Aggācāra International Theravāda Education and Meditation Centre (Aggācāra International College)

Chanting by Sayalay Aggavati 1. Vandana and Puja 2 to 5. Cetiya Vandana and Five Gratitudes and Respect 6. Eight Precepts 7. Bhaddekaratta A well-spent night 8. Thirty Perfections 9. Caturakkhabhavana Four Guardian meditations 10. Four Requisites 11. The Chant of Metta 12. The protection in 11 ways 13  Forgiveness of Faults and sharing merits 14. Blessing and others 16. Patthana Aspiration 17. Mangala sutta 18. Kalyaniya Metta sutta

How many people will read this post? It is boring without any photo. It is not stimulating to the mind. It is black and white without color. It is a waste of time right? Maybe if you have concern for me or if you like me you will read it. If you dislike me you might read it too. We humans communicate all the time. We talk to ourselves all the times. We are like a noisy radio day in an out. To have a silent mind is really the peace of mind

Today, I received an email from Swan Tan from Penang who is willing to help my centre, so I do a write up/my biodata for him as below.. However, all Dhamma learnings will be just theory if one does  not utilise it.  So the Dhamma will be more meaningful if one can put it into practice and also influence others to practice as well. Then it is not a talk, but a walk (practice). As the saying goes..Talk the walk, walk the talk.. Hence, my Aggacara centre is an application of Dhamma in every day life and here we emphasis pariyatti  (learning and teaching) and patipatti (practice) at the same time. Now we are at the initial stage, so we are facing problems with the road, low electricity etc. However we will persevere till the end.. 'when the going gets tough, the tough gets going.' Sharing with you all.....the Dhamma Practice.

How many people will read this post? It is boring without any photo. It is not stimulating to the mind. It is black and white without color. It is a waste of time right? Maybe if you have concern for me or if you like me you will read it. If you dislike me you might read it too. We humans communicate all the time. We talk to ourselves all the times. We are like a noisy radio day in an out. To have a silent mind is really a peace of mind

We have just finished compiling a new topic. The Study of Abhidhamma Patthana This is for serious Abhidhamma scholars.

Requesting donation to build Dhamma hall and other projects. Please refer to contact page for more information.

Method - Insight and Loving-kindness meditations. Date: September 25 to 30, 2016 (6 days) Title: The Noble Way of Living. First session: 25 to 27 September 2016 (3 days) Second session: 28 to 30 September (3 days) Place:Thabarwa Centre, Thanlyin, Yangon. Dhamma talks at http://aggacara.blogspot.com/p/september-2016-6-days-vipassana-cum.html

Fom Aug 5 to Sep 20 2016, we Sayalay Aggavati and Sayalay Cala do our missionary work in Peninsula Malaysia. In total,we go to 9 Buddhist centres including Perlis Buddhist Centre, Jitra Buddhist Association, Padang Serai FaLin, Buddhist Hermitage Lunas, Subang Jaya Buddhist Association, Aloka Buddhist Center, Mettalodge Johor Bahru, Peace house (Penang) and Mettananda. Our purpose is to meet more devotees and share Dhamma knowledge. For meditators, we try to explain the suita ble meditations for them. We teach insight, 4 elements, metta, and four preliminary meditations, i.e. buddhanussati, metta, asubha and marananussati. As most audience are female, I am sure that they are happy to meet female monks i.e. we two sayalays too. We encourage more nuns to step forward and to be actively involve in Dhamma propagation job. This is best chance to practice loving-kindness and compassion. This is fulfilling the  parami (perfections) and be a strong support to attain Nibbana. S...

