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From Yangon to Webu
In 1941, Sayagyi became the Accounts Officer for Burma Railways. That year, the fire of war was ablaze in the world; the skies of Burma were also overcast with the clouds of war. In July, Sayagyi took an express train, using his special carriage, to inspect the accounts in Myit Tha railway station. When he found that another railway accounts officer had already done so, he had some free time. His carriage was pulled to Kyauksai station where it was shunted aside as he had a few days’ work to catch up on. Due east from the railway station, there was the dark silhouette of Shwe Tha Lyaung Hill, which seemed to beckon Sayagyi. He went there without delay accompanied by the assistant station master of Kyauksai to pay respects at the pagoda on the hill. After doing so, he looked around, enjoying the lush verdant landscape.
In the north there was a small hill, and at its foot they could see a small bamboo-hut monastery. When Sayagyi asked his companion about it, he replied that a monk worthy of veneration was living in the hut, and since he had chosen to live at the foot of Webu Hill, they called him Webu Sayadaw. The people who lived nearby venerated and respected this Sayadaw as they believed he was an Arahat. Sayagyi instantly felt a thrill inside him and wanted to go and pay respects to this Sayadaw. He started to descend directly towards the little hill, but his escort told him that it was not possible to descend from that side of the mountain. “The Sayadaw doesn’t receive visitors now,” the assistant station master added. “I’ll accompany you to his place in the afternoon.”
Back at the station, they had lunch. Then Sayagyi went to meditate in his carriage. He concentrated with mettā on Webu Sayadaw and informed him in his mind that he wanted to come and pay respects. At three o’clock in the afternoon, Sayagyi called his companion and they took a horse carriage to Webu Valley. When the road became too rough, they descended and continued on foot. As they entered Webu valley, their minds became very quiet and serene. They saw the Konawin Pagoda, which is nine cubits high, and the Sīmā Hall* and paid their respects.
At that moment, two lay nuns appeared. As there was no one else around, they asked them whether they could pay respects to Webu Sayadaw. “This is not the time,” was the reply. “You can see him only at breakfast time and in the evening when he gives a discourse.” Sayagyi told the lay nuns it was not important that he see Webu Sayadaw in person. If they would show him his dwelling, he would pay respects outside it. The lay nuns showed him a little bamboo hut, and Sayagyi went closer. He took off his sandals, squatted down on the ground and paid respects. He addressed the Sayadaw in his mind, saying, “Disciples from Yangon are here to pay respects, Sir.”
The little door of the hut suddenly opened and Webu Sayadaw’s face appeared. “What wish do you have in mind as you pay respects, great lay disciple?” were the Sayadaw’s first words.
“Sir, I wish to attain the Paths and Fruition States, Nibbāna,” Sayagyi answered.
“Oh, you want Nibbāna,” the Sayadaw said. “How will you go there?”
“Sir, the way to Nibbāna is the knowledge gained through Vipassanā, paññā,” Sayagyi replied. “I am also directing my mind to the awareness of anicca at this moment.”
“Oh,” the Sayadaw said, “sādhu, sādhu, sādhu (well done). How did you receive this Dhamma?”
Sayagyi replied that he had meditated for seven days under the guidance of his teacher and benefactor Saya Thet Gyi; then he had continued on his own. Even when travelling, as he was at that time, he meditated in his railway carriage.
“You have pāramī, great lay disciple,” the Sayadaw said. “I thought that you must have spent a long time by yourself in the forest and that you must have made great efforts there.”
They spent more than one hour conversing in this way, then after having obtained permission to offer a vegetarian meal early the next morning, Sayagyi and the assistant station master returned to Kyauksai station. The next day they cooked the meal and went to offer it to Webu Sayadaw. He accepted the food and gladdened them again with talk on the Dhamma. The other people who came to offer breakfast said that Webu Sayadaw had never talked that much before. At the end, he said, “Great disciple, you have to give the Dhamma, share the Dhamma you have with everyone. You cannot be sure that you will meet again the disciples who are here with you now. Now that you have met them, give them the Dhamma. Show them the Dhamma to some small extent. Give the Dhamma. Do not wait.” In this way, Webu Sayadaw admonished and stirred Sayagyi.
Sayagyi heeded the Sayadaw’s words. Back at the station in Kyauksai, he taught the assistant station master in his railway carriage. That man was the first person to be taught the Dhamma by Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
*The building in a monastery compound used for ordinations and other formal meetings of the Sangha.
