Buddhists

On of the things Batchelor says is that belief in rebirth can be a way to give us a pass on worrying about the now--not only how we treat each other but how we treat the world.  So the world blows up and all life is destroyed--doesn't matter because all sentient life will come back.

I hadn't thought of it that way before.

editted to correct typo

Hi all.  giving our thread a little bit of a bump in case there are newcomers who might want to join.  We have been so very quiet---I hope its because all is well and no one has time to spend on-line here.

This weekend marks the 1 year anniversary of finishing rads and once again, I am off to my family zen retreat. 

I hope you are all well.

Hi Maya2 and crew.

Yes, it did feel good well until I determined that I had stuck my head in a paperbag and was floating on the DeNile river avoiding doctors and follow-ups.  Cruise over---I had my CT scan on my lungs and the spot has been declared scarring, I met with my oncologist and my follow-up mammogram is now set for thursday.

Family Buddhist retreat was lovely--expanded by one day which really made it possible to fully relax. Was really impressed by monsters improvement in sitting.  Middle monster retains the crown for children who sits---she will outsit an adult when in the mood--but oldest did better too.  Of course we came home and abandoned our cushions but its a start.

Not sure if I mentioned that our zen group restructured its family program to divide up and teach different things to the children.  My teaching turn was last week and my subject was other religions.  I am not so excited by my performance but it seems it got the children thinking so thats always good.  Next meeting (in June) our priest will be doing basic Buddhism with the kids--I am looking forward to it.

All 3 monsters will be off to Dharma Camp in July---first time we have ever had all three kids gone. 

hey girls.. glad to see some activity its; been quiet for so long...! glad to hear of your adventures, Monstas Mom, and hey Maya2... and notself, you always get me thinking, and thats' a good thing.

   ive had a lot going on with health, and with family... its' so HARD to be detatched.. but, im still doing the Metta everyday.. and sitting when i remember. have/had started yoga, fell off, then, tai chi, and fell off. i can't seem to "sit" still yet.. but, its' all a learning, curve, right?     3jays

Hi both,

A quiet group suits my quiet heart! Very glad to meet you...

So I have to go out to give a talk soon, and won't be back til late...but will be very happy to post Sayadaw's instructions for metta practice for you tomorrow or the next day. Many people really like it--It's lovely and very simple, utterly without frills. 

Thanks, 3monstamama, A Dhamma friend turned me on to Turmeric, and it seems like a miracle drug.  Unfortunately Burmese food doesn't use it much. It's a strange cuisine, sandwiched between India, Thailand, and China but unfortunately like none of its neighbors...huge amounts o f white rice, VERY oily meaty curries (with oil the worst sort), fermented fish paste, and chillis. I defend myself from the meat and fish paste by being a vegetarian, but the rest...well, there's no escape. (And oh, yeah--many of the veggies are sprayed with GKW...whatever pesticides are banned here, probably.) All this is a source of some concern. When I'm here in the West I happily eat a very healthy organic diet...but there...well, there's no--or minimal--control. Before I shrugged it all off as unimportant, but now it feels like anything but that!

Fortunately I have a good Burmese friend who pulls a bit of weight in the kitchen. So I'll give her my list of 'can no longer eat', and 'should eat' foods and see what they make of it. I know she would do anything to keep me healthy.

Sending you much metta!

OK, now I have more than a moment to carefully read and reply...very sorry, nonself, somehow  I missed part of your post! Just goes to show that rushing is non-productive. So I can properly thank you for  the tumeric advice...and pineapple I eat directly.

Well, I'm off tomorrow for my 1st post-op PT appointment.Still in the treratment bardos, sicne I don't see the oncologist til the 8th...no need for radiation, as a mastectomy was an easy choice for me...now hoping I don't need chcemo, but am perfectly willing to throw everything at this if the benefits outweigh the risks.

