The Buddha taught the Four Noble Truths, which includes the theoretical as well as the practical aspect of his teaching.

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering: the entire field of suffering has to be known by experience.
2. The Noble Truth of the Arising of Suffering: the eradication of craving has to be experienced.
3. The Noble Truth of Cessation of Suffering: the realization of Nibbāna.
4. The Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of Suffering: this has to be developed by repeated practice.

Hearing these truths and understanding them at the intellectual level is good but not sufficient. To benefit from these truths, it is essential to gain knowledge about them through experiential wisdom. Merely learning about them from others and understanding them at the intellectual level cannot make one sthitaprajña or an arahat.

The Buddha taught his five companions how to develop in wisdom and get established in it. All five became established in wisdom and became arahats. In the following quotation from a tradition in our country, we find reference to such arahats:

Tasya prajñā pratiśṭhitā (Bhagavadgītā 2.57-58)
————
Yathindakhīlo paṭhaviṃ sito siyā,
catubbhi vātehi asampakampiyo;
tathūpamaṃ sappurisaṃ vadāmi,
yo ariyasaccāni avecca passati.

Dhamma-vandanā, Ratana-sutta-8

Just as Indra’s pillar (a strong post at the entrance of a city), that is firmly embedded in the earth remains unshaken by the winds blowing from the four directions, similarly I declare as truly virtuous that person who has fully comprehended the four Noble Truths by direct experience. Such an arahat who is established in wisdom remains unshaken under all circumstances.

Misconceptions
When the original scriptures containing the Buddha’s teaching and the practice of Vipassana were totally lost from our country, some opponents of the Buddha and some ignorant people spread false comments about the four Noble Truths.

One misconception that they spread was that the teaching was utterly pessimistic and useless; and therefore it was lost from our country—because the word suffering was used four times whereas happiness was not mentioned at all.

Unless one practises Vipassana, how can one understand that the cessation of suffering (dukkhanirodha) is nothing but supreme happiness? Similarly, the practice of the other three truths also leads to supreme happiness.

Another misconception which they spread was, ‘How can suffering be called noble?’

When one practises Vipassana, one understands that when any one of the four Noble Truths is thoroughly experienced, it makes one a noble person.

Keep this in mind and work. Distribute this wonderful Dhamma for your good and for the good of so many suffering people around the world. May pure Dhamma spread! May more and more people start practising Dhamma to enjoy real peace, harmony, happiness!

Basic Pali-English Course at VRI

Vipassana Research Institute will be conducting an eight-month basic Pali-English residential course from March 2009 to 31 October 2009.
Vipassana meditators who have completed five ten-day courses and one Satipatthana course, are observing five precepts and maintaining two hours of daily practice for the last two years and are fully committed to this tradition are eligible for admission. Local area Teacher's recommendation is essential for admission to the course.

Advanced Pali-English Course at VRI

Advanced Pali-English residential course will be conducted from March 2009 to 31 October 2009. Eligibility criteria are the same as in the Basic Pali course plus completion of the Basic course or equivalent. Area teacher's recommendation is essential.

Last date for application is 31 January 2009. Application forms are available at VRI, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403. Email: vri_admin@dhamma.net.in
Website: www.vri.dhamma.org

Pilgrimage to the Buddha Sacred Sites

IRCTC, the tourism arm of Indian Railways, last year, started running a fully airconditioned special train named the Mahaparinirvana Express, touring the Buddha Sacred Sites – Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath and Kushinagar. Exhaustive details can be viewed on www.railtourismindia.com.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Vipassana meditator to do the pilgrimage in a comfortable manner without the bother and hassle of orgainising multiple ticketing, local transport at different destinations and hotel stays.

Global Vipassana Foundation(GVF) has negotiated a special discount of 21% with IRCTC for the benefit of Vipassana meditators, and IRCTC & GVF has additionally agreed to structure in two slots of group meditation for the Vipassana meditators, subject to the number of such meditators being not less than 10 on a given train. The first, under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya and the second, at Kushinagar. The group sittings will be scheduled for after the close of visiting hours to the temple so as to provide a quiet environment for group meditation. This would be subject to no other engagement happening on the particular day in the temple premises.

The circuit of the Mahaparinirvana Express starts and ends at Delhi. The forthcoming schedule and tariff appear below:

Schedule
Start and end at Delhi

		Starting Date	Ending Date
2008	Oct	1st & 18th	8th & 25th
	Nov	1st, 15th & 29th	8th, 22nd & 6thDec
	Dec	13th & 27th	20th & 3rd Jan
2009	Jan	10th & 24th	17th & 31st
	Feb	7th & 21st	14th & 28th
	Mar	7th & 21st	14th & 28th

 

Tariff
Full Tour of 8 days / Full Fare (infants free, children 5-12 yrs 50%)

 

Class	Rack Rate		21% Discounted Rate (rounded)
	Rs	USD	Rs	USD
First	45150	1050	35670	830
2 Tier	37625	875	29730	692
3 Tier	28595	665	22590	525

 

Meditators needing more information are encouraged to visit www.railtourismindia.com and/or contact Arun Srivastava - Tel: (91) 99714-96669, Email: arunsrivastava@irctc.com. For registration contact Manish Shinde - Tel: (91) 93235-26462, Email: manish@globalpagoda.org.

