Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu

Today marked the last day of the First Vipassana Meditation Retreat in BMBMC.
Sadhu to all members who had attended the Retreat.

Listen, Listen and Listen

There 3 kinds of listeners of the Dhamma, namely

1. One with high wisdom who likes to listen to short Dhamma, knows the matter and not the mind, and was taught the 5 aggregates
2. One with medium wisdom who likes to listen to not so short and not so long Dhamma, knows mind but not matter, and was taught the 12 bases of 10 1/2 of it are matter and the other 1 and 1/2 mind
3. One with low wisdom who likes to listen to long Dhamma, know not of mind and matter, and was taught 18 kinds of elements

"What are these 18 kinds of elements?" asked Sayadaw U Sumana in tonight's Dhamma Talk at BMBMC.

These 18 kinds of elements can be classified into 3 groups of elements, namely

1. 6 objects (striking elements)
2. 6 sense doors (recipient elements)
3. 6 consciousness

These 3 groups of elements constitute what we conventionally know as the human being. Therefore, said Sayadaw, if one understand this through the practice of Vipassana Meditation, one will then knows that there is actually no human being.

In the beginning, a meditator cannot comprehends all the objects forms from the 6 sense doors according to Sayadaw. Why? This is because in the beginning, a meditator's mindfulness is weak, his concentration is not strong and wisdom not high.

The wandering mind of the meditator comes and go, striking the sense bases (eye, ear, tongue, body, nose and mind doors) just like the match stick strikes the match box. As flame ignited when these two came into contact, so too is our consciousness arises when the objects elements came into contact with the sense door elements. Like a small child who does not understands the mechanics of igniting a match sticks, beginners in meditation may not see these three elements in their noting process.

Sayadaw said that it is easy to do noting for the way to note is simple. Any people can do that. But in Vipassana Meditation, one should note with understanding. When one notes for example seeing, one should notes and understands the presence of the elements be there 1 or 2 of the elements (either object, sense door or consciousness).

Meditators are advised to note with understanding so that the noting process will be devoid of the 3 kinds of clinging namely

1. clinging with attachment
2. clinging with conceit
   
3. clinging with wrong views

If in noting seeing, one had the notion that it is "I who see" then one notes with the clinging with conceit. Similarly, if one had the notion that the seeing belongs to oneself then one has the clinging with wrong views.

"Be mindful with the object," advises Sayadaw in concluding tonight's talk, "Let it be free from like or dislike. Then only will one gain the Insight Knowledge in his practise."

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu.

Seed of Wisdom

Ledi Sayadaw once said that it is very important for one to have the Seed of Wisdom. What is this Seed of Wisdom?

The seed of wisdom according to Sayadaw U Sumana is the inert factor in oneself that had been accumulated in years of your lives (past and present) that will enable a person to attain stages of Insight Knowledge that lead to the fruition of Insight.

This seed of wisdom must be cultivated as much as a person can through the practice of Vipassana Meditation.

Here, in conjunction to the BMBMC Vipassana Meditation retreat, Sayadaw U Sumana encouraged the yogis and members of BMBMC to strive on with diligence so that their meditation practices can lead them to achieve to the very least the Knowledge of the Arising and Passing Away of Phenomena (the Knowledge of Impermanence).

Sayadaw said that one had to try to practice meditation in a long period so that one can achieve progress in acquiring the Insight Knowledge. A time period of 10 days to a month is most suitable for one who want to progress well in his/her meditation.

It is important that we grab any chance we get to meditate, said Sayadaw. One do not wait until he/she is old, and weak with lots of diseases to then only try to practice as by then progress will be very slow.

Sayadaw gave some examples to stress the importance of cultivating this Seed of Wisdom. In the Buddha's time, a fisherman whom had trouble keeping his precepts, was able to attain to the stage of Sotapanna, by listening to the Buddha's talk due to him having the seed of Wisdom.

Another story about a pick-pocket thief who is also able to attain to the stage of Sotapanna by listening to the Dhamma talk by the Lord Buddha in Jetavanna Monastery even though his original intention was to steal. This shows that the Seed of Wisdom determines one to had progress in Insight Knowledges.

In contrast there are people whom at the presence of Lord Buddha were not able to attain any progress due to not having the Seed of Wisdom such as King Kosala, who had many Suttas mentioned in his name.

