A "Trip" to Burma

Julie Dierstein is a French meditator in the tradition of Sayagyi U Goenka, and has spent the last many months in Burma. She has taken long courses, stayed at Burmese monasteries, offered Dhamma service at monastic schools, and sat her own self-course. Her wonderful blog, complete with photos and commentary about her stay, can be found here.

Taw Tai Monastic School

Taw Tai Monastery in Yangon is an exquisite educational center that also offers regular meditation retreats, teaching Vipassana practice. The monastic school has about 350 novices and 100 monks. Buddhist courses are offered five days per week, with Saturday and Sunday free. Its meditation retreats are approximately ten days long, and are usually attended by about 100 people. 

The Dhamma Hall at Taw Tai where the Vipassana courses are held

Foreigners are welcome to join the meditation courses, where they can learn the traditional Burmese Buddhist meditation practice. Also, those who have the volition may serve the meditation courses of the monks and novices, or that of the Burmese lay people. Yogis can also join the classes, and even teach those such as English, where their help may be quite welcome. 

For any Dhamma practitioners who are making their way through the Golden Land, a visit to Taw Tai is surely a must-see!

The monastery sign

A tropical monastery

"For a future, let's work together!"

Two Sagaing nuns have joined together to create a small organization called Yaung Chi Oo, which teaches "Civic and Ethical Education" and English language classes. These two nuns spend their free time by going to poor, rural parts of Myanmar and teaching classes on English language, as well as giving Buddhist meditation instruction.

In their own language, the group has ten main goals:

1. To introduce the Buddha Dhamma in their daily lives.
2. To instill a sense of good behavior and encourage mental development through the Buddha Dhamma.
3. To improve their reading skills through familiarization with books.
4. To build self confidence and overall well being of future good citizens
5. Buddhist ethical education and civic education for basic and progressive levels.
6. Sharing and discussion on application of the Buddha Dhamma in Daily Life.
7. To purify the mind by practicing meditation.
8. To teach the Buddha Dhamma in English.
9. English language and grammar for basic and intermediate levels.
10. Basic computer course.

 They are only able to travel to such regions and give school materials and short meditation courses based on dana. For those that would like to support their efforts by giving dana or donating their own skills in workshops or classes, please contact us and we can put you in touch with these wonderful nuns.

As the slogan of Yaung Chi Oo is, "For a future, let's work together!"

Morning recitation at Burmese monastic school

“The education in their religion is very good, very thorough, not only in precept, but in practice; for in the monastery you must live a holy life, as the monks live, even if you are but a schoolboy.” Harold Fielding, Soul of a People

Students at a monastic school recite suttas from the Buddhist scriptures to start their day. One may see how the nuns are in the front of the classroom, thus an early respect for those in robes in established from a young age. Behind them are school children wearing the formal white and emerald green uniforms. Filling up the rest of the room are orphans and local village children. Lessons will commence after the recitation is completed.

Kun Lay Monastery kitchen and beyond

Kun Lay Monastery sits about an hour outside Pyin Oo Lwin in northern Burma, and is a very traditional Buddhist monastery where the old ways may still be found. Currently Bhante Agga from Europe is staying here for Waso. This short clip shows the view of the monastery from the kitchen. It provides a nice overview of a traditional Burmese monastery for the foreign meditator who has never visited the Golden Land.