Fom Aug 5 to Sep 5 2016, we Sayalay Aggavati and Sayalay Cala do our missionary work in Peninsula Malaysia. In total,we go to 9 Buddhist centres including Perlis Buddhist Centre, Jitra Buddhist Association, Padang Serai FaLin, Buddhist Hermitage Lunas, Subang Jaya Buddhist Association, Aloka Buddhist Center, Mettalodge Johor Bahru, Peace house (Penang) and Mettananda. Our purpose is to meet more devotees and share Dhamma knowledge. For meditators, we try to explain the suita ble meditations for them. We teach insight, 4 elements, metta, and four preliminary meditations, i.e. buddhanussati, metta, asubha and marananussati. As most audience are female, I am sure that they are happy to meet female monks i.e. we two sayalays too. We encourage more nuns to step forward and to be actively involve in Dhamma propagation job. This is best chance to practice loving-kindness and compassion. This is fulfilling the  parami (perfections) and be a strong support to attain Nibbana. Sa...

Northern part of Peninsula Malaysia 3-day meditation retreat at Perlis Buddhist Society (5-7 Aug) 3-day meditation retreat at Jitra Buddhist Association (8-10 Aug) 2-day Dhamma sharing and alm-round at Padang Serai, Lunas, Kulim (12-13 Aug) Dhamma sharing at Buddhist Hermitage Lunas (13 evening-16 Aug) Middle part Buddhist Counselling Workshop and Dhamma sharing at Aloka Buddhist Centre, Melaka (20-21 Aug) Southern part Participate in MahaSanghikadana at Metta Lodge Buddhist Centre, Johor Bahru, (28 Aug) 2-day meditation and Dhamma sharing at Metta Lodge (30-31 Aug) Meditation sharing at Breast cancer support group, Johor Bahru (1st Sep) Northern part 10-day meditation retreat at Mettananda, Penang (9-18 Sep) Tomorrow we will start our first 3-day meditation retreat. We are happy to share our Dhamma knowledge with devotees and Buddhist friends. May all rejoice in our merits!

Recorded talks of Eight days Basic Buddhism Course in Thabarwa Centre (16-23 July 2016) https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B8ikQxBya_5hcGpOMzhhdWt1Q28&usp=sharing

We have updated our Pali resources with more analytical works on Pali words.

This is 12 pages of Basic Buddhism notes for those who want to know the essence of the Buddha's teachings.

We are happy to work with Mangalartrust from UK, especially Myint Su and Clive. They will provide reading material for our English education program. This is systematic self-study program. There is total 80 books to be read by ourself. In this way, one will improve own vocabulary and grammar easily. Their website is  www.themingalartrust.com .

Happy to finish 9 days of sharing including Pali lesson, Basic Buddhism, walking meditation and sitting meditation.

This is the English translation of Anattalakkhanasutta. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B01xFMU22inia1RzNks0a0RQelE/view?usp=sharing

3 days retreat at Kangar Buddhist Society (5th to 7th August 2016) 3 days retreat at Jitra Buddhist Association (8th to 10th August 2016)    2 days Dhamma study at Mettalodge, Johor Bahru on 30 to 31 August 2016. 10 days retreat at Mettananda, Penang (9th to 18th September 2016)  All these courses are conducted by Sayalay Cala and Sayalay Aggavati.  t

In June 3, 2016, we conducted one day retreat in Metta Lodge Buddhist Centre, Johor Bahru. It was both Vipassana (Insight) and Metta (Loving-kindness).

Northern Peninsula Malaysia Dhamma talks were concluded in success. 

Yesterday(29th April 2016) is the final day of sharing Basic Buddhism and meditation with many students from different parts of the world. I normally go to Thabarwa centre to do ten days of Dhammadana.This time is 18th April to 28th April. Normally I focus on Basic Buddhism including kamma, ten good deeds,and ten bad deeds, five precepts, law of nature, four Noble Truths, and four foundations of mindfulness. Meditation taught including sitting meditation, walking meditation, standing meditation. That are breathing, four elements medit ation, loving-kindness, six sense bases. For breathing, I advised them to do long breathing, short breathing and counting to settle the mind first. Kamma is easy for Buddhists to believe, but not easy for those who neither believe in previous life nor next life. But kamma is a law of cause and effect that can be seen right now, just like the intention in the mind to walk will cause the legs to move. To have a fruitful discussion with the student...

