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PARIYATTI
867 Larmon Road Onalaska,
Washington 98570 USA
360.978.4998
www.pariyatti.org
Pariyatti is a nonprofit organization dedicated to enriching
the world by:
v Disseminating the words of the Buddha
v Providing sustenance for the seeker’s journey
v Illuminating the meditator’s path
Our Vipassana Meditation Teacher
S. N. GOENKA
COMMEMORATION OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY
OF HIS PASSING
Pariyatti Publishing
867 Larmon Road, Onalaska, WA 98570
www.pariyatti.org
© Vipassana Research Institute
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or
reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written
permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations
embodied in critical articles and reviews.
CONTENTS
•
Preface . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
5
•
Messenger of Inner Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
7
•
S. N. Goenka at the United Nations . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
o Inner Peace for World Peace . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o Buddha: The Super Scientist of Peace . . . . .
•
34
38
The Floodgates of Dhamma Open . . . . . . . . . . . . .
51
o The Tree of Merits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
53
o My Teacher’s boundless Mettā . . . . . . . . . . .
o Teacher of a non-sectarian path. . . . . . . . . . .
o The first course in India. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o The Floodgates of Dhamma Open. . . . . . . . .
o A Dhamma decision. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o Fruition of Sacca Adhiṭṭhāna. . . . . . . . . . .
o Forty years of a New life. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o Buddhasahassanāmāvalī . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o Farewell Dhamma brother. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
o My friend Munindraji. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
56
58
60
66
71
76
85
91
98
106
o Fifty years on the path of Dhamma. . . . . . . . 114
o Seventy years have been completed . . . . . . . 117
o Celebration of the centenary year . . . . . . . . . 121
o Farewell brother Radhe Shyam . . . . . . . . . . . 129
o I cannot forget their help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 134
o Forty years of Dhamma Dana . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
o Realizing the dream of Dhamma. . . . . . . . . . 149
•
Highlights of 2002 Sangha Dana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
•
The Passing of the Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167
Preface
Our meditation master Shri S.N. Goenka, which we as his students
prefer addressing him as “Goenkaji”, often said that his mind feels
infinite devotion and gratitude towards those who preserved the
words of the Buddha (Pariyatti) in their pure form, as well as the
practice (Paṭipatti) in its pristine purity.
Performing Sangha Dana in most of the countries that he visited
was one form of paying back the debt of gratitude to the chain of
Sangha from the time of the Buddha. Even during his busy tour of
North America in 2002, he found time to perform Sangha Dana
to about (100) Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis in this very place –
Dhammakaya International Meditation Center.
Keeping up with his way of paying back the debt of gratitude, we the
teachers and students of Goenkaji decided to perform this MAHA
SANGHA DANA to (100) Bhikkhus and Bhikkhunis from all the three
main Buddhist traditions, representing many different nationalities
at this very same place, where Guruji performed the Sangha Dana
himself in 2002. However, this is to commemorate the first
anniversary of the passing away of our great Vipassana meditation
master Goenkaji, with the participation of Americans, Cambodians,
Chinese, Persians, Indians, Koreans, Myanmar, Russians, Sri Lankans,
Taiwanese, Thai and Vietnamese students as well.
As part of this historical event we have published this book,
summarizing the priceless contributions about his role in the
propagation and perpetuation of Buddha Sasana in a nut shell form.
-5-
We all still remember very well what he used to declare in his
morning chanting during Vipassana courses:
From every pore flows gratitude,
I can never repay this debt.
Living the life of Dhamma,
Serving suffering people,
Sharing the happiness of Dhamma with all,
This is the only repayment.
So as Teachers and Students of Goenkaji, let us all resolve to join
hands and continue to keep up with his way of paying back our debt
of gratitude to Dhamma.
-6-
The Messenger
of
Inner Peace
Shri Satya Narayan Goenka
January 30, 1924 - September 29, 2013
THE MESSENGER OF INNER PEACE: SATYA
NARAYAN GOENKA
It was late afternoon of a long day toward the end of August
2000. In the United Nations General Assembly Hall in New York,
delegates to the Millennium World Peace Summit were weary and a
little jaded. This was the first global gathering of religious and spiritual leaders at the UN, and it had descended into acrimony. Far from
finding common ground, the delegates had sharply differed over the
question of conversion. Some delegates were highly critical of the
practice; others representing some of the leading religions rejected
those views. Over the years, the hall had often been the setting for
this sort of wrangle involving politicians; it was disappointing to see
spiritual leaders doing no better.
To close the session, a lesser-known figure made his way to the
podium, helped by an assistant. His silver hair gleamed; he wore
a smartly tailored Indian suit.
Carefully he paid respects
and smilingly surveyed
the crowd. Then he started
speaking, and within seconds
he had caught the attention
of the assembled dignitaries.
“Religion is religion only
when it unites,” he said.
“Religion is no religion
when it divides. Religion is
not for dividing people. It is
for uniting people.”
The words were greeted with
a sudden burst of applause.
Goenkaji at the Millennium World Peace This was not more of the
Summit, United Nations General Assembly, same argument that had been
New York, August 2000 (courtesy Lyn Hughes, dragging on all day. The delephotographer, New York)
gates started to pay attention.
-8-
The speaker picked up his thread: “So much has been said for and
against conversion. I am for conversion, not against it. But conversion not from one organized religion to another organized religion—
no. Conversion from misery to happiness. Conversion from bondage
to liberation. Conversion from cruelty to compassion. That is the
conversion needed today.”
Applause greeted almost every statement. The speaker warmed to
his theme:
“If I have an agitated mind full of anger, hatred, ill will and animosity,
how can I give peace to the world?
“Therefore all the sages and saints and seers of the world have said,
‘Know thyself.’ Not merely at the intellectual, emotional or
devotional level, but at the actual level. When you know the truth
about yourself at the experiential level, many of the problems get
solved. You start understanding the universal law of nature or God,
which is applicable to one and all.
“When I observe myself and find that I am generating anger, ill will
or animosity, I realize that I am the first victim of the hatred or
animosity I am generating within myself. Only afterwards do I start
harming others. And if I am free from these negativities, nature or
God Almighty starts rewarding me: I feel so peaceful.
“Whether I call myself a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Jain,
it makes no difference: a human being is a human being. Human
mind is human mind. Conversion should be from impurity of the
mind to purity of the mind. This is the real conversion that is necessary—
nothing else.”
The gong had rung, indicating that the speaker’s time was up. But
he begged indulgence to deliver a message from a past ruler of his
country. Quoting and then paraphrasing, the speaker said:
“Every religion has the wholesome core of love, compassion and
good will. The outer shell differs, but give importance to the inner
essence and there will be no quarrel. Don’t condemn anything, give
importance to the essence of every religion and there will be real
-9-
peace and harmony.”
The ruler referred to was the great Emperor Ashoka of India, who
had issued the message—the world’s first call for religious tolerance—more than two millennia before. And the messenger was a
man who always regarded Ashoka as a hero and had devoted his life
to teaching a way to inner peace: Satya Narayan Goenka.
Early life
Goenkaji’s journey to deliver the message started in 1924 in Mandalay,
the former royal capital of Myanmar. Less than 50 years before, a
king still ruled there but the British had overrun the south. In their
wake, a wave of immigrants entered the country from India, and one
of them was Goenkaji’s grandfather. Like most of the newcomers,
he was seeking his fortune. But he was an upright, honest man who
was spiritually inclined; and though a Hindu, he quickly developed
a deep respect for the Myanmar people and their traditions.
He conveyed that respect to his grandson. When he was a child,
Goenkaji recalled, his grandfather took him to the famous Maha
Myat Muni pagoda on the outskirts of Mandalay. There the old man
sat with eyes closed, engaged in silent contemplation. Meanwhile
the boy waited and watched patiently, absorbing the atmosphere of
peace. In the child, respect turned to a profound love for the land of
his birth. That love never wavered throughout his long life.
The boy grew up and graduated from high school at the top of his
class. Although the idea of continuing his studies was attractive, he
dutifully entered the family textile business. Then the cataclysm of
the Second World War intervened. As the Japanese army invaded
Myanmar in 1942, Goenkaji helped to lead a large group of family
members overland through mountain and jungle to safety in India.
They were more fortunate than the thousands of people who died on
the arduous journey.
The family spent the war years in southern India, where a friend
helped them to make a new start. After the Japanese defeat and withdrawal, they returned to Myanmar. By then Goenkaji was in his 20s.
- 10 -
He quickly showed his extraordinary flair for business and became
a leader of the Indian community. But as he has often recounted,
wealth and prominence gave him no peace. Instead, mental tension
triggered debilitating migraines that could be treated only with doses
of highly addictive morphine. Goenkaji traveled to consult doctors
in Japan, Europe and America; none of them could help.
Encounter with Vipassana
It was then that a friend suggested going to the International Meditation Centre in northern Yangon, established a few years earlier by
Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Born into a poor family, U Ba Khin had risen
to become a top-level civil servant in the government of Myanmar,
renowned for his integrity and effectiveness. At the same time he
was a lay teacher of Vipassana, a technique of self-introspection that
had been handed down from ancient times by the community of
Buddhist monks in Myanmar.
Goenkaji
took
his
friend’s suggestion and
arranged a visit to see
the meditation center
and learn about what
was taught there. As the
young man approached,
U Ba Khin recognized
that here was someone
who would be instrumental in the fulfillment
of his mission as a Vipassana teacher. Despite
that, Sayagyi initially
refused the visitor’s
request to join a 10-day
course. Goenkaji had
frankly said that he was
seeking relief from his
Sayagyi U Ba Khin at the International Medita- migraines. “You are
tion Centre in Yangon, 1960s
devaluing the technique
- 11 -
if you come to cure a physical disease,” said U Ba Khin. “Come to
relieve your mind of tension and suffering; the physical benefits will
automatically follow.”
Goenkaji agreed. After hesitating a few months, in 1955 he attended
Goenkaji pays respects to Sayagyi U Ba Khin in the central cell at the International Meditation Centre, 1960s.
his first course. Though he wanted to run away on the second day,
he persevered and found benefits he had never dreamed of. For the
rest of his life, in his morning chanting he would express his deep
gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
In the following years, Goenkaji returned regularly to the International Meditation Centre and brought many family members and
friends. Along with meditation, he pursued his business interests.
But in 1963 came a turning point when the newly installed military
government launched a program of nationalization. Overnight,
Goenkaji lost the industries he had established and much of his
fortune as well. His name also appeared on a list of capitalists
targeted for execution. He accepted this situation smilingly and
urged his former employees to keep working hard for the good of
their country. He also composed the following verse:
- 12 -
If nature so wills … may every atom of my body be mingled with
the dust of this sacred land. And if it is the will of nature for me to
live longer, may every breath of my life flow with gratitude toward
my motherland. (paraphrase of the original Rajasthani)
The golden years
In the end, the threat to his life was dropped and Goenkaji entered
what he later called his golden years. Freed from business responsibilities, he spent more and more time with his teacher, immersing
himself in the Dhamma, the teaching of liberation. For himself, he
wanted nothing more than this. But U Ba Khin had other plans. He
recalled the ancient prophecy that 2,500 years after the Buddha, the
teaching would return from Myanmar to the land of its origin, India,
and would spread from there around the world.
U Ba Khin’s dearest wish was to fulfill the prophecy by re-establishing the technique of Vipassana—the essence of the Buddha’s
teaching—in India. Unfortunately, in the 1960s the Government of
Myanmar did not normally allow its nationals to go abroad. But
since Goenkaji was of Indian descent, he might be given permission.
The opportunity came in 1969. Goenkaji’s parents had earlier left
for India, and his mother had fallen sick. The government was willing
to give him a passport valid for travel to India.
