Ingyinbin Journal: Ordinariness in Everything

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.

16 January

Back from Shwebo following a muddle over the pickup arrangements, and Karen with a heavy cold, the prominent gold pagoda spire seen at a distance of some kilometres foreshortens the distance. Return with evening-time.

Under the wispy moon in the still-blue sky
lines of white birds sweeping into the tamarinds.
Silent, graceful, landing as new leaves.

The following morning I walk with Kwau Soe to the patipatti compound, where shortly after Yan Aung Shwe joins us, wearing treble sweaters. We examine the U Ba Khin building, which Aung Shwe has recently upgraded adding new facilities and paint. He wants the small corner room with generous windows on three sides where U Ba Khin spent a week ordained to be reserved for serious mediation only. Beyond this building stands another, rather dilapidated one, used during Webu’s time by his donor, a former Burmese Railways Minister.

From a nearby tree Kwau Soe plucks from a tree vine several tiny orange berries each with a black spot at one end which he holds out in his open palm. He explains that in his childhood they used to thread these berries onto a thread of cotton to make necklaces:

Kauw Soe gathers the tiny orange berries
they once threaded onto necklaces:
the devas on their elevated platform are benign.

He also stops to pick up from a narrow ledge at the arahant’s pool a small tortoise, white on the underside and less than half the size of his palm, with two small legs occasionally emerging and flailing, while the head remains firmly ensconced within the body - until the creature is returned to the water, where its head and legs re-emerge and after a brief flurry it disappears beneath the surface of the stagnant water. Shortly after, we visit the deva platform, a place where Webu is said to have been sometimes found meditating; and to my surprise beneath the expansive banyan tree nearby there are a couple of gnat altars decorated by devotees with fresh cut sprigs placed in jars; then over we head to the monks’ quarters, where just today the aged blue Plymouth car donated to Webu some sixty years ago has been towed back from Kin-U, a mere shell but impressive still.

We enter Webu’s rooms, where Aung Shwe recounts for me the last hours of the Sayadaw’s life: a final visit to the toilet in the adjoining room followed by collapse on his return, immediately lifted and carried by his assistants to the dais where shortly he passes away, cradled in arms including those of the current Sayadaw on the pariyati side. Several events of the final days are captured in the photographs that hang on the walls and I look long at them.

Karen and I return to the hut after lunch and sit through the afternoon, re-entering it late but still bright and welcoming.

Leaving the hut, the warm sun,
the wavy leaved tree displays perfumed white flowers
which we saw yesterday cupped in the old woman’s hands.

Perhaps this is a reasonable juncture at which to digress and recount an event of a few days later concerning the now 81 year old Sayadaw and the 83 year old Indian nuclear physicist and physician recently arrived to take robes and meditate. On the morning of his ordination the Indian gentleman is sat down on a small wooden stool beside the concrete trough used for washing by the monks and a young monk proceeds to shave the remaining ring of grey hair from the elderly fellow’s head in quick straight bursts of the razor. From there Bhante leads him to the dining room, where he becomes a novice prior to receiving full ordination. Pali phrases are said and repeated, robes passed as dana to the preceptor are returned and donned with the help of a couple of attending novices. Next a large young monk directs us to the Sima Hall, where an animated preceptor Sayadaw proceeds gleefully to compare the ripened age of each the novice, he himself, and the Buddha; once again he points to the upper lip and repeats Webu’s injunction to hold the attention right there uninterrupted on the breathe 24 hours in the day. The village musicians start up prematurely, thinking the foreign guests (six of us at this time) who now vacate the hall include the entire ordination party. It’s another 30 minutes before their cymbals and drums sound again in urgent unison as the monks reappear and we have the chance to give to tach of them a modest dana.

