My name is Ashin Yevata, and I am a monk from MYANMAR studying at the public university in Yangon. I am majoring in oriental studies.
I was born on the 5th of May in 1982. Since I was 3 years old, I have lived in a monastery as a monastic schoolboy. Since the age of 6 years old, I started to study public education and Buddha's literature at the begging of staying in a monastery, even now as I am 25 years old.
Since the age of 7, after my novication ceremony, I became a novice by my venerable monk, my master. My master died later on, and I started to have many difficulties studying in public education. I then started living in different towns from time to time for expenditure of studying in a public university. I have had no parents, no family for nearly most of my life. I grew up, only in monasteries.
Now I am studying, not only in a public university but also on my own in different languages, through literature and people. I can mainly speak the English language, but I also speak German, Spanish, and Thai languages.
The reason I write literature, is because of the limits of my surrounding, and in my monastery this is my hobby, ever since I was young. I always stayed with my master, who is my venerable monk in his hostel. I lived with him in the monastery and studied Buddha's literature in the summer like other monastic boys, as well as novices. They, who are other students, have had to study only Buddha's literature throughout the whole year, but for me, according to my master and his order, I have had to study both Buddha's literature and public education. I have had no free time like long holidays in summer like other students from the school, because I have studied constantly. In my monastery, I have studied the Buddha's literature mostly, but in public school I have studied Myanmar literature, mathematics, geography, the history of Myanmar, foreign countries, science, and social subjects.
When my master went out for long trip to places, I was alone in the hostel where I lived at that time. It is the reason why I started to read not only Buddha's literature, but also homework from the school, such as short stories, love stories, and novels from the outside. I would also read novels and magazines in the night.
Afterwards, I began to write poems when I was 9 years old. Later, I acquired an interest in writing poetry, short stories, novels and articles. I have kept on writing up until now.
Because I stayed near my master, I have been able to meet different people who visit the monastery. Among them, Some have been teachers from public school, doctors, astrologers, writers, a person who is respected by some people, monks from other monasteries, young novices, people feeling mental illness, nuns, the candidate for meditating in the monastery, business men, people having a belief in
, and politician’s. When these people have visited our monastery to discuss things with my master, I would sit near them so that I could listen to their conversations. Sometimes, I was able to speak with them and learn from them.
Later, I met more writers, and became very interested in writing. Since the age of 16, after my venerable monk's death, I settled to live in a few monasteries in different towns. At that time I disconnected from the public school. I then moved around to a lot of towns in Myanmar and studied the Buddha's literature from different monks for about 5 years. This is how I knew about the habits, the strengths, and the weaknesses of the monks and novices in Buddhism. Finally, I have had the chance to live in Yangon and go back to studying in a public university.
Luckily, I have been able to study foreign languages in a non-profit monastic school in Yangon. I have now studied in this non-profit monastic school for about 3 years. When I can speak English with others, I have the chance to communicate with foreigners. Day by day, I deal with different foreigners, and I have loved studying these different languages. I was especially interested in the foreigner who comes from the western civilization, far away from Buddhism. At this time of discussion with them, I have been able to understand more of their opinions, dedication, and consideration about Buddhism.
On the other hand, I am getting to know more and more of the famous writers who speak to me in Yangon. According to their suggestion, and from studying different languages, I have read the English literatures and the philosophy from western books. Also in my university, I have studied such as:
SOKAYETI, PALAYTO,KANT, HEGEL, MARX HEIDEGGER,NIETZSCHE,ARITOTAL R-G KAWLINWUB, BEROM,KALINEBAL, HERBAREIT,TURGENEV, DOSTOEVSKY,TOLSTOY,CHEKHOV, SOLZHEINITSYN, HERMANNHESS,ALBERTCAMUS
,YENPAULSAD,ERNESTHEMINGWAY
,SCHOPENHAUER.
After meeting with the western people and studying the western philosophy as well as literatures, I understand the force of their mind and the weakness of their mind. Later, I had the desire to mix my literatures with philosophy. I found that I preferred to write freely. This idea however, is not possible in Myanmar. So I have not been able to publish any of my writing in Myanmar. I am not so interested in political affairs, but I am sure of it that they don't want me to publish in Myanmar because I do take the freedom of writing what I want. If I try to get the registration for my literatures in Myanmar, I will be put into jail. This is why I prefer to publish my literatures in English in a foreign place. Otherwise, I am just a monk, and all I can do is wait the time.
As of now, I have already translated five articles and two poems, including THE EIGHT PATH WAY OF LIFE, written by my own style from Buddha's literature. At the moment I am trying to translate my long novel into English. I need some corporation from the people who are interested in my writing. I wish to have a foreigner studying Myanmar language, to contact me. Anyone who is interested can give me any suggestion, please contact me.
30,3,2007.
May you be well and happy…
your ashin
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