Ingyinbin Journal: Pottery Making and Vipassana Practice

John, a meditator from New Zealand, spends extended periods in Ingyinbin each year, the home of the revered Webu Sayadaw and with his friend Ashin Mandala. This winter, he has decided to keep a journal, which he has kindly offered to share with us. His journal alternates between observation and poetry, between meditation practice and commentary about Burmese Buddhist society, from his learnings and his questions. The full collection of his musings can be found here.

1 February 

"Day trip to the pot-making factory Kyaukmyaung, near the Irrawaddy, west of Shwebo: 

Kyaukmyaung pottery: orange mounds of stone
crushed to fine dust, doused
& struck on the wheel: Vipassana.

Soon on to the Hanlin Museum commemorating the Pyu people’s civilisation, but before that the group is shown various artefacts and scrolls assembled in the upper monastery room occupied by the visiting Russian academic, researching nineteenth century Buddhist Sangha texts - co-incidentally the same person we met a couple of visits back in an ancient cave in the Sagayan hills where he was painstakingly taking photographs of images in the cave and appeared equally distracted. But Kyaukmyaung: a tiny aperture low at the rear of one of the five or six large brick kilns (each some 20 meters in length) allows us to view the fire capering over the pots, a wafting and deadly light. A worker feeds different grades of pre-cut firewood into another of the several kilns: one day to build the fire, having it burn for three, letting it cool a further three. The young woman who carries a few bricks at a time from a large pile of bricks wears cloth mittens, her clothes thick with dust. Children in the adjacent field containing piles of uncut logs carry and drop bits and pieces. In a bamboo chair, a worker, enjoying Uposata, watches a Burmese soap on the old tube television housed in a dusty box of wood. Women in yet another shed produce more than 50 small elegant clay pots each day: one shapes, taking only a few minutes per individual pot, while her companion spins the wheel in a regular motion by swinging her own leg to and fro with a push with each swing, reminding me of the boatmen on Inle Lake. The larger pots made elsewhere are transported using a 6 inch diameter length of bamboo pole, the pot suspended between two Burmen doing the carrying. Jamie can’t resist, and as carrier he does a fair job, just as he did swinging his leg and spinning the pottery wheel."

Asaygan Fort

By 1850, King Mindon began to build fortifications along the Ayeyarwaddy River to prepare for the expected skirmishes to come with British troops. In 1885, three forts were built in a triangle in attempt to trap oncoming British soldiers, and were considered the last line of defense before the royal capital of Mandalay. Asaygan was one of these three, designed in the shape of a semi-circle, with walls nine feet high with holes for rifle fire (except for the south-facing wall). In the end, however, the forts were never used because the King and Parliament ordered its troops not to resist when the British did eventually come; indeed, when the advancing Colonel White arrived to disarm the populace, he was given a dinner by the newly surrendered Burmese commander. Sir Herbert White writes in A Civil Servant in Burma, “The fall of Mandalay had been so sudden that it had not yet been realized in rural places, and the forces of opposition had not yet been organized. Very soon the turmoil began. It was then long before officers were able to travel without escort in Upper Burma.”

The inexorable march of tropical greenery has invaded even the innermost fortifications, but amidst this one can find some old cannons and the original walls. On the Sagaing side there are tombstones of British soldiers who died in some minor skirmishes in 1885 in spite of the overall peaceful surrender of Burmese forces.

Obviously, this fort is not really related to Buddhist practice in any way. So unless one is a history buff, it may not be worth the detour, and there are certainly no conducive sites for a sitting. But if one does go, the crows can be quite bad here during the cool season, so a laser is recommended. Admission to the fort is free.

"What's So Special About the Sagaing Hills?"

Regarding the recent news about U Sarana undertaking an intensive research trip in the Sagaing Hills, some readers who have not been to Myanmar have asked, "what's so special about this area, anyway?"

This is a fair question, and one that would require a book to answer-- or, perhaps, the upcoming Shwe Lan Ga Lay.

