Venerable U Lokanatha

World’s Buddhist Mission, Burma

Written by 'Insein Hsu Minn'

Myanmar has lost one of her most eminent Buddhist monks with the demise of Venerable U Lokanatha, who had spent the major part of his life in this country. He is a well-known figure in other Buddhist countries like Thailand and Sri Lanka.

No more will the Myanmar public see the short, roly-poly figure of the monk in yellow robes, greeting his devotees by raising his hand and exclaiming "Peace".

A few months before his death he donated K 50,000 for construction of a centre in this city for promotion of the Myanmar science of meditation by use of deep breathing.

Sixty nine-year old U Lokanatha was an Italian of well-to-do parents who went at the age of three years to the United States. He obtained a degree from an American College, majoring in chemistry. He was a devout Roman Catholic.

While working as a chemist in a research institute, he began studying religions of the world through books presented by his friends. One of those books was the Buddhist Dhammapada which he found coincided with his own beliefs on spiritual salvation of sentient beings. It inspired him to further study of Buddhism for three years and becoming active in the Buddhist Society in America. Without his parents' knowledge, he went to Sri Lanka to be ordained as a monk, and after spending three months there, he came to Myanmar where he was ordained by a leading abbot.

Contracting dysentery a few years before World War II, he returned to Italy for treatment. He returned on foot to the Union of Myanmar, halting in India to visit places where Lord Buddha had lived and preached. Later, leading a party of Thai monks he revisited these places as well as Sri Lanka on foot. Postwar, the Buddhist Association of Mandalay, sent him on a three-year tour of the world to preach Buddhism. He preached in English and used interpreters where necessary.

During the war, the British interned him in India. Denigrated as a Buddhist monk, he secured his release after a 96 day - fast in protest while in the prisoner-of-war camp.

During his stay in Yangon, he toured many riverine towns like Pathein (Bassein), Maubin, Myaungmya, Hinthada, Nyaungdone, Kyaiklat lecturing on Buddhism in English with interpreters including U Eindakawi, a monk residing in Kyaik-hti-yo Kyaung near Pazundaung Railway Station.

He was a strict vegetarian. He was known to meditate sitting cross-legged on the floor, even aboard ships, day and night. He would sleep sometimes in this posture.

He was preparing to go abroad for treatment of cancer, when he died at the hill station of Pyin-Oo-Lwin (Maymyo). His cremation was held with fanfare and ceremony befitting a prominent Buddhist monk.

He has written many a treatise on Buddhism of which the most well known internationally as well as in Myanmar, are on the THE DHAMMA-CAKKA-PAVATTANA SUTTA ANATTA-LAKKHANA SUTTA.