Insight Myanmar Podcast #3: Sayalay Piyadassii

Joah connects with Sayalay Piyadassii, a foreign meditator who took up robes in Myanmar, about growing up under the shadow of the old Soviet Union in Lithuania. Her initial enthusiasm for Christianity fizzled away at a young age, and her spirituality was later rekindled after taking several silent vipassana meditation retreats in the tradition of S.N. Goenka. She eventually began spending time in vipassana centers across Europe, particularly in the United Kingdom. That ultimately led her to Burma, where she ordained as a Buddhist nun in 2013, and she has remained in robes ever since. Sayalay Piyadassii is now a full-time student at Shan State Buddhist University in Taunggyi, a new school which was just started by Oxford Sayadaw.

You can listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast player by searching “Insight Myanmar,” or right off the web by going here.

Sayalay speaks openly about the early difficulties of her time as a monastic, during which she felt her spiritual life became unbalanced, with too much time spent in formal, sitting meditation. This ultimately led her to leaving to Burma and residing in a cave in Spain where she practiced mettā full time. When she felt she had regained the physical and spiritual balance she was seeking, she returned to Burma with a clearer picture of how to best construct her time in robes.

In the course of the talk, Sayalay also discusses several themes that have animated her time as a nun. One these was finding a balance between a structured form of meditation instruction on one hand, and being open and flexible to the moment on the other. She also contrasts her experience as a nun in Burmese Buddhist society with the preferential treatment received by monks, and her attitude towards this gender discrimination. Concerning her prior overemphasis on formal practice, Sayalay remarks on the importance of devoting greater amounts of time to study (pariyatti), and the deeper insights that can be derived solely from familiarity with the scriptures. Additionally, having spent so much time now in Myanmar, Sayalay shares how the culture of the country has benefited her practice, and how appreciative she has been overall. This, and much more! She closes by discussing her first year of studies here and the quality of the education.

After the talk, Zach Hessler joins in to discuss the overall themes from the interview. Joah remarks how inspiring it was to hear Sayalay discuss the series of transformations her spiritual journey took, preventing her from ever being “stuck” at any one stage. They note how little even Western meditators know about monasticism in general and the monastic’s life in specific, and how much training is needed for a monk or nun to feel even somewhat independent. Zach notes that the fruits of Sayalay’s practice can be heard clearly throughout the interview, and her joyous exclamation of loving the simple life was one of the overall highlights. They close by reviewing the nun discrimination that Sayalay has faced in Burmese society, and her recent enrollment in the Shan State Buddhist University in Taunggyi.

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An American Monk in Burma: "I Once Ate Organic, was a Vegetarian, followed Ayurvedic Principles...now, 'What Comes Into the Bowl!"

Bhikkhu Obhasa is an American monk living in Myanmar. The above photo shows the view from his secluded kuti from Kalaw, his meditation "cushion" being a straw hand-made Shan seat. He shares his thoughts with his new dietary restrictions:

"One of the biggest sacrifices of ordaining was putting my dietary health options into the hands of a culture with very little understanding of healthy nutrition. I ate organic, was a vegetarian, followed Ayurvedic principles for my body constitutional type, etc. I let go of that to live in a country that does copious pesticide and herbicide spraying, loves dishes swimming in low quality oils, loves sweets and pre-packaged food with artificial ingredients, etc. They don't seem to take care of their own nutritional health nor do they seem to have much nutritional education. There seemed no way they'd be able to take care of mine.

Still being a relatively new monk having just entered my second rains retreat, it has slowly dawned on me just how much stress I had put the mind/body under in this decision to move across the world to a new culture and life as a monk. In that stress, I noticed the mind seeking comfort by trying to control food, which inadvertently often caused more stress. In the mental health field of studies in America the powers-that-be have decreed obsession over such dietary concerns an actual mental disorder. My own observations of mind was seeing the same thing. Agitation and worry over diet and strict adherences to my dietary beliefs and choices only lead to more agitation. Who knows? I wouldn't doubt if that mental stess is actually as bad as or worse for my physical health than the food I'm fussing over. One thing I've done is re-examine some of my food beliefs and found some of them to actually not be true. Another is to loosen up on being a vegetarian, occasionally eating meat. In doing so, I have seen that there was attachment and defilement in both habits. Since then I have let go of some of the control I thought I needed to exert and life has become easier and I grow closer to exemplifying 'paccuppannena yapenti', being content with what is. In this case, what comes into the bowl.