So, notself, In Burma, nuns are called 'Sayalay' regardless of vintage...in the West, I tend to go by 'Venerable' for strangers, or just my name for friends, which you're most welcome to use here! 

Thinking as I read about Dharma camp about what we have at the monastery--3 weeks, and all the kids (from 7 to 17) take temporary ordination. And they have the same schedule as the rest of us, up at 4, to bed at 9, almsrounds for the boys, plus for all the kids classes and exams ...couldn't get away with that here in the states, but its soooo great your boys can go to some version of Dharma camp, 3monstamama!

And part of our food comes from almsround, part from donations--people like to offer meals, and families (or whole villages!) will come to offer the meal and then watch us all eat, feeling the gladness of giving. It takes a while to get over beign photographed as one eats!! (We few foreigners stick out, and Burmese people are especially happy to support us, knowing what we're letting go of to be there.)

OK, so here are exerpts from a booklet that we give meditators who come to practice metta intensively, written by Sayadaw U Indaka himself--wanting to use his words rather than mine to give you metta instructions.

Just to forwarn you...It's written in very Burmese style, repetetive and a bit pedantic (I could have smoothed it out more, but then it would have been my writing, not his). But I guarantee that if you give the instructions a sincere try, you'll find them most beneficial!

In daily life it's most appropriate to follow the instructions for 'developing the metta feeling'. If you want systematically develop metta as a practice, follow the instructions for developing jhana. For formal metta meditation, start as you're comfortable, but at least a half hour at a time is good; hour-long sessions are better. And I find metta practice wonderfully supports insight practice--when I'm on reterat I do metta for the first sit of the day, and soemtimes for 5 minutes at the start of each sit. It helps the mind and heart relax.

Much metta!

***************************************************************************************************************

The Little Book of Mettā
Chanmyay Myaing Sayadaw

Translated from the Burmese by Daw May Myint Oo (Mimmi)
Edited by Venerable Vīrañāṇī

Foreword

We are told by scientists that global warming is happening on Mother Earth, and that it is mainly caused by deforestation and increasing levels of carbon dioxide. Although we cannot say that the findings of these scientists are wrong, these are not the ultimate causes. The basic reason for global warming on Mother Earth is twofold. Firstly, the weakening influence of the Brahmaviharas in peoples' minds means that the qualities of mettā (loving-kindness), karuṇā (compassion), muditā (sympathetic joy), and upekkha (equanimity) are getting weaker. Secondly, the warming is due to the burning fires produced by the kilesā (defilements).

So if an increasing number of virtuous people engage in the practice of loving-kindness and the other Brahmaviharas, then the heat on Mother Earth will definitely be reduced, and it will become a cooler and more peaceful place.

I have written this booklet with the aim of facilitating the development of loving-kindness for these virtuous people. Let's make the burning Mother Earth a cool and peaceful place by developing loving-kindness!

Chanmyay Myaing Sayadaw
Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre
Yangon, Myanmar
April, 2011

Introduction
Mettā is the wish for the welfare and happiness of all living beings. Mettā is the wish for freedom from danger. Mettā is the wish that everyone become wealthy, educated, and that all aspects of their lives be well accomplished. Genuine and pure mettā is without expectation and is free from clinging. The taste of mettā is cool and peaceful. Mettā benefits all living beings.

According to the scriptures, mettā is like refreshing cool and clean water. Just as when one becomes refreshed by drinking such water, we can all experience peacefulness by developing mettā. I often compare mettā to the modern example of air-conditioning. Air-conditioning produces coolness; mettā also produces coolness. Nowadays we turn on air-conditioning when we feel hot in our body, in our room, or in our house. Once the air-conditioning has been turned on, the heat will disappear; and the body, the room, and the building will feel refreshed and cool. When the air-conditioning is first turned on, this coolness may not be immediately apparent. However, when it has been on for some time, one begins to feel increasingly cooler and more comfortable. The longer the period of time the air-conditioning has been on, the greater will be its cooling effect. So when the air-conditioning has been going about one or two hours, even more heat will have vanished, and the body and room will feel even more refreshed and cool.

