U PUN
Myingyan Sayadaw U Awthahta, in
his discourses he had mentioned the name of U Pun in many
occasions. He said U Pun said this U Pun said that. U Pun
had given example like this and like that. We always had
a hearty laugh after his narrations. U Pun is an old Chinese
who was enlightened and lived in Henzeda and used to discussed
the dhamma which he expressed in his own manner. He said
very distinctly, clearly and precisely. One day, I received a message from the Sayadaw, who was
staying at the Peacock Monastery, Yangon, stating that U
Pun was there in person. Very happily and excitedly picking
a note book and left for the monastery.
U Pun was already there. He was about 74 but looked very
active. He was a bit on the lean side. When he speaks, he
could be heard from about four houses away. He had a very
heavy Chinese accent, which made the conversation more exciting.
Not only did he speak loud but also the voice was very deep
and sharp when the discussion was getting more profound.
While he was speaking, he also waves his two hands to express
the appropriate gestures. The ways he spoke and laughed appeared
to be a manifestation of happiness for himself as well as
for those around him.
U Pun was born in a town called Pyay (Prome) and he knew
only Chinese Literatures. He was married to Daw Hla Tin and
was rewarded with five siblings, two doctors, two teachers
and a Buddhist sangha. He owned a pawnshop at Natmaw and
retired at the age of 59.
During his retirement, he
used to play mahjong games throughout the day and went
back home, threw himself on the bed to relax. At one time,
whenever he closes his eyes, he saw a round shape bright
light. At first he thought this must be a sign of a type
of illness and related to his wife, Daw Hla Tin, who was
studying treatise written by the famous Ledi Sayadaw said “ This is not an illness. This is the sign to
show your good mental concentration. This is because of your
acquired virtue. Why don’t you strive for dhamma practice?” With
that he became interested in the dhamma.
Unfortunately, U Pun hadn’t
any dhamma friends or any sangha which he could approach,
and made things rather difficult for him. One day, a friend
of his from Rangoon gave him two books on dhamma written
in Chinese. One happened to be about Zen Buddhism called
KONG SIN NI LA YUT (Notes on Noble Words).
He read the Chinese scriptures
over and over again. He couldn’t
understand at all. Some time later, he noted that it mentioned “ Don’t
think about virtuous action and don’t think about the
non-virtuous action also.” He thought as though he
knew it and he used to meditate by reciting these words.
He had been meditating and reciting for three solid years
and he was getting no where and nothing appears in his mind.
When he thought that he
should cleanse his body, he became a vegetarian and vowed
that he will live on vegetable until he comprehend the
dhamma. One month passed with no indication what so ever
to show for. Two months gone with the same result. After
about three months, one night at about two o’clock
in the morning I had an inflated bladder, woke up and went
to the rest room. Then I returned and lay on the bed. I said
to myself “ I had slept throughout my life” and
sat upright, closed my eyes and thought about the dhamma.
U Pun continued. “While I was thinking about it, the
bright light I used to see was not like that anymore. It
was a really bright light that was in my eyes in a flash.
After that moment, when I read the scriptures, I was well
aware of the contents. I understood. I received the bright
light. That was the light of my wisdom. Then I understood
that there wasn’t Buddha or creatures, which means
the light of wisdom. Later, there was the Buddha and creatures,
which means the usage of the wisdom. Then the ultimate truth
I realized was it never changes and a steadfast dhamma is
the root of wisdom. The destruction of tanha mana dihti is
the strength of wisdom.”
“The next day, I related
happily the dhamma that I saw to my wife and my eldest son.
My wife who was reading the treatises and my son who had
passed the compendium of abidhamma did not accept it as it
deferred from the books. They said that Lord Buddha preached
anicca and Papa’s
dhamma is saying permanent. For that reason I never discuss
the dhamma anymore. The dhamma I saw being genuine and I
couldn’t stand it. I study the scriptures again and
again. The essence of my dhamma is the original wisdom is
there and the usage of wisdom is becoming and destruction.
That’s the main point. When I understood the dhamma
at the beginning, I was tongue-tied. As time past, I realized
how to approach people and how to express so that they can
understand easily.
After about two years later,
my son brought a booklet by Kyauk Thinbaw Sayadaw and said” The dhamma you told
me before is the identical to the dhamma by Kyauk Thinbaw
Sayadaw.” I said to myself that I will go and find
this Sayadaw one-day and would like to discuss the dhamma
with him. About ten years ago, I came to Yangon to meet the
Sayadaaw had a discussion with him, which took me about four
hours. In the end Sayadaw said “ Bagyi Pun, We still
have a lot of time later. Why don’t you make it very
brief.”
Top
U Pun :- “ I
ask Sayadaw. ‘ Put
the mind as it is.’ Was a statement made by you and
is
Your creation, isn’t it” Sagaing Sayadaw :-“Yes, I did.”
U Pun :-“What was your intention for
that creation? Was it for anicca or for nicca?
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ That was for nicca.”
