Summer Meditation Retreats at Thabawa

The following message comes from Sayalay Khema Cari at Thabawa Monastery. For more information, or to apply, contact her at: 

dawkhema@gmail.com or call 09-250047330

"Analysis of TRUTH"18th to 28th April 2016 at Thabarwa Centre, Than Lyin, Yangon.

Applying Pali and Abhidhamma into Vipassana Practice, by Sayalay Cala Theri.
Including meditation, chanting, Dhamma discussion.
18th to 26th April (8 days)
7.30 am-9.00am:Pali*
9.30 am-11.00 am:Abhidhamma *
11.00am:Lunch
12.00pm to 4.30pm:Self-study
4.30pm:Walking and standing meditation at a nearby ancient pagoda (outdoor activity)
5.40pm:Dhamma discussion
6.00pm:Rest/Bath
7.00pm:Basic Buddhism
8.00pm:Sitting meditation
9.00pm:Chanting and sharing merits
* These are intermediate levels. But beginners are welcome to come and listen.

Meditation Retreat

27th to 28th April (2 days) 
7.30 am: Basic meditation instructions and taking 8 precepts
8.30am:Sitting meditation
9.15am:Walking and standing meditation
10.00am: Sitting meditation
11.00am:Lunch
12.00pm:Rest/walking
1.00pm:Sitting
2.00pm:Walking
3.00pm: Sitting
4.00pm:Dhamma Discussion
4.30pm:Walking at Stupa (outdoor activity)
5.40pm:Meditation Discussion
6.00pm:Rest/bath
7.00pm:Dhamma and Meditation discussion
8.00pm:Sitting meditation
9.00pm:Chanting and sharing merits

Theinggu Method- by Sayalay Wisanda (Intense breathing method)
1st-5 May 2O16
Timetable:

4-6am MEDITATION
7.3O-9.30am MEDITATION
1-3pm MEDITATION
4-6pm MEDITATION
7-8pm discussion



Water-Fasting-Festival 

10-16may 2016
7days retreat with fasting-during the new year retreat

Khema Cari
ThaBarWa Dhamma Center
Thanlyin, Yangon
+95 9 250047330

www.thabarwa-nmc.blogspot.com
www.thabarwaratana.org
www.thabarwameditationcenter.wordpress.com

Burmese Flowers

U Sarana, the Mingaladon-based monk, has contributed the following stories. To join his weekly newsletter, contact us as here.

"Perhaps in every country children like to play with flowers. In Myanmar it is especially so, and many flowers thus get their 'children's name.' One of such flowers is paw-paw pan (ေပၚေပၚပန္း), of which official name is not known to me. This flower has a stalk that can be cleaned, removing the flower and the root, and used as a low-tone whistle. When blowing in the stalk, the sound you may hear is paw paw, said jokingly Ma Zin Mar. Ma Myint Way knows this plant in her village in the Mandalay region as Thingyan flower - and my dictionary in turn explains that there are seven different flowers with this name, called so because they are particularly selected for flower-vases in Thingyan days, i.e. during the holidays of Myanmar's new year.

An interesting plant described to me by Ko Thet Win Maung is magnolia (Michelia champaca), called in Burmese Saka-War-Pin (စံကား၀ါပန္းပင္). It's flowers are cut off and kept in a well-washed 'glucose glass-bottles.' These glass-bottles are then kept in front of a Buddha statue or on tables as decoration-- and can last up to one whole year. So far I don't remember having seen this, but if you see that, you may like to ask how long the bottle has been kept there. Ma Zin Mar says, that upon opening the bottle the flowers immediately wither."

Dhamma Mahimār

This meditation center regularly runs 10-day retreats in the Sayagyi U Goenka meditation tradition. The name of the center translates to “The Excellence of Dhamma,” and was established in 2002. While there is no pagoda built here as yet, the small and friendly confines make for a very pleasant and peaceful course experience, particularly if one happens to be in the country during hot season. The center can accommodate a maximum of one hundred yogis, although it is usually only at capacity during Water Festival. It is located on Shou Road, just off to the right as one heads out towards Mandalay.

