User talk:Leuxua

Pa-Auk samatha & vipassana


Pa-Auk Forest Monastery (Pa-Auk Tawya in Burmese) is a Buddhist monastery in the Theravāda tradition, with emphasis on the teaching and practice of both Samatha (tranquility) and Vipassanā (insight) meditation. Founded in 1926, it is situated in a forest along the Taung Nyo Mountain range, near the village of Pa-Auk, 15 kiilometre southeast of Mawlamyine, Mon State, Myanmar. The Monastery provides a conducive setting for the long-term practice of meditation.The number of residents varies seasonally from approximately 1000 to 1800 (during festive periods). This includes more than 300 foreign monks, nuns and lay practioners, originating from over 20 countries.

This Monastery is the main centre at the core of the Pa-Auk Group comprising over 40 branches and associate centres. Of all the branches and associate centres, 29 are located within Myanmar, including Thanlyin, Pha-Ann, Mandalay, DaWei, KuMei and Pyin Oo Lwin (or Maymyo); the others are located internationally spread over Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal, China, Taiwan, and USA.

The Abbot
The Principal Teacher

The Most Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw Bhaddanta Āciṇṇa

("the Sayadaw"), is the Abbot and principal teacher of Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, Mawlamyine, Myanmar. (Sayadaw is a Burmese honorific title meaning "respected teacher"). Born in 1934, the Sayadaw was ordained as a novice monk (sāmaṇera) at age ten. He studied the Pāli Texts under various teachers and passed the three Pāli language examinations while still a novice. At age twenty, the Sayadaw received higher ordination as a bhikkhu. He continued his studies of Pāli Texts under learned elder monks, and passed the Dhammacariya examinations at age twenty two. This is the equivalent to BA in Buddhist Pali Studies and it confers the title of "Dhamma Teacher". In 1964, the Sayadaw intensified his meditation practice and began to practise "forest dwelling". While he continued with his studies of the Pāli Texts and investigation into the Dhamma, he sought out and gained instructions from revered meditation teachers of those times. In 1981, the Sayadaw became Abbot of Pa-Auk Forest Monastery, at the invitation of Venerable Aggapañña (the previous Abbot). Since 1983, both monastics and laity have been coming to study and practise meditation under the Sayadaw. Foreign meditators began to arrive at the Monastery in the early 1990's. In 1997 the Sayadaw published his magnum opus, a massive five-volume work titled The Practice that Leads to Nibbāna, explaining the entire course of teaching in detail and supported by copious quotations from the Pāli Texts – it is currently available only in Burmese and Sinhalese. The Sayadaw’s teachings have been published (in English ) in several books which are highly regarded internationally (see Books by The Most Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw). The Sayadaw is both a highly esteemed Dhammācariya (Dhamma Teacher) and an accomplished Kammaṭṭhānācariya (Meditation Teacher). He speaks fluent English and has lectured and led retreats in Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, South Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Germany, UK and USA. In public recognition of his achievements, the government of Myanmar bestowed upon him the title "Agga Mahā Kammaṭṭhānācariya", which means "Most Highly Respected Meditation Teacher" in 1999. In 2009, the Sayadaw was bestowed the title of "Shwekyin Nikāya Rattaññūmahānāyaka" at the 17th Shwekyin Nikaya Saṅgha Conferencce in Myanmar.

Layout
Pa-Auk Tawya comprises 3 monasteries namely, the Upper Monastery, the Middle Monastery and the Lower Monastery. The main monastery is the Upper Monastery. This is of relatively recent origins, dating back to the early 1980s. It covers a range of hills along the Taung Nyo mountain range. This is where the large two-storey meditation hall and sīma, alms-giving hall (Piṇḍapātasala), refectory, clinic, sick-bay, library building (which houses the Saṅgha Office, computer room, dormitory), the Foreigners Registration Office, the reception hall and the dwelling of the Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw (collectively referred to as the Sayadaw kuṭi ), and over 250 kuṭis (single meditator huts), among others, are located. Only men reside in this monastery. The Middle Monastery is situated on flat land and is relatively small. It has a modest meditation hall and sīma, a cetiya (pagoda), and a small number of kuṭis. Only bhikkhus reside in this monastery. The Lower Monastery is the original monastery of Pa-Auk Tawya. The facilities include more than one hundred and eighty kuṭis, a new kitchen and, for the women, a large three-storey meditation hall Metta Vihari (with sleeping quarters on the ground floor) and a five-storey dormitory. Quarters for silashins/bhikshunis and female lay yogis are located only in this monastery. The office of lay administration (commonly known as the Lower Monastery Office), a clinic,and kuṭis for bhikkhus and male lay yogis. are also located here.

There is electricity supply in every kuṭi throughout the Monastery (Voltage is 220V AC). Efforts are made to improve the quality and constancy of the water supply.

Meditation


Meditation What is taught and practised in Pa-Auk.

The system of meditation taught at Pa-Auk Tawya is based on the instructions by The Buddha as found in the Tipiṭaka (the Pāli Canon) and its commentaries. The system comprises the threefold training of strict observance of precepts (sīla), developing concentration(samādhi), as a basis for attaining wisdom (paññā). This is further subdivided into the seven stages of purification which provide a step-by-step formula for systematically purifying one’s body (physical actions), speech and mind of defilements in order to realize Nibbāna in this lifetime.

