Look, no hands!

Carrying produce on the head leaves hands free for exchanging money.

Tipitaka in myanmar script

World's largest book was once engraved in gold.

The world's largest book

Each of the 729 marble tablets has its own little pagoda, originally topped by precious gems until stolen by the British. The contents is the Tipitaka in pali in myanmar script.

Misty morning in Mogok

Mogok is much colder on account of being in the mountains in the north east.

Pagodas in Mogok

Mogok is normally closed to foreigners, but because we were a dhamma group going to the opening ceremony for a new meditation centre we were allowed in.

World's largest bell

The world's largest whole bell - sounds pretty loud when you stand inside it.

Myanmar method of rowing

Rowing standing up and pointing frontwards is not the western way, but it works well in Myanmar.

Golden pagodas by the score

In Mandalay.

Writings of Ledi Sayadaw

Ledi Sayadaw was a 19th century monk who was well respected for both is practice and knowledge of theory and the modern growth in the spread of Vipassana may be traced back to his restarting teaching Vipassana to lay people.

Bikkhus

Bhikkhus (monks) are given food by Goenkaji and the yatra members.

Bhuddhist monk Parama

Parama, a young monk at a Buddhist University, takes us to his English
class where we must talk about who we are and why we are in Myanmar.

Dana

A young girl learns about dana (donation or generosity). For Buddhists
the opportunity to give to the Sangha (monk community) is a blessing for
them.

More Pagan pagodas

In Pagan there are pagodas every way that you look.

Pagodas in Bagan

Bagan is an ancient city which was sacked hundreds of years ago. At the
time it had thousands of pagodas.

Smiling young monks

Smiles are very common in Myanmar and these young monks show the genuine
happiness of people leading a good life.

Mataji

Mataji is Goenkaji's wife and has also tirelessly supported the spread
of Dhamma arouind the world.

Goenkaji

S N Goenka has played a large part in the spread of Vipassana meditation
around the world in since 1969. He has taught hundreds of thousands of
people the practice and through his hundreds of appointed teachers
millions have come into contact with the pure dhamma.

The International Dhamma website has
information on around 100 centres all around the world. The teaching is
very much non-sectarian. It is the scientific study of mind and matter
to follow the path out of suffering as taught by the Buddha.

Teaching of all the Buddhas

Not to do any evil
To cultivate good
To purify one's mind
This is the teaching of all the Buddhas

Mandalay sunset

The sun sets behind pagodas in Mandalay.

Reclining Buddha

The huge and very beautiful reclining Buddha statue.

Tricky drinking

Watching the asian way of drinking without the lips touching the cup so
that it may be shared. Some westerners got wet feet.

Golden faces

Gold coloured sun block serves also as a fashion statement on typical
smiling Myanmar faces.

IMC

At IMC, U Ba Khin's meditation centre, the golden pagoda catches the
sunlight.
U Ba Khin (1899-1971) was S N Goenka's teacher.

S N Goenka

S N Goenka, known as Goenkaji to his millions of Vipassana meditation
students, at Shwe Dagon in Yangon (Rangoon).

Shwe Dagon

Each morning in Yangon (Rangoon) begins before sunrise with meditation
at Shwe Dagon. During the meditation the sun rose over this beautiful
"Celestial City".

Myanmar Yattra with S N Goenka

Myanmar, previously known as Burma, is also called the land of gold. In January 2003 I went on a yattra with my Vipassana meditation teacher S N Goenka and about another 500 of his students. This is a pictorial account of that trip, which was a truly wonderful experience.