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Venerable Ledi Sayādaw

Uttama Purisa Dīpanī
A Manual of the Excellent Man

Translation by U Tin Oo (Myaung)
of Ledi Sayādaw’s Uttama Purisa Dīpanī
Edited by Bhikkhu Pesala

For Burmese Buddhists, Venerable Ledi Sayādaw needs no introduction, since his fame is legendary. Many Buddhists outside Burma will also have read his Manuals of Buddhism, or at least extracts from it such as the Magganga Dīpanī or the Bodhipakkhiya Dīpanī, which are both published by the »» Buddhist Publication Society. As the name implies, a Dīpanī is a work that illuminates the subject, so we can call it a “manual” or an “exposition.” The Venerable Ledi Sayādaw is deservedly famous for his expositions, of which he wrote more than seventy. All of them show his deep learning of the Pāli texts and commentaries, but this work especially urges Buddhists not to be content with mere devotion or academic learning, but to take up insight meditation in earnest to gain penetrative knowledge of the Noble Truths.

In the initial draft, there was some inconsistency in the dates. Working back from B.E. 1359 (1998) 1261 should have been 1900, not 1899 as stated, and the completion date (of 1262) was given as 1901. So I asked a friend to consult a 100-year calendar. It turned out that the Sayādaw received Maung Thaw’s letter on 9th March, 1900 and completed the work on 28th April, the same year! (The Burmese New Year begins in April). The Sayādaw had indeed been burning the midnight oil for an early reply. I have been working on this edition (among many other works, it must be said) for at least eight years, but the Sayādaw completed it in just seven weeks.

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A bodhisatta must satisfy eight factors before making a vow at a Buddha’s feet. Then he must fulfil ten perfections of the highest order. In his final birth he becomes an Excellent Man by attaining Arahantship.