Myanmar - Golden Land

Look, no hands!

2007-02-23T00:32:00.001-08:00

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

Tipitaka in myanmar script

2007-02-23T00:30:00.000-08:00

World's largest book was once engraved in gold.

The world's largest book

2007-02-23T00:29:00.000-08:00

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

2007-02-23T00:28:00.002-08:00

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

Pagodas in Mogok

2007-02-23T00:28:00.001-08:00

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

2007-02-23T00:26:00.000-08:00

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

Myanmar method of rowing

2007-02-23T00:25:00.000-08:00

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

Golden pagodas by the score

2007-02-23T00:24:00.000-08:00

In Mandalay.

Writings of Ledi Sayadaw

2007-02-23T00:22:00.000-08:00

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

2005-04-29T03:53:00.004-07:00

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

Bhuddhist monk Parama

2005-04-29T03:53:00.003-07:00

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

2005-04-29T03:53:00.002-07:00

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

2005-04-29T03:53:00.001-07:00

In Pagan there are pagodas every way that you look.

Pagodas in Bagan

2005-04-29T03:53:00.000-07:00

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

Smiling young monks

2005-04-29T03:12:00.001-07:00

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

Mataji

2005-04-29T03:12:00.000-07:00

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

Goenkaji

2005-04-29T03:11:00.006-07:00

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

2005-04-29T03:11:00.005-07:00

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

Mandalay sunset

2005-04-29T03:11:00.004-07:00

The sun sets behind pagodas in Mandalay.

Reclining Buddha

2005-04-29T03:11:00.003-07:00

The huge and very beautiful reclining Buddha statue.

Tricky drinking

2005-04-29T03:11:00.002-07:00

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

2005-04-29T03:11:00.001-07:00

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

IMC

2005-04-29T03:11:00.000-07:00

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

2005-04-29T03:10:00.000-07:00

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

Shwe Dagon

2005-04-29T02:45:00.000-07:00

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

2005-04-29T02:27:00.000-07:00

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.