Pyay Way was a monk for over 20 years. He now runs an art gallery that has become a central social scene for artists, art lovers and the wider community alike. In this heartwarming and funny talk, Pyay Way shares his transition to being a layperson and how he applies the principles that he gained in monkhood - Kutho (merit), Panna (knowledge) and Ucca (riches) - to live a fulfilling life with meaning and merit.

Pyay Way is the founder and curator of Nawaday Tharlar Art Gallery in Yangon. Nawaday Tharlar means “A Place for a New Day” in a hybrid of Pali and English. Since its founding in 2012 Nawaday Tharlar has become a vibrant community of painters, sculptors, writers and poets from all around Myanmar and beyond. It is a venue for anyone to come and share stories, art, and perspectives at open mic nights; a home for artists to share and learn with others at workshops and free classes; and a place for community organizers to meet and develop philanthropic programs such as flood relief, trash collection, and health projects for those in need. Pyay Way was previously an ordained Buddhist monk for 20 years. During that time, he studied Buddhist philosophy at Sitagu International Buddhist Academy and Masoeyein monastery, and later linguistics at the University of Hyderabad. Since leaving the monkhood Pyay Way has continued to be captivated by philosophy, poetry, and art of all kinds.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx