There has been some misunderstanding in Myanmar and among Myanmar communities in the USA and other countries about the Weizzar Lan or Weizzar Path.
At the outset, let me make it clear that the Weizzar Lan is not a path that is intended to send you straight to Nivarna. If that is your goal, it is better for you to do vipassana and listen to what many Burmese learned Sayadaws are teaching.
How long will it take for a person to get to Nivarna, that is a good question. No one can give you a definite answer. It depends on whether you have a good Insight Meditation teacher and your enthusiam and diligence in following the Noble Eightfold path.
Having said this, let me talk more about the Weizzar Path.
This path is for people who wish to get to Nivarna, eventually but who wish to accumulate more knowledge and wisdom along the way so that they could help other beings.
The Weizzar Lan that I follow bow down to the Tri Ratna - the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. We do not preach anything against the teachings of the Buddha.
However, we believe that there are many secret teachings left by the holy weizzars of the past such as Bo Bo Aung and Bo Min Gaung. These teachings in the field of "sacred writings" or "Inns" and in the field of "alchemy" or "Aggiya Pyinnya" are not for those who are following the Lawkauttara path - this is the path the leads to Nivarna in the shortest possible time.
Let me be clear about this point. Those who are on the Weizzar Path practice both Samahta or "Concentration meditation" as well as Vipassana or "Insight Meditation".
They work within close knit groups called "gaings" because they do not wish to teach what they know to those who have not been initiated on the Weizzar Path. They do not wish others to misuse their knowledge.
There are many secret teachings within the domain of "Lawki Pyinnya" which are not known by ordinary people who are too busy with their own lives.
Weizzar paths such as alchemy, sacred writings, healing using herbs and minerals (called Sei Pyinnya) still exist in Myanmar and other countries like Tibet and Thailand.
The ultimate goal of the weizzars and other people who follow the vipassana path is the same: Nivarna. Only the path is different, one is the short path and the other is the long path.
The Weizzars are people who have chosen the long path because they wish to help humanity and other beings along the way, by doing acts of merit and helping those people who are in need of help.
A word of warning though. You need to be careful of fake people who might try to trick you. As in everthing else in this world, we all have to be careful and seek the true teachers.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Reciting the noble qualities of the Buddha for protection
Dear seekers of truth,
I am posting here an article I did for my weizzar website. (www.myaing.com/weizzar ).
This is about how to recite the "Than bode dei garhtar".
Enjoy.
Kyaw Myaing
=========================
Ref: "Buddhist Abhidhamma", U Kyaw Min of Burma, (Heian International, P.O. Box 1013, Union City, CA 94587 USA).
On pages 114 to 116 he has written about the 40 kinds of concentration methods. This is according to Theravada Buddhism.
Concentration on the noble attibutes of the Buddha is called Buddha Nussati (in Burmese it is pronounced Bodeda Nokethati). One of the methods of doing this is to recite the Than Bode Gahtar at least 108 times a day. This can be done with the help of a seitbadee (rosary). I present here my translation of the Than Bode Gahtar from Burmese and also the Pali version which gives you the sound in English alphabet. It is said that if you recite the Than Bode Gahtar for a thousand times, your wish will be fulfilled if the wish is for a good cause like to get a job or to help you in a meritorious works like building a pagoda.
Thanbodeday Ghahtar - sounds written in English (original in Pali language)
Than bode dei
At-hta wi thin-sa
Dwa-da thin-sa
Thaha thakei
Pyinsa that-ta
Tha-ha thani
Nama-mi
Thira tha mahan
Appakar walukar Ginga
Ananta neibbutar zinar
Teithan Daminsa Thanginsa
Ardeyayna namar-mahan
Namekkyar nubarweina heitwar
Thubbe uppadewei
Aneika andayapi
Winarthan-tu
Athei-thetaw
English Translation
I pay homage to the Twenty Eight Buddhas
I pay homage to the Twelve thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Five hundred thousand Buddhas
I bow my head in homage to all these Buddhas
The Buddhas who have achieved Nibbana
Are more in number than the grains of sand
in the river Ganga.
They are in Hundreds of thousands
They are in Millions
They are in Tens of Millions
I pay homage to the Twenty Eight Buddhas
I pay homage to the Twelve thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Five hundred thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Dhamma taught by all these Buddhas
I pay homage to the Ariyan Sanga
They who have achieved the four Magga paths
They who have achieved the four Phalas
I bring my two palms
in front of my forhead
and I pay my homage
For paying homage to the Triple Gems
May all kinds of Danger
May all kinds of Harm
Be swept away from me
May all Kinds of Danger
May all Kinds of Harm
Vanish and disappear
Translated by Kyaw Myaing
7 January 2000
I am posting here an article I did for my weizzar website. (www.myaing.com/weizzar ).
This is about how to recite the "Than bode dei garhtar".
Enjoy.
Kyaw Myaing
=========================
Ref: "Buddhist Abhidhamma", U Kyaw Min of Burma, (Heian International, P.O. Box 1013, Union City, CA 94587 USA).
On pages 114 to 116 he has written about the 40 kinds of concentration methods. This is according to Theravada Buddhism.
Concentration on the noble attibutes of the Buddha is called Buddha Nussati (in Burmese it is pronounced Bodeda Nokethati). One of the methods of doing this is to recite the Than Bode Gahtar at least 108 times a day. This can be done with the help of a seitbadee (rosary). I present here my translation of the Than Bode Gahtar from Burmese and also the Pali version which gives you the sound in English alphabet. It is said that if you recite the Than Bode Gahtar for a thousand times, your wish will be fulfilled if the wish is for a good cause like to get a job or to help you in a meritorious works like building a pagoda.
Thanbodeday Ghahtar - sounds written in English (original in Pali language)
Than bode dei
At-hta wi thin-sa
Dwa-da thin-sa
Thaha thakei
Pyinsa that-ta
Tha-ha thani
Nama-mi
Thira tha mahan
Appakar walukar Ginga
Ananta neibbutar zinar
Teithan Daminsa Thanginsa
Ardeyayna namar-mahan
Namekkyar nubarweina heitwar
Thubbe uppadewei
Aneika andayapi
Winarthan-tu
Athei-thetaw
English Translation
I pay homage to the Twenty Eight Buddhas
I pay homage to the Twelve thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Five hundred thousand Buddhas
I bow my head in homage to all these Buddhas
The Buddhas who have achieved Nibbana
Are more in number than the grains of sand
in the river Ganga.
They are in Hundreds of thousands
They are in Millions
They are in Tens of Millions
I pay homage to the Twenty Eight Buddhas
I pay homage to the Twelve thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Five hundred thousand Buddhas
I pay homage to the Dhamma taught by all these Buddhas
I pay homage to the Ariyan Sanga
They who have achieved the four Magga paths
They who have achieved the four Phalas
I bring my two palms
in front of my forhead
and I pay my homage
For paying homage to the Triple Gems
May all kinds of Danger
May all kinds of Harm
Be swept away from me
May all Kinds of Danger
May all Kinds of Harm
Vanish and disappear
Translated by Kyaw Myaing
7 January 2000
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Millennium Message - in honor of year 2000
Millennium Message
I am posting this message to celebrate the new Millennium - the Year 2000.
