Webu Sayādaw

Webu Sayādaw (1896-1977) was one of the most esteemed Burmese Theravāda Buddhist monks of recent times. Exemplifying the strict adherence to a simple meditative life, he constantly stressed the need to walk the Buddha's path to its final goal right here and now, in this precious but fleeting human existence. He was notable in giving all importance to diligent practice rather than to scholastic achievement. The technique of meditation Webu Sayādaw practiced and taught was ānāpāna sati, the observation of the breath.

Technically Webu Sayādaw is not part of the of teachers in our lineage (Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka, in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin), since he did not teach Sayagyi. We do however include him here since Webu and Sayagyi had a close relationship. It was Webu Sayadaw who encouraged Sayagyi to start teaching. Having such a highly reputed monk endorse him to teach, supported Sayagyi with his mission as a teacher. We owe Webu Sayādaw much gratitude for this.

The titles in this section are very valuable; they consist of a large number of his discourses. Webu Sayādaw's refreshing simplicity, his patience, his lovely sense of humor, and his humility, all of which are revealed in the dialogues with his audience, illumine a side of the Buddha's teaching that can not easily be perceived in treatises and texts.

Find more on Webu Sayādaw in the Treasures of Pariyatti section.