Dr. Thynn Thynn - Buddhism

1 EBUDDHANET'SBOOKLIBRARYE-mail: site: Dharma Education Association Thynn ThynnLiving Meditation, Living InsightLiving Meditation, Living Insight3 Living Meditation,Living InsightThe Path of Mindfulnessin Daily LifebyDr. Thynn ThynnCopyright (c) Dr. Thynn Thynn 1995 This book may be copied or reprinted for free distribution without permission from the publisher. Otherwise all rights to my teachers and to my family:Dr. San Lin, Win and further information, write to:The Dhamma Dana Publication Fundc/o Barre Center for Buddhist StudiesLockwood Road BarreMassachusetts 01005 USADr. Thynn Thynn e-mail: from the back cover,and biographical summary]For Western practitioners of Buddhist insight, theapplication of mindfulness in daily life, ratherthan abstract theory, is what connects them mostto the teachings.

2 This book speaks most eloquentlyon how the path of mindfulness may be availableto householders with full responsibilities of jobsand families. The most precious commodity in ourbusy daily life is time, and the complexities of lifeare so demanding that to find a sense of balanceand sanity seems to be a pressing issue. s focus is on gaining spiritual insightthrough keeping mindfulness alive in the midst ofour busy daily lives. Her book is a unique presen-tation of traditional Theravada teachings for laypeople, and shows a strong flavor of Zen Thynn Thynn is a medical doctor-turned-artistfrom Burma and a Dhamma teacher. She is themother of two and currently lives in Scarsdale,New York.

3 She published a book in Burmese in1978 about her experiences in Buddhist medita-tion. She is the author of many articles onBuddhism, childhood education and health relatedissues, published in Thailand and am very impressed by the thoroughness and care with which Thynn explains the path of mindfulness in daily life in herbook. This has not been emphasized as strongly in the monasticand meditative teachings of Buddhism that have taken root in theWest. In fact, much of Buddhist practice in Asia has followed theintensive model. But clearly, that will not work for those of uswho are householders in the West. And anyway, the wonderfulexperiences of intensive practice often lead to less transformationof our lives than we might hope, so that after intensive meditationpractice we are back again in the midst of our lives with thequestion of how to bring the Dhamma to bear in everyday life.

4 Iam so pleased when I see a book like Dr. Thynn Thynn s thatspeaks directly to this applaud her clarity and courage for teaching in the straight-forward way that she KornfieldSpirit Rock CenterWoodacre, CaliforniaJuly 19926 IntroductionYears ago when I came to Thynn - Thynn s small Dharma group inBangkok, I was a newcomer to Buddhism . Thynn - Thynn openedthe door to her home and welcomed me with warm eyes and aninfectious laugh. Several of her friends joined us and beganasking her questions about Buddhism . Smiling, she answeredthem in a casual way, often using personal the years went by, the group grew. Friends invited theircurious friends to come. Thynn - Thynn responded by offeringmore structured sessions.

5 We literally sat at her feet as she gave adiscourse, drew diagrams, and defined Pali terms. After a lunchfilled with laughter and talk, we met again for lively would ask for clarification of a point. The discussionwould roll around to: How can I apply this in my life? How will ithelp me be mindful around my little toddlers? How can I practiceequanimity with my rebellious teenagers? How can I share thiswith a closed-minded spouse? How can I be more compassionateto a friend in need? Thynn - Thynn would gently offer, in a soft voice, her than suggest a specific solution, she would propose aDharma way of looking at a problem. The questioner wouldreturn home and try stopping and looking and letting go. Thatwas our practice.

6 Go home and try it the years, we became a support group, but one with adifference. The Dharma propelled us forward in our lives; it heldus together as a group. It wasn t always easy. We were all sodifferent or so we thought at first. We came from manycountries Burma, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mexico, Switzerland,Russia and the United States. We were an eclectic mix ofreligious backgrounds Buddhist, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish,Muslim and atheist. And we had very different personalities devotional, intellectual, artistic, out-going and contemplative. In asense, we were speaking different languages: the logic of the7intellectual left the devotional unmoved; dramatic insightsoverwhelmed those with more reserved sparks would fly at meetings.

7 But Thynn -Thynnleavened these delicate situations with her ready humor andperceptive awareness. The social interactions within the groupitself also became part of our one step further, Thynn - Thynn customized the practice foreach of us. She matched, point for point, the heated arguments ofthe intellectual. She urged artists to delight in the beauty of themoment. Nurturing each person s natural tendencies, sheencouraged each person to open up and blossom. Acutelysensitive to each person s needs, Thynn - Thynn sought to balanceour rigid conditioning. She prodded the lazy, shocked thearrogant, and relaxed the compulsive. In doing so, she revealedmany different paths to , each of us softened into Buddhism .

8 We found wesmiled more, laughed more and loved more. We slowed down andhad glimpses of things as they , Thynn - Thynn has moved to the United States; newfriends gather around, eager to learn the Dharma and apply it totheir daily lives. The Bangkok group still continues. Those of uswho were in the original group remain friends and continue topractice, although we are separated by years and miles. Despiteour differences, we found we have a lasting commitment to livingthe Dharma, and an abiding love for the woman who showed us itcan be Taylor8 Preface to the Second EditionTen years ago, when our small Dhamma group started to meet inBangkok, I was inspired to write about the many questions thatarose.

9 The articles compiled in this book came out of those manydiscussions. As I wrote, I gave these articles to Dhamma friendsto help them digest the Dhammic point of view and encouragethem in their spiritual wrote the articles to encourage practitioners learning to meditate indaily life. In this sense, the articles are presented as a hands-on or,more accurately, a minds-on training manual. Although I discussmeditation in general, the real focus is on how the Dhammabrings us into spontaneous, wholesome and creative book is primarily for beginners in meditation. I have usedtheory and Pali terms sparingly. The emphasis is on the processand insights into the nature of the mind. My objective inpresenting the articles is to help the aspirant build up a solidfoundation of mindfulness as a way of life rather than as apractice separated from daily living.

10 For those who have beenpracticing meditation in the formal way, this approach can helpthem incorporate their mindfulness practice into everydayexperience. The process of mindfulness is the same, except in oneimportant aspect: instead of sitting down, closing the eyes andwatching the mind, the practice is done while attending toeveryday the first edition of this book came out in 1992, I receivedcomments to the effect that my teaching style is similar toKrishnamurti and Zen. When someone once mentioned it to myfriend, the Theravada nun Shinma Dhammadina, she replied, That s because her teachers teachings are very much likeKrishnamurti and Zen. My teachers are Burmese abbots, Sayadaw U Eindasara of Rangoonand Sayadaw U Awthada of Henzada.