Buddhism in Myanmar - A Personal Perspective

Let me preface this by saying that I only spent five months in the country, working as a trainer with the British Council. So my observations are necessarily limited by that amount of time.
Nevertheless, I got the distinct impression that Buddhism is taken very seriously there.
What in particular do I mean?
- young boys and girls spend time in robes as part of their upbringing
- monks provide general education to those less fortunate
- bhikkhus and bhikkhunis, including young ones, walk the streets on alms processions
- people give generously from what little they have to the monks
- prayers are sent out over loudspeakers from certain temples at different times of the day
- major festivals are celebrated with great energy by the whole community
- people generally act modestly in public
- monks are invited to attend important social events and are treated respectfully at them
- there are always new young men and women wishing to take vows
- houses have shrines with Buddhist images, candles, incense, flowers, etc.
- monks are consulted, probably revered, for certain decisions

Of course, there are some unique elements within Burmese Buddhism, such as the worship of nats, which are unique and, to outsiders, strange, but they are fortunate to have both male and female monks, and a long history of worship extending back thousands of years. Most recently there have been some monks becoming more vocal in everyday affairs, perhaps even political ones. Given the military's iron grip on power and their extensive lack of concern for the less fortunate, this is humanly understandable. Myanmar has far to go to resemble a country Westerners would relate to, and the November elections may not change that situation in the short term.

As a fellow seeker of the Path, I certainly felt comfortable with that part of society. Please see my photo page for many images taken during my time there.

Practical Challenges in Meditation

Bear in mind that the process being undertaken is gradual, so concentration will improve with practice. That’s why it’s called bhâvanâ or cultivation, development. We don’t need to be perfect on the first day, and we will need patience and determination to sustain our efforts when our mind wanders. Simple acknowledgement and returning to a focus on the breath is all that is needed.

It’s not a question of rejecting or fighting against our “monkey mind”, or of blocking thoughts or trying to blank them out. Samatha meditation is more about accepting what is in our mind and gently determining to return to the object of meditation, rather than getting upset or frustrated.

The good news is that the moments of pure concentration and one-pointedness will become longer and more frequent with practice, and the distractions will become less prominent and less frequent.

Avoid attaching too much significance to the thoughts and images that arise, or trying to analyse and investigate them. Images of people, places and colours are not unusual, and can arise for many reasons. However, they have no intrinsic essence – being transient and uncontrollable – and may simply be our mind’s way of trying to find something more interesting for us to consider. Since our concentration cannot stay fully on two different objects, we need to return to the breath.

If particular urges arise, you can review the best time to practice. If these become disturbing, consider reading some Buddhist texts or some simple rituals, like short chants or pujas, before beginning the following sessions.

Tiredness can be an issue, so it is best not to meditate straight after a meal. It is also possible to practise with the eyelids slightly open if one is very tired. Having good ventilation, an upright posture and adequate sleep are better than forcing alertness artificially, such as with coffee.

Finally, it is important to remain determined to practise regularly and with dedication over an extended period. In this way we will develop the skills of concentration and awareness that we need to build our meditation practice further. While it is simple to find reasons to put off the next session, like longing for the perfect conditions to meditate, we need to develop the habit of daily meditation to make the work more fruitful.