A: Firstly, you need right understading of what is going on in your mind is related to what is the state of your body.

You can’t force your mind to be quiet using will-power. You need to learn to relax your body. As the tension in your body reduce, your mind will slow down gradually.

One of basic method of Meditation is paying attention to tension in your body or bodily process such as breath-in and breath-out.

Observe your breathing and noted that  when you are stress, angry or worry, it become fast.

As we can not force our mind which is very fast, we could learn to regulate our breathing to calm our thinking.

Just relax in any comfortable posture. Close your eyes, mentally say ” Calming the body, I shall breath in”. Then, “Calming the body, I shall breath out”.

By delibrately switching your attention to  bodily-sensation or whatever body is experiencing, you are giving a break to your thinking which are mostly negative and the more we think , the more we become agitated.

Secondly, you also need right attitude, which is to be patient. Our thinking are all mess up because we let it chase after things we crave all the time.

Imagine that you are a bird which has been flying here and there for hours, days without resting. Now, your wings are exhausted. Then, you found a branch to rest. In this example, your breathing is like a branch where your exhausted mind can rest from over-thinking.

Patiently, just repeat:
“Calming the body, I shall breath in” and observe the in-breath. Then,” Calming the body, I shall breath out” as you observe the out-breath process – Not just, one time but many times repeatedly.

This practice is called “Mental cultivation” because just like when cultivating a plant , you need to water everyday and nurture it. To cultivate peace and calmness in your mind, you need to repeatedly bring your attention to your breathing till you can gradually sustained it for a period of time.

Start with just 5 mins in the morning and before you go to back.

Wishing you the best in your meditation journey!

For a beginner, loving-kindness Meditation is good to practice to calm down the mind.

Some pointers,
Kind or loving thoughts result in cool feeling. This is called law of cause and effect.

On the other hand, angry thoughts result in heated/unpleasant feeling.

So, in the guided meditation, they always started by radiating loving-kindness to yourself like ” May I be Happy and we’ll”. Now, this may be good if you love yourself, otherwise, it may irritate you. Some westerner feed back that they feel like hopocrite to wish themselves ” well and happy”. So, it become tough to begin with.

The whole point is to deliberately generate loving feeling within yourself by radiating loving thoughts to someone you respect.

There are some guidelines given for Beginners how to choose the person as object of loving Meditation.

1. Choose the person of the same gender.
2. Choose soneone you respect like teacher, grandpa/ma etc.
3. Don’t choose someone you dislike or enemy for your kindness practice at the beginning.

If you really love or respect the person, when you radiate loving thoughts again and again, it will naturally results in “loving feeling” within yourself..

My point is, choose someone you love or respect and keep sending loving thoughts again and again till you feel, the loving feeling within. This is in a nutshell.

May you be well and happy!
May you be free from dangers!
May you take care of yourself happily!

Q: Is there any particular meditation to attain moksha?Please let me enlighten with your knowledge.

A: There are many traditions but the goal of a spiritual seeker is one, moksha (liberation).

Only, mindfulness is the way to liberation.(irregardless of traditions).

Mindfulness means to be aware of any prominent mental or physical phenomenon at the present as it is occured.

At the present – the liberation can only happen now or at the present moment.

But out mind is always thinking about past or future. If we think about future, we tend to worry. If we think about past, we tend to misery!

So, the practice is about how to bring our attention back to present moment!

Pay attention to your bodily process such as breathing at the present as it occurred. Thus, thinking mode is replaced by mindfulness of what is happening now.

Our physical body may be limited, our mind / spirit is not.

There is a saying “Truth will liberate you”  – when you understand the true nature of body and mind, you will be liberated.

Normally , we tend to approach our spiritual seeking with ambitious, just like we do in our worldly pursuit. But what we need here is not your ambitious or will power to achieve. It is patient-acceptance of whatever reality that you are experiencing at the present as it is.

To accept as it is, we use mindfulness to observe without judging. This is called “direct knowing” without intelectual thinking. As the power of mindfulness grow, you will realize the nature of thinking, feeling and eventually your own inner most consiciousness.