Before Goenkaji left on his journey, U Ba Khin formally appointed
him a teacher of Vipassana. On two courses for the Indian community
in Myanmar, Goenkaji taught with his teacher by his side. The sites
were chosen to provide the kind of conditions Goenkaji could
expect to face in India. The first course was on the rooftop of a
building in downtown Mandalay, located between two cinemas from
which film music blared. The accommodation consisted of shelters
made of bamboo matting. But this did not bother the students, and
Goenkaji had the good fortune to receive on-the-job training from a
master teacher.
With U Ba Khin at his elbow, for the first time Goenkaji gave the
discourses that were to become so familiar. Since the course participants
- 13 -
were Indians, he spoke in Hindi. Sayagyi understood the language
even if he did not speak it very well; every so often he would lean
over and whisper to Goenkaji, “Now tell them about some of the
disciples of the Buddha! Tell about Mother Visākhā! Tell them about
Aṅgulīmālā!” And Goenkaji would drop whatever he was saying to
do as his teacher directed. Later he would say that for him, giving
one of his talks was like simply opening a faucet: without any effort,
the words poured forth.
To India
In June 1969, Goenkaji boarded a plane from Yangon to Kolkata in
India. Before they parted, his teacher had said to him, “You are not
the one going—I am going, the Dhamma is going!” U Ba Khin himself could not leave Myanmar, but he was sending his pupil as his
representative, as a Dhamma-dūta (Pāli, “emissary of the Dhamma”).
Goenkaji was very aware that this was a historic moment. Still, he
clung to the thought that his stay in India would be brief and he
would soon return to his revered teacher and beloved homeland.
In fact, more than two decades were to elapse before he again saw
Myanmar.
He arrived in a country where few people knew him and the teaching
of the Buddha was held in low regard. The very word “Vipassana”
had been forgotten. But with the help of his family, Goenkaji was
soon conducting his first 10-day course in Mumbai. Among the
participants were his parents and a handful of other people, including
a woman from France. On the last day, she invited Goenkaji to her
country; he told her to ask him again in 10 years.
The first course led to another, and another, and so the Wheel of
Dhamma started turning in the land of its origin. The return to Myanmar
would have to wait; there were people eager to learn Vipassana, and
the Dhamma emissary could not refuse them. Goenkaji crisscrossed
the country, often traveling third class in the crowded Indian trains.
He had no old students to help him; instead he himself would assign
rooms at the course site, and at meals he might sit with the students
or serve the food. Often a tent functioned as the meditation hall. One
- 14 -
night in Rajgir, a storm blew down the tent. But early next morning
Goenkaji was on his seat, chanting to encourage the meditators.
The conditions were often rough; he had little money and less
support; he was alone since his wife Ilaichi (called by meditators
“Mataji”) had remained behind in Myanmar at first. Yet he radiated
Goenkaji giving a discourse, early 1970s
joy—the joy of someone doing what he had been born to do.
In those first years, Goenkaji taught in Hindi only. He knew English but
he had learned it for business purposes, and he thought his command
of the language was inadequate for teaching Vipassana meditation.
But as his reputation grew, non-Indians clamored to learn from him.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there were many Westerners who
had come to India in search of something they could not necessarily
identify. Some of them urged Goenkaji to accept them in his courses,
but he cited the language difficulty. Undeterred, the students then
wrote to U Ba Khin in Myanmar. Soon a letter arrived from Yangon,
ordering Goenkaji to offer courses in English. As always, he complied
with his teacher’s wishes.
The first English course was in October 1970 in Dalhousie, a hill sta- 15 -
tion in the Himalayas. There and later in Bodh Gaya, the site of the
Buddha’s Enlightenment,
a steady stream of young
Westerners came to Goenkaji.
Some of them were half-naked with the long, matted
hair of Hindu ascetics. Others
wore clothes more suited
to a beach holiday. Most of
the men were bearded; most of
the women wore their hair
long, flowing loose down
their backs—not neatly
braided, as proper Indian
women wore theirs. To
Goenkaji, their disheveled
appearance made no difference; he shared the treaAt the end of a course in Chennai, south India, sure of the Dhamma with all
1973
who came to him. Some of
them joined a 10-day retreat and then were never seen again. Others
followed Goenkaji across the country from course to course. Among
them were people who went on to become well - known figures in
different traditions. Among them also were people who now are the
most senior teachers appointed by Goenkaji.
Soon, in coffee shops and restaurants that catered to the Western
travelers, there were notices of Vipassana courses. Sometimes the
teacher was referred to as “the singing guru,” because of Goenkaji’s
rich and melodious voice. He used it to chant ancient compositions
about the Buddha’s teaching and also for his own verses in Hindi
and Rajasthani. In the hush of the meditation hall on a chilly morning
or late in the evening, the sounds vibrated in the air, comforting,
guiding and uplifting.
At the start of a course, he came in, sat down and waited quietly
as the students found their places, arranged their cushions and fell
silent. Then he opened his mouth, and within an instant he had trans- 16 -
formed the shabby rented room or drafty tent into a place outside
time, where all were engaged in a fascinating exploration of inner
truth. Hour after hour he would be there with the students. He did
everything live—the chantings, the instructions throughout the day,
the evening talks. The Dhamma poured out of him.
At 9:00 p.m. the daily program came to an end. After a long day
that had started in the pre-dawn chill, the students were tired. But
almost all of them remained in the hall; they did not want to miss
the evening question period. People would line up or cluster near
Goenkaji’s seat. Some questioners clearly wanted to challenge or
debate with him. Others were genuinely confused or agitated. Some
wanted confirmation that their own views were right. Others sought
to prove him wrong. Goenkaji handled each one smilingly, tenderly,
often laughing. Usually they would end up laughing with him. They
might not even remember the words but they felt they had received
the answer they needed.
At the end of a course, he gave a closing talk and meditated with the
students for a few minutes. Then he walked out of the hall, continuing
to chant in Hindi, “Saba kā mangala—May all be happy, may all be
happy.” Slowly the sound of his chanting faded away. The meditators
were back in a shabby room somewhere in an Indian city, with street
vendors crying their wares outside, dogs barking, friends or loved
ones to meet, letters to read, trains to catch, plans to make. But for
many of them, something had changed. Life would never be the
same.
This is the only repayment
Goenkaji kept reporting back to his teacher, and U Ba Khin took
great pleasure in his letters. On one course there had been 37 students,
and U Ba Khin was delighted: “Thirty-seven for the 37 factors of
enlightenment!” he said, referring to a term in the ancient Pali texts.
He was still more pleased when Goenkaji reported that he had
conducted a course for 100 students. Little did anyone imagine that
some day that would be considered a small course.
Goenkaji was teaching at the Burmese Buddhist Vihara in Bodh
- 17 -
Gaya in January 1971 when a telegram arrived to tell him that
Sayagyi U Ba Khin had breathed his last. “The light has gone out,”
he told the students. He keenly felt the loss. But he soon realized that
he was aware of his teacher’s presence more strongly than ever. It
was as if U Ba Khin had finally joined him in India.
What was there to do now except to carry on? His teacher had helped
him when it seemed that there was no way out of his suffering. U Ba
Khin had lovingly taught him Vipassana and trained him to teach.
He had appointed Goenkaji a teacher, given him a mission and sent
him on his way. Goenkaji would continue this mission to the end of
his life.
Every day of a course, he himself declared in his morning chanting:
From every pore flows gratitude, I can never repay this debt. Living
the life of Dhamma, Serving suffering people, Sharing the happiness
of Dhamma with all— This is the only repayment.
So that is what he did. From the far south of India to the Himalayas, from the deserts of western Gujarat to the jungles of Bengal,
Goenkaji continued on his way. The landscape changed, the faces
changed, he himself would change and age, but the journey went on.
The Hill of Dhamma
Goenkaji answers questions, with Mataji beside him, early 1970s, Bodh Gaya.
- 18 -
In those first years, the courses were in temporary facilities—ashrams, viharas, churches, schools, pilgrims’ rest houses, hostels,
sanatoriums, wherever space might be cheaply available. Each site
worked but each had its drawbacks, and always there were the tasks
of setting up at the start of a course and dismantling the site at the
end. So the search started for a place specifically for Vipassana
meditation, where courses would be offered year-round.
This is why, late in 1973 in the town of Igatpuri, a shopkeeper and
a young municipal worker flagged down Goenkaji’s car on the way
from a course in the town of Deolali to his home in Mumbai. They
had found a few possible sites outside the town, and they begged
Goenkaji to stop and have a look. He agreed reluctantly; his leg
was in a cast from a recent fracture and he did not want to delay his
return home.
The first two sites were obviously not appropriate, but there was one
more to see. The car turned onto a rutted path, long out of use. It led
up to a hilltop dotted with huge mango trees that shadowed buildings dating from the days of the British Raj. Some of them were in
poor repair, and goats wandered in and out of one bungalow. Behind
loomed a bare mountainside.
Goenkaji closed his eyes for a few moments. Then he said, “Yes, a
suitable place.” At once the businessman traveling with him offered
to buy the land. This was the start of what became known as Dhamma
Giri, the Hill of Dhamma.
The center started modestly, with a handful of mainly Western
meditators taking up residence. They wrote to Goenkaji, asking
how they should spend their time. He replied, “Meditate, meditate,
meditate. Clean yourselves and clean the meditation center.” They
set to work first with scrub brushes and water from the well. Once
they had space, they devoted six to eight hours a day to the real task
of sitting. Soon more people arrived, and then construction started.
Dhamma Giri officially opened in October 1976.
It was an exciting moment but also a difficult one. As often happens,
there had been cost overruns. The trust owed money to the
- 19 -
contractors and was unable to pay them. For example, it lacked
funds to pay for the new teacher’s residence. When Goenkaji found
out, he refused to stay there. Instead, he and his wife Mataji moved
into one of the dorms even though it had no plumbing. Bamboo
matting screened a bathing enclosure for them next to the dormitory,
and they used the common toilets like everyone else. This is what
they did for the first half-year that Dhamma Giri was in operation,
until the trust was able to pay the contractors.
Eventually more funds came in, more buildings sprang up and
construction began of a pagoda like the one at U Ba Khin’s center in
Yangon. A team of Western volunteers worked alongside the Indian
laborers; the resident monk at the Burmese Vihara in Bodh Gaya
came to help with the ornamental plastering. In early 1979, the
pagoda officially opened. Present for the occasion were Sayama
Daw Mya Thwin (who had assisted U Ba Khin with students at his
center) and her husband U Chit Tin (who had worked for Sayagyi in
the government).
Not long after came another breakthrough: Goenkaji boarded a
plane to teach his first courses in the West. The woman who had
The original pagoda at Dhamma Giri, shortly after its completion in 1979
- 20 -
invited him 10 years before remembered what he had said. Now she
contacted him again, this time armed with an invitation from the
French Federation of Yoga Teachers.
From India to the world
The time had ripened, Goenkaji felt. The ancient prophecy—that the
Dhamma would return from Myanmar to India—had come to pass.
But the prophecy also said that the Dhamma would spread from
India around the world. The task remained to fulfill those words.
Before he could take up that task, Goenkaji needed to be able to
travel to other countries. His passport from Myanmar was valid only
for India. He had tried but failed to obtain further endorsements.
Reluctantly, he realized he would have to change his citizenship and
apply for an Indian passport. It was one more tie snapped with the
country he still considered home, but as an emissary of the Dhamma
he had to do it.
To his surprise, it was not so easy to become an Indian citizen and
get a new passport. Reportedly, undercover agents came to Dhamma
Giri to see what Goenkaji was doing. At every step, there were delays.
But at the very last minute the roadblocks were removed, and Goenkaji
and Mataji boarded the plane for Paris. It was almost exactly 10
years to the day since he had arrived in India from Myanmar.
That year Goenkaji taught two courses in France, followed by one
in Canada and two in the U.K. Old students turned out in large
numbers but there were also many people who had never before
learned Vipassana. The following winter, some of them made the
trip to Dhamma Giri. This became a pattern over the next two
decades. During that time Goenkaji traveled yearly outside India. He
visited not only Europe and North America but also Japan, Taiwan,
Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Thailand … and eventually
Myanmar, making his first return home in 1990. In all these places
and more, centers sprang up dedicated to providing opportunities for
learning and practicing Vipassana as taught by Goenkaji.
