A British pilgrim meets children living near Anauk Monastery in Pyaw Bwe Gyi Village, the hometown of Saya Thet Gyi. It was also here where the great lay meditation master began to teach the practice, inviting lay people to come to his zayat to study under him. Although the numbers of students were never very high, he did manage to reach a middle-age government minister named Ko Ba Khin, who would go on to open a meditation center in downtown Rangoon and teach some of the Burmese and Shan elites of the post-war society, along with a number of prominent foreigners. While Saya Thet Gyi began his teaching at the family zayat, a nearby monk later became upset that a layman would dare to teach Dhamma. Not wishing to cause any discord, Saya Thet Gyi promptly left the site entirely and was hosted by the Anauk Sayadaw, whose monastery was found in a peaceful stretch of paddy field on the other end of the village. Saya Thet Gyi actually enjoyed this new site more, as it was much quieter and away from the village's thoroughfare. The very room where he instructed Vipassana, housed a beautiful old teak-style building, is visible today and one can pay respects and meditate in this historic site. While many foreign meditators today come to Pyaw Bwe Gyi to visit his zayat, few know about Anauk Monastery-- another of the benefits of joining a pilgrimage.
To read about the previous year's pilgrimage to Pyaw Bwe Gyi, see here!
Dear brother and sister,
ReplyDeleteI am Myanmar who working in Malaysia more than 10 years and I would like to explain about SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION. Therefore, recently I stayed at SASANARAKKHA BUDDHIST SANCTUARY (SBS), Taiping, Perak. I am very close with Ven. U Nandiya Maha Thero.
My monk Ven. U Nandiya is very good heart and compassion to everyone in the world, also I heard when he stayed at Kuala Lumpur Buddhist Temple, he lends donation money to President of Temple (Datuk Yip Kum Fook, MCA Gombak) with amount RM20,000.00 only and he said that money belong to Myanmar society in Malaysia.
On the other hand, my monk said, also many things happened when he stayed there because committees always disturbing, I am very sadly about that matter, why committees are very poor and crooks. Others Temple, people come to Temple to respected Buddha and Monks, also give red packet to monks. Why this Temple, monks must give money to committees, this is opposite.
If anyone receive or read this message, please inform to DATUK YIP KUM FOOK (president of SAMNAK SAMBODHI BUDDHIST ASSOCIATION) to return that amount to my monk as soon as possible.
My monk contact place:
Ven. U Nandiya
Sasana Daja Buddhist Temple
49 Bombay Street, Lidcombe NSW 2141.
Tel: (02) 9649-8124
And:
SĀSANĀRAKKHA BUDDHIST SANCTUARY
c/o: 28 & 30, 1st floor, Jalan Medan Taiping 4.
Medan Taiping 34000, Taiping, Perak, Malaysia.
With kindness
KO KO NAING
Taiping, Perak, Malaysia