Teachers

This essay is written by Aung Sang Suu Kyi, an activist from Myanmar (Burma) who has spent her life fighting for democracy in Burma. She presents the importance of teachers in our life in this essay. She tells us the special insights she was given by certain teachers who were very important in her life and the impacts those insights had on the way she conducted herself.

Burmese people are influenced by Buddhism. Suu Kyi sees the religious teachers who advocate the enlightenment of Gautam Buddha, are the guide of their life. Good teachers don't merely give scholarly sermons. They show us how we should conduct our life based on the eightfold paths prescribed by Gautam Buddha. The determining eight ways of living are right understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration. Suu Kyi is influenced by her religious teacher Hsayadaw U Pandita who gave emphasis on Samma – Vaca i.e, right speech. Not only should one speak only the truth, one's speech should lead to harmony among beings. It should be kind and pleasant and beneficial.

The five spiritual faculties Saddha (faith), Viriya (energy), Samadhi (concentration), Panna (wisdom) and Sati (mindfulness) are the main guidelines of our life. Out of these Hsayadaw emphasized on Sati to her. Excessive faith without sufficient wisdom leads to blind faith while excessive wisdom without sufficient faith leads to undesirable cunning. Too much energy combined with weak concentration leads to restlessness whereas concentration without sufficient energy leads to indolence. As for Sati, one can never have too much of it, it is never in excess but always in deficiency.

Suu Kyi states that she learnt the holy ways of our living by her teacher's book 'In this very life'. She has been helped and strengthened in her political works by her teachers. She visited many places in Burma and met many teachers. At Pakokku, she learnt 'Don't be frightened every time there is an attempt to frighten you but don't be entire without fear'. Don't become elated every time you are praised but don't be entirely lacking in elation'.

The abbot at Natmauk gave her a sermon on the four causes of decline and decay. They are as follows:

-          Failure to recover that which has been lost.

-          Omitting to repair that which has been damaged.

-          Disregard of the need for reasonable economy.

-          The elevation to leadership of those without morality or learning.

Suu Kyi struggled much in her life for democracy. She learnt that letdown investment in dukkha (suffering) and you will gain sukkah (bliss).