The Vessel of the Dhamma

(The following article has been adapted from an address given by Goenkaji to the annual Meeting on the Spread of the Dhamma held in March 1989 at the Vipassana International Academy, Igatpuri, India.)

Messengers and servants of the Dhamma:

You have assembled here from around the world to deepen your understanding of how to spread the Dhamma so that more and more people may come into contact with it and benefit from it. Whatever you discuss or plan here in the coming days, keep firmly in your minds the basic message imparted by the greatest messenger of Dhamma twenty-five centuries ago. That message explains not only what Dhamma is but also how it should be distributed. Every word of it is valuable to remember. It is a message of eternal relevance to all Dhamma messengers in all ages.

What ultimately is the volition with which to spread the Dhamma? What is the underlying purpose? Is it the wish to convert people to Buddhism, Hinduism, Christianity or any other organized religion? On the contrary, that great messenger made clear the volition required. The Dhamma is to be spread bahujana-hitāya, bahujana-sukhāya—for the good and benefit of many! As many people as one is capable of serving.

And how is this service to be given? Again, the same message gives us the answer; lokānukampāya—with compassion for people, with selfless love and good will in one’s heart.

All servants and messengers of Dhamma must keep examining themselves to check that their service accords with this message, for egotism may make its onslaught in any person at any time. When it does, the recognition one receives and the prominence one is granted seem more important than the service rendered. This attitude is nothing but madness, all the more dangerous because it can be so subtle. For this reason one must constantly be on guard against its approach.

Of course, personal material gain is out of the question, but certain forms of Dhamma service may sometimes lead to name and fame. Be careful not to let this become the attraction. Remember that you must work without expecting anything in return, with compassion for those whom you serve. They are most important, not those who give the service. The weaker your egotism and the greater your good will, the better you are fit to serve.

And what precisely is the service that you must seek to give? Again the Master Teacher has explained: desetha Dhammam—give the people Dhamma, nothing but Dhamma. Not the Dhamma of any organized religion, be it Buddhist, Hindu, Christian or Jain, but the universal Law applicable to one and all.

One characteristic of the genuine Dhamma is that it confers benefits at every stage to those who practice it. As the Teacher said, it is ādikalyāṇaṃ, majjhekalyāṇaṃ, pariyosānakalyāṇaṃ—beneficial in the beginning, in the middle, and in the end. The first steps on the Path yield positive results at once, and these increase as one goes further. When the final goal is reached, the benefits are limitless. Thus, every step of the practice produces good. This is one important feature by which to recognize the true Dhamma.

Another is that the Dhamma is complete. Nothing need be added to it or removed from it to render it effective; it is kevalparipuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ. The Dhamma is like a brimming vessel; nothing more is required to fill it, and any addition will be at the sacrifice of what the vessel already contains.

Often the urge to add may be well-intentioned, in the hope of making the Dhamma more attractive to people of various backgrounds. “What harm is there in adding something which is itself good?” someone may ask. Understand: the harm is that the Dhamma will eventually be relegated to the background and forgotten. Additions may offer mundane benefits, but the goal of Dhamma is supramundane; liberation from suffering. Something may be harmless in itself, but it becomes most dangerous if it causes us to lose sight of this goal.

Equally insidious are moves to abridge the Dhamma in anyway. Again the intention may be good; to avoid offence to people who might find aspects of the teaching hard to accept. Against such urgings we must recall that the Dhamma was not devised to suit any particular set of views; it is the Law of Nature, rediscovered by the master Teacher 2500 years ago. Every part of it is needed to lead on to the final goal. Omitting an aspect that some find controversial—whether sīla, samādhi, or paññā—may be a good way to curry favour, but what is that worth if the efficacy of the Teaching is lost? We seek not popularity but liberation for ourselves and others.

Given a bowl of nectar, someone cries, “It is too sour!” Another says, “It would be sweeter with a little sugar.” Very well, mix a little sugar with it; there is no harm in doing so. But if the next time the bowl is offered, more sugar is added, and more every time, eventually the taste of nectar will be lost. Then people will mix together sugar and water, and drink that mixture calling it nectar, and wonder why their thirst is not slaked. So with the nectar of the Dhamma; imbibe it in its pure form, without any alteration, in order truly to benefit from it.

