Description
Description
The Golden Path, or Shwe Lan Ga Lay, is a unique guide for Dhamma seekers who wish to develop in patipatti (practice) and pariyatti (theory) while in Myanmar, as well as to gain an appreciation of Burmese Buddhist and monastic life. Helpful logistical information is supplemented with yogi anecdotes, historical background, scholarly research, authentic local voices, Burmese proverbs, original artwork, inspiring photographs, and wisdom from some of the country's foremost monks, nuns, and meditation teachers.
Part 1: Planning and Logistics consists of four chapters: "Planning Your Trip," "Health", "You've Landed," and "Food." Future editions will include detailed information covering hundreds of important monasteries, pagodas, and other sites throughout the Golden Land, as well as comprehensive discussion on proper behavior and customs while visiting these Burmese monastic sites, along with other cultural information.
Part 2: Exploring the Country continues the volunteer-created guide for Dhamma seekers interested in Burmese meditation traditions, Buddhist culture, and monastic life. This volume brings together biographical portraits of key meditation figures and descriptions of vipassanā lineages, cultural observations, historical context, yogi anecdotes, original artwork, photographs, and voices from within the Burmese Buddhist world. Its emphasis is on a living Dhamma, and how meditation, study, and monastic culture have shaped spiritual life in the Golden Land.
Most of the text of Part 2 was written and finalized by 2017, and since then, the country has undergone dramatic changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic and, most significantly, the 2021 military coup and ensuing conflict. As a result, the logistical and itinerary-related information contained in this volume can no longer be relied upon. Some sites described in the book are no longer accessible, and conditions in the country remain unstable. Future editions may provide updated logistical guidance, should conditions allow. Readers are strongly advised not to travel to Myanmar at this time!
Yet in spite of the fact that this volume cannot presently be used as originally intended for travel and pilgrimage, the decision has been made nonetheless to publish it now. Rather than remaining unseen, the team feels that Part 2’s treasure trove of biographical and thematic material should be made available so it can be widely read by Dhamma practitioners, helping to preserve teachings and histories that remain valuable despite the changed circumstances.
The PDFs are printable. It can also be read on any eBook reader which can display PDF files, and on computers.
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VIPASSANA PRODUCTS
Vipassana, which means to see things as they really are, is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation. More information about Vipassana as taught by S.N. Goenka is available at www.dhamma.org.
The tag Vipassana identifies products that are directly related to this tradition and differentiates them from other Theravada resources available on our site. While the main emphasis in Vipassana meditation as taught by S.N. Goenka is on actual practice, this product may provide inspiration and guidance to a Vipassana meditator.
We also carry titles from the Theravada tradition, as we feel that by exploring the wider world of the Theravada texts, which include the Buddha’s discourses, commentaries, and scholarly articles and treatises, meditators have an opportunity to deepen their understanding of the Dhamma and thereby enrich their meditation practice. This kind of intellectual exploration also helps a meditator to gain an understanding of the evolution and historical context of their meditation tradition. This understanding in turn deepens their practice and understanding of the Dhamma.
Disclosure: Pariyatti is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
Q: Why have you decided to partner with Amazon for the printing and distribution of your books?
A: Pariyatti is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to help disseminate the words of the Buddha.
The generosity of our customers and donors (donations make up ~25% of our revenue) is what has allowed Pariyatti to cover our annual shortfall, and permitted us to continue operations. We strive to continue to find ways to make best use of this hard-earned money, generously donated by so many to Pariyatti. One of these is to explore ways to optimize our operations.
Our goal is to disseminate Dhamma content. The choice of working with a given distribution partner is solely based on whether they can provide you, our customer (no matter where you live) with the item(s) you ordered in an accurate, timely, and reliable manner.
With the advent of eBooks and the internet, the entire book publishing and distribution industry has faced significant challenges. With these industry changes, and Pariyatti's additional challenges in serving a niche market with low sales volumes, it has been financially difficult to staff our own warehouse and operations. Year after year, the costs of maintaining our own warehouse has far exceeded the income.
By focusing on what we do best (such as make Dhamma content available at low or no cost), and partnering with others who have already built robust printing, packing, and delivery systems, we free up resources that can be redirected towards expanding Pariyatti's offerings for you.
We are always on the lookout for creative ways to make Dhamma content as widely and freely available as possible. If you have any ideas along these lines, please feel free to be in touch via director@pariyatti.org .