and international practitioners. For promoting and dissemination of sasana, he resided in Singapore from December 2011 to May 2015 as an abbot of Chanmyay Yeittha Mediation Center and taught Vipassana meditation, Abhidhamma and Buddha cultures. He also visited Indonesia from June to October 2016 and taught Dhamma and Vipassana meditation to Indonesian devotees during his stay.