DOCSLIB.ORG

The Poetic Dhamma of Zao Amat Long's Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta and the Place of Traditional Literature in Shan Theravada Bu

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Poetic Dhamma of Zao Amat Long's Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta and the Place of Traditional Literature in Shan Theravada Bu The Poetic Dhamma of Zao Amat Long’s Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta and The Place of Traditional Literature in Shan Theravada Buddhism Jotika Khur-Yearn Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Study of Religions Faculty of Arts and Humanities School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London April 2012 1 DECLARATION I have read and understood regulation 17.9 of the Regulations for students of the School of Oriental and African Studies concerning plagiarism. I undertake that all the material presented for examination is my own work and has not been written for me, in whole or in part by any other person. I also undertake that any quotation or paraphrase from the published or unpublished work of another person has been duly acknowledged in the work which I present for examination. Date : 21. 09. 2012 2 ABSTRACT This thesis examines the role of traditional poetic writings, lik long, in the practices and teachings of Theravada Buddhism among the Shan people of northern Thailand and the Union of Burma using archival work, fieldwork and textual criticism. It focuses on a Shan version of the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta written by one of the ‘classical’ composers of Shan literature, the 19th-century scholar Zao Amat Long. The thesis also analyses how the lik long draws on and enfolds other literature from the Theravada tradition, including the Mahāsatipaṭṭhāna Sutta Pali canon, the locus classicus of instruction for mindfulness and insight meditation in Theravada, the 5th-century commentary by Buddhaghosa and Cakkinda’s 19th-century Burmese commentary, nissaya, on the same text as well as other ‘orthodox’ Theravada sources. The close adherence to these texts in terms of content allows us to question commonly held assumptions that Shan Buddhism is ‘heretical.’ Cataloguing Shan temple collections confirms this picture, especially the fondness of the Shan for Abhidhamma works, while Shan do preserve many narrative texts such as ‘apocryphal’ jātaka alongside versions of the Pali ‘canonical’ jātaka. Closely examining the unique literary qualities of Amat Long’s Mahāsatipaṭṭhān, on the other hand, and the religious context in which such texts are read to an audience, allows me to identify the uniqueness of such literature and the way it is adapted to hold the attention of the laypeople who listen to it as the core practice of ‘temple sleeping’ on holy days. It also problematises the assumption that vernacular literature is easily accessible. I explore the full religious context of the production of such texts, from the merit-making sponsorship of their production to the occasions for their use, and the skills needed by traditional scholars, zare, to perform them. I discuss how political suppression, economic issues and modernity threaten this tradition. 3 DEDICATION To Mae-zang Noan, my mother, Who is an illiterate Buddhist practitioner, But learned Buddhism through the traditional Shan Buddhist ritual of listening to lik long poetic literature A way of learning to be a good Buddhist and meditator. 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT On this long and eventful research journey I have encountered and received support from many individuals, groups and associations. Without them it is impossible to reach the goal of this journey. I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to all of them. First and foremost, to my supervisor, Dr Kate Crosby, I owe my deepest gratitude for guiding me through my research with her intellect and never failing understanding and kindness, both on and off the field of my research including career opportunities and all kinds of support. I truly feel privileged to work under her supervision, because she is a great teacher, who often goes beyond the call of duties. Without her assistance it would have not been possible for me to complete this thesis. I am also indebted to Dr Andrew Skilton and Ven. Dr Khammai Dhammasami for their invaluable comments as well as proofreading an earlier draft of my thesis and offering helpful guidance regarding academic English. However, I take full responsibility for any errors and all theoretical approaches in this research