Shaila Catherine has undergone the difficult and intensive jhana and vipassana meditations under the guidance of Pa Auk Sayadaw. She has been authorized to teach by Pa Auk Sayadaw and is an expert in jhana and vipassana.
So do you think that Shaila Catherine is an arahant, that is, she has totally put an end to ignorance and greed?
I ask myself this question because if she has not been able to be one, then I wonder who can be one, since she has already mastered what is necessary to achieve liberation.
I hope she’s at least a sotapanna…
I don’t think anyone in this world can rightly 100% determine another person whether is Arahant or not. Only the Buddha got that capability.
I think it is better to put the focus on ourselves. Some people need to thrive hard to gain maggaphala, but some people can get maggaphala easily. It has something to do with aspiration, merits and perfections that were accumulated since previous lifetimes.
I had a quick look at her website.
You can buy one of her online courses for only $190 - and apparently for that bargain price get to have an online chat with her thrown in.
If you are not poor though it is suggested you pay up to $600 for it.
Thank you very much Venerable! I see that you are really very invested in the conservation of the dhamma, for example when you worry about monks not respecting the Vinaya, or when people make money on the dhamma…
Can you please explain something to me? I know that the teachings and practices of the Pa-Auk system are very powerful, since they are those of the Buddha: whoever diligently practices them is completely transformed by wisdom. So how is it possible for someone like Shaila Catherine (or others…) to possibly act without wisdom? I really don’t get it. From what I understand, Shaila Catherine has mastered samatha and vipassana (from the Pa-Auk system): that should be enough to have no doubts about her wisdom, shouldn’t it? How can I explain this?
It reminds me of Beth Upton. Beth Upton was a nun for 10 years at Pa-Auk. She also meditated alone in caves and forests. Apparently, she also mastered samatha and vipassana from the Pa-Auk system. And yet, in a YouTube video (one of her first videos, entitled “About me”, 4:31), she explains that she disrobed because she’s “addicted” to new challenges and new situations to face and because she had no more challenges to face in the monastery. Here again, I don’t understand Venerable. How can someone who has mastered samatha and vipassana be so addicted that she disrobe ? The addiction should have gone away thanks to Buddhist practices since that’s what they’re all about, right?
Thanks in advance Venerable and thanks again for your work.
Yes, thank you very much, Bhante. I must be orderly. I trust the Buddha, the Dhamma and the Sangha. If I ever manage to master the teachings and practices of Pa-Auk, I will end the illusion. But if any form of “dependence”, financial (or other) greed remains, I confess I will be very, very troubled.
I know on several occasions with my own ears that when people are looking for a teacher in the usa, Sayadawgyi mentions her name. As far as an authorized teacher… Probably not. Pa-Auk has a policy not to allow female teachers. They have tried to do this before, but it has failed so they don’t bother trying anymore.
In America , it might be a different story with people.
I don’t know what Sayadawgyi says about her now that she is charging for pre-recorded video courses. A couple years after Steven Snyder released his book, Saydawgyi told me, “We don’t associate with him anymore. He is a businessman.”…
Nevertheless Steven Snyder has come and made selfies with Sayadaygyi well after Saydawgyi said that. Unfortunately for the rest of the world. People think you have to personally know Saydawgyi to get a selfie… or they might think that he is giving authorization when a selfie is made.
There are now 2 places in the USA that carry the pa-auk name. I’m quite sure that Saydawgyi will mention these instead when something gets established.
It is possible to learn to be enlightened from a sekkhiya. So it really does not matter. It is quite common for lay people often overestimate people’s attainments (if any exist). It is best you just learn and practice meditation instead of speculating about it.