Founded in 1926, Pa-Auk Forest Monastery is a large Theravāda Buddhist monastery situated in a forest along the Taung Nyo Mountain range, emphasizing the teaching and practice of both Samatha (tranquility) and Vipassanā (insight) meditation under the guidance of the Most Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw Bhaddanta Āciṇṇa. It serves as the main centre of the Pa-Auk Group comprising over 40 branches and associate centres worldwide, housing approximately 1,000–1,800 residents including over 300 foreign monks, nuns, and lay practitioners from more than 20 countries.