In 1950, Sayadaw came to Yangon Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha and meditated. His meditation teacher then was U Vicâra, who later became Wakhema Yeiktha Sayadaw. When Sayadaw was meditating, he noticed some shortcomings in his fellow meditators, also young monks, with regard to the monastic discipline. Thoughts such as, "Can he really make progress in meditation when he doesn't keep sîla?" revolved in his mind-stream. Because of this thinking, his meditation practice didn't progress. Rather, it stagnated for about two days. His meditation teacher appeared to guess that his practice was stagnating. The teacher reminded him, "If there is thinking and criticizing, the practice can't go forward. It tends to stagnate. A yogi's job is just to note thinking and criticizing when they arise without missing them, to note whatever arises without missing it." After that, Sayadaw also reminded himself, "I must do as my teacher has asked."

Meditating is like going on a journey by water. When going on a water-journey, a sailboat or ship can capsize when it is damaged by wind and waves.  When the waves or wind are stormy, it won't do if one goes and tells others what is wrong with their boat rather than taking care that one's own boat doesn't capsize and sink. When one goes and talks to others one's own boat will surely sink. One must take care so that one's own boat doesn't sink.

In just this way, when the yogi goes on a Dhamma journey, he or she can suffer damage by the waves and winds of the kilesas. At this time it won't do to go and look at other's shortcomings. It won't do to criticize or brood. One must look after oneself so as not to be damaged by the winds and waves of kilesas. One needs to just do one's own Dhamma work without fail.

Sayadaw also came to understand this attitude. For that reason, and because he continued to do as the teacher asked, his meditation went smoothly.

Since Sayadaw became a meditation teacher, he has seen yogis whose practice, like his own, does not progress because of criticizing and brooding. At this time talks about his own little mistake and corrects them so that they can get on the right track. When Sayadaw talks about his own mistake, the listener also is interested. Moreover, it is easy for him or her to follow. Sayadaw's telling his own mistake and giving correction so that the yogi will work in the right way is an example to be followed.

Later on, Sayadaw made another mistake. It is hard for humans to be free of fault. There will always be mistakes. One errs and so do others, the only difference is in the size of the mistakes. It is unlikely that there is anyone in this world who hasn't made a mistake. Even in the lifetime when he became a Buddha, the Bodhisatta erred and followed the path of extreme austerity. Given this, it's not surprising that ordinary people make mistakes. But it is necessary to try to be free of mistakes as much as one can. Surely one might make a mistake once. But it is necessary to be careful and develop un

Back to Contents

Continue