Name: Panditarama Forest Meditation Center
Item: Panditarama Forest Meditation Center
Rating: 5
Author: Charles

Panditarama Forest Meditation Center is located in Myanmar (Burma) about forty miles north of Yangon on over 100 acres of landscaped forest. Over the last ten years, the facilities and gardens have developed wonderfully. There are separate meditation halls for men and women and special rooms where the teachers interview yogis. There is also ample space for walking meditation.

This region of Burma has a special connection with Sayadaw U Pandita’s early spiritual training. He first studied as a young monk at the nearby Mahabodhi Forest Monastery. For many years, Sayadaw U Pandita thought of building a forest meditation center in this area, and due to generous donations from Sayadaw’s local and international devotees, Panditarama Forest Meditation Center has become a major practice center for both foreign and Burmese yogis.
Forest

The Panditarama Forest Meditation Center is a rustic, but wonderful place to practice. In December and January, the nights and early morning can be chilly with temperatures in the high 50s. Afternoon temperatures range from 80 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. There is little or no rain. The stillness, clean air, freshwater springs, and fertile land create almost perfect conditions for a meditation center.

Each yogi will be provided with an individual room or a small cabin both with an adjoining bathroom. Each room has a bed, foam mattress, pillow, blanket, and mosquito net. A bucket for washing your own clothes will also be provided. The faucets in the rooms and cabins only have cold water.

Burmese food is served for breakfast and lunch. It typically consists of white rice with assorted vegetables, eggs, tofu, meats, and seasonal fruit.
Forest

The monastery also serves vegetarian dishes, but yogis should not count on fulfillment of other special food needs. Purified drinking water is available at all times and a thermos of hot water is provided daily.

Participants will be expected to abstain from eating after 12PM until sunrise of the following day. Juices without pulp are permitted after 12PM and are served in the late afternoon.

60-Day Meditation Retreat

From December 1st to January 31st, the Forest Center conducts the annual 60-Day Special Retreat which hosts over 100 meditators from around the world for a silent, intensive meditation retreat.

This is a unique event because Sayadaw U Pandita remains at the center for the entire retreat and gives daily Dhamma talks. These inspiring talks – based on Sayadaw U Pandita’s deep practical experience and understanding of the Theravada Buddhist canon – provide yogis with the practical and theoretical information they need for intensive Satipatthana Vipassana meditation practice.

Many of Sayadaw U Pandita’s chief disciples guide yogis and give Dhamma talks during this meditation retreat. Mahasi

Sayadaw U Pandita is one of the foremost living masters of Vipassana meditation. He was originally trained in the Burmese Theravada Buddhist tradition. A successor to the late Mahasi Sayadaw, he has taught many of the Western teachers and students of the Mahasi style of Vipassana meditation. He is the abbot of Pa??itarama Meditation Center in Yangon, Burma.

He is the ovadacariya sayadaw (chief abbot) of all Panditarama centers in Myanmar and abroad.
He is the ovadacariya sayadaw (chief abbot) of all Panditarama centers in Myanmar and abroad.
Brief biography

U Pandita was born in 1921 in the greater Yangon area in Burma. He became a novice at age twelve, and ordained at age twenty. After decades of study, he passed the rigorous series of government examinations in the Theravada Buddhist texts, gaining the Dhammacariya (dhamma teacher) degree in 1952.

U Pandita began practicing Vipassana under the guidance of the Mahasi Sayadaw beginning in 1950. In 1955, he left his position as a teacher of scriptural studies to become a meditation teacher at the Mahasi Meditation Center.

Soon after the Mahasi Sayadaw died in 1982, U Pandita became the guiding teacher (Ovadacariya) of the Mahasi Meditation Center. In 1991, he left that position, founding Pa??itarama Meditation Center in Yangon. There are now Pa??itarama branch centers in Burma, Nepal, Australia, United Kingdom and the United States.

U Pandita became well-known in the West after conducting a retreat in the spring of 1984 at the Insight Meditation Society (IMS) in Barre, Massachusetts in the United States. Many of the senior Western meditation teachers in the Mahasi tradition practiced with U Pandita at that and subsequent retreats. The talks he gave in 1984 at IMS were compiled as the book "In This Very Life."

As of 2005, he continues to lead retreats and give dharma talks, but rarely conducts interviews himself.