We all, knowingly or unknowingly, seek happiness. The unconditioned happiness is called moksha (liberation) which can only be realized no where but “now-here”.

All the best in your seeking!

Once upon a time, there was a wise holy man. He was famous for giving only One reply irregardless of whatever question was asked.

The question could be: – 

“Will I will pass my exam?” Or 

  Will I find my life partner soon?” Or

  Will my business be successful? 

Whatever… the questions may be, his only answer was…

“FIND OUT WHO IS ASKING THIS QUESTION FIRST”

Contest-chair, Honorable Judges, fellow toastmasters and guests,

All of us were born into this world with a BIG question mark (?) in our hearts. That is …

WHO AM I?

This question is called ‘primary’ question in our lives and all other questions are just secondary!

A young girl asked her mother, 

“ Mummy, Mummy how do I came into this world?

“ Of course, Mummy gave birth to you into this world,” the mother replied

“ Then, how do you know my name” the girl asked again.

“ Hmm…” (The mother didn’t know how to answer)

Ladies and Gentlemen, we are often confused between ‘our names’ and ‘ourselves”.

We all have names but our names doesn’t tell us “who we really are” because they were just given to us.

The truth is…

We don’t know who we are.

We don’t know where we came from.

We don’t know where we are going.

Therefore, the big question, “Who am I?”  become critical for us. 

It is an “existential” question. 

It is a “spiritual” question.

It is a beginning of our ‘inner search’ and our spiritual development.

Once, I watched a video titled “ Masters from Himalaya…”. In it, an India old man with thick silver hair and beard who really look like a ‘Guru’ said that He came from Himalaya to America. 

Many American asked  “Why did you come to America instead of meditating in the Himalaya’s Cave in peace”

He replied, “ We need to come to America because there is an imbalance between material development and spiritual development in this world. Due to relentless pursuit of material progress, many MNC are destroying rainforest out of greed, our world is leading toward the direction of ‘destruction’ by global warming and other natural disasters. We come from Himalaya into this material world to teach ‘spiritual practice’ to balance the lacking in the spiritual progress.” 

In the old days, seekers who wish to know the reality of themselves, need to look for a master in the remote mountains or places. Nowadays, the situation that we are facing in our modern society is so desperate that the masters are coming into our society to teach us.

Since the development of science and technology, more and more people become materialistic and neglected their spiritual development. 

One’s typical life may go this way, 

First you want a job, 

And then you want a car, 

Then you want a house.

Then, you look at your neighbor’s car and house, (which may be bigger).

So, you want a bigger car, 

A bigger house and 

More money in our bank etc.

Then, one fine day, 

When you have most of the material things we desired, 

Suddenly you realized 

You are still ‘empty’ inside and

You are not really happy!!! 

This is called “mid-life crisis”. 

I wish that all my friends know the importance of spiritual development as early as possible. Not only when you reach your middle age.  

There is also another problem in our modern society. Many people, who like to be called scientific-minded, became a “Free Thinker ” and ignore their spiritual development. 

Ladies and Gentlemen, even though we may call ourselves “Free Thinker” but it doesn’t mean ‘we are free’.

We can think freely this and that and whatever we want but

We are still not free from our own “thinking”. 

We are still confined by our own concepts and ideas and

We are not yet gone beyond them.

Regardless of which religion we belong to, most of us have forgotten the ‘true essence’ of our own religion and became nominal or traditional so-called followers of our own faith. 

We are now at the crossroad junction.

It is time for us to have a balance in our material progress and spiritual progress. 

It is time for us to go back to our ‘root’ of our faith

It is time for us to become ‘real’ practitioners of our faith.

It is time for us to find who we are.

It is time for us to ask the BIG question in LIFE.

Now, Ladies and Gentlemen

If you ask me, “Who am I?”… 

Do you know what will be my answer?

“FIND OUT WHO IS ASKING THIS QUESTION FIRST”

Back to you Contest-chair.

