Triple lifetime Dhamma literary award winner veteran writer Sayagyi Wunna Thiri (aka) U Aung Khant passed away at his home in Monywa at 1.30 pm on 2 February.
The book with the title of Lifetime Diary of Ashin Ananda for volume I and 2, younger brother of the Lord Buddha, written as a great masterpiece by the veteran writer was first published by Sabei Oo in October 1977. Sarpay Lawka literature house published the book for the seventh, eighth and ninth times in February 2022, in May 2012 and in February 2022. The literati took a long time to compile the book by overcoming many kinds of difficulties.
The doyen literati was born of father U Kyaing and mother Daw Sein Yin on Sunday, 1st waning of late Tagu, 1297 ME, in Kyitwin Ward of Monywa Township.
He, the novice, started learning education at Maha Zawtikarama monastery in Monywa in 1954 and passed three levels of Pahtamapyan examinations. In his monkhood, he passed the lecturer exam in 1961 with Pali and Myanmar distinctions and secured the Sasana Dhaja Siripavara Dhammacariya Vinaya Pali Paragu title in his fifth vasa.
He started writing short humorous stories in the Ahi journal with a pen name Phone Phone. He continued to use that pen name in writing stories in Myawady and Ngwetayi magazines from 1968 to 1970.
He used the pen name Ashin Wunnasiri for the book “Wimotti Sasana” published in 1974. He compiled the world mirror of the Buddha, the lifetime diary of Nyidaw Ananda, and the great son Rahul of the Lord Buddha. He became a layman in 1981 and used the pen name Wunna Thiri for books on Nyidaw Nanda and Janapada Kalyani, great Arhat and 550 stories.
The Dhamma Beikman Committee conferred a lifetime Dhamma literary award on the doyen literati. He also secured Dhammacariya U Aye Naing lifetime literary award and San Lwin lifetime literary award. — Myo Win Tun (Monywa)/TTA