Sort By

Charles

Overall Experience

Unariya,
Don’t know how well you understand Buddhism but here’s Buddha’s Vaca (words or teachings):
“Don’t dwell in your past because you’ll suffer; don’t anticipate future because it will disappoint you; concentrate on the present or live in present wisely and earnestly. I think the monk was trying to say is not to think about your dead brother because it brings suffering or panic attack in your case; so let go your past. Meditation is well know to cure many mental illness or imbalances. Out of many paramis (perfection of virtues), compassion is one of the parami all the buddhists, especially monks, thrive to achieve. I think you misunderstood the monks and Buddhism.

Metta
Charles.
6 years ago
Unariya.

Overall Experience

I did 45 days , looking back I was trying to Spiritual Bypass events in my life. The schedule is strict and intense. On the last day I almost had a panic attack , trying to explain to my monk that my brother died when I was 13 and obviously I felt I had some intense emotional baggage which was linked to the “attack” that wasn’t being released. The monks words were exactly. “dont worry , be present”. Looking back the monk had a lack of understanding , empathy and I am even questioning his compassion. Wether or not it was cultural or language differences there was something not “right” about his response which leaves a very bad taste in my mouth. In the same interview the monk then proceeded to sign a book for me which he had written , in hindsight I even find this more perplexing. Being in such a vulnerable state because of the intensity of the schedule we need to trust the teacher but in my case I felt a complete lack of trust and understanding and I feel let down from monks who are supposed to be “wise”. I was there on my own accord and I have learnt a valuable lesson that we cant meditate ourselves out of our emotional pain. Spiritual bypass so to speak , so for me into therapy I go! I couldn’t recommend this place. With Metta.
7 years ago

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Some Basic Guide Lines

For Intensive Vipassana Meditation:

There is only one task to be done by the meditators, i.e. to practice with:
respect and sincerity
diligence
heroic effort
perseverance
patience
sustained, continuous, moment-to- moment mindfulness from the time of waking up in the morning to the time of falling asleep at night.
Meditators should do 14 hours of formal sitting and walking meditation per day.
Meditators should keep alone and observe silence. Socializing is not encouraged at all.
Meditators must refrain from talking.
Meditators must keep reading and writing to an absolute minimum.
Lay meditators must carefully observe the eight precepts. Smoking is not allowed. Monks and nuns must strictly observe their respective monastic discipline.
Sleep should be limited to 4-6 hrs per 24 hours.
Meditators must strictly adhere to the meditation teacher's instructions and should not practice according to other meditation methods.
Meditators must not get involved in any activities mot related to intensive meditation, (e.g. listening to the radio or tapes, taking massage, taking photographs, collecting books, performing acupuncture, receiving visitors, cooking food, learning Burmese, English, Pali.)
Meditators must restrain their senses. They should act like a blind, deaf and dumb person.
Meditators must perform all activities in slow motion like a sick person.
There is no space for thinking, reflection, speculation, analyzing, or interpretations during intensive practice.
Generally, meditation is for people with a normal and stable mind. If a person is mentally not in shape to do intensive meditation practice, especially to conform to the strict discipline, then that person may not be admitted as a yogi.

Yangon
Items to bring

Clothing: White shirts or blouses with sleeves, longyis (sarongs). Women should plan to wear dark brown longyis. [Longyis can be bought here in Myanmar].
Slippers, thongs or sandals.
Other personal items including medicines, vitamins and toiletries, if there are particular brands or specific items you require.
Optional: 10 or more passport-size photos for yogis who need to have their visa extended in Myanmar.
Cash in US dollars. Please note that it is difficult to exchange other currencies, as well as notes that are old, torn or stained.

Items provided by the Centre

The centre will provide meditators with food and lodging including a mosquito net, sheet, pillow and pillow case, blanket and a thermos bottle (flask). Costs are met through the generous donations of well-wishers.
Medical attention

Most yogis manage to remain in good health during their stay. For minor ailments such as upset stomachs, colds, coughs, etc., a trained and experienced nurse is normally in residence at Panditarama (Yangon), and a doctor is in attendance for two hours every day at the centre's clinic. It is extremely rare that more severe illnesses occur. If necessary, there are a number of clinics not far from the main Centre where specialist diagnosis and treatment are available at reasonable rates.

For yogis meditating at Hse Main Gon Forest Center, the center's clinic is staffed during peak periods (December-January and March-April). At other times, medical services are available in the nearby town of Bago.

Panditarama Forest Meditation Center

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