Significantly, Pyin Oo Lwin played a special role in the biography of the center’s primary teacher, Sayagyi U Goenka. As a youth, he traveled here from his hometown in nearby Mandalay, and would always recall how “the enchanting mountains and plateaus in that region left a lasting memory.” Then later, as a meditation pupil of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, his teacher asked U Goenka to accompany him to Pyin Oo Lwin to assist in giving a retreat. This was the first time U Goenka would do so outside of the near-perfect conditions of IMC, and he realized that he “was being given a preview of what I should soon have to face and deal with”… that is, when U Goenka would start leading courses on his own across India.

U Mandala Coming Down Under

As a previous post shared, U Mandala has been working towards plans to visit Australia. Many will recall that U Mandala is the disciple of the great Webu Sayadaw, having begun his meditation practice by learning at the foot of this revered monk. He is also the calm, welcoming presence seen in the Webu biopic documentary Anthology of a Noble One, and a still from this feature is shown above. As U Mandala has only traveled outside of Myanmar once (to Singapore), this will be a monumental trip indeed for the senior Ingyinbin monk. 

U Mandala needs to attend to his monastic duties during Thingyan, or Burmese Water Festival, which takes place in mid-April. He therefore plans to visit Australia from early May and may stay for several months. While here, he hopes to attend several Sayagyi U Goenka ten-day courses, visit Burmese and international Theravadin monasteries, and meet local meditators who have met him in Burma or who are interested in the lineage of Webu Sayadaw.

For those who would like to support this noble trip, there are ways that meditators and readers of this blog can take part. First, a dana (donation) fund is now being collected on U Mandala's behalf. This money will go towards covering his expenses, such as transportation, food, visa, and other logistics. Secondly, one can offer one or several meals to U Mandala. Thirdly, one can offer to help U Mandala with either accommodation or transportation. And finally, one can invite U Mandala to visit one's home region (including parts of Australia and possibly New Zealand as well). For anyone who is interested in being involved, please email at burmadhamma@gmail.

There is also the possibility that U Mandala may be available to meet meditators and possibly give a presentation. As the details of his trip get closer, this will be shared in further detail.

Water Festival

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

"I spent the water festival in the monastery because one foreign Sayalay told me that it could be a good experience for me. Certainly it was one of the most inspiring moments in Myanmar! The Sayalay told me that many local people come to meditate during that time because it is holiday. For me this was surprising. I found it incredible. In the meditation hall we were more than a thousand women meditating together. They were many lines for going for lunch and the dhamma talks were saturated. It was the first time I had the opportunity to share meditation with that amount of women. It was incredible.

Most of the women were extremely kind and caring about foreigners. There were not a lot of foreigners, four in total. In the hall, at lunch time and in the garden local girls would come to me to ask me if they could take a picture with me. I was very strange for them and many times I felt some girl were staring at me trying to figure out where I was from, I suppose."

Burmese Buddhist Holidays and Festivals

In this excerpt from the book, we pick up an entry from our "Burmese Days" chapter. Following are three quotations that serve to introduce the section on Burmese Buddhist holidays and festivals:
---

Holidays & Festivals
“I doubt if even the bombing of World War II managed to stop the people of Myanmar from holding their annual festivals.” Ma Thenegi, Defiled on the Ayeyarwaddy

“The Burmese have a remarkable capacity for extracting the maximum amount of fun from the opportunities offered to them during our traditional festivals.” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Letters from Burma

"‘What a difference there is between our dancing and the native performance,’ she remarked. ‘Our tangos and turkey-trotting are just an amusement, ending in a feast, whilst their diversion is mostly prayers, intoning, gongs, and bells, burning candles and telling beads. The Burmese seem to be always thinking of their souls.’" B.M. Croker, The Road to Mandalay (1917)

Revelers in downtown Yangon celebrate Water Festival (Thigyan) in front of Sule Pagoda