Late in the afternoon the guests enter the Sayadaw’s quarters in the ramshackle old teak hall, rows of empty Red Bull cans lining the inner entrance. Sayadaw sidles onto the floor with us and the priceless Buddha relics are brought out. A new glass dome has replaced the old one which has been roughly glued together following an earlier mishap. It is topped with a small black carved pagoda and the same wood serves as a pedestal, studded with lips of ivory. It is an ivory lotus that houses the tiny container which contains the dozen or so ‘mustard seed’ sized bone relics, wrapped in a small piece of purple cloth. Each petal has been individually carved, so that one that is near the relics curves up from the rest of the holder almost perpendicularly. Each of us in turn has a white cloth placed on our head while another holds the relic holder over the head for a couple of minutes. This has happened for me before, and at least this time the mind remains composed even though there is a strange and unsatisfied sense that there should be a ‘special’ experience or sensation to report. Ordinariness can feel like a major disappointment! Finally, it is Snow’s turn; as I rest the relics on her head a sudden buzzing sound is immediately followed by an itchy sensation and I realise a mosquito has just landed and bitten me on the cheek.

Sayadaw scrambles after almost spilling
a ‘mustard seed’ bone relic.
Cats, medicines, newspapers, plus one freshly ordained monk. 

Cats race the roof as the black wooden bowl
housing the Buddha relics gets held in turn
above each head. Still within the mind kicks. 

I hold the relic holder above Snow’s head
two minutes; knees pretty unsteady; hands
occupied, a mosquito stationed on my cheek.

As if I hadn’t appreciated the ordinariness in everything, later bhanti-ji, quite hard of hearing, explains that he had heard little or nothing, and asks why the grains of rice had been treated so reverently and whether it was these that had been referred to as ‘mustard seeds’.

The Sayadaw himself, surprisingly impish and bright-faced, each day perambulates the compound with his walking poles, using them to indicate this or that or else to admonish recalcitrant novices:

81, more a jaunty 18, soiled
robes and hugely calloused feet, this
Sayadaw held Webu when he passed.

"Being the Only Meditator in the Monastery"

The following narrative continues the story of a Mexican meditator who has been in Burma for many years. This is the seventh entry, and the beginning post can be found here.

"I had a lot of misunderstandings with Burmese people because of culture differences. One example is how affection is expressed. In Mexico it is seen as wholesome to show our affection to people that we love by hugging and kissing. But in Burmese culture this is very strange behaviour. In Kalaw I had a Burmese language teacher that came to the monastery to support the yogis with food. Every time I was sick she would come and see me, and so I felt a lot of appreciation towards her. My way to express gratitude was to hug and kiss her. However, later on I was told that she felt very strange when I did that, and she did not know what was happening because she had never hugged anyone before. So it was a new experience for her and for me as well. Something that is so common for me, for her is an uncomfortable moment.

Eventually, the rest of the yogis left and I was the only yogi at the monastery in Kalaw. The lay people around were mainly workers and there was just one monk in the monastery. I continued to have interviews every day with him. However, I had some difficulties with one new worker who came to the monastery. He was a boy around 16 that was very curious about foreigners. Nothing extraordinary happened but I needed to ask the main monk to move this kid away from the dorm where I was staying. It was mainly childish games but they did make me feel very uncomfortable because I was the only yogi and single women living in the dorm.

After the monk moved the child from the dorm I needed to establish my practice again cause I was experiencing a lot of Dosa. For other women who come to Myanmar to meditate, I think it is important that they know that generally speaking, Burmese women are never alone. This was also new for me to have to learn, because most of the time I am used to be by myself. I want to share that there is not much to fear because the general population is very kind and mellow, but is important to keep in mind the customs of the country.

Also Myanmar people are in general very curious to meet foreigners because they see them so seldom. Most of the time this is done in a very gentle and naive way, however, is important to have some distance with men because they are not use to see women by themselves. Generally speaking, Myanmar is a very safe place compared to India or Latin America. But is important not to be alone with a Myanmar men because they are not use this interaction.

In my case, they actually put this Burmese boy in the dorm with me because they thought I will be more comfortable with someone in the dorm. This was not true: I was so happy to have free space at that time. I just needed to lock the doors before going to bed and I was fine. Most Burmese women believe that they cannot be by themselves because they are told that they should not so from a young age, so they never experience total solitude. Also, I find that many are afraid of ghosts and darkness. The situation I faced is not so uncommon, that is, where a Burmese man volunteers to stay close to the lady so she can feel protected. If the foreigner lady does not know very well this person, it is better not accept the offer.

After they took the boy out of the dorm the Western monk came again and he helped me to re-establish awareness and Samadhi because I was a little bit agitated. Then I could see that it was mainly a childish game because the boy did not bother me anymore. Thanks to this monk little by little I could understood the Shwe Oo Min method better.