Donations through Core Banking and SWIFT Transfer

Donations to Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust (VIA, Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri) and VRI can now be remitted from anywhere in India through any branch of the State Bank of India (SBI) under core banking system.

Account Nos of State Bank of India, Igatpuri branch:
1 Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust: 11542160342
2 VRI: 11542165646. (Igatpuri Branch Code: 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

NB 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.

Pali Workshop

A seven-day Pali workshop has been organized at Jaipur for English-speaking non-Indian Vipassana meditators from 1 to 9 December 2008 (11 am), at Kothari Farms (Marugandha), Bhankrota-Jaisinghpura Road, two kms off Jaipur-Ajmer Express Highway, Bhankrota, Jaipur. For registration, contact Mr. Anil Mehta, Email: anilmehta02@yahoo.com

Vipassana Websites

Vipassana introduction: www.dhamma.org
Course schedules of Vipassana centres worldwide, application form for ten-day courses, etc.
Dhamma Giri: www.vri.dhamma.org
Indian Vipassana centres and schedule of courses, VRI Newsletters, research papers, publications, etc.
Pali Tipiṭaka Website: www.tipitaka.org
The Chaṭṭha Saṅgāyana Tipiṭaka with commentaries, subcommentaries and related Pali texts in Roman, Devanagari, Cyrillic, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Myanmar, and Sinhala scripts. Bengali and Telugu scripts have also been added recently. More scripts will be added in future.
Prison Courses Website: www.prison.dhamma.org
Information about Vipassana courses in prisons.
Global Vipassana Pagoda Website: www.globalpagoda.org
Updated information about Global Vipassana Pagoda.

Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television

Aastha: Daily, 9:40 to 10 am
Hungama: and 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 timings.)

Children’s Courses in Mumbai

To serve children’s courses in Mumbai, call 98200-22990.

Date	Venue	Age	Registration
23-11	Matunga	13-16 yrs	21 & 22-11
7-12	South Mumbai	9-15 yrs	29 & 30-11
7-12	Matunga	13-16 yrs	29 & 30-11
21-12	Ulhasnagar	13-16 yrs	6 & 7-12
21-12	Ghatkopar	10-12 yrs	6 & 7-12

Course Timings: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. Registration: 11 am to 1 pm
Course Venues: Ghatkopar (W): SNDT School, New Bldg., Cama Lane, Opp. Vidyut Soc. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. Matunga: Amulakh Amirchand High School, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Rd, New SNDT College, King’s Circle, Matunga, Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505. South Mumbai: Tel: 2308-1622. Ulhasnagar: Guru Nanak School, Kurla Camp, Ulhasnagar-4. Tel: (0251) 252-2693. NB Please: *bring cushion, *register on specified phone numbers, *inform in advance if unable to attend after registration, *arrive on time for the course.

Goregaon: 18-1-2009 (10 to 14 years) at Vipassana Counselling & Research Centre, Siddharth Municipal Gen. Hospital, Goregaon (W), Mumbai. Registration: 16 & 17 Jan. from 11 am to 1 pm. Contact: Vijay Bhatia, 2308-1622.

 

New Responsibilities

Bhikkhu Ācaryas:
Ven. Bhikkhu Badullawala Seelaratana, Sri Lanka

Ācaryas:
1. U Myat Kyaw, Myanmar
To serve prison courses at Insein Prison, Myanmar
2. Ms. Laraine Doneman, Australia
Spread of Dhamma

Senior Assistant Teachers:
Mr. Christian & Mrs. Rosi Hild, Switzerland

New Appointments

Assistant Teachers:
1. Dr. Shriram Rathod, Nanded
2. Daw Wai Wai, Myanmar
3. Ms. Shanti Mather, South Africa
4. Mrs. Osnat Rizi, Israel

Children’s Course Teachers:
1. & 2. Mr. Atul & Mrs. Jalpa Bhut, Rajkot
3. Ms. Neerja Verma, Shivpuri, M.P.
4. Mrs. S. Janaki, Chennai
5. Ms. V. Padmini, Kalpakam

Dhamma Dohas

Jāgo logo jagata ke, bītī kālī rāta.
Huā ujālā dharama kā, maṅgala huā prabhāta.
People of the world awake, the dark night is over
The light of Dhamma has shone, the dawn of happiness

Āo prāṇī vishva ke, suno dharama kā gyāna.
Isame sukha hai shānti hai, mukti moksha niravāṇa.
Come beings of the universe,
listen to the wisdom of Dhamma.
In this lies happiness and peace,
freedom, liberation, nibbāna.

Yaha to vāṇī buddha kī, shuddha dharama kī jyota.
Akshara akshara meṃ bharā, maṅgala ota parota.
The words of the Buddha, the light of pure Dhamma
Each syllable is filled and permeated with happiness.

Buddha vāṇī mīṭhī ghaṇī, misarī ke se bola.
Kalyāṇī maṅgalamayī, bharā amṛta rasa ghola.
Sweet are the Buddha’s words, like crystallized sugar
Yielding welfare and happiness,
suffused with the taste of the deathless.