Many people say that when they visit certain places, they feel some kind of energy. But maybe it’s not the place—it’s the people who are there.
When I go to the Thai monastery near me and hear the monks chant and speak, I feel extremely light—so light that it becomes quite an experience.
Maybe it’s mettā, maybe it’s their presence, or maybe it’s the fact that they follow the Vinaya. I think it’s also a characteristic of the Dhamma—that the Dhamma is *sandihitiko* , *akālika* , and *ehipassiko*
(…) I arrived at the town of Senā in Uruvelā. There I saw a delightful park, a lovely grove with a flowing river that was clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby was a village to resort to for alms. Then it occurred to me, ‘This park is truly delightful, a lovely grove with a flowing river that’s clean and charming, with smooth banks. And nearby there’s a village to resort to for alms. This is good enough for striving for a gentleman wanting to strive.’ So I sat down right there, thinking: ‘This is good enough for striving.’
The nice thing about monasteries is that people who visit usually want to be there.
There are certain places suited for certain people. For instance, in the commentary to the Mettā Sutta, the Buddha said that there was no other place for them to go. So they were given loving-kindness as their subject of meditation and as a basis for vipassanā. In this way, they succeeded in subduing their troubles and attained realization.
As for today, we no longer have a Buddha to guide us. Therefore, it is best to follow the classical Theravāda teachings, to seek out a teacher of that tradition, and to find a place where you can practice seriously. I still recommend Pa-Auk, Pyin Oo Lwin, as one of those places.
Yes bhante definitely..when it comes to practice i have confidence only on pa auk ..
Do you recommend Pyin Oo Lwin over the main Mawlamyine monastery? Also, I might go to Pyin Oo Lwin (or the main one, but I think it is hotter there which I am trying to avoid) next september for 6 months (that is the plan right now), how much in advance do you recommend I contact them?
It should be clear that Pyin Oo Lwin is recommended over Mawlamyine. However, Pyin Oo Lwin is a little more difficult to get into. Best of luck.
I just emailed them about their website not working outside the home page, and I got a reply with an application form, however it seems they stopped accepting new applicants in July 2024 and it is still ongoing, my understanding was that there is no fighting around that area and that tourism works somewhat normally.
Do you think this is still really so or did they just forget to change it?
I will check.
I checked if there was a mistake in having the applications not accepted. It is intentional. There may be plans later at the end of the year, but it is not certain.
