HmwbeBranch

1) Location

The Centre is situated in Letbadansu village tract near Wanetchaung village,
29 miles from Yangon, 2 miles before Hmawbi, 6 miles from Layhtee road.

2) Area

87 acres including a 25-acre orchard and a 3-acre lake. There are some heights favourable for building pagodas, stupas, yeikthar etc.

3) How the Centre came into existence

In 1991, Hmawbi Shwethitsa Tawya Sayadaw U Kumuda aged 33 years, 12 years of monkhood, the abbot of Baymei monastery in Mandalay, went to Pyinoolwin to practise meditation in seclusion. At that time, the present Meditation Center donor, Lieutenant Colonel Sein Hla, Chairman of Pyinoolwin Township Peace and Development Council, has been undertaking donation of Peikchinmyaung Mahanandamu Cave, Zina Mahn Aung Kyauktaung Pagoda, Shwehintha Pagoda, Yetkanzin Taung, Yedagun Taung, Bagan Pagoda, Sawhlawun Pagoda, etc. Meanwhile, one of Sayadaw's devotees, U Tin Hlaing, Deputy Manager of Mandalay Division Petroleum Power Enterprise, asked Lieutenant Colonel Sein Hla to help Sayadaw for going into retreat. Consequently, Lieutenant Colonel Sein Hla requested Sayadaw to stay as an abbot on a 50-acre land where he had a small monastery, a 40.5 feet-high Pagoda, tar-road and electric light supplied in Aneesakan village tract nearby Kywenarhtauk village, Pyinoolwin. But Sayadaw refused to accept the donation as he had a wish to be in retreat fully. So he was requested to accept the land for religious purposes when he would be ready to be an abbot and to open Yeiktha. Sayadaw U Kumuda abandoned even his monastery in Baymei, Mandalay where he was an abbot in order to be in retreat freely. Then he practised meditation in various meditation centres in Myanmar such as Pa Auk Tawya (Mandalay), Pa Auk Tawya (Main) for about 10 years. When Sayadaw arrived at Hmawbi planting land the second time on 31 December 02, Lieutenant Colonel Sein Hla requested him again to accept his donation, 87 acres of plantation. On 15 January 03, Sayadaw U Kumuda accepted his request and let him donate the land to Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw U Acinna who had visited Thanlyin for a while. Finally, Hmawbi Township Head Sayadaw was asked to use that land for religious purposes on 2 March 03 and got the permission to use it and to build the Ordination Hall on that land too. At present, altogether 18 wards have already been built in the Centre.

The newly founded Pa Auk Tawya Yeiktha (Hmawbi) is situated in the remote area from Yangon and needs all round support. So all devotees are encouraged to visit the Yeitha and donate as much as possible. Any suggestions regarding Yeikthar are welcomed.