Words are only words; to attract others to the Dhamma, far more useful is the example you set by your way of life. Therefore the great Teacher said, Brahmacariyaṃ pakāsetha: be a shining example of the Dhamma by applying it yourself. This is the best way to encourage others to practice it.

Suppose you point with your finger in a particular direction and say, “This is the right path that all must follow to reach liberation. This is the direct way to real happiness.” Before examining the path, people will first look at your finger. If it is stained with dirt or blood, what confidence can they have in the way to which you point? Develop purity in yourself if you wish to encourage others to follow the path of purification.

The teaching is extraordinary in its simplicity; a certain cause will produce a certain effect. To remove the effect, eliminate the cause. Reacting with craving to pleasant sensations or with aversion to unpleasant ones will immediately give rise to suffering. If, instead of reacting, one smilingly observes and understands the impermanence of the experience, then no suffering will arise. This is Dhamma, the universal Law, applicable to all regardless of religion, sex, social group or nationality. It is this essence of Dhamma that we seek to offer to others in its pristine purity.

Keep to these fundamental principles of the Dhamma, and all the details of how to distribute it will naturally become clear.

As love and compassion are the proper bases for spreading the Dhamma, they must form the base for all your discussions during this meeting. When making a suggestion, be careful to present it humbly, without any attachment to your view. See that you speak with all the wisdom that you have. You may put forward a proposal up to three times, but if others still do not accept it, smile and drop it. Recognize that the Dhamma will take the course that is best for it, not necessarily the one that you with your limited understanding think is best.

Remember that an empty vessel has nothing to offer others. Therefore fill yourself with the Dhamma. Discover real peace and harmony within yourself, and naturally these will overflow to benefit others. May you keep walking on the path of Dhamma for your own good, happiness and liberation and for the good, happiness and liberation of many.

May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be liberated.

Report from Dhamma Giri

For those meditators from different parts of the world who have come to Dhamma Giri over the years, the growth and change at the Academy is striking every time they return. In 1989, a total of 41 courses were held, serving 3276 new students and 2696 old students, representing an increase in attendance of nearly 40 percent over the year before. Building construction and landscaping continue to transform the site. Last year new building projects included construction of ten more meditation cells (bringing the total to 276), guest house with three bedrooms, six rooms with attached bathrooms in the women's quarters, residential quarters for kitchen workers, rooms for Bhikkhus (monks), and paving of the approach road.

Dhamma Giri's water problem which has been present since the Academy's inception nearly fifteen years ago, has now been solved. Whereas the municipality formerly limited summer usage of water to 10,000 litres per day, a new bore-well is now providing 150,000 litres per day. This and the water from a new system to be provided by the government, are more than enough to support the needs of the Academy, which has a current capacity of 500 students. Dhamma Giri has become a well functioning village, set on a hill of lush foliage.

The Vipassana Research Institute is also steadily growing. A second computer to help with the ever-increasing publications work of the Institute has been installed. New publications (including this year a book of Goenkaji's dohas in English, the Jewel of Dhamma), are being added every year. VRI hosted two seminars during the past year: one in November 1989 on Health and Relief from Addiction, and the other International Seminar in February/March 1990 on the Importance of Vedanā and Sampajañña in Vipassana Meditation.

Goenkaji started the New Year with a very busy schedule. Following his annual self course, he conducted a month course attended by over 200 students, 68 of whom continued to sit for six weeks (during this time three ten-day courses were held simultaneously). Goenkaji addressed the participants at the International Seminar with an opening and concluding address. After the conclusion of the seminar, the annual meeting on the spread of Dhamma was held, which Goenkaji also inaugurated and concluded with two discourses on proper Dhamma service.

Goenkaji's travel schedule this year includes visits to Thailand, Europe and Australia. During his stay at the European centre Dhamma Mahi, from July 4-15, Goenkaji will give Dhamma discourses which will be videotaped, in order to provide a better quality of videotapes for the hundreds of ten-day courses conducted around the world by assistant teachers.