Once the mind lightened up a bit, I actually noticed some of the positives of alms food in Myanmar. In most places devotees still offer fresh home cooked food with a fair variety of rice, veggies, meat dishes, salads, and other proteins. Within what's offered is usually a fairly balanced meal of fresh good. I dare say that what's offered overall is at least as, if not more, healthy than how most people eat back home. It's also pretty easy to be vegetarian here as protein via beans, peanuts, and tofu is commonly offered, and even more is regularly available if one eats eggs. Myanmar grows ample fresh fruit although they seldom offer it as they don't seem to eat too much themselves. It does though from time to time make it into the alms bowl. I occassionally praise the healthiness of certain offerings when appropriate, and often several families catch on to this appreciation and offer fruits, fresh cooked veggies, salads, and other healthier dishes.

Another positive aspect of Myanmar alms food is the sheer abundance given in many places and people seem to be extra generous towards foreign monks. This means I can be selective with my diet, choosing a good balance and allowing me to avoid the unhealthier options. In a pinch, I can always just eat more rice like the locals do which is always plentiful. And I can certainly forego the prepackaged snacks, deep fried treats, and the abundant artificial drinks and sweets. That's just lobha.

Overall, so far I feel pretty healthy. As my attitude has lightened up, the mind has loosened up and let go of some attachments. The wisdom that has arisen seems to find a way to maintain dietary health within what is given. So not only does the food situation seem healthier than it did upon first impression, the mind has become healthier too."

The "Buddha Museum" in Nyaungshwe

Although today called a “Buddha Museum” and managed by the Ministry of Culture, historically this was a Shan haw (In Shan language, this refers to the residence of a Saopha, and is often translated as “palace.”) Located in the northeastern part of town, it once belonged to the head of the entire Shan federation and the eventual first president of the Union of Burma, Sao Shwe Thaike, who would become a great supporter of Webu Sayadaw and Sayagyi U Ba Khin. 

Built in the 1920s, the architecture successfully combined Western and Burmese styles. Nowadays, one can only imagine the beautiful peacocks that once roamed the grounds and resided under its temple, and the lavish Buddhist festivals and town ceremonies which were once hosted here. In The Moon Princess, Sao Sanda—the daughter of the saopha-- speaks to this odd transformation: “Tour groups are now taken round the large rambling palace, with its numerous halls and rooms, in which I grew up and which I loved so much.” During World War II, while being occupied by the Japanese secret police, the compound was partly damaged by a British bomb that fell but did not detonate. Later, local residents credited the nats for preserving the significant site.

Shan Buddhism

The Mahasi nunnery in Kalaw

While Burmese Buddhism seems to be lesser known throughout the world vis-à-vis other form of Buddhist practices, within the country, similarly, ethnic forms of Buddhist practice are lesser known than the Bamar kind. As Shan Buddhist scholar Khur-Yearn maintains, Shan Buddhist practice has “remained a mystery to scholars even of Theravada.” It is perhaps paradoxical that such a devout Buddhist people would stay off the radar even as many Western yogis of the past generation have turned an eye Eastward. The devoutness of the Shans are well known and acknowledged by the Bamar, where there is an old saying that goes: “If a Shan has got an anna, he will donate a penny.” As a penny is worth more than an anna, it reflects the deep wellspring of dāna famous amongst Shan Buddhists.
 
Shan Buddhism has unique cultural, linguistic and architectural components that distinguish it in some ways from Buddhism found in other parts of Myanmar. Shwe Lan Ga Lay's upcoming Shan State chapter describes these features in more detail, so that the foreign yogi can better appreciate the unique Buddhist practice to be found in the region.

