Will Thamanya Sayadaw’s Body Ever Rest in Peace?

Indeed one well-respected astrologer and regime watcher said, on condition of anonymity, that top brass and family members had intensified their yadaya chae activities in the weeks before the referendum.

“In one recent incident, officials at the Shwedagon Pagoda witnessed Kyaing Kyaing, the wife of Snr-Gen Than Shwe, climb to the plinth platform of the pagoda where women are not permitted,” he said. “Slavishly followed by attendants sheltering her with gold and white umbrellas, she walked around the pagoda three times clockwise, shouting ‘Aung Pyi!’ (victory).”

The date for the referendum—May 10, 2008 (5-10-2008)—was, according to the same source, chosen using yadaya chae. Instead of picking a date that added up to nine, as the generals normally do, they astonished observers by choosing numbers that added up to 16.

“This is the worst date they could have possibly chosen,” the astrologer said, pulling out ‘Cheiro’s Book of Palmistry, Numerology and Astrology’ during an interview. “The number 16 is associated with strange fatalities, a danger of accidents and fatalistic tendencies. Any plans made for that day should be rearranged, or they will be defeated.

“There can only be two explanations for that date,” he said. “Either the adviser who chose it was a traitor who wanted the referendum to fail, or he settled on it as an elaborate ruse designed to neutralize the threat the generals felt the referendum held for them, by pairing it with another bad omen—the date—transforming two negatives into a positive – a typical yadaya chae type trick.” 

While there is no evidence that suggests any yadaya chae ritual involving the abbot’s body actually took place, observers say the continuing presence of his remains on display, his close links with Aung San Suu Kyi, and his public disapproval of the regime could have been enough to ensure its removal. 
 
Something’s Rotten in Karen State

While the Sayadaw was admired from afar by politicians and generals in Rangoon, he also enjoyed an exalted position in southern Karen State where his self-declared “peace zone” monastery was an important refuge for displaced persons in an area that has suffered from conflict for more than half a century. Sheltering more than 4,000 people in the monastery area, the abbot’s followers were a striking contrast to those of U Thuzana, the abbot of Myainggyi Ngu, whose monastery, based in northern Karen State, is fortified by Democratic Karen Buddhist Army soldiers.

Unlike U Thuzana, who is surrounded by Karen soldiers who are loyal to him and are feared for their unpredictable violence, Thamanya Sayadaw was renowned throughout Burma and Thailand for his compassion. Thousands of pilgrims visited him daily, showering the monastery with donations, which the abbot used to shelter the homeless, repair roads and build schools.      

Even before his body was stolen, controversy was already swirling over his remains. According to a guide who visited the monastery the day before the body was taken, in recent months the body had begun to decompose and a putrid smell emanated from the two glass coffins.

One source said: “It was well-known in Pa-an that the Myainggyi Ngu abbot wanted the body burnt. He was unhappy it was being displayed in such a deteriorating state so that Thamanya disciples could continue raising money. He felt it was immoral. Prior to the disappearance, key supporters had reportedly held a meeting with the authorities and U Pinya, the sayadaw of the nearby Taungalay Monastery—who was a close friend of the Thamanya Sayadaw’s—to discuss the issue.”

Moreover, local people say that since the abbot’s death, visitors have been less concerned with following to the monastery’s strict principles. When the abbot was alive, everyone living in or near the monastery was vegetarian and disciples would abstain from eating meat for days prior to their pilgrimages. Reports of drinking and gambling in the area had already begun to filter back to Pa-an before the body disappeared.

Another local observer pointed to a conflict over fundraising between the two abbots as a potential cause of conflict.

The Myainggyi Ngu abbot has embarked on a high-profile fundraising drive. His followers solicit funds around central Pa-an and campaign day and night at the Pa-an monastery for donations.

“But the presence of the sayadaw’s body in Thamanya meant devotees were still visiting the monastery and donating money there instead,” the observer said. “It was the body that attracted pilgrims because the temple itself, a very simple blue-and-white tiled affair with no elaborate chedis, remarkable Buddhas or stunning artwork, was unlikely to attract pilgrims. U Winaya had spent all of his devotees’ money on feeding and sheltering the poor”. 

Nearly two months after the body’s theft, it is still a mystery. The building where the Thamanya Sayadaw’s body once rested remains untouched.