Ashin Thittila or Thittilabivamsa (commonly know as  U Thittila) was a Burmese Theravada Buddhist monk, who was also a distinguished and brilliant scholar of Buddhist literature (Pariyatti) and meditation teacher (Patipatta). He is said to be the first religious worker among the Burmese monks left for a foreign country to do Buddhist missionary work by living there for long years, to be exact, 14 consecutive years in England.[1].

Personal

Born

Maung Khin

10 July 1896

Badigon village, Pyawbwe Township, Mandalay Division, British Burma

Died

3 January 1997 (aged 100)He served as a lecturer on Buddhist philosophy known as Abhidhamma at the University of Yangon, took part in compiling the Burmese-English dictionary, jointly working with Dr. Hla Pe, and wrote a few books in English and Myanmar. He is the one who translated Vibhaṅga, the second part of Abhidhamma Pitaka, from Pali to English for the first time. He also worked as a librarian at Adyar Library of Theosophical Society Adyar and the library at Buddhist Society in London.[2]

He could give inspiration and brought many other Buddhist monks from Myanmar to a new level of Buddhist missionary work around the world. He travelled throughout the world to do a great number of talks on Buddhist teachings, particularly Abhidhamma, at a variety of universities and events. In 1956, he received a Buddhist honorific title Agga Maha Pandita[33], which was the only title for outstanding monks annually awarded by the British colonial government from 1915 to 1942.[54] After Myanmar gaining her independence, the government continued this tradition. In the year 1990, the State conferred Abhidhajamahāraṭṭhaguru, one of the highest title, on Ashin Thittila. Another Buddhist missionary title known as Abhidhajaaggamahāsaddhammajotika was bestowed by the government in 1993.[38]

During his stay in Myanmar (1966-1982), he became 'Ovādacariya Sayadaw' (the Elder and adviser) in Sangha Mahanayaka.

He was also a trustee monk of the Shwedagon Pagoda, Sule Pagoda, Kaba Aye Pagoda. He was the examiner of the Abhidhamma Propagation Society in Yangon.