Nani Bala Barua (March 25, 1911 - September 1, 1989), better known as Dipa Ma, was an Indian meditation teacher of TheravadaBuddhism and was of Barua descent.[1] She was a prominent Buddhist master in Asia and also taught in the United States where she influenced the American branch of the Vipassana movement.[2]
In her childhood she showed an exceptional interest in Buddhist rituals and preferred to study rather than play.[1] She very much wanted to attend school but in 1923 at the age of twelve she was married and later went to live with her husband, an engineer, in Rangoon.[1] He soon left to work in Burma, leaving her with her in-laws. Eventually she moved to Burma to join her husband. In 1929 when Nani was 18 her mother died unexpectedly, leaving behind a baby boy named Bijoy which Nani and her husband took to raise in Burma, as they had not yet had a child.
At the age of 35 Nani conceived and gave birth to her first child, a baby girl, who fell ill and died at three months of age. Four years later, in 1950, Nani gave birth to a daughter, Dipa, whereupon Nani began to be called Dipa Ma "Mother of Dipa"[1] as her daughter's survival was a momentous event. This was followed by yet another loss of a child (her first son) at birth, the sudden death of her husband in 1957, and subsequent extreme grief and physical pains.
Meditation
After her husband died, Dipa Ma was extremely unhappy. One day a doctor suggested that she learn how to meditate. She attended her first meditation retreat at the Kamayut Meditation Center in Rangoon.[1] She soon after attended her second retreat, at the Thathana Yeiktha center, where the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw was teacher-in-residence.[1] There she experienced the first stage of enlightenment.[1]
In 1963 she was chosen to study the siddhis or spiritual powers with the Indian master Anagarika Munindra,[4] a senior student of Mahasi Sayadaw. According to scholars, the Visuddhimagga is one of the extremely rare texts within the enormous literatures of various forms of Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism to give explicit details about how spiritual masters were thought to actually manifest supernormal abilities.[5] Abilities such as flying through the air, walking through solid obstructions, diving into the ground, walking on water and so forth are performed by changing one element, such as earth, into another element, such as air.[6] The individual must master kasina meditation before this is possible.[6] Dipa Ma, who trained via the Visuddhimagga, was said to demonstrate these abilities.[7]
Teaching career
In 1967, she returned to India, moving to Calcutta where she taught meditation.[1] Her first formal student was her neighbor, Malati Barua, a widow trying to raise six young children alone. Believing that enlightenment was possible in any environment, Dipa Ma devised practices that her new student could carry out at home.
She died at the age of 78, in 1989 in Kolkata, India,[1] while bowing before a statue of the Buddha. She was survived by her daughter Dipa, an employee of the Indian government, and her grandson Rishi.
References
^ abcdefghi"Mother of Light: The Inspiring Story of Dipa Ma". Lion's Roar. March 1, 2003. Retrieved March 5, 2016.
^Dipananda, BD (May 14, 2014). "Dipa Ma - An extraordinary female Buddhist master in the twentieth century". Buddhistdoor Limited. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
^Schmidt, Amy (2005). Dipa Ma: The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master. BlueBridge. ISBN9780974240558.
^"Enlightenment In This Lifetime: Meetings With A Remarkable Woman - An Interview With Dipa Ma". Tricycle: The Buddhist Review. Retrieved March 25, 2016.
^Jacobsen, Knut A., ed. (2011). Yoga Powers. Leiden: Brill. p. 93. ISBN9789004212145.
^ abJacobsen, Knut A., ed. (2011). Yoga Powers. Leiden: Brill. pp. 83–86. ISBN9789004212145.
^Schmidt, Amy (2005). Dipa Ma. Windhorse Publications Ltd. p. Chapter 9 At Home in Strange Realms.
