UKT-home.htm
U Kyaw Tun,
M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.), Associate
Professor and Head of Department of
Chemistry (retd.), Taunggyi Degree
College (now University of Taunggyi),
University of Mandalay, Myanmar.
Officially residing with son Dr. Zin Tun at 691 Upper Wentworth Street,
Hamilton, Ontario, CANADA L9A 4V6 . Engaged
in research work in multi-disciplines for Tun Institute of Learning, in
Yangon, MYANMAR.
Daw Than Than aka Than Than Tun (1931-2004). Residence - together with her spouse U Kyaw Tun until her death in Yangon at our family home. She died on Dec 05, 2004. Knowing that her death was drawing near, she and her husband went back to her old home, where she was born, at 31-35 Thantadalan, Sanchaung (formerly Kemmendine), Yangon. She had served in the various universities and colleges for over 35 years as a Demonstrator - not seeking any promotion to be always together with her husband. Though trained as a chemist, Daw Than Than picked up painting in Canada specializing in acrylic, water-color and pencil.
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fam-web-indx.htm
• English Poetry: My interest in English literature includes
poetry. One
of my favorites is
Ozymandias
of Egypt.
See in my notes below:
• TIL Paritta - paritta.htm -
update 2019Dec
Maha Paritta Pali: Eleven Holy Discourses of Protection, by Sao Htun Hmat Win, 1981
with my notes and commentaries.
• Than's Gallery
Room 1 |
Room 2 |
Room 3 |
See more about the family in
Who we are and
read a poem by Daw Than Than: the Mother's wish
who knew she was going to die shortly.
•
Hindu devotional songs -- Hey-Ram.htm
(link chk 191201)
Note: To the Hindus, Saraswati is the Mother-Goddess, but in Theravada Buddhist
Myanmarpré, she is a Buddhist Mother-Goddess, holding the Tipitika on a pedestal
in her hand for the Monks, Nuns, and layman persons alike, to serve them with
their needs. In the same way, Rama may be a Hindu god, but to us he
was a human hero-king. Ramayana is a part of our culture.
Multi-disciplines on what I am learning at my advanced age of 85, which I am offering free online, as Tun Institute of Learning. I'm doing research in Yangon. The following are my interest:
Section 1: BEPS or Binpathak
{ba.ín~pa-þak} and its motto adapted from
Shin Kic'si
{shin kic~sæÑ:}/
{rhin kic~sæÑ}
Section 2: Human voice and Voice-sound production
Section 3: Second language (L2) acquisition of living languages
Section 4: Language (speech
{sa.ka:} and script
{sa}), meaning, religion & thought
Section 5: Myanmar languages and culture
Section 6: Parli
dictionaries and grammars
Section 7: Sanskrit dictionaries and grammars
Section 8: Myanmar: what the Earth has to say
Section 9: Para-medicine :
{pa.ra.hsé:} and Plant Taxonomy .
Note on Section 8: I'm getting fed up with what I'm reading and hearing. I'm a down-to-earth scientist. I am getting fed up with most of the ancient written records on stone, gold and silver sheets, and other writing materials - a lot of them based on the fertile imaginations of the authors. Most of the ancient and modern authors are the same. They unnecessarily belittle Myanmarpré and the language. This is my reaction. This section deals with Cosmology, Geology, Geography and Paleoanthropology. I am calling on Mother Earth to stand witness - to say what has she has to say.
Who were our ancient ancestors, and how did they fared during geological changes from the days when the Earth was formed, continents drifted, new oceans come into being while old ones dried up and their floors raised to become high mountains? How did the changing geography shaped our ancestors, to make us what we are today? How did the land which we call our country come to have so many minerals and varied fauna and flora?
UKT notes :
• A biographical sketch of U Kyaw
Tun
• English poetry
•
References used by UKT : Only some are
given
B.Sc. (Honours in Chemistry) (University of Rangoon), M.S. (I.P.S.T., U.S.A.)
-- 050316, 201129
With my approaching 86th birthday, I am feeling more and more withdrawn from society. I am alone: my wife, Daw Than Than, my class mate and my co-worker in Chemistry, has departed nine years ago. My children are grown up: too busy with their own family lives. I am devoting my remaining days to study -- not to religion. I am a down to earth scientist and I have no faith in any axiomatic religions. Life after Death - just a human wish. Heaven - only a dream. I believe in the most primitive form of Buddhism: the Four Noble Truths, the Anatta theory, and the Twenty-four fundamentals of human thoughts and actions. Those were what the prince-turned-forest recluse found after six futile years of hard work following the established religions of his day. After his discovery of the Four Noble Principles or Truths which were scientific principles not based on any axiom, he declared himself the Originator -- the Buddha.