The Penny and the Anna

The devoutness of the Shans are well known and acknowledged by the Bamar. There is an old saying, “If a Shan has got an anna, he will donate a penny.” As a penny is worth more than an anna, it reflects the deep wellspring of generosity that Shans are known to have. In modern times, temporary ordination is also less common with the Shan than for the Bamar, and the Shan novitation ceremony features a Tipitika placed upon a beautiful horse leading the procession.

Sayagyi U Goenka course in Kalaw

A poster in Burmese language announces an upcoming ten day meditation course to be held at Thein Daung monastery in Kalaw, Shan State. The poster notes that the meditation taught is "according to the great Ledi Sayadaw" and in the tradition of Sayagyi U Goenka. It announces course dates, contact information, and registration logistics. 

Perhaps not coincidentally, the course is being held in one of the hottest months of year for the Bamar regions of the Dry Zone. Thankfully, the peaceful pine forests of Kalaw stay cool all year around, allowing for a more peaceful meditation experience. 

The Myin Ma Hti Caves near Kalaw

A very interesting site are the Myin Ma Hti Caves just to the east of Kalaw, on the Kalaw-Loikaw Highway about four miles as the crow flies from Kalaw as you approach Loikaw. It is a beautiful trip, and once over the pass, there are hillocks stretching into the distance as far as the eye can see. The caves are just over one thousand feet in length, lined by stalactites and natural formations on the walls that are known for their uncanny resemblance to life-like objects. Each formation has been named, with titles such as “headless human body structure,” “rock Brahmany duck,” “elephant tying pole”, and “Angel’s grinding stone.” There is another part of the cave known as “rock drums,” and where multiple protrusions of rock make different musical pitches, and “Angel’s Pond,” an always-full inner pond that collects water seeping from the wall is supposed to bring outer beauty and inner cleansing. The cave connects to another subterranean passage that exits out of a nearby hill, unlike other Burmese limestone caves that extend indefinitely underground. It is a quiet place, and with so much reverence and history, makes a fine place to trek out for some meditation practice.

Local legend suggests that the original pagoda at Myin Ma Hti was one of the 84,000 pagodas built by King Asoka 2,300 years ago. It was later repaired by the Burmese kings Anawrahta and Alaungsithu. The three htis of the pagoda may be a reference to these three great kings, although they may also have been placed by later donors. The earliest stupa is also believed to have been placed there by King Asoka, and many of the other Buddhas are from the Bagan Era. King Anawrahta himself donated the collection of twenty-eight statues you will find here, with fourteen on the lower level and fourteen on an upper terrace. The name of the large stupa is Ohn Na Lone Myway Shin Stupa.

A monk living in the rural Burmese countryside feeds his dog, named "Myogyi" after a famous local rock star

Kyaukme

In this excerpt from the book, we pick up an entry from our "Shan State" chapter. Following is the introduction to our the section on Kyaukme:
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Kyaukme is silently nestled in a natural bowl formed between the hovering Shan Hills, and is filled with lush green forests, meadows, and small farms. Although Kyaukme is translated to mean “black stone” and refers to less-than-honest merchants, the town today has some opportunities available for Buddhist practitioners. Dhamma students will immediately appreciate the many surrounding hillsides covered in monastery and pagoda spires, many of which have steep covered stairways that yogis may ascend. It is also a very quiet place where one can spend some time in peaceful practice, and locals may be keen to support your practice and share their own traditions. Unfortunately, it does have a higher rate of malaria compared with other Shan towns, and it can get hot here as well.

Kyaukme is deservedly famous for its green tea, which is grown at the small villages and farms that surround the town. The raw goods are then exported to the lowland markets and then distributed across the country. Staying at Kyaukme monasteries will afford you the opportunity to taste authentic green tea, dried tea leaves, and pickled tea salad. The traditional warehouses (known as "Pwe-Yone" in Burmese) house machines and green tea packages, and one can see how the tea is produced from its raw state. The food found in Kyaukme is a blend of Bamar, Shan, Palaung, and Chinese cooking. Most homes are simple, and those in the countryside are one-room wooden buildings with a center hearth used for food preparation, heat, and hot water.

