প্রবারনা ও আত্মশুদ্ধি -ধর্মদেশনায় শ্রীমৎ উপঞঞা জোত মহাথেরো, Dhamma Deshona-2 by Ven. U Pannya Jota

ধর্মদেশকঃ শ্রীমৎউ পঞ্ঞা জোত মহাথের,
#Ven_U_Pannya_Jota_Mahathera (Burmese: ဦးပညာဇောတမဟာထေရ်, Bengali: উ পঞ্ঞা জোত মহাথের), locally known as Guru Bhante (December 22, 1955 – April 13, 2020) was a Bangladeshi Theravada monk. He was born in the Royal Bohmong family at Bandarban, East Pakistan. He previously served the government of Bangladesh as a judge and magistrate for about eight years; then he became a Buddhist monk.

Biography
Early life
U Pannya Jota (Birth name: U Saw Hla, Bengali: উচহ্লা) was born in Bandarban, East Pakistan, on December 22, 1955. His father Hla Thowai Phru, his mother Aung Mri Ching, and his grandfather Kyaw Zaw Than was the late King of Royal Bohmong family. At the early of six or seven, he began to attend school in Bandarban and after his high school/college he was admitted to Dhaka University in the Law department.
During his university life, he has led several organizations in promoting education among the students. He has joined many organizations and worked for the promotion of indigenous cultural heritage. He used to sing traditional songs at functions and many popular Marma songs like “Sangrai ma” [2] were composed by him. He also formed a music band named The Royal Artists Group (Bengali: দি রয়েল শিল্পীগোষ্ঠী). After his graduation, he served Bangladesh Government as a Judge and Magistrate for about 8 years. As a Judge, he has worked for the justice and peace of the society. At the second time of ordination he took with him a strong determination to become Buddhist monk forever. He resigned from the job and became a Buddhist monk in 1990 at Ching Mrong Bihara.[3] From that day he became known as U Pannya Jota Mahathera. Since then, he has been working tirelessly for Buddha sasana.

Life as U Pannya Jota
U Pannya Jota was very keen in learning and practicing Buddhism in depth. He believed Buddhism has the potential to bring peace in the minds of the people. The teaching and meditation in Buddhism were his strengths for his serving society for peace building. He visited various places and taught Dhamma to the laypeople.
Publications
He was not only practitioner but also a Buddhist scholar. He practiced what he said. And he said what he practiced. That's why he has taken tasks of publishing books on the topics of Buddhism. And these books are widely read by Bangladesh Buddhist readers.

Establishment
Additionally he also built several temples in the country and outside the country.
• Zin Mara Jayi Dhatu Zadi | Bandarban, Bangladesh. (Reconstruction, more than 250 years old)
• Khyaungwa Kyaung Raja Vihara (Chief priest) | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Pannya Passanara Buddhist Monastery | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Buddha Dhatu Naundawgree Zadi | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Maha Shuka Chutongbrae Buddha Dhatu Jadi | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Rama Naundawgree Pagoda | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Rama Zadi | Bandarban, Bangladesh.
• Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery | Yangoon, Myanmar.
• Bangladesh Buddhist Monastery | Maung Daw, Arakan State, Myanmar.
• Kyaukmalaung Zadi | Bandarban, Bangladesh. (under construction)
• The Holy Jaghat Santi Sukha Zadi | Chimbuk, Bandarban, Bangladesh. (under construction)
• Buddha Gaya Temple | Buddha Gaya , India.(under construction)

Buddha Dhatu Jadi
One of the most famous temples is the Buddha Dhatu Jadi. It is an amazingly decorative temple on the hill top. The Golden Temple with golden bell set on a dragon statue along with the second biggest Buddhist statue of Bangladesh. The local people called the Golden Temple as ‘Kyang’. The Buddha's dhatu (relic), which is enshrined in the temple, was a gift given to Ven. U Pannya Jota Mahathera in 1994 by the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee of Myanmar. The Dhatu of Golden Temple has been believed to provide peace and contentment for mankind.

Rama Zadi
Rama Zadi is the largest and tallest Buddhist temple of Bangladesh, which is located in Hoda Babur Ghona area of Rohangchhari Upazila Road, 3 km away from the Bandarban district town. Its height is almost 175 ft.

Participation
These are some of international conferences he attended in promoting world peace by exchange of ideas and also to keep connection with the Buddhist countries around the world.
• The World Buddhist Summit, Yangon, Myanmar 2004.
• UN Day of Vesak, Bangkok, Thailand, 2007.
• UN Day of Vesak, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2008.
• World Religions Conference, Seoul, 2015.

Social welfare
Some of his organizations are for the social welfare purpose. He built schools and learning centers especially for children and monks. Sasana Vaddhana Pariyatti Kyaung (Religious school)
• Be Happy Learning Centre (Orphanage & Free school)
• Kyaukmalaung Girl Hostel (Orphanage & Free school)

The World Buddha Sasana Sevaka Sangha.