Some others yogis came to the monastery and we were now three yogis with the Western monk there as well. The main Sayadaw of the monastery needed to leave so the the Western monk came to be appointed the head during this time. This monastery and especially this particular time with the other yogis was very significant for the practice for me. I felt comfortable and with good company and guidance. So I could experience how the practice was progressing little by little.

Because the monastery was very free, we could also play with the practice and figure out which was the most skillful way to develop the practice. This freedom was significant for the practice. It gave me confidence that it was working. Confidence in that the practice by itself will give results. The practice does work and is important to gave a good guidance but ultimately the one that is making the job is the yogi. So it is confidence in that the yogi have already all the necessary prerequisites to progress. The practice by itself will allow the yogi to grow. 

The others yogis did not spend the Waso (Rains Retreat) in the monastery. They needed to go for different reasons. So I was the only yogi one more time. Because this time was more than one month been the only yogi, sometimes I struggled a little. At some point I needed some other yogi company. However, this did not stop me from meditating. I tried as much as I could but sometimes the progress was a little bit slow because of the conditions at that moment. I believe I was not fully prepared for the experience. The interviews with the Western monk were useful to balance the practice. And the freedom that the monastery gave to the yogis help me also to don't push to hard when the mind was not completely stable.

After a couple of months one of the yogis that left came back and I could have some company. By that time it was Kathina time. So the main monk of the monastery came back with a lot of yogis from Vietnam. At that point the monastery was full of people. Before Kathina started, the monastery needed to get ready but the workers were doing very little work. Close to the date of Kathina everyone in the monastery was running to finish all the work. It was my first time to be in a Kathina ceremony and I was invited to visit others Kathina events in town. I found it very interesting. The Kathina in our monastery was very small comparing to the Kathina in the big monasteries.

By that time Kalaw was very cold in the mornings and at night. At noontime it was ok, but generally speaking was much cooler than Yangon. Because of that reason I got a cold and I needed to stay there to recover."

"How I Got To Myanmar"

The following story is the beginning of a tale by a Mexican yogi who has been in Burma for many years. This tells how she first arrived in the country. The next post in the series can be found here.

"I came to Myanmar as a tourist with my parents. Before my arrival I was doing retreats in Nepal and Thailand and I was looking for a suitable meditation centre where I could keep practicing. However I knew almost nothing about Myanmar. I just went there because my family wanted to travel.

One of the first places we visit in Yangon was the pagoda next to the Theravada Buddhist University. In the pagoda they had some relics from the Buddha and Sariputta. I was very excited to have access to these relics because in Mexico, every time that some relics come, there are long lines of people that want to see them. In this pagoda, there were very few people.

The tourist guide asked me if I was Buddhist and I told him that I was interested in meditation. He took us to his Spanish teacher who happens to study in the Theravada Buddhist University (ITBMU) and told us about Shwe Oo Min Meditation Centre. He told us that it was a suitable meditation centre for foreigners. That evening we went to visit the meditation centre and we met Sayadaw U Tejaniya, who explained us how the monastery function and gave me a sponsor letter.

I left Myanmar and went to Cambodia. Before my visit to Myanmar I had planned to ask for an Indian visa to look for a meditation centre in Dharamsala. Suddenly, I heard about an Indian girl who was raped by six Indian men in a public transport. That news made me not to go to India and chose Myanmar instead. Even though I did not have any information about the teacher Sayadaw U Tejaniya, my experience in Myanmar was very pleasant. The city was very safe and people were extremely gentle and kind, so the conditions for the practice seemed to be ok. So I decided to move to Myanmar.

In my arrival to Myanmar, local people helped me a lot. The tourist guide who had introduced me to U Tejaniya picked me up and brought me to a monastery outside of Yangon where I could rest a little bit before going to Shew Oo Min Monastery. I was the first foreigner who was visiting that monastery. People were very curious about me and they wanted to talk with me. I found it very charming. A local nun was looking after me and gave me a shelter, food and company. Now this monastery is my home in Yangon. Every time I need to go to a new monastery in other district, I stop with this Sayalay (the Burmese word for nun) to say hello, spend some time, gain some energy and love to start a new retreat."