Historically the town has long been a trading center for various peoples living throughout the Shan Hills, especially the Palaung. Their women are easily identifiable by the large hoops worn around their waist, said to protect the from wild animals. Like most other Shan towns it wasn’t spared conflict during World War II, with the British and Chinese forces driving out the Japanese in 1945. Today its growing Chinese influence can be especially seen in its market, where the Chinese quarter takes up about half the space. If you go here, make sure to see the stalls selling bamboo paper and eat some authentic Chinese fare or try some of the famous Kyaukme spicy vegetable dishes, or alternatively check out Thiri Pyit Saya for Shan noodles.

These days the town is starting to develop a reputation as an alternative trekking site to those around Kalaw and Hsipaw, with many routes going through Palaung villages and featuring overnights at monasteries as well as monastic school visits (Ko Moe Set is one tour guide who has come recommended). Some treks may lead you past a spot known locally as “Lonely Tree,” a landmark of sorts in which the tree branches seem to hark over the rest of the landscape. It was here that local monk requested that his remains be enshrined following his death, making the spot a sacred place and a good place for some meditation. Trekking will also give you an opportunity to walk through the many tea plantations that villagers in Northern Shan State depend on for their livelihood.

Kyaukme may be reached by bus fairly easily, and you may also consider private motorcycles or taxis, and even train. Once you reach Kyaukme, it’s convenient to get around town by motorboke or Tuk-Tuk, and these can also be used for exploring nearby towns as well.

The Shan Hills

Thanaka

In this excerpt from the book, we pick up an entry from our "Burmese Days" chapter. Following is a short excerpt from the section on "thanaka":
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Original artwork sketched by one of Shwe Lan's artist contributors shows a typical thanaka design on a young Burmese girl

“May May Gyi first put three blots of thanaka on my face, one on the forehead, and the others on each cheek and spread them all over the face. It was a sweet cooling sensation and May May Gyi told me the importance of putting thanaka on my face every morning if I wanted to be a beauty when I grew up.” Khin Myo Chit, Colorful Myanamr

After just a few hours in the country, the first question many visitors want to ask is “what is that yellow paste that people wear on their faces?” The answer is thanaka, a bark that has a similar smell to sandalwood and comes from the thanaka tree (murraya thanaka). It is used both as a skin moisturizer, sun block, whitening cream, and anti-acne cream, and many praise its virtues for keeping the face cool throughout the day. It is also said to tighten the pores and above all else, it smells good. To prepare it for wearing, thanaka is ground on a stone slab (in Burmese, kyauk pyin) and then mixed with pure water, resulting in a creamy paste that comes out a narrow channel surrounding the rim. Some kyauk pyin become treasured family heirlooms, and even become historical items, as in the case of the slab that Queen Raza Datu Kalaya of Taungoo used in the 17th century, which is today on display at Shwe Maw Daw Pagoda Museum in Bago.

Many children like to make swirling and elaborate patterns when applying it on their cheeks in the morning, and many of these designs are actually given names and date back hundreds of years. Burmese sellers in the marketplace will be more than happy to apply a dosage if you’d like to try, and if you do, you’ll be guaranteed a day full of smiles from the Burmese that you meet!

Historically, the earliest reference comes from a 14th century Mon poem, although it is believed that women have used it for over 2000 years. Different kinds of trees are used, and locals have their own preference as to which kind of tree and location they like best, with some buying huge quantities when they are in a place famous for a quality wood. Of note include Sagaing town, Shwebo, and parts of Shan state and Magwe division. There has also been a long-running rivalry between those produced in Shwebo and those in Shinmadaung, with both sides claiming the better quality. When Burmese find themselves in these places, they “then bring back enough logs to build a cabin,” as one Burmese writer quipped. Some fake logs of thanaka do exist, and the way to ensure its authenticity is to take a small taste of it on your tongue: real thanaka should be bitter. Or, for those who just don’t have the time to bother, there are also small containers of the paste pre-prepared.

