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E-mail: bdea@buddhanet.net

Web site: www.buddhanet.net

Buddha Dharma Education Association Inc.

Ven. Sayadaw U Jotika

Snow in the Summer

Contents

This book is a compilation of extracts from letters written by Sayadaw U

Jotika, a Burmese Buddhist monk, to his Western students Ñ ten to fifteen

years ago. These letters have been collated under the topics as indicated by the

chapter headings below.

Introduction: Sayadaw U Jotika p. 3Ð6

Ch. 1 Mind, Mindfulness and Meditation p. 7Ð27

Ch. 2 Solitude p. 28Ð41

Ch. 3 Parental Love and Guidance p. 42Ð44

Ch. 4 Life, Living and Death p. 45Ð55

Ch. 5 Learning and Teaching p. 56Ð68

Ch. 6 Value and Philosophy p. 69Ð87

Ch. 7 Friendship, Relationships and Loving-kindness p. 88Ð102

Pali Glossary p. 103Ð105

In short, you can open this book and read any page Ñ no need to read it in

any particular order.

Compiled by Sister Medhnand´ and Poay Hoon Goh from letters to Sister

Medhnand´, Poay Hoon Goh, Bruce Mitteldorf and John Whiterobe; and

edited by Barbara Hasslacher, Jane Yudelman and Paul Barnett.

This work is a gift of Dhamma and it must not be sold.

Permission to reprint for free distribution should be obtained from

Sayadaw U Jotika. Reprinting for sale is not allowed.

Introduction: Sayadaw U Jotika (Autobiographical)

The need to express is very strong. It is very important for our growth. If you

donÕt have any opportunity to express, you lose creative thinking. Well, thatÕs

another attachment. I canÕt force myself to let go of it. Many times I picked up

my pen to write, and many times I put it down. Something hard to put into

words is in my mind. Please donÕt think IÕm preaching. IÕm just expressing my

personal point of view (feeling, observation) which seems true to me.

I know that a lot of things IÕve said can easily be misconstrued. A person can

use them against me. I canÕt really make my points clear in a letter. Even to talk

about them would be a very difficult task for me. Anyway I tried to express my

views. The things IÕve said might not agree with the great books. I donÕt expect

you to agree with me. They are not universal truths. Just my opinions as of

October 1986. IÕm liable to change, as anything else. Excuse me for my mis-

takes. IÕm a man who keeps himself upset all the time, believe it or not. One day

IÕll be happy. Here is something about me. I was born into a Muslim family on 5

August 1947. I was educated at a Roman Catholic missionary school. I read

about most of the things in this universe. I was called a communist when I was

young because I did not believe in any organised religion. Do I believe in organised

religion now? Well, who knows? I thought of becoming a bhikkhu (monk) from

the age of nineteen but instead I went to university, and found the education

very unsatisfactory. I then educated myself. I found that almost everybody was

after position, money, pleasure Ñ very superficial.

So I decided education was not worth the trouble. I couldnÕt go on living for

the rest of my life like that. I left my family although I love my daughters very

dearly. I have no place in this competitive society. Being a bhikkhu and living in

the forest is the best way of life for me; it suits my temperament. Yes, my grand-

mother was Shan. She lived a long, peaceful life and died when she was about

eighty. I was fourteen then. We were very close. I think of her quite often.

I like Shan people, too. They are very mellow. There are a lot of Shan people

around Maymyo; some living in Ye Chan Oh Village where we are. There is

another village called Yengwe where most of the villagers are Shan, and they

speak the Shan language. Some old Shan ladies look like my grandmother Ñ

quiet, peaceful, loving, simple, patient, content, unimposing and very friendly.

How unlikely to find such people in modern cities. People who are rich are very

suspicious; they think people are after their money. You asked me about my

relationship with my family. It was never good. The only person I love in my

family is my elder sister. She loves me although she could not understand me.

Yes, ÒIÕve never felt I belong to that familyÓ. I was like a stranger in my

family. Maybe some day IÕll go and see my sister. My relationship with my par-

ents was a love-hate relationship. (Both of them are dead now.) I was very

lonely at home. I know how you feel about your relationship with your family.

