"Coming back to Shwe Oo Min Yangon

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

"After my time in Kalaw I went back to Shwe Oo Min Yangon to visit Sayadaw U Tejaniya. I was very exited to learn form him now that I was more clear about the method, how to apply it and having a lot of experience in Kalaw. I came at the end of November and I felt a radical change in the practice. Mindfulness was working and I was very interested in the experience I was having because for me it was the first time that mindfulness was working more continuously almost without effort. I asked many questions to U Tejaniya and little by little I could understand better his answers and the way he was teaching. So then the practice and the teachings were a lot clearer to me.

It was at this moment that the teachings were a lot more understandable and the test I did to the teacher was finally done successfully. I could see by myself the benefits of the practice and the benefits of this particular method. I could also notice the level of understanding of the teacher and that he was very skilful in watching his own mind. So then it was possible to help the yogis that were practicing as well. His instructions were very practical. So at the beginning it was very difficult to understand what he meant and how to apply the practice. When the yogis start the experience of meditation and apply them diligently for a long period of time, then the instructions start to make sense. U Tejaniya talks about things that are real, they exist, but at the beginning is not that easy to see them clearly.

I benefited a lot from this interaction with U Tejaniya because I could understand how he was teaching and how to apply these instructions to the practice. So at this point my test to the teacher was done. I could see his level of understanding. However, normally teachers are just teachers. They are still human beings that have good aspects and also many mistakes. It is easier to see the mistakes of the teacher because many eyes are watching them. So then I also understood what were the good aspects, the ones that I would like to learn from, and the others aspects that are not that beneficial. 

I believe that when this differentiation is made, between the qualities that are very well developed in the teacher and those qualities that are not that developed, the yogi or the student can benefit more from the teacher because he or she knows how to approach to the teacher and what to gain and expect from this interaction. Taking care of the good aspects and not paying much attention into the aspects that does not find that beneficial. This happens with all kind of teachers and in my experience is good to know so oneself can see to who to approach depending on the needs at the present moment."

"How is your food?" "Not bad. I’m a vegetarian.’”

In the Food chapter of the upcoming book Shwe Lan Ga Lay, we take a look at some of the great Burmese meditation teachers and monks who abstained from meat.

While Sayagyi U Ba Khin ate fish and fowl during this life, he did take a temporary vow to abstain entirely from meat from Sayadaw U Tejawontha at Shwe Mok Htaw Pagoda in Pathein in the 1930s for a time. In addition to ensuring that his International Meditation Centre kitchen served only vegetarian food, he also prohibited the use of all pesticides and insecticides on center land. Although Maha Gandayone Sayadaw U Janaka sometimes ate meat, he proclaimed to prefer a vegetarian diet. The venerable monk also provided this memorable commentary indicating such preferences: “On 14 December 1977 I had another medical check-up and they said: ‘All’s well.’ If one asks ‘How is your food’ I would say ‘Not bad. I’m a vegetarian.’”

There are other highly respected monks of the past who were known to subsist on only one portion of simple vegetarian food daily. And the tradition continues today, as two of the most venerated contemporary monks are vegetarian: Yaw Sayadaw, the eldest living Tipiṭakadhara whose Dhamma talks are attended by large numbers, and Pa Auk Sayadaw, one of the most popular and revered meditation teacher. Sayagyi U Goenka, who passed away in 2013, was also a lifelong vegetarian. In his case, however, this was not due to any Burmese or Buddhist reason, but rather his Hindu family background. In fact, U Goenka oversaw the “vegetarian line” during the 1954-56 Buddhist Synod held at Kaba Aye Pagoda.