In the same way, when kilesā (defilements) such as worry, anxiety, grief, sorrow, the heat of lobha (greed), or the heat of dosā (aversion) arise in the mind, we need to turn on the mettā air-conditioning to relieve this fervent burning of the mind. So when we feel stress, it is particularly important that we develop mettā. If we do this, the mind becomes calm and peaceful, and all the burning of the defilements will vanish.

At the beginning of mettā practice, this wonderful mettā taste is not so obvious. However, after developing mettā for longer periods, one experiences ever greater calm and peace. Through the practice of mettā, one not only experiences happiness within oneself, but others will also feel happy and peaceful on account of the mettā that we are developing.

Mettā bhāvanā means the repeated cultivation of mettā in our hearts and minds, making the mettā firm and strong. Here, I want to tell you how the process of developing mettā increases the mettā feeling.

As an example, when you are radiating mettā towards your teacher (saying "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful"), if you recite the phrase once, you receive the feeling of mettā at that time. Then the second time you say the phrase ("May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful..." & etcetera), you experience the feeling of mettā again. Those who are radiating mettā over and over in this way will experience the feeling of mettā more and more. This is the general understanding of how mettā is developed.

The Buddha said that in the snap of a finger (one second) over ten trillion mind moments appear. So when you radiate mettā even once (by saying "May you be well, happy and peaceful"), you have developed ten trillion moments of the mettā feeling. As you radiate mettā in this way, it will increase more and more.

Two Ways to Practice Mettā Meditation
There are two ways to practice mettā meditation: developing the mettā feeling only, and developing mettā for the attainment of the jhānā (states of absorption).

Developing the Mettā Feeling
When developing mettā in a general way, you don't need to take special care to avoid certain categories of people, nor is there any need to choose a particular person. You can develop mettā to whomever you want. It doesn't matter who you begin to radiate mettā towards, and there is no limit to the length of time you practice; it can be for a short period or for longer. Just use as much time as you have available, and radiate mettā to whomever you want.

Mettā for the Attainment of Jhānā
There are many things to avoid and to be careful about when you are developing mettā for the attainment of the jhānā (absorption).

Before starting your mettā meditation, you should bathe and dress in comfortable clothing which is perfectly clean without any unpleasant odors.

Your mind must be relaxed and free of anxiety or worry. At the beginning, commit yourself to either the five or eight precepts. You can take the precepts in front of a Buddha statue, or from a monk, nun, or virtuous person. If none of these things are possible, you may say in your mind, "I take refuge in the five precepts," or "I take refuge in the eight precepts".

Then find a quiet place. Sit in an erect position with your head in line with your spine and with your back upright. You can sit either cross-legged or with your legs placed to the side.[My insert: or in a chair! VN] Both hands should rest in your lap or on your knees, with the palms facing up. Close your eyes. Sit comfortably and adjust your body so that your muscles are relaxed.

After sitting down, fully entrust yourself to the Buddha and to your teacher. Why should this be done? Because by doing so, you will be free from any danger and thus be able to safely develop mettā. In addition, when you completely entrust yourself to a teacher, he or she will be able to personally instruct and admonish you. Please bear in mind that when you practice under the guidance of a teacher that it is important to simply follow the instructions given to you. If there is no teacher available, just entrust yourself to the Buddha and practice according to the mettā instructions.

Then incline your mind to the person who is to be the object of mettā and develop mettā for that person by reciting silently in your mind, "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful, may my teacher be well, happy and peaceful." The breath should be natural, and this wish should be continuously developed by repeating the mettā phrase again and again.

The Categories of Mettā

Mettā is developed towards seven categories of beings. So when you practice mettā bhāvanā, it is done in a graduated way as follows:

• First of all, you need to develop mettā for yourself,
• then to a respected person,
• then to a dear friend,
• then to a neutral person or acquaintance,
• then to someone you dislike,
• then to an enemy,
• and finally towards all living beings.

