U Pannya Jota Mahathera facts for kids
Quick facts for kids U Pannya Jota Mahathera |
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| ဦးပညာဇောတမဟာထေရ် উ পঞ্ঞা জোত মহাথের | |
Venerable U Pannya Jota Mahathera in 2015
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| Religion | Buddhism |
| Sect | Theravada Buddhism |
| Known for | Founder of Buddha Dhatu Jadi, Rama Zadi, The World Buddha Sasana Sevaka Sangha, etc. |
| Education | L.L.B, L.L.M, B.C.S |
| Other names | Guru Bhante |
| Personal | |
| Nationality | Bangladeshi |
| Born | U Saw Hla December 22, 1955 Bandarban District, East Pakistan |
| Died | April 13, 2020 (aged 64) |
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| Senior posting | |
| Based in | Pannya Passanara Buddhist Monaster, Ujani Para, Bandarban, Bangladesh |
Venerable U Pannya Jota Mahathera (born December 22, 1955 – died April 13, 2020) was a respected Buddhist monk from Bangladesh. People often called him Guru Bhante. He was born into the Royal Bohmong family in Bandarban, which was then East Pakistan. Before becoming a monk, he worked for the government of Bangladesh as a judge for about eight years.
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The Life of U Pannya Jota Mahathera
His Early Years and Education
U Pannya Jota was born as U Saw Hla in Bandarban, East Pakistan, on December 22, 1955. His parents were Hla Thowai Prue and Aung Mra Ching. His grandfather, Kyaw Zaw Than, was the King of the Royal Bohmong family.
He started school in Bandarban when he was six or seven years old. After finishing high school and college, he went to Dhaka University. There, he studied law.
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University Life and Career
While at university, U Pannya Jota was a leader in groups that helped students learn. He also joined organizations that worked to protect and promote the culture of local people. He was a singer and wrote many popular songs in the Marma language. He even started a band called The Royal Artists Group.
After graduating, he worked for the Bangladesh Government as a judge and magistrate for about eight years. In 1990, he decided to leave his job. He became a Buddhist monk at Ching Mrong Bihara and changed his name to U Pannya Jota Mahathera.
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Life as a Buddhist Monk
U Pannya Jota was very eager to learn and practice Buddhism deeply. He believed that Buddhism could bring peace to everyone's mind. He traveled to many places, teaching the Dhamma (Buddhist teachings) to people.
He was a social reformer who wanted people to understand Buddhism in a scientific way. He disagreed with superstitions that many people in Bangladesh believed. When he wasn't teaching, he spent most of his time practicing meditation. He visited different countries and met many meditation teachers, like S.N. Goenka. He learned meditation from great masters in India and Myanmar.
Temples and Monasteries He Built
U Pannya Jota built many temples and monasteries both in Bangladesh and other countries. Some of these are still being built. Here are a few examples:
- Zin Mara Jayi Dhatu Zadi, Bandarban, Bangladesh. (He helped rebuild this very old temple.)
- Khyaungwa Kyaung Raja Vihara, Bandarban, Bangladesh. (He was the chief priest here.)
- Pannya Passanara Buddhist Monastery, Bandarban, Bangladesh.
- Buddha Dhatu Naundawgree Zadi, Bandarban, Bangladesh.
- Rama Zadi, Bandarban, Bangladesh.
- Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery, Yangon, Myanmar.
- Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery, Maung Daw, Arakan State, Myanmar.
The Famous Buddha Dhatu Jadi
One of the most famous temples U Pannya Jota founded is the Buddha Dhatu Jadi. It is also known as the Bandarban Golden Temple. This temple has a golden bell on a dragon statue. It also has the second largest Buddhist statue in Bangladesh.
Inside the temple is a Buddha's relic, called a dhatu. This relic was given to Venerable U Pannya Jota Mahathera in 1994 by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee of Myanmar. People believe that the dhatu in the Golden Temple brings peace and happiness to people.
The Grand Rama Zadi
Rama Zadi is the largest and tallest Buddhist temple in Bangladesh. It is located about 3 kilometers from Bandarban town. Its height is almost 175 feet, making it a very impressive building.
His Global Connections
U Pannya Jota attended several international conferences. He did this to share ideas and connect with Buddhist communities around the world.
- The World Buddhist Summit in Yangon, Myanmar, in 2004.
- UN Day of Vesak in Bangkok, Thailand, in 2007.
- UN Day of Vesak in Hanoi, Vietnam, in 2008.
- World Religions Conference in Seoul in 2015.
Helping Society Through Education
All the organizations U Pannya Jota created were focused on helping society. He built schools and learning centers, especially for children and young monks. He believed that the future depends on young people. He thought that good education could prevent problems and conflicts in society.
His main goal was to create an educated society by offering both regular and religious studies to everyone. He hoped that the children in his schools would become good examples and help their communities. In a documentary, he said he wanted to educate poor children whose parents could not afford school fees. He also mentioned that some of these children lived in remote hill areas with no access to modern schools.
Here are some of the social institutions he founded for children:
- Sasana Vaddhana Pariyatti Kyaung (a religious school)
- Be Happy Learning Centre (an orphanage and free school)
- Kyaukmalaung Girl Hostel (an orphanage and free school, currently being built)