ItÕs OK. We find love and understanding elsewhere. No matter what you do and no

matter what happens I will always be your father, brother, friend, counsellor, etc.

I live on the border of two different cultures Ñ Eastern and Western. Born in

Burma (Myanmar) and educated in a Western-style school. Being exposed to all

different kinds of religions Ñ Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Is-

lam Ñ and also to materialism through philosophy. I ended up not believing in

anything seriously. Western psychology Ñ Freud, Jung, Adler, Rogers, Laing,

William James, and many others; Western philosophy Ñ Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,

Hegel, Kant, Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Bertrand Russell, Wittgenstein, Bergson,

etc. Ñ enough to make a person very confused. I studied electrical engineering;

read advanced scientific theories, including black holes. I know how little people

are sure of anything. The most important thing to know is your own mind. Yes,

I want freedom. And this should be known from the outset. My freedom is not

for sale. Living too long in one place makes me feel like IÕm in prison. IÕm a lion,

according to the Burmese tradition. I really feel like roaming in the mountains

like a mountain lion. Ah, freedomÉ I canÕt tolerate any restriction, bond, or tie.

Even attachment that restricts my freedom is not to my liking. People get at-

tached to me and I see that as a danger to my freedom. I love freedom and I

canÕt exchange it for anything. I love freedom of mind too. So I am seeing more

and more what imprisons the mind. Although IÕve read a lot of the PiÊaka [see

glossary for definition], when I find something (see something) itÕs like IÕm

making a new discovery. To discover for myself those simple truths Ñ what a

great joy! Eureka!

I canÕt stand those people who talk like they know about something just

because theyÕve read about it in books. But sometimes I catch myself doing just

that, though IÕm doing it less and less. Mountain lion I am. Alone, but not lonely

anymore. I have learnt to live alone. Sometimes I want to express my deepest

understanding, but itÕs hard to find a person who knows how to listen, under-

stand and appreciate. Mostly IÕm the one who listens. People like to talk to me.

I think wanting to be independent and free (physically as well as mentally) is

my strongest desire. There are different forms and stages of freedom. I must

follow my nature, at all costs. I might have to disappoint my friends. So many

people expect so much of me. It is very unlikely that I can/will fulfil their expec-

tations of me. I am heading towards my own freedom, not conformity. IÕve been

reading Memories, Dreams, Reflections by Carl Jung. I am very interested in

some of his ideas. Some of the things he said about himself really expresses me

also. So I am going to quote some of the passages to you: ÒAs a child I felt myself

to be alone, and I am still, because I know things and must hint at things which

others apparently know nothing of, and for the most part do not want to know.Ó

Loneliness does not come from having no-one around oneself, but from be-

ing unable to communicate the things that seem important to oneself, or from

holding certain views that others find inadmissible. If a man knows more than

other people, he becomes lonely. But loneliness is not necessarily inimical to

companionship, for no-one is more sensitive to companionship than the lonely

man, and companionship thrives only when each individual remembers his/her

individuality and does not identify him/herself with others. I have to obey that

Ôinner lawÕ which is imposed upon me, leaving me no freedom of choice. Of

course I did not always obey it. How can anyone live without inconsistency?

(ÒTalking about rebirth Ñ in my case it must have been primarily a passionate

urge toward understanding which brought about my birth, for that is the stron-

gest element in my nature.Ó)

ÒI have also realised that one must accept the thoughts that go on within

oneself of their own accord as part of oneÕs reality. The categories of true and

false are, of course, always present but because they are not binding they take

second place. The presence of thoughts is more important than our subjective

judgment of them. But neither must these judgments be suppressed, for they

are also existent thoughts which are part of our wholeness.Ó (So, be mindful of

everything.) A person who has not passed through the inferno of their passions

has never overcome them. They then dwell in the house next door, and at any

moment a flame may dart out and set fire to his own house. Whenever we give

up, leave behind, and forget too much, there is always the danger that the things

we have neglected will return with added force. (DonÕt sit on top of your pas-

sions; be mindful of them. For me, Ôpassed throughÕ doesnÕt mean Ôacted outÕ, it

means being aware of them, experience them mindfully.) ÒIndeed, our Ôcult of

progressÕ is in danger of imposing on us even more childish dreams of the future

the harder it presses us to escape from the past. Reforms by advances, that is, by

new methods or gadgets, are of course impressive at first, but in the long run

they are dubious and in any case dearly paid for. By no means do they increase

the contentment or happiness of people on the whole. Instead, they are decep-

tive sweetenings of existence, like speedier communications, which unpleas-

antly accelerate the tempo of life and leave us with less time than ever before.Ó

(So, live as simply as possible.)