Once upon a time Lord Buddha was residing in the town of Sarvasti, at Jetavana monastery, donated by a very wealthy man called Anathapindika. Late that night a certain Deva, emitting exceedingly brilliant rays appeard before him . The rays of the Deva were so bright that the whole grove of Jetavana monastery was lit up. After paying respects to the Blessed Lord the Deva stood in an approriate place and asked for permission to ask some questions. Lord Buddha gave permission by remaining silent. The questions that the Deva asked and the answer that Lord Buddha gave came to be known as the "Thirty-eight auspices". In Myanmar, which is a Theravada country, they are known as the "Thirty-eight Mangalas".
Let me tell you a bit about how this story came about.
It was during the time when Lord Buddha was still alive. Now it came to pass that there were discussions and lectures held in towns and villages. On one occasion, a certain topic was put forward. "What is Mangala?". That was the question. Is Mingala something that is seen, or heard or perceived by the senses. Although the question was asked there was no one who could give a satisfactory answer. Many answers were proposed but these answers did not satisfy all the different sectors of the community. Thus a great debate ensued and as a result of this there was a great stirring among the guardian spirits. As time passed the debate spread from the guardian spirits to the upper realms of the Deva loka right up to the abode of the Brahma gods. It is said that this matter was even debated at the assembly of the devas. Nor did it stop there. It eventually spread to the whole world system. When it had spread to the whole world system, the great debate did not end. It spread from one world system to the next and it finally spread to all the ten thousand world systems. No matter how far this debate had spread there was no one who could provide a satisfactory answer to the question: "What is Mingala?".
One day this question was brought before Sakka, the King of Tavatimsa Deva loka. Sakkka knowing that Lord Buddha was the right person to ask instructed a deva to approach the Enlightened One to ask this question. This is how this story of the Thirty-eight Mingalas came about.
The Deva explained to the Enlightened One that many devas and men have been trying to get a satisfactory answer as to what constituted "Mangalas" or "Auspices". Then the Deva said "O Blessed One, what are the Mangalas, when practised and observed bring about welfare and happiness?"
The Blessed One answered in the following manner:
1.
To stay away from Fools,
To approach the Wise,
To honor those worthy of honor,
These indeed are Blessings.
6.
To pay respects to those worthy of respect,
To be humble and meek,
To be content with what you have,
To be grateful for what others have done for you,
To listen to the words of wise men,
These indeed are Blessings.
2.
To dwell in a suitable place,
To have done deeds good and pure,
To walk the path of righteousness,
These indeed are Blessings.
7.
To suffer adversity with fortitude,
To welcome the advice of wise men,
To see the samanas often,
To discuss the dhamma frequently,
These indeed are Blessings.
3.
To have wide knowledge and worldly skills,
To have discipline and good conduct,
To speak the truth in sweetness and grace,
These indeed are Blessings.
8.
To practise austerity,
To follow the path of righteousness,
To understand the Four Ariyan truths,
To realize Nibbana,
These indeed are Blessings.
4.
To perform acts of charity,
To practise and observe the ten laws of righteousness,
To help relatives and participate in community work,
These indeed are Blessings.
9.
When touched by pain and pleasure,
An arahat’s mind is unshaken,
‘Tis free from sorrow, pure and steadfast;
These indeed are Blessings.
5.
To steer clear of evil thoughts,
To refrain from evil words and deeds,
To stay away from intoxicants,
To be diligent in doing good deeds,
These indeed are Blessings.
10.
Those who have fulfilled these Blessings,
Are invincible everywhere,
Safe and happy anywhere;
These thirty-eight principles,
are indeed Blessings for devas and men.
Adapted by Kyaw Myaing from "A Guide to Mingala Sutta" by U Kyaw Htut. The original translation was done by Daw Mya Tin, Department for the Promotion of the Sasana, 1994, Union of Myanmar.
I am posting this message to celebrate the new Millennium - the Year 2000.
Once upon a time Lord Buddha was residing in the town of Sarvasti, at Jetavana monastery, donated by a very wealthy man called Anathapindika. Late that night a certain Deva, emitting exceedingly brilliant rays appeard before him . The rays of the Deva were so bright that the whole grove of Jetavana monastery was lit up. After paying respects to the Blessed Lord the Deva stood in an approriate place and asked for permission to ask some questions. Lord Buddha gave permission by remaining silent. The questions that the Deva asked and the answer that Lord Buddha gave came to be known as the "Thirty-eight auspices". In Myanmar, which is a Theravada country, they are known as the "Thirty-eight Mangalas".
Let me tell you a bit about how this story came about.
It was during the time when Lord Buddha was still alive. Now it came to pass that there were discussions and lectures held in towns and villages. On one occasion, a certain topic was put forward. "What is Mangala?". That was the question. Is Mingala something that is seen, or heard or perceived by the senses. Although the question was asked there was no one who could give a satisfactory answer. Many answers were proposed but these answers did not satisfy all the different sectors of the community. Thus a great debate ensued and as a result of this there was a great stirring among the guardian spirits. As time passed the debate spread from the guardian spirits to the upper realms of the Deva loka right up to the abode of the Brahma gods. It is said that this matter was even debated at the assembly of the devas. Nor did it stop there. It eventually spread to the whole world system. When it had spread to the whole world system, the great debate did not end. It spread from one world system to the next and it finally spread to all the ten thousand world systems. No matter how far this debate had spread there was no one who could provide a satisfactory answer to the question: "What is Mingala?".
One day this question was brought before Sakka, the King of Tavatimsa Deva loka. Sakkka knowing that Lord Buddha was the right person to ask instructed a deva to approach the Enlightened One to ask this question. This is how this story of the Thirty-eight Mingalas came about.
The Deva explained to the Enlightened One that many devas and men have been trying to get a satisfactory answer as to what constituted "Mangalas" or "Auspices". Then the Deva said "O Blessed One, what are the Mangalas, when practised and observed bring about welfare and happiness?"
The Blessed One answered in the following manner:
1.
To stay away from Fools,
To approach the Wise,
To honor those worthy of honor,
These indeed are Blessings.
6.
To pay respects to those worthy of respect,
To be humble and meek,
To be content with what you have,
To be grateful for what others have done for you,
To listen to the words of wise men,
These indeed are Blessings.
2.
To dwell in a suitable place,
To have done deeds good and pure,
To walk the path of righteousness,
These indeed are Blessings.
7.
To suffer adversity with fortitude,
To welcome the advice of wise men,
To see the samanas often,
To discuss the dhamma frequently,
These indeed are Blessings.
3.
To have wide knowledge and worldly skills,
To have discipline and good conduct,
To speak the truth in sweetness and grace,
These indeed are Blessings.
8.
To practise austerity,
To follow the path of righteousness,
To understand the Four Ariyan truths,
To realize Nibbana,
These indeed are Blessings.
4.
To perform acts of charity,
To practise and observe the ten laws of righteousness,
To help relatives and participate in community work,
These indeed are Blessings.
9.
When touched by pain and pleasure,
An arahat’s mind is unshaken,
‘Tis free from sorrow, pure and steadfast;
These indeed are Blessings.
5.
To steer clear of evil thoughts,
To refrain from evil words and deeds,
To stay away from intoxicants,
To be diligent in doing good deeds,
These indeed are Blessings.