The Method of Practice
When you are practicing mettā meditation, it is best to say the phrases in a language that you understand. Why is this so? Because if you understand the language you are using to develop mettā, you will become much more interested in doing it. And if you are interested in developing mettā, it will be easy for you to quickly develop samādhi (concentration). If you don't understand the language you are using to develop mettā, you may not be interested in doing the practice. And if you don't have an interest, concentration will take a long time to arise.

For this reason, it is important that from the very beginning of practice you clearly understand the meaning of the words you are using. If you understand in Pāḷi, you may develop mettā in Pāḷi. If you understand in English, you may develop mettā in English.

When you are reciting the phrases you should not use too many words or very long sentences; try as much as possible to use short phrases. If the phrases are flowery and elaborate, with a lot of words, you may not be able to acquire concentration quickly or easily. But if you are reciting phrases that are as concise as possible, the concentration can arise quickly. For example, the phrase "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful" is long enough.

While you are developing mettā it is important to understand the specific meaning of the phrases you are using, for example:

"Well, happy and peaceful"
"Well" means that one is free from 96 kinds of physical sickness.
"Happy and peaceful" mean that one is free from any kind of mental suffering, such as worry, grief, anger, depression, anxiety, longing, conceit, or jealousy. You should understand these meanings as you repeat the words continuously over and over again, for example: "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful."

You should not cultivate mettā superficially; it must be developed in a precise and careful way. If you develop mettā superficially, then you may not be able to develop concentration quickly. Nor will you be able to develop strong concentration. You will only gain strong and powerful concentration quickly if you develop mettā precisely, attentively, and carefully.

When you are practicing mettā, simply focus on the clear desire for the specific person's good health and peace of mind. What is most important is the development of a genuine and strong wish for the person's well-being. Merely reciting the phrases is not sufficient: if you only pay attention to the phrases, the feeling of mettā may never arise.

Also, be aware that you don't need to make a mental image of the person. Just incline your mind to the development of a genuine and strong wish for the person to be healthy and peaceful by repeating the phrases over and over again. While you are doing this, sometimes the image of the person who is the object of your mettā practice may suddenly appear. If this happens, just let it be there and continue to develop mettā. You don't need to create an image of the person or to be concerned about whether or not the image of the person appears. In fact, if you intentionally create an image of the person, the strength of mettā may weaken or even disappear altogether. And if you pay attention to the appearance of the image, the feeling of mettā is also likely to disappear. That's why it is important to cultivate the mettā feeling uninterruptedly until it becomes strong and powerful.

"Developing mettā" means the repeated cultivation of mettā in your heart and mind. If you are merely creating a very detailed mental image of the person you are developing mettā for, you are not really cultivating mettā. You must be careful about this.

If many thoughts arise while you are developing mettā, do not pay attention to them; you should just patiently cultivate mettā in a continuous way. If you feel unpleasant sensations (such as numbness, stiffness, or aching) or pleasant sensations (such as happiness), you should let all these kinds of experiences be and continuously develop mettā. When you see or hear something, simply continue to cultivate mettā in an equanimous way.

Inappropriate Categories of People
At the start of practice
The commentary to the Visudhimagga says that a mettā practitioner who wants to develop mettā for the attainment of the jhānas should not begin their mettā practice by trying to develop mettā towards a person they dislike, a very dear person, a neutral person (people they neither love nor hate), or an enemy (people for whom they feel hatred).

Why is it so? If you begin to develop mettā for a person you hate, you may be overcome with feelings of dosa (aversion). If you start practicing mettā meditation towards a very dear person, you may happen to recall some suffering that person is going through and so feel unhappiness. So it will be very difficult to develop mettā for that person. If you start practicing mettā meditation towards a neutral person, you will find it difficult and tiring to develop mettā. And if you start practicing mettā meditation towards an enemy, you will just get angry.

