About Tipitaka Sayardaws

Four different levels of titles are awarded to the successful Buddhist monks if they can recite 7,983 pages (16,000 pages) of the Buddhist Canon, or Tipitaka, and also pass the written examination.

Tipitaka Selection Examination is the most extensive, most difficult, profound and highest test known. No one passed any of the categories in 1948 when it was first held in Yangon. The aim of the examination was to promote the emergence of the outstanding personalities who can memorize and recite the whole of the Tipitaka - 7,983 pages or about 2.4 million words in Myanmar Pali. It is the longest examination in the world and the entire examination is spread over five years.

The first successful candidate was Venerable U Vicittasarabhivamsa, who became the first ever 'Bearer of Tipitaka' in Myanmar at the age of 42 and his achievement was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records. Since then, more and more outstanding monks have been awarded full titles for their fabulous memory and relentless effort.

The following table lists the Tipitaka title holding monks who have emerged between 1948 and 2001, also mentioning the year they passed the examination and their age at that time.

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