Thae Inn Gu Sayadaw

Thae Inn Gu Sayadaw was born in Nyaung Kone Village, Hmawbi Township, Yangon Region on the 10th waxing day of Tabaung 1274 ME. He was the third of seven siblings born to U Thawta and Daw Me An. Though he was enrolled in school at a young age, he did not excel academically and left monastic school after reaching the basic level of Burmese script literacy.^[1]

At the age of 15, he married and lived a worldly life until the age of 45. After encountering the biography of Sunlun Sayadaw, he experienced deep spiritual inspiration and renunciation. In 1321 ME, on the 6th waxing of Thadingyut, he began practicing Satipaṭṭhāna meditation at his native village. Through rigorous effort, he attained the First Path on the 11th waxing of Thadingyut, the Second Path under a coconut tree on the 9th waxing of Tazaungmon, and the Third Path on the 4th waning of Tabaung, 1321 ME.^[2]

After attaining the Third Path, he wore only white robes, predicting future events such as the emergence of a great monastery in the eastern hills of his village that would become a center for Buddhism. In 1322 ME, during Tabaung, he accepted lay sponsorship and ordained as a bhikkhu under Bhaddanta Pannindaya at Nyaung Kone Monastery, receiving the Dhamma name U Ukkatha.

He continued his practice diligently and attained the Fourth Path on the 2nd waning of Nayon 1323 ME, between 8:00 and 9:00 AM at the home of lay supporter U Su Ya in Hmawbi.

On the full moon day of Waso 1323 ME, he founded the Theinngu Vipassanā Kammaṭṭhāna Monastery at Pyinthan Taung hill, east of Nyaung Kone village. Having attained all Four Paths and Fruitions, Sayadaw compassionately taught Dhamma in simple Burmese to lay followers from all over Myanmar.

He dedicated his life and body to preserving the practice lineage of the Buddha. He passed away peacefully at the age of 61, having lived 12 vassas and served 11 years in the Saḥgha. He entered parinibbāna on the 9th waxing of Waso 1335 ME at 4:45 PM.^[3]

On Sunday, the 1st waxing of Natdaw 1323 ME (23 December 1961), while being escorted to Thone Lone Tawya Monastery for doctrinal examination, hundreds reportedly witnessed Sayadaw floating in the sky in deep jhāna. Three Brahmas in human form requested his Dhamma discourse.

Sayadaw was known for his ability to perceive the thoughts of others and foretell future events, including the construction of the present Hmawbi highway and arrival of electricity in the region, which have since come true.