10.
Those who have fulfilled these Blessings,
Are invincible everywhere,
Safe and happy anywhere;
These thirty-eight principles,
are indeed Blessings for devas and men.
Adapted by Kyaw Myaing from "A Guide to Mingala Sutta" by U Kyaw Htut. The original translation was done by Daw Mya Tin, Department for the Promotion of the Sasana, 1994, Union of Myanmar.
The Ten Paramis (The Ten Fulfillments)
The Ten Paramis (The Ten Fulfillments)
English Translation
Parami is a Burmese word which means "to try to fulfill" through endless practice.
These ten are the ten areas where the embryo Buddhas (bodhisatas) tried to practice for endless world cycles.
For example, the Gautama Buddha had to fulfill his "Paramis" for Four Asemcheyas and a Hundred Thousand Kappas (world cycles).
1. Charity (Dana)
2. Conduct (Sila)
3. Renunciation (Neikhama)
4. Wisdom and Knowledge (Pyinnya)
5. Indomitable spirit (Adeikhtan)
6. Patience (Khanti)
7. Truth (Thitsa)
8. Steadfastness (Viriya)
9. Loving kindness (Metta)
10. Equanimity (Upekka)
English Translation
Parami is a Burmese word which means "to try to fulfill" through endless practice.
These ten are the ten areas where the embryo Buddhas (bodhisatas) tried to practice for endless world cycles.
For example, the Gautama Buddha had to fulfill his "Paramis" for Four Asemcheyas and a Hundred Thousand Kappas (world cycles).
1. Charity (Dana)
2. Conduct (Sila)
3. Renunciation (Neikhama)
4. Wisdom and Knowledge (Pyinnya)
5. Indomitable spirit (Adeikhtan)
6. Patience (Khanti)
7. Truth (Thitsa)
8. Steadfastness (Viriya)
9. Loving kindness (Metta)
10. Equanimity (Upekka)
Meditation lessons
On this page I will write about things related to Insight Meditation. In Burmese it is called "Vipassana". Actually it is not a Burmese word but a Pali word. "Vi" means with great effort and "passana" means "look very carefully". In this context it means to look at the mind and body with great focus and attentiveness.
Why do we call it Insight meditation? We call it Insight Meditation because it gives insight to a person. Insight is not the same as education. For gaining insight you need to experience it yourself. You cannot read about it or listen to a lecture about it. Vipassana is something you have to do yourself. The object of meditation is yourself. No one else. No other object. It is possible to get a very good education if we study hard. Eventually we can get a good degree from a university. But that is not enough in life. A university degree can be a help but it certainly is not a be all and end all. That is why my teachers told me when I got my first university degree "this is only the beginning of a very long journey."
I started meditating when I was about fourteen years old. I was in my seventh standard. The person who gave me the most inspiration at that time was the Venerable Webu Sayadaw. He was from Kyaukse which is in upper Myanmar. A lot of Burmese devotees believe that he was a saint. In Myanmar language we call such a person an arahat. In actual fact the concept of a christian saint and an arahat is not the same. The Buddhist concept of an arahat is different. To give a short explanation, an arahat is a person who has seen Nivarna in this very life and who will not be reborn in the 31 planes of existence when he leaves this earthly body. When I was young I have heard some stories that he could levitate and fly in the air. In Burmese we call it "zan pyan de". Incidentally, the Burmese word "zan" and the the word "zen" used by Mahayana Buddhists is the same. I have also heard stories saying that when he was travelling by train some of his devotees saw a very bright light coming out from his compartment. This is the kind of glow that comes out from the head of arahats, peceka Buddhas and Buddhas. I have not seen it with my own eyes so I cannot say for certain. Anyway I think he was a very holy person and did have some supernormal powers.
The first book on mediation that I read was the book written by the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw called 'Magginna dipani." It was a very good book for beginners as it explained in detail the Noble eightfold path. At that time I also read a lot of Vipassana books written by the Venerable Mogoke Sayadaw. He was also considered by many devotees as an arahat. He was the founder of the meditation technique which later came to be known as "Mogoke Vipassana".
So I come back to this question. Why Insight Meditation. The answer is simple. To know the truth about life. What is life anyway. I know that there is life around me because I am alive. For example if I was dead I would not know anything. In this body, which people know as Kyaw Myaing, there is life. It can grow, there is a mind that thinks and the mind has different kinds of emotions. The meditation masters teach us that "what knows it the mind" and the body is matter. What is not permanent is "matter". In pali mind is called "nama" and matter is called "rupa". So the object of Insight Meditation is mind and matter. The purpose is to learn about the true nature of mind and matter.
The Buddhist scriptures tell us that we are nothing but mind and matter. So I said "so what". That is quite evident. How do we apply this knowledge in daily life. Then the meditation books say that we are all controlled by three different types of emotions. The emotion of greed or lust. The emotion of anger and the emotion of "being confused". In pali they are called "loba, dawtha and moha". Some scholars translate moha as delusion. When I was a young boy meditating for the first time, I often wondered how this knowledge will help me in my daily life. At that time I certainly did not want to become a monk or a hermit and spend the rest of my days in the forest meditating day in and day out. I was eager to enjoy life and wanted to know a practical application of this knowledge.
So I said to myself "even if I recite life is suffering, life is suffereing many times a day what good would it do". My aunts heard this and said "young boy, be careful of what you are saying, you will go to hell. You will be reborn as an animal or a ghost". I was quite a naughty boy. I said "so what, when I die I won't know where I go and that will be the end of that." My aunty said "oh dear, what will become of this boy. When will he learn. When will he become good."
Now I am 54 and know better. That is the reason I am writing about my experiences on the World Wide Web in the hope that someone will find my web site and read what I have written.
Let me get on with Insight Meditation. There are two things that we should know properly. The nature of mind and the nature of matter. Then there are three things that we should know about mind and matter. What are they. That mind and matter are not permanent. That they follow their own process. Therefore the whole situation is not very satisfactory. In Pali, they call it anicca, dhukka and annata.
The concept of dhukka is not that easy to understand. The suffering when we have pain, when we lose our loved ones or do not get what we want is easy to understand. Some people who are extremely attached to each other like star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet would even commit suicide because of love. We have also heard of people who kill themselves because they lost big amounts of wealth while doing stocks. Some of them jump out of the windows during the time of the great depression in America. As I see it, dhukka is relative. For example, if you are very hungry you will feel the pain in the stomach and it will burn until you have something to eat. Then, you feel relieved and will say to yourself "oh what a great meal". The pain is gone. Another example is when you are separated from someone you love. You will feel the pain of separation until you are re-united with your girlfriend or boyfriend. Then the pain will go away. The suffering that a poor man feels and the suffering that a rich man feels may not be exactly the same but both feel the pain in their own way. The suffering that the rich man feels and the suffering that a President feels is not the same but they also feel the pain in their own way as long as they have greed, anger and delusion. Therefore the purpose of vipassana is to know about the true nature of one's own emotions.