International Seminar

The Second International Vipassana Seminar was held at Dhamma Giri from 17 February to 2 March. The theme was “The Importance of Vedanā and Sampajañña in Vipassana Meditation”, their sources in Pali literature, and application in life. The Seminar began by exploring the patipatti (the practical aspect of the practice) with a ten-day retreat, allowing the 250 participants the opportunity to appreciate the importance of vedanā and sampajañña in the actual practice of Vipassana. The second part of the seminar, attended by over 500 people, explored the theoretical understanding (pariyatti) of Vipassana in 35 papers presented by the Vipassana Research Institute and participants from different countries, over a two day period.

The Seminar made a significant contribution towards increased understanding of two pivotal aspects of Buddha’s teaching, vedanā and sampajañña.

The Seminar was attended by lay people, as well as monks and nuns, from 17 countries including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Japan, Korea, and countries in Australia, N. America, and Europe. A special delegation of 27 people from Burma attended the Seminar. Five distinguished monks were part of the Burmese delegation, including Ven. U Jotipala, whose title is “Agga Maha Pandita” (most learned scholar). Ven. U Jotipala is the head of a monastery in Bago, Burma where 650 monks study the scriptures under his guidance. The Ven. U Nandavamsa, representing Sangha Maha Nayaka the Head of the Sangha in Burma and the Buddhist Sasana Council was also a part of the delegation. Also included in the delegation were eminent journalist, publishers, businessmen, the former head of the Department of Religious Affairs, the former ambassador to various countries in eastern and western Europe, a writer who has overseen the translation and publication of Goenkaji’s dohas and ten-day discourse summaries in Burmese, and the son of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. It was a joy to those present for the two ten-day courses attended by members of the Burmese delegation, to hear Goenkaji give evening instructions in three languages: Hindi, English and Burmese.

Other Seminar participants included Pali scholars, educators, social workers, doctors, government officials, judges, psychiatrists, journalists, the director of a yoga institute in Bombay, and the director of a Catholic pastoral training institute in India. The scholarly papers and papers on the application of Vipassana in the fields of health and education were interspersed with the presentations of personal experiences of Vipassana meditators. The latter included the experiences of Cambodian monk, a Jain sādhvi (nun), and a former Hindu sanyāsini (nun). Copies of the scholarly and personal papers were taken by members of the Burmese delegation for possible publication in Burma.

Dhamma Giri is indeed an international island of peace, where the people of the world can come to experience the highest welfare, the practice of Dhamma. May it continue to grow and provide a strong base for the spread of Dhamma, to help all the beings throughout the world and experience true peace.

A brief report on the conclusions and recommendations of the seminar
The seminar discussed a number of papers on the themes of:
1.The importance of vedanā and sampajañña in Vipassana meditation.
2.The impact of Vipassana meditation on health.
3.Education and secularism.

These papers were presented over six sessions.
The seminar was preceded by an important period of ten days of Vipassana practice (patipatti) which threw strong light on the subjects discussed. In addition a number of participants described their personal experiences during the course, which provided a strong element of further interest to the proceedings.

Following this the Seminar divided into three committees which met separately. These three committees then presented their reports and conclusions in plenary session, which was followed by discussions and the following conclusions emerged:

I.Importance of Vedanā and Sampajañña in Vipassana Meditation: Committee Report

1.The term sampajañña was discussed especially regarding its commentarial interpretation. It was clarified that the understanding of impermanence (anicca) was essential to sampajañña in meditation practice.
2.The term vedagū was discussed. It was clarified by a number of references that when the word is used in terms of meditation it refers to someone who has explored the entire field of vedanā and gone beyond it.
3.It was observed that such seminars are unique in that they offer a means to develop in patipatti as well as in pariyatti (theory).
4.Various papers clarified many points of the technique such as:
a)It is experiential knowledge that is needed for Truth realization.
b)The realization of the impermanence of one’s self is fundamental to this understanding.
c)Vedanā is the means to attain this realization.
d)Vedanā has both physical and mental aspects. It is the physical sensation felt by the mind, and as such offers the most vivid and direct experience of impermanence (aniccatā). Therefore the meditator should correctly focus on body sensations.
e)Sampajañña is the insight arising out of the constant thorough understanding of impermanence at the level of physical sensation.

