FOREWORD TO SECOND EDITION

Most of the Mahasi Sayadaw’s discourses had been taught in number of places including in the Mahasi Sasana Yeiktha where he had resided. These dhammas that were delivered as discourses had been originally recorded at the time of delivery and thereafter they were transcribed, edited and published as books. He composed a number of books throughout the period of 38 years. So far, we had published over 100 religious text books. Among them we translated the most outstanding discourses into English in order to be studied well by the foreigners.

Mahasi Sayadaw taught on different subjects, usually he based his talks on a discourse given by the Buddha and explained it in detail and also with references to actual practice of meditation.

Here are some selections of his talks, called “Silavanta Sutta”, which was translated into English by U Htin Fatt, and was first published in 1982 by the Mahasi Buddha Sasana Nuggaha Organization.

Sayadaw delivered a lot about how to apply right mindfulness to the practice of meditation and how power of concentration developes with constant practice of vipassana. This book includes about fourteen lectures on “Silavanta Sutta”, covering up to the tenth strength of an Arahat. Also mentioned are the principles to abide in the law of kamma and its results, how to practise the purity of morals, right speech, right action and right livelihood. Sayadaw also described about how important a meditator should observe the five precepts fundamentally and also taught about the stages in which a person attained Arahatship. It also contains instructions to devotees, who pay respectful attention might know correctly the state of Anicca and how to discard the five aggregates of clinging, enabling them to gain enlightenment in insight-knowledge and knowledge of the path which gave the way to Nibbana where all the sufferings cease.

We aim to publish this second edition to assist the meditators to develop the right attitude towards the practice itself. Although written in 1982, the advice given are still as relevant as today.

May all beings share this merit, which we have thus acquired, for the acquisition of all kinds of happiness.

Dr. Tint Soe Lin

President

Buddha Sasana Nuggaha

Organization

August, 2015

Silavanta Sutta

This copy is Third Edition published in December 2015 in which the grammar, punctuations and spellings of English words were corrected during August 2019 for the next Edition.

(1) English words corrected by “Microsoft Words” in computer by Ma Soe Soe on 7.8.2019 and checked by U Khin Maung Oo on 11.8.2019 and 15.8.2019.

(2) Pali words re-checked by -------------------------.

Note; the words in red are not to be uploaded in the website.