Vol.18 No.2 February 21, 2008
Words of Dhamma
Atītaṃ nānusocanti,nappajappanti nāgataṃ;paccuppannena yāpenti,tena vaṇṇo pasīdati.
They do not lament over the past,they yearn not for what is to come,they maintain themselves in the present,
thus their complexion is serene.
Saṃyutta Nikāya 1.10
Gain the Strength of Dhamma - by S. N. Goenka
(The following is a condensed and edited version of a discourse given by Goenkaji on the concluding day of the Satipaṭṭhāna course.)
When you join a Satipaṭṭhāna course, the technique remains the same. You have been participating in a number of courses, practising the same technique: observing eight precepts, developing your samādhiṃ,
bahujana-hitāya, bahujana-sukhāya,
lokānukampāya…
Go forth, O bhikkhus,
for the good of many, for the happiness of many,
out of compassion for the world…
The purity of the tradition was maintained from generation to generation. After five centuries it was lost in the country of its origin, though other countries maintained it for a longer time. Fortunately the neighbouring country of Myanmar maintained it for twenty five centuries. This is why you have it now. So a feeling of gratitude naturally arises.
Some students come and express their feeling of gratitude towards their guide. But the only way to express one’s gratitude is to get established in Dhamma, to get ripened in Dhamma. There cannot be a better way to express the feeling of gratitude. A father or a mother becomes happy and proud if their child surpasses them. In the same way, your Dhamma guide feels happy and satisfied when he finds: “These people who have taken Dhamma from me are developing so well. May they surpass my ability!”
So get established in Dhamma. It will be so good for you and good for so many others. Many others will take inspiration from your life. The revival of Dhamma has just started. You are fortunate to be born in a period when the Dhamma has arisen again, and is spreading around the world. May you become an instrument for the spread of Dhamma, for the good of so many, for your own good and also for the good of so many!
You are fortunate to get a human life. You have come in contact with Dhamma and have started practising Dhamma. All these factors are very fortunate. Now grow in Dhamma, glow in Dhamma, get ripened in Dhamma so that more and more people get inspiration and start walking on the path of Dhamma; more and more people come out of their misery and enjoy real peace, real harmony, real happiness.
May all of you grow in Dhamma, may all of you glow in Dhamma. May all of you live a Dhamma life, good for you and good for others; beneficial for you and beneficial for others. with the awareness of respiration, and then developing your paññā with the awareness of the sensations and equanimity with the sensations—that means equanimity at the deepest level of the mind. This is what you had been practising in all your courses and this is what you have practised now.
The only difference—and a very important difference—is that in this course you are working with the direct words of the Buddha. You were able to listen to those words and to understand those words at the intellectual level—and also at the actual level because you were practising. One gets more inspiration, one gets more confidence, and one works more diligently, more seriously.
This is the advantage of coming to a course like this: The essence of Dhamma becomes clear.
The more one practises, understanding the teaching properly at the intellectual level and at the level of paññā, wisdom—the clearer the essence of Dhamma becomes. There is no confusion about it. One starts giving importance to the essence of Dhamma and starts applying it in life.
Merely coming to a course doesn’t help if you don’t apply it in your life. It is applied Dhamma which gives all the fruits, all the benefits. Coming to a course is certainly not an escape from the responsibilities of life. One goes to a hospital to regain one’s health. One does not stay in the hospital all the time. Similarly, one does not come to a Vipassana centre to escape from the responsibilities of life.
Gain strength, and then make use of this strength to face all the vicissitudes of life. The vast majority of you are family men, family women, having responsibilities of the family, and of the society. Dhamma will give you the strength to face these responsibilities and to live ideal lives.
Anyone who comes and practises Dhamma has a dual responsibility. One responsibility, of course, is to liberate oneself from all the miseries and to start living a very happy, harmonious, peaceful life.
Another big responsibility is to live the kind of life that will become an example to others. Of course you cannot please everyone else but you have to be careful that you do not harm anyone. You don’t do anything which will hurt others and you start living a life which gives inspiration to others.
If people see a Vipassana meditator living a life full of misery and tension, they will hesitate to come to a Vipassana course: “Look, this is a product of Vipassana meditation. If I am also going to become like this, what is the use of my spending ten days at a course?” You become a barrier for others to take Dhamma.