- 21 -
At the end of the first course in the West, July 1979, Gaillon, France
A new focus
Goenkaji’s mission had taken a great leap forward, but now he faced
a new problem: How could he serve the large numbers of people
Goenkaji and Mataji at the first Australian center, Dhamma Bhumi, in 1986, with
early Australian assistant teachers
- 22 -
wanting to learn Vipassana? He taught alone, and even on a large
course there was a limit to the number of students he could personally handle.
There was only one answer. Starting in late 1981, he began training
and appointing assistant teachers to conduct courses as his representatives, using recordings of his teachings. Fittingly, the very first
10-day course led by an assistant teacher took place at the Burmese
Vihara in Bodh Gaya, the pilgrims’ guest house where Goenkaji
himself had spent so much time. Within months, courses were being
Goenkaji and Mataji at the International Meditation Center in Yangon, together with U Tint Yee, one of Sayagyi’s closest students, 1993
- 23 -
offered around the world. Today there are hundreds of assistant
teachers conducting approximately 2,500 courses yearly for close
to 150,000 people, at more than 150 permanent centers as well as
in temporary facilities. Beginning in 1994, Goenkaji also appointed
the most experienced assistants as full teachers; there are over 300
of them around the world, guiding the program of courses and the
centers where they are offered.
The assistant teacher program enabled Goenkaji to focus on other large
projects. He devoted more time to public speaking and appeared at many
events, including the 2000 World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He founded the Vipassana Research Institute, which made the
Pāli-language Tipitaka—the oldest texts recording the teaching of
the Buddha—widely available free of charge in the scripts of many
different countries. He oversaw the development of an ongoing
program of Vipassana courses for inmates at Delhi’s Tihar Prison
and in many other correctional facilities, and he himself led the
“Course for a Thousand” at Tihar in April 1994. He initiated a
program of children’s courses. He wrote extensively on Vipassana
and the teaching of the Buddha. And he inspired the construction
of the Global Vipassana Pagoda on the outskirts of Mumbai. This
slightly smaller replica of the Shwedagon Pagoda in Yangon is
intended to attract many to learn about the teaching of the Buddha. It
is also intended to be a lasting symbol of gratitude to Myanmar and
to Sayagyi U Ba Khin for returning to India the gift of Vipassana.
As the years passed, honors and awards poured in. Goenkaji received
the titles of “Ocean of Knowledge,” “Torchbearer of Dhamma,”
“Master of Doctrine,” “Great Lay World Teacher of Vipassana,” and
more. The governments of Myanmar and Sri Lanka invited him as a
state guest, and in 2012 the Government of India conferred on him
the Padma Bhushan (“Precious Lotus”), one of its highest civilian
awards. All of these, Goenkaji insisted, were really honors for the
Dhamma.
- 24 -
Last years
In the last years of his life, Goenkaji’s health was failing. He was
confined to a wheelchair; that rich, thrilling voice became weak;
speaking at length became difficult. But even as he experienced the
sufferings of sickness and old age, he never set aside his task. To the
best of his ability, he continued teaching the Dhamma and inspiring
others to practice it.
As his fame increased, so did the respect in which he was held,
and some began treating him like a traditional Indian guru—a role
he had always rejected. When he appeared at the Global Pagoda,
people swarmed to touch him as if he had some magic to offer them.
This type of behavior dismayed him because it had nothing to do
with his job as a Dhamma emissary. “I am just an average person,”
he said in 2002 after giving a public talk in New York. In India, any
teacher might be called “Guruji,” and some of Goenkaji’s students
affectionately used that name for him. But if he had to use a title,
he preferred the traditional Pāli title of kalyāṇa-mitta—“friend for
one’s own welfare.”
He could not stop his students from photographing him, although
he teased them as they aimed their cameras. “What,” he would say,
“don’t you have enough pictures of me?” Beyond the joking, he
refused to allow his photo to be displayed in the meditation hall or
any other public place at Vipassana centers. When asked whether he
was enlightened, he would reply, “As much as I have freed my mind
of anger, hatred or ill will, to that extent I am enlightened.” He never
claimed that he had achieved any special stage; at most, he would
gently suggest that he was a few steps further along the path than
those who had come to learn from him.
Many times people would thank him at the end of a course.
His answer was always the same: “I am only an instrument. Thank
Dhamma! And also thank yourself for working hard.”
In 2010, he said, “U Ba Khin is more important than the person who
brought Dhamma. People have forgotten the names of the messengers
sent by Emperor Ashoka long ago to bring Dhamma to different
- 25 -
countries neighboring India. So today in this new era of the Buddha’s
teaching, people must remember U Ba Khin, U Ba Khin.” He did
not care whether people would remember him.
Nevertheless, for those who knew him, Goenkaji will remain unforgettable.
Long ago, U Ba Khin said, “The time clock of Vipassana has now
struck.” To many around the world, it was Satya Narayan Goenka
who brought that message. For them, he was a living embodiment
of the Dhamma—of wisdom, humility, compassion, selflessness and
equanimity. He often talked about the sweetness of the Dhamma.
His own sweetness will long remain, like the sound of his voice
as he left the hall chanting, “May all be happy … be happy … be
happy.”
Goenkaji chants as he and Mataji walk on the grounds of Dhamma Dhara, USA,
mid-1980s.
- 26 -
Shri Satya Narayan Goenka peacefully breathed his last on Sunday
evening September 29, at his home in Mumbai, India. He was in
his 90th year and had served half his life as a teacher of Vipassana
meditation. Following cremation in Mumbai, his ashes were flown
to Myanmar and scattered in the Irrawaddy River, reuniting him forever with his beloved homeland.
Our deep gratitude to him for the gift of Dhamma.
May he be happy, peaceful, liberated!
- 27 -
The bunch of keys
Following is a story told by Goenkaji in the closing discourse of a
10-day course. It has been lightly edited for publication.
There is a story back in our country. In the last 10 days you have
been hearing many stories. Perhaps your teacher is addicted to telling
stories, and you are also getting addicted to listening to them. So
before we part, one more story:
An old man in our country, a very rich man, became a widower. The
old lady passed away. And in our country and perhaps here also, the
housewife is the owner of everything—money, jewelry, property, everything. She keeps the bunch of keys. Now the old lady had gone. And
it was a joint family. He had four sons and four daughters-in-law. He
couldn’t give the bunch of keys to everyone, he had to choose one.
So he called them and said, “I will examine you. This bunch of keys
will be given to the one who gets the highest mark.”
What would he do to examine them? He gave five grains of corn to
each daughter-in-law and said, “I will come after four years. You
have to preserve these five grains. If you cannot take care of five
grains, how can you take care of all the money, the jewelry, the
granary, et cetera? This is your examination.” And the old man went
away.
The eldest daughter-in-law thought, “The old man has gone crazy!
For four years, why should I worry about those valueless five grains?
I’d better throw them away. When he comes back, I’ll take another
five grains from the granary and give them to him saying, ‘Take
your five grains.’” She threw the grains away.
The second one thought, “Yes, it is not good to worry about these
five grains for four years. But who knows, these very five grains
may have some wonderful, magical, miraculous powers. And after
four years he will say, ‘All right, eat it!’ And when I eat it, I will get
this or that supernatural power. I should not throw the grains away.
I’d better eat them now. When he comes back, I’ll give him another
- 28 -
five grains.” And she ate the grains up.
The third one was very eager to get the bunch of keys. She kept those
five grains in her room where she had the statues of her deities. And
every day when she went to inspect the statues, she inspected the
five grains also. She took care of the five grains all the four years.
The fourth daughter-in-law took the five grains, cleared the land behind the house and planted them. When the time ripened, five plants
grew with a hundred grains each. Next season, all those five hundred
grains were planted. And the next season, all the grains were planted.
In four years, there were tons of grains.
When the old man came back, each daughter-in-law had her own
story. When he questioned the fourth one, she said, “They have
increased, sir. The storerooms are full. Bring some laborers to take
the grains.”
The old man was very happy. This daughter had not only preserved
the five grains; she had multiplied them.
This old man has also given you five grains of Dhamma. Not only
preserve but multiply them. And I won’t take the bunch of keys away
with me; it remains with you. As you keep on multiplying Dhamma,
you are able to open the gateway of the kingdom of heaven within,
and enjoy. You can open the gateway of the brāhmanic plane within,
and enjoy. The gateway of nibbānic peace within, and enjoy.
Keep growing in Dhamma, keep growing in Dhamma. Not to oblige
anybody else—for your own good, for your own benefit. And also
for the good and benefit of so many others, so many others.
- 29 -
Homage
Following is Goenkaji’s Hindi chanting before the closing discourse
of a 10-day course.
Namaskāra hai buddha ko,
kaise karuṇāgāra;
dukkha miṭāvaṇa patha diyā,
sukhī karaṇa sansāra.
Homage to the Buddha,
what a treasure-house of compassion!
He showed the way to end suffering
and bring happiness to the world.
Namaskāra hai dharama ko,
kaisa pāvana pantha;
jo bhi cale isa pantha para,
vahī bana gaye santa.
Homage to the Dhamma,
what a pure path!
Whoever walks upon the path
becomes a saintly person.
Namaskāra hai saṅgha ko,
kaise śrāvaka santa;
dharama dhāra ujale huve,
nirmala huve bhadanta.
Homage to the Sangha,
what noble disciples!
Practicing Dhamma, these venerable ones
have become radiant and stainless.
Namaskāra jananī janaka,
hai upakāra ananta.
Namaskāra arihanta saba,
namaskāra saba santa.
Homage to mother and father,
infinite gratitude to you!
Homage to all liberated ones,
homage to all saints!
Namaskāra gurudeva ko,
kaise santa sujāna;
kitane karuṇā citta se
diyā dharama kā dāna.
Homage to my revered teacher,
what a saint and sage!
With such overflowing compassion
he gave the gift of Dhamma.
Aisā cakhāya dharama rasa,
biṣayana rasa na lubhāya;
dharama sāra aisā diyā,
chilake diye chuḍāya.
He let me taste the Dhamma nectar;
now no sensual pleasure can allure.
He gave the inner essence of Dhamma
and the outer husk dropped away.
Roma roma kirataga huā,
ṛṇa na cukāya jāya;
jīūṅ jīvana dharama kā,
dukhiyana kī sevā karūṅ,
yahī eka upāya.
From every pore flows gratitude;
I can never repay this debt.
Living a life of Dhamma,
serving suffering people—
this is the only repayment.
- 30 -
Isa sevā ke puṇya se
dharama ujāgara hoya;
jana jana kā hita-sukha sadhe
jana jana maṅgala hoya,
saba kā maṅgala hoya.
Bhavatu sabba maṅgalaṃ
By the merits of this service
may the Dhamma shine forth.
May everyone enjoy well-being,
may everyone be happy,
may all be happy.
May all beings be happy!
The Global Vipassana Pagoda, Mumbai
- 31 -
The article “The messenger of inner peace” was prepared by Bill
Hart, one of the teachers appointed by S. N. Goenka and author of the
book The Art of Living. The sources included Goenkaji’s writings and
public talks, private conversations with Goenkaji, and reminiscences
of others who sat with Goenkaji in the early years.
In 2012, Goenkaji named the teachers responsible for centers as
his successors. Teachers in each region will continue working
together on a collegial basis, cooperating with teachers in other
areas. Vipassana courses will continue to be offered exactly as
they have been, and the Wheel of Dhamma will keep turning for
the good and happiness of many.
