Sayalay Dipankara

Category: Living Masters

From Buddhist Encyclopedia

Sayalay Dipankara is famous for her skillfulness in the teaching of any of the 40 Kamatthana as mentioned in the Visuddhi Magga.

She was ordained as a Buddhist nun since 1990 at Pa Auk Forest Monastery in Myanmar. She is also a Religious Advisor of Cakkavala Meditation Centre, Singapore.

She was born in 1964 in Myanmar. She started the search for the Dharma at a very young age. In fact, she started meditation practice since very young, under the guidance of various great meditation masters. In her university days, she was introduced by one of her professors, also a well known Abhidharma teacher in Myanmar, to Ven. U Acinna, Pa Auk Sayadaw for close guidance in Samatha and Vipassana practice.

She accomplished the practice within a very short period, under the guidance of her skilful teacher. In 1990, she was ordained as a Bhikkhuni at Pa Auk Tawya Monastery, Mawlamyine, Mon State, Myanmar. Since then, she was trained to be a meditation teacher.

Sayalay Dipankara is experienced in teaching any of the 40 Kamatthana as mentioned in the Visuddhi Magga such as Anapanasati, Four Elements Meditation, Metta, Buddhanussati, Asubha, Marananussati and 8 Samapatti (1st Jhana to 8th Jhana), Kasina, Vipassana, and etc.

In 1996, she was invited to Sri Lanka by the highly respected Mahathera, Ven. Ariyadhamma to assist her teacher, Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw in guiding the yogis. For the past few years, she has also been invited by various reputable Buddhist centres in different countries such as Taiwan (Hong Shih Foundation), Malaysia, Singapore, United State (Insight Meditation Centre), Canada, England (Amaravati and Citta Vevekha), and etc., to conduct courses and intensive meditation retreats for as long as 2 months. While she was in England, she was invited for discussion on mind training by the professors of Oxford University.

Sayalay Dipankara's experience and contribution are as follows :

• 1995
  • Conduct meditation retreat in Sri Lanka
• 1998
  • Conduct a 2-month meditation retreat in Taiwan
• 1999
  • Conduct a 2-month meditation retreat in Taiwan (Hong Shih Foundation)
  • Conduct Meditation courses at Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in England Invited for discussion on Mind Training by the professors from Oxford University
• 2000
  • Conduct a 1-month retreat at Vivekavana Buddhist Society of Penang, Malaysia
  • Conduct a 2-month meditation retreat in Taiwan (Hong Shih Foundation)
  • Conduct meditation retreats and give Dharma talks in both Canada and USA(Insight Meditation Centre, Deep Spring Centre, Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, Zen Temple of Ann Arbor, Abhayagiri Buddhist Monastery, Spirit Rock Meditation Centre, etc).
  • Conduct a 2-week meditation retreat in Singapore
• 2001
  • Conduct a 2-month Meditation Retreat at Miao Xin Shi in Taiwan
  • Attend First Western Conference on Jhana at Jubilados Fourndation/Leigh Brasington, Santa Fe, New Mexico
  • Talk on "Four Elements Meditation" at Buddhist Library, Singapore
  • Conduct Beginner Meditation classes at NUS Buddhist Society, Singapore
  • Conduct a 10-day Meditation Retreat in Singapore.
  • Talk on Meditation for the NUS Medical Students' group, Singapore
• 2002
  • Conduct a 10-day retreat in Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia
  • Conduct a 10-day retreat in Cameron Highland, Pahang, Malaysia