“[Thanaka is] used by both queen and commoner. It is a thousand year old tradition. The stone implement used to grind thanaka is cut from smooth stone into a circular slab, with a trough along the rim for the paste to flow into. This stone slab rests on four short legs, which in the old days were decorated with classical motifs and scenes carved into the stone in high relief. A short length of the thanaka log is ground, bark side, in a circular motion, with drops of water poured on the stone from time to time.” Ma Thanegi, The Native Tourist

Shwe Lan Excerpt: Laphet

In this excerpt from the book, we pick up an entry from our FOOD chapter. Following is a short piece about the place of Laphet in Burmese society:
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“Tea is believed by some to be a gift of the gods. It is an essential item in propitiating nats or spirits. It also, along with a quid of betel, forms part and parcel of ceremonial offerings in Buddhist rituals as well as on ceremonial occasions such as weddings, novitiation ceremonies, ear-boring ceremonies. In courts of Myanmar kings, parties to a dispute ate pickled tea together before the judge as a token of having reached settlement. The losing party paid what is known as Kwan-bo, literally 'the price of betel' to the judge. A special officer collected these fees. He was called a Kwan-bo-htein, literally ‘officer in charge of kwan-bo, the old counterpart of court fees.’ ” U Tin U, Myanmar Memorabilia

Pickled Tea Leaf Salad (Lahpet): Pickled or fermented tea is arguably the most important dish in Burmese cuisine. No doubt you will encounter it frequently in your travels, as it is a common snack to offer guests.

Although laphet refers only to the pickled green tea leaves, it is almost never served alone. Often presented in a lacquer bowl, laphet comes surrounded by various condiments, including peanuts, toasted sesame, dried shrimp, fried peas, roasted beans, tomatoes, and shredded ginger. Another popular version is laphet mixed with the above condiments, and served like a salad with fresh tomatoes, garlic, chilies and other vegetables. It can also be mixed with rice to give flavor and sustenance.

In the traditional method, after the tea leaves are picked, they are steamed and then mashed by hand on bamboo platforms. The mashed tea is then placed in a large hole in the ground that has been lined with bamboo and fresh tree leaves. After being spread evenly and tamped down hard, a heavy wooden lid is placed on top, with large stones added to increase the weight. Most tea in Myanmar comes from Shan State, to be used for laphet as well as drunk with hot water.

Laphet is sold in bulk in the markets, often with sealed packets of the proper condiments, and is perfect for taking home as a gift or for your own consumption. Though it is fermented, laphet does not have a strong taste, and the fact that it comes drizzled with sesame oil and mixed with salty, crunchy peanuts and peas makes it quite an appealing snack. While laphet can be enjoyed as a tasty snack to share between friends or guests, it is also frequently offered in formal ceremonies. In times past, the parties of a lawsuit would share laphet to symbolize the end of the dispute. Some students favor them when studying late into the night as it is known to be high in caffeine as well. Packets of laphet used to be handed out to announce a couple's betrothal, and served as quasi-wedding invitations. If a man is embarrassed to express himself, sending a tea packet will gently get the message across. As the Burmese saying goes: Lu ma daq thaw ley, leq peq thout daq. “If the man doesn’t know how to do it, the tea packet does.” Indeed, no Burmese ceremony or celebration, whether religious or secular, would be complete without plenty of laphet.

J. George Scott even notes the use of lahpet in helping one to change their name. In The Burman, he writes: “Sometimes when a boy grows up he does not like the name his parents gave him. He can then change it by a very simple process. He makes up a number of packets of le'-pet and sends round a friend to deliver them to all his acquaintances and relations. The messenger goes to the head of the house and says: ‘I have come from Maung Shwe Pyin (Mr. Golden Stupid). He is not to be called by that name any more. When you invite him call him Maung Hkyaw Hpe (Mr. Celebrated Father). Be good enough to eat this pickled tea.’ ”

