Myanmar Dhamma coming to Europe - a unique opporunity!

European meditators will have the unique opportunity to meet Venerable Thabarwa Sayadaw Ashin Ottamasara during his Europe Dhamma tour this year in August. 

Sayadaw Ottamasara founded Thabarwa Meditation Center in Thanlyin in 2008, which has since grown into a large Meditation and Caring Center with over 3000 temporary and permanent residents. The Center is becoming increasingly popular also among foreign yogis and travellers, as hundreds of foreigners are living and volunteering in Thabarwa Center all year round and benefiting from doing good deeds of service, observing precepts and meditation.

Since a few years Sayadaw Ottamasara has been invited by his foreign devotees to their home countries to give dhamma talks and meditation retreats for the benefit of those who can't come to recieve Dhamma in Myanmar. Sayadaw has thus been teaching in Vietnam, Australia, UK and Italy.

In August a tour around Europe is planned for Sayadaw along with another monk, 2 nuns and an italian yogi. They will be giving a retreat in Lithuania from 5-10th August, then passing trough Germany and Switzerland/Austria (10-18th) and be staying in Italy around Milano/Novi Ligure 18-28th August.

All who wish can support Sayadaw's trip with donations to cover the expenses of transportation, food, lodging, visa and other logistics.

However meditators located in Europe have the unique opportunity to offer Sayadaw and his supporters one or several meals, help them with accomodation or transport, and even to invite them to their home region and arrange for a Dhamma talk or retreat.

The retreat in Italy is planned to be held from 18-28th August but a local group of meditators is still trying to find a place to rent for residential retreat in the area Milano or Novi Ligure. Any help in this search is greatly appreciated.

Plannings are still in progress so anyone interested in being involved with Thabarwa Sayadaw's Dhamma Tour can contact Sayalay Khema Cari, an italian nun living at Thabarwa center who will be accompanying Sayadaw on his tour.

May all beings be happy and share the merits of this tour.
:)

http://thabarwa-nmc.blogspot.de/

https://www.buddhistdoor.net/features/thabarwa-centre-a-refuge-for-the-homeless-in-myanmar

http://www.thabarwa.org/english/q-and-a-with-thabarwa-sayadaw-u-ottamasara/

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

ThaBarWa Meditation Course in Pyin Oo Lwin

The following information has been shared by ThaBarWa Monastery, who has requested Burma-Dhamma to share:

"We have a new course happening soon at ThaBarWa Center:

Title: Universal Truth and Personal Truth
Including Basic Buddhism , meditation, discussion

By Sayalay Cala (ITBMU)
12-22 March 2016

Please contact :
dawkhema@gmail.com, 09 250047330, for inscription

This is the 2nd ThaBarWa center, established in 2012. Full time retreat. Few yogis are residing there as well as few monks. (During raining season we have a lot of monks). It's quite extended in a very beautiful place. Foreigners can also stay there but outside the monthly 7-days retreat there is no one speaking english. It's easy to reach from Pyin Oo Lwin...
It is highly encouraged to spend time first to learn about our teacher and understand ThaBarWa aim before going to Pyin Oo Lwin center.

The course with Sayalay Cala is happening at our Thanlyin branch. The Pyin Oo Lwin retreat is monthly, every first week-with Usin Yevada Nanda

"Experiential Learning in Buddhism and Truth"

Tharbawa Monastery requested to share the following announcement:

Date: 8 days retreat in 2016 [feb 7 to 16] 

Experiential Learning in Buddhism and TruthMeditation type: Insight meditation and loving kindness meditation
By Sayalay Cala (ITBMU)

Every 7 first days of the month 7 days meditation retreat at ThaBarWa Shwe Chaung (Pyin Oo Lwin)

Everyday in ThaBarwa Center, meditation class, Buddhism class & discussions. Possibility to do a self-retreat and limitless good deeds.

For all details refere to our website and can contact us through it.

Thank you for your collaboration,
Truly,

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

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

Thae Inn Gu Sayadaw and Meditation Monastery

Born in March 1913, U Aung Tun married young and had three daughters. His first wife died, and subsequent two wives left the marriage to become nuns. U Aung Tun’s first profound awakening occurred upon reading Sun Lun Sayadaw’s biography. Like him, this highly revered monk had little educational background, and yet achieved the greatest spiritual heights— prompting U Aung Tun to wonder, “why not I?” This, combined with having received a sharp blow to the head while attempting to rob a house, prompted the 46 year old man to travel to his sister’s home in Kyaung Ga Lay and follow nine precepts for nine days. Here, from 4 a.m. until 10 p.m. every day he practiced ānāpāna meditation in the sitting position, not changing his posture unless having to meet the calls of nature. He developed profoundly during this time, and this determination and perseverance would go on to characterize his future teaching style.

Following this period, he continued his practice, in later months moving to his nephew’s home, where it is believed he attained the third state of enlightenment. Once, he described viewing his past lives “in his vision… like a television series.” He later decided to go to Twante to meditate alone in a forest, and accepted an offer to have lunch at the home of U Su Ya in Hmawbi, and it is here where he is believed to have become fully liberated—nearly 21 months after beginning his ardent practice. Sayadaw U Okkatta, as he was now known, came to establish himself here, and soon thousands of Burmese disciples were coming to pay their respects and learn from him. The Sayadaw also started to travel and give Dhamma talks, where audiences numbered as much as 3,000.

Thae Inn Gu Sayadaw drew particular inspiration from the Buddha’s vow at the time of his enlightenment, Ayoo kye kye, ayay khan khan lu yin thay ma thay yin tayar ya, or “I will try [either until my] bones dry up [or until] the case is accomplished,” and he exhorted his monks, too, to work until enlightenment or until their bones broke apart. In his teachings, this translated into encouraging longer periods of sitting without changing posture, starting with a minimum of two hours and building up from here.

The Sayadaw passed away at the age of 60 on July 8th 1973, after which the body was kept in state for three years. Disciples say that despite not being embalmed, the body did not become rotten during this time, but “dried up,” and eventually left seven relics, two from the eyes, four from the bones, and one tooth. They were once taken to a jeweler to be examined without prior explanation, and the jeweler thought they were real precious gems! However, when looked at more closely, it became apparent that vein-like lines were also present. These are on display annually in April and are believed to emit light from the pagoda. 

Thae Inn Gu Sayadaw has influenced many great monk of today, including the Thabarwa Sayadaw in Than Lyin. Discourses of the great monk can be found here.