including the translations from Shan to English and for my transliterational, translational and comparative practices. My thanks also go to Paw-zang Zinta and Mae-zang Phaung, my godparents, for providing me with a rare copy of Zao Amat Long’s Mahāsatipaṭṭhān, which is the primary focus of and resource for this thesis. I also want to thank Venerable Vāyāma of Pang Hu temple, for his moral support and encouragement throughout my study years, especially his generous support during my first trip of fieldwork in the Panglong area in 2004-05. My thanks also go to Venerable Phra Siwan Warinda, the abbot of Wat Tiyasathan, Mae Taeng, Chiang Mai, Thailand for his determined support for my further studies abroad, and generously allowing me and the SOAS-based research group to work on his temple collection of manuscripts during our several research trips to his temple between 2004 and 2010. May I also express my heartfelt appreciation to the generous funders who helped me complete my Ph.D. research, attend conference, or undertake research relating to the subject: the SOAS Additional Research Fieldwork Awards and the University of London’s Research Grants for my major fieldwork research; the Sutasoma grants from SOAS Centre of Buddhist Studies and the SOAS Hardship Fund toward my third year tuition fees; the Jordon Travel Grant, the SOAS Research Committee’s Fund (SSEASR Conference, Mahidol, Bangkok, 2007), SOAS Library’s Staff Development Fund (SEALG Annual Meeting, Marseille, 2008), 5 the organisers of Burma Studies Conference at Northern Illionois University, DeKalb, Illinois, 2008, the ASEASUK-British Academy grants to Shan Buddhism at the Borderlines project, 2009, the organisers of the International Conference on Shan Studies, Chulalongkorn, Bangkok, 2009, the MacArther Foundation Grants 2010, the SOAS Library’s Staff Development Fund to go to SEALG/EUROSEAS Conference, Gothenburg, 2010. I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the traditional Shan scholars, Zare, who have played their part in my fieldwork for this thesis and the team work research on Shan Buddhist literature; to name only the most prominent: Zare Saw (Maehongson), Zare Pa Mule (Maehongson), Zare Saw (Wan Jong, Wiang Haeng); also thanks to Dr Sai Pe, Ven. Zao-sra Nandavamsa Mueang-Kut, Ven. Zaokhu Devinda Yeehsai, and Ven. Zaokhu Indacara; I am grateful to Ven. Indacara for his help with transcribing the Mahāsatipaṭṭhān from old Shan script to the modern Shan script. I would also like to thank Dr Peter Skilling, Founder and Director of the Fragile Palm Leaves Foundation in Bangkok for allowing me to access his collections of Shan manuscripts, acquired from tourist markets on Thai-Burma borders. Thanks also go to the Shan people in Nothern Thailand and Shan State, who shared their knowledge and experiences and all that it meant to them during my fieldwork. I also want to thank my colleagues, Ven. Bhikkhu Nāgasena (Head of the Plaistow Buddha Vihara) for his corrections and comments on an earlier stage of my work on the annotated translation, Dr Susan Conway for allocating MacArther Foundation Fund for me to do a survey of Shan manuscripts collections at Wat Pa Pao, Chiang Mai and co-teaching a Shan Buddhism course at SOAS in the academic year 2010-11, and my colleagues at SOAS Library, particularly to my line-managers Mr Nicholas Martland, Ms Barbara Spina, Mr Peter MacCormack, and Ms Beth Clark for their encouragement and moral support. I would also like to express my appreciation and thanks to my longstanding friends Mr Cirabandhu Kamolsen and Ven. Phramaha Somchai Wirawat, both founding members of Wat Buddharam in East London, who have given me their support in many ways; I also want to say big thanks to my PhD friends at SOAS - Phibul Choompopaisal, Catherine Newell, Nāgasena Bhikkhu, and David Azzopardi for sharing the unforgettable times and experiences at lectures and in the SOAS Canteen. Finally my loving thanks go to my family for their constant support and inspiration throughout my research and writing of this thesis, especially to those who became my family during the writing of this thesis, my wife On and daughter Amara. 6 TABLE OF CONTENTS Title Page ………………………………………………………………………... 01 Abstract ………………………………………………………………………. 03 Acknowledgements ……………………………………………………………… 05 Abbreviations ……………………………………………………………...…….. 10 A List of Illustrations & Maps …………………………………………………... 12 INTRODUCTION A Background of this Study and Overview of the Chapters 14-25 1. The Shan People ……………………………………………………………... 15 2. The Study of Shan Buddhism ………………………………………. 