One cannot find the words to adequately describe such an unusual gem as these Hills. It is noteworthy that it has played critical roles in the genesis of the two major Burmese Buddhist practices that have been exported from Burma: Mahasi Sayadaw and Sayagyi U Goenka. It was in Sagaing, at Thameikdawdaya Nunnery just after World War II, in 1947, where Sir U Thwin beheld Mahasi Sayadaw speaking for the first time. He was transfixed listening to the sermon, and later remarked that “[Mahasi Sayadaw] was teaching with utmost dignity in a tranquil state of mind without any distraction….This eminent teacher is the savior I have been searching for.” Conferring with Prime Minister U Nu, Sir U Thwin invited Mahasi Sayadaw to the newly opened Sasana Yeiktha in Rangoon, asking him to be the lead teacher here. It was from this this center where the Mahasi movement swept not only Burma but the entire Southeast Asian region in unprecedented ways, an unparalleled Dhammic movement that had its origins in a humble Sagaing nunnery.

Similarly, U Goenka has suggested that Ledi Sayadaw learned Vipassana meditation deep in the Sagaing Hills from an unknown master. Although there are questions about this speculation, it is extremely significant that this region would be chosen as the origin of Ledi's Vipassana practice, for it is a region especially known for patipatti-minded monks. Ledi would be asked on two separate occasions to return to the Sagaing Hills to drive away plague epidemics, and was successful both times, according to one monk biographer. He also spent the last couple years of his life in a monastery near the Ayeyarwaddy River (although passed away in Pyinmina), where pilgrims can still today go and meditate just beyond the peaceful flowing river. It was also here where he was given the highest award by British colonials. (by this time, however, Ledi was legally blind, having exhausted his eyesight from his continual reading and writing) Also, perhaps U Goenka's greatest contemporary Dhamma friend in Myanmar was Sitagu Sayadaw, who played a critical role for the spread of U Goenka's teachings within Myanmar. And Sitagu Sayadaw, of course, established his famed Sitagu Academy just at the foot of the Hills-- and is now building a massive Vipassana Center much deeper into the Hills in the model of Borobudur in Indonesia.

Until just a generation ago, tigers roamed the dense forestation of the Sagaing Hills, and some monks even today bear tiger scars upon their bodies from attacks that occurred during alms rounds-- talk about unwholesome kamma for the great beasts! Countless arahants have been produced from these Hills, and the surviving stories of their challenges and ultimate successes make some of the most inspiring reading available to meditators today-- it is histories and stories such as these that U Sarana hopes to further track down.

Scattering of Goenkaji's ashes on the Ayeyarwady River

Nearly one year ago, the great lay meditation teacher S.N. Goenka passed away, as various posts in this blog shared at the time. Although Sayagyi U Goenka passed away in India, it was his final wish that his remains be returned to the land of his birth, Burma. The above video shows how his ashes were prepared in Dhamma Joti, the main U Goenka center in Myanmar. Excerpts from Dhamma speeches made at the center are partially translated, and the journey from the airport to the center and then the precious Ayeyarwaddy River are also shown in this video. 

Many local meditators and monks gathered for this occasions, as many will do around the world in the coming months when the one year anniversary of his death approaches, and people will meditate and give Sangha Dana in his memory.

A Shwedagon Replica in the Sagaing Hills

On the Pya Phone Ridge in the Sagaing Hills, one is treated to a spectacular view of the Ayeyarwaddy River to one side, and the many stupas and pagodas of the Sagaing Hills to the other. It is here where a great project is currently underway to build an exact replica of the wondrous Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon.

A Tale of Mohinga

“A dish which is much loved by the Burmese not only at breakfast time but at any time of the day is mohinga. This is a peppery fish broth, which some have eulogistically termed Burmese bouillabaisse, eaten with rice vermicelli. A steaming bowl of mohinga adorned with vegetable fritters, slices of fish cake and hard-boiled eggs and enhanced with the flavour of chopped coriander leaves, morsels of crispy fried garlic, fish sauce, a squeeze of lime and chilies is a wonderful way of stoking up for the day ahead.” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Letters From Burma

“This fish broth is fragrant with lemongrass and pepper, and Myanmar people can hardly go a week without it—I know I can’t.” Ma Thenegi, Defiled on the Ayeyarwaddy


If Myanmar has a national dish, it is certainly mohinga soup. It is eaten as a meal or snack, ordered at a restaurant or market stall, served at a home or monastery. Garnishes commonly added to the soup include boiled egg, gourd fritters, fried peas, shredded garlic, roasted chili powder, shredded leeks, coriander leaves, turmeric, lemon grass, lime, and banana plant. As Ba Than writes in Myanmar Attractions and Delights, “each region, each town, even each reputable shop has its own secret recipe to make it distinct and attractive.” Coastal regions tend to have more fish while the Mandalay area appreciates more of a thick broth with a dahl taste. The Dawei have a local leaf called lankaung that they place in it and the Rakhines like it so spicy there is even a proverb given to the dish, ah pu shar pu, meaning “hot palate, hot tongue concoction.” It is most often cooked in aluminum or steel so that it can be served while still piping hot. Myaungmya style is with fish caviar from the nga tha lout fish. But overall, Yangon is considered to make the best in the country.