In brief, the main practice is to begin with Samatha (tranquility) meditation, which is to develop absorption concentration, also called jhāna. A yogi (meditator) is free to choose any of the forty Samatha subjects as taught by The Buddha. In Pa-Auk Tawya, most yogis develop jhāna with mindfulness-of-breathing (ānāpānassati). Having developed Samatha, the yogi may proceed to practise Vipassanā (insight) meditation.

As an alternative, the yogi may omit the development of jhāna. He/she (“he”) will be taught instead to develop the less powerful access concentration with the Samatha subject of Four-Elements meditation, prior to the practice of Vipassanā meditation. In either case, the concentration attained by the yogi produces the 'light of wisdom'.

Having completed the development of his/her (“his”) Samatha meditation, the yogi is then taught to protect his practice with the Four Protective Meditations of Mettā (Loving Kindness), Buddhānussati (Recollection of The Buddha), Asubha (Repulsiveness of the Body), and Maranānussati(Recollection of Death).

Following that, the yogi will be taught to prepare the way for Vipassanā meditation, which is to use the ‘light of wisdom’ to discern ultimate materiality and mentality. The yogi will also be taught to discern the workings of Dependent Origination (paṭṭiccasamuppāda). This means he will discern a number of past and future lives, and to discern the causes for certain rebirths.

Only upon having discerned ultimate materiality and mentality and their causes (Dependent Origination), does the yogi have the necessary objects for Vipassanā meditation. The practice of Vipassanā meditation is to discern the three characteristics of impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta) in ultimate materiality and mentality – of past, present, and future, internal and external, gross and subtle, inferior and superior, far and near.

In accordance with the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), the yogi will be taught a series of detailed practices by which to develop and strengthen his Vipassanā knowledge of materiality and mentality of past, present and future. In this way, the yogi may progress through the different insight knowledges, preliminary to the attainment of Nibbāna.

Should the yogi attain Nibbāna, he will be taught how to discern which defilements have been destroyed, and which stage of enlightenment he has reached. With continued practice, the yogi may destroy all the taints, and be able to attain Arahantship, meaning he will have put a complete end to rebirth and suffering.

The 2 main languages of instruction for foreigners are English and Chinese.

For further details of the teaching of meditation, please refer to the book Knowing and Seeing (Fourth Revised Edition), by the Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw, and to Teaching & Training, a concise introduction to the Sayadaw’s teaching, compiled by his foreign disciple.

Application to Stay and Practise
for Pa-Auk (Main) @Mawlamyine

1. Please download and read the following before you apply : 1.1. Information for foreign meditators 1.2 Rules and Regulations for foreign meditators 2. Letter of Agreement 2.1 Please download and print the Letter of Agreement here. 2.2 Please fill and complete the Letter of Agreement and email to the Monastery:

Email: paauktawya.main@gmail.com For attention : Venerable U Candima

3. Sponsorship Letter If you plan to stay at Pa-Auk Forest Monastery for more than one month, you will need a Pa-Auk Sponsorship Letter in order to apply for the appropriate type of Myanmar visa (meditation visa). After receiving your written request for Sponsorship Letter and completed Letter of Agreement, the Monastery will mail the Sponsorship Letter to you, which you can use for the application of meditation visa from the Myanmar Embassy.

4. Sponsorship

A sponsorship letter grants permission for you to reside at this monastery and covers responsibility for your meals and lodging – nothing more. All financial requirements (including medical, dental, transportation, visas, FRC, departure forms and other requisite items) are your personal responsibility. Please arrive with sufficient funds (in us dollars) for the duration of your stay.

If your visa (or visa extension) was obtained with a Pa-Auk Sponsorship Letter, this means you have agreed to stay at Pa-Auk Forest Monastery for the visa’s duration. To use an entry/meditation visa for sightseeing and tourism would constitute an abuse of the privilege granted to you by the Sponsorship Letter and could create problems for the monastery.

Directions
for Pa-Auk (Main) @Mawlamyine

Pa-Auk Forest Monastery is divided into the Upper, Middle and Lower Monasteries. Upon arrival and departure, foreigners must register at the following locations: male residents – the Registration Office for Foreigners in the Upper Monastery; female residents – the Lower Monastery Office. If you plan to be away from your kuṭi (meditator’s hut) for more than one week, you must leave it ready for anyone else to come and occupy: male residents – wash and clean what you have used, lock your kuṭi and return all borrowed items, including your kuṭi key, to the Sangha Office (in the Library building); female residents – wash and clean what you have used, lock your kuṭi and return your kuṭi key to the Lower Monastery Office. (Both male and female residents: You must return your kuṭi key even if the kuṭi is your own offering to the monastery. Take the road to Madahapola at the Melsiripura junction (between Kurunegala and Dambulla) on the A6 highway. At the Pansiyagama junction on the Madahapola road, take the road to Galewela. About 1 km on this road is the Na Uyana road, which leads to the monastery.

Speedy deletion nomination of User:Leuxua/sandbox


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