Burma Days 15 & 16: Pariyatti and Patipatti
For Day 14, see here. Kory Goldberg continues to share his personal journal about the current pilgrimage now underway in Burma. You can also consider joining a later pilgrimage in Burma yourself.
"As with every spot we’ve gone to, but different, our days in
Sagaing have been a real blessing. More important than the beautiful Buddhist
aesthetic, the lush gardens, delicious food and medium speed WiFi, the Sitagu
International Buddhist Academy has provided us with access to some of Burma’s
most learned Buddhist scholars who speak fluent English. Both our days here
have afforded us Q&A sessions with U Kumara, the university’s rector, whose
deep knowledge of scripture and practice has quenched our philosophical thirst.
Conversations have ranged from Abhidhamma analysis to meditative experience,
from mystical journeys to political musings, from historical fact to
mythological narrative. Between these intellectual sessions have been both
guided and solitary wanderings along the trails of Sagaing, visiting 900-year
old monasteries that gave birth to Buddhism in the region, caves vibrating with
the energies of awakened beings, and sugar-cane juice stands that replenish
lost electrolytes. On Day 15 many of us met with the very venerable Prekhemma
Sayadaw whose quiet and loving presence was yet another living expression of
the Dhamma. When not teaching his small retinue of dedicated monks, counseling
lay people, and overseeing maintenance and construction projects, this
50-something year old bhikkhu brimming with humility and kindness walks around
the forested, hill-side property practicing mettā-bhavana
for approximately 3 hours. And it shows.
After a brief discussion, most of
our group went off to meditate in the cave where the Sayadaw’s predecessor
resided for 30 years and became an arahant. Caves like these abound the Sagaing
hills, which are believed to have the highest concentration of enlightened
contemplatives anywhere in the world. Prekhemma Sayadaw then showed some of us
his teacher’s relics, as well as those of an unknown arahant. Since being in his
presence, the latter relics have multiplied and expanded, many of them growing
from the size of a sesame seed to that of a chickpea. This phenomena is said to
occur when the relics abide in the presence of stainless morality. After
examining and photographing the multi-colored relics, we meditated with them
for about half an hour. As with genuine Buddha relics and the Webu Sayadaw’s
relics at Ingynbin, I felt a coolness flow through my body and a deep sense of
peace in my mind. During moments like these, the mind is unhindered by the
typical incessant storylines and commentaries. Some craving arises to prolong
these profound moments; wisdom also arises, understanding that they too are
impermanent and ultimately dissatisfying.
A Sagaing Hills Sayadaw shows the relics of his teacher, a fully liberated being, to two pilgrims |
View of a long cave in the Sagaing Hills where one arahant practiced for 30 years |
Pilgrims walk at a monastery in the Sagaing Hills before a cave door opening where an arahant was known to practice, eating only a few spoonfuls of beans in his later years. |
On Day 16 we all meditated at the 900-year old Pa Bar Jaon
monastery overseen by a humble 28-year old Sayadaw, the youngest we’ve ever
come across. Some of us stayed here for three hours in the morning (many taking a brief nap following another wonderful lunch); others
mindfully explored other sites in the hills. We practiced in the ancient ordination
hall containing two large containers filled with arahant relics ranging from
the size of a chickpea to that of my hand. Apparently the original relic casket
that was dug up on the premises only 20 years back was the size of a coffee
mug. Now at least two dozen coffee mugs would be needed to contain all the
relics.
Even more extraordinary than these relics, however, was what we came
across at another monastery resting on top of one of the hill’s ridges. Guided
along the vast trails by a 73-year old Sagaing yogi with deep blue eyes, gentle
wrinkles and a permanent grin, we entered a small shrine housing the corpse of
the Venrable U Narativi. After attempts by his disciples to cremate this
arahant’s dead body failed, as it simply would not burn, they realized that the
body itself was a relic to be preserved. Twenty-eight years later the corpse rests
peacefully in a glass casket studded with gems. Parts of the body are slightly
rotten and charcoaled, but for the most part it is quite intact. In fact, the corpse’s
caretaker must shave the old bhikkhu’s head and cut the nails at least once
every couple of months so that he continues to look like a respectable monk!
Reflecting upon this corpse completely turns the Asubha contemplation on its
head!
Pilgrims learn about the importance of water in the Sagaing Hills. As one Sayadaw said, "to come and practice in Sagaing, you always needed two things: sila and water!" |
Even though we have all had our own unique experiences on
this pilgrimage in general, and in Sagaing specifically, no one can say that
they haven’t been transformed in one way or another. For the time being, it may
be difficult to say how, or even what had happened since processing the
experience will take weeks, if not months. But something did shift during our
numerous, and sometimes exhausting, visits to pagodas, sangha-dana at
monasteries, meditation sessions in caves, thought-provoking Dhamma
discussions, day-dreams out bus windows, sleeping on hard and dusty floors,
interpersonal relationship issues with other pilgrims, and interacting with
people from a totally foreign culture whose worldview is completely unlike
anything any of us are familiar with back home. All of these experiences have
been etched into our minds, remaining there for years to come, coloring our
perceptions in ways that are incomprehensible, yet whose transformative impact
will be felt for the rest of our lives."
More can be found about Day 17 here.
More can be found about Day 17 here.