Some writers on the subject of Insight Meditation translate "dhukka" as "suffering". I do not think this conveys the true meaning of dhukka. To me it means more than suffering. The term suffering is too narrow in sense to convey the true meaing of dhukka. Dhukka is the opposite of "thuka" which means something like bliss. However, it is not exactly bliss. Dhukka means that the whole human existence is not worthwhile when compared to the existence of a higher being like a "deva". However, even "devas" with all their superhuman powers still have lust for life or existence. They too have greed, anger and ignorance to some extent but not as much as ordinary human beings. Some devas engage in pleasurable pursuits all day so much so that they forget the teachings of the Triple Gems - the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga. Thus when the time comes for the end of their existence in the deva plane, they either fall to become a human being or they can even be reborn in the woeful abodes such as the animal world, peta, asurakei or hell. These are the four woeful abodes.
There are many meditation centers in Myanmar(Burma). One of the meditation centers that I like very much is the International Meditation Center founded by U Ba Khin. He has passed away but his tradition is being carried on by Sayamagyi and Guruji Goenka.
I received my first training at the International Meditation Center under the guidance of U Ba Khin. His method is very simple. He establishes concentration of the mind by asking you to concentrate on the breath. This is concentration on the in-breath and the out-breath. In Pali it is called ana pana. When I was his student, U Ba Khin would tell me "don'tb read too many books. They will confuse you. Just do what I tell you to do." But I never listened to him. I would read all the books that I could find.
According to Theravada Buddhism there are 40 methods of concentration. When I arrived in New York in 1993 I came across a very good book on Abhidhamma written by U Kyaw Min called " Buddhist Abhidhamma, Meditation and Concentration". In this book he has explained about the 40 methods of concentration in the following manner: -
1. 10 Kasinas .. 10 devices
2. 10 Asubhas .. concentration on various types of corspes
3. 10 Anussatis .. 10 recollections
4. 4 Brahma Viharas .. (food of the Brahma gods)
5. 4 Arupas .. (Sphere of space, sphere of consciousness, sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither-perception nor non-perception)
6. Contemplation on the loathsomeness of food
7. Analysis of the 4 physical elements
(Reference: Buddhist Abhidhamma, Meditation and Concentration; U Kyaw Min, Times Books International, Singapore, 1980)
The "ana pana" concentration method falls under the 10 Anussatis. I would now like to say something about the 10 Kasinas. The Burmese call it Kathein Seibar, which means the 10 kathien. They are as follows: -
1. Earth Device (Mye Kathein)
2. Water Device (Ye Kathein)
3. Fire Device (Mee Kathien)
4. Air Device (Lay Kathein)
5. Blue Device
6. Yellow Device
7. Red Device
8. White Device
9. Space Device
10. Consciousness Device
The 10 Anussatis are as follows: -
1. Recollection of the Buddha
2. Recollection of the Dhamma
3. Recollection of the Shanga
4. Recollection of Virtue
5. Recollection of Charity
6. Recollection of the Devas
7. Mindfulness of death
8. Mindfulness of the physical body
9. Mindfulness of breathing (Ana pana)
10. Recollection of calmness
(Reference: Buddhist Abhidhamma, U Kyaw Min, page 116)
When I was a young boy I was always fascinated by stories of zawgyis flying in the air with the help of their majic wands and Arahats flying in the air by using supernormal powers which are the result of concentration on ana pana (in-breath and out-breath) and concentration on the 10 Kasinas (kathein seibar).
Why do we call it Insight meditation? We call it Insight Meditation because it gives insight to a person. Insight is not the same as education. For gaining insight you need to experience it yourself. You cannot read about it or listen to a lecture about it. Vipassana is something you have to do yourself. The object of meditation is yourself. No one else. No other object. It is possible to get a very good education if we study hard. Eventually we can get a good degree from a university. But that is not enough in life. A university degree can be a help but it certainly is not a be all and end all. That is why my teachers told me when I got my first university degree "this is only the beginning of a very long journey."
I started meditating when I was about fourteen years old. I was in my seventh standard. The person who gave me the most inspiration at that time was the Venerable Webu Sayadaw. He was from Kyaukse which is in upper Myanmar. A lot of Burmese devotees believe that he was a saint. In Myanmar language we call such a person an arahat. In actual fact the concept of a christian saint and an arahat is not the same. The Buddhist concept of an arahat is different. To give a short explanation, an arahat is a person who has seen Nivarna in this very life and who will not be reborn in the 31 planes of existence when he leaves this earthly body. When I was young I have heard some stories that he could levitate and fly in the air. In Burmese we call it "zan pyan de". Incidentally, the Burmese word "zan" and the the word "zen" used by Mahayana Buddhists is the same. I have also heard stories saying that when he was travelling by train some of his devotees saw a very bright light coming out from his compartment. This is the kind of glow that comes out from the head of arahats, peceka Buddhas and Buddhas. I have not seen it with my own eyes so I cannot say for certain. Anyway I think he was a very holy person and did have some supernormal powers.
The first book on mediation that I read was the book written by the Venerable Ledi Sayadaw called 'Magginna dipani." It was a very good book for beginners as it explained in detail the Noble eightfold path. At that time I also read a lot of Vipassana books written by the Venerable Mogoke Sayadaw. He was also considered by many devotees as an arahat. He was the founder of the meditation technique which later came to be known as "Mogoke Vipassana".
So I come back to this question. Why Insight Meditation. The answer is simple. To know the truth about life. What is life anyway. I know that there is life around me because I am alive. For example if I was dead I would not know anything. In this body, which people know as Kyaw Myaing, there is life. It can grow, there is a mind that thinks and the mind has different kinds of emotions. The meditation masters teach us that "what knows it the mind" and the body is matter. What is not permanent is "matter". In pali mind is called "nama" and matter is called "rupa". So the object of Insight Meditation is mind and matter. The purpose is to learn about the true nature of mind and matter.
The Buddhist scriptures tell us that we are nothing but mind and matter. So I said "so what". That is quite evident. How do we apply this knowledge in daily life. Then the meditation books say that we are all controlled by three different types of emotions. The emotion of greed or lust. The emotion of anger and the emotion of "being confused". In pali they are called "loba, dawtha and moha". Some scholars translate moha as delusion. When I was a young boy meditating for the first time, I often wondered how this knowledge will help me in my daily life. At that time I certainly did not want to become a monk or a hermit and spend the rest of my days in the forest meditating day in and day out. I was eager to enjoy life and wanted to know a practical application of this knowledge.
So I said to myself "even if I recite life is suffering, life is suffereing many times a day what good would it do". My aunts heard this and said "young boy, be careful of what you are saying, you will go to hell. You will be reborn as an animal or a ghost". I was quite a naughty boy. I said "so what, when I die I won't know where I go and that will be the end of that." My aunty said "oh dear, what will become of this boy. When will he learn. When will he become good."
Now I am 54 and know better. That is the reason I am writing about my experiences on the World Wide Web in the hope that someone will find my web site and read what I have written.
Let me get on with Insight Meditation. There are two things that we should know properly. The nature of mind and the nature of matter. Then there are three things that we should know about mind and matter. What are they. That mind and matter are not permanent. That they follow their own process. Therefore the whole situation is not very satisfactory. In Pali, they call it anicca, dhukka and annata.