Nuns in Burma

Progress on the Meditator Guidebook to Burma continues. As the guide gets closer to publication, we will begin to share excerpts of what yogis may expect... some sneak previews of what is to come. Here is an excerpt from the the section describing nuns in Burma:

In the 20th century, several attempts by well-respected Burmese monks were made to formally reinstate the bhikkhuni order in Myanmar, but none were successful. U Adicca first tried in the 1930s. The monk used a creative strategy to make his case. When the first 500 bhikkhunis were ordained by the Buddha, they were asked the essential questions demanded by protocol by senior monks. But when increasing numbers of women came to ordain later on, there was a concern that some of these questions were of a private nature, and it was more appropriate for bhikkhunis to question them. The Buddha thus made a new ruling that these questions were to be administered by bhikkhunis, rather than the senior monks. In most cases, when the Buddha gave a new ruling, he explicitly voided the previous ruling. But in this case, he did not do so. A primary reason for not being able to establish a bhikkhuni order in modern times is related to this second ruling: if only bhikkhunis can ordain women, and there are no bhikkhunis remaining, then it follows that no new ones may be recognized. The line is broken. However, U Addica argued that because the Buddha never explicitly canceled the initial rule in which monks played the role of questioner, then contemporary Burmese monks may be able to play this role today still today. However, his attempt was not accepted by others in the Order.

Later, the Mingun Jetawun Sayadaw U Narada (the teacher of Mahasi Sayadaw) attempted again in the 1950s, with the consequence being censured and the banning of some of his works. The Burmese government itself advocated a “Bhikkhuni Sasana” in the 1970s, but this also did not turn out. Theravadin efforts to re-establish the bhikkhuni order can be found outside of Burma as well. In 2007, a pan-Buddhist meeting called the International Congress on Buddhist Women’s Role in the Sangha convened to find a way to encourage world-wide legitimacy of the bhikkhuni order in all Buddhist traditions, a move favored by the current Dalai Lama. Then, in 2009, Venerable Ajahn Brahmavamso, an English monk in the Thai tradition who resides in Australia, ordained four women in Perth, for which he was removed from the Ajahn Chah Forest Sangha lineage tradition. 

There was one well-known case from the 1980s in which a famous Burmese nun went to Sri Lanka to ordain as a full bhikkhuni. (Sri Lanka has a recognized bhikkhuni order that comes from the Theravadin sect Dharmaguptika, whereas in Burma it is traced to Vibhajjavada. Towards the end of the 20th century, an international bhikkhuni ordination took place in India, conducted by various monks from around the world, and ordaining Dharmaguptika bhikkhunis into the Vibhajjavada order, based on an argument put forward by Bhikkhu Bodhi.)  Before doing so, she sent a letter stating her intentions to the Burmese State Sangha, who responded that this was, in their opinion, not in accordance with Burmese Buddhism. When she returned to Myanmar on a visit, she was forced to disrobe, which she did. 

One may also read inspiring testimonials by a German nun at Pa Auk, a Japanese-Australian nun in Mandalay, and a Spanish nun deep in the forest.

The Sagaing Hills: "A Fairyland of Pagodas"

A view of the magical Sagaing Hills, resting on the Ayeyarwaddy, across from Mandalay.

New Zealander yogis Bruce and Marion Forbes brought their two children to Myanmar in 2012. In the following passage, they share about their deep connection with the Sagaing Hills:

"We had heard about Sagaing from one of our meditator friends, Karen. She had described it as 'Fairyland' because of the numerous golden-spired pagodas in the hills. She had spent a very special time there, meditating in a cave. We knew that it was home to 6000 monks and was believed to be the place where Vipassana Meditation was kept alive over the centuries. My husband had also visited Sagaing 5 years earlier and had made friends with an trishaw driver, Maung Htay and a monk called Panna Sami, so we were all eager to visit. We spent a few days in Sagaing visiting friends, walking in the hills, taking in the sights, visiting monasteries and meeting the monks and nuns. After a few days, we visited Pyin Oo Lwin, a cool hill station which had been the summer capital of British Burma in a bygone era. Though picturesque, we found that we were missing Sagaing, so we returned for a few more days. Our days in Sagaing flowed so well. We had many wonderful experiences and our family felt so welcome, especially at the monasteries. Staying in Sagaing was the highlight of our trip in both Myanmar and India."

