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After the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw had finished his hearty admonishment, Sayadaw put his hands together at his chest in respect and said, "Sayadaw, Bhante, as long as I don't refute what you said may I please have permission to say something?"
"Yes, Yes, go ahead," he said.
Then Sayadaw explained, drawing from the scriptures expertly, how at the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha they were doing things in accord with the Vinaya regarding issues such as handling of money and association with women. When everything had been explained fully and clearly, the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw was very appreciative. That was how he wanted the meditation centers to be following the Vinaya, with care and respect. He was very gratified to know that they were following it they wanted he wanted. He was very pleased with Sayadaw, too. After that, he often invited Sayadaw to come and study at his monastery. Sayadaw even came another time and stayed about two days and studied. By then the two Sayadaws had become very intimate.
The study monks who heard how Sayadaw replied, after asking permission, were greatly gratified. They were amazed at Sayadaw's courage, too, and they appreciated him. They could not stop talking about that extraordinary business. It was something they would not forget for the rest of their lives.
At that time, I was studying as a young novice at the Mahâgandâyone Monastery. I only knew that Sayadaw had come to the Mahâgandâyone Monastery, not the rest. I only heard about it while talking with Sayadaw when I came to his place. Later, Sayadaw sent one of the young monks under his tutelage to study at the Mahâgandâyone Monastery. Knowing that he was a student of Sayadaw's, when this student was to go back to Sayadaw's place, the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw told him again and again, with all his heart, "Just tell to U Pandita to come by." As I didn't see or hear the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw send this wholehearted invitation, I came to know of it through a novice who hear and saw this extraordinary business.
Though the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw invited Sayadaw with all his heart, it happened that the conditions were not right and the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw passed away before he got to come.
If the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw were alive today, how many Sâsana matters those two would have dealt with together? To what extent would the project they both appreciated of "Patipatti which does not lack Pariyatti. Pariyatti which does not lack Patipatti: Practice which does not lack Theory. Theoretical study which does not lack experiential practice," have materialized? I can't help but conclude that if those two had gotten the chance to work the way they desired, the Sâsana in Myanmar would have become more outstanding. The more Sayadaws and monks there are with great foresight to prioritize the Sâsana, the more sure the future of the Sâsana in Myanmar. Without them, the result would be sad indeed. The Sâsana in Myanmar might fade and disappear altogether. Therefore, Buddhist monks, nuns, and lay people one and all, for the sake of the
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