Sometimes people get angry with us, Sometimes we get angry with people, We are boiling mad! They are boiling mad! Because of anger, We lost all concentration, We have no mindfulness, We only get anger. Why do they angry? Because they do not obtain their wishes, Because we do not follow their ways, So they get angry with us. Why do we get angry? Because we do not obtain our wishes, So we get angry with ourselves and them. So anger burns ourselves exhaustively. How to cure anger? Realizing anger is hatred-root, Realizing anger is due to attachment, When we desire it, but cannot get it, So desire leads to hatred. To stop anger is easy, Just stop the attachment, Just stop the desire, Just aware things are impermanent. Why cling to impermanent things, Since this body is also impermanent, Since this life is also impermanent, We can take nothing from this life, except own good deeds. Anger spoils good deeds, It weakens good intention, It causes one look ...

We, the founders of Aggacara International Theravada Education and Mission centre, have a wish to share our Dhamma knowledge to others. As part of our education program, we would go to different centres to share our Dhamma knowledge. That is why we, goes to Thabarwa centre monthly to conduct 10 days of Basic Buddhism cum meditation to the foreigners who are visiting and volunteering in the centre. I am happy to receive a letter of appreciation from the chie f monk of Thabarwa centre-Sayadaw Ottamasara. Thabarwa centre is a very unique centre as it combines the charity and meditation in the same place. People can do charity and practice meditation.They are many old people and sick people. I see people suffering from polio, stroke, and also homeless people. One can really see aging and sickness around us daily.

It will take me about 12 years from diploma to get Ph.D. (diploma 1 year, bachelor 2 years, master 4 years, one year waiting for preliminary Ph.D., Ph.D. 4 years) Not that I am crazy about getting a doctorate, or put a 'Dr. ' in my name, but I enjoy learning more Dhamma especially Pali and Abhidhamma. The process of learning is fun and interesting. and of course, 'back to school' and stay as a student receiving knowledge from the teachers keep the mind humble, and eager to learn more. If I continue to stay in a meditation in Malaysia or Myanmar, I do not have a chance to learn in a systematically way. I did spend 6 years in Lunas. Of course, I can pick up some knowledge regarding meditation. Once, I encountered an elderly Malaysian lady, she said 'No need to learn in university. You should just spend one month or two weeks learning under this famous sayadaw monk. This will be enough!' But how can this short time learning allow us to pick up consistent knowl...

The sun is very hot. When meditating under the shade of pagoda building that is not shined by sun yet, the feeling is relief from the heat, and when the cool wind touching the skin, there is a nice sensation. This reminds me of a story in Tipitaka . “After King Pasenadi’s death, which was brought about by the treachery of Dīghakārāyana in making Vidūdabha king (the son of Pasenadi), Vidūdabha remembered his oath, and set out with a large army for Kapilavatthu. The Buddha, aware of this, stood under a tree, with scanty shade, just within the boundaries of the Sākiyan kingdom. On the boundary was a banyan which gave deep shade. Vidūdabha, seeing the Buddha, asked him to sit under the banyan. ”Be not worried,” said the Buddha, ”the shade of my kinsmen keeps me cool.” Vidūdabha understood and returned home with his army. “(Pali Proper Name dictionary). Actually, it occurs to me taking refuge in Triple Gems is similar to sitting under shade away from the hot sun. Taking refuge in...

End of Stress ( dukkha ) for everyone. Yesterday, the exams were over for the diploma, bachelor and masters students in my university. Yesterday, I also photocopied 4 sets and submitted my masters thesis with 130 pages. Thanks to many, including Pali teachers Sayadaw Dr. U Nodhi Nyana, U Pandita, U Thera and U Issariya who helped to check the Pali, and Lori Marsh and Jo Chan who helped to checked English in my thesis. With numerous amendments and changes, I also got very stress ed with my own paper. When trying to read my thesis, my eyes saw, but my mind could not see. This is stress. Nowadays, some writers translate the dukkha with the word 'stress'. This really applied to me. In the first and second year, we have to attend only three hours for one week. But the subjects become more profound and deep, so we have to spend more time in reading and attend extra class. During the second year, we have to write 50 pages, and then 100 pages for the third year in the maste...