Categories of inappropriate people for specific mettā practice
The mettā practitioner who wants to reach the jhānas using specific mettā meditation should develop mettā only towards people of the same gender. Do not develop specific mettā for a person of a different gender (except in the context of radiating mettā for all beings). So a man should not make a woman the object of his mettā, and a woman should not develop mettā for a man. If you do so, you may not develop pure mettā, but lust (taṇhā) instead. This instruction is found in the Visuddhimagga commentary.

People for whom you should never practice mettā meditation
In addition, a mettā practitioner who wants to attain the jhānas should only develop mettā towards a person who is still alive. You should never practice mettā meditation towards a dead person. This is because it is not possible to develop any concentration at all using such a person. This instruction is also from the Visuddhimagga commentary.

When to Develop Mettā
The Mettā Sutta says that you can develop mettā while you are sitting, standing, walking, or lying down. So you should continuously develop mettā in each of these four postures. You should also develop mettā while you are performing general activities such as eating, drinking, washing your face, and taking a bath. No matter what you are doing, always develop mettā.

How to Develop Mettā
The First Category (Yourself)
When you start to develop mettā for yourself, focus the attention on yourself, mentally repeating the phrases, for example: "May I be well, happy and peaceful. May I be well, happy and peaceful." Breathe normally, and just cultivate mettā. Make the effort to develop mettā continuously by reciting the phrases over and over.

Developing mettā for yourself is to wish for your own happiness and well-being. At first, you won't experience the feeling of genuine mettā. You can't know the taste of mettā by just beginning to recite the phrases. However, over a longer period of time, you may experience the refreshing taste of mettā. So you should repeat the phrases in a unbroken way, developing mettā continuously.

Developing mettā for yourself is not a suitable practice for the attainment of appanā jhāna (full concentration). The Vibhaṅga Commentary says that appanā jhāna is impossible to attain by practicing mettā for oneself. The point of developing mettā for yourself is to develop the ability to feel the same way for other people as you do for yourself. You learn to want others to be healthy in the same way as you want to be healthy, and for others to be well and peaceful in the same way as you want to be well and peaceful. This kind of attitude is the dawn of pure and clear mettā.

The Second Category (A Respected Person)
After radiating mettā to yourself for five or ten minutes, you can switch to a person in the second category, a virtuous or respected person (such as a teacher). Before you do this, reflect on the virtues of this person and on how they have helped you. As discussed above, a male yogi should develop mettā for a male teacher and a female yogi should develop mettā for a female teacher. Why is it so? Because in this way (for the reasons already mentioned) you can cultivate pure and clean mettā, free from lust and attachment.

After that, incline your mind towards the teacher and uninterruptedly repeat the phrase you have chosen (such as "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful").

While you are practicing sitting meditation, repeat the phrase over and over again in your mind, developing mettā towards your teacher. Try to develop pure mettā, without any fear or expectation. While you are standing, just develop mettā to your teacher with the phrase ("May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful"), repeating it over and over again. While you are practicing walking meditation, develop mettā towards your teacher saying "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful" in the mind, repeating it over and over again. While you are lying down say "May my teacher be well, happy and peaceful," repeating it over and over again. While you are eating, drinking, or while doing any other general activities, just cultivate mettā to your teacher in this way. During all your waking hours, develop mettā towards the teacher. Do your best to keep going until the feeling of mettā arises in your mind. You may have to develop mettā continuously for many days before ekaggatā (one-pointedness), pīti (rapture or bliss), and sukha (happiness) arise.

The Third Category (A Dear Friend)
When you have been developing mettā towards the teacher and your mind becomes calm, tranquil, and happy, then you can begin to develop mettā for a very dear person. Again, a male yogi should develop mettā for a man and a female yogi should develop mettā for a woman.

