Reflections on Kason

Melissa Tun is an Australian-trained lawyer who came back to her homeland of Burma, and currently co-organizes the TedX annual talks. She wrote the following reflection on the holy Buddhist holiday of Kason.

"It was the evening of the eve of the Kason full moon, the second month of the Buddhist lunar calendar, and a day highly important to the Buddhist for it marks the birth, enlightenment, and nirvana (death) of Buddha. I paid a visit to the Shwe Dagon Pagoda to enjoy the wonderful serenity that envelopes it at night. Under various pavilions around the pagoda, there were groups of pilgrims chanting prayers, sharing their merits with other fellow worshippers. Their chants so ethereal and meditative it almost brought tears to my eyes. This land can be so beautiful surrounded by so much metta and loving kindness and yet be subjected to so much poverty and violence, desperate and abject poverty that no one deserves. It never fails to shake me to the core.

As I left the pagoda that night, I saw small children sleeping on cardboard at the foot of the stairs to the pagoda on the Eastern Moat; where a market sets up every night. They were young and bony, wearing tattered clothes and clearly exhausted from a hard day. By their side were sleeping a pack of small puppies, whose fortunes looked similarly unhappy. And a deep sense of sorrow washed over me. Sorrow for all the suffering, unnecessary suffering by those who were born into this world with a bleak life ahead. Sorrow for all the decades of wrongs that cannot be undone. Sorrow for all the quagmire and failed policies, the failures of institutions which were meant to serve the people.

When will deliverance come for those children? When will their brighter future appear? How can I be a part of making that future become a reality? Is there room in this country for those who want big bold change like me? A future that this country and all of its people deserve. A future that is much brighter, safer, secure, and full of opportunities.

As I left the pagoda that night, all I could do was pray. For a future when the children do not sell flowers on the streets. A future when the teashops will not be served by children who have had no schooling. For a future when the children do not beg at the foot of the Shwe Dagon. Am I asking for too much? A future without children flower sellers, child labourers and child beggars? Am I asking for too much for that future to come faster and to be this impatient for change?"

Learn Metta-Bhavana practice in Burma

From Chan Myay Myaing Monastery:

"Metta Retreats 2019

In 2019, two Metta Retreats (each retreat: 2 weeks) will be held at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre situated in Upper Burma near the town of Pyin Oo Lwin, Burma (Myanmar).

There are a limited number of places for meditators who would like to do both retreats for a full month of metta practice.

You can find all the necessary information on the flier.

Please note that the registration only opens on 1st May 2018. We will not take any applications before this date.

May you and all beings be well, happy and peaceful.

With metta

Ariya Baumann and Ayya Virañani"

Metta-Bhavana Retreat at Chan Myay Myaing

The following information is from Chan Myay Myaing monastery:

"The practice of loving-kindness (mettā bhāvana) aims at the cultivation of a loving, benevolent attitude towards all living beings. Since the time of the Buddha, this form of meditation has been used as a practice in itself, and as a support for the development and deepening of insight.

In this special retreat for foreign meditators, yogis will have the unique opportunity to learn the practice of mettā meditation from both a Burmese meditation master and Western teachers. Sayadaw U Indaka (who is renowned in Burma for his skill in teaching this practice) will be joined by Venerable Virañani and Ariya Baumann; together they will offer in-depth mettā instructions and teachings.

The venue for this retreat is the Chanmyay Myaing Forest Meditation Centre not far from Pyin Oo Lwin in Upper Burma; this centre is out of the city, offering natural surroundings that are especially suitable for the practice of mettā meditation.

The retreat is suitable for both beginners and experienced meditators. Yogis may register for the first or second two weeks; a limited number of places are also available for those who wish to sit for one month. Registration opens on 1 May 2017, and closes 1 December, 2017.

As is traditionally the case in Burma, the teachings are offered on a dāna basis: donations will be gratefully accepted for the support of the monastery and teachers. A registration fee of 160 US Dollars or 150 Euros guarantees your place in the retreat. Registration fees are non-refundable and are used for retreat expenses and as an offering to the many Burmese helpers who voluntarily support the retreat.

Sayadaw U Indaka (Chanmyay Myaing Sayadaw) studied at the famous Mahagandhayon Monastery in Mandalay and later practiced meditation under Sayadaw U Janaka. In 1999 he founded the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre (CMMC), where he now guides both foreign and Burmese meditators.

Venerable Virañani ordained with Sayadaw U Pandita in 2003, and has been based at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre since 2006. She teaches mettā and vipassanā meditation in Burma and the West.

