Maha Gandyon Monastery in Amarapura

The Maha Gandyon Monastery grounds in Amarapura were initially offered to the first Maha Gandayon Sayadaw in the early 20th century. At this time they were far from “civilization,” and only those monks intent on seclusion would venture out here. The first Maha Gandayone Sayadaw was one of the great, respected forest monks of the day, and a close friend of Ledi Sayadaw. Being an ardent partipatti master, the First Maha Gandayone Sayadaw spent most of his life in serious practice in secluded regions of the Sagaing Hills, and so did not take the time to visit this Amarapura site or look after its development. Over time, however, and through his successor Sayadaw U Janaka, it would come to grow in both size and renown, ultimately playing a major role in Burmese Buddhism and gaining the lasting respect and admiration of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and becoming the home of a rigorous and unique monastic study culture.