Unfortunately for the many vegetarian foreign yogis, mohinga is almost always prepared with a fish broth. Thankfully, there are exceptions that substitute bean powder. Some monasteries will prepare a vegetarian version if they know many foreign yogis are staying, and there are various stalls throughout the country that also make a non-fish version. One of the most locally famous mohinga restaurants in Yangon also has a vegetarian option (which will be included in the upcoming Shwe Lan Ga Lay meditator's guide). On the other hand, when enjoying mohinga, non-vegetarians are wise to heed the Burmese proverb Nga thain mya hin hon, which can be translated as “Too much fish makes the broth unsavory.” This Buddhist-inspired saying points to the notion that having too much of sensual pleasures leads to excess glut.

Similar to mohinga is ohno khaukswe, often called Coconut Noodles. It is easier to find vegetarian versions of this, although it can be oilier than mohinga. A fun fact is that ohno khaukswe doesn’t actually use coconut water as many people think, but rather the milky liquid squeezed from fresh coconut meat until it is entirely dry. Some make it with evaporated milk, as it affects cholesterol levels less than coconut milk. Generally speaking, the lowland southern regions use more coconut milk in their dishes than elsewhere in the country.

One type of noodles used in mohinga that has been popular since 1970 is shwe taung khauk swe, named after its town Shwetaung just south of Pyay on the Ayeyarwaddy. It is an egg noodle dish in a small quantity of clear broth, with a dash of coconut cream and spices. The original shop that made these noodles received a loyal customer in the form of the nation’s president, who arranged for Myanmar’s stall to serve it at an Osaka Trade Fair in Japan.

Burma Pilgrimage #2, Day 17: "Here, change is in your face."

The model plan for the new ambitious Sitagu Vipassana Center. The group sat here in the morning

The upper most paogoda at the Sitagu Vipassana Center. Last month's yatra was the first group to ever meditate there, and this group was the second 

The following excerpt was written by an American yogi about the pilgrimage in Burma. The first pilgrimage has ended, and the second one has just begun! To read about the previous day sitting the self course in the Sagaing Hills, go here. To read about the first pilgrimage group's experience as they explored Mingun, see here.

You can also consider joining a later pilgrimage in Burma.

A view of the Mingun Jetty before boarding the boat back to Sagaing

"The highlight today was an Ayeyarwaddy river boat trip.

On boarding the boat consisted of walking down a sandy bank, onto a 'bridge/plank' brought into being by the alignment of a slab of wood to walk on, and a single bamboo 'railing' held by two men. Arising and passing away is never far away in this land...

The craft was remarkably low set in the water with open windows covered only with adjustable tarp. Rain started during our time on the vessel, with a drop in temperature that few of us were prepared for.

Going down the Ayeyarwaddy was the last leg of Goenkaji's ashes. As we traced his path, we passed tugboats hauling wood cargo, small wooden boats with old motors attached, some puffing out black smoke in their journeys.

All share passage in the muddy waters, in a place where change is a reality of life. The sandy banks actively evolve, with large chunks falling to join the river. Men testing water depths stand guard at the bow, guiding vessels away from swirling eddys and sand bars. The landscape is foggy, with rolling hills framing flat lands interspersed with an occasional thatched hut and flame tree.

One of the things in the West, is that we've created such comfortable (and artificial) environments that we forget that all things change. Here, change is in your face, whether it is in the dimming of the bathroom light because the electric shower head just turned on, or floating down the Ayeyarwaddy in an exposed wooden boat.

Anicca, anatta, dukkha...

A gold statue of Mingun Sayadaw

**************

This Mingun Pagoda is built on seven layers to resemble the seven layers of waves when approaching Mt. Meru

The mood is somber, as we pass near where Goenkaji's ashes were scattered.

The rain picked up, and by the time we got on the bus, we were a wet bunch. And in the moment, huddled together on the exposed bus for warmth, Goenkaji's doha chantings arise, led by a couple of CCTs... a sweet ending to a memorable Ayeyarwaddy trip..."

To read about the pilgrims' final day in Yangon, see here.