On the other hand, if someone sees a person’s life changed for the better, if they see this person is now living a better life, facing various situations calmly, they will feel: “Wonderful. This person is developing such good qualities.” They will be inspired to take a course.
When someone comes to a course, the first to benefit are the members of his family. When one person comes to a Vipassana course, practises properly, and changes for the better, then the members of his family see this change and start coming to courses. Once they start practising Vipassana, there is a great improvement in the family.
Whenever there is misunderstanding or ill will among members of a family, if they sit together for Vipassana, one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening, followed by a few minutes of mettā-bhāvanā, they get up smiling. The entire atmosphere of the family changes. The tension is gone and cordiality prevails. The family becomes an ideal family.
When one family becomes an ideal family—happy, peaceful, and harmonious—this attracts the members of other families. They start coming to Dhamma. One family after another practises Dhamma, until the whole community starts enjoying peace and harmony. Gradually, the whole nation will start experiencing peace and harmony. Eventually, the whole world will start experiencing peace and harmony. It all starts with the individual.
So every individual who comes to a Vipassana course has a great responsibility, a dual responsibility: “My life must change now, not only for my good, but for the good of so many.” After twenty-five centuries, Dhamma has arisen once again. One feels, “I’m so fortunate that I have come in contact with Dhamma. Otherwise, in the name of Dhamma, I would have been involved in rites, rituals, philosophical beliefs and dogmas—in different sectarian entanglements. Now I have received the universal Dhamma. I am so fortunate. And the time has ripened for Dhamma to spread throughout the world. What can I do? How can I help?”
One may give service, contributions, assistance in different ways. But the best help is to be an example, a good example of Dhamma. This will generate inspiration in people’s minds so that they will also walk on the path of Dhamma: “Look this person has started living such a peaceful, harmonious, and wonderful life. Why not I?” This is the biggest service.
As this course comes to an end, the students have been purifying the mind and dissolving the ego. They start developing two rare qualities. One quality is: “How can I help others without expecting anything in return? How can I be helpful so that more and more people come on the path and come out of their misery?” One’s only satisfaction is to see others happy, peaceful, harmonious, without any expectation in return.
The second quality is a feeling of gratitude. One feels gratitude towards Gotama the Buddha. After his enlightenment, he did not just liberate himself—he started distributing it to others with infinite love and compassion. And he trained others:
Caratha bhikkhave cārika
Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television
Aastha: Daily, 9:40 to 10 am.
Hungama: Daily, 4.30 to 6.00 am.
Bindass: Daily, 4.30 to 6.00 am.
Zee: Urja, daily, 4:30 am.
USA: Aastha TV at 6 pm EST (Monday to Friday) on WORLDDIRECT platform of DIRECTV on channel no. 2005. (Please confirm exact telecast timings.)
Children’s courses in BMC schools
The Vipassana organization was invited this year by the Muncipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (BMC) to conduct Anapana courses for school children in BMC schools. The initial phase of the project in November and December 2007 covered about 6500 students mostly those appearing for the S.S.C. examination in 2008.
Now, in the current phase, about 10000 students of IX class will be taught Anapana. The courses are being held twice a day at about 48 BMC schools all over Mumbai. Goenkaji was pleased to know that the new generation will get the seed of Dhamma at such a young age and has given his blessings for this mammoth task.
Dhamma servers are required for these courses. Meditators who have completed three ten-day courses and are under the age of 50 are welcome to serve in these courses. They must have the aptitude and a desire to work with children. Training will be provided for the same. Knowledge of Hindi or Marathi is essential. The timings for these courses are 7 am to 12.30 pm for the morning courses and 12.30 pm to 6 pm for the afternoon courses. The schedule of courses is available online at www.vri.dhamma.org/anapana/bmc.html. Contact: Aditya Sejpal, 98200-22990 or Ramnath Shenoy, 98203-74006; Email: childrencourse@vsnl.com
Dhamma Vipula, Navi Mumbai Vipassana Centre
All formalities of procurement and registration of land have been completed. Boundary (stones) work has also been completed. The necessary water and power connections are available at the site. The Municipality has approved the architectural plans and construction work is in progress. Presently monthly expenses are about Rs. 30 lakhs.
