The great Buddhist monk and teacher of meditation, Pha-Uk Sayado, has passed away at the age of 91. He cannot walk properly. He is undergoing treatment in the hospital. He has to undergo kidney dialysis every day. On the other hand, there is a risk of infection. Despite his exhausted physical condition and the restrictions imposed by the doctor on his movement, he says that he came to Lumbini to serve when he saw a divine vision of peace, compassion, and brotherhood.

The meditation practice of Sayadaw, a famous and respected Buddhist monk from Myanmar, is famous all over the world. Sayadaw came to Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, in the second week of Mangsir to plant sal saplings. He stayed in Lumbini for 10 days and planted trees. He cannot walk. However, his followers would take him from the hotel in a car to the tree plantation site. Sitting in a wheelchair at the tree plantation site, he would plant trees with his assistants and followers. He would water the plants.

His devotion and faith towards the birthplace of Buddha was so deep that he would skip a day and go to Lumbini twice a day to plant trees while undergoing dialysis. His followers say that he came here at great risk to pay respect to the place where Buddha was born, dedicated to peace.

The Myanmar government has conferred upon him the title of the country's highly respected meditation guru (Agg Mahakammathanacharya). He has been suffering from kidney problems for the past 5 months. He has to undergo dialysis every day. His treatment is still being done in a hospital in Singapore. However, he agreed when asked to come to Lumbini. His big dream of planting 20,000 trees in Lumbini has been fulfilled.

He came to Lumbini by chartering a helicopter from Singapore to Kathmandu. When he was in Lumbini, he used to go to the tree plantation himself at 8 am and 3 pm. After planting 8/10 trees with his followers, he would return to the hotel in one and a half to two hours and visit the Buddha shrine in Lumbini.

When he stayed in Lumbini for 10 days, he went to the City Hospital in Bhairahawa and underwent dialysis 5 times. He would go to dialysis every day. His follower Bhim Basnet said that coming from abroad to plant trees while undergoing dialysis was not enough with ordinary courage and desire. ‘He is truly a Bodhisattva,’ he said, ‘He can see the present, past and future.’

Tara Rai, the meditation guru’s attendant, said that since the sal tree is very important in Buddhist philosophy, he came to plant it at the birthplace of Buddha. ‘The meditation guru, who has been in the hospital in Singapore for 5 months, cannot be met there,’ she said, ‘that is why the Singaporean followers have come to Lumbini at their own expense to have darshan of Pha-Uk Sayado.’

After planting trees here, he chartered a helicopter to Kathmandu and went directly to the Singapore hospital for treatment. He said that he had wanted to come to Lumbini to plant trees two years ago. ‘Buddha was born and died under a sal tree,’ he said, ‘Since planting sacred sal trees will benefit himself, the world and the universe, we have a plan to plant 20,000 trees.’ Last year, 3,400 trees were planted. This year, 16,600 trees have been planted.’

He has planted trees in the north-west area of ​​the Lumbini Development Fund at his own expense. 8 gardeners have also been arranged to look after the trees until they are ready. Last year too, he came to Lumbini for a week to plant trees.

This time, a team of 34 people came to Lumbini with him. There is only a team of 14 people to serve him. 2 people have to work 12 hours. A team of 5 doctors including a nurse led by Dr. Bhikshu Rathpala, who came from Myanmar, was also with him. The cooking and washing teams were separate. The rest were his followers from China, Thailand and Myanmar.

He spent 22 to 30 years in the forest, eating wild roots and practicing rigorous meditation. Like the Buddha's teachings, he has developed his own Fa-uk tradition of meditation. He became a shramner (nomad) at the age of 10 and became a full monk at the age of 20. He became a Dhammacharya at the age of 22. His fame is worldwide due to the Fa-uk tradition, which is popular in South Asia.

Also known by the nickname Achinna, his servant Bhikkhu Punyawanto said that he has 55 Fa-uk meditation centers in Myanmar. Similarly, there are 24 Fa-uk meditation centers in countries including Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, China, America and Nepal. Myanmar also has a Fa-uk International University. There is a postgraduate course.

Similarly, the Myanmar government has awarded him many prestigious titles. He has received prestigious titles such as Abhidhamma Maharattha Guru, Abhidhamma Agga Maha Saddhammajyotika and Agga Mahapandita. Quoting Pha Uk Sayado's statement that Nepalis are relatives of Lord Buddha because Buddha was born in Nepal, Bhikkhu Punyawanto said, 'Similarly, by following the teachings of Buddha, we should create peace, compassion and friendship in the minds of Nepalis.' His books 'Knowing and Seeing', 'Working of Kamma' and 'Nirvana Gamini Patipada' are famous.

While in Lumbini, Pha Uk Sayado worshipped at the Mayadevi Temple, the birthplace of Buddha. Visited the World Peace Stupa. Visited Tilaurakot, the capital of the Shakya dynasty. Meditated. Although his mobility was not easy due to his age and health, he was very eager to visit the birthplace of Buddha. His servant, Bhikkhu Punyawanto, said that he was equally emotional and happy to come here. ‘He cannot walk. He moves around in a wheelchair. In places where wheelchairs cannot go, his disciples carry him in a wheelchair,’ he said.

Buddhist guru Pha-Uk Sayado also worshipped at the Mahavan in Banganga Municipality, Kapilvastu. When Gautama Buddha came 15 years after attaining enlightenment, there was a dispute between the Shakyas and the Koliyas over the water of the Rohini River, and the Mahasamaya Sutta was preached at that place as a solution. The Buddha preached the Mahasamaya Sutta to 10,000 Chakravarti deities and 250 monks from the Koliya and 250 Shakya kingdoms in the Mahavan. Sumangalo said that it is mentioned in Buddhist literature that 500 monks became arahants (enlightened beings) after the sermon. He also visited the Mahavan forest, where the Buddha gave the Mahasammayasutta sermon to 500 arahants and countless deities, and meditated on the banks of the Banganga River.

Although he was born in Myanmar in 1934, he is equally popular in countries including Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. He received a doctorate in philosophy from Thailand's Mahachulalongkorn University and spent three months in Nepal last year.

He spent three months in the rainy season in Nepal from Asar to Asoj Purnima, an important Buddhist festival. After completing the rainy season, he started planting trees in Lumbini. ‘He is a great master of meditation,’ said Gyanin Rai of the Lumbini Development Fund, ‘His visit to Nepal means increasing faith and devotion to a holy land like Lumbini.’

His followers from all over the world are eager to come to the places he visits. ‘This will help promote peace tourism in Nepal,’ said Rai. His meditation practice of the Fa-Uk tradition is famous in the world. His followers are spread all over the world. His followers have built the Fa-Uk Dhammadayad Meditation Center in his name in Fasku Rural Municipality-7, under the Shailung mountain in Dolakha.