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

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...

A Quick Guide for Beginners in Buddhism now exist in our section of Dhamma articles. Essence of Dhamma in four pages only. [ Click here to browse the Dhamma articles. ]

Teaching in Thabarwa in March 2016 (10 days) Title: Personal truth and Universal truth Date:12nd March to 22nd March, 2016 Teacher: Sayalay Cala Theri Place:Thabarwa meditation centre, Than Lyin, Yangon. Contents: 1. Pali               2. Abhidhamma 4. Basic Buddhism 5. Meditation Discussion 6. Actual Meditation 7. Sharing Merits.