16 3. The Place of Shan Literature within the Study of the Shan …………… 19 4. Research Approach and Fieldwork ………………………………… 20 5. An Overview of the Chapters of this Thesis …………………………… 23 CHAPTER ONE The Shan Lik Long Poetic Literature: Tradition, Threat, and Survival 26-56 1.1. Lik Long and Shan Poetic Dhamma ……………………………………… 26 1.2. Tradition and Context of Lik Long Literature ……………………………… 29 1.3. The Commissioning of Lik Long Manuscripts: Production and Collection … 31 1.4. The Characteristics of Lik Long Poetic Literature ………………………… 36 1.5. The Significant Features of Lik Long Poetic Literature …………………… 40 1.6. The Ritual of Listening to Lik Long Poetic Literature.………………………. 43 1.7. The Physical Preservation of Lik Long Poetic Literature ………………… 46 1.8. Conclusion 56 CHAPTER TWO The Place of lik long in Temple-sleeping and Meditation Practice 57-88 2.1. Varieties of Shan Meditation Methods and Practices …………………… 57 2.2. Sleeping overnight in the Monastery: A Traditional Shan Way of Learning Buddhism and Practising Meditation ……………………………………… 62 2.3. The Recitation of Lik Long Poetic Literature on Meditation ……………… 70 7 2.4. The Introduction of Modern Meditation Practice into Shan Buddhist Communities ……………………………………………………………… 71 2.5. The Influence of Modern Intensive Meditation Practice on Shan Buddhism and Literature ……………………………………………………………… 76 2.6.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • The Island, the Refuge, the Beyond
    T H E I S L A N D AN ANTHOLOGY OF THE BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS ON NIBBANA Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro T H E I S L A N D An Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbæna Edited and with Commentary by Ajahn Pasanno & Ajahn Amaro Abhayagiri Monastic Foundation It is the Unformed, the Unconditioned, the End, the Truth, the Other Shore, the Subtle, the Everlasting, the Invisible, the Undiversified, Peace, the Deathless, the Blest, Safety, the Wonderful, the Marvellous, Nibbæna, Purity, Freedom, the Island, the Refuge, the Beyond. ~ S 43.1-44 Having nothing, clinging to nothing: that is the Island, there is no other; that is Nibbæna, I tell you, the total ending of ageing and death. ~ SN 1094 This book has been sponsored for free distribution SABBADÆNAM DHAMMADÆNAM JINÆTI The Gift of Dhamma Excels All Other Gifts © 2009 Abhayagiri Monastic Foundation 16201 Tomki Road Redwood Valley, CA 95470 USA www.abhayagiri.org Web edition, released June 13, 2009 VI CONTENTS Prefaces / VIII Introduction by Ajahn Sumedho / XIII Acknowledgements / XVII Dedication /XXII SEEDS: NAMES AND SYMBOLS 1 What is it? / 25 2 Fire, Heat and Coolness / 39 THE TERRAIN 3 This and That, and Other Things / 55 4 “All That is Conditioned…” / 66 5 “To Be, or Not to Be” – Is That the Question? / 85 6 Atammayatæ: “Not Made of That” / 110 7 Attending to the Deathless / 123 8 Unsupported and Unsupportive Consciousness / 131 9 The Unconditioned and Non-locality / 155 10 The Unapprehendability of the Enlightened / 164 11 “‘Reappears’ Does Not Apply…” / 180 12 Knowing, Emptiness and the
    [Show full text]
  • Lower Chindwin District Volume A
    BURMA GAZETTEER LOWER CHINDWIN DISTRICT UPPER BURMA RANGOON OFFICE OF THE SUPERINTENDENT, GOVERNMENT PRINTING, BURMA TABLE OF CONTENTS. PAGE PART A. THE DISTRICT 1-211 Chapter I. Physical Description 1-20 Boundaries 1 The culturable portion 2 Rivers: the Chindwin; the Mu 3 The Alaungdaw gorge 4 Lakes ib. Diversity of the district ib. Area 5: Surveys ib. Geology 6 Petroliferous areas ib. Black-soil areas; red soils ib. Volcanic rocks 7 Explosion craters ib. Artesian wells 8 Saline efflorescence ib. Rainfall and climate 9 Fauna: quadrupeds; reptiles and lizards; game birds; predatory birds 9-15 Hunting: indigenous methods 16 Game fish 17 Hunting superstitions 18 Chapter II, History and Archæology 20-28 Early history 20 History after the Annexation of 1885 (a) east of the Chindwin; (b) west of the Chindwin: the southern portion; (c) the northern portion; (d) along the Chindwin 21-24 Archæology 24-28 The Register of Taya 25 CONTENTS. PAGE The Alaungdaw Katthapa shrine 25 The Powindaung caves 26 Pagodas ib. Inscriptions 27 Folk-lore: the Bodawgyi legend ib. Chapter III. The People 28-63 The main stock 28 Traces of admixture of other races ib. Population by census: densities; preponderance of females 29-32 Towns and large villages 32 Social and religious life: Buddhism and sects 33-35 The English Wesleyan Mission; Roman Catholics 35 Animism: the Alôn and Zidaw festivals 36 Caste 37 Standard of living: average agricultural income; the food of the people; the house; clothing; expenditure on works of public utility; agricultural stock 38-42 Agricultural indebtedness 42 Land values: sale and mortgage 48 Alienations to non-agriculturists 50 Indigence 51 Wages ib.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Buddhist Revivalist Movements Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements
    Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Buddhist Revivalist Movements Alan Robert Lopez Buddhist Revivalist Movements Comparing Zen Buddhism and the Thai Forest Movement Alan Robert Lopez Chiang Mai , Thailand ISBN 978-1-137-54349-3 ISBN 978-1-137-54086-7 (eBook) DOI 10.1057/978-1-137-54086-7 Library of Congress Control Number: 2016956808 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2016 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifi cally the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfi lms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specifi c statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. Cover image © Nickolay Khoroshkov / Alamy Stock Photo Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Nature America Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Mekong 2030’ Anthology to Focus on Plight of Mekong River
    ‘Mekong 2030’ Anthology to Focus On Plight Of Mekong River - dia) Soul River is a cautionary tale framed as a lighthearted road (or, rath- er, river) movie. Set in 2030 in a remote northeast region of Cambodia, it urges contemporary audiences to reconsider their attitudes toward environmental degradation and the impact of climate change on the Mekong basin. Courtesy of Luang Prabang Film Festival - Filmmakers (from left) Sai Naw Kham, Kulikar Sotho and Anysay Keola. A new Luang Prabang Film Festival sioning the condition of the river — was raised. There, he intervenes in a which carves its course through China, dispute between his siblings over the Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia ethics of exploiting their elderly moth- and Vietnam — as well as the commu- er’s blood. The blood has become a nities that depend on it. valuable commodity to a Western cor- Five Southeast Asian directors will poration that has been developing a present their visions — and fears — for The river has come under increasing cure for a deadly plague outbreak. the future of the Mekong river, one of threat from pollution and from a series Asia’s most vital waterways, through of massive dams, according to the Me- - the anthology , which is kong River Commission (MRC). set to tour the world’s festival circuit next year. “We need to address these issues now to claim their lost spirits’ attachment in order to minimize further environ- to the Mekong River, while channeling “I heard about global warming and mental harm and protect remaining community resilience toward its pro- climate change and stuff like that, but wetlands and riverine habitats before tection.
    [Show full text]
  • Hans Wurm’S Ringbuch C
    Hans Wurm’s Ringbuch c. 1507 - A Translation and Commentary By Keith P. Myers Exclusively for the ARMA, March 2002 The manuscript you see here is thought to have originated in approximately 1500 in the workshop of the Landshut woodcutter and printer Hans Wurm. “Landshut” could be translated as “grounds keeper”, which may go along with the description of Wurm as a “woodcutter” as well as a printer. Dr. Sydney Anglo, senior ARMA advisor and leading scholar of historical fencing, describes Wurm’s work as an “experimental and rudimentary block book”, and notes that it may have been one of the earliest printed treatises produced. The author remains anonymous, and only one copy is known to survive. It is thought to consist of the actual colored test prints made from the original wood blocks. It is unclear whether the Ringbuch was ever actually widely published. It was, however, plagiarized on at least two occasions. These later reproductions referred to the manuscript as “Das Landshuter Ringerbuch.” Although they demonstrate some dialect differences, these copies almost directly correlate with Wurm’s Ringbuch. Both likely arose independently of each other, and where based directly upon Wurm’s earlier work. The first copy is dated to approximately 1507. It does not designate the exact year, the author, the printer, or the locale. While it places the techniques in the same order as Wurm, the grapplers in the illustrations are dressed in a completely different fashion than in Wurm’s Ringbuch. The second copy is dated to approximately 1510. It originated from the Augsberg printer Hannsen Sittich.
