Mya Than San - Breaking the silence and bowing down

The narcissus flowers have all bloomed.

The large sycamore tree near the “Aryawizza” Dhamma Hall is still blooming, not quite gone. The sycamore leaves are scattered all over the steps leading down to the lower level of the Dhamma Hall, to the almshouse, and to the stairs leading down. The sycamore leaves are also scattered on the steps leading up to the large hall for preaching and meditation.

The two-story building, which houses the almshouse and the sermon hall, is called the “Aryawizza” Dhamma Rong. The atmosphere around the Dhamma Rong is clearly visible. The year of the Kawza Era is about to change. There is no sign of the once-a-year Pi Tauk, which comes once a year. It may be because the Thingyan rain has not yet fallen.

I was standing under a banyan tree near the Dhamma Hall. The large hall above the Dhamma Hall was now a vast expanse of space and quiet. Until recently, this large hall had been bustling with the sounds of Dhamma sermons and the sounds of teacher-daka questions and answers. Now, the yogis who had been in the seven-day retreat had returned to their homes, so the surroundings of the Dhamma Hall were eerily quiet.

However, soon more new yogis will arrive. This time, there will be more than 1,000 yogis. There will be more than 200 monks alone. I respect the faith of the yogis who inevitably enter the monastery during the Thingyan holiday. I have also heard that the head monk was saddened that some yogis had to leave the monastery because there was no place to sit.

Where is the place where so many yogis come to the meditation center with all their might? Insein Township, Sin Ngu Ward, Aung San Tow Tat Oo Monastery. Aung San Tow Tat Oo Monastery is also the Mogok Vipassana Meditation and Process Dissemination Branch No. (77). In a way, it is the Mogok Upanissaya Branch No. (77).

The main abbot is the venerable Aung San Tow, the leader of the Aung San Tow Front, who holds the title of Maha Kammatthana Nasariya.

This is my second time as a yogi at this retreat. The first time was during the 81st 15-day special retreat that opened at this retreat in October 2001. At that time, I was a national yogi, in civilian clothes. Now, for the 83rd time, I am a Dullabar monk. How did I come to be associated with the Mogok Sayadaw, the Mogok Retreat, Aung San Mogok Retreat, and Aung San Sayadaw?

It must be because of the good deeds that I have done in the past. It is because of the reason that the benefits come. Just as we chant the words "visible and invisible beings" in our love-sending, we can send love to even invisible beings, so there are many reasons for seeing and not seeing in our karma. It is because of these reasons that I too came under the loving shadow of the venerable Aung San Sayadaw. However, I did not come under the loving shadow of the venerable Aung San Sayadaw immediately after meeting him. It was only after many years of twists and turns that I came to him.

( 2 )

About five years ago.

At that time, I had not yet retired from civil service. I was still responsible for organizing the Popular Journal in addition to my civil service duties. Saya U Hein Latt was also a partner in the Popular Journal. One day, Saya U Hein Latt’s friend, writer Min Maung Maung Khin (Thayarawaddy), came to the Popular Journal. His real name was U Aung Than. He was from Thayarawaddy, and it seems that he added the word Thayarawaddy after his pen name in parentheses. Saya Min Maung Maung Khin sent me a manuscript for the Popular Journal. After accepting his manuscript, the three of us, U Hein Latt, and Saya Min Maung Maung Khin had a conversation in the journal building.

At that moment, Saya Min Maung Maung Khin showed us some photos. We listened to his words.

“Please come and visit us in Insein, Aung San. This is the monk who resides in the Aung San Tow Tat Oo Kyaung Monastery. This monk is special. Now, do you see him here? He has a dove resting in his hand. It is a sign of peace. They call him the Dove Monk. He is famous. Some also call him “Metta Monk.” Please come and visit us once.”

I first met Sayar through his picture. It was unique and I was interested. And Sayar Min Maung Maung Khin was interested in astrology and astrology and studied a lot. So if Sayar Min Maung Maung Khin was related to Sayar Min Maung Maung Khin, then “Choe Na Sayadaw” ​​must also be a monk of the sect. I concluded the same. Sayar U Hein Lat was also interested in astrology and astrology, so he wanted to visit Sayar Min Maung Maung Khin and visit “Choe Na Sayadaw”. So we chose a day when we could visit Sayar. We all agreed on a day when we were free. Sayar Min Maung Maung Khin seemed happy that we could come together and get the answer.

"I'm glad. If you come, it would be great. I will also apply to the Sayadaw in advance. After you visit, you will know how special the Sayadaw is."

When Saya Min Maung Maung Khin said goodbye and left, I looked at the picture of Saya Min Maung Maung Khin that he had given me. Saya Min Maung Maung Khin was not yet a senior. He must have been around fifty. In the picture, Saya Min was leaning forward and smiling. On his palm was a dove. The dove seemed to be trusting Saya Min’s love. It was still looking at me with its head tilted towards Saya Min. Another picture was of Saya Min sitting in meditation against the shade of a tree. He was full of life, handsome and handsome. His figure was clear, smooth, and reverent. What was remarkable was not the color of the robe he was wearing. It was a dark yogi color. I don’t know if it was because of the dark background of the robe, but the Saya Min’s skin was even whiter and more radiant.

At that time, I was just beginning to practice mindfulness. I had just begun to value and respect the three foundations of mindfulness, and my faith in the three foundations of mindfulness had just begun to awaken in my mind. However, my insight wisdom had not yet developed and progressed as much as I thought it would. I myself knew this. I was a person who was torn between the old nature and the new nature and the new nature and the new nature that I was trying to live with.

My mind is not yet calm. I have just started practicing mindfulness, so my insight is not yet mature. However, at that time, I had already written three books. They are books that contain the topics that I am developing in mindfulness. My first book is the travelogue of my visit to the Venerable Maha Bodhi Myaing Sayadaw. The cool pull of love, Dhamma, and the light of the religion changed my mind completely after the trip.

The second book is Living with Unwavering Mindfulness. This book is written in conjunction with the teachings of the Sayadaw, and describes how he practiced mindfulness after meeting the Maha Bodhi Myaing Sayadaw, and how he met the Maha Myaing Towra Sayadaw U Zaw Tika.

The third book is "Transcending Unpeaceful Senses with a Peaceful Mind," which is also an article about mindfulness.

I have written and published my own books, so I know firsthand what book sales are like. I have received support from many readers by writing what I believe in, unexpectedly. I have seen my books reach them in large numbers. When I run out, I reprint them, and when I run out, I reprint them again, and my journey to explore new territories seems to be successful. That gives me strength. And with that, my articles are published in journals every week. Even if the articles in the journals become so numerous that they fill a book, I still have a lot of time to write.