One day, I was talking to my Uncle who is a retiree. He was a high earning Geologist and with his saving and investment, lives a comfortable and some what care free life, apart from ocassional minor illness here and there.

To my surprise, he confessed to me that he didn’t like his job. I asked ” Why did you do the job that you didn’t like?”

Then he shared how his career path was chosen.

” I was never happy to be a Geologist . I just did it for money to earn a living to support my family just like most people did. So I didn’t become the best in my chosen field. “

“What do you want to be? I queried.

” When I finished my matriculation, my marks were very good and I could study Medicine but the government did not allow me because my father was a foreigner then. Only children of Myanmar citizen could join the University of Medicine at that time.”

What I really wanted to be , was a lawyer. But my father disapproved it, quoting the Myanmar saying that lawyer is the profession of (ငိုစား၊ ရီစား) “People cry, you earn. People laugh, you earn”. (i.e. even a lawyer lose the case and his client cries, he still takes the fee, implying that it is not an enthical Job). So I choose Geology, the next best study but I am not interested in soil and rock. It was just a job.”

I believed that my uncle could become one of the best lawyers in the country if he had a chance to pursuit it because his intellect is sharp and he is good in argument with supporting evidences. What a waste of talent!

It is not always easy to follow our heart. It need courage and assertiveness to live your own life in your own terms.

I myself was a sailor, a profession that my father chosen for me. After two years at sea, I felt “enough is enough”.

On the day that I quit sailing, my father was particularly quiet when he came and fetched me from signing-off the ship for good. Driving on the way home, he gentlely asked ” Son, now you have decided to quit sailing. ” What do you want to do now?

And I replied. ” Father, I don’t know what I want to do now but I only know what I don’t want to do.”

We both became slience in our own thoughts till we reached home.

Since then, my motto in life is, to follow my heart and live my life with no regrets.

Each and everyone of us are talent in something. We all have our own calling. To be the best and be happy, we need to pursuit what we like and live own life, not just to please others. The best thing any parents can do is to support their children the best they can so that the children can pursuit their happiness. My parents had just done that for me so that I could live my life with gratitudes and no regrets. Thank you for your love and support.

(By Sadhadhammaransi Sayadaw U Kudalabhivamsa) – Translated by Terry Teza

1. Araham

Araham means that the Buddha had eradicated all the defilements (inner enemies). Therefore, when one recollect in mind, (Araham..Araham..Araham… ) one will be free from all kinds of dangers.

Whenever one is about to encounter imminent danger, is in the midst of danger or wish to preempt from any danger, one ought to recollect the ‘Araham quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect “Araham” in order to be free from dangers.

2. Samma-sambuddho,

Samma-sambuddho  means that the Buddha is fully enlightened by himself. Therefore, when one recollect samma-sambuddho,
..samma-sambuddho..samma-sambuddho…) one will be able to understand the profound and complex things.

Whenever one wish to understand things that are hard to understand by ordinary people, one ought to recollect samma-sambuddho quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect samma-sambuddho in order to understand deep things.

3. Vijjacarana-sampanno – it means that the Buddha is acomplished complete knowledge and cobduct. Therefore, when one recollect vijjacarana-sampanno, one will be able to practice Virtue, Concerntration and Wisdom fully.

When one wish to practice Vipassana and realize different stages of insights till enlightenment , one ought to recollect samma-sambuddho quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect samma-sambuddho in order to accomplish in your practice.

(Translator’s comments:
This quality also means Buddha walk the talk. He says as he acts. He does what he says. The knowledge and conduct are both fully accomplished. Thus one wish to delivery what one say, ought to recollect this quality.)

5. Sugato

Sugato  has two meanings:-
Buddha is spoken well.
Buddha has gone well to the noble destination of (Nibbana).

Therefore, when one recollect “Sugato”, one will be able to be effective in whatever one speak about and to reach the destination of your journey safely.

When one need to talk about important topic  and one is travelling , one ought to recollect samma-sambuddho quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect Sugato in order to speak well and travel well.