    [Show full text]
  • 1 Post-Canonical Buddhist Political Thought
    Post-Canonical Buddhist Political Thought: Explaining the Republican Transformation (D02) (conference draft; please do not quote without permission) Matthew J. Moore Associate Professor Dept. of Political Science Cal Poly State University 1 Grand Avenue San Luis Obispo, CA 93407 805-756-2895 [email protected] 1 Introduction In other recent work I have looked at whether normative political theorizing can be found in the texts of Early or Canonical Buddhism, especially the Nikāya collections and the Vinaya texts governing monastic life, since those texts are viewed as authentic and authoritative by all modern sects of Buddhism.1 In this paper I turn to investigate Buddhist normative political theorizing after the early or Canonical period, which (following Collins2 and Bechert3) I treat as beginning during the life of the Buddha (c. sixth-fifth centuries BCE) and ending in the first century BCE, when the Canonical texts were first written down. At first glance this task is impossibly large, as even by the end of the early period Buddhism had already divided into several sects and had begun to develop substantial regional differences. Over the next 2,000 years Buddhism divided into three main sects: Theravada, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayāna. It also developed into numerous local variants as it mixed with various national cultures and evolved under different historical circumstances. To give just one example, the Sri Lankan national epic, the Mahāvaṃsa, is central to Sinhalese Buddhists’ understanding of what Buddhism says about politics and very influential on other Southeast Asian versions of Buddhism, but has no obvious relevance to Buddhists in Tibet or Japan, who in turn have their own texts and traditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Vice President U Myint Swe: Government Succeeds in Reopening Kyin San Kyawt Gate
    INFRASTRUCTURE IS KEY TO EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT PAGE-8 (OPINION) The Global New Light of Myanmar NEXT GENERATION PLATFORM 13 JANUARY 2019 THE GLOBAL NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR NATIONAL Meeting to form Workers Coordinating Committee (WCC) held in Hlinethaya Tsp By Thu Naung Kyaw (Hledan) Dip. in English (YUFL) WELL-KNOWN modern teashop in Hledan makes a bowl of oil noodles in the way that the steaming hot noodles are sieved into a plastic water bowl with handle, commonly used in bath- A rooms, in which the concoction is done, afterwards being put PAGE-6 Pull-out supplementinto a porcelain plate and, finally, served. Moreover, Hledan has another popular teashop, only two branches of which are running there in the town. There, when a glass of cold drink is ordered, they use a generous amount of unevenly hewn ice cubes, rather than using purified ice cubes. Also, the bottles of soybean with their rusty metal caps staining their mouths are not worth ordering. Next, a roadside Monhingha shop, which, however, was known to be in the list of pioneers of the town, asked us to hold our horses as the broth had ran out. A moment later, a trishaw came with many plastic bags, each holding Monhingha broth – boiling hot – all of which was eventually poured down into the large bowl. In the Hledan market, a wholesaling shop that sells fried vermicelli and fried noodles adds the entire packet of Ajinomoto, the seasoning powder, into a giant frying pan. Those noodles and vermicelli are sold to the other shops retailing various salads, pork on stick, and so on.
    [Show full text]
  • Buddhist Pilgrimage
    Published for free distribution Buddhist Pilgrimage ew Edition 2009 Chan Khoon San ii Sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati. The Gift of Dhamma excels all gifts. The printing of this book for free distribution is sponsored by the generous donations of Dhamma friends and supporters, whose names appear in the donation list at the end of this book. ISB: 983-40876-0-8 © Copyright 2001 Chan Khoon San First Printing, 2002 – 2000 copies Second Printing 2005 – 2000 copies New Edition 2009 − 7200 copies All commercial rights reserved. Any reproduction in whole or part, in any form, for sale, profit or material gain is strictly prohibited. However, permission to print this book, in its entirety , for free distribution as a gift of Dhamma , is allowed after prior notification to the author. ew Cover Design Inset photo shows the famous Reclining Buddha image at Kusinara. Its unique facial expression evokes the bliss of peace ( santisukha ) of the final liberation as the Buddha passes into Mahaparinibbana. Set in the background is the Great Stupa of Sanchi located near Bhopal, an important Buddhist shrine where relics of the Chief Disciples and the Arahants of the Third Buddhist Council were discovered. Printed in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia by: Majujaya Indah Sdn. Bhd., 68, Jalan 14E, Ampang New Village, 68000 Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia. Tel: 03-42916001, 42916002, Fax: 03-42922053 iii DEDICATIO This book is dedicated to the spiritual advisors who accompanied the pilgrimage groups to India from 1991 to 2008. Their guidance and patience, in helping to create a better understanding and appreciation of the significance of the pilgrimage in Buddhism, have made those journeys of faith more meaningful and beneficial to all the pilgrims concerned.
    [Show full text]
  • Shwe U Daung and the Burmese Sherlock Holmes: to Be a Modern Burmese Citizen Living in a Nation‐State, 1889 – 1962
    Shwe U Daung and the Burmese Sherlock Holmes: To be a modern Burmese citizen living in a nation‐state, 1889 – 1962 Yuri Takahashi Southeast Asian Studies School of Languages and Cultures Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences The University of Sydney April 2017 A thesis submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Statement of originality This is to certify that to the best of my knowledge, the content of this thesis is my own work. This thesis has not been submitted for any degree or other purposes. I certify that the intellectual content of this thesis is the product of my own work and that all the assistance received in preparing this thesis and sources has been acknowledged. Yuri Takahashi 2 April 2017 CONTENTS page Acknowledgements i Notes vi Abstract vii Figures ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Biography Writing as History and Shwe U Daung 20 Chapter 2 A Family after the Fall of Mandalay: Shwe U Daung’s Childhood and School Life 44 Chapter 3 Education, Occupation and Marriage 67 Chapter ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1917 and 1930 88 Chapter 5 ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1930 and 1945 114 Chapter 6 ‘San Shar the Detective’ and Burmese Society between 1945 and 1962 140 Conclusion 166 Appendix 1 A biography of Shwe U Daung 172 Appendix 2 Translation of Pyone Cho’s Buddhist songs 175 Bibliography 193 i ACKNOWLEGEMENTS I came across Shwe U Daung’s name quite a long time ago in a class on the history of Burmese literature at Tokyo University of Foreign Studies.
    [Show full text]
  • Burma – Myanmar
    BURMA COUNTRY READER TABLE OF CONTENTS Jerome Holloway 1947-1949 Vice Consul, Rangoon Edwin Webb Martin 1950-1051 Consular Officer, Rangoon Joseph A. Mendenhall 1955-1957 Economic Officer, Office of Southeast Asian Affairs, Washington DC William C. Hamilton 1957-1959 Political Officer, Rangoon Arthur W. Hummel, Jr. 1957-1961 Public Affairs Officer, USIS, Rangoon Kenneth A. Guenther 1958-1959 Rangoon University, Rangoon Cliff Forster 1958-1960 Information Officer, USIS, Rangoon Morton Smith 1958-1963 Public Affairs Officer, USIS, Rangoon Morton I. Abramowitz 1959 Temporary Duty, Economic Officer, Rangoon Jack Shellenberger 1959-1962 Branch Public Affairs Officer, USIS, Moulmein John R. O’Brien 1960-1962 Public Affairs Officer, USIS, Rangoon Robert Mark Ward 1961 Assistant Desk Officer, USAID, Washington, DC George M. Barbis 1961-1963 Analyst for Thailand and Burma, Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Washington DC Robert S. Steven 1962-1964 Economic Officer, Rangoon Ralph J. Katrosh 1962-1965 Political Officer, Rangoon Ruth McLendon 1962-1966 Political/Consular Officer, Rangoon Henry Byroade 1963-1969 Ambassador, Burma 1 John A. Lacey 1965-1966 Burma-Cambodia Desk Officer, Washington DC Cliff Southard 1966-1969 Public Affairs Officer, USIS, Rangoon Edward C. Ingraham 1967-1970 Political Counselor, Rangoon Arthur W. Hummel Jr. 1968-1971 Ambassador, Burma Robert J. Martens 1969-1970 Political – Economic Officer, Rangoon G. Eugene Martin 1969-1971 Consular Officer, Rangoon 1971-1973 Burma Desk Officer, Washington DC Edwin Webb Martin 1971-1973 Ambassador, Burma John A. Lacey 1972-1975 Deputy Chief of Mission, Rangoon James A. Klemstine 1973-1976 Thailand-Burma Desk Officer, Washington DC Frank P. Coward 1973-1978 Cultural Affairs Officer, USIS, Rangoon Richard M.
