Meditation on the Full Moon Day at Kun Lay Monastery

Kun Lay monastery, where U Agga is currently spending Waso (Rains Retreat), is a very special village where traditional practices may still be found today. Nowhere can this be found more than during full moon days, where children can be found playing while mothers finish the cooking and do other good kusala deeds.

In this short clip, one sees the lay people meditating together in the Dhamma Hall. This is after the cooking and cleaning has been completed, after the Sayadaw has given a Dhamma discourse and led them in re-taking the precepts, and after suttas have been recited together. One may notice that there are far more lay women in the audience than men, which tends to be common among Burmese Buddhists. As this is happening, many lay men are just outside, as are the younger children.

For those who have never visited the Golden Land, and even for those who have only seen a glimpse of it, this video gives a fascinating look into traditional Burmese Dhamma.

Novices eat their food before noon

San Kyaung Building at Webu Sayadaw Monastery in Ingyinbin

This short clip shows a German meditator in very early morning in the San Kyaung building at Webu Monastery in Ingyinbin village, located in Upper Burma. In January 2014, a group of 25 foreign meditators visited here, and they sat a one day course in this building.

This building is highly significant because it was here that the venerable Webu Sayadaw, widely believed to be an arahant, resided during each hot season (he spent the rainy and hot seasons in Kyaukse and Shwebo, but always came to his native village for hot seasons). He meditated in this two story building and received visitors here as well. It was also in here where the great monk entered passed away and entered parinibbana. More about him can be learned from the documentary "Webu Sayadaw: Anthology of a Noble One."

The building is usually kept under lock and key, but the pilgrims received extraordinary permission to meditate in this building as they wished during their stay. The main altar is shown in the video, and where precious relics are kept, along with other items from Webu Sayadaw's day.

A more comprehensive and informative map of Ingyinbin and its history is coming soon.

For more information on current pilgrimage, see here.