U Pun :-“ That word ‘ put ‘ has
involve work in it, isn’t
it? If you make a ‘ put ‘ mind,
this ‘ put ‘ mind is subject to annihilation. When the ‘ put ‘ mind
was
annihilated, then it became anicca, isn’t it? You had written in your
book not to
add what not to it. If I add something what will happen?
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ You understand the dhamma and you can also express nicely.”
U Pun :-“ I did asked another question. Sayadaw, you used nicca and at
the same time you used where it extinguished and extinguishment and used it
differently?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“I borrowed it.” Sayadaw requested me to
ordain into a priest and propagate the religion. To that
I replied “ Don’t you think
that I have already put on the robe?” Sayadaw smiled
and never utter a word. By that time the gong for the morning
meal sounded and he left.
U Pun, will you please relate
your experiences, which you had with other dhamma friends?
He said” Once
the Sagaing Sayadaw came to Henzeda. He was invited by
the owner of a cigar factory. I was also invited to go
along with the Pakhan Sayadaw. After the morning meal Pakhan
Sayadaw pointed his finger at me and introduced to the
Sagaing Sayadaw and requested to test my knowledge of dhamma.
The Sagaing Sayadaw was asking me questions for nearly three
hours. He decided that I understand the dhamma and requested
me to clarify one point in dhamma for him. The discussion
went on like this.
Sagaing Sayadaw :- “Our
Lord preached the nicca and also preached annicca. I have
been
thinking about this for last ten years and I am not clear about it yet. Can
you
explain it to me?”
U Pun :- “ nicca and annicca aren’t the same.
In this not the same there is a not
different. The idea is that they are identical.” Sagaing Sayadaw :- “It is very vague to me. Could you give me an example?”
U Pun :- “ You see this tea cup. Does it become a tea
cup naturally?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“It has to be made.”
U Pun :-“ What will happen to it if I drop it?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ It will be broken.”
U Pun :-“This is the meaning of annicca.”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ Please tell me the identical part of it.”
U Pun :-“ Before you make the tea cup, what do you have?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ Clay.”
U Pun :-“After it became tea cup, has the material changed?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ No.”
U Pun :-“When you break the cup, the material remains unchanged?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“Yes it is.”
U Pun :-“ As for the tea cuip, it is anicca wherelse it is nicca for the
materials.”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ It is true but I need more similes.”
U Pun :-“ The
material clay is like absolute. Making ( the cup ) is equivalent
to sankhara.. Whatever you do is subject to becoming and annihilation.
Promulgating names are changing and they are also subject
to becoming and annihilation. Not the same is promulgation
and the indifference is absolute
truth.”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ I like that very
much. The problem I can’t unravel
is now clear. I am so happy. There is a beginning and an end
was discoursed by Lord Buddha. The ain’t any beginging
and the end was also discoursed by him. Please clarify it for
me.”
U Pun :- “ Let us take the egg and hen as an example.
Which comes first?”
Sagaing Sayadaw :-“ I think it started with the hen.”
U Pun :-“ If there wasn’t any
egg to start with, where will the hen come from? Without the
hen, where will the egg come from? That is why Lord Buddha
preached that there wasn’t any beginning or the end.”
Sagaing Sayadaw “I am clear now. What about the beginning and the end.?”
U Pun :-“The egg is considered as the cause and the hen is considered as
the effect.
Now the hen became the cause and the egg became the
effect. Only when you used the past, present and future,
then you will beginning and the end. Otherwise there
will not be any beginning or the end.”
The Sagaing Sayadaw left Henzeda very satisfied and
before he left he invited me to visit him and asked
me to preach some more in the future. I requested him
to narrate another anectode of his with another person. U Pun said that some twenty
years ago, U Panna Wunsa of Peqacock Monastery visited
the Pakhan Monastery at Henzeda and they met. U Panna Wunna
asked “Lord Buddha preached
the truth. The truth was not because of the discourse of
Lord Buddha.” I told him what he said was true but
not complete yet. The reason being for saving the creatures
Lord Buddha was enlightened, isn’t it? After Lord Buddha
discoursed ti us that we know the truth, isn’t it?
You have to explain like this only then it is complete.
* * * * * * * *
One day, U Hla Khin of Henzeda came to
me and asked if I am free for the day to accompany him
to go to Natmaw Monastery to offer some sweet meat and
I went along with him. When we reached the monastery then
I knew that Zalun ayadaw had given a discourse the previous
night and there remains two more nights. U Hla Khin and
Zalun Sayadaw were discussing as well as questioning for
about an houre. When U Hla Khin turned towards me and suggested
that if I want to ask anything please do so. I said “ Little while ago Sayadaw instructed
to meditate and concentrate on the present moment (picsupan),
wasn’t it?
Sayadaw said “Yes.”
I requested “ Please honor me with the method how to
concentrate on the moment.”
Sayadaw said “To concentrate on the nama-rupan”
I said.” You were directing to concentrate over the present moment. There
weren’t any instruction to concentrate on the nama-rupan.”
Sayadaw looked vacantly and became very quite for sometime and said “ The
dhamma I discourse, I couldn’t explain properly.If you know, why don’t
you clarify it and I will listen.”
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