Insight Meditation in Burma and Thailand

Different methods of Vipassana? (Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum); Eds., Wisdom Quarterly

Q: (ChooChoo, 4/13/19) How many different methods of vipassana or "insight meditation" have come out of Burma? I'm learning about Mahasi Sayadaw and reading about Mogok Sayadaw here (Dhamma Wheel Buddhist Forum). Are there others, and where can I learn more about them?

A: (MikeNZ66, 4/13/19) From listening to Dhamma talks and reading, my impression is that a great variety of meditation approaches were developed in Theravada countries (Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, etc.)

Living Dharma (Kornfield)

A relatively small number are known in the West -- only because Western students became involved. For example, see: Living Buddhist Masters by Jack Kornfield and James Baraz's Dharma talks on the subject.

(Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta, 4/14/19) Different methods of vipassana? Before me is a massive volume, a 1,600-page work of Burmese art elaborating the different techniques for vipassana by 81 revered great elders (maha-theras) in Burma/Myanmar.

I'm the most famous in Burma (Mahasi Sayadaw)

Some of these elders may be familiar to foreigners interested in Buddhism: Pa Auk Sayadaw [Wisdom Quarterly's choice for the world's greatest living Buddhist meditation master], Ledi Sayadaw, Webu Sayadaw, Taung Pu Lu, Mahasi Sayadaw, Mogok Sayadaw, Shwe Oo Min, and so on.

(Many great next-generation teachers giving instructions in similar methods are not included in this tome if they are in the same traditions, for example, U Pandita, and Chanmyay Sayadaw, who are in the Mahasi tradition).

There's a technique by a strange name [in typical Burmese-English] called "a Maha Thera who don't want his name to be known."

However, his technique is not strange: It is simply based on "The Greater Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse" (Maha Satipatthana Sutra) like most all of these methods.

One of them, after illuminating the technique to the public at times in retreats or in nearby forests, "ran away" from the crowd to some unknown forest, and his whereabouts are currently unknown.

Burma was once a "Golden Land" of Dharma.

Some digested the whole Ti-pitaka (Three Collections: Sutras, Disciplinary Code, Abhidharma) and their commentaries. Some are works of Abhidhamma genius, texts that synthesize the sutras using higher terms and classification systems.

For some, the Buddhist path is meditative absorption (jhana) first; for the others not, because vipassana practices are said to develop enough concentration.

• [The truth is that insight meditation can only be enough if one's practice develops sufficient concentration along the way; otherwise, a foundation of calm and concentration is absolutely necessary first. Thai Forest Tradition Master Ajahn Chah points out that these two practices (samatha and vipassana) are inseparable and should not be spoken of as distinct. Pa Auk Sayadaw, who is thought to be the greatest proponent of jhana or "absorption" first, in fact, does not teach absorption. He simply teaches anapana-sati, the development of in-and-out breathing, or Four Elements Meditation, which are calming mindfulness practices before teaching systematic contemplations leading to insight into Dependent Origination. Not everyone can master one or more of the eight absorptions, and for them access or neighborhood concentration will have to be enough. It's a matter of letting go and letting "meditation" (jhana, samatha, samadhi) happen. With sufficient purifying calm of the mind/heart, insight meditation quickly becomes productive.]

• 

  What is enough calm-concentrated samadhi?

  RIGHT CONCENTRATION (samma-samadhi): In concentration (samadhi) three grades of intensity are distinguished: (1) "Preparatory concentration" (parikamma-samādhi) existing at the beginning of the mental exercise. (2) "Neighborhood concentration" (upacāra-samādhi), that is, concentration "approaching" but not yet attaining the first absorption (jhāna), which in certain mental exercises is marked by the appearance of the so called "counterpart sign or counter-image" (patibhāga-nimitta). (3) "Attainment concentration" (appanā-samādhi), that is, the concentration present during the meditative absorptions (jhanas). (Appendix) For further details, see bhāvana, Path of Purification (Vis.M. III) and Fundamentals of Buddhism, IV. (Buddhist Dictionary entry by Ven. Nyanatiloka, edited by Wisdom Quarterly).

Some give instruction in light of the sutras. Others emphasize the commentarial Path of Purification (Visuddhimagga). Some may start with anapana (mindfulness of breathing), some with Four Elements. Some illuminate right view first, others DO first, and so on.

With that said I think the following is a good resource related to this question, although I disagree on some points: ariyajoti.wordpress.com/2016/04/03/a-short-introduction-of-buddhist-meditation-lineages-in-myanmar-from-late-nineteen-century-to-present.

Living Buddhist Masters

Updated: Modern Buddhist Masters (Kornfield)

This classic book by Jack Kornfield (spiritrock.org) covers a dozen modern Buddhist meditation teachers from Burma and Thailand (most of whom are no longer living, which prompted a title change to Modern Living Masters).

In various Dharma talks (dharmaseed.org), James Baraz adds his own experiences with these teachers, as do some members of the audience.

Baraz also gives short, guided meditations on each approach. These talks (and book) are worthwhile in dispelling the notion that there are only two "normal" meditation practices.

Here we meet Sunlun Sayadaw's heavy breathing and heroic sitting approach, Ajahn Naeb's postures as a route to understanding suffering (dukkha), and teachers who focus on body, feelings, mind, and mind objects.

Although he's not in Kornfield's book, a later talk from Baraz on U Tejaniya (dharmaseed.org) is in the same vein. 

Anjali, Mike