A Journey To Myingyan (Upper Burma) Part 4

 
  A pagoda called ‘Kivi Law Ka’ built on the ‘Sacred Earthen Cave.’
Three-wheel carrier was waiting outside. When we got on the carrier, we had 12 persons companied, and we introduced each other with nice and wonderful greeting. We did not know each other, but we all were on the same route. We loved to visit together around the town with this three-wheel carrier.

 

When they noticed my T-shirt, and some said they would like to take a photo with me, because of the Sunlun Meditation Mark described on it. The head of our group asked me that whether the T-shirt was a present form Myingyan Sayadaw. I was pleased to hear it although it was not true. I told them I bought two T-shirts from the stall at the monastery; one for me, and the other for my niece.
Every sight we saw from the carrier was wooden houses, pagodas, petites routes, sometimes landscapes, and mountains. It seemed that this road was in summertime excellent. Yes, here we met a like summer although raining in Rangoon. I was told that upper Burma this year was late the rainy season.
We talked and talked very friendly until we arrived at the monastery where Maung Yin Paw ravine being. When we descended from the carrier, a man from the monastery welcomed us. We followed him with delight, and wondered what surprise awaited us. Later we met the head of the monastery, and paid respect. He smiled and said about the monastery now we arrived, and welcomed his place very warmly. There we rested a while, and listened respectfully what Sayadaw talked.
We saw the sketch of parrots everywhere on the surface of the pagoda.

Later we continued to the Maung Yin Paw ravine. We were walking through the monastery ground until we met a pagoda called ‘Thitsa Phala’  which was built in memory of Sunlun Sayadaw U Kivi’s past life – a parrot. We saw the sketch of parrots everywhere on the surface of the pagoda. We paid respect, and recited as

‘I take refuge in Buddha; I take refuge in His Teachings; I take refuge in the Sangha, His order of the Yellow Robe.’ at the foot of the pagoda, and continued our voyage.
 
We walked descending, sometimes ascending along the narrow roadways which lead to the cave in Maung Yin Paw ravine.

We walked descending, sometimes ascending along the narrow roadways which lead to the cave in Maung Yin Paw ravine.There was everywhere a mass of scrubs, trees, wild flowers and woods, as we saw along.

At last we stopped at the cave what they called as ‘Sacred Earthen Cave’. Sunlun Sayadaw U Kivi practiced meditation there in his life time. We saw some travelers ahead us were already inside the cave. The cave was too small, and it could allow only 10 or 12 persons inside. So, we would wait outside until they went out.
 
While we were waiting, ….
While we were waiting, we looked around the place and took photos. I saw a pagoda called ‘Kivi Law Ka’ built head of the cave. Inside the cave was very dark and no light. There were some handwriting on the interior of the wall that said ‘Keep yourself clean for Kutho(good merit)’ and ‘The earthen cave where Sunlun Sayadaw practiced meditation, and gained the Supra-mundane Knowledge’. I also saw a warning such as ‘Please keep your head down while you entering.’
After the people inside were going out, we were entering the cave with excitement. I kept my body bent and had to be very careful for my head, the top of the cave was too low for all of us. We cannot stand upright in the cave. I could not see anything through the darkness. I followed the head of our group, and I only heard his voice, and kept listened his instruction. He switched on his hand-phone once, showed the place with its tiny light, and said that all of us could see there was a sculpture of Sunlun Sayadaw U Kivi which was inside the cave. I saw it just a second, and the darkness again. The head instructed that we all had to sit and practice meditation just for a few minutes, to pay respect Sunlun Sayadaw.
We all sat in the upright position, and closed our eyes and be mindful aware only the touch of the air which breathing in and out. After a few minutes, we took a deep breath, and we now aware of the sensations going through the whole body, and keep our mind on them for another few minutes. Later we stopped, and opened our eyes again. Our head switched on his light again to pay respect the Sunlun Sayadaw’s image.
 
I just pretended to drive this three-wheel carrier.
We returned to the three-wheel carrier awaited us by walking through the same routes which had given beautiful sights to everyone. And then we all together visited some pagodas as the driver brought, and we were back to the monastery where we rested.I believed that our journey from Rangoon to Myingyan (Upper Burma) had been happy one, and that all of us enjoyed our visit in this beautiful land.