- 32 -
S. N. Goenka
at
The United Nations
INNER PEACE FOR WORLD PEACE
Vol. 23, No. 8, 21 August, 2013
In late August 2000, Goenkaji participated in the Millennium World
Peace Summit—a gathering of 1000 of the world’s religious and
spiritual leaders, held at the United Nations under the auspices of
Secretary-General Kofi Annan. The purpose of the meeting was to
promote tolerance, foster peace, and encourage inter-religious dialogue. With the many different viewpoints represented, the potential
for disagreement was strong. In his presentation to the delegates,
Goenkaji tried to highlight what they, and all spiritual paths have
in common: the universal Dhamma. His remarks were received with
repeated ovations.
“Friends, leaders of the spiritual and religious world! This is a
wonderful occasion, when we can all unite and serve humanity.
Religion is religion only when it unites; when it divides us, it is nothing.
Much has been said here about conversion, both for and against.
Far from being opposed to conversion, I am in favor of it—but not
conversion from one organized religion to another. No, the conversion
must be from misery to happiness. It must be from bondage to liberation. It must be from cruelty to compassion. That is the conversion
needed today, and that is what this meeting should seek to bring
about.
The ancient land of India gave a message of peace and harmony
to the world, to all humanity, but it did more: it gave a method, a
technique, for achieving peace and harmony. To me it seems that
if we want peace in human society, we cannot ignore individuals.
If there is no peace in the mind of the individual, I do not understand how there can be real peace in the world. If I have an agitated
mind, always full of anger, hatred, ill will and animosity, how can I
give peace to the world? I cannot because I have no peace myself.
Enlightened persons have therefore said, “First find peace within
yourself.” One has to examine whether there is really peace within
oneself. All the sages, saints, and seers of the world have advised,
“Know thyself.” That means not merely knowing at the intellectual
- 34 -
level, or accepting at the emotional or devotional level, but realizing
by experience at the actual level. When you experience the truth
about yourself, within yourself, at the experiential level, the problems
of life find their solution.
You start understanding the universal law, the law of nature—or, if
you prefer, the law of God Almighty. This law is applicable to one
and all: When I generate anger, hatred, ill will, or animosity, I am
the first victim of my anger. I am the first victim of the hatred or
animosity that I have generated within. First I harm myself, and
only afterwards do I start harming others. This is the law of nature.
If I observe within myself, I find that as soon as any negativity arises in
the mind, there is a physical reaction: my body becomes hot and
starts burning; there are palpitations and tension; I am miserable. When
I generate negativity within me and become miserable, I do not
keep the misery limited to myself; instead I throw it on to
others. I make the entire atmosphere around me so tense that
anyone who comes in contact with me also becomes miserable.
Although I talk of peace and happiness, more important than
words is what is happening within me. When my mind is free
of negativity, again, the law starts working. The moment there is
no negativity in the mind, nature-or God Almighty-starts rewarding me: I feel peaceful. This too I can observe within myself.
Whatever one’s religion or tradition or country, when one breaks
the law of nature and generates negativity in the mind, one is bound
to suffer. Nature itself provides the punishment. Those who break
nature’s laws start feeling the misery of hellfire within, here and
now. The seed they sow now is a seed of hellfire, and what awaits
them after death is nothing but hellfire. Similarly, according to the
law of nature, if I keep my mind pure, full of love and compassion,
I enjoy the kingdom of heaven within here and now. The seed that
I sow will have as its fruit the kingdom of heaven after death. It
makes no difference whether I call myself a Hindu, a Muslim, a
Christian or a Jain: a human being is a human being; the human
mind is the human mind.
- 35 -
The conversion that is needed is from impurity of mind to purity
of mind. This conversion changes people in wonderful ways. It is
no magic or miracle; this is a pure science of observing the interaction of mind and matter within. One examines how the mind
keeps influencing the material body, and how the body influences
the mind. Through patient observation, the law of nature becomes
so clear: whenever one generates mental negativity, one starts
suffering; and whenever one is free from negativity, one enjoys
peace and harmony. This technique of self-observation can be practiced by one and all.
Taught in ancient times by the Enlightened One in India, the technique spread around the world. Today also, people from different
communities, traditions and religions come and learn this technique,
to obtain the same benefit. They may continue to call themselves
Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, or Christian. These labels make no
difference; a human being is a human being. The difference is that
through their practice they become truly spiritual people, full of love
and compassion. What they are doing is good for themselves and for
all others. When someone generates peace in the mind, the entire
atmosphere around that person is permeated with the vibration of
peace and anyone who encounters that person also starts enjoying
peace. This mental change is the real conversion that is required. No
other conversion has meaning.
Permit me to read you a benevolent message from India to the world.
Inscribed in stone 2300 years ago, these are the words of Emperor
Ashoka the Great, an ideal ruler, explaining how to govern. He tells
us, “One should not honor only one’s own religion and condemn
other faiths.” This is an important message for our time. By condemning others and insisting that one’s own tradition is the best, one
creates difficulties for humanity. Ashoka continues, “Instead one
should honor other religions for various reasons.” Every religion
worthy of the name has a wholesome essence of love, compassion
and goodwill. We should give honor to the religion because of this
essence. The outer form always differs; there will be so many variations in rites, rituals, ceremonies or beliefs. Let us not quarrel about
all that, but instead give importance to the inner essence. Ashoka
- 36 -
says, “By so doing, one helps one’s own religion to grow and also
renders service to the religions of others. In acting otherwise, one
digs the grave of one’s own religion, and harms other religions as
well.”
This is a serious warning for us all. The message says, “Someone
who honors his own religion and condemns other religions may do
so out of devotion to his religion thinking ‘I will glorify my religion,’
but his actions injure his own religion more gravely.”
Finally, Ashoka presents the message of the Universal Law, the
message of Dharma: “Let all listen: Concord is good, not quarrelling.
Let all be willing to listen to the doctrine professed by others.”
Instead of disagreeing and condemning, let us give importance to
the essence of the teaching of every religion. Then, there will be real
peace, real harmony.”
- 37 -
BUDDHA: THE SUPER-SCIENTIST OF PEACE
Vol.13 No.3 March 18, 2003
(This address by S. N. Goenka was delivered at the United Nations
on the occasion of Vesakha, the full moon day of May, which is
celebrated each year as the day marking the birth, the enlightenment and the passing away of Gotama the Buddha. In 2002, Goenkaji
was touring North America during the month of Vesakha, teaching
Dhamma and giving public addresses in 35 cities over a period of
nearly four months.)
Venerable monks and peace-loving friends:
I thank the United Nations and the organizers of this magnificent
Vesakha celebration, especially the Myanmar and Sri Lankan
delegations, for the opportunity offered to me to address this distinguished gathering.
One feels so sorry when one looks at what is happening in the world.
Man has become the enemy of man. There is no personal enmity;
people are being killed only because they belong to a particular sect
or community, a particular ethnic group or country. Such is the level
of cruelty that a person kills other human beings even if they are
innocent, even if they are helpless women and children. Modern
technology makes this tragic violence terrifyingly devastating
- perhaps worse than ever before in human history. Therefore, more
than ever before, a basic change is needed today to protect humanity
from these inhuman, heinous crimes arising out of negative emotions.
The world is afflicted with the malady of hatred, anxiety and fear. It
needs a remedy from an extraordinary physician. The Buddha was
such an extraordinary physician, a great physician of peace and
happiness. His teaching of peace and harmony is as relevant today
as it was twenty-six centuries back, when he set in motion the Wheel
of Dhamma, the Wheel of Peace. Indeed, it is much more relevant
today. We have gathered here this afternoon to honor the teaching of
this outstanding person in human history. Let us see how his teach- 38 -
ing eliminates the negative emotions that are at the root of cruel violence, and how these can be changed to positive compassion. Most
of the time, blind belief and strong attachment to one’s views cause
negativity, which in turn produces such atrocities.
I came in contact with the Buddha’s teaching when I took my first
Vipassana course in my motherland of Myanmar. I remember that
before the course started, my teacher gave me a booklet to read. It
began with a quotation from a discourse of the Buddha to the Kalamas.
The Buddha advises:
Don’t accept something:
•
because you have heard it many times;
•
because it has been believed traditionally for generations;
•
because it is believed by a large number of people;
•
because it is in accordance with your scriptures;
•
because it seems logical;
•
because it is in line with your own beliefs;
•
because it is proclaimed by your teacher, who has an attractive personality and for whom you have great respect.
Accept it only after you have realized it yourself at the experiential
level and have found it to be wholesome and beneficial to one and
all. Then, not only accept it but also live up to it.
This message was like a magnetic pull. I was born and brought up
in a different tradition, where I was taught to accept the words of the
scriptures and the teacher without asking any questions. At the age
of thirty-one, these were the very first words of the Buddha that I
came across. I was thrilled to read them.
This was perhaps the first charter of freedom of thought in human
history. It became clear to me that there is no scope for blind belief
- 39 -
or blind faith in the teaching of the Enlightened One. I decided
to give it a fair trial with an open mind, accepting the truth as I
experienced it. As I walked on the path, the experience of each
day convinced me that the path is rational, pragmatic and scientific.
There is no need for any blind acceptance. There were no doubts,
as I was told to accept a truth only after I had experienced it. I also
found that every step on the path is universal and non-sectarian. This
gave me great confidence.
At the end of the ten-day course, I found the teaching to be
completely results-oriented. It proved so beneficial to me physically,
mentally and spiritually. Therefore, at the end of the first course I
accepted it wholeheartedly and thereafter, I continued to walk on the
path as taught by the Enlightened One.
After about fifteen years, I was authorized by my teacher to teach
Vipassana courses in India and throughout the world. Hundreds of
thousands of people from different countries, belonging to different
sects and various traditions, have achieved the same good results.
The teaching attracts people from all walks of life because they find
that it is totally non-sectarian and results-oriented.
The Teaching: The Dhamma
The qualities of the path given by the Buddha are:
1. Svakkhato-It is simple and well-defined so that anyone can
practice it without any confusion in the mind.
2. Sandiṭṭhiko-Every step is based on the reality of this moment.
There is no imagination, no speculation, no auto-suggestion
or outer suggestion.
3. Akaliko-Every step gives wholesome results here and now in
this very life. No effort on the path goes to waste.
4. Ehi-passiko-The teaching invites you to come and see for
yourself, to experience the truth yourself.
5. Opaneyyiko-The path is straight; every step on it takes one
- 40 -
nearer and nearer to the final goal of liberation from all misery.
6. Paccattaṃ veditabbo viññuhī’ti-It is for every sensible and
rational person from every community to experience the
truth within oneself by oneself.
As one continues to walk on the path and goes through the words of
the Buddha, it becomes clearer and clearer that the teaching is not
intended to convert people from one organized religion to another.
The teaching itself is not an organized religion. It can be practiced
by one and all.
When one reads the words of the Buddha and the commentaries
and sub-commentaries, one is surprised to find that throughout the
literature the words “Buddhism” and “Buddhist” are conspicuously
missing. The Buddha never used these words. His followers also
did not use these words for a number of centuries. He called his
teaching the Dhamma-that means the Law, the Truth. He called his
followers Dhammi, Dhammaṭṭho, Dhammiko, Dhammacari, Dhammavihari, and so on. In Indian languages, the word for “Buddhism”
or “Buddhist” is Bauddha-a word without equivalent in the vast Pali
literature.
If the word “Buddhism” is used for the Buddha’s teaching, it
becomes limited to a particular community, but Dhamma is limitless-appamaṇo Dhammo. It is not for one particular community or
religion. It is for all. We all know that the word “Buddhism” has now
gained currency and is convenient to use. Many who use the word
also understand that they are using it for the universal Dhamma or
Dharma.
The Noble Eightfold Path
Let us understand what is the Buddha’s teaching. It is the Noble
Eightfold Path. The path is noble in the sense that anyone who walks
on this path diligently becomes a noble person, a saintly person, a
pure-hearted person.
- 41 -
The Noble Eightfold Path is divided into three divisions.
The first is sīla-morality, which is summed up as:
Sabba papassa akaraṇaṃ
Abstain from all sinful actions-that is, all unwholesome actions,
physical or vocal, which hurt other beings and disturb their peace
and harmony.
The second part of the Path is samādhi-one-pointed concentration of
wholesome mind, summed up as:
Kusalassa upasampada
Perform wholesome actions with concentrated, wholesome mind.
The third part is pañña-wisdom or insight, summed up as:
Sacittapariyodapanaṃ
Purify the totality of mind by developing insight.
These three trainings are the teaching of all the Buddhas of the past
and will be the teaching of all the Buddhas of the future. That is why
it is said,
Etaṃ Buddhana sasanaṃ.
This is the teaching of all the Buddhas.
The Practical Teaching of the Buddha
To live the life of morality is the teaching of every religion.
It is the quintessence, the inner core of every spiritual
teaching. However, the Buddha was not interested in merely
giving sermons to live a moral life. He taught us to take the
next important step of samādhi-mastery over the mind.
For this one needs an object of concentration. There are many
objects by which one can train the mind. The Buddha himself
- 42 -
gave many objects, and of these, one of the most popular was
one’s own respiration. He called it Ānāpānassati developing
the faculty of awareness of inhalation and exhalation.
Respiration is common to all human beings belonging to any
community. Nobody can have an objection to the practice
of awareness of respiration. How can one label breath as
Muslim or Hindu, Christian or Jewish, Buddhist or Jain, Sikh
or Parsi, Caucasian or African or Asian, male or female?
Ānāpānassati requires us to remain aware of the breath on
the area below the nostrils and above the upper lip. It is
one-pointed concentration at the middle of the upper lip: uttaroṭṭhassa vemajjhappadese.
As the mind gets concentrated on this small area, it becomes
more and more sharp, more and more sensitive. After just
three days of practice, one starts feeling physical sensations on
this part of the body. Then, one turns to the next training of
paññā: wisdom or insight.
One observes sensations throughout the physical structure,
from the top of the head to the tips of the toes. In doing so,
one notices that the sensations are closely related to what
happens in the mind. It becomes clear that every time one
performs an unwholesome action, one has to generate some
impurity or other in the mind. Before one kills, one has
to generate immense hatred. Before one steals, one generates
greed. To indulge in sexual misconduct, one has to generate
immense passion. One cannot do any harm to others without
first harming oneself: Pubbe hanati attānam, pacchā hanati so
pare. Negativities such as anger, hatred, greed, ill will, jealousy,
egotism and fear make a person unhappy, miserable and violent.
One becomes agitated. When one is agitated, one doesn’t keep
this agitation to oneself: one starts distributing it to others, one
starts harming others in society. One realizes this law of nature
within the framework of one’s own mind and body.
Someone may seem outwardly happy while performing unwholesome actions but their real situation is like burning charcoal
covered with a thick layer of Ash: bhasmacchannova pāvako. One
- 43 -
is burning inside because of the mental negativities, and yet one is
totally ignorant of what is happening inside.
This is avijjā , moha—ignorance. For the Buddha, ignorance is not
lack of knowledge of some philosophical belief; it is lack of knowledge of what is happening within oneself. One doesn’t understand
how one becomes miserable because of this veil of ignorance. No
one wants to remain miserable and yet one continues to be miserable
because one continues to generate tanhā—craving and aversion—
all the time; one keeps on reacting to the sensations. When ignorance is removed, as one starts looking inside, one realizes, “Look,
I am generating misery for myself by generating tanhā in response
to these sensations. When they are pleasant, I generate craving and
when they are unpleasant, I generate aversion. Both make me miserable. And look, I have the solution now. When I understand the
impermanent nature of sensations and maintain equanimity, there is
no tanhā, no craving and no aversion. The old habit pattern of the
mind starts changing and I start coming out of misery.” This is vijjā
or wisdom according to the Buddha. It has nothing to do with any
philosophical or sectarian belief. It is the truth about one’s happiness
and misery, which all people can experience within if they take steps
on the path. The Four Noble Truths are not philosophical dogma.
They are actual realities pertaining to myself that I start realizing
within myself. They are Noble Truths only when one experiences
them, and thus, starts becoming a noble person.
When one is working with sensations, one is working at the depth
of the mind. Whatever arises in the mind is accompanied by sensations
within the body vedanā- samosarand sabbe dhammā. Even the most
transient thought that arises within the mind is accompanied by a
sensation within the body—Vedanā-samosaranā sankappavitakkā.
This was a great discovery of the Buddha.
Another great discovery of the Buddha was that we generate tanhā
in response to the sensations. This was not known to the other teachers before the time of the Buddha, at the time of Buddha or after
the Buddha. The teachers before the Buddha and at the time of the
Buddha kept advising people not to react to the sensory objects that
come in contact with the sense doors—eyes with visual object, nose
with smell, ears with sound, and so on. They taught, “When sensory
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objects come in contact with your senses, don’t react by judging
them as ‘good or bad; don’t react with craving or aversion.”
This teaching was already in existence. But the Buddha said that,
actually, you are not reacting to these objects. He gave the example
of a black bull and a white bull (one representing the sense doors
and the other the sense objects) tied together with a rope. Neither
the black nor the white bull is the bondage; the rope is the bondage.
The Buddha said that the rope of tanhā is the bondage, and that one
generates tanhā (craving or aversion) in response to vedanā (sensations) vedanā paccayā tanhā. This was the great discovery of the
Enlightened One. He became an enlightened person because of this
discovery. There were many other people saying that one should not
react to the objects of the senses. But they didn’t become Buddhas.
There were teachers who taught that one should not generate lobba
(craving) and dosa (aversion).
The Buddha explained that lobha and dosa would last as long as
there was moha. He, therefore, advised us to come out of moha. And
what is moha? Moha is ignorance. Moha is avijjā. You don’t know
what is happening inside. You don’t know the real cause of lobha
and dosa. You are ignorant. How will you come out of ignorance?
Strike at the root of the problem and come out of misery by working
with sensations.
As long as you are not aware of sensations, you keep fighting with
outside objects, thinking, “This is ugly” or “This is not ugly.” You
keep working on the surface. You are thinking of the black bull or
the white bull as the cause of the bondage. In fact, the bondage is the
craving and aversion that one generates in response to sensations.
An alcoholic thinks that he is addicted to alcohol. He is actually
addicted to the sensations he feels when he drinks alcohol.
When one observes sensations objectively, one starts coming out of
ignorance. By understanding the impermanent nature of sensations,
one generates paññā in response to vedanā. This is the law of nature.
Dhamma niyāmatā is the law behind the natural order of phenomena.
Whether there is a Buddha or no Buddha, Dhamma niyārnatā
remains eternal.
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The Buddha said:
Uppādā vā tathāgatānam anuppādā vā tathāgatānam, thitāva
sā dhātu dhammaṭṭhitatā dhammaniyāmatā idappaccayatā. Tam
tathāgato abhisambujjhati abhisameti. Abhisambujjhitvā abhisametvā
ācikkhati deseti paññādpeti paṭṭhapeti vivarati vibhajati uttānikaroti.
‘Passathā’ti cāha’.
He said, “I have experienced this law of nature, the Law of
Dependent Origination, within myself; and having experienced
and understood it I declare it, teach it, clarify it, establish it and
show it to others. Only after having seen it for myself, I declare it.”
This is the bold declaration of a supreme scientist. Just as whether
there is a Newton or no Newton, the law of gravity remains true.
Newton discovered it and explained it to the world. Similarly,
Galileo or no Galileo, the fact that the earth revolves around the sun
remains true.
The feeling of sensation is the crucial junction from where one can
take two paths going in opposite directions. If one keeps on reacting
blindly to pleasant and unpleasant sensations, one multiplies one’s
misery. If one learns to maintain equanimity in the face of pleasant
and unpleasant sensations, one starts changing the habit pattern at
the deepest level and starts coming out of misery. The sensations are
the root. As long as one neglects the root, the poisonous tree will
grow again even if the trunk is cut.
The Buddha said:
Yathāpi mūle anupaddave dalbe,
chinnopi rukkho punareva rūhati;
Evampi tanhānusaye anūhate,
nibbattati dukkhamidam punappunam.
Just as a tree with roots intact and secure,
though cut down, sprouts again;
even so, while latent craving is not rooted out,
misery springs up again and again.
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Thus, this super-scientist discovered that to become fully liberated
from mental defilements, one has to work at the root of the mind.
Each individual must cut asunder the roots of taṇhānusaya.
When the entire forest is withered, each tree has to be nurtured, its
roots cleared of disease, and then watered. Then, the entire forest
will bloom again. Similarly, for the betterment of society, each individual has to improve. For society to become peaceful, each individual has to become peaceful. The individual is the key.
For the world to become peaceful, each country or society has to
become peaceful. Here, I would again like to quote a very important
exhortation from the Buddha to the Vajjian republic of Licchavis.
The Buddha gave the following practical instructions, which would
make the
Licchavis unassailable:
• As long as they maintain their unity and meet regularly, they
will remain invincible.
• As long as they meet together in unity, rise in unity and perform their duties in unity, they will remain invincible.
• As long as they do not transgress their ancient principles of
good governance and their system of justice, they will remain
invincible.
• As long as they revere, respect, venerate, and honor their elders
and pay regard to their words, they will remain invincible.
• As long as they protect their women and children, they will
remain invincible.
• As long as they venerate the objects of worship inside and
outside their republic, and maintain monetary support for them,
they will remain invincible.
There were many sects in those days too, with their own temples
and places of worship. Wisdom lies in keeping all people happy
and satisfied. They should not be subjected to harassment, which
compels them to become enemies of the state. Their places of
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worship should receive adequate protection. As long as the rulers
provide protection and support to saintly people, they will remain
invincible.
This wise counsel of the Buddha is also applicable today to maintain
peace and harmony in the world. We cannot ignore issues related to
religion if we are to be successful in bringing peace to the world.
It is the duty of every government to protect its people from external
attacks, to do everything possible to make its people and territory
secure. While this is done, it must be borne in mind that such
measures give only short-term benefits. Goodwill and compassion
alone can remove the hatred that lies at the root of all such acts performed by anyone belonging to any sect. In India, the United States
and other countries where Vipassana courses are held in prisons,
we already see how people change. The roots of terrorism lie in
the minds of terrorists. We have seen how some hardened, violent
criminals have been transformed in our prison courses. Anger, fear,
vengefulness and hatred start dissolving, creating a peaceful and
compassionate mind. We first ask some members of the prison staff
to learn Vipassana and only then give courses for the inmates.
This gives wonderful results.
In the Buddha’s teaching, we will find a bridge that can connect various sects. The three fundamental divisions of the Buddha’s teachings—morality, concentration of mind and purification of mind—
are the essence of every religion and spiritual path. Sila, samādhi
and paññā are the common denominators of all religions. There can
be no conflict over these three basic factors necessary for living a
beneficial life. The whole emphasis of the Buddha’s teaching is on
the practice of these three in order to apply Dhamma in real life.
This is the inner core of every religion. Instead of giving importance
to this core, we keep on quarreling about the outer shell, which may
be different in different religions.
History has proved that whenever the universal, nonsectarian teaching
of the Buddha has gone to any place or community, it has never
clashed with the traditional culture. Instead, - like sugar. dissolving
in milk, the teachings have been gently assimilated to sweeten and
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enhance society. We all know how much the sweetness of peace and
tranquillity is needed in the bitter world today. May the teaching of
the Enlightened One bring peace and happiness to more and more
individuals, thus making more and more societies around the world
peaceful and happy.
May all beings be happy.
May all beings be peaceful.
May all beings be liberated.
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The following articles are a collection of autobiographical narratives by S. N. Goenka from the Vipassana Newsletter archives of
the Vipassana Research Institute except “The Tree of Merits” which
was never published before.
Please see:
http://www.vridhamma.org/Newsletter_Index.aspx?LnGId=1
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Phuṭṭhassa lokadhammehi cittaṃ yassa na kampati;
asokaṃ virajaṃ khemaṃ, etaṃ maṅgalamuttamaṃ.
Mind unshaken by the vicissitudes of life—
sorrowless, stainless, secure: this is the greatest welfare.
--Maha-Maṅgala Sutta, Khuddaka-nikāya, Sutta Nipāta, II. 4
If nature so wills, may it mince every slice of my flesh and powder
the bones, and may every atom of my body be mingled with the
dust of this sacred land. And if it is the will of nature for me to live
longer, may every breath of my life flow with gratitude towards my
motherland.
From Baba Dohas, Verses for my Grandfather
The unpublished story following describes some of the background
to the circumstances during which Goenkaji composed the dohā
above.
THE TREE OF MERITS
by S.N. Goenka
By the late nineteen fifties, the Indian community in Burma was
divided. There were those who were sure they saw the handwriting
on the wall. Being convinced that sooner or later a socialist regime
would be installed, these people reasoned that in the meantime they
ought to enrich themselves as much as possible, without any thought
for others, and ought to pursue lines of business from which they
could easily extricate their capital when the change of government
came. For this reason such people confined their business activities
to commerce and trading. However, I did not accept their reasoning,
and I started a factory even though I knew that I could not withdraw
my capital should nationalization come. To me it seemed that by
trading I could gain wealth for myself, but by starting an industry I could benefit not only myself but others too. So many would
gain their livelihood by working in the factory, and the country as a
whole would benefit by being relieved of the necessity of importing
at least some goods.
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For these reasons I established a factory for [blanket making]. I
looked after it with such solicitude for those who worked there that
I earned the name of “red capitalist.” Whenever I visited the factory,
I would sit and eat together with the leaders of the workers. I set up
consultative committees in which workers could express their needs.
It sometimes happened that if profits one year were higher than usual, I would urge the workers to demand more of the management,
since it could afford to meet their demands. I provided fringe benefits such as sports and recreational facilities as well as health care; in
fact I would visit sick workers personally. Many of my employees
also took courses in Vipassana meditation. All this gave a feeling of
oneness and harmony between employer and employees.
Eventually, as some had feared, a new government was in fact installed, and it began to introduce its policy of socialization and
nationalization. To celebrate the takeover of private industry, it
distributed new brooms to the factories, so that the workers could
metaphorically sweep out the dirt of capitalism. In my factory, however, the workers began to cry when they were given the brooms.
“What have we to celebrate? We were well off as we were!” they
insisted.
At last the day came when the factory was to pass formally out of
my hands. A colonel from the army came to take possession of it in
the name of the people’s government. All the workers gathered in a
hall, and I requested the colonel to grant me a few minutes to say
farewell to them. Often enough the government army officers were
brusque in their behavior, but this man kindly agreed to my request.
However, he warned me: “Take care of what you say!” Perhaps he
feared that I might try to stir up animosity against the government
among my former employees, and even urge them to sabotage the
running of the factory.
I stood in front of the workers, and they all bowed and paid respects
to me. Now what to say to them but words of Dhamma? I told them
that establishing this industry had not been an act of dāna (donation)
or pure altruism on my part; in fact it had provided support for my
family and myself. But aside from this industry I had so many other
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business interests which had not tied up my capital as this industry
had: import and export, and domestic trade. All this commerce and
trading, however, put money in my pocket but not in the pockets of
others. By founding an industry I had created a source of livelihood
not only for myself but for thousands of others. To me it therefore
seemed a puñña, a meritorious deed, to establish a factory—like
planting a tree, from which one would expect to receive fruit year
after year. This factory, I said, is the tree of merits that I have planted, and I expect you to see that the tree continues to give fruit. It
makes no difference who owns it—I or the state or yourselves; so
long as this industry continues to function, my merits will continue
to grow. If production is stopped even for a one day, it will be a real
loss to me, and I shall be very sorry. As you worked diligently under
me, now continue in the same way, and I shall continue to reap the
rewards of my meritorious action.
As I spoke facing the workers, the colonel had been standing behind
me. When I finished, I turned around to him and found that this
hardened soldier had tears in his eyes.
At the time of the government takeover, so many factory owners
suffered heart attacks or became deranged, unable to face their
heavy losses. Still harder to face was the fear of worse to come. In
fact, during the giddy first days of the change of regime, a proposal
was seriously considered by the new government to hold public trials and executions of the ten leading capitalists of Burma; and my
name appeared at the top of the list. With the help of the Dhamma,
however, I was able to weather the storm and to remain balanced
and happy.
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MY TEACHER’S BOUNDLESS METTĀ
Vol.6 No. 1 & 2 January & April, 1996
Sayagyi was the epitome of compassion and loving-kindness.
Although deeply engrossed in official duties, he was full of
enthusiasm for giving Dhamma service to the maximum number
of people. He taught Dhamma to any person who approached him,
even if it caused him much inconvenience. Sometimes he would
hold a course for even one or two students, and would exert as much
effort for them as for a large number. His mind remained suffused
in love for every student. They seemed like sons and daughters to
him. Only three days before he passed away, he completed a course.
And until the day before his demise, he was still teaching Dhamma.
He had immense love and compassion for all creatures. All
Creatures at his centre, even snakes and scorpions, were affected by
his boundless mettā (loving-kindness). Every particle of the centre
radiated with his love. He tended the trees and plants there with great
compassion. It was because of his strong mettā that the fruits growing
in that sacred piece of land came to have an exceptional sweetness
and flavour. The flowers also had a distinctive hue and fragrance.
One year something unusual happened in Burma. A situation bordering
on famine developed. This was a shock for a country like Burma,
which had always produced an abundant harvest. Food production
was diminished and the government had to introduce rice rationing.
The people were deeply affected by this. At this time Sayagyi’s
compassion for his afflicted countrymen knew no bounds. Not only
from his lips, but from every pore of his body seemed to resound the
sentiment: “May the people be prosperous, may the ruler be virtuous!”
Sometime later a famine also occurred in India, continuing for two
years. Sayagyi’s compassion was enlivened once again. In one
corner of his centre he had arranged to have erected a model of the
lofty peaks of the Himalayas. He was very fond of this reminder. He
would meditate beside it every day, sending his goodwill to India
with the wishes: “I cannot recall how many times I was born in India
and remained in that snow-clad region for so long, developing my
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meditation. Today the people of that country are in distress. May
peace and tranquillity come to them. May all abide in Dhamma!”
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TEACHER OF A NON-SECTARIAN PATH
Vol.6 No. 1 & 2 January & April, 1996
One of the things which kept attracting me closer and closer to
my teacher was his non-sectarian interpretation of Dhamma. The
teaching of Buddha is so universal that people from different
sects and communities can follow it and experience its benefits. I
never found Sayagyi interested in converting people to the formal,
organised Buddhist religion. Of course, he himself was Buddhist
by birth, and proud to be so. But for him the essence of Buddhism
was Dhamma, and a true Buddhist was one who practised Dhamma.
He was interested in helping people to establish themselves in
Dhamma—that is, in sīla (morality), samādhi (concentration) and
paññā (wisdom); to show people how to convert themselves from
misery to happiness. If someone who had undergone this conversion
from impurity to purity then wished to call himself a Buddhist,
Sayagyi was pleased; but the important point was the change in the
person’s life, not merely the change in the name he called himself.
Sayagyi would even admonish enthusiasts who were eager to
convert others to Buddhism, saying to them, “The only way to
convert people is to become established oneself in Dhamma—
in sīla, samādhi, paññā—and to help others similarly to get
established. When you yourselves are not established in sīla,
samādhi, paññā, what is the sense in your trying to convert others?
You may call yourselves Buddhist but unless you practise sīla,
samādhi, paññā, to me you are not Buddhists. But if someone
practises sīla, samādhi, paññā, then even though he may not
call himself a Buddhist, nevertheless he is a true follower of
the teachings of the Buddha, whatever he may label himself.”
One incident, illustrating this non-sectarian attitude, occurred when
a staunch Christian came to take a course under Sayagyi. While
the opening formalities were being explained, this man became
frightened that he was being asked to convert from Christianity to
Buddhism; and out of this groundless fear, he refused to take refuge
in Buddha. “I can take refuge in Jesus Christ, but not in Buddha,”
he said “Very well,” replied Sayagyi smilingly, “take refuge in Jesus
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Christ—but with the understanding that you are actually taking
refuge in the qualities of Christ, in order to develop these very
qualities in yourself.” In this way the person began to work; and by
the end of the course he realized that his initial objections had been
unnecessary, that his fears of conversion had been without cause.
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THE FIRST COURSE IN INDIA
Vol. 8 No. 6 June 10, 1998
(The following article by S. N. Goenka appeared in the Hindi
Vipashyanā Patrikā in July 1994 to mark the 25th anniversary of
Goenkaji’s teaching. This translation has been adapted from the
original.)
20 June 1969 was an extremely important day in my life. On that day
my revered teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin appointed me a Vipassana
teacher, entrusting me with a great responsibility. In the preceding
years he had trained me as his assistant so that I might undertake this
responsibility; now the time had come to fulfil it. The next day I was
to leave Myanmar (Burma), my birthplace, and set out for India, the
land of my ancestors. Vipassana had come to Myanmar from India
about 2,500 years before. In its adopted land it had been preserved
by an unbroken chain of teachers, down to Sayagyi U Ba Khin. In
India, however, the technique had been completely lost and people
had even forgotten the name of Vipassana.
Now Sayagyi U Ba Khin wished Vipassana to return to India, its
country of origin. This would benefit the people of India and also
enable Myanmar to repay its debt to India for this liberating technique.
It was his strong Dhamma wish that this priceless spiritual teaching
should not only return to India but, after becoming established there,
spread throughout the world for the welfare of many. I had assured
him that I would do my best to fulfil his noble wish.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin firmly believed that India would readily accept
its lost treasure. He often used to say that many people had been
born in India at this time endowed with abundant pāramitā (merits),
and that their previous meritorious deeds would naturally draw them
to Vipassana.
Again and again my teacher’s voice, filled with mettā, would ring in
my ears:”The clock of Vipassana has struck. Its revival is bound to
come in India and it will happen now.” This was the prophecy not
only of my teacher but also that of saints thousands of years ago. For
me, his blessings and this confident prophecy were like nourishing
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provisions sustaining me on my journey.
In the first days after coming to India, however, I found myself
surrounded by difficulties and began to doubt whether I would
succeed. Where should a course be held? How would it be organised?
Who would organise it? Who would be prepared to leave family and
household to spend ten days with me? How few knew me in this
country with such a vast population!
Closest to me were the members of my own family living in India.
I had come with high hopes of help from them, but just before
my arrival several of them had become followers of another path,
Ananda Marg. I had learned of this even while I was in Myanmar.
What I hadn’t known was that those family members had become
so extreme in their support for Ananda Marg that they would not
even listen to explanations about Vipassana. The possibility seemed
remote that they would join a Vipassana course and give the
technique a try; and I could not see any possibility of their help in
organising a course.
At the same time, family members who had earlier come from
Myanmar and were Vipassana meditators were feeling dispirited
because they had lost everything due to economic changes. I felt
sure that none of them could help organise a course. Even more
dire was the situation of some other Vipassana meditators who had
recently come from Myanmar.
My mother faced her own dilemma. A Vipassana course was to be
organised for her benefit, to enable her to free herself from mental
distress. It was specifically for this purpose that I had come to
India and for which the Burmese government had taken the thenunprecedented step of granting me a passport. After my arrival in
India, my mother would frequently sit with me and meditate, and the
experience made her eager to join a course if it could be organised.
She did not want to disappoint her son who had come all the way
from Myanmar, but she also did not wish to anger her other sons in
India who followed the Ananda Marg path. In a very sad voice she
would say, “You will have to see how I can sit the course.”
The atmosphere was filled with disappointment and frustration. I
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thought that I would have to return to Myanmar without success.
Despite my teacher’s confident prediction, a cloud of despair had
cast its shadow; and although I thought that the clock of Vipassana
had struck, it seemed the work of its revival would have to be done
by other, fitter hands.
Sometimes, even in this unhappy atmosphere, there would be a ray
of hope. Sayagyi had said that on my arrival in India, nature would
give a sign of my future success. I travelled by air from Yangon
(Rangoon) and, as it happened, when I descended from the plane
in Calcutta there was an earth tremor. The next day I read in the
newspapers that it had affected a large area of northern India. To
me it was as if the country was thrilled to regain the long-lost jewel
of the Dhamma.
Signs of this kind had occurred in the time of the Buddha. Was this
nature’s way of expressing joy at the rebirth of the Buddha’s teaching
through the return of Vipassana? However, when I recalled the
present difficulties, I felt that perhaps the earthquake had just been a
coincidence and that it was senseless to give it importance. I needed
to understand and accept the existing situation, which was bleak.
Such storms of hope and despair raged in my mind. As the days
passed a sense of despondency became heavier and deeply affected
me. One evening I sat to meditate in this frame of mind. The
meditation was very strong. Just a short while before its end, I found
that dense clouds had gathered inside and there was total darkness
in all directions. The atmosphere around was filled with doubts
and tension but, when I examined the state of my mind, I found
that it was not affected at all. Instead, it was firmly established in
equanimity. Suddenly my mind was filled with a strong resolve:
“What is to be will be. I am dedicated to Dhamma. Let Dhamma
do as Dhamma wishes. If I am a worthy vessel of Dhamma and
if I have a sufficient store of previous pāramitā, the darkness
will dissipate. If it does not, I shall accept my unworthiness
and return to Myanmar after meeting my family and friends.”
As soon as I made this resolve, I felt strong mettā toward my
brothers who were deeply involved in Anand Marg: “May they be
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happy. May they be successful.” My mind was suffused with these
emotions. Suddenly the darkness started to dissolve and within a few
seconds was gone. In its place a stream of joy arose and enthusiasm
started to overflow. No trace of despair remained anywhere.
After my meditation, I saw that a young man was waiting to see
me: Vijay Adukia, the son of Dayanand Adukia and grandson of
Mangalchand Adukia. Mangalchandji was the father-in-law of my
younger brother and my associate in social service in Myanmar. He
had also done a Vipassana course there. Vijay said, “If you wish to
conduct a ten-day course, I shall arrange for a place. A portion of the
Pancayatiwadi Dharmashala can be made available. I have already
spoken to the management. If you wish, you can come and inspect it.”
I cheerfully went to the course site but found it totally unsuitable for
meditation. Aside from the noise and din of the city, there was filth
everywhere. However, to find a vacant place for ten days in a large,
densely populated city like Bombay was an impossibility. Therefore,
expressing gratitude toward the management of the dharmashala, I
immediately gave my acceptance.
Now the question was who would join the course. But I was
confident that, just as a site had been found, a few people would also
be prepared to participate.
Vijay himself said with great enthusiasm, “I shall be one of the
students. I had wished to take charge of arranging the course but my
father can do it. I’ll sit the course instead.”
My old friend and associate from Myanmar, Kantibhai G. Shah, had
come to my home to see me. When he heard about the course he also
said with great enthusiasm, “I’ll be a student and our friend B.C.
Shah will be another. I’ll bring him along.”
“Now the course will certainly be held,” I said, “even if only two or
three people participate.”
My mother was sitting nearby. Her face, which always used to
be so cheerful, looked forlorn. The waves of her sorrow tugged
at my mind. When I lay down to sleep at night, her image came
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before my eyes again and again. I could understand her frame of
mind only too well. She was torn between conflicting emotions.
On the one hand, her son had come for her sake from far away to
conduct a Vipassana course in which she wished to participate.
On the other hand, her younger son would feel hurt if she did so.
I too was sad. One reason was that the prophecies made long ago
appeared to be coming true: after perhaps 2,000 years a Vipassana
course was about to be held in India. I had hoped that, by taking
part in this historic Dhamma mission and helping to organise it,
my entire family in India would share the merits. Now there did
not seem to be the slightest possibility that this would happen.
Another reason for my sadness was that I wished to repay my
debt of gratitude to my parents. In their old age I wished to make
the effort to put them on the path of Dhamma. But I could not
see any possibility of their joining the course. What could I do? I
had only the strength of mettā to rely on. During that night I sent
strong mettā to my parents and brothers. The next day I felt that
the entire atmosphere was vibrating with enthusiasm. Early in the
morning another old friend from Myanmar, Motilal Chaudhary, and
Bharat, the son of Balchand Poddar, came to see me. Both were
old students. When they heard about the course they said that they
were ready to join it and assured me that they would also ask others
to take part. I phoned Madras. Family members who had settled
there were delighted when they heard the news about the upcoming
course, and three of them decided to come to Bombay to participate.
My mother and father were observing all this. I could understand my
mother’s difficulties very well, but in the present situation I could
not find the courage to say anything to her. And I knew only too well
my father’s stubbornness. He had joined Ananda Marg even though
he was not greatly influenced by it. While living in Myanmar he had
completed a Vipassana course with Sayagyi U Ba Khin, in which his
Anapana had been very powerful. Sayagyi had been very satisfied
with him. There was only one difficulty barring him from taking
part in the course: he did not wish to give up the performance of his
daily religious rituals. I suggested to him that, just as someone else
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had been found to perform the rituals for him during the course he
did in Myanmar, the same arrangement could be made here also.
To my pleasant surprise, he accepted my suggestion at once. At this
my mother summoned up her courage and said, “If you are going to
meditate, I shall also meditate, if not for ten days then at least for five.”
My happiness was limitless. Here was the chance for me to
repay my debt to my parents. “Who knows,” I thought, “the
remaining family members who are Ananda Marg followers may
experience the benefits of Vipassana at some time in the future,
but these two have reached old age; they should sit now.” And
so it happened. Both parents participated in the first course from
July 3 to 13, 1969, along with twelve other students. My mother
remained for the full ten days of the course and benefited greatly.
I was surprised to see that, although my Ananda Marg brothers did
not offer to help on this first course, they did not put any obstacles
in the way of this meritorious endeavor, nor did they express any
opposition or feel the slightest annoyance. All our apprehensions
proved to have been unfounded. My mind was suffused with feelings
of gratitude toward them. At the conclusion of the course, I mentally
shared the merits of this great Dhamma undertaking and made the
Dhamma wish that sooner or later their merits would also bear fruit,
so that they may also taste the nectar of Vipassana and be happy.
These difficulties were only for the first course. Immediately
afterwards, students who had taken part and experienced the benefits
began to organise and to serve courses, one after another. Thus, after
2,000 years, the pure stream of Dhamma again began to flow in India.
Since 1969 it has swelled into a mighty river, bringing happiness
to people in India and around the world. The doors of liberation
were opened for many, allowing them to realise true happiness.
May the Dhamma-Ganges of Vipassana gain more and more
strength, and continue to benefit people throughout the world.
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THE FLOODGATES OF DHAMMA OPEN
Vol.7 No. 3 May, 1997
Sayagyi U Ba Khin, my revered teacher, strongly believed that 2500
years after the Buddha’s mahaparinibbana (final passing away of
Enlightened Ones), the second Buddha-sasana (cycle of teaching)
will start again in the land of its origin, and from there spread
throughout the world for the boundless benefit of humankind.
Dhamma will again arise with the practice of Vipassana. For
millennia, Vipassana was lost to India. But it was preserved in its
pristine purity in Myanmar (Burma).
Close to the end of this 2500-year period, the historical Sixth Council
was held from 1954 to 1956 in Yangon (Rangoon). It was during this
time - from 1st to 11th September, 1955 - that I got my Dhamma
birth. I sat my first Vipassana course.
After benefiting me immeasurably for fourteen years, Vipassana
returned to India on 22 June, 1969, with the blessings of my teacher.
An interval of about 2000 years had passed. In spite of all the selfdoubts about my ability, Dhamma started to take root in India.
I am merely a medium. Dhamma is doing its own work. “The
clock of Vipassana has struck,” Sayagyi often said. “At this time,
many people endowed with abundant paramita have been born
in India and in the other countries of the world. The ticking of
this Vipassana clock will attract these people towards Dhamma”.
So it happened. Innumerable people from different countries,
religions, beliefs started participating in courses. So too
did leaders of various religions. All of them accepted this
technique as their own; none of them felt that it was alien.
These initial Vipassana courses were taught only in Hindi since the
majority of courses were held in North India. After a few months, a
few westerners also started participating in these courses.
After giving the Dhamma talk in Hindi, I used to give them a five
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or ten-minute discourse summary and instructions. These students
were very hard working and this brief guidance was enough for
them to achieve surprisingly good results.
Gradually, words of praise of Vipassana spread amongst western
travellers. A year later, a group of tourists staying at Dalhousie
requested me to come there and conduct a course exclusively for
them.
It was difficult for me. The entire course would have to be conducted
in English. To talk a few English sentences of guidance and to
clear their doubts would have been simple. But to give an hourlong discourse fluently in English, or to give long, inspirational
instructions throughout the day, as I did in Hindi, was impossible
for me.
In Rangoon, I used to read out a written speech whenever I had
to give a talk in English as President of Chamber of Commerce
and Industry, or at any important public function. I neither had the
experience nor the ability to give a talk in English without reading
from a text.
And a talk on meditation, in which I have to give English equivalents
of technical terms of Indian spiritual traditions, was even more
difficult for me.
So I expressed my inability to conduct a course in English and advised
them to keep joining courses conducted in Hindi in small numbers.
They argued that whereas Hindi-speaking students benefited greatly
from the inspiring discourses and instructions, the foreign students
were deprived of this benefit. Besides, they were convinced I knew
enough English to conduct the course.
When I still refused, they contacted Sayagyi U Ba Khin and
complained to him about me. “Sir, outside Burma, only one of your
representatives is teaching this technique and he is not accepting our
request”, they told him. “Where can we go to learn this technique?”.
Besides, in those days, one could not get a visa to Burma for more
than three days. So they pleaded with Sayagyi that he should order
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me to conduct courses in English.
I was in Bombay, then. My revered teacher telephoned me and
ordered that I should go to Dalhousie to conduct that course. He
told me with loving firmness : “You must go. Whatever English you
know will be enough. You will be successful. Dhamma will help. All
my mettā is with you.” After getting such a powerful reassurance I
went to Dalhousie.
I had nothing against going to Dalhousie. In fact, I had reasons to
look forward to the trip. This would be my first course in the lap of
the Himalayas. Sayagyi used to say : “Who knows how long in how
many lives we have meditated in the serene caves of the Himalayas.”
That is why on reaching there, my mind was filled with rapture. My
self-doubts began to melt.
The course started. For the first two days, while sitting on the
Dhamma seat I experienced an inexplicable feeling of suffocation.
As a result, I was unable to speak for more than fifteen minutes the
first evening.
On the second evening, I had to struggle to speak for about twentyfive minutes. I felt suffocated again. Although, I found no cause for
it in the surface layers of my mind, I felt that maybe the inferiority
complex of having trouble speaking English was creating obstacles
at the deepest level.
But the actual cause turned out to be something else. This was a small
course with eleven students. It was conducted in a little bungalow
called Shanti Kutir. The group sittings and discourses were held in a
small room. The student who had invited me for the course lived in
the adjacent room.
On the third day, I felt strong, impure, anti-Dhamma vibrations
flowing from that room and polluting the adjacent meditation room.
With the pure vibrations of the Himalayas on the one hand and the
powerful mettā of my revered teacher on the other hand, I could not
understand what could cause these anti-Dhamma vibrations.
That afternoon, when I went to that room to check the student, I
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was startled to see a human skull on his table. Nearby was a bloodstained kukri, [curved knife used by Gurkhas].
The student explained he was the disciple of some local tantric
[member of a mystical cult]. Only three nights ago he had gone to the
cremation ground, and had made an animal sacrifice with this kukri
as part of a tantric ritual. His guru had told him that his meditation
would be very successful if he kept the skull and kukri close to him.
Now I understood the cause of the suffocating, negative vibrations
pervading the meditation room. Only after much persuasion by me
did he throw that kukri and skull in some cavern faraway. And only
then was the anti-Dhamma force eliminated from Shanti Kutir.
That afternoon, I meditated on the Dhamma seat for a long time.
The time for the evening discourse approached. I saw that the entire
atmosphere, washed by the purifying waves of the breeze from the
Himalayas, had become even purer with the mettā-filled Dhamma
vibrations from my revered teacher.
Just a few moments before the start of the discourse, Dhamma
vibrations flooded my being through the top of the head . I began the
discourse and I found I spoke English as fluently as I speak Hindi. I
spoke for an entire hour.
After the five-minute break, I gave long instructions with the same
fluency. I could see that all meditators - male and female - were
absorbed in deep meditation. At 9:00 p. m., when the day ended,
their faces were radiant. I was wonderstruck.
It was Sayagyi’s mettā that gave me the Dhamma strength to turn
what seemed impossible to possible. The first-ever Vipassana course
in English became successful. What Dhamma desired happened.
After this, all courses were bilingual. Daily, I gave Hindi discourses
in the morning and English discourses in the evening. Instructions
too were bilingual.
More courses and courses with more students were conducted. The
number of foreign students progressively increased. Courses in
places like Bodhgaya, Kushinagar, Varanasi and Rajagir had almost
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only foreign students. Word spread to many Western countries.
Groups of foreigners came to learn Vipassana. With courses often
running full, many had to wait for the next course.
In a few years, thousands from about eighty countries came for
Vipassana courses. Students came from neighbouring Sri Lanka and
Thailand. The time had come for the prophecy and Dhamma wish
of Sayagyi to come true.
Vipassana will spread throughout the world. Perhaps that is why
it became possible to conduct courses in English. Without this,
Vipassana would not have spread among the people of foreign
countries.
I felt contented. The Vipassana flood gates had opened and the
infinitely beneficial Ganges of Dhamma also flowed to students
outside India, to the world.
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A DHAMMA DECISION
Vol.7 No. 4 & 5 July 20, 1997
Shri Yadu Kumar Siddhi of Nepal had participated in a number of
the early Vipassana courses in Bodh Gaya, benefited greatly, and
so did many of his friends and family members. Soon, they began
fervently requesting me to conduct a course in Nepal, either in
Birganj or in Kathmandu.
I too wanted to visit Nepal - for teaching Dhamma and for other
reasons. I felt a great attraction to the wholesome vibrations of the
Himalayas, so congenial to meditation. There was an even greater
attraction: it was Nepal that gave birth to this immeasurably great
being, the Buddha, who re-discovered the technique of Vipassana
and opened the path of liberation for so many people.
But visiting Nepal was not possible because I was a Myanmar citizen.
The Myanmar Government had very kindly given me a passport, but
I could legally travel only to India.
For the benefit of the Nepalese people I conducted a course in
September 1972 in Raxaul, which is on the Indian side of the IndoNepal border. A few attended the course from the city of Birganj
on the other side of the border, and some came from Kathmandu.
Besides, many non-meditators from Birganj were allowed to listen
to only the evening discourses.
After this course successfully concluded, the people of Birganj
strongly insisted that I conduct a course in their city. Their argument
was that Birganj had better facilities than Raxaul, and that would
attract a larger number of people for a course. I told them my
difficulties.
“You are of Indian origin, sir. You would have no difficulty crossing
the border and past the immigration authorities by wearing dhoti and
kurta,” they replied. “Indians and Nepalese can visit one another’s
country freely without any visa.”
But this suggestion was totally unacceptable to me. I had the noble
example of my teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin before me. He was very
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eager to come to India and personally repay the debt of gratitude
by returning this wonderful technique of Vipassana to its country
of origin, which had lost the technique. So he had applied for a
passport to the then Government of Myanmar. But the Government
was bound by its own policy. He could get a passport only if he
either left the country for good, or got employment abroad.
I very vividly remember being present when U Win Pe the Cabinet
Secretary of the Government of Myanmar came to see Sayagyi at
the International Meditation Centre. He had been sent by the Home
Minister Col. Kyaw Soe, to advise him in this matter. U Win Pe
was also a student of Sayagyi. Not only the Home Minister, but
most of the Cabinet ministers had great respect for Sayagyi U Ba
Khin. But they too appeared helpless. So U Win Pe suggested
Sayagyi get a letter of employment from one of his students abroad.
That suggestion was not based on truth and therefore it was totally
unacceptable to Sayagyi.
How could he teach pure Dhamma when the first step itself was taken
against sīla? How could the Dhamma journey be really successful?
Keeping in mind this basic principle of teaching Dhamma, I too
could not accept the Birganj people’s proposal. Very frankly I told
them that I was a Myanmar citizen, and that I could not declare
myself as an Indian to the immigration authorities of Nepal.
A very rich Nepali industrialist had participated in this course. He
had great influence in many different Government departments of
Nepal. He suggested I enter his country in his car. No immigration
official would even question whether or not I was an Indian. In this
way I could save myself from telling lies. But how could I accept
this suggestion too? After all, untruth was untruth and deception was
deception. So I could not go to Nepal, and kept giving courses only
in India.
Time passed. Thousands of students from around the world started
coming to India to take Vipassana courses. They began pleading that
I should go to their countries to conduct Vipassana courses. They
said their own family members, friends and thousands of others
who could not come to India could also benefit from this wonderful
technique. They were convinced the Western people will readily
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accept a technique as scientific, rational, non-sectarian and resultoriented as Vipassana.
Quite true. My revered teacher also believed that the pure technique
of Vipassana would spread from India to the entire world. But how
would it spread unless courses were conducted in other countries?
Therefore, I applied to the Myanmar embassy in New Delhi
requesting endorsements for other countries on my passport.
The ambassador and other officials at the embassy were very well
known to me. They were pleased with my Dhamma work, and were
very eager to help me carry Vipassana to other countries. But giving
new endorsements was not within their power. So they forwarded
my application to the Foreign Ministry of the Myanmar Government
in Yangon. My application was rejected because the Government of
Myanmar was bound by its strict policy.
I then submitted an appeal explaining in detail why it was necessary
in the interest of so many suffering people around the world that
I must visit various countries and teach them Vipassana. But the
embassy refused to forward this appeal because they were so sure
that the authorities in Yangon would not accept it. Therefore I
continued giving courses only in India.
More time passed. The pressure from foreign students increased. So
I wrote to my friend U Thi Han in Yangon. Very excited to learn that
there was so much demand for Dhamma from Western countries, he
felt that I should go and give courses there.
It was because of U Thi Han’s incessant efforts that I got a passport
to come to India to serve my mother who was here and was suffering
from a mental disease. He was then the Myanmar’s Foreign Minister.
But now retired, he advised me to send an appeal to Col. Maung
Maung Kha, the then Prime Minister. He offered to recommend my
case to the Prime Minister.
Col. Maung Maung Kha was a good friend of mine. During the caretaker Government, under the leadership of U Thi Han I had twice
joined Government trade delegations, to India and the Soviet Union
and other communist countries in Europe. Col. Maung Maung Kha
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had been a member in both these delegations. He was known to me
earlier, but our intimacy had increased during these foreign visits.
When the revolutionary Government came to power he was made
Secretary of the Industrial Ministry. Later on he became the Minister
of Industry and then was promoted to become the Prime Minister.
Because of this close relationship with Prime Minister Col. Maung
Maung Kha, I was hopeful that he would accept my appeal. Along
with the appeal I also wrote a personal letter. But I received no
answer from him.
Although he was very happy and proud of the work to spread
Dhamma, it seemed that he too was unable to change the strict
Government policy. He too was helpless.
Many years later, in 1990, when I revisited my motherland Myanmar,
at the invitation of the Government of Myanmar, U Maung Maung
Kha had retired from the Prime Ministership. A number of my old
friends came to meet and congratulate me on my success.
I remember U Maung Maung Kha was the first person to come to
my son U Shwe’s residence to meet me. He expressed so much
happiness and congratulations at the success of my Dhamma work.
Yet when he was the Prime Minister he had been unable to accept
my appeal for an endorsement to travel abroad for Dhamma work
because of the strict Government policy.
So I could not visit any country other than India. Besides, the
Nepali students again started putting forth their old argument that
no passport was needed for an Indian to visit Nepal.
In one of the courses a high official from Nepal had participated and
he assured me that he would arrange my visit and that he would be
fully responsible for my journey. But obviously I could not accept
any such suggestion.
I felt strongly that being a citizen of Myanmar, unless the Myanmar
Government gave me permission I should not go to any other
country beyond India, however noble the cause may be, however
safe the journey may be.
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It was not a question of only political and legal obstacles, it was one
of moral responsibility. If I was to go to Nepal to give a course of
pure Dhamma, I could not do this with the base of a wrong, illegal
decision. Therefore, once again I refused to accept the plea of my
Nepali students to visit them.
Today when I review all this past, I feel a sense of great satisfaction
in Dhamma: my decision was really correct. If I had broken rules,
ignored the moral issue and gone to Nepal, then the purity of serving
Dhamma would have become tainted. And this would have been
piercing me like an arrow throughout my life.
When the time ripened, I could visit Nepal for Dhamma work
without deception. And Dhamma spread as my teacher predicted.
Therefore the decision made at that time was a good decision, a
Dhamma decision.
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FRUITION OF SACCA ADHIṬṬHĀNA
Vol.7 No. 6 August, and No. 7 September 1997
In the early days of the spread of Dhamma, year after year, I
continued to give Vipassana courses throughout India. Time passed.
During this period the meditation centres of Dhamma Giri, Dhamma
Thali and Dhamma Khetta were established.
By now the number of western students had increased greatly and
they were very persistent in inviting me to teach Dhamma in their
own countries. But what could I do? I was helpless because my
Burmese passport was not endorsed to travel outside India. Even
my appeal to General Ne Win had proved fruitless. Therefore I again
contacted my good friend U Thi Han in Yangon but the government
policy on passport endorsements had not changed during these
past years. He advised me to take refuge in Dhamma, and make a
Dhamma adhiṭṭhāna (strong determination). This was the only way
left to be successful.
I saw that Vipassana was establishing roots in India, the country
of its origin. Now it was necessary for me to take steps to fulfil the
other Dhamma desire of my teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin: to spread
the Dhamma around the world. For this purpose, I felt I had to go to
foreign countries to carry on the Dhamma mission.
This apart, a situation occurred that caused great confusion in
Western countries and drew my attention and urgency to go there to
spread the Dhamma, in its pristine purity, as taught by my teacher.
Some of my American students had taken a few Vipassana courses
with me in India, and before getting fully ripened in the technique,
out of over-enthusiasm, they had established a Vipassana centre in
the USA.
Due to their own weakness in Dhamma, these students had very
wrongly stopped giving due importance to sīla, the foundation
for Vipassana. Secondly, they had made teaching the Dhamma
a profession, a means of livelihood, and this is totally against the
tradition of pure Dhamma teaching. Thirdly, they had started mixing
Vipassana with other techniques, and had thus polluted and diluted
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the purity of Dhamma. Seeing all this, a great sense of urgency arose
in my mind to go to the West to teach Dhamma with the purity intact.
In spite of the fact that the Prime Minister of the Myanmar government
was a good friend, he was unable to give me endorsements for the
countries I wanted to visit. So the only alternative left for me was
to forgo my Myanmar nationality, accept Indian nationality, and
acquire an Indian passport. Thus I could travel to any country in the
world to teach Dhamma.
I hesitated for an emotional reason. It is true that India is the land of
my forefathers and is also the holy land of all the Buddhas. Therefore
I greatly respected and honoured this country. But Myanmar is my
motherland and definitely there is a special honour for Myanmar in
my heart.
There is a famous Sanskrit saying, “Janani Janmabhumisca