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Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw

Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw was born in 1913 as the eldest son among the five children in the Mon state of Myanmar (Burma).

At the age of 9, the young future Sayadaw entered the Order of Sangha as a novice. Then fully ordained as a buddhist monk (bhikkhu) in 1933.

He had studied all the basics as well as the higher learning of the Pali Texts (Tipitaka), Commentaries (Atthakatha) and Sub-Commentaries (Tika). He followed the day and night lectures on all aspects of the Buddhist Scriptures, learning and firmly absorbing all the details of the Pali Texts.

First, Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw stayed in a forest monastery practising meditation with his teacher Ya Kyaw Sayadawgyi. Then he went and learned the Satipatthana Vipassana meditation technique from the most Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw at his meditation centre in Yangon. He stayed at the centre for ten years from 1951-1961 as one of the main meditation teachers. After that, he went to reside at Shwe Oo Min Tawya meditation center in Yangon.
In 1987, Sayadaw had established new meditation centre (Kyauk ai Tawya Dhammasukha Yeiktha) in Mon state and then in 1997, the Shwe Oo Min Tawya Dhammasukha Yeiktha in Mingaladon township in Yangon.
Many foreign Buddhists came there to undertake meditation practice under his guidance. Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw was well respected for his strict adherence to the Vinaya Discipilinary Rules, and for his excellent qualities of morality(Sila), concentration (Samadhi) and wisdom (Pañña), that the Sangha of Shwe kyin Nikaya appointed him as the most long-standing Mahanayaka.

20th November 2002, at the age of ninety, (of seventy vassas), Venerable Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw passed away.

Shwe Oo Minn Sayadaw disciples are for example Ashin Tejaniya (Sayadaw U Tejaniya) and Sayadaw U Jotika.

Ashin Tejaniya

Sayadaw U Tejaniya began his Buddhist training as a young teenager in Burma under the late Shwe Oo Min Sayadaw (1913–2002). After a career in business and life as a householder, he has become a permanent monk since 1996. He teaches meditation at Shwe Oo Min Dhamma Sukha Forest Meditation Center in Yangon, Myanmar.

Sayadaw’s relaxed demeanor and easy sense of humor can belie a commitment to awareness he encourages his students to apply in every aspect of their lives. His earlier life as a householder gives him a rare insight into the challenges faced by his lay students. His book, “Don’t Look Down on the Defilement, They Will Laugh at You”, aptly characterizes his teaching style—accessible and true to the traditional teachings of the Buddha.

More about Ashin Tejaniya visit his offical website at: http://sayadawutejaniya.org

Other websites: http://dhammaeverywhere.tumblr.com

Retreat with Ashin Tejaniya happened in May 2011 and 2013 in Dubovice, Czech republic. Audio records can be downloaded HERE...

Steve Armstrong

Steve has studied the dhamma and practiced insight meditation since 1975. As a layman he was active for many years at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre Massachusetts as manager and board member. As a monk for five years in Burma under the guidance of Sayadaw U Pandita at the Mahasi Meditation Center in Rangoon, he undertook intensive, silent practice of insight and lovingkindness meditations. He studied the Buddhist psychology (abhidhamma) with Sayadaw U Zagara in Australia and presents it in practical and easily understood terms. He continues his practice under the guidance of Sayadaw U Tejaniya at the Shwe Oo Min Meditation Center in Rangoon .

He makes his home on Maui and has been leading meditation retreats internationally since 1990 including the annual three month retreat at IMS, and encourages spiritual development through cultivating insightful awareness and liberating understanding of the core teachings of the Buddha in all life activities.

Retreat with Steve Armstrong occured in 2010. Audio records can be downloaded HERE...

Patricia Genoud

Patricia has been practicing Vipassana and Dzogchen since 1984 in Asia under the guidance of Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche and Sayadaw U Pandita and later in the West. She completed her teacher training at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA. USA under the guidance of Joseph Goldstein and others and has been teaching Vipassana meditation since 1997 in Europe, Israel and the US. Patricia also studied and trained in Insight Dialogue and the Relational Dharma with Gregory Kramer as well as in MBSR in Worcester, MA, USA. With her husband Charles Genoud (also vipassana teacher) are founders of Vimalakirti vipassana meditation centre in Geneva (www.vimalakirti.org).

"Insight Dialogue" retreat with Patricia Genoud occured in August 2012.

What is "Insight Dialogue" ??

It is an interpersonal meditation practice rooted in mindfulness and tranquility enabling insight to arise and providing valuable means of integration of Dhamma (Dharma) in daily life. With this practice we extend the silent mode of meditation to sphere of relationships through speaking and listening, when invited by the teacher. Specific instructions and contemplations will support the Insight Dialogue practice which will be combined with traditional Vipassana meditation. The retreat will unfold in complete silence apart from the dialogue and the group interviews with the teacher. The retreat will be of most benefit to those with previous experience of meditation but it is also open to the beginners.
There will be a translation from English to Czech. Dialogues can be done either in English or in Czech.

Walter Köchli

Walter first came into contact with Buddhism in the early 1980-ies in Japan. He started practising Vipassana in 1987 under his first teacher, U Nyanika, at the Burmese Vihara in London. After meditating in Switzerland on his own for many years, he turned to Mahayana Buddhism and learned other techniques.

In 1998 he decided to dedicate several years to the full time practice and study of the Dhamma. He spent many years in Buddhist study centres and monasteries in England and Spain. After about two years of intensive practice in a forest monastery, he went to Burma, where he became a traditional monk at a Mahasi centre. Not happy with his teacher, Walter went looking for another and met Ashin Tejaniya. He immediately moved to Shwe Oo Min Centre, where he soon became one of U Tejaniya's assistants. He spent in total about three years at the centre, practising intensively and helping U Tejaniya edit and write his books.

In 2009 he got married and returned to Switzerland, where he has been working as a carer in a home for mentally and physically handicapped children. He continues practising in daily life and teaches mindfulness meditation courses.

Retreat with Walter Köchli occured in April 2012.

Alexis Santos

Alexis has practiced Insight Meditation in India, Burma and the US since 2001. He met Sayadaw U Tejaniya in Burma in 2003 and has been his long-time student, including several years of training as a Buddhist Monk under his guidance. He has also spent considerable time studying under Ajahn Sumedho and Joseph Goldstein.

Alexis’ teaching emphasizes knowing the mind through a natural and relaxed continuity. He brings a practical, intuitive and compassionate approach to the development of wisdom. In USA, he is in the current Teacher Training program in well known meditation centres: Spirit Rock and Insight Meditation Society (IMS). He teaches throughout the US and abroad.

First retreat with Alexis passed in 2015 and we suppose, that next will come after.