The Sitagu Academy Rector gave generously of his time, as pilgrims took advantage of his English fluency to ask him a number of question pertaining to the Dhamma

Burma Day 17: A Day in Mingun

One can read about the previous days in the Sagaing Hills here, and to see how the following yatra group enjoyed Mingun, see here. You can also consider joining a later pilgrimage in Burma yourself. Kory Goldberg continues to record in his personal journal about the current pilgrimage now underway in Burma:

Pilgrims pause at the very well where the "floating knife" and the Vow of Truth took place in the life of Taung Phi Lar Sayadaw

"After a quick morning meal of congee and beans we were off to visit the sites in and around Mingun. We all piled into a pick-up truck-cum-mini-bus for the pleasant, yet bumpy country drive. On the way we stopped for our morning meditation session in a cave that once belonged to the 18th century monk Htut Khaung Sayadaw, the renegade monk who freed himself from monastic convention to pursue an unfettered and disciplined yogic life in the forest. The Sayadaw became famous not only for his dismissal of traditional obligation, but for his respect for nuns and willingness to teach them and provide a space for ascetic practice. This cave, where Venerable Htut Khaung resided for much of his life, still teems with energy as a handful of bhikkhus continue to practice here regularly. It’s incredible how fast an hour flies by at such locations.

One of the pilgrims pays respect to a monk at the original site of Htut Khaung Sayadaw's 18th century monastery

Our Sangha Dana today was at the monastery founded by the late Mingun Sayadaw, the first Tipitika-dhara in modern history. Mingun Sayadaw was made famous in the 1950s on a global scale for his ability to memorize the entire Buddhist canon, approximately 18,000 pages long. He was even admitted into the Guiness Book of World Records for this incredible feat. Today, nine of his students have achieved the same textual mastery, keeping the words of the Buddha close to their hearts and minds. At first glace, spending up to 10 hours a day for years on end to memorize each and every word that the Buddha taught may seem like a waste of one’s life. However, upon deeper reflection, we see that doing so leaves very little space in one’s mind for the mundane and the useless, and serves as a form of meditation practice that purifies the mind, making space for such unique activity to take place (although he did say that he does quiet the mind every morning upon rising and every evening before retiring). The Mingun monk we met today did seem a little robotic in his mannerism, yet he also seemed quite calm and other-worldly, not bothered by the day-to-day inane issues that plague the average person’s mind. Although he did admit that despite his super-human ability to commit the Buddha’s words to memory, he still does misplace his glasses from time to time!  

The group poses for a group photo at Mingun Monastery

After the visit we struck the Mingun Bell (the second largest in the world), visited a touristy pagoda, shopped and drank coconut water. To return to Sagaing we took a pleasant 90-minute boat along the Ayerwaddy River, seeing where Goekaji’s ashes were released and merged back to nature. The boat ride was very peaceful, affording everyone a moment to relax and recuperate from all the intense inner and outer journeying. Before retiring at the Sitagu Academy, we mediated at a nunnery overseen by a 50-something year-old saint named Daw Nu Kati who has been in robes since she was nine. She welcomed this strange group of travelers into her compound, smiling wide, yet unsurprised by this unlikely event. After meditating, she patiently and gladly answered some of our questions about the life of not only a nun, but of a renowned meditation master, a rarity for a woman in Buddhist Asia. She served us snacks, engaging all the tastes: salty crackers, sour amla, sweet bananas, bitter tea. Her presence was soothing and inspiring; totally present, yet not there at all. Once again, a rare and precious moment not to be forgotten! As one pilgrim put it, “it’s like Christmas every day!” Every day while on pilgrimage in such a holy land is certainly a gift. But alas, these daily miracles will soon come to an end, or rather, they will be replaced by other, less evident daily miracles. The challenge is to see these subtle blessings with appreciation and gratitude in whatever form they may take. Doing so will reveal how much we have really learned on this journey through the Golden Land. Let’s see…"

Pilgrims embark the boat in Mingun that will take them along the Ayeyarwaddy towards Sagaing, and over the place where Sayagyi U Goenka's ashes were scattered just months before

To read about the final days, go here.

After a long day, five smiling Burmese girls wait on the pilgrims at Sitagu Academy to offer an evening fruit plate

Scattering of Ashes of S.N. Goenka in the Ayeyarwaddy River

The final remains of S.N. Goenka were brought back to his birthland of Burma in October, to be scattered in three places along the Ayeyarwaddy: Yangon, Mandalay, and Myitkyina. Photos of the Yangon and Mandalay ceremonies are shown below.

