The monks and lay supporters with whom the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw is close urge him to write Dhamma books. "The books which my eternal benefactor the Mahasi Sayadaw wrote are plenty. I, too, look at those books and take the technique to give Dhamma talks. There's no need for me to write," Sayadaw often says. Monks and lay supporters who get to hear Sayadaw give Dhamma talks delight in his teaching. They realize its profound essence. Though Sayadaw's teaching has been recorded on cassettes, if they were to be made into books, both the listening and the reading audience would have a chance to access them. Thus, the benefit would be even greater. That is why monks and lay supporters alike exhort him again and again to write books.

When Sayadaw was carrying out his Sâsana responsibilities as guiding teacher of the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha, officials from the Religious Affairs Department came and asked him for a short personal history, as they wanted to present him with a title. That time, Sayadaw told them, "don't make me climb the slippery May pole" (for the more people applaud a contestant climbing the greased May poles, the more times he has to climb). They returned later and asked again. Sayadaw told them, "I have not yet been able to live up to the title 'Pandita' which was given to me by my teacher."

It was quite a while after that, when he was still living at the Mahasi Sâsana Yiektha, that I heard an unexpected statement from Sayadaw.

"I intend to write a book about Satipatthâna. The explanations of  the word "Satipatthâna" given in the Commentary and the Sub-Commentary are exquisite. It would be great if it could be written bringing together the theory and the practice.

Sayadaw often explains theoretical constructs using practical experience. There are not many people who are able to speak that way. They are rare. The great Mahasi Sayadaw's skillful means in combining theory and practice and explaining it lucidly is a pinnacle of pinnacles. His paramîs (perfections) were extraordinary indeed.

The Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw evidently emulates the Mahasi Sayadaw. There is one thing Sayadaw says regarding the great Mahasi Sayadaw's wisdom, "If I had even one out of four of the great Mahasi Sayadaw's kinds of wisdom it would be plenty." Sayadaw respects, admires, and relies (takes refuge in) on the great Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw in the same way as he does the great Mahasi Sayadaw. Just as he studies to assimilate the writings of the great Mahasi Sayadaw, he studies to be well-versed in the writings of the great Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw. As to his view on the writings of these two great Sayadaws, Sayadaw once said,

"Before I practiced Satipatthana, I though the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw's writ

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