Recommendations:
1.A good beginning has been made in this seminar to enable students to practice Vipassana more confidently, correctly and enthusiastically, and such seminars should continue.
2.More work should be done to frame the research findings in a systematic way and further Pali technical terms should be researched in series.
3.We should work together with the learned Sayadaws and scholars practicing Vipassana to see that this is accomplished.
4.The work on vedanā and sampajañña is just a beginning, just the tip of the iceberg, and more specialized workshops and seminars should be organized on these two words.

II. Health: Committee Report Observations:

1.The basic purpose of Vipassana is to eradicate mental impurities in total. Its therapeutic effects are by-products.
2.With the wealth of data available from the meditators as well as medical practitioners, it has been clinically observed that Vipassana gives tangible results.
3.Vipassana has great ability in promoting positive mental health.
4.Vipassana has found ready acceptance with medical practitioners of various disciplines such as Naturopathy, Homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Allopathy.
Recommendations:
1.To monitor physiological changes induced by Vipassana meditation with EEG, ECG, galvanic skin response (GSR) and various bio-chemical and metabolic tests, etc.
2.To measure the psychological changes with Vipassana using scientifically valid scales to measure anxiety, depression, personality, coping resources, etc.
3.To conduct the efficacy of Vipassana in the following clinical conditions:
a)Psychosomatic disorders like headaches, chronic pain, hypertension, asthma, peptic ulcers, etc.
b)Neurotic disorders like anxiety, depression, fears and phobias, obsessions, etc.
c)Personality disorders.
d)Alcohol and drug dependence.
4.To conduct a seminar for the healing and helping professionals to build a research cadre and boost research efforts.
5.To work out a liaison programme with various medical and drug-rehabilitation organizations.
6.To request participating volunteers particularly medical practitioners and psychologists, to give their names and contact addresses for liaison projects.

III. Education and Secularism: Committee Report Recommendations:

1.The experimental work completed so far in the organization of children’s courses at Dhamma Giri, other centres and in schools should be continued.
2.It will be useful to publish a standard format for such courses, and follow-up action should be taken. Also a method should be devised for evaluation of the impact of such courses.
3.Meditation should be encouraged in order to inspire genuine interest in education in neighbourhood schools as well as in orphanages and institutions for the handicapped.
4.The subject should be covered in the Patrika (Hindi Vipassana Newsletter), in educational journals and in newspapers.
5.Vipassana courses should be arranged specifically for teachers during summer vacation.

Secularism:
The committee noted with satisfaction that large numbers from different sects, religious beliefs, regions and nationalities, were coming to the courses, showing that the effect of Vipassana was to remove any feeling of distinction between man and man. The change thus brought about leads to national integration and international understanding and fosters peace and harmony amongst people, nations, and religions. The participation of people from thirteen provinces of India and seventeen other countries in this seminar provided a unique forum with the common purpose of purification of mind, which will lead to building a new society.

The seminar therefore recommends that more and more such courses be organized and centres of Vipassana training be strengthened in order to attract people from different backgrounds. Similarly, more and more children’s courses should be organized so that children may imbibe the spirit of secularism at a young age.

In view of the rise of fundamentalism and sectarian conflicts, it is essential that a clear distinction is made between Dhamma and sectarianism. Dhamma is the universal law of nature; applicable to one and all regardless of race, caste, and religious background.

Appointments

Senior Assistant Teachers

1. Geo & Cathy Poland – Canada

Assistant Teachers

1. Bal Krishan Goenka – Madras
2. Vimalchand Surana – Jaipur
3. Alain & Rachel Lepine – Canada
4. Carsten & Marie Villesen – Australia

Bhikkhus Teaching with Goenkaji’s Tapes

1. Ven. Sanghabodhi Bhikkhu