Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Discussion of ordination, the Vinaya and monastic life. How and where to ordain? Bhikkhuni ordination etc.
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Manopubbangama
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Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Post by Manopubbangama »

Anyone ever visit this center before in Yangon or affiliate sites?

I have heard good things about this venerable teacher, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and considering the hardcore, diligent Dhamma that is practiced in Burma, I'm assuming there will be little room for corruption and false teachings.


http://ashintejaniya.org/contact-inform ... ng%20there
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JamesTheGiant
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Re: Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Post by JamesTheGiant »

I attended a 9 day retreat with Sayadaw U Tejania, and it is one of the best retreats I've ever been on. It was in Australia.
It was a total shake-up of my practice of meditation. Previously I had been doing a lot of samatha meditation, but this was 9 days of unfocused awareness meditation.
There is no emphasis on Jhana in that tradition.
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Post by Manopubbangama »

JamesTheGiant wrote: Tue Dec 11, 2018 6:20 pm I attended a 9 day retreat with Sayadaw U Tejania, and it is one of the best retreats I've ever been on. It was in Australia.
It was a total shake-up of my practice of meditation. Previously I had been doing a lot of samatha meditation, but this was 9 days of unfocused awareness meditation.
There is no emphasis on Jhana in that tradition.
Thanks James, this feedback means a lot, as I know what an experienced meditator you are, so your positive review means quite a bit to me.

While I do prefer jhana and samatha on one level, on another level vipassana is extremely insightful, and these insights tend to have the most lasting changes on me.

To me samatha is 'pleasureable now' but doesn't seem to change me in the long run, unless it is combined with vipassana, which either alone, or in conjunction with samatha tend to create lasting changes in my personality.

I doubt that there will ever be a definitive answer regarding the proper percentage of vipassana vs samatha I love both, as the Buddha clearly taught both.

The experience of anatta is from different angles, as well: in samatha, anatta is experienced in a direct, awe-inspiring way, and in vipassana you can see anatta through the causal-linking of each rising and falling citta *or the billions of small blocks of cittas that we can consciously note.
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Goofaholix
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Re: Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Post by Goofaholix »

Manopubbangama wrote: Tue Dec 11, 2018 5:07 pm Anyone ever visit this center before in Yangon or affiliate sites?

I have heard good things about this venerable teacher, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and considering the hardcore, diligent Dhamma that is practiced in Burma, I'm assuming there will be little room for corruption and false teachings.


http://ashintejaniya.org/contact-inform ... ng%20there
I have been on four retreats at Shwe Oo Min. It's not a forest centre, it's probably typical of Burmese city centres with large multi story dormitory blocks, very crowded and very noisy but with some nicely managed gardens.

It's not strict either by burmese standards, unlike most Burmese centres you are expected to manage your own pace and nobody is going to push you, the empasis is more on mindfulness of natural activities some people spends a lot of time strolling and chatting meditation.

Sayadaw is an excellent teacher and give group interviews which are helpful and entertaining. Unfortunately last I heard he has cancer and has taken a year off from teaching, I'm not sure how that's going or if/when is returning to teaching.
Pronouns (no self / not self)
“Peace is within oneself to be found in the same place as agitation and suffering. It is not found in a forest or on a hilltop, nor is it given by a teacher. Where you experience suffering, you can also find freedom from suffering. Trying to run away from suffering is actually to run toward it.”
― Ajahn Chah
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Manopubbangama
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Re: Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Center?

Post by Manopubbangama »

Goofaholix wrote: Wed Dec 12, 2018 1:08 am
Manopubbangama wrote: Tue Dec 11, 2018 5:07 pm Anyone ever visit this center before in Yangon or affiliate sites?

I have heard good things about this venerable teacher, Sayadaw U Tejaniya, and considering the hardcore, diligent Dhamma that is practiced in Burma, I'm assuming there will be little room for corruption and false teachings.


http://ashintejaniya.org/contact-inform ... ng%20there
I have been on four retreats at Shwe Oo Min. It's not a forest centre, it's probably typical of Burmese city centres with large multi story dormitory blocks, very crowded and very noisy but with some nicely managed gardens.

It's not strict either by burmese standards, unlike most Burmese centres you are expected to manage your own pace and nobody is going to push you, the empasis is more on mindfulness of natural activities some people spends a lot of time strolling and chatting meditation.

Sayadaw is an excellent teacher and give group interviews which are helpful and entertaining. Unfortunately last I heard he has cancer and has taken a year off from teaching, I'm not sure how that's going or if/when is returning to teaching.
Thanks for the excellent review.

I hope the Sayadaw's health is better now.
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