A villager in the Shan Hills

Shwe Lan Excerpt: Shwe Phone Pwint Pagoda

The Meditator Guidebook to Burma is in its final stages! 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 our Taunggyi section, describing one of the city's most famed pagodas:
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One of Taunggyi’s most famed pagodas, this one provides an impressive view of the city and surrounding hills, and on a clear day you can see clear across to Inle Lake. It’s also a very peaceful and (usually) quiet spot, with the higher winds tickling the pagoda bells and the cooler air making a nice place for a sit. You can come here by vehicle or motorbike, of if you’d like some exercise you can walk from downtown, which will take an hour or two depending on your stamina. Just walk to the east side of the city towards the mountain side, and eventually you’ll find the serpent-covered stairway just across the train tracks leading up. It’s a beautiful walk, and you can take a rest midway at Naga Monastery before reaching the peak. If you go in the morning you’ll see monks going and coming back from alms round. Just off the other side of the pagoda you can find Ruby Cave. Not far from here and clearly visible sits Toung Chun Zedi, a small pagoda on a steep jagged peak that is only accessibly by footpath. Several years ago it was struck by lightening, and it remains a place where few people visit.

Local residents pay their respects deep inside Ruby Cave in Taunggyi

Shwe Lan Excerpt: Shwe Yan Pyae Monastery

The Meditator Guidebook to Burma is in its final stages! 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 one paragraph taken from the Yawnghwe section, and in addition to the text also features original artwork designed by one of our arists:

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Shwe Yan Pyae Monastery
This monastery is about two miles north of town, on the way to Shwenyaung, so easy to catch on your way in or out of the area. This is a real monastery, though you might not know it by the hordes of tourist buses that pile on and off here for photos. This is mainly due to its very photogenic elliptical windows, and the curious novices or graceful felines who always seem perched in them. Still, it is worth seeing, and the grounds date back to the 19th century. The plinth where the Buddha statues sit are gilded with glass mosaics and gold filigree, and make a nice place to pay your respects. The statue itself is nine feet in height, and is made of gilded bamboo strips. Also, a gilded Celestial Being can be found in the Sayadaw’s chamber, where the monastery keeps a chest with ancient palm leaf manuscripts, also gilded. Shwe Yan Pyae Monastery is also known for its teak pillars, and indeed there are 167 of them, with the front ones gilded and adorned with glass mosaics. More teak shingles were placed on the monastery’s roof, and the inner ceiling has beautiful teak carvings as well. Note also the two guardian chinthe on the eastern side and garudas on the west. Also make sure to see the long hallways with many thousands of miniature Buddha images set into the carved out spaces, and the beautiful tiles of the floor below. This is located in the small temple behind the yard, on the right from the wooden building, across from the Shan stupa. As the site can unfortunately be overrun by tourists these days, if you do go, it can be very nice indeed to do so with respect and veneration, as many foreigners do not go with this sort of mindful intention. It is also a good place to practice your meditator Burmese with the many novices.

Shwe Yan Pyae Monastery in Nyaunshwe

Shwe Lan Excerpt: Shan State

The Meditator Guidebook to Burma is in its final stages! 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 one paragraph taken from the Introduction to the Shan State section:
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Life in Shan can be a welcoming change from the Bamar regions: the weather is cooler, the food tastier, the population sparser, the scenery more hilly and less arid, and even the tea is fresher and the air more refreshing. This last comment is confirmed as far back ago as 1899 by the British writer M.M. Shoemaker in Quaint Corners of Ancient Empires, where he wrote that “the air here is full of freshness, every breath being charged with life and health—a wonderful change from the languid, heavy atmosphere of Rangoon.” And this is not just one chance comment: 20 years later, Boxwallah recorded in The Leopard’s Leap that upon entering the Shan states, “the air was filled with the fresh scent of wild cherry, wild apple, almond, peach, and many a flowering shrub.” The Shan regions were indeed well-known by the British who lived here, and it was alternatively called the “Switzerland of the East” and an “Asian Arcady,” the latter term after the fabled region in the central Peloponnesus of ancient Greece. As Philip Fogarty, the British Resident for the Shan States declared, “I live in an earthly paradise!” Noted British authors W. Somerset Maugham and Leslie Milne wrote books about their own unique experience in the Shan states in the early 20th century, and as one recent author noted, “from Taunggyi to Maymyo, in cosy bungalows and gracious mansions, the British officials discovered a world of crisp mountain air, dazzling sunshine and blossoming trees.”

