At 08:11 PM 08-11-01, Dimitry Ivakhnenko (äÍÉÔÒÉÊ é×ÁÈÎÅÎËÏ) wrote:

>Dear Bhante Kumaara,
>
>KB> I started of with a week-long Vipassana meditation retreat at
>KB> Santisukharama (Kota Tinggi, Johor, Malaysia). It's of the Mahasi
>KB> method, under the guidance of Ven. Sujiva (Malaysian), who's now
>KB> mostly in European countries. That's how I really got into this
>KB> Buddhist thing, by the way. Last year when I went to Burma, I
>KB> found another method, thought by Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw, which seems
>KB> to suit my temperament better. It almost identical to the Mahasi,
>KB> except a few points:
>KB> 1. It emphasizes more on the mind, rather than the body.
>KB> 2. Labelling is discouraged.
>KB> 3. No fixed reporting method, as required in Panditarama. Be free
>KB> to covey your experience in the way that suits you. If the teacher
>KB> needs to know more, he'll ask.
>KB> 4. No super slow movement, as required in Chammyay. Move at a
>KB> calm, natural speed.
>
>Is there any text with the description of this method? Looking for
>works of Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw on the Internet, I found only his picture
>at the Mahasi Sayadaw website in Burma.

Unfortunately, I do not know of any.

I did ask when I was there if there were anything of that sort. Usually, in Myanmar, written instructions comes from transcribed talks. The teacher in charge of foreigners himself (Sayadaw U Tezaniya) does not give any talks (although he would occasionally go in lengths to explain certain points during interviews). So, nothing written. Somehow, that's how the Sayadaws there prefer it.

It's actually not too different from the Mahasi method. Besides the points mentioned above, there's little difference. (I forgot to include that they ask that you practice mindfulness as you speak, just as it is stated in the Satipa.t.thaana Sutta.)

If you wish to know more, the best way is to go there. If you're willing to settle for less, you can ask me.

>In fact Satipatthana sutta instructs rather to discern (jaanaati) 'I
>am going', etc., than to label the action.

There's no doubt about that.

The Mahasi way recommends labelling only for those at the beginning of the retreat. It seems that it's a useful tool for many people to who have too restless a mind. The labelling helps them to anchor their minds on the meditation objects.

In response to a question by an American (I think), Sayadaw U Pandita, who's the successor to Mahasi Sayadaw, says that when one reaches the fourth insight (udayabbaya ñaana), one should not continue labelling.


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