Ariya Baumann was a Buddhist nun for 21 years, ordained in Burma by Sayadaw U Janaka. For many years she had been guiding foreign meditators at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre. She now lives in Switzerland and teaches mettā and vipassanā retreats worldwide."

Sending Metta to President Donald J. Trump

Since the U.S. election results, meditators everywhere have struggled with how to orient themselves, their values, and their practice with the incoming Trump administration. From civil disobedience to protecting the powerless, this has been a soul-searching time in trying to align Dhamma practice with the naked vulgarity of hate speech.

One American yogi shared the following story, which gives more food for thought to the vipassana practitioner. During an intensive mettā retreat, she was following the Buddha's guidelines of sending metta first to oneself, then to a role model, a loved one, a neutral one, and finally a disliked person or enemy. After several days she reported her experiences to the nun teacher, who is also American, noting that she didn't have any blocks in her mettā practice and it was flowing freely to all persons. The following is the paraphrased conversation that follows:

Nun: "There is, however, one person left..."

Yogi: "Who...?"

"Our next President."

"Oh... no!!! No, no, no. I can't even say his name, literally it disgusts me so much. I tried to fly all this way to Burma, and then schedule this retreat to coincide with inauguration day. I cancelled my subscription from the New York Times, as I can only read the Book Review these days. I have to leave the room when he is on a TV. No!"

"Let me tell you. I carried a hatred for that man as well. I fervently wished that he would die in an airplane crash. And look at me! Look at the robes I am wearing! How can I hold such a thing in my heart? Let me tell you, that since the election, my sole meditation practice has been sending mettā to Donald Trump. And I can send mettā to him at times, but I haven't yet been successful at wishing him mudita, or sympathetic joy."

"I just look at what he represents and what he will do to our country, and sometimes I can't even stand I get so weak and sick."

"Well, first remember that he's not the president yet. We now have an ethical man leading our country. And with this practice, we always stay in the present moment, accepting the reality at the moment. Secondly, Trump's policies will impact millions of people around the world. The more negativity that is shared with him, and the greater defilements that arise in him as a result, the greater possibility that his reach will harm more and more people. The only part I can play in this is wishing him to become free of suffering. As much freedom of suffering as he may achieve, that will translate into how his policies and decisions affect millions."

The yogi determined she was not in fact strong enough to send direct mettā to the President-Elect, and so instead radiated mettā to all beings, accepting that Trump was one of those beings. But even this proved challenging in the extreme, and the toxic nature of her thinking became so manifested that it dampened her overall mettā. Never before had her civic opinions and feelings so contradicted her Dhamma practice, and it is something she continues to process how they may be brought together, contemplating the nun's advice.

At a time when many yogis are considering various forms of social activism (at times informed from Buddhist principles), the nun's honest talk shows an alternative for action, or perhaps a complementary action.

How does one affect change in the world? On this point, one may recall the words of a Webu Sayadaw student and biographer. It was pointed out to him that Webu had no legacy of which to speak: unlike other contemporary teachers such as S.N. Goenka or Mahasi Sayadaw, he had no meditation centers, no appointed teachers, no administration managing logistics, no promotion of his meditation technique on a large scale, etc. Replied the biographer, "Being active in the world and reaching out to hundreds, thousands is of course beneficial. But so is sitting alone in a cave for the benefit of all humanity."

Chan Myay Myaing: 2017 Mettā Course Flyer Available now!

The highly popular mettā course will be held again at Chan Myay Myaing's Pyin Oo Lwin monastery in Winter 2017. The flyer for this special course has just been released, although applications will not be accepted until May 2016. To download the flyer, go here. 

Metta Retreat Photo Albums

Sayadaw U Indaka, Daw Ariya, and Daw Viranani completed their annual mettā-bhavana retreat in Chan Myay Myaing Monastery in Pyin Oo Lwin, and have shared the inspiring photos and commentary about the course here. Although the course typically fills ups within days after it is offered, interested yogis may apply for the one to be held in one year's time in the cool hilly region of Myanmar.  

Chan Myay Mying Sayadaw: A Personal Taste of Metta

The following quote is from Sayadaw U Indaka of Chan Myay Maying in Metta: The Practice of Loving-Kindness As the Foundation for Insight Meditation Practice. As noted in a previous post, he will be teaching intensive metta retreats in Pyin Oo Lwin for those English-speaking meditators who are interested. 