The concept of dhukka is not that easy to understand. The suffering when we have pain, when we lose our loved ones or do not get what we want is easy to understand. Some people who are extremely attached to each other like star-crossed lovers in Romeo and Juliet would even commit suicide because of love. We have also heard of people who kill themselves because they lost big amounts of wealth while doing stocks. Some of them jump out of the windows during the time of the great depression in America. As I see it, dhukka is relative. For example, if you are very hungry you will feel the pain in the stomach and it will burn until you have something to eat. Then, you feel relieved and will say to yourself "oh what a great meal". The pain is gone. Another example is when you are separated from someone you love. You will feel the pain of separation until you are re-united with your girlfriend or boyfriend. Then the pain will go away. The suffering that a poor man feels and the suffering that a rich man feels may not be exactly the same but both feel the pain in their own way. The suffering that the rich man feels and the suffering that a President feels is not the same but they also feel the pain in their own way as long as they have greed, anger and delusion. Therefore the purpose of vipassana is to know about the true nature of one's own emotions.
Some writers on the subject of Insight Meditation translate "dhukka" as "suffering". I do not think this conveys the true meaning of dhukka. To me it means more than suffering. The term suffering is too narrow in sense to convey the true meaing of dhukka. Dhukka is the opposite of "thuka" which means something like bliss. However, it is not exactly bliss. Dhukka means that the whole human existence is not worthwhile when compared to the existence of a higher being like a "deva". However, even "devas" with all their superhuman powers still have lust for life or existence. They too have greed, anger and ignorance to some extent but not as much as ordinary human beings. Some devas engage in pleasurable pursuits all day so much so that they forget the teachings of the Triple Gems - the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga. Thus when the time comes for the end of their existence in the deva plane, they either fall to become a human being or they can even be reborn in the woeful abodes such as the animal world, peta, asurakei or hell. These are the four woeful abodes.
There are many meditation centers in Myanmar(Burma). One of the meditation centers that I like very much is the International Meditation Center founded by U Ba Khin. He has passed away but his tradition is being carried on by Sayamagyi and Guruji Goenka.
I received my first training at the International Meditation Center under the guidance of U Ba Khin. His method is very simple. He establishes concentration of the mind by asking you to concentrate on the breath. This is concentration on the in-breath and the out-breath. In Pali it is called ana pana. When I was his student, U Ba Khin would tell me "don'tb read too many books. They will confuse you. Just do what I tell you to do." But I never listened to him. I would read all the books that I could find.
According to Theravada Buddhism there are 40 methods of concentration. When I arrived in New York in 1993 I came across a very good book on Abhidhamma written by U Kyaw Min called " Buddhist Abhidhamma, Meditation and Concentration". In this book he has explained about the 40 methods of concentration in the following manner: -
1. 10 Kasinas .. 10 devices
2. 10 Asubhas .. concentration on various types of corspes
3. 10 Anussatis .. 10 recollections
4. 4 Brahma Viharas .. (food of the Brahma gods)
5. 4 Arupas .. (Sphere of space, sphere of consciousness, sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither-perception nor non-perception)
6. Contemplation on the loathsomeness of food
7. Analysis of the 4 physical elements
(Reference: Buddhist Abhidhamma, Meditation and Concentration; U Kyaw Min, Times Books International, Singapore, 1980)
The "ana pana" concentration method falls under the 10 Anussatis. I would now like to say something about the 10 Kasinas. The Burmese call it Kathein Seibar, which means the 10 kathien. They are as follows: -
1. Earth Device (Mye Kathein)
2. Water Device (Ye Kathein)
3. Fire Device (Mee Kathien)
4. Air Device (Lay Kathein)
5. Blue Device
6. Yellow Device
7. Red Device
8. White Device
9. Space Device
10. Consciousness Device
The 10 Anussatis are as follows: -
1. Recollection of the Buddha
2. Recollection of the Dhamma
3. Recollection of the Shanga
4. Recollection of Virtue
5. Recollection of Charity
6. Recollection of the Devas
7. Mindfulness of death
8. Mindfulness of the physical body
9. Mindfulness of breathing (Ana pana)
10. Recollection of calmness
(Reference: Buddhist Abhidhamma, U Kyaw Min, page 116)
When I was a young boy I was always fascinated by stories of zawgyis flying in the air with the help of their majic wands and Arahats flying in the air by using supernormal powers which are the result of concentration on ana pana (in-breath and out-breath) and concentration on the 10 Kasinas (kathein seibar).
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Bo Bo Aung - weizzar with the white robe
Who is Bo Bo Aung? The Bo Bo Aung that I am going to write about was born a long time ago. If you travel extensively in Myanmar, especially in the Divisions where you find the Burmah majority, you will find his photograph on the altar. Even in the poorest hut, you can find his photo. He is a man dressed in white like a "phothudaw" with a white cotton turban, a white longyi dressed in the fashion of a Buddhist monk and a white shirt. In short he is a man in white symbolizing purity of thought, speech and action.
Why is he so popular among the Burmah people, you might ask. The answer is simple. He is real and he comes to assist you when you are in deep trouble. His only condition is that you must be of good conduct and that you must be doing something very sincerely for the propagation and promotion of the Buddha Sassana.
Before I go any further, let me explain a little bit about a "phothudaw". If you are Burmese you will understand right away. This explanation is for the non-Burmese readers. Burmese readers please bear with me for a moment. In Buddhist society in Myanmar there are Buddhist monks who wear saffron robes or robes coloured with the bark of special trees. They are usually of a dark brown earthly colour. The phothudaws are not monks. They are layman who devote themselves to religious work. Some of them do meditation and keep the precepts. Some of them help the chief abbot of the village monastery in keeping the monastery in good order. They dress in white. That is why in Myanmar, if a man is dressed all in white, we say "Oh, you look like a phothudaw".
Now to the real story about Bo Bo Aung. In short he is a weizzar. That means he is not an ordinary human being but a human being who has acquired supernatural powers through the practice of meditation and magick. I am using a different spelling for magick to differentiate from the sort of magic done by wayside magicians. He is a man of peace and a man devoted to the propagation of the Buddha Sassana. He has the same powers as the devas. That is why the Burmese call him a "htwet ya pauk" person. This means that he has found a magickal way to transform his body into the body of a deva without actually going through the process of dying. According to Theravada Buddhist belief, when a person dies, he or she may be reborn as a human being or as a deva in heaven. However, if that person is evil, he or she would certainly be reborn as an animal or as one of the inhabitants of hell or the lower spiritual world. By this I mean the world of devils and ghosts. In the case of a weizzar, there are two types of attaining the body of a deva. Some weizzars go through the process of dying. This is called "athay htwet". That is becoming a weizzar by dying first. Then there is another process called "ashin htwet". This is becoming a weizzar without dying. In this process, according to the books I have read and the tales that I have heard, the person who wants to become a weizzar, after the practice of the weizzar path, also called "htwet yat lan" in Burmese, transforms his body into the body of a deva through magick. The magick may be a magickal "dat lone" based on mercury or iron. In this process, the "datlone" is made through the process of alchemy. Or the magick may be through the use of herbs. The key word here is not the process itself for the process is a highly kept secret. Ordinary people will never get this process. This is carefully guarded by the weizzars.
There is also the path of the Inn Weizzar. Bo Bo Aung is said to be an expert in this process. Inns are magickal writings on copper sheets, bamboo paper or even on ordinary paper. Bo Bo Aung got into his possession an ancient writing of Inns by chance. That was how he became a weizzar.