Two novices sit at the base of a stupa in the Sagaing Hills

The Yogi Bear Diary #3: "The Flying Pink Nun"

The author renouncing the world as she takes ordination

Australian yogi Nobuko Nakano has spent an extended period living a dhammic life in Burma, and continues on her reflections on her experiences. Her first entry can be seen here, and previous entry here. This is the third and final entry (for now).

"Dear faithful yogi bear diary readers,

After a year and one month staying in Yangon, nine months at The Phyu Tawya as a yogi, I went to Dhamma Sindhu vipassana centre, Gujurat, west India in late November to sit a 45 days course. It was really really great to have finally been able to sit a 45 days course.

Certainly, you go much deeper than a 30 days, almost where it finishes on the 30 days mark, and the 30 days students leave, the rocket keeps going, into a deeper meditation of awareness. On completion of the 45 days course, I came back to Burma alone, with the intention of ordaining. I had been in a committed relationship for almost a year by then, based on the decision of wanting to ordain, it was decided it would be best for us to break up.

Athough I was very heartbroken having to do this, I also knew in my heart, if I were to take the choice of really ordaining seriously, I had to let the relationship go, I knew I could not do both.

Chan Mya Nunnery. The White Building is the author's residence.

Through a sequence of events, my original plan of either going back to The Phyu Tawya where I was before or Pa Auk monastery in Mon state (south Burma) were completed shifted into a different direction.

The dhamma winds led me to the second senior Sayadaw at Mingala Sukkha Pali University in Tamwe, Yangon (a brother monk attends the university and lives there on a whim I was able to meet this Sayadaw).

This Sayadaw was 82 years old, but very genki (energetic) and present in his mind, and he really enthusiastically suggested I go to Mandalay, where there is a very big monastery where they teach Abhidhamma, and the Sayadaw there can speak English, and teaches Abhidhamma classes in English.

So actually I received this guidance exactly the night before thinking of coming back to The Phyu Tawya. The next day, my plans went a totally different direction and I travelled to Mandalay, accompanied by the monk brother, who lived at Mingala Sukkha.

Although my plans had experienced anicca on what seemed like on a whim, this felt like the most clearest choice and right in my heart.

Having studied the intensive 3 and half month Pali course at Dhamma Giri (in 2010, I had enjoyed it very much, although I had found it very challenging. The pace and the amount of material to be studied was really full on.

I had somewhere in my mind, wished to continue the studies of Pali somehow, but not wishing to do the Pali course again.

This was my chance to reconnect with Pali studies, and on top of that, I could also have a chance to study the Abhidhamma (the profound teachings of the Buddha).

So, as soon as I arrived in Mandalay, through contacts, I was brought to Chan Mya Ran Thi, in Yankin Hill in Mandalay, which is a very big nunnery where it specializes in Abhidhamma teachings and classes.

Sunrise over nearby Mandalay Hill

On January 26th, I ordained here, and I really couldn't have asked for a better place to be ordained and surrounded by such heartfelt, metta filled, generous and caring sisters. and a wonderful, nurturing sayagyi (head nun).

Ordaining and becoming part of the sangha and living the life is something I’ve wished to do for a very long time, and it took me time to really feel like I was in the motion of it actually happening.

I think it was at the time, the sayagyi was cutting and collecting locks of my hair off my head, and they were being gathered on a cloth in front of me. I could feel my hair was becoming very short, and was starting to feel very exposed, and from seeing my chopped off hair laid in front of me, it was very tangible evidence it was happening! :)

The author has her hair cut before nun ordination

The next day, I came to the very big Abhidhamma monastery Oo Yin Garden Monastery, also known as the International Institute Of Abhidhhamma, which is about 12 minutes walk down the road from Chan Mya nunnery.

It is a campus of Yangon University, International Institute of Abhidhamma faculty.

There are about 400 monks studying here all under the guidance of Sayadaw U Jotika, (who is a different sayadaw than the famous author),

And wow, when you come here during the class times, you can hear the roars from different classrooms, of the recitations and chanting of the different Abhidhamma chants and Patthanas being learnt off by heart by the novices and monks. It is such very great vibration, and very deep, and also very inspiring to be in this environment.

