It should be mentioned that the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw, in his days giving Dhamma interviews as a Nâyaka Sayadaw at the great Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha, interviewed a great many male yogis, both lay men and monks. In the past, most of the monks who practiced at the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha practiced with Sayadaw. It seems like there were a great many male lay yogis, too. Those monks and lay men who practiced with Sayadaw speak of the very strict discipline he put them under. They also tell of how there were those who became frightened by Sayadaw's rather harsh and strict manner of speaking in interviews and ran away. There are plenty of those who are very grateful to Sayadaw, having found the taste of the Dhamma because they accepted his strictness and strove to be mindful and note. Of these, there are many monks, novices and lay people, not only locals but also foreigners.

As for Sayadaw, it is likely because he so wants students to gain fully, strongly, and rapidly the lovingkindness,  goodwill, and compassion which he realized through practice, nurture, and effort, that it happens that he gives this strict discipline. How could he possibly be doing it to increase the yogis' suffering? He is constantly looking after the places where the yogis do their sitting meditation, walking meditation, their rooms, the dining hall, and so on. Neither is his a leisurely life, with the Dhamma talks and interviews he must give and all the other various tasks he must carry out for the Sâsana. If he is constantly looking after the yogis as well, it is even less leisurely. If he were focusing on his own happiness, he would be better off just sitting back and relaxing, saying, "Whether the yogis make progress in their Dhamma practice or not is not important. It's enough if I get to live leisurely." Sayadaw, however, cannot live like that. It is like the way parents who want their sons and daughters to thrive and develop are constantly worrying about them. Those who have been parents will appreciate this most. Those who have been teachers, as well, will have a good understanding. Most parents and teachers can't stand to let their children and their students out of their sight. If possible, they want to be able to keep an eye on them all the time.

A cattle owner has to light fires of grass and send smoke to keep flies and gnats from biting his cows. After lighting these repellant fires, he does not work to make the cows' living places uncomfortable; he works so that the cows won't have to suffer the bites of the flies and gnats.

In the very same way, this strict discipline is like wafting repellant smoke. It is to help prevent the yogi from having to experience the kilesas, which are hindrances in the progress in meditation. It is not to cause the yogis suffering.

People have reasoned that yogis who have practiced with Sayadaw are not superficial yogis. It's probably true. Sayadaw does not accept such superficial work. He does not like it. Thus, Sayadaw's yogis don't get many chances to be superficial. Since they have experienced well the taste of the Dhamma due to meditating with Sayadaw, due to the opportunity they got to fully understand Sayadaw's lovingkindness, goodwill, and

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