Announcement of new Dhamma course  (10 days) 18th to 28th April 2016 at Thabarwa Centre, Than Lyin, Yangon. "Analysis of TRUTH" Applying Pali and Abhidhamma into Vipassana Practice, by Sayalay Cala Theri. Including meditation, chanting, Dhamma discussion. 18th to 26th April (8 days) 7.30 am-9.00am : Pali* 9.30 am-11.00 am : Abhidhamma * 11.00am:Lunch 12.00pm to 4.30pm : Self-study 4.30pm:Walking and standing meditation at a nearby ancient pagoda (outdoor activity) 5.40pm:Dhamma discussion 6.00pm:Rest/Bath 7.00pm:Basic Buddhism 8.00pm:Sitting meditation 9.00pm:Chanting and sharing merits * These are intermediate levels. But beginners are welcome to come and listen. 27th to 28th April (2 days) -Meditation retreat 7.30 am: Basic meditation instructions and taking 8 precepts 8.30am:Sitting meditation 9.15am:Walking and standing meditation 10.00am: Sitting meditation 11.00am:Lunch 12.00pm : Rest/walking 1.00pm:Sitting 2.00pm:Walking 3.00pm: Sitting 4....

Why volunteering creates stress in mind? One helps in Buddhist centre , helping the chief abbot/chief nun, helping other monks /nuns, helping yogis, helping this and that. If one refuses to help, people say one becomes more selfish, more egoist! I notice a lot of volunteers, whether renunciates or meditators , do not have happy face or cheerful face, but stressed face and tired face. Actually, they suffer from 'compassionate fatigue' or 'volunteering burnout'. They feel tired, and cannot have time to meditate. When they do sitting meditation, they feel asleep due to tiredness and cannot have mindfulness and concentration on the meditation objects. They help people to get Dhamma, but they seem to lose the peacefulness and happiness in Dhamma . Sometimes I wonder, if volunteering work really can bring happiness and peacefulness to the mind! I also do lots of charity work, Dhamma work. If I work with right people , then things are okay! But if I work with wrong ...

Including Basic Buddhism and meditation for beginners and Pali and Abhidhamma for serious Buddhists. Taught by Sayalay Cala Theri, MA 3rd year in International Theravada Buddhist Missionary University. BSc Computer (Honors), Coventry University/Inti Colleges and Universities. Dhamma translator and editor for 9 years.

Recently in Feb 2016, I was teaching in Thabarwa centre to a group of foreigners who were travelling in Myanmar. Most of them were happened to stay in this centre for a few days. I was thinking, I tried to share the essence of Dhamma, without dwelling too much on ritual or superficial side. I taught them loving-kindness combined with forgiveness. The reason was that I read lots of psychology books and realised people living in modern technology and stress society are not able to slow down, enjoy life and forgive one’s mistakes. I started with the normal way to radiate loving-kindness, and combine with forgiveness practice. I was quite surprised to hear the feedback at the end. At first, I started with ‘May I be well and happy’ as a loving-kindness practice. The usual way is wishing us in four ways: May I be well and happy. May I be free from mental suffering, - no stress, no sadness, no depression, no unhappiness May I be free from physical suffering - no body problem. no c...