Those who wish to participate in this project may contact: Mr. Sudhakar Funde, Sayagi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, Dhamma Vipula, Plot No. 91, 26 Parsik Hill, CBD-Belapur, Navi Mumbai 400 614. Mobile: 98674-92717.
Dhamma Pokhara, Pushkar Vipassana Centre
The first ten-day course at Dhamma Pokhara in Rajasthan will be conducted from 23 March to 3 April 2008. The centre is about 23 kms from Ajmer and about 9 kms from Pushkar towards Parbatsar. A meditation hall seating 120 people and accommodation for about 28 meditators have been built. Residences of Dhamma servers and assistant teachers have also been built.
For registration, contact: 1. Mr. Ravi Toshniwal, Pushp Vatika, Gokhale Marg, Ajmer 305 001. Mobile: 98290-71778; E-mail: info@toshcon.com 2. Mr. Anil Dhariwal, Mobile: 98290-28275
Courses at Global Pagoda
Ten-day courses at Dhamma Pattana, Global Pagoda will be conducted from 27 February to 9 March and 12 to 23 March. These courses are only for old students. Goenkaji may be present during these courses. Please send applications, (marked Dhamma Pattana, Global Pagoda course) to VIA, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403, Email: info@giri.dhamma.org
One-day courses are being organized at the Global Pagoda every Sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. Health permitting, Goenkaji will be present during the one-day course on the third Sunday of every month, which will be conducted in the main meditation hall of the Global Pagoda. (One-day Vipassana courses are only for those who have completed a ten-day Vipassana course.)
Lunch will be served to the course participants in addition to tea and biscuits at 10 am and in the evening.
Meditators are requested to bring their own water bottles. However they can refill their bottles at the Global Pagoda. They should switch off their mobile phones and observe noble silence during the course.
NB There is no facility available at present for overnight stay of one-day course students at the Global Pagoda.
Registration for these one-day courses is compulsory.
For registration, contact: Mr. Derek Pegado,
Tel: (022) 2845-1206; 2845-1204, 2845-2261 (from Monday to Saturday, 11 am to 5 pm). Email: globalpagoda@hotmail.com
Website: www.globalpagoda.org
Donations through Core Banking and SWIFT Transfer
Donations to Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust (Vipassana International Academy, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri) and Vipassana Research Institute can now be remitted from anywhere in India through any branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) under core banking system.
Account Numbers of State Bank of India, Igatpuri branch are:
1 Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust: 11542160342
2 Vipassana Research Institute: 11542165646.
(Igatpuri Branch Code Number: 0386)
Donations from outside India can be remitted through SWIFT transfer to State Bank of India, Igatpuri Branch, Maharashtra, India. SWIFT Transfer details are as follows:
1. Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial trust: SBININ BB 528 Branch code 01247 beneficiary Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust Account No. 11542160342 Igatpuri branch code: 0386
2. Vipassana Research Institute (VRI): SBININ BB 528 Branch code 01247 beneficiary Vipassana Research Institute Account No. 11542165646 Igatpuri branch code: 0386
Please inform Accounts Department, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403, Email: info@giri.dhamma.org about your donation with all relevant details so that the receipt of your donation can be sent to you.
Vipassana Websites
Vipassana introduction: ṭaka Website:www.tipitaka.org
Contains the Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana Tipiṭaka along with commentaries, subcommentaries and related Pali texts. in Roman, Devanagari, Cyrillic, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Myanmar, and Sinhala scripts. More scripts will be added in future.www.dhamma.org
Contains information about Course Schedules of Vipassana centres worldwide, Code of Discipline, Application Form for ten-day courses, etc.
Dhamma Giri: www.vri.dhamma.org
Contains information about Indian Vipassana centres and Schedule of Courses, VRI Newsletters, research papers, publications, etc.
Pali Tipi
Special Leave for Railway Officers
The Ministry of Railways (Railway Board), Government of India has issued notification No. (TRG) 2005 (11)/93 dated 20 November 2007 to all General Managers of Indian Railways and Production Units to nominate willing officers to attend the training program at the Vipassana Institute or centres. The notice states that the period of the course may be treated as special casual leave.