One day Chanmyay Sayadaw said, “I have a natural affinity for metta meditation, and I enjoy it very much. When I practise metta meditation, my mind becomes happier and more peaceful with anodisa metta (non-specific metta) than with odisa metta (specific metta). However with anodisa metta, concentration does not become very powerful and strong. I always encourage the monks and volunteers at the monastery to practise metta meditation, and I also tell the yogis who come to practise meditation at Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Centre to develop metta. When I tell them to practise metta meditation, I ask them to do metta at the beginning of their vipassana meditation as part of the preliminary preparations. Or else, I advise them to develop metta during vipassana meditation when the mind becomes filled with anger or when the mind is very restless. Occasionally, I also tell them to practise Buddhanussati. Sometimes, I instruct yogis who are experienced in the practice of vipassana meditation to develop metta continuously for about one to one and a half months. Some yogis who have practised in this way have had a direct personal experience of the ‘taste’ of metta.

---

Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre
Shwe U Min Street
No.3 Highway, Laydaungkan
Mingaladon Township
Pale PO 11022
Yangon
Myanmar

Chan Myay Myaing Forest Monastery Metta Retreat in Winter 2016

Chan Myay Myaing Monastery will hold its second annual Metta Retreat, as detailed in this flyer. In their own words:

"The practice of loving-kindness (mettā bhāvana) aims at the cultivation of a loving, benevolent attitude towards all living beings. Since the time of the Buddha, this form of meditation has been used as a practice in itself, and as a support for the development and deepening of insight.

In this special retreat for foreign meditators, Western yogis will have the unique opportunity to learn the practice of mettā meditation under the guidance of both a Burmese meditation master and Western teachers. Sayadaw U Indaka (who is renowned in Burma for his skill in teaching this practice) will be joined by Venerable Virañani and Ariya Baumann; together they will offer in-depth instructions and teachings for this practice."

Two retreats will take place in Pyin Oo Lwin in 2016; one in January and one in February. Enrollment and registration are still possible for those wishing to develop in the practice of metta-bhavana.

The Taste of Metta

"I have a natural affinity for metta meditation, and I enjoy it very much. When I practise metta meditation, my mind becomes happier and more peaceful with anodisa metta (non-specific metta) than with odisa metta (specific metta). However with anodisa metta, concentration does not become very powerful and strong. I always encourage the monks and volunteers at the monastery to practise metta meditation, and I also tell the yogis who come to practise meditation at Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Centre to develop metta. When I tell them to practise metta meditation, I ask them to do metta at the beginning of their vipassana meditation as part of the preliminary preparations. Or else, I advise them to develop metta during vipassana meditation when the mind becomes filled with anger or when the mind is very restless. Occasionally, I also tell them to practise Buddhanussati. Sometimes, I instruct yogis who are experienced in the practice of vipassana meditation to develop metta continuously for about one to one and a half months. Some yogis who have practised in this way have had a direct personal experience of the ‘taste’ of metta."

--Chan Myay Myaing Sayadaw U Indaka

Burma Pilgrimage #2, Day 3: The Generosity of Sayadaws

The following excerpt was written by an American yogi about the pilgrimage in Burma. The first pilgrimage has ended, and the second one has just begun! To read about the previous day, go here. To read about this very same day on the previous yatra, see here! You can also consider joining a later pilgrimage in Burma yourself.

"Along the way to Metta Shin monastery, our resting place for the next two nights, we stopped to pay respects to two Sayadaws along the way.

The first was Hansar Waddy, a monastery in Saya Thet Gyi's tradition. After a group sit, the Sayadaw extended a warm welcome and shared a few pearls to abide by:
the importance of right mind, having right friends, and listening to the Dhamma. After accepting our offerings, his volunteers, who had already amassed a
huge array of snacks, served this to us with such metta. We stayed a good while, and the Sayadaw beamed at us the whole time - metta has no language
barriers.

The next stop was Aung Zabu, a monastery where a Japanese businessman had donated his private collection of hundreds of Buddha statues. Although it was not a day for public viewing, we were able to go in and meet the Sayadaw. His warm welcome was followed by an extortion to keep on spreading the Dhamma. We were given permission to not only view, but also photograph the rare collection. The statues were beautiful - physical manifestations of the devotion of so many. May many more find inspiration from this collection.

The generosity of these Sayadaws, to a group of unknown meditators (even when not from their tradition) is touching. The unhurried amount of time they take, the genuine joy and warmth in their time with us, and their small Dhamma talks makes each of these encounters special. Words of teaching, simple as
they may be, when given in this atmosphere, fall onto fertile soil..."

Click here for Day 4!

