A Buddhist's Companion: An Exposition & Selected Quotations of Ashin Thittila

Ashin Thittila was once asked to speak at a general Buddhist gathering where he was to be one of several others to address the audience. The other speakers, including lay speakers who were all also scholars, gave very lucid but somewhat academic short discourses. The Sayadaw, as always, gauging the audience beforehand, included on that occasion a brief and simple illustrative story, one of the Jataka Tales, to highlight the main theme in his talk.

He spoke in a friendly, informal manner that arrested the attention of those listening. Subsequently a middle-aged lady of that audience was heard to remark that it had been a most interesting afternoon, so many learned expositions; but it was the Sayadaw's simple story about which she commented the most.

His calm and gentle approach among strangers and towards audiences, especially newcomers to Buddhism; his humility and his very quiet and simple way of speaking and teaching, has always been the hallmark of his contact with others. Never putting himself forward as master, scholar or orator, but just quietly working always to spread a knowledge of the Dhamma, has been his constant endeavour.