A Gift of Dhamma

“I was fed and clothed off the backs of the Burmese people, who were going to work for money. But more than that, I was loved. I was accepted in a way that I hadn't known before. Even greater than that, I was taught the Dhamma, which is by far the greatest gift of my life!”

Beth Upton's journey has been remarkable. From the financial district of downtown London to ordaining as a nun under Pa Auk Sayadaw for nearly a decade, and from her time living among the downtrodden in Spain and now becoming a meditation teacher who is now in demand all around the world, she definitely has a unique story to tell.

In my podcast interview with her, she didn't hold back in sharing this story. This wide-ranging conversation ranged from discussing the meditation instructions that guided yogis towards investigating past lives to her struggles in an abusive relationship to the limitations of scientific tools in the West.

However, she acknowledges at the start of the episode that her entire spiritual journey was made possible only through the extraordinary generosity of Burmese lay supporters who gave generously, while seeing to her every need as a nun.

Such material support combined with the rarified and refined teachings of a meditation master, Pa Auk Sayadaw, is something that very few other countries offer so readily and openly as Myanmar.

This is an important reflection to keep in mind for two reasons. First, it challenges the reductionist view of Myanmar as a failed state, in which it is more a needy recipient than a generous giver. And second, Beth's reminder speaks powerfully to the wider practitioner community which has benefited from these teachings and assistance for so many decades, as she calls on them to hold in one's mind and heart the unconditional support that one has received, and act with gratitude at a time when the days have become so darkened in the Golden Land.