Thoughts about Pilgrimage Visits to IMC and Pyaw Bwe Gyi

The following excerpt was written by Branden Macie about the pilgrimage in Burma, and describes scenes from Day #2 and Day #3. Another American yogi also wrote briefly about the second day. For current pilgrimage offerings, see here.

"Paying respects to and meditating at Sayagyi U Ba Khin's IMC personal cell for a few minutes, a cool dissolution of metta engulfed me, the entirety of U Ba Khin's life and Dhamma efforts washed over me and the vivid words of Goenkaji about U Ba Khin's metta instantly were realized. At once, my mind was fashionable and I cast it in the purest direction knowable, toward the limitless merits of this life and this journey with the whole of conditioned existence with formed/conditioned phenomena, from fine forms to solidified, bound forms. Truly it was easy to pray through the dissolved rupa and nama which that single place affirmed. 

I bowed deeply taking refuge in the Buddhas, Dhammas, and Sanghas of past, present and future. Truly, I pray the streams lightness-- of metta, reach all beings in that location, be known to all, and fill this arupa, rupa, and kama lokas of samsara. The streams of light metta atoms known to my mind was easily fixable, directable. And I cast it in a direction which, surely, Sayagyi would encourage-- towards sharing the merits.

A feather floated lightly through the wind at Saya Thet Gyi Center. It landed on the hard solidified concrete ground. My mind was directed towards subtle/soft realities and to gross/impermeable realities. Then, naturally the awareness of the space enabling soft and hard realities to exist arose in me. Such were the vibrations of our Anagami great grandfather's center: light, heavy, and containing."

A Dhammic Buffet in Burma

“One of the most remarkable things I’ve found is how the people here seem to talk about monks, monasteries, meditation techniques, and Buddhist suttas— that is, about Dhamma— with a similar passion as you find people in other countries talking about sports or politics. Everyone has an opinion on the matter and many seem to feel there is nothing better to discuss than this. Now knowing a little Burmese, I can also join such conversations, and I have found myself in discussions with waiters, taxi drivers, and hotel clerks in which we discuss the nuances and benefits the Buddha’s teachings.

A common topic is to discuss the best way to follow these teachings. For example, some may feel that mettā should always come before any formal sitting, while others feel it is best for it to come after; still others think that there is no need to send mettā intentionally as it will come naturally as one develops, and for some, the whole of their practice is mettā. Some work with the mind focusing on the breath as it touches below the nostril and above the upper lip, others on the rise and fall of the abdomen, others on the mental contents, while others share that their practice is not so much on any particular object but rather to observe the awareness itself. There is such flexibility in how one is following the Noble Eightfold Path, and different Sayadaws and meditation teachers emphasize different aspects, with yogis able to select a path that seems suitable and effective for their own individual background and preference. And many yogis and monks gain benefit by learning from several different traditions, since really, they are all teaching with the same end goal in mind. And, everyone here seems to enjoy nothing more than sharing their own way of practicing the Buddha’s teachings, and learning what others are doing.

This point was driven home to me when myself and four other foreign friends were invited to the home of a Burmese family for lunch. The entire family had practiced Mogok all their life, and at present they were engaged in a project with Chan Myay Yeiktha. The five of us foreigners (two European, one American, one Asian, one Latin American) had all initially found Dhamma through U Goenka courses in our home countries. Now, three were in robes, two were Shwe Oo Min practitioners, one had just spent two years at Pa Auk and another three years in solitude in the forest. Also invited was a Burmese family who were disciples of The Phyu Sayadaw.

After lunch we went to visit a monastery overseen by the disciple of Maha Bodhi Sayadaw, who himself seemed to practice by integrating a Pa Auk approach. And all day long we talked of Dhamma. While the The Phyu meditators shared how valuable it was to sit for long hours without moving, the Shwe Oo Min yogis talked about applying awareness in every moment, and the Pa Auk monk discussed the developing of nimitta.

It was a general devotion to the Buddha and his teachings that bound our group that day, and on this point there was overwhelming coherence and agreement, all bowing to the same monk and statue whenever the opportunity presented itself. We discussed Abhidhamma theory and the joy of performing meritorious deeds.

While such dhammic communities may exist within a single tradition in other countries, what I have come to love about Burma is that one finds this throughout the very society, and across traditions. People here seem to understand that just as the Buddha taught in different ways to different people, so also we can apply the teachings according to our style and preferences. Walk the Path we must, but there are different ways to advance upon it. We are going to the same place and speaking the same language, but there are different ways to get there.”

--Western Yogi in Burma

Metta Program for S.N. Goenka