When I was a young boy I heard other people singing a song that goes like this "Bo Bo Aung Ta Baung Nhe Paw lar bi". At that time I was so young and ignorant I didn't know what it meant. In translation it does not mean that Bo Bo Aung had only one thigh. It really means that Bo Bo Aung has appeared in Burma in fulfilment of a prophecy. A "Tabaung" in Burmese language means a prophecy. Sometimes you hear young children singing songs. Sometimes you may hear old crazy men on the street singing songs. These can be prophecies. You can never know. Sometimes messages apprear in strange places and strange ways.
In a book called "Bo Bo Aung and his path" Saya U Pe Tin has given us a detailed description of the life of Bo Bo Aung and his path. By path I mean his practices and the manner in which he acquired all the supernatural powers of a weizzar. To put this story into a proper timeframe, the time was a little after the Burmese era 1100. In terms of the Christian era it was 1700. Now there was a big village called Letpanshay village about a little over five Taing (in Burmese measurement of lenght) to the west of Taungtwin Gyi township. The headman of the village was Pho Hnaung and his wife was Mae Ein Phyu. At that time it so happened that Pho Pyi and Mae Ein together with their four children came to settle down at Letpanshay village from their original place called the Chindwin hills area west of the Ayeyarwaddy river. Eventually they became very friendly with the village headman and his wife.
Pho Hnaung and Mae Ein gave birth to a son called Maung Yazar and he later became known as Pho Yazar to honour the memory of the wise Burmese lord called Pho Yazar. In the family of Pho Pyi and Mae Ein was also born a young girl whose name was Mae Wa. Thus the sons and daughters in Pho Pyi's family were Mae Dun, the eldest daughter, Mae Gyan the second daughter, Mae Lun the third daughter, Pho Myat San Nyo, a son and Mae Wa the youngest child.
It thus came about that one day the village headman U Pho Hnaung passed away and his wife Mae Ein married Pho Pyi. By this time Pho Pyi's wife Mae Ein had already passed away. At that time U Pho Hnaung's son Maung Yazar was still young and so Pho Pyi took on the duties of the village headman of Letpanshay. When Maung Yazar came of age Pho Pyi gave the hand of his daugher Mae Dun to become Maung Yazar's wife. Out of this marriage were born Pho On, Mae Pyae, Mae Taloke, Mae Gon and Pho Hnin Gyi. Altogether five children.
Out of the marriage of Pho Pyi and Mae Ein was born Pho Myat San. When Pho Myat San came of age he married Mae Myat Hla. Out of this marriage was born Pho Ywe. Pho Myat San later married Mae Nyein Yar and out of this marriage were born Pho Din, Pho Aung and Min Yaung, three sons and a daughter by the name of Mae Ei. In total four children. If we count Pho Ywe who was born out of the marriage between Pho Myat San and Mae Myat Hla, Pho Myat San had a total of five children. Out of these five children of Pho Mya San, Pho Aung was later to become the "Bo Bo Aung" that is now so popular as a wizard nowadays. In Burmese language Bo Bo Aung is a true weizzar.
When was Bo Bo Aung born?
No one seems to know the exact date. However, it is known for certain that Bo Bo Aung was the class mate of Maung Waing who later became the Burmese King called Bodaw Phaya. We also know that Maung Waing was born in the Burmese era 1106 according to Burmese chronicles. Therefore it is safe to assume that Bo Bo Aung was born round about 1106. By that reckoning, Bo Bo Aung's age would be 200. Therefore Bo Bo Aung became a wizard or weizzar not too long ago.
Bo Bo Aung's childhood
As a young boy Maung Aung was smart, hard working, and was full of determination to learn his lessons. He paid great respects to his teachers, never told anything which was untrue, always helpful to others and would share whatever sweets or food he had with his friends. He liked to stay by himself in his own honest way. He was well liked by his friends.
Because his parents were poor he did not have nutritious food to eat. As a result of this poor diet he soon got skin disease and his friends called him "Maung Wei". "Wei" is a Burmese word for a mild skin disease.
The Sayadaw's dream
The presiding Sayadaw at Kye Ni monastery was well versed not only in the Buddhist scriptures but also in what is known in Burma as "the worldly arts". (worldly arts means esoteric subjects such as alchemy, talismanic magic, herbal medicine etc. In Burmese it is called Lawki Pyinnya as opposed to Lawkuttara Pyinnya which leads to the end of suffering and Nivarna). The area where the monastery was situated was well known for strange events and happenings connected with tree spirits, mountain spirits, weizzars and tapathees. ( A tapathee is a person whose aim in life is to study "the worldly arts". His powers are not as extensive as a weizzar - Kyaw Myaing).
One day the Kye Ni Sayadaw was having a nap after having his soon. Soon after, a holy man dressed in white garments came to the Sayadaw and led him to the lake at the back of the monastery and pointed towards a certain part of the lake and disappeared. This was actually a dream but to the Sayadaw, it felt as though it really happened. It was a strange and incredible dream. The Sayadaw did not have time to think about this dream as he was very busy with his usual duties of teaching the scriptures to the novices and attending the various "ah-hlus" (social functions) of the village. In Burma, it is customary to invite monks to give blessings and say prayers on special occasions such as Shinpyu ceremonies ect.
Cat's eye
One day the Sayadaw went to an ah-hlu in the village. On his way to this function he saw the head of a black cat and the head seemed to be alive and was making a crying sound. Seeing this head he ordered one of his young students to take it to the monastery. When he came back from the social function, the Sayadaw cut open the cat's head and saw a very rare cat's eye called "Amyu-tei". This cat's eye was left for the Sayadaw to see by the Weizzars and Zawgyis as he was well known for his interest in "the worldly arts" and meditation practices.
The copper manuscript
One day the Sayadaw remembered his dream again and thought, "this dream could not have occurred without a reason. I think I'd better go to the lake and see for myself".
So without telling anybody, the Sayadaw went to the lake. As he reached the edge of the lake his foot touched something in the water under a "thee" tree. Upon examining what he had found, it turned out to be a Kyeni Parabaik (a copper manuscript). After washing the copper manuscript, he took it to the monastery.
There are two types of parabaiks in Burma. One is made of Shan paper which is made of bamboo pulp and the other type of parabaik is made of copper. The copper parabaiks last longer and the script is more accurate due to the fact that metal stylus can make better marks on the copper surface. For these reasons, it had been the custom in Burma to write inscriptions about important subjects such as talismanic magic (Inn and Sama) on copper parabaiks.
It is not known for certain whether the Sayadaw put into practice what he read from the copper parabaik. He might have acquired some supernormal powers, no one knew. As for Maung Aung, every day was full of activities and it revolved around his studies and the time he spent playing with his friends. He did not have time to approach the Sayadaw.
Maung Aung's inheritance
Soon afterwards, the Kye Ni Sayadaw passed away. Some of the villagers thought that the Sayadaw had successfully acquired magical powers through the use of talismanic magic. They thought he had left the world leaving his body in the normal manner but had actually become a weizzar. Nevertheless, a special funeral ceremony was held for the Sayadaw.