A remote cave in Shan State, not far from Pindaya, one of many sites to be covered in "Shwe Lan"

A Meditator's Guide to the Golden Land

A young nun in Sagaing offers rice to a young novice on his alms round. Both given and receiver must be barefoot according to custom

U Myint Toun Zay Pagoda in Sagaing.

We recently made available a document that provides a series of notes for Vipassana pilgrims who come to Burma to deepen their practice. This was a rather informal PDF file that detailed basic information for navigating and making the most of the Burmese meditator experience.  

Preparation is now underway for a much more comprehensive 3rd version, which we anticipate coming out around April/May 2013. We are really excited about the changes that are 

The sun setting over Mandalay Fort

coming to it; not only does it have updated information about logistics, monasteries, culture guides, and a "meditator Burmese" section, but it will also be formatted as a sleek, reader-friendly, and essentially proper guidebook. 

Monks and novices residing at Webu Sayadaw's monastery in Ingyinbin, Upper Burma

There will be no cost to the final version and all contributors are giving their time as dana to the project. (We will invite any yogi who benefits from their use to make any contribution for which they have volition to a Burmese charity in which all proceeds go towards impoverished villages, orphans, and the spread of dhamma) 

Waiting area at Mandalay Airport

Also note that while the 1st and 2nd versions were written almost entirely with the Goenka meditator in mind, the 3rd version will be more broad-reaching and non-sectarian. While it will still be particularly relevant to those coming from the Goenka tradition, we expect that yogis practicing other traditions of Theravadin Vipassana will also find it of great value.

If you would like to contribute in any way, please get in touch with us (burmadhamma@gmail).  Examples of ways other yogis are contributing are: professional photographs from Burma, on-the-ground fact checking, technological or formatting assistance, networking, etc.  Even if you are not able to contribute, please check back here regularly so that you can make use of the updated version!

A young novice resting on the Pali tablets made from Ledi Sayadaw's words at his monastery in Monywa.

Following is a selected text that comes from the working introduction to the 3rd version...

An old photograph of Sayagyi U Ba Khin at IMC

When we, as the contributors, found our way to The Golden Land for the first time, we experienced a sense of being overwhelmed with how to best navigate the culture and language in the limited time available.  It was also a challenge to figure out how to reach key meditation sites, and then how to properly pay respects and maintain practice once there.  For this reason, the overall intention of this document is to help meditators in making the best use of their time as they deepen their devotion to and practice of Dhamma while in Myanmar/Burma.  

Anagami Saya Thet Gyi's private meditation cell in Pyaw Bwe Gyi Village

The original template for these notes came in the form of a long email message responding to a request by a meditator who was heading to Burma and who had inquired how to best schedule his days while there. This message was later forwarded on to many others who were also hoping to make the trip and were in the process of planning their schedules.  In 2008 this stream-of-consciousness email was organized into document form and revised, and in 2009 was further edited.  This current version may be thus considered the 3^rd edition of these notes.

A local NGO run by local meditators organizes a children meditation course for survivors of the 2008 Cyclone Nargis.  (Any donations given to this project will go to this charity for their continued work)

Natural hot springs shower at Webu Sayadaw monastery

For a meditator to visit Burma even just a few years ago, there was no guide of which to speak, and many spent their days trying to figure out first what sites even existed, and then where they were located and how to reach them.  This often left many important places off the list and required more time and effort in tackling logistics than tackling meditation.  Burma guidebooks naturally do exist, but meditators have their own special needs and interests that the standard books often don’t cover.  For example, while yogis generally have less interest in the best bars and beaches, our kind tends to have a far greater desire to learn how to get healthy vegetarian food or communicate about Buddhist principles.      

A group of four meditator set up a makeshift mosquito net for their Vipassana self-course in a Sagaing cave

Pindaya Cave in Shan State

While the first version was simply intending to organize and update existing notes, we as contributors immediately received positive feedback and gratitude, as well as complaints as to what was left out or no longer relevant.  None of us realized the commitment we were thus making to simply format a series of notes!  But here we are now, with a third version that has become even more comprehensive. 

A Sayadaw from a small monastery deep in the Sagaing Hills feeds a monastery dog in the cool morning.