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I have heard Sayadaw speak English to foreigners many times. He doesn't give interviews or Dhamma talks in English, but if the translator leaves anything out, or adds anything extra, I've seen Sayadaw point it out. And when Sri Lankan monks who know Pâli come to see Sayadaw, he speaks to them in Pâli. He hasn't only studied Myanmar and Pâli, but Hindi and English as well. When Sayadaw wants to be very certain about the meaning of a word, he consults all four dictionaries - Myanmar, Pâli, Hindi and English.
Because Sayadaw stayed for about a year in Mawlamyine in Mon State, he seems to have picked up enough of the Mon language to talk about food and drink and such. He also appears to understand sufficiently the other major Myanmar dialects, with the exception of Rakhine, when they are spoken.
In spreading the Buddha-Dhamma, not only at home but also abroad, if Sayadaw's Dhamma and worldly knowledge were to fall short, it wouldn't be easy to speak the Dhamma or give explanations to the satisfaction of foreigners. It wouldn't be easy to provide satisfactory answers to their questions. However, Sayadaw is able now to preach and explain the Dhamma to foreigners, and to answer their questions to their satisfaction. Even foreigners from the most developed countries, who don't tend to think highly of others, place Sayadaw in high esteem. They revere him and come to take refuge in him.
If one wants to work widely for the welfare of others, it won't be possible if one hasn't read much or doesn't have much general knowledge. One must read a lot, and read so as to remember what one has read. One must understand that it requires a great deal of knowledge.
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