I have done without electricity, and tend the fireplace and stove myself.

Evenings, I light the old lamps. There is no running water, and I pump the

water from the well. I chop the wood and cook the food. These simple acts

make man simple; and how difficult it is to be simple. In Bollingen, silence

surrounds me almost audibly, and I live in modest harmony with nature.

An indescribable stillness prevailed.

In the Tower at Bollingen it is as if one lived in many centuries simulta-

neously. The place will outlive me, and in its location and style it points

backward to things long ago. There is very little about it to suggest the

present. If a man of the sixteenth century were to move into the house,

only the kerosene lamp and the matches would be new to him; otherwise,

he would know his way about without difficulty. There is nothing to dis-

turb the dead, neither electric light nor telephone. (Carl Jung)

There is a lot more left, but I want to stop here. You must be bored to death.

I think I am a rebel in some ways. All my life IÕve been a rebel. My fantasy: living

deep in the mountains, away from people and noise with bare necessity; quietly

and peacefully. Do I cry? Well, who would believe that an old monk like me still

has tears to cry. My nature is like slow burning ember. You donÕt see the flame

but it burns nonetheless. I donÕt want judgment; I want understanding. I am

also not perfect.

I am becoming even more imperfect. So IÕm scared of those who are judg-

mental. I want to be left alone. They say a monk shouldnÕt be attached to any-

body or anything but I canÕt do that. IÕm not just a monk; IÕm also a human

being. I am not trying to be somebody. I just try my best to understand whatever

is happening in my life, in my mind, in my heart. No name and no fame; when

I die nothing will remain.

Chapter 1: Mind, Mindfulness and Meditation

Whether meditation, as I understand it, is not creating something (calm,

concentration or insight, or what not). Rather it is seeing clearly whatever is

happening in the moment in a very simple way. Aiming at, or creating calm-

ness, or insight is trying to start from where we should be. So we always fall

back to where we are because we did not start from we are. Another way of

saying it is: Meditation is complete internal communication, or life (problems)

understood in depth is meditation.

So there should be no difference between untangling the content of oneÕs

ÔstuffÕ, working with problems (neurotic, or what not), and meditation. It is all

part of the same process.

For me, doing counselling and giving guidance in meditation are not much

different. So a person who does not understand people but has a lot of book

knowledge is not a meditation teacher (or counsellor) but is a scholar. A person

who teaches and guides people according to a formula should not teach!

Most Westerners need a lot of help just untangling the content of their stuff.

For this, a worldly teacher can be very helpfulÉ I understood this point a long

time ago, and I am getting deeper into this matter. Even when I was in the USA

my way of working with people was first to understand their life, their stuff,

their problems, and see where they are stuck. Helping them see their problems

clearly. The whole point of meditation is just untangling Ñ to untangle internal

and external tangles.

So there can be no cut and dried formula for everybody. People are unique.

So there should be flexibility. The Buddha himself gave different instructions

for different people.

My understanding is that a meditation teacher must be very sensitive. He (or

she) must understand himself very deeply. He must be aware of his own tangles;

be very creative in dealing with people; understand every person in a deeper

way; be gentle and patient in guiding; not be pushing or demanding to make

progress which can cause a feeling of inadequacy and unhappiness. He must

understand where his student is. You know, we must start from where we are,

not from where we should be. So, a teacher must understand where a student is

and give him/her guidance so that the student can start from where he/she is.

Meditation, as itÕs been taught to and practised by many people, has its lim-

its. ThatÕs because they donÕt understand it properly and they are trying to do it

as if it is something apart from their life.

Real mindfulness meditation is all-inclusive. No part of our mental and physical

life should be left out of our mindfulness. Every aspect of our life should be well

understood.

Real practice is natural, moving, living, limitless, should be practised every-

where, every time. A specialised and fragmented approach is unacceptable for

me. I am beginning to feel that a specialised, standardised approach is harmful

(I have never been able to force, restrict myself to do that). For me meditation is

not something special.

Everything seems so trivial to me. Crazy games. Meaningless hurry, hurry.

Why so much doing?

The best thing I can do for myself is to be mindful. Look into your mind (life)

and see how dependent you are on people and books. See how easily you get

bored. Can you live with boredom without doing anything about it, except be-

ing mindful of it?

Doing nothing is actually not easy. I believe you know that from your experi-

ence. What happens to your mind when you do nothing? Have you carefully

observed that? Boredom is unbearable. So we try to find something to do, to run

away from boredom. Just try to do nothing for a few days.

Non-doing is not easy. If you try to do non-doing, then you are doing. If you

try to accomplish something, you are doing. And your ego is strong. If you donÕt

do anything then you become meaningless and empty.

Non-doing is a state of mind which is free from ego. Doing without reacting;

without a person doing it. And most important of all, doing wholesome deed

without expecting anything in return.

Understanding comes to those who are not in a hurry to understand. Under-

standing is like a fruit tree; it takes time to become mature. One cannot force it

to bear fruits.

Instead of running away from boredom, if you can work through it you will

find a kind of wakefulness, alertness, life, clarity beyond that. Then the mind

becomes workable. Mostly we give in and become busy, busy. When weÕre busy

we feel useful, important. When weÕre doing nothing we feel useless and feel

ashamed. Some people take pride in being busy.

There is a kind of dullness in the mind which is always there. We need some-

thing exciting, some kind of stimulant, either talking or reading or travelling

orÉ to keep the mind awake. Otherwise it is in a half-wakeful state. If you can

train your mind to be awake all the time, without any of those stimulants, you

will find a new kind of energy. Only by being constantly mindful can you get

there. Whether you are on retreat or not it is important to be mindful all the

time. Doing a retreat is useful. But it is very important to keep up your practice

so that you can maintain your clarity. Otherwise you go downhill again. ItÕs like

swimming upstream: If you donÕt make a continuous effort you go downstream.

Effort in meditation is like effort in learning to ride a bicycle. In the begin-

ning you put too much effort and you fall off. Later on, by doing it repeatedly,

you learn to put just enough effort to keep you on the bicycle so you can put

more effort to move forward. You learn by doing it. The most important point,

I think, is continuity. If you know what mindfulness means then, be mindful

more and more. By being mindful you learn how to be mindful with relaxed

effort. If you think you need to put more effort, do it and see how it affects your

mind (mindfulness). You will learn how to maintain your mindfulness. You will

find that your mind is not at ease when it is not mindful.

I want to be free and peaceful, bodily and mentally. So IÕm looking to see

what makes a person not free and not peaceful. The more I can see whatÕs

binding me, the better there is the chance of becoming free. The answer is quite

simple Ñ attachment and pride. But to see them when they are in action is most

important, not just to think about them.

I donÕt want to be busy. Being busy is a wasteful way of living. When youÕre

busy you get so involved that you cannot see whatÕs going on in your mind. You

become unmindful. So I donÕt want to be a busy teacher. Never. I talk about this

again and again.

If you want to get the most out of meditation do it wholeheartedly. Do it as if

there is nothing else you want to do in your life. Beware of distractions!

To learn how to swim you have to get into the water. No use sitting on the

bank and asking people to teach you how to swim. With minimum instruction

you can get into the water and teach yourself how to swim. Choose a suitable

object (or two) for yourself, and be mindful of them continuously. Continuity is

the most important point. Thinking cannot make the mind happy. Watch your

thoughts without wanting to control them. When you see them clearly they will

stop. Thinking is such a big burden.

The most important thing is to be aware of your own mind. Also your mo-

tives when you do things. Mostly people are not aware of their motives when

they speak or do things and, in most cases, when they are aware of their motives

they justify them.

Mindfulness practice (meditation) is awareness of everything happening in all

six sense bases all the time, from the moment you wake up until the last moment

before you fall asleep. Not just when sitting.