After the ashes and bones have been collected and entombed, the three chief disciples of the Sayadaw, U Letkhana, U Arsara and U Ardeiksa began to divide the worldly possessions of the Sayadaw. The eldest disciple became the presiding Sayadaw of the monastery. The other two were content with whatever they got.
At that time, Maung Aung was playing near the monastery and came up to get some water. U Letkhana, who was now the presiding Sayadaw called Maung Aung and said jokingly, " you are also one of the Sayadaw's disciples. So you also deserve to get something. Take this pillow". Saying this, he threw a dirty pillow at Maung Aung. Maung Aung did not say anything. Because of his respect for U Letkhana and also because he did not want to offend him, Maung Aung picked up the dirty pillow and placed it by his bedside near his own pillow.
Now Maung Aung had this habit of writing on the floor using his slate. One day, as his elbow was hurting, he took this dirty pillow which he got from the Sayadaw and placed it under his elbow. After many days of using the pillow in this manner, the pillow started to tear at the place where Maung Aung used to place his elbow. He noticed something hard inside the pillow but Maung Aung, being still a young boy did not pay much attention to this.
One day a group of Thaik Sayas (people who study about the history of hidden treasures, especially treasures donated by devotees to the Buddha) came to their village and started doing some digging at a spot in front of the Shwe Intaung Pagoda. At this spot there was a pagoda and on the south of the pagoda there was a statue of a lion. This was where the Thaik Sayas were digging. They were digging at the foot of the lion statue. Ater much digging, the Thaik Sayas got a silver pot. When the monks from Kye Ni monastery heard of this, they started discussing about these events. Maung Aung listened to this conversation with great interest.
"Kodaw, I heard that our Sayadaw also got a copper parabaik", said the first monk.
"Yes, I have seen the Sayadaw reading this copper parabaik", replied the other.
"Now, where is this copper parabaik. Do you have any idea", asked the first monk.
"Ah, that's right. I remember the parabaik now. But I haven't seen it since our Sayadaw passed away. Didn't you see it when we were dividing the Sayadaw's possessions?"
The first monk replied, "No, I didn't see it. I know this copper parabaik is very special but did not dare to ask the Sayadaw about it when he was alive. I think the parabaik contains very valuable writings about Lawki Pyinnya".
The other monk said, "Yes of course. Now we have to start looking for it".
The first monk replied, "You are right Kodaw, but he has not a single clue as to where it could be".
(Kodaw: a term used by monks to address one another. - Kyaw Myaing)
My first meditation lesson
My first meditation lesson
I got my first lesson in meditation from Bagyi Thwin. I remember very well that day as I was in my tenth standard. I was not very strong in mathematics so Bagyi Thwin volunteered to teach me maths and physics. At that time we were living at No. 66 Prome Road in a house that belonged to the Burma Railways. I sat on the floor in frot of Bagyi Thwin in the living room which was on the ground floor of the bungalow type house. The lower portion of the house was made of bricks and the upper portion was made of wood. Thus, it was very cool in the summer months. I remember it well. It was at night at about 9 p.m. I sat alone in the room with Bagyi Thwin.
He said, " The main object meditation is to calm your mind and focus your mind on an object. You have to sit still and try to make sure that your mind doesn't wander about".
I was quite worried. I dreaded the though that I had to sit there for one hour doing nothing. This was going to be torture. I could not see the point in sitting there, closing my eyes and allow myself to suffer the physical pain of sitting on the floor cross-legged.
"The first thing you have to do is to pray to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga and offer your mind and body to the Triple Gems. Then you have to take the five precepts. This is called pyinsa sila - it means the five precepts. Pyinsa means five and sila means precepts. When you take the five precepts in front of the Buddha, it is better if you can sit in front of the altar and pay respects to the Triple Gems by doing the gadaw three times. Then you should protect yourself by saying a protective mantra and making a mental fence around you. This is to protect you from evil spirits which may wish to harm you. You must remember that we are not alone in this world.
I thought about the fact that we were not alone in this world. In Burma, every young boy or girl is told that there is the spiritual world. There were thirty one planes of existence, we were told. As a boy I often thought what all these beings looked like. I mustered up enough strength to ask Bagyi Thwin about the sprititual world. He closed his eyes and remained silent for a while. Then he told me in a very calm manner, in a soft voice, "although we cannot see
them with our naked eyes, there is such a thing as the spiritual world. The spirits that are closest to us are in the plane called Satumaharit. This world is the domain of the four deva kings who guard the four corners of this earth.
The inhabitants of this plane consist of nagas, galons, gonban and rakshas. The nagas are supernatural beings who look like dragons. However, since they
are supernatural beings, they have all the powers of the other devas. They can fly in the air and also transform themselves into human beings. In fact they sometimes mingle among human society by transforming themselves into human form. Ordinary people will not know them. Only holy men with supernatural powers can
see them with their deva eye."
"Wait a minute', I said, "what is the deva eye Bagyi Thwin'?"
"Oh that. The deva eye is also called the nat myet si. It is not that easy to get the deva eye. You have to follow a very strict discipline and do a lot of meditation."
"Can I also get the deva eye?" I asked.
"Of course. But it is not easy. First you have to purify yourself. This is the practice of sila. Sila is the act of refraining from doing evil things. You start with the Panch Sila. This is the five precepts. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not tell lies. Do not take intoxicating drinks or drugs. Do not commit sexual misconduct."
For me that is not very easy. I sometimes tell lies and also I used to kill small little birds like sparrows with my catapult. How am I going to keep the five precepts, I thought. This was going to be tough but I still wanted to have the deva eye. I wanted to see the spiritual world and see what all the nagas, galons and rakshas looked like. Were they like the beings I had seen on the Shwedagon Pagoda, I wondered. I was lost in thought.
"Now now little boy. What are you thinking about. You are day dreaming again, aren't you." The sudden voice of Bagyi Thwin woke me from my day dream.
"Oh I was just thinking what it would be like to have the deva eye." I replied.
"It is a long way and it won't be easy. But if there is a strong will, it is possible. Now let's end this meditation session and we will do some more meditation tomorrow."
In the still of the night I could here the lonely cry of the gekko from the other side of the house. "Tauk te, tauk te, tauk te."
The next day Bagyi Thwin and I went to the living room where he usually teaches me mathematics. He was a very strict master but he had a very kind heart. I enjoyed taking lessons from him because he had the knack of explaining difficult things to me in an easy manner. After the lesson in mathematics, he said it was now time for meditation.
Bagyi Thwin opened by saying, "there are three things that you have to keep in mind when you do meditation. First you have to donate your mind and body to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga. This is for your protection. When you do this you belong to the Buddha and being something that has been donated to the Buddha, all the powerful devas and nats who protect the sasana will give their protection. There are four deva kings who rule the four quarters of this earth. They are King Dathta-rathta, King Virulaka, King Virupekkha and King Kuvera."
"Does that mean that I will not be haunted by ghosts and evil spirits if I do this protection", I asked.
"Yes of course, that is the idea", replied Bagyi Thwin.
"The next thing that you should keep in mind is to fix your attention to the meditation object. You should keep your body still. Do not move unnecessarily. When you do "ana pana" meditation, you have to keep your mind on the in-breath and the out-breath. This breathing will calm you down. The objective is to keep your mind on one object so that your mind will not wander from one thought to the other", he looked at me straight in the face as if expecting an answer from me.