October 8: the boat that scattered the ashes of S.N. Goenka in the Ayeyarwaddy River just outside of Yangon

Yogis meditate on the Mandalay barge along the Ayeyarwaddy before the final remains of U Goenka, prior to their scattering

A close-up of the final remains

Change of Plans for Goenkaji's Ashes

The plans for the ceremonies have changed and are now as follows. The ashes will be scattered:

• October 8 in Yangon
• October 9 in Myitkyina
• October 10 in Mandalay

As one local Burmese meditator comments, "one very remarkable thing is at other funerals many people are sad and some may cry, but we all are delighted to celebrate and give our last respect toward our respected Puja Guruji Goenka. According to reports, Mataji will come and participate in this trip."

There is thus still time for foreign yogis to take part in these events.

Photos of Dhamma Joti preparations

The below photos show the preparations Dhamma Joti is making prior to receiving the ashes of S.N. Goenka, in an event that is being called "The Final Journey."

Sitagu Sayadaw will take the ashes toward the Ayeyarwaddy River, with over 500 monks and ten of thousands of followers in town. Ten large ships will follow along on 10th October, going towards the site where the great meditation teacher was born.

Scattering of Ashes

Sayadaw U Nyanissara is scheduled to scatter U Goenka's ashes from three locations along the Irrawaddy River concurrently.

Dalla and Pyaw Bwe Gyi: Saya Thet Gyi's Center

For this Shwe Lan Ga Lay excerpt, we have included the introduction to the Dalla region, the gateway leading to the area south of Yangon across the river, and which leads eventually to Saya Thet Gy's village and meditation center further south.
---
“Halts are made at every village and the people swarm on board by the hundreds, and great is the haggling, noise, and confusion. It is curious to watch the manner in which this is kept up over every article purchased, until the last warning whistle drives the crowds ashore.” M.M. Shoemaker, Quaint Corners Of Ancient Empires (1899)

Getting to the sites listed below is half the fun, and as the journey takes you over Yangon River it also takes you closer to the rice fields of the low-lying regions of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, close geographically but increasingly further in culture and tradition than Yangon. This is the river that a middle-aged Sayagyi U Ba Khin rowed across when escaping his government office to learn meditation under Saya Thet Gyi, which at the time would have been filled with ships and junks of all kind dealing in trade. B.M. Croker describes an amusing incident in The Road To Mandalay (1917) where a herd of 60 elephants are encouraged to swim the entire one mile between Rangoon and Dalla, and upon reaching the shore are promptly hoisted onto a ship at the pier one by one. Although it’s not clear if this is a true story, Dalla served as a repository for the Burmese rulers’ elephants, so it is certainly plausible. Long before this, however, Dalla was a place of great importance, and Dagon (the village that stands where Yangon is now built) was known for one thing only: its Golden Dagon (or Shwe Dagon) Pagoda. Although this was almost 1000 years ago, when Dalla was the principal town in the Delta and was located closer to what is modern day Twante. Even as late as the 16^th century it was known, with Englishman Ralph Fitch noting that it “hath a faire Port into the Sea, from where goe many ship to Malacca, Mecca, and many others places,”

When looking to get out here, you can take the long and expensive way, which involves taking a vehicle from Yangon and driving far out of your way to cross the river at Hlaing Thar Yar bridge (and will take you a half day in total and cost as much as 100,000 kyat), or you can go the short and inexpensive way by ferry. To do this, go to Pansodan Boat Jetty. As you walk in the station, you’ll be directed towards the left side and into an office area, where you will be required to purchase your tickets with US dollars (or kyat if you don’t have them). The cost is $2 (or 2000 kyat) per person per way, and you might as well buy for the round trip. Make sure you bring a copy of  your passport when purchasing the ticket. The most you’ll have to wait for a ferry is a few minutes. When one pulls in it will be impossible to miss, as you’ll see a mass exodus of humanity on and off the wooden dock. Once on the boat, you can go to the upper deck, where you have a better view, and sit on one of the small plastic chairs for about 100 kyat. You’ll reach Dalla in ten minutes, but in many ways the ride feels more like 30 years or 300 miles. You’re now at the edge of the Ayeyarwaddy Delta, where the landscape has flattened out and the villages are more rural and poor. 

A Burmese man looks out on his boat across Yangon River, with Dalla stretching across the far shore