Incline your mind towards the very dear person and develop the mettā phrases "May this dear person be well, happy and peaceful. May this dear person be well, happy and peaceful". Repeatedly cultivate mettā during all your waking hours until the feeling of mettā becomes strong and powerful. Once again, as with the other categories, develop this until your mind becomes calm, blissful, and happy.

The Fourth Category (A Neutral Person)
When you radiate mettā for a dear person and the mettā feeling becomes strong and powerful, you can start developing mettā for a person in the fourth category, a neutral person (someone who is the same gender as you are and who is neither loved nor hated). "May this neutral person be well, happy and peaceful. May this neutral person be well, happy and peaceful;" once again repeatedly cultivate mettā during all your waking hours.

The Fifth Category (A Disliked Person)
Once your feeling of mettā is strong and powerful by practicing for a neutral person, you must begin to develop mettā for a person in the fifth category, someone whom you dislike; once again, this person should be the same gender as you. Repeat the phrase "May this person I dislike be well, happy and peaceful," cultivating mettā over and over again during all your waking hours.

Here I want to remind you of one thing. When you develop mettā to a person you hate, you may not experience any feeling of mettā. Perhaps you may think of how much you hate this person, and then you become angry. When this happens, you need to stop cultivating mettā for the disliked person and instead develop mettā to your teacher, since you have already been successful in developing strong mettā for him or her. After you have cultivated mettā for the teacher and it becomes strong and powerful again, switch back to the person you dislike. When you are capable of developing mettā to the disliked person, simply continue to develop mettā to that person in a continuous way. If you can't, develop mettā to the respected person or teacher for the second time. When your feeling of mettā becomes strong and powerful again, you switch back to the disliked person once more. In this way, you can use the teacher (for whom you have already successfully cultivated mettā) to build ‘mettā-momentum'. You can connect again and again to your teacher until you are able to develop mettā successfully for the person you don't like. You need to develop mettā for this person until calmness (ekaggatā), gladness (pīti), and happiness (sukha) arise. And you must continue to develop mettā for the disliked person until your feeling of mettā becomes so strong and powerful that you actually love him or her.

The Sixth Category (An Enemy)
Once you can develop this kind of deep and strong mettā towards someone you don't like, you can develop mettā for a person in the sixth category, someone who is your enemy. When you develop mettā to an enemy, you do so in the same way as you develop mettā to the disliked person. If there isn't somebody you dislike, or if you have no enemies, develop mettā towards the seventh category, all living beings.

The Seventh Category (All Living Beings)
When you are able to develop mettā to your enemy and your feeling of mettā for them has become strong and powerful, then it is time to radiate mettā to all living beings, mentally saying "May all living beings be well, happy and peaceful. May all living beings be well, happy and peaceful". As long as you are awake, repeatedly and uninterruptedly cultivate mettā for all beings until strong and powerful mettā feeling arises, and your mind has become calm and tranquil, happy and blissful.

A successful mettā meditator doesn't make a distinction between the people in different categories. He or she doesn't say, "This is my friend and this is my enemy." Such a state of mind can be compared with milk and water mixed together. If you stir milk and water together, you can't tell which is which, saying "This part is the water, this part is the milk." They are thoroughly mixed together and so are indistinguishable. In the same way, a mettā meditator's feeling of mettā doesn't differentiate between persons in different categories. When you experience this, it can be said that you have been successful your mettā meditation.

In the Mettā Sutta, the Buddha described a person who always lives with mettā as a "noble person," or brahmavihāri. The Pāḷi word brahmavihāri refers to an ariya, a virtuous noble person who always lives with mettā; it can be said that such a person is an ariyapuggala (a noble person). When someone lives this way, we say that they "have become a Brahmin." So, as much as you can, please develop mettā until you become a mettā meditator who has fulfilled his or her duty.

