HlaMin

Tag: meditation

  • Talk — Vipassana

    Talk — Vipassana

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    Video Broadcast

    U Hla Min

    Disciples of Mingun Narada Sayadaw

    • Mahasi Sayadaw
    • Taung Pu Lu Sayadaw

    Disciples of Mahasi Sayadaw

    • Panditarama Sayadaw
    • Saddamaramsi Sayadaw
    • Chan Myei Sayadaw U Janakabhivamsa
    • Dhammananda Sayadaw U Silanandabhivamsa
    • Kheippa Bein Nyaw (Vietnamese)

    Dhamma Lineage of Ledi Sayadaw

    • Saya Thet
    • U Ba Khin
    • S N Goenka

    Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation

    • Primary Author : Mahasi Sayadaw
    • Translator : Maung Tha Noe
    • Editor : Sayadaw U Silananda
    • Original Publisher : Dhammachakka Meditation Center, 1991
    • Republished with other articles : Tathagata Meditation Center

    Other articles included the book

    (1) “Instructions to Meditation Practice” by Mahasi Sayadaw
    (2) “Benefits of Walking Meditation” by Sayadaw U Silananda
    (3) “Guidance for Yogis at Interview” by Sayadaw U Pandita
    (4) “An Interview with Mahasi Sayadaw” by Thamanaykyaw, translated by U Hla Myint

  • Tathagata Meditation Center

    Tathagata Meditation Center

    by Hla Min

    Updated : Aug 2025

    • The Tathagata Meditation Center (TMC) was founded by the Vietnamese disciples of Sayadaw U Silananda.
    • TMC is located at 1215 Lucretia Avenue, San Jose, CA 95122
    • It’s web site is
      http://www.tathagata.org/
    • Sayadaw U Silananda resided at TMC when Dhammananda Vihara, Half Moon Bay was undergoing construction.

    Activities

    • Several activities were suspended in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
      Some activities (e.g. Daily Chanting) were done on-line.
    • Conducts about six long-term meditation retreats per year.
    • Offers two week-end retreats for months when there are no long-term retreats.
    • Holds summer classes : one for children and the other for young adults.
    • Published several books for Dhamma Dana distribution.

    Pali

    • For the past few years, Sayadaw Dhammika-bhivamsa (Tharmanay Kyaw) taught Pali courses using selected Suttas to interested yogis to have an appreciation of Buddha’s teachings without delving into the details of Pali grammar.
    • The course materials were prepared by Som Tu (Director of TMC, Retired executive in Technology) under the guidance of Thamanay Kyaw Sayadaw.

    Reference Books

    • I volunteered as Translator/Interpreter for Meditation Retreats at TMC.

    Myat Kyaw & San Lin

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    P M-E Dictionary
    • Beelin Sayadaw U Pannadipa (then Resident Sayadaw at TMC, later Padana Nayaka Sayadaw at Panditarama Shwe Taung Gone in Yangon) gave me the book “A Pali Myanmar-English Dictionary of the Noble Words of the Lord Buddha”.
    • The book was compiled by U Myat Kyaw (Myanmar Sar Ah Phwe) and translated into English by U San Lwin.
      U San Lwin is the older brother of Dr. Lyn Swe Aye, IM(2).

    Buddhist Dictionary

    Buddhist Dictionary
    • TMC gave me the book “Buddhist Dictionary” by [Venerable] Nyantiloka.
    • It is subtitled “Manual of Buddhist Terms and Doctrines”.
    • The first edition was published in 1946.
    • The third revised and enlarged edition was edited by [Venerable] Nyanaponika in 1970.

    Intro to Pali

    • U Hla Myint (former Sayadaw who had completed Dhammacariya and several monastic exams) gave me a PDF version of his manuscript “An Introduction to Pali” for study and review.
    • The book is available as Dhamma Dana distribution from TMC.
    • He studied Pali under the guidance of Mahagandayone Sayadaw U Jananabhivamsa (one of the greatest Pali scholars in the 20th century) and with the outstanding teachers U Vijaya-lankara and U Dhamika-bhivamsa (with pen name “Thamanay Kyaw”).
    • He studied English under the guidance of Sayadaw U Pandita-bhivamsa and with the eminent teachers such as U Aung Myat Thut, U Aye Maung and U Hla Maung.
    • He has written, translated and edited several books for TMC.

    Updates

    • Sayadaw U Silananda and Beelin Sayadaw have passed away.
    Beelin Sayadaw
  • SunLun

    SunLun

    by Hla Min

    Updated : July 2025

    Resources

    The following is a collection of resources for Sunlun Vipassana Meditation.