5.  Lokavidu

Lokavidu means Buddha is the knower of three worlds. Therefore, when one recollect this quality, one will know the worldly knowledge quickly and correctly when study it.

When one wish to excel in study of worldly knowledge or when exploring underground natural resources , one ought to recollect lokavidu quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect “vidu”, in order to know the worldly knowledge.

6.  Anuttaro-purisa-dhammasarathi

Anuttaro-purisa-dhammasarathi means Buddha is incomparable in taming the untamed men, devas or animals. Therefore, when one recollect this quality, others will listen and follow your advices.

When one need to admonish or discipline young and disobedient children or students, one ought to recollect this anuttaro-purisa-dhammasarathi quality of Lord Buddha.

Verse: One must recollect “anutta” in order to teach those who are difficult to teach.

7.  Sattha-deva-manussanam

Sattha-deva-manussanam means Buddha is  the teacher and leader of devas and men.Therefore, when one recollect this quality, when you teach others any skill or knowledge, they will learn quickly.

Verse: One must recollect “Sattha” in order to teach others well.

8. Buddho

Buddho means  Buddha realize the Four Noble Truths by himself as well as could lead others to realize it. Therefore, when one recollect this quality, one will understand  any spiritual or worldly knowledge quickly.

Verse: One must recollect “Buddho” in order to learn well and quickly.

9. Bhagava

Bhagava means Buddha is endowed with special powers. The merits the Buddha had accumulated are much more than others.  Therefore, when one recollect this quality, one will be able to fulfil the Welfares of oneself as well as others’ as one wishes.

Verse: One must recollect “Bhagava” in order to have complete fulfilment.

In this o recollect the different qualities of Lord Buddha, depending on the varying meaning of the qualities, ones will have various benefits from their recollection of these.

Sadhu! Sadhu! Sadhu!

ဘာသာျပန္သူ က်င့္ပုံ။

၁) အရဟံ  ကိေလသာ အညစ္အေၾကးအားလုံးမွ ကင္းေဝးစင္ၾကယ္ေတာ္မူေသာ ျမတ္စြာဘုရား လို႔ ႏွလုံးသြင္း ( သုံးႀကိမ္စိတ္ထဲမွာရႊတ္ဆို)

၂)  သတိေလးနဲ႔ ေျဖးေျဖးမွန္မွန္ “အရဟံ..အရဟံ..အရဟံ” ဆက္တိုက္ ပြားမ်ားေနပါ။

၃) အျခားအေတြးေတြဝင္ လာရင္ ဂုဏ္ေတာ္ ရဲ႕ အဓိပၸါယ္ကို ျပန္ရႊတ္ဆိုလို႔ရပါတယ္။(အရဟံ – ကိေလသာ အညစ္အေၾကးအားလုံးမွ ကင္းေဝးစင္ၾကယ္ေတာ္မူေသာ ျမတ္စြာဘုရား လို႔ ႏွလုံးျပန္သြင္း )

၄) သတိေလးနဲ႔ ေျဖးေျဖးမွန္မွန္ “အရဟံ..အရဟံ..အရဟံ” ဆက္တိုက္ ပြားမ်ားေနပါ။

၅)ပြားေနတဲ့စိတ္ ကေလး တေျဖးေျဖးစိတ္လာရင္ စိတ္မထြက္ေတာ့ပဲ ၾကည္လင္ေအးၿငိမ္းလာမွာပါ။

အရဟံ ႏုသာတိ- ” အရဟံ”တည္းဟူေသာ ဘုရားဂုဏ္ေတာ္၌ သတိကပ္၍ ဆက္ကာဆက္ကာ စိတ္ထဲမွာရႊတ္ဆိုေနျခင္း။ စဥ္းစားစရာမလို။ “အရဟံ”ဆိုေသာ အေတြးကေလးျဖစ္တိုင္းျဖစ္တိုင္း သိေနရင္ၿပီး၏။ သိလာလ်ွင္ ပို၍ပို၍ ဆက္ကာဆက္ကာ သိရန္ဆက္က်င့္ပါ။

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton