Free Course on Dependent Origination by Venerable Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa

The following message was requested to be posted on this platform:

Course on Dependent Origination by Venerable Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa

Dear Dhamma friends,

Hope this mail finds you very well and happy in the Dhamma.

This is Bhikkhu Rāhula and Caraṇapālī (Heidi) writing, we are so glad to inform you that Sayadawgyi has confirmed the details for the coming English Dhamma course with details as below:

Topic: Explanation of Dependent Origination

Date: 5th - 18th Nov, 2019

Location: Centre for Buddhist Studies (CBS), Sagaing, Myanmar

Language: English

Open to: International Dhamma students who are interested and have basic Abhidhamma knowledge

If you are interested in joining the course please fill in and submit the following form.
Registration for limited spaces will be opened until mid October on a first-come first-serve basis, once the course is full, applications will be kept in waiting list.

If you have any trouble filling in the form please kindly contact us at:
i.dhamma.edu@gmail.com

Thank you very much for your attention.
Sending our best regards and looking forward to seeing you in the course.

with much mettā,
Bhikkhu Rāhula
& Anāgārika Caraṇapāli

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScr_iXxSl_TROutc4tTIEAFTDLnHMAkS9csbxmhsiyS0OshEg/viewform

Sutta Study with Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa

The following message concerns registration in the free sutta course led by one of Myanmar's premier monastic scholars.

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2019 Feb - Sutta Course by Venerable Sayadaw Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa

Dear Dhamma friends,Hope this mail finds you very well and happy in the Dhamma.

This is Bhikkhu Rāhula and Caraṇapālī (Heidi) writing concerning Rector Sayadawgyi Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa’s coming English Dhamma Course in February 2019.

Below are some details of the course:

Topic: Pārāyana Vagga

Date: 7th- 20th Feb, 2019 (please arrive the latest on the 6th evening)

Location: Dhammavinaya center, Hlegu [near Yangon]

Language: English

Open to: International Dhamma students who are interested and have some basic Dhamma knowledge

If you are interested in joining the course please fill in and submit the following form.

Registration for limited spaces will be opened until end of January 2019 on a first-come first-serve basis, once the course if full, applications will be kept in waiting list.

After submission, if you need to edit or update any information on your form such as the date of arrival or departure, you can come back to this email and click edit response to update your information.

If you have any trouble filling in the form or if you need a visa sponsorship letter, please kindly contact us at:

i.dhamma.edu@gmail.com

Thank you very much for your attention.

Sending our best regards and looking forward to seeing you in the course.

Bhikkhu Rāhula & Anāgārika Caraṇapālī


See here for more details: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfPN4T3a7dgWOIfFLDVLajdCXIqSk56N6r7ZZguwPtSlxtjXA/viewform?c=0&w=1&usp=mail_form_link

The Pāḷi Grammar & Diṭṭhikathā Course in Myanmar

The following message is from the Institute for Dhamma Education in Myanmar:

"Dear Venerables and Dhamma friends,

The Pāḷi Grammar & Diṭṭhikathā Course in November taught by Venerable Sayadagyi Dr. Nandamālābhivaṃsa has already started and the course is filmed and posted live on Facebook everyday in the following page:

https://www.facebook.com/ပါေမာကၡခ်ဳပ္ဆရာေတာ္ဓမၼသဘင္-LIVE-1183243185031861/?pnref=story

Considering that it may not be easy for all who are interested to follow the course live due to time difference etc. We are saving the videos on Google drive daily for easy access.

Diṭṭhikathā Course

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0B5X6aea1m65Td1dpVlpSRlRtZG8?usp=sharing

Pāḷi Grammar Course

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1LCcLsOO5SuiyFtX9ncwL4fIoXNAV8r0w?usp=sharing"

Locating the Birthplace of an Italian Buddhist monk

Research has been ongoing to learn more about the fantastic life of the Italian Buddhist monk U Lokanatha. 

A friend of B.R. Ambedkar, Sun Lun Sayadaw, Webu Sayadaw, and Ajahn Pannya, and an inspiration to General Aung San and Dr. Nandamala, his life biography nearly defies imagination. Despite coming from a conservative Catholic family in which several uncles and brothers were priests, his pull towards the Dhamma led him to walk from Italy all the way to India, and he is said to have once repelled a mob in Turkey due to the strength of his metta. He hoped to convert Mussolini to Buddhism as a way of preventing World War II, but was instead imprisoned in a POW camp in India as he was accused to being with the Axis Powers (where, as a prisoner, he underwent a hunger strike and taught Dhamma to the prisoners). 

After the war, he would go on an American tour, describing the Buddha's teachings as the antidote to the nuclear age, and saying he would bring an "atomic bomb of love" to his audiences. He would give Dhamma speeches at such diverse places as Hollywood seances and before Account General office employees prior to the opening of U Ba Khin's IMC, and calling himself the "first Dhamma Ambassador to the West," he also helped to arrange a meeting between Webu Sayadaw the the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, resulting in the offering of precious Buddha Relics to the tiny Ingyinbin monastery, which still has them today.

This picture shows the result of efforts to locate his birth home in Naples. Since a flood in 1999, it has been inhabitable, but appears to be the original building. Supporters would like to see a Burmese stupa constructed here to honor the great monk. 

Passing of Shwegyin Sayadaw

The most Venerable Maharathaguru Waso Sayadaw Bhaddanta Aggiya, Abhidhaja (head monk) of the Shwegyin Nikāya (myanmar's second largest monastic order), has passed away last week while undergoing medical treatment in Mandalay General Hospital. He has thus left the burden of the aggregates at the ripe age of 100, just a few weeks before his 101st birthday. Bhaddanta Aggiya had 81 vassa.

Following his demise, this Tuesday a large meeting was organised in his Monastery, with many chief monks of the Shwegyin Order such as the Venerables Dr. Nandamalabhivamsa, Yaw Sayadaw and Sitagu Sayadaw, to discuss the preparations for his cremation ceremony with his devotees and the regional chief minister.

The remains of the Sayadaw are being displayed in a coffin for public obeisance in Aungmyaythazi Monastery in the compound of Vithudayon Taikthit Kyaung on 86th street. In the last days many devotees came to pay their respects to his remains, as well as many monk communities from Shwegyin monasteries came to pay their respects and practice marananusati (contemplating death) near his body. Today evening Yaw Sayadaw will be giving a Dhamma Talk there.

The cremation will be held on Sunday afternoon on the sport fields of Shwe Mann Taung Golf Course at the western foot of Mandalay Hill.

Former Myanmar President U Thein Sein now Buddhist Monk in Pyin Oo Lwin

The Irrawaddy magazine reports that former Myanmar President U Thein Sein has revealed he is now a Buddhist monk at Dhamma Dipati, a part of the Dhamma Sahaya Sasana Center of Institute of Dhamma Education (IDE), run by the highly esteemed Dr. Nandamala (also known as Pa Chote Sayadaw, or “Professor Sayadaw”).  The article reports that Sitagu Sayadaw highly encouraged U Thein Sein, while still President, to take robes at his first opportunity. Apparently, the former head of state has done just that, leaving aside his lay clothes and worldly responsibilities just days after turning over the reigns of government to the democratically elected NLD party.

Dr. Nandamala also has centers in Sagaing and Yangon. His English in excellent, and his method of teaching very accessible to meditators, as he designs his teaching based on the level of the student and his/her needs. There are many kutis for students who come to learn pariyatti from him. Abhidhamma courses are offered regularly to foreigners, and more information is posted on Dr. Nandamala’s website. There is a beautiful Dhamma Hall on site, and accommodations are two per room when filled. It is not a meditation center, and is primarily open when lectures or study courses are offered. The center teaches a variety of courses, such as the Visuddhimagga, and the Maggāmagga-ñāṇadassana-visuddhi (Purification by knowledge and vision of what is Path and Not Path), and Kankhavitarani-visuddhi.

Lithuanian nun Sayalay Piyadassii stayed at the center for some time, and comments on her experience studying Abhidhamma here:

“After staying in Myanmar for more then a year it was inevitable that the mind became curious about Abhidhamma teachings. Slowly, slowly, reading a little bit here, a little bit there, listening Dhamma talks from one teacher and then another, some knowledge started to arise. And the mind became more and more fascinated with the topic. Especially when the information that slowly was being gathered started to make more and more sense, and even more than that, it brought a lot of clarity and understanding into the actual practice of the Dhamma. But it was not until the day when I had a fortune to join Ven. Sayadaw's course on the most deep and profound Abhiddhama book, Patthana, did the mind ever tried to understand that last, but most fascinating topic of relationships between different ultimate realities. While I was studying on my own this field always seemed so high, that I literary never thought I'd be ever able to comprehend even the 'ABC' of it. But believe it or not, after just two weeks of attending the classes which Sayadaw gave, I could say, 'Actually, it is not that difficult! At least the basics, we can understand!'…And it so rewarding!

But, I would like to give one warning to anyone who is considering to plunge into this most interesting field of Buddhist philosophy: if you learn Abhidhamma, the field of your Dhamma studies will narrow down a lot. And it is very much likely that the teachings that are not touching the roots, not touching the ultimate realities, will appear shallow. Mind will find it difficult to find satisfaction in such shallow teachings. And that will direct the mind towards the practices which actually deal with the Dhamma on a level of ultimate realities. The choice of where to go to practice in such case narrows down significantly, but there are places, and the experience of this deep and profound teachings is nothing that the words could possibly describe. Try it if you dare!”

Vipassana-Ñāṇa course in Pyin Oo Lwin

From November 9-22 2015, the renowned Burmse Sayadaw Dr. Nandamalabhivamsa will lead a course on Vipassana-Ñāṇa (Insight knowledge) starting from Diṭṭhi-visuddhi (Purification of View). This will take place at the Institute of Dhamma Education (IDE), Aung Chan Thar Village, Pwin Oo Lwin. The Sayadaw will teach Visuddhimagga in relation to Vipassana, starting with the chapter on ditthi-visuddhi and proceeding through the Vipassana-Ñāṇa. The course will be held in English, and maximum capacity is 40. There is no course fee. Accommodation and food are offered by the institute. The participants are encouraged to do donation to this institute or to offer food as they wish. If you are interested in this course and like to register for it, please email Aggacara2013@gmail.com or view the website aggacara.blogspot.com.