Ashin NandamÃÂlÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa (, ; born 22 March 1940 as Htun Tin, ), also known as the Rector Sayadaw (, Pamaukkhachoke Sayadaw), is a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk and scholar specializing in Abhidhamma. He serves as the chief abbot of MahàSubodhÃÂyon Monastery and as rector of the Sitagu International Buddhist Academy.
A recipient of the titles Abhidhaja MahàRaá¹Âá¹Âha Guru and Agga MahàPaá¹Âá¸Âita, NandamÃÂlàhas served since 2018 as upaukkaá¹Âá¹Âha (associate Thathanabaing) and mahÃÂnÃÂyaka of the Shwekyin NikÃÂya, the second-largest monastic order (nikÃÂya) in Myanmar.
Born in Upper Burma, he entered monastic life at age ten in Sagaing under the ninth Thathanabaing of the Shwekyin NikÃÂya. He passed the Abhidhamma examinations at age thirteen and the state DhammÃÂcariya examinations at sixteen while still a novice. He later earned a masterâÂÂs degree in Buddhist studies from the University of Kelaniya and a PhD from Magadh University. From 2005 to 2019, he served as rector of the International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University. In 2022, he founded the University of Wisdom Land, where he serves as chancellor.
NandamÃÂlÃÂ, the ninth of ten siblings, was born on 22 March 1940 to U San Hla and Daw Khin in Nyaungbin Village, Singu Township, Mandalay Division. One of his elder brothers, Ashin NÃÂrada, later became an upaukkaá¹Âá¹Âha of the Shwekyin NikÃÂya.
He began his monastic education at the age of five under U KelÃÂsa of Pawdawmu Monastery in Singu. After KelÃÂsaâÂÂs death, he moved to VipassanàMonastery on Sagaing Hill, where his brother NÃÂrada had resided for seven vassas. He was ordained as a novice in July 1949 under Sankin Sayadaw, the ninth head of the Shwekyin NikÃÂya. He received the Dhamma name NandamÃÂlà(), meaning âÂÂgarland of rejoicing.âÂÂ
All nine surviving members of his family, including his parents, later entered monastic life at VipassanÃÂ Monastery.
At age thirteen, NandamÃÂlàbegan formal study of the Abhidhamma and the Abhidhammattha saá¹ gaha under NÃÂrada, passing the three-level Abhidhamma examinations the same year. He subsequently passed the three levels of the Pathamabyan examinationsâÂÂPathamange, Pathamalat, and PathamagyiâÂÂin 1954 and 1955.
He achieved first place in all three grades of the Sakyasëha thamanegyaw examinations and was awarded the title Sakyasëha SÃÂsanÃÂlaá¹ kÃÂra Thamanegyaw, along with the honorific suffix -laá¹ kÃÂra, at age nineteen.
At sixteen, having passed five subjects in the government-sponsored DhammÃÂcariya examination with distinction in two subjects, he received the title SÃÂsanadhaja Sirëpavara DhammÃÂcariya. Despite being a novice, he was appointed tutor at Jayamedanë Monastery of Waso Sayadaw, who was the fourteenth thathanabaing of Shwekyin NikÃÂya, in Mandalay.
On 1 June 1958, he and five of his brothers founded MahÃÂ SubodhÃÂyon Monastery in Sagaing. NÃÂrada served as chief abbot, while NandamÃÂlÃÂ acted as instructor.
On 22 April 1959, with the support of Thar Din and Kyin from Mandalay, Ashin was ordained as a monk at the SÃÂsana Mañjarë Ordination Hall of MahÃÂsubodhÃÂyon Monastery under the patronage of Sankin Sayadaw.
NandamÃÂlàreceived the titles Cetiyaá¹ gaá¹Âa Pariyatti DhammÃÂcariya Gaá¹ÂavÃÂcaka and Pariyatti SÃÂsanahita DhammÃÂcariyÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa in his 4th (1963) and 6th vassas (1965), respectively, after passing both stages of the Cetiyaá¹ gaá¹Âa and Sakyasëha examinations. He had passed the remaining four subjects of the government DhammÃÂcariya examination by 1967, having earlier received the title SÃÂsanadhaja DhammÃÂcariya Vinaya PÃÂḷi PÃÂrugà « in 1965 for completing the honours course in PÃÂcityÃÂdhi PÃÂḷi Aá¹Âá¹ÂhakathÃÂ.