When the dream doesn’t come true! I had a big dream of going overseas, To further my studies, to improve my knowledge Days and night, I planned with my sister, We discussed and thought many times. We had big dreams and high hopes, Happily we lived in our dream, My dream was her dream, And her dream was my dream. Then I received the news, The scholarship is for others, The dream was burst , All plannings came to naught. We were in surprise, and couldn’t believe at first. How we cherished the dream! How we loved that dream! But then this bad news was good news. Now, we have finished that dream, And realized the emptiness of that dream. It was daydreaming and night-planning. If the kamma is there, it will be fulfilled, If the kamma is not there, it will not be fulfilled. Though we do things with diligence and effort, But maybe ‘fate’ prefers us to stay in Myanmar. Now, we get on with our lives in Myanmar, We move to next planning in charity works,...

Dhamma reflection: Dialogue between a boy with a mother on the topic of impermanence and appreciating life. Supposing a little child has broken a cup, he will be afraid his mother will scold him. However, if the mother is wise, she will give him such advice as below. [Boy said:] Mum , mum, Come here and look. The cup is broken by me. I am so sorry about it. I really apologize for it. [Mum said:] It is alright, boy. No problem, boy. The cup is made of glass, So, it will be broken easily. [Boy said:] Why are you not angry with me? Why do you not scold me? Normally, you always get angry, When I break any things, mum. [Mum said:] Today I realize the nature of things, Things are impermanent, Transient in nature. Things get broken, sooner and later. As long as we treasured it before, Have used it before, Really appreciated it before, So it fulfilled its purpose. We see things in positive way , son, We see things in useful way , son, We have used the cup t...

Beauty is only skin deep. This is the truth, but who wants to know? We spend money on clothes, decoration, To beautiful this body. It looks beautiful on outside , It is really ugly inside. Full of impure things, urine , feces, sweat, snot. We need to take care of it, Bath it, feed it, groom it. Taking care of it every day, Day and night. Yet it lets us down By aging , sickness and death. Not so say we should ignore it, Because we still need it. Just as the boat carrying passengers to other shore, So also the body carrying us to the truth. From the body, we learn the truth: Impurity, impermanence, suffering and non-self. Though it shows us this truth, We choose to ignore it. Welcome to the truth, If you really like the truth.

Domain and life goal Whatever we do, if we do at the area/skill we know, then we can get success very easily. If we do in an unskillful area, we can succeed if we have many supports from others. If we do in an unskillful area, we cannot succeed if we are lacking of support from others. This area is called ' gocara ' in Pali, meaning is domain , field, pasture. Today, I have a talk with a devotee. She is failing in business because she is doing a business that she is not familiar with, and her family cannot support it. She fails because of wrong domain and lack of support. For the yogis, the domain is the four foundations of mindfulness. As long as yogis stay in this domain, that means practising the four foundations of mindfulness, i.e. body , feeling, mind and dhamma , they will succeed in their meditations. Also to be succeed in gaining education, or doing a job, etc , the chanda (wish/desire) and faith/confidence ( adhitthana ) in ourselves are very important . In fac...

DHAMMA CLASS March, 12th to 22th  1. Learning the Ultimate Truth and Personal Truth by meditation. 2. Applying Pali and Abhidhamma into Vipassana Practice - Patthana, Pali suttanta. By Sayalay Cala Theri. at Tharbawa Centre, Than Lyin, Yangon.

Dhamma Reflection on  Forgiveness This time is a smooth time, after going ups and downs. In the peacefulness, I learn to be gratitude. In the turmoil time, I learn to be patience. When making mistakes in life, I check my own motivation. When people making mistakes, I learn to forgive them. For my own mistake, I learn to forgive myself, and to improve further. As the Buddha says,  There is only mind and matter,  There is no 'I' or self. Due to the defilement in this 'I',  so this 'I' are making mistakes,  small or big, So regrets float up in mind,  once and while. Thoughts come and go, Happy thoughts make me happy, Sad thoughts make me sad. By understand meditation or mental cultivation, or mental development, means seeing the truth, removing the false view, So this 'I' understand this 'my mistakes'  Is due to defilements in this mind. It is good to forgive others, It is good to forgive myself, Why I choose to live i...