Children’s Courses in Mumbai
To serve children’s courses in Mumbai, call 98200-22990.
|
Date |
Venue |
Age |
Registration |
|
2-3 |
South Mumbai |
13-16 yrs |
28-2 & 1-3 |
|
16-3 |
Ulhasnagar |
10-12 yrs |
15 & 16-3 |
|
23-3 |
Ghatkopar |
13-16 yrs |
22 & 23-3 |
|
6-4 |
South Mumbai |
10-12 yrs |
4 & 5-4 |
|
13-4 |
Ulhasnagar |
13-16 yrs |
10 & 11-4 |
Course Timing: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Registration: 11 am to 1 pm
Course Venues: Andheri (W): Dada Saheb Gaikwad Sansthan, Babasaheb Ambedkar Marg, RTO Corner, Four Bungalows. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. Ghatkopar (W): SNDT School, New Building, Cama Lane, Opp Vidyut Society. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. Matunga: Amulakh Amirchand High School, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, New SNDT College, King’s Circle, Matunga (CR), Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. South Mumbai: Tel: 2308-1622. Ulhasnagar: Guru Nanak High School, Kurla Camp, Ulhasnagar-4. Tel: (0251) 252-2693. NB Please: *bring cushion, *register on the specified phone numbers, *inform in advance if unable to attend after registration, *arrive on time for the course.
AT Training Workshops in 2008
The following workshops will be organized in India for all newly appointed and trainee Vipassana assistant teachers:
20 to 23 March: Logicstat Farms (Delhi)
1 to 4 May: Dhamma Tapovanaṇa (Lucknow)
27 to 30 August: Dhamma Khetta (Hyderabad)
2 to 5 October: Dhamma Sindhu (Bada)
Vipassana teachers, SATs and ATs are also welcome to attend. Please contact the respective Vipassana centres for registration and register well in advance. (for conducting Teenagers’ courses)
12 to 15 July: Dhamma Lakkha
New Appointments
Assistant Teachers:
1. Mr. V. Santhanagopalan, Chennai
2. Mr. Bruno Kurz, Germany
3. & 4. Mr. Jeff & Mrs. Jill Glenn, USA
5. Ms. Mary Preston, Canada
Children’s Course Teachers:
1. Dr. Shilpa Deore, Dhule
2. Dr. Venkatesh Khadke, Dhule
3. Mrs. Vijaya Pawar, Dhule
4. Mrs. Meena Borse, Dhule
5. U Tin Tun Aung, Myanmar
6. U Myat Thura, Myanmar
7. U Kyaw Phyo Win, Myanmar
8. U Than Htay, Myanmar
9. Ms. Julie Delor, France
10. Mr. Marco Iannucci, Italy
11. Mrs. Aase Nielsen, Italy
12. Mr. Ivan Accantelli, Italy
Words of Dhamma
The Dhamma is not the result of conjecture or speculation, but the result of personal attainments, and it is precise in every respect.
2. The Dhamma produces beneficial results here and now for those who practise it in accordance with the techniques evolved by the Buddha.
3. The effect of Dhamma on the person practising it is immediate in that it has the quality of simultaneously removing the causes of suffering with the understanding of the truth of suffering.
4. The Dhamma can stand the test of those who are anxious to do so. They can know for themselves what the benefits are.
5. The Dhamma is part of one’s own self, and is therefore susceptible of ready investigation.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin
Dhamma Dohas
Nā bhaviṣya kī kalpanā, nā atīta ulajhāya;
Vartamāna ko dekhakara, mukta puruṣa musakāya.
No ideas about the future, no entanglement in the past;
observing the present, the liberated one smiles.
Bhāvī ke bandhana kaṭeṅ, bhūta na bāṅdhana pāya;
Vartamāna meṅ jo jiye, jīvana-mukta kahāya.
Cutting the bonds of the future, unshackled by the past,
one who lives in the present is indeed liberated.
Jo na vikala kala ke liye, yoga kṣema bharapūra;
Anāsakta vaha mukta hai, huve dukha saba dūra.
Not worried about the future, completely secure,
One who is detached is liberated, and vanquishes all suffering.
Nirbhayatā nirbairatā, saccā dharma akāla;ṅ jo jage, so hī hoya nihāla.
One without fear and enmity is practising the true Dhamma.
Whoever lives a Dhamma life is indeed fortunate.
Satya dharma me
