There was a Sayadaw from the author's village who had a practice of reciting the Paritta, Paþþhana, Dhammacakra, Anatta Lekhana, Mahâsamaya Sutta and others Pâli passages both morning and night. He counted his rosary beads as much time as he had. He didn't really talk a lot. I guess I emulated him. After I left the Mahâgandâyone Monastery I did some little regular recitations. While I was at Mahâgandâyone, though, I had to do reflections on the Buddha and mettâ meditation. That's how the Mahâgandâyone Sayadaw instructed us to meditate. He himself practiced these meditations, too. He himself did not use rosary beads, and he did not instruct his students to do so. After the author had practiced at the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha, as well, I used verses to recite in the pûjâ ceremony honoring the Buddha.

One time, the Mahasi Guiding Teacher, Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw-to-be, asked the author to write an article. At that time, I was not writing a lot yet. That was back at the Mahasi Sâsana Yeiktha, so I wasn't yet using the pen name Thâmanç Kyaw. It was only after coming to the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha that I began using that pen name. I still remember the title of the article that the Shwe Taung Gon Sâsana Yeiktha Sayadaw-to-be asked me to write, "The Noble Buddha's Highest Wishes". It was written for the Rays of the Sâsana Magazine. In writing that article, I gave up my habit of reciting verses. It wasn't because it isn't good to recite verses; it is good. However, in order to be able to put energy towards an even more worthy cause, I decided to give it up.

I don't know whether or not the readers of that article got any particular benefit from it. I, for one, did receive the benefit of writing it. I could say that I successfully carried out Sayadaw's intention. If even the author does not get any particular benefit, a piece of writing becomes lifeless. Now, you can say that that article came to life.

Sayadaw has a habit of mentioning his objective when an appropriate opportunity arises: Once, the editor of the Sâsana Magazine came to see Sayadaw. His magazine is a very successful one. Sayadaw has urged him that editor time and time again to give articles on the benefits of practical meditation experience priority for prime space instead of ones on topics such as "how reciting Pâli verses gives one supernatural powers and keeps one free of enemies and danger". "I can't say whether it's because of my urging, but he doesn't come to see me very often any more," he says.

It seems as if Sayadaw has concluded that his urging came to no avail. I've heard that one other Sâsana magazine which has seen success only became prosperous because of putting in those articles on supernatural powers from reciting Pâli verses. The senior editor of that prosperous magazine said, "People are difficult to please. They really like those superficial kind of articles. If there's too many of them, though, people get sick of them. Since they have unresolved issues in their lives, people look for something to solve their problems, something to depend on."

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