Having passed all three DhammÃÂcariya examination streamsâÂÂSakyasëha, Cetiyaá¹ gaá¹Âa, and the government examinationâÂÂNandamÃÂlàwas awarded the degree of S.C.G. DhammÃÂcariya and granted the suffix -bhivaá¹Âsa. In 1964, he was promoted to chief instructor at the monastery. In 1967, at the age of 26, he joined the project to compile a Tipiá¹Âaka dictionary from PÃÂḷi into Myanmar and studied English under Chanmyay Sayadaw.
NandamÃÂlàlater served as a member of the Sagaing Township Saá¹ gha MahàNÃÂyaka Committee of the Shwegyin NikÃÂya, which was formed after the First Congregation of All Orders for the Purification, Perpetuation and Propagation of the SÃÂsanàwas held in Rangoon from 24 to 27 May 1980. From 1980 to 1985, he served on committees overseeing various monastic examinations, including the DhammÃÂcariya and Pathamabyan examinations.
In 1980, NandamÃÂlÃÂ joined the leading committee of Sitagu Yay Ahludaw, the first project initiated by Sitagu Sayadaw to install a water pump for monastic residents on Sagaing Hill.
For further studies, NandamÃÂlàarrived at Kandi-Myanmar Monastery in Sri Lanka in January 1987 and began a diploma programme at Kelaniya University in July. While writing his masterâÂÂs thesis, Buddhist Attitude to World Knowledge, for a degree in Buddhist studies, which he completed in 1989, he also delivered lectures on Abhidhamma at the YMBA and at a meditation centre.
Back in Myanmar in 1994, NandamÃÂlÃÂ was appointed administrator at SubodhÃÂyon Monastery. Prior to his return, in August 1994, he delivered lectures on Abhidhamma at MingalÃÂrÃÂma Monastery in Silver Spring, Maryland. When Sitagu International Buddhist Academy was established in 1995, NandamÃÂlÃÂ served as rector and taught courses in language and Abhidhamma.
In 1996, the government conferred upon him the title AggamahÃÂganthavÃÂcakapaá¹Âá¸Âita. On 1 January 1998, he served as a Vinayadhara () as a member of the State Independent Vinayadhara Association, a tribunal authorized by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee to oversee alleged violations of the Vinaya by Sangalay Sayadaw.
In 1998, when International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University was established, NandamÃÂlÃÂ served as a visiting professor, delivering lectures on Abhidhamma at the request of Sitagu Sayadaw. He completed his doctoral thesis, Jainism in Buddhist Literature, at Magadh University in 2003.
Following the death of Ashin SilÃÂnadÃÂbhivamsa, the first rector of ITMBU, on 13 August 2005 in California, he was appointed rector of the university. He served in that position for approximately fourteen years until his retirement in November 2019 for health reasons. On 1 August 2009, NandamÃÂlÃÂ became padhÃÂna-nÃÂyaka (chief abbot) of SubodÃÂyon Monastery following the death of his brother Ashin NÃÂrada.
NandamÃÂlàwas awarded the title AggamahÃÂpaá¹Âá¸Âita in 2000, AggamahÃÂsaddhammajotikadhaja in 2018, and AbhidhajamahÃÂraá¹Âá¹Âhaguru in 2020. At the 20th All Buddha SÃÂsana Shwekyin NikÃÂya Sangha Meeting held in 2018 at CekindÃÂrÃÂma Monastery in Hmawbi, NandamÃÂlàwas appointed upaukkaá¹Âá¹Âha (associate Thathanabaing) of the nikÃÂya, alongside Ceeshin Sayadaw, who died in 2023. On 3 December 2022, NandamÃÂlàfounded the University of Wisdom Land in Hlegu Township, Yangon, assuming the position of chancellor.