Cultivating the Seed of Wisdom should be the main aim of Buddhists and only by practicing Vipassana Meditation in retreats can one hope to be able to progress well in Insight Knowledge, said Sayadaw U Sumana in the closing of this talk.

Sadhu, Sadhu, Sadhu

Tonight talk is one of the 9-days series of talk given by Sayadaw U Sumana in conjunction with the Vipassana Meditation retreat.

Vipassana Meditation Retreat - Second Day Account

Second day:

Morning sitting and walking meditation did not encounter any sleepiness

But things are not permanent. Pain started to come during the sitting meditation. Cannot sit in half lotus position more than 10 minutes. That's trouble me and I reported it to Sayadaw during the interview session

However, I tried to use the Burmese style sitting meditation position learned from Sis Gavesini's class and guess what, there is no intense pain at my back and I can sit for an hour without that intense pain bothering me. Sitting meditation styles can be seen in this site.
I was not that sleepy in the second day but unfortunately, Amy had to work on Monday so we left the centre after the Dhamma talk.

Maybe, the next retreat, we will try for three days.

Vipassana Meditation Retreat - First Day Account

Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu to Amy and to myself too for we managed to complete a 2-day full retreat for the first time.

Here's the account of my two days retreat at BM Buddhist Meditation Centre.

First day: We arrived at the centre at 5 am and after checking in, we proceeded to the meditation hall for an hour of sitting meditation.

At 6 am we requested for the 8 precepts from Sayadaw U Sumana (who will be conducting this 9-days retreat)

I tried to follow the program used in the retreat at Santarama under Sis. Gavesini that are one-hour sitting and one-hour walking. In BMBMC, the program is more general and the participants are free to practice on their own pace.

However, it was bad, my mind was dull from sleepiness. I must be sleeping as I can see a movie screen like pictures in my closed eyes.

Even, walking meditation did not help to alleviates the dullness. It became worse, I can feel myself sleep-walking.

So after lunch, I grab a 30 minutes time-off - just go lying down and took a rest.
After the 4 pm talk by Sayadaw, I do not feel that sleepy to do walking meditation.

Sitting meditation is not good as I drift to and fro between meditating and sleeping. I was not doing any progress and I was contemplating of going back after the Dhamma talk. But I observed that Amy was doing well so I just preservered.

That night, I had a good night sleep.

Retreat at BMBMC

I will be going for my first 2-day retreat for this year at BM Buddhist Meditation Centre. This retreat will be conducted by Sayadaw U Sumana for the duration of 9 days. But we only plan to go for 2 days (Saturday and Sunday). More stories later.

Bhante Suvano Memorial Service Videos

In remembrance of the late Bhate Suvanno

Today marks the third anniversary of the passing away of the late Bhante Suvanno. Three years had passed but the numerous talks and advices by Bhante still rings in our ears.
In remembrance of Bhante, members of BM Buddhist Meditation Centre held a simple ceremony today at the centre.

This year, the programme starts with a pindacara to 8 Bhikkhus notably of Acharn Santi, Sayadaw U Sumana and Bhante Kondanna. The pindacara starts at 9 am and this will be one of the two pindacara held in the vicinity of BMBMC.

Then, members of BMBMC gathered at Venerable Suvanno Library to pay respect to Bhante by offering flowers (donated by a Buddhist friend from Cameron Highlands). From the flowers, I would had put the number of members to be over 100.


At 10 am, Sayadaw U Sumana gave a Dhamma talk to us. In the talk, Sayadaw U Sumana advises us to follow the examples shown by the late Bhante. Bhante had devoted most of his life in advising us Buddhists to do good and practice the Dhamma. Bhante himself had lead a simple life (even though Bhante is well known among Buddhists in Malaysia and his talk recordings are still most sorted of) and his humility is projected in his quest to become a NOBODY (Bhante's poem can be read in this site). Sayadaw pointed out that Bhante had been generous both in giving dana and helping others. Bhante had never try to turn down any requests by his devotees until he can no longer physically do so. These are the examples set by Bhante and today we should remember Bhante's virtues. Further, Sayadaw U Sumana also said that to honour Bhante better is to practice the Dhamma in the threefold ways namely, Dana, Sila and Bhavana.

A Sanghikadana is held after the talk. This is followed by the offering of robes to the Sangha. Although the ceremony is simple and short, I believe it is meaningful and fit the advices of Bhante to always do things in the simple way.