The Eleven Benefits of Mettā Meditation

A mettā mediator who day and night lives with strong and powerful mettā will experience every one of its benefits. So now I will briefly mention these, but not in very much detail. I have already explained these benefits elsewhere (in my book "Metta"), so those who would like more information can find it there. Everyone who practices mettā meditation can potentially gain all of these benefits.
The Benefits of Mettā:
•One will fall asleep happily.
•One will wake up happily.
•One will have good dreams.
•One will be loved by humans.
•One will be loved by devas (celestial beings).
•One will be protected by devas.
•One will be free from harm by weapons, poison, fire, and will be free from all dangers.
•One will be able to concentrate easily.
•One's facial expression will be clear and serene.
•At the time of death, one's mind will be peaceful and unconfused.
•After death, one will be reborn in the Brahma realm.

We live on a planet which is getting warmer and warmer. So let's all start making this world cooler and more peaceful by practicing mettā meditation day and night.

Chanmyay Myaing Sayadaw is the abbot of the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre (CMMC), in Yangon, Myanmar, established in 1997. As a novice and young monk, he studied the Buddhist scriptures under the guidance of the late Mahāgandhayon Sayadaw in Amarapura, as well as with other famous teachers. After passing the Dhammacariya examinations, he taught the scriptures for several years. Later he practiced satipaṭṭhāna vipassanā meditation under the guidance of the Venerable Chanmyay Sayadaw at the Mahasi Meditation Centres in Mandalay and Yangon. Subsequently, he stayed at the Chanmyay Yeiktha Meditation Centre for many years, where he carried out the duties of pariyatti (studying and learning the scriptures), and paṭipatti (teaching and practicing meditation), as requested by Chanmyay Sayadaw.

In 2005, Sayadaw took up residence in Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre, where he now teaches vipassanā and mettā meditation to both local and foreign meditators. Sayadaw regularly travels to Malaysia and Singapore, where he imparts his vast and deep Dhamma knowledge to all those interested in vipassanā and mettā meditation. Of the many Dhamma books that Sayadaw has written in Burmese, two (Metta and The Bojjhaṅgas) have been translated into both English and German.

Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre
Shwe Oo Min St.
No. 3 Highway, Laydaungkan Village
Mingaladon Township
Yangon
Myanmar

Tel: 95 (1) 638-350

3Monstas' Mom... i also, would like to copy the writings above...have no idea how to do so... can you send me a pm, and give me instructions? i would so like to add it to my learnings here, from you generous ladies. i can't copy by hand, bc of LE flare..

   and Viranyani: thank you so much for that teaching. I am not Buddhist, but these ladies are teaching many of new ways to view so many things, spiritually... I followed Maya2 to this site, and although i don't often post; i am a avid reader, and learner... im at the beginning, just learning about Metta; just beg. to sit...

   Notself has been so helpful teaching me, and i have been able to lead others to her links, and teachings.

   Just recently, we had a big discussion about Mother Earth, and the groanings we are witnessing world wide. I believe what you wrote has the answers to the problem... Namaste' .....3jays

thank you so much for the teaching, Viryani; and thanks 3 monsta mom for trying to teach me the technology. i don't have word, and saw no copy to put it into my library; yet, DH knows hhow to scan it into my library, and i got it to print out, so all is good!!!!

   i thank you all for your thoughtfullness towards me, as i know so very little about Metta.. i guess thats' good, though, i have no preconceived  notions to undo....

   i loved the way you put it... it IS a "humpty Dumpty" time in my life, and I really have NO idea how it'll all go back again. and, it is taking all the kings men, and all the mens horses TO put it back together again!!!

   my dearest, fondest hope is that we all find a way to be back together again, and yet, a new together, a better together. it is my wish for you all....Namaste'      3jays

Hi everyone...well, it's a respite to be here and talk about Dhamma, rather than thinking too much about myself and this body!