I met the head Sayadaw U Jotika, and arranged to have daily Abhidhamma classes with him. So now my daily life has changed from practising the patipatti so much to more so the pariyatti, which really suits me fine. I feel I’m able to get the balance of the other side more now, after having lived in the dhamma bubble of Goenka vipassana centres and giving service for about 6 and a half years and sitting full time at The Phyu Tawya for more than nine months, and topping that off with a 45 days days course, studying the Abhidhamma is a change which is really wonderful.

The author at Oo Yin Monastery with novices

Everyday i keep up the practise of sitting at least two hours of Goenka vipassana meditation, which is also a feast of reharmonizing and peace inside.

Studying the Abhidhamma, many say it can be dry and boring, or it goes over the head, but I feel if it is taught to you in such a way that is tailored to your pace of understanding and with a teacher who wants you to really understand, then it is really amazing to take on.

What I’m discovering about the Abhidhamma is that it is a philosophical understanding of how our consciousness operates. Actually I studied biological science at university (biology based science) and somehow, when we study into our layers of consciousness, the way in which the philosophy is explained in very fine detail is like a dissection, very similar to the dissections which I used to do in plant science or animal science labs.

You learn on fine detail the layers and factors which constitute a wholesome mind, unwholesome mind, the magnificent mind existing in the various 31 realms of existence, and so much more...

I really enjoy these daily classes I get to have with the Sayadaw one on one. He is very knowledged in his field and his teacher was the well regarded Dr Nandamalabhivamsa in Burma, who now gives dhamma and Abhdhamma talks around Myanmar and on Buddhanet, the cable TV.

And here at the monastery, i also have an opportunity to give back somewhat, by teaching the head Pali and Abhidhamma monk teachers English classes, which is really fun.

Actually, Sayadaw U Jotika is really forward thinking. in construction now is a large 7-story accommodation building, due to be finished in a year.

the Sayadaw foresees this to be a global Abhidhamma centre, to invite and encourage yogis and Sangha all over the world to come and study the Abhidhamma and Pali here.

During the week I get two days off to study and relax, which I requested, and as the Sayadaw is very flexible and open, he was really more than willing to offer this.

During the evenings, I go back to Chan Mya nunnery, to sleep and relax where I keep up the homework studies, and also have a chance to reconnect with feminine sisterly energy, and connecting.

As most of the nuns do not speak English, one can speak some slight English, I am turning to learning Burmese... at last! :)

Learning at The Phyu Tawya where I lived for nine months, learning Burmese was only short words here and there, mainly because most Sangha and yogis were in noble silence, but now, communicating inwardly and also with others is what its all about.

The author formally takes the precepts

Here at the monastery, I can also get to watch Skynet, Cable TV, so I can watch BBC news or CNN or NHK and keep connected to what is going on in the world out there. Dukkha and more Dukkha it seems like :p

I try not to watch it as soon as I come here after breakfast from Chan Mya nunnery.

If I’m eating snacks, and also watching the news, it'll feel like I’m digesting the dukkha also...

I read from Sayadaw U Jotika, the author, that its actually best not to watch the news or read the newspaper first thing in the morning, you should surround yourself with good news, or happy news or news that inspires you especially first thing in the morning.

So now officially, the diary of the yogi bear has come to completion… it is much later than what I intended, but actually, “kalam agamiye,” let the time ripen... and it has.

Over and out… may you all attain the magga (the eightfold noble path), the phala (the fruits developed from following the path), and nibbana.

With much metta, Sayalay Mananda Mala"

The author, right, and her roommate

How Burmese Spend a Saturday Night

In the area known as the "Land Of Victory" at Shwedagon Pagoda (both where kings would come to receive blessing during stressful periods and where large groups mediate together), a slideshow is set up of the sacred sites relating to Buddha's life in India and Nepal. Several hundred faithful gathered to hear the description of sites as they were displayed on a large screen placed towards the North Gate. While various forms of entertainment may be predominant in other countries, here families came to learn more about the special sites where many, due to a lack of funds, may never get to see personally in their own lifetime.

(Click the photo to see a larger size)
Several hundred Burmese gather to watch a slideshow about the holy sites in India related to the Buddha's life