I, U Kyaw Tun joined the Department of Chemistry, University of Rangoon, as a full time assistant lecturer in 1955. In those days the post was a gazetted officer post. Postings are officially declared by the Government of Burma in its Official Gazette. Lecturing duties were different from laboratory demonstrations. There were officially appointed Demonstrators, but they were considered to be not suitable to lecture. However some very senior demonstrators who had proven themselves capable were assigned lecturing duties. On the other hand some appointed to lecturership and assistant lecturership were not given lecturing duties because they were considered to be lacking in lecturing skills. In my very first year of service, I was assigned as lecturer to the first year science students at the Yankin Intermediate College which had branched out from Rangoon University - entirely different from Yankin Teacher College which came into being sometime later. Each first year and second year lectures were huge - some with as many as 200 students. My lecture sessions were usually about 175. I had just turned 20 years in age and many among my students were older than I.
My duties were extended further the following year as lecturer in Inorganic Chemistry to the third year B.Sc. science students (those taking Chemistry) at the main campus in addition to my duties at the Yankin College. Among my students were my former class-mates from primary school, high school and undergraduate classes at the university.
I was assigned to revise laboratory instructions on qualitative inorganic analysis, and my work was in use up to the time when the medium of instruction was gradually changed in the mid-1960s from English to Burmese.
I served for 33 years in various universities and colleges throughout Myanmar: Rangoon University, Rangoon Institute of Technology, Mandalay University, Bassein College, Workers’ College and Taunggyi College. My last posting from which I retired was Associate Professor and Head of Department of Chemistry, Taunggyi Degree College. I was sent to Taunggyi to up-grade the 2-year undergraduate college to a 4-year graduate college, particularly to reconstruct the chemistry laboratories. A couple of years later, Taunggyi College was changed into a full-fledged university. By that time I had retired after serving 33 years in university service. My service was much longer, if my service as LDC (Lower Division Clerk) in the Accounted General's Office were to be counted. I had not reached my 60th birth day, so I could have served longer, but then I was too eager to chart my life anew.
I had undergone training for an academic year in 1975 in Advanced Research Techniques at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Though trained as a scientist and engineer, I have a keen interest in the culture, history, religion and mythology of various peoples of the world. My knowledge of several languages: Myanmar, English, French, Pali, Swedish and German has helped me in my cultural studies. I have an extensive knowledge of Hindu astrology, specializing the Ashtakavarga system.
I was a part-time columnist writing for the Working Peoples’ Daily (English) in Myanmar and was a member on the editorial board of the North Renfrew Times in Canada. I have given several public lectures in Canada on Buddhism particularly to scientists and engineers, and to non-Buddhists.
Now I am fully engaged with research work on multi-disciplines for Tun Institute of Learning, a free online establishment.
Go back UKT-bio-note-b
UKT 191202: I matriculated to the Rangoon University in 1950, at a very age of 15. Because I would not be allowed to join the university, by a by-law of the university, I had to lie that I was 16. I realized that I was very weak in both English and Burmese languages. As there was no exam at the end of the first year, I had two years before I had to appear the Intermediate Exam. I set to work, with a capital W, during those years to improve my language skills. The English text prescribed for the Intermediate Exam includes the Twenty-three Tales (English translation) by Leo Tolstoy. I got fascinated by many tales included. I decided to copy the whole book by hand, and pronounce each sentence just aloud to myself. With aching hands I finished my task, and found that my English has improved by scoring good marks at the tutorial classes. We were also prescribed English poetry and plays, and I learned many poems by heart. Below is one of my favorites.
Ozymandias - by
Percy Bysshe Shelley
from -
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/46565/ozymandias 191202
Go online and listen to the poem read.
I met a traveller from an antique land,
Who said — “Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,
Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,
And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,
Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,
The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;
And on the pedestal, these words appear:
My name is Ozymandias*, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.”
* ,
Go back Poetry-note-b
-- UKT 130927:
For my research on Bama language and Myanmar script, and Myanmar-Pali, have to download many pages from various web-sites, and have to edit and rewrite them in HTML. Some of the materials were from printed pages which were scanned with the help of my grandson Maung Kan Tun. The scanned materials were also edited and rewritten in HTML. All the materials have been carefully checked especially with regards to characters (many of which were in graphic-format and then set in Unicode font.). Many illustrations have been redrawn.
Some of the works I have referred to are:
• American Heritage Talking Dictionary (AHTD)
• An Elementary Pali Course, by Ven. Narada Thera
Buddha Dhamma Association, Inc. (Sri Lanka)
www.buddhanet.net
• Daniel Jones English Pronouncing Dictionary, 16 ed, (DJPD16).
Cambridge University Press 2003.
• D. Vujastyk, 25 June 1996 http://www.ucl.ac.uk/~ucgadkw/members/transliteration/translit.pdf.
• Folk Elements in Burmese Buddhism, by Maung Htin Aung,
Religious Affairs Department Press, Yegu, Kaba Aye P.O., Rangoon, Burma, 1981.
• Myanmar Saloanpaung Thutpoan Kyam (in Burmese),
Myanmar Sa Commission, Ministry of Education, Myanmar, 1986
• Myanmar Thudda, volumes 1 to 5 (in Burmese),
Text-book Committee, Basic Education, Ministry of Education, Myanmar, ca. 1986
• Pali-English Dictionary (PTS Dictionary)
T.W. Rhys Davids, and W. Stede, Pali Text Society, Oxford, 1999
End of TIL file