    Website

    http://www.sunlun-meditation.net/

    Sunlun Sayadaws

    Myingyan Sunlun Gu Kyaung Sayadaw U Kavi (ဆရာတော်ဦးကဝိ)

    U Kavi
    • Biography and dhamma talks
    Myingyan SunLun

    First KabaAye Sunlun Gu Kyaung Sayadaw U Vinaya (ဆရာတော်ဦးဝိနယ)

    U Vinaya
    • Early devotees of Sayadaw include U Khin Maung Latt, Daw Khin Myo Chit, U Thein Nyunt and U Win Pe
    • Wrote a book “The Yogi & Vipassana (Buddhist Meditation : The Sunlun Way)”
    • Passed away in his late 90s
    Book by U Vinaya

    “The Yogi and Vipassana”
    BUDDHIST MEDITATION : THE SUNLUN WAY
    Author : Sunlun Shin Vinaya
    Publisher : Sunlun Buddhist Meditation Center
    7 1/2 Mile, Prome Road, KabaAye P.O., Rangoon

    CONTENTS
    The Yogi and Vipassana (Page 1 – 18)
    The Sunlun Way of Mindfulness (Page 19 – 33)
    Explanatory Notes for Beginners and Those Proceeding Along the Sunlun Way of Vipassana (Page 34 – 50)

    KabaAye Sunlun Gu Kyaung Sayadaw U Wara

    (ဆရာတော်ဦးဝရ)

    U Wara
    • U Win Paing won Golf trophies (some with his younger brother U Kyaw Paing).
    • Meditated at KabaAye Sunlun.
    • He gave away his Golf Set. Entered monkhood after the Final exam for Chemical Engineering in 1970.
    • Served as Taik Oke Sayadaw of Kaba Aye Sunlun Gu Kyaung for nearly four decades.
    • Succeeded Sayadaw U Vinaya as Chief Resident Monk.
    • Passed away on August 26, 2021
    • Siblings : Dr. Myo Paing (Medical Research & Malaria), U Soe Paing (RIT EE, UCC co-founder, UN), U Kyaw Paing (Lawyer, Entrepreneur, Champion Golfer)
    U Wara
    Obituary
    Four Paing Brothers

    Vipassana Retreats

    • KabaAye Sunlun Gu Kyaung
    • Kyauk Pa Daung
    • Hong Kong

    Dr. Khin Maung Win

    • Son of U Khin Maung Latt & Daw Khin Myo Chit
    • Retired Professor of Mathematics
    • Published “Notes on Vipassana meditation”

    UCC

    Yahan Khan

    • In the 1970s, the staff and students of Universities’ Computer Center hosted “Donlaba Yahan Khan” for Thingyan at selected monasteries.
    • The initial venue was KabaAye Sunlun Gu Kyaung.
    UCC Yahan Khan 1
    UCC Yahan Khan 2

    Updates

    • Sayadaws — U Kavi, U Vinaya & U Wara — have passed away.
    • Several devotees — U Khin Maung Latt, Daw Khin Myo Chit, Dr. Khin Maung Win, U Thein Nyunt, Tekkatho Shwe Yee Win, U Soe Myint, U Win Pe — are GBNF.
  • Meditation

    Meditation

    by Hla Min

    Updated : May 2025

    Types of Meditation

    The Scriptures describe 40 kinds of Meditation.

    The methods generally fall into

    • Samatha (Concentration Meditation)
    • Vipassana (Insight Meditation)

    Samatha

    In Samatha, one chooses a “Meditation Object”. In the early days, some practitioners chose a white or colored disk (Kasina) as a Meditation Object. By fixing one’s eyes and thoughts on the Meditation Object, one can develop Concentration.

    Some practitioners chose “Ana Pana” (Out-breath and In-breath). For example, one can note the direction, direction and hardness/softness of the breath.

    One may attain one level of more Jhana (Absorption).

    Vipassana

    Vipassana book

    Vipassana means

    • various ways of seeing
    • seeing things as they truly are.

    A practitioner may choose a Primary Object for the meditation session. Depending on the tradition of the Mediation Master, the Primary Object can be a nostril, nge dait (part of the head), abdomen, or the body (e.g. touching the mat or floor).

    Then, one practices one of the “Four Foundations of Mindfulness” by being aware of the Kaya (Physicality), Vedana (Feelings), Citta (Mind) and Dhamma (General artifacts for meditation).

    One may practice Meditation using one of four postures.

    One may be able to experience

    • Nama and Rupa
    • Anicca, Dukkha, Anatta
    • Stages of development ultimately leading to Liberation.

    In the West, some people try Meditation

    • to experience relaxation and tranquility
    • as an alternative medical treatment (allowed by some Health Insurance).