    [Show full text]
  • Early Buddhist Metaphysics: the Making of a Philosophical Tradition
    EARLY BUDDHIST METAPHYSICS This book provides a philosophical account of the major doctrinal shift in the history of early Theravada tradition in India: the transition from the earliest stratum of Buddhist thought to the systematic and allegedly scholastic philosophy of the Pali Abhidhamma movement. Conceptual investigation into the development of Buddhist ideas is pursued, thus rendering the Buddha’s philosophical position more explicit and showing how and why his successors changed it. Entwining comparative philosophy and Buddhology, the author probes the Abhidhamma’s shift from an epistemologically oriented conceptual scheme to a metaphysical worldview that is based on the concept of dhamma. She does so in terms of the Aristotelian tradition and vis-à-vis modern philosophy, exploiting Western philo- sophical literature from Plato to contemporary texts in the fields of philosophy of mind and cultural criticism. This book not only demonstrates that a philosophical inquiry into the conceptual foundations of early Buddhism can enhance our understanding of what philosophy and religion are qua thought and religion; it also shows the value of fresh perspectives for traditional Buddhology. Combining philosophically rigorous investigation and Buddhological research criteria, Early Buddhist Metaphysics fills a significant gap in Buddhist scholar- ship’s treatment of the conceptual development of the Abhidhamma. Noa Ronkin received her PhD from the University of Oxford. She is currently a lecturer in the Introduction to the Humanities Programme and a Research Fellow at the Center for Buddhist Studies, Stanford University. Her research interests include a range of issues associated with Indian Theravada Buddhist philosophy and psychology, the Abhidhamma tradition and comparative Indian philosophy.
    [Show full text]
  • Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: a Practice Guide
    Praise for Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: A Practice Guide This is a pearl of a book. On reading it, and comparing it to the author’s previous two studies of satipaṭṭhāna, the impression is that of having left the university lecture theatre and entered the meditation hall, where the wise and experienced teacher is offering Dhamma reflections, illuminating the practice of satipaṭṭhāna with a fertile and colourful lucidity, free of footnotes and arcane cross-references. This book is a treasure-house of practical teachings, rendered accessible with a clear and simple eloquence. The author states that his motivation has been to enrich the practice of satipaṭṭhāna rather than to compete with other approaches – he has succeeded admirably in this, I feel, and with praiseworthy skill and grace. – Ajahn Amaro This breathtaking practice guide is brief, and profound! It offers a detailed, engaging, and flexible approach to satipaṭṭhāna meditation that can be easily applied both in meditation and in day-to-day activities. The inspired practice suggestions and joyful enquiry that pervade each chapter will draw students, gradually but surely, towards deep liberating insight. Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: A Practice Guide is destined to become an invaluable resource for meditators! – Shaila Catherine, author of Focused and Fearless: A Meditator’s Guide to States of Deep Joy, Calm, and Clarity Once more Bhikkhu Anālayo has written a masterpiece that holds within it an accessible and clear guide to developing and applying the teachings held within the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta. Within this book Anālayo explores the subtle nuances of developing mindfulness and how that dedicated cultivation leads to the awakening pointed to in the discourse.
    [Show full text]