Much more important to be mindful of and understand your fantasies, ideas you

are attached to, frustrations, loneliness, and any other feelings, weak or strong.

If something works for you (like noting), do it. Do it long and do it well so

that you know all about its advantages and disadvantages.

Meditation is the best kusala (wholesomeness).

If you are mindful and wise, you never lose.

The ideal is to be mindful always.

IÕm happy when IÕm alone. Talking is boring. I told you about my feeling of

drifting away into the universe. Things (and also people) are losing their influ-

ence on me. Hard to talk about this feeling. I feel much lighter in my heart.

DonÕt take the emotion Ñ commotion seriously. And donÕt try to justify it

either. You are living your own life and you have a right to do whatever you

think is right for you at that moment. If you make a mistake, learn from it.

If you make a mistake and youÕre in trouble, look into it without complaining

or blaming (oneself or others) or running away; without justifying yourself or

getting upset about it. If you can see this without any resistance you can over-

come (grow out of) that very quickly and easily. I am getting better at that, now.

Relationships are so frustrating. I told you many times: IÕm becoming alone.

So I understand very well what you said: ÒI retreat within myselfÓ. If you watch

your mind really closely without wanting to be different, it will resolve your

knots, but donÕt watch your mind only in order to resolve your knots. That will

cause a conflict. See anatt (no-self) in your mind.

I think one day IÕll go away and live alone somewhere. IÕm getting tired of

religion. IÕm just preparing my mind.

IÕve been meditating more this last month. So nice to be alone. I want to read less

and less. Now I want to read my mind more. I donÕt learn anything in depth from

books. Only when I see my life (my mind) clearly can I learn something in depth.

For a human being, understanding human nature in general and understand-

ing his/her mind in particular is the most fruitful thing.

What IÕm doing here is so important for me (I mean delving into my mind)

that I donÕt want to interrupt it unless there is a good reason. In fact, I want to

go to a much more secluded place, and live alone and meditate all the time,

without interruption. Nothing else is worth the trouble. You have read; you

have talked; you have discussed; you have thought a lot; and still you are con-

fused. Enough of all those things.

This clarity makes the mind a lot less attached. My mind is now very much

detached and clear. I donÕt want to get distracted. So you are not confused

about being confused? Some people donÕt know they are confused. They are too

busy or crazy to think about that. All I can tell you is donÕt think too much and

be mindful. You know thinking too much makes you more confused.

If you can be mindful when you are sick you will learn something very deep

and meaningful. You will see how lonely you are and how meaningless every-

thing is. When the worst of the worst happens we will be really alone.

IÕm seeing this loneliness more and more. There are very few people who can

reach us and understand us. Between each person there is a big chasm of mis-

understanding.

Mindfulness is part of our nature. It can be developed naturally with ease.

Can you explain to her how to be aware of her thoughts and feelings? Not

control. Just simple, bare awareness of mind. The chattering, the monologue or

dialogue going on in the mind. The comments, judgments, etc.

Mindfulness is a way of life (living). Wherever we are and whatever we are

doing we should do it mindfully. Thinking is a big hindrance to mindfulness.

We should be mindful of that. Actually, it is very important to be aware of

thinking. Watch your mind without blaming or judging. See it as a thing in itself;

not you, not yours.

In meditation, do whatever comes easily and naturally. The most important

point is to be interested and it should be interesting, to be happy doing it. There

should be some satisfaction in doing it. Once something becomes boring there is

a negative attitude towards it. With that sort of negative attitude it is tiring to go

on doing it. You said, Òsaddh (confidence) = energyÓ. Yes, when you have

saddh in your practice you have energy to do it.

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eBUDDHANET'SBOOKLIBRARYE-mail:bdea@buddhanet.netWebsite:www.buddhanet.netBuddhaDharmaEducationAssociationInc.Ven.SayadawUJotikaSnowintheSummerSnowintheSummerContentsThisbookisacompilationofextractsfromletterswrittenbySayadawUJotika,aBurmeseBuddhistmonk,tohisWesternstudentsÑtentofifteenyearsago.These...

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