Dipa Ma's dharma talks at Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center, 1984
December 28, 2022
dipa, nani, bala, barua, march, 1911, september, 1989, better, known, indian, meditation, teacher, theravada, buddhism, barua, descent, prominent, buddhist, master, asia, also, taught, united, states, where, influenced, american, branch, vipassana, movement, b. Nani Bala Barua March 25 1911 September 1 1989 better known as Dipa Ma was an Indian meditation teacher of Theravada Buddhism and was of Barua descent 1 She was a prominent Buddhist master in Asia and also taught in the United States where she influenced the American branch of the Vipassana movement 2 Dipa MaDipa Ma in Barre Massachusetts 1980Born1911 Died1989 aged 77 78 Contents 1 Early life 2 Meditation 3 Teaching career 4 Death 5 References 6 Sources 7 External linksEarly life EditNani Bala Barua was born in on March 25 1911 in a small village in Chittagong East Bengal then in British India but now part of Bangladesh 3 In her childhood she showed an exceptional interest in Buddhist rituals and preferred to study rather than play 1 She very much wanted to attend school but in 1923 at the age of twelve she was married and later went to live with her husband an engineer in Rangoon 1 He soon left to work in Burma leaving her with her in laws Eventually she moved to Burma to join her husband In 1929 when Nani was 18 her mother died unexpectedly leaving behind a baby boy named Bijoy which Nani and her husband took to raise in Burma as they had not yet had a child At the age of 35 Nani conceived and gave birth to her first child a baby girl who fell ill and died at three months of age Four years later in 1950 Nani gave birth to a daughter Dipa whereupon Nani began to be called Dipa Ma Mother of Dipa 1 as her daughter s survival was a momentous event This was followed by yet another loss of a child her first son at birth the sudden death of her husband in 1957 and subsequent extreme grief and physical pains Meditation EditAfter her husband died Dipa Ma was extremely unhappy One day a doctor suggested that she learn how to meditate She attended her first meditation retreat at the Kamayut Meditation Center in Rangoon 1 She soon after attended her second retreat at the Thathana Yeiktha center where the Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw was teacher in residence 1 There she experienced the first stage of enlightenment 1 In 1963 she was chosen to study the siddhis or spiritual powers with the Indian master Anagarika Munindra 4 a senior student of Mahasi Sayadaw According to scholars the Visuddhimagga is one of the extremely rare texts within the enormous literatures of various forms of Jainism Buddhism and Hinduism to give explicit details about how spiritual masters were thought to actually manifest supernormal abilities 5 Abilities such as flying through the air walking through solid obstructions diving into the ground walking on water and so forth are performed by changing one element such as earth into another element such as air 6 The individual must master kasina meditation before this is possible 6 Dipa Ma who trained via the Visuddhimagga was said to demonstrate these abilities 7 Teaching career EditIn 1967 she returned to India moving to Calcutta where she taught meditation 1 Her first formal student was her neighbor Malati Barua a widow trying to raise six young children alone Believing that enlightenment was possible in any environment Dipa Ma devised practices that her new student could carry out at home In the 1970s she was a teacher of Sylvia Boorstein Joseph Goldstein 8 Jack Kornfield 9 Michelle Levey and Sharon Salzberg 10 who later became prominent teachers in the United States In the early 1980s Dipa Ma taught at the Insight Meditation Society in Barre Massachusetts 11 Death EditShe died at the age of 78 in 1989 in Kolkata India 1 while bowing before a statue of the Buddha She was survived by her daughter Dipa an employee of the Indian government and her grandson Rishi References Edit a b c d e f g h i Mother of Light The Inspiring Story of Dipa Ma Lion s Roar March 1 2003 Retrieved March 5 2016 Dipananda BD May 14 2014 Dipa Ma An extraordinary female Buddhist master in the twentieth century Buddhistdoor Limited Retrieved September 1 2021 Schmidt Amy 2005 Dipa Ma The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master BlueBridge ISBN 9780974240558 Enlightenment In This Lifetime Meetings With A Remarkable Woman An Interview With Dipa Ma Tricycle The Buddhist Review Retrieved March 25 2016 Jacobsen Knut A ed 2011 Yoga Powers Leiden Brill p 93 ISBN 9789004212145 a b Jacobsen Knut A ed 2011 Yoga Powers Leiden Brill pp 83 86 ISBN 9789004212145 Schmidt Amy 2005 Dipa Ma Windhorse Publications Ltd p Chapter 9 At Home in Strange Realms Goldstein Joseph 2002 One Dharma HarperOne pp 29 ISBN 978 0 06 251701 2 Kornfield Jack 2008 The Wise Heart Bantam Books p 76 ISBN 9780553382334 My Teachers Sharon Salzberg Retrieved March 5 2016 Dipa Ma s Dharma Talks at Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center DharmaSeed Retrieved March 5 2016 Sources EditFindly Ellison Banks 2000 Women s Buddhism Buddhism s Women Tradition Revision Renewal Wisdom Publications Knaster Mirka Ph D Living this Life Fully The Stories and Teachings of Munindra 2010 Shambhala Publications Boston ISBN 978 1 59030 674 1 Amy Schmidt Dipa Ma The Life and Legacy of a Buddhist Master ISBN 0 9742405 5 9 USA ISBN 1 899579 73 7 Europe External links EditDipa Ma talks videos and biography Video of Dipa Ma in San Francisco on YouTube Dipa Ma s dharma talks at Insight Meditation Society Retreat Center 1984 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dipa Ma amp oldid 1122893291, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