I was dying to ask him a question. How on earth could I do that, I thought to myself. My mind is very restless. It flies from one object to the other. One minute it was thinking of the mosquito that was biting my toes and the next minute it was thinking of the fishing trip that my father had promised me on Sunday. It was just like a small calf tied to a pole. I also wandered how this exercise had anything to do with me gaining super natural powers that would allow me to fly in the air or vanish into thin air at will. How was it possible, I wondered.
'Now now, young man, you seem to be dozing off. Keep alert for there is much work to be done", Bagyi Thwin's words brought me back to the present moment.
"The last thing you have to do is to empty your mind of all other thoughts except the object of meditation. This is to purify your mind. Your mind in the natural state is full of many thoughts. It is full of want, fear, hatred etc. It is full of different types of emotion. Your mind in the pure state is like clear water. All kinds of emotions give color to your mind. You have to try to make your mind clear as water again."
I answered with a heavy heart, "Yes Bagyi Thwin, I will try. But I can tell you it won't be easy."
'Clear as water, clear as water", I repeated to myself trying to understand what Bagyi Thwin meant to say.
I got my first lesson in meditation from Bagyi Thwin. I remember very well that day as I was in my tenth standard. I was not very strong in mathematics so Bagyi Thwin volunteered to teach me maths and physics. At that time we were living at No. 66 Prome Road in a house that belonged to the Burma Railways. I sat on the floor in frot of Bagyi Thwin in the living room which was on the ground floor of the bungalow type house. The lower portion of the house was made of bricks and the upper portion was made of wood. Thus, it was very cool in the summer months. I remember it well. It was at night at about 9 p.m. I sat alone in the room with Bagyi Thwin.
He said, " The main object meditation is to calm your mind and focus your mind on an object. You have to sit still and try to make sure that your mind doesn't wander about".
I was quite worried. I dreaded the though that I had to sit there for one hour doing nothing. This was going to be torture. I could not see the point in sitting there, closing my eyes and allow myself to suffer the physical pain of sitting on the floor cross-legged.
"The first thing you have to do is to pray to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga and offer your mind and body to the Triple Gems. Then you have to take the five precepts. This is called pyinsa sila - it means the five precepts. Pyinsa means five and sila means precepts. When you take the five precepts in front of the Buddha, it is better if you can sit in front of the altar and pay respects to the Triple Gems by doing the gadaw three times. Then you should protect yourself by saying a protective mantra and making a mental fence around you. This is to protect you from evil spirits which may wish to harm you. You must remember that we are not alone in this world.
I thought about the fact that we were not alone in this world. In Burma, every young boy or girl is told that there is the spiritual world. There were thirty one planes of existence, we were told. As a boy I often thought what all these beings looked like. I mustered up enough strength to ask Bagyi Thwin about the sprititual world. He closed his eyes and remained silent for a while. Then he told me in a very calm manner, in a soft voice, "although we cannot see
them with our naked eyes, there is such a thing as the spiritual world. The spirits that are closest to us are in the plane called Satumaharit. This world is the domain of the four deva kings who guard the four corners of this earth.
The inhabitants of this plane consist of nagas, galons, gonban and rakshas. The nagas are supernatural beings who look like dragons. However, since they
are supernatural beings, they have all the powers of the other devas. They can fly in the air and also transform themselves into human beings. In fact they sometimes mingle among human society by transforming themselves into human form. Ordinary people will not know them. Only holy men with supernatural powers can
see them with their deva eye."
"Wait a minute', I said, "what is the deva eye Bagyi Thwin'?"
"Oh that. The deva eye is also called the nat myet si. It is not that easy to get the deva eye. You have to follow a very strict discipline and do a lot of meditation."
"Can I also get the deva eye?" I asked.
"Of course. But it is not easy. First you have to purify yourself. This is the practice of sila. Sila is the act of refraining from doing evil things. You start with the Panch Sila. This is the five precepts. Do not kill. Do not steal. Do not tell lies. Do not take intoxicating drinks or drugs. Do not commit sexual misconduct."
For me that is not very easy. I sometimes tell lies and also I used to kill small little birds like sparrows with my catapult. How am I going to keep the five precepts, I thought. This was going to be tough but I still wanted to have the deva eye. I wanted to see the spiritual world and see what all the nagas, galons and rakshas looked like. Were they like the beings I had seen on the Shwedagon Pagoda, I wondered. I was lost in thought.
"Now now little boy. What are you thinking about. You are day dreaming again, aren't you." The sudden voice of Bagyi Thwin woke me from my day dream.
"Oh I was just thinking what it would be like to have the deva eye." I replied.
"It is a long way and it won't be easy. But if there is a strong will, it is possible. Now let's end this meditation session and we will do some more meditation tomorrow."
In the still of the night I could here the lonely cry of the gekko from the other side of the house. "Tauk te, tauk te, tauk te."
The next day Bagyi Thwin and I went to the living room where he usually teaches me mathematics. He was a very strict master but he had a very kind heart. I enjoyed taking lessons from him because he had the knack of explaining difficult things to me in an easy manner. After the lesson in mathematics, he said it was now time for meditation.
Bagyi Thwin opened by saying, "there are three things that you have to keep in mind when you do meditation. First you have to donate your mind and body to the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Shanga. This is for your protection. When you do this you belong to the Buddha and being something that has been donated to the Buddha, all the powerful devas and nats who protect the sasana will give their protection. There are four deva kings who rule the four quarters of this earth. They are King Dathta-rathta, King Virulaka, King Virupekkha and King Kuvera."
"Does that mean that I will not be haunted by ghosts and evil spirits if I do this protection", I asked.
"Yes of course, that is the idea", replied Bagyi Thwin.
"The next thing that you should keep in mind is to fix your attention to the meditation object. You should keep your body still. Do not move unnecessarily. When you do "ana pana" meditation, you have to keep your mind on the in-breath and the out-breath. This breathing will calm you down. The objective is to keep your mind on one object so that your mind will not wander from one thought to the other", he looked at me straight in the face as if expecting an answer from me.
I was dying to ask him a question. How on earth could I do that, I thought to myself. My mind is very restless. It flies from one object to the other. One minute it was thinking of the mosquito that was biting my toes and the next minute it was thinking of the fishing trip that my father had promised me on Sunday. It was just like a small calf tied to a pole. I also wandered how this exercise had anything to do with me gaining super natural powers that would allow me to fly in the air or vanish into thin air at will. How was it possible, I wondered.
'Now now, young man, you seem to be dozing off. Keep alert for there is much work to be done", Bagyi Thwin's words brought me back to the present moment.
"The last thing you have to do is to empty your mind of all other thoughts except the object of meditation. This is to purify your mind. Your mind in the natural state is full of many thoughts. It is full of want, fear, hatred etc. It is full of different types of emotion. Your mind in the pure state is like clear water. All kinds of emotions give color to your mind. You have to try to make your mind clear as water again."
I answered with a heavy heart, "Yes Bagyi Thwin, I will try. But I can tell you it won't be easy."
'Clear as water, clear as water", I repeated to myself trying to understand what Bagyi Thwin meant to say.
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