A sayadaw (, ; , and alternatively spelled hsayadaw, sayado, sayÃÂá¸Âo or sayÃÂá¸Âaw) is a Burmese Buddhist title used to reference the senior monk or abbot of a monastery. The word is a combination of Sanskrit word "acharya" (teacher) and the Burmese honorific "taw," which is used to denote nouns of religious or royal significance. Some distinguished sayadaws would often be referred to as a sayadawgyi (, as a sign of reverence. The terms "sayadaw" and "sayadawgyi" originally corresponded to the senior monks who taught the former Burmese kings. These sayadaws may be influential teachers of Buddhism and also important meditation practitioners. They usually are abbots of monasteries or monastery networks with many resident monks and a lay following. In modern-day Myanmar, monastic abbots are required to have passed monastic examinations.
In Burmese Buddhism, several honorific terms exist for Buddhist monks, reflecting their achievements and how many vassas they have passed. The most frequently used terms, which are used as prefixes to the monks' Dhamma name, include:
- "Bhaddanta" áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂ
- "Ashin" á¡áÂÂá¾áÂÂáº
- "Shin" áÂÂá¾áÂÂáº
- "U" á¦á¸á áÂ¥á°á¸
- "Upazin" áÂ¥áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáºá¸
- "Sayadaw" áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡º
- "Sayadawgyi" áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡ºáÂÂá¼á®á¸
A sayadaw may be known by his dharma name (), a qualified name, or by the name of his monastery. Thus, venerable Mingun Sayadaw, who served as "Chief Respondent" at the Sixth Buddhist council in Yangon, could be addressed as:
- Mingun Sayadaw (in reference to his home monastery at Mingun) áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂá½áÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡º
- U VicittasÃÂrÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa á¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ
áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¶áÂÂ
- Sayadaw U VicittasÃÂrÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡ºá¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ
áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¶áÂÂ
- Mingun Sayadaw U VicittasÃÂrÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa áÂÂáÂÂáºá¸áÂÂá½áÂÂáºá¸áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡ºá¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ
áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¶áÂÂ
- Tipitaka Sayadaw U VicittasÃÂrÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡ºá¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ
áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¶áÂÂ
- tipiá¹Âakadhara Dhammabhaá¹Âá¸ÂÃÂdharika Sayadaw U VicittasÃÂrÃÂbhivaá¹Âsa, áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá±á‡ºá¦á¸áÂÂáÂÂáÂÂ
áÂÂáÂÂá¹áÂÂáÂÂá‡ÂÂá‡ÂÂáÂÂáÂÂá·á reference to being the first monk to be awarded the titles "Bearer of the Tripiá¹Âaka" and "Treasurer of the Dhamma"
List of prominent Sayadaws
The following is a list of some prominent sayadaws in recent Burmese history.
References
External links