But thanks for asking 3Jaysmom. I'm 2 weeks post BMX--one was prophylactic, since with the way I live it's hard to arrange even a visit to a good dentist, let alone everything else...and I don't want to put myself or anyone else through this again. But I've had wonderful support and metta, very grateful for some lay supporters who have let me stay here for a whole 2 months...if I need chemo, I'll be able to go to another place in the same state, and that will work, too. It was a mad scramble at first, arranging everything, but now a basic support system's in place. Phew. I am SO lucky!

So now I'm in the post-surgical bardos. 1st appt w/ an oncologist is cheduled for next Friday. I'm borderline and hoping to avoid chemo...but will wait and see what my oncotype score is before I run back to Asia. Maybe I'll make it back for the rains retreat,and maybe I'll be late...just keeping a 'don't know' mind! I'm actually enjopying the interlude, knowing the future will hold some kind of meds...that for this week I don't have to take!

I do Tibetan style prostrations to exercise the body and awaken the heart, and was totally thrilled today to be able  to do 10 of them with reasonable ease...I thought it'd be 3 months before I'd even be able to think about such a thing, let alone be doing them! I'm very pleased. The half hour or hour that was happening before...oh, well--later!

Well, right now I was suppsoed to be in the wilds of Ladakh, up in the Himalayas, with a friend who is a Swiss nun...so we could share Theravada practice with some Tibetan nuns...but this is a much deeper journey! So I wouldn't trade it for anything, strange to say. The truth is in our faces, undeniable. notself, you're not kidding it deepens the practice...a great understatement!

I had a beloved teacher named Munindra-ji who used to say "Surrender to the law," (meaning the way things were, and the laws of causes and conditions) with soooo much compassion...and have been thinking about him a lot these days. He also used to quote the suttas, saying over and over again "The  Dhamma protects those who protect the Dhamma." If we practice and train our minds, we can be safe from everything...not physically, of course, but our hearts will be safe, because nothing can cause us to lose our balance and inate ease.  It is what it is, that's all. Ahhhhhhh. (BTW, there's now a very lovely book out about him and his teachings called 'Living This Life Fully'...it brings him so alive.

metta to all this lovely evening...

Hi, and good evening, all!

notself, I'm happy to share some info with you about the vinaya...but don't want to just slap something together quickly without some forethought..so please give me a day or two.

Thanks for the link...good to know that there's something that works to fend off the SEs of Armitrex! I'm very grateful right now for my meds-free coupe of weeks, knowing that all too soon, I'll be on that treadmill, too.

And because I'm waiting for my onco results...I'm avidly reading whatever experiences people share about navigating that maze. Very interesting that you decided against it, notself and that even w/ a Stage II, grade 2, your oncologist was in agreeement with that. Thanks, it's good to hear this...because the risks seem as real as the benefits to me. Same with radiation...I did a DMX partly because the last thing I wanted to expose myself to was that much of it.

Yes, whould we choose this??? But...it's been such a blessing in a way, hard as it is physically. There's a story out there (Chan/Zen???..if anyone knows please correct me) about a farmer who has a series of events happen in his life that everyone around him labels as good or bad...but he just says 'who knows'...and as one event unfolds, it affects what follows, with the 'bad' sometimes leading to 'good' and vice versa. A great reminder. One beautiful Pali word to describe equanimity literally means 'resting in the middle'...our task with cancer, no doubt about it! 

Today started reading a lovely book by Mingyur RInpoche called (I think) The Joy of Living...I love reading outside the Theravada tradition...it stretches the mind! He has a lovely way of describing anatta, as infinite possibility. You wouldn't hear that description in a million years in Burma, but it really resonates.And so with this...it could result in all sorts of things...who knows!

Happy 4th, everyone...may you all be free, free free! Free of cancer, free of sufferng, free of any kind of clinging whatsoever!

A Pali chant for this day (translated...)

"All conditioned things arise and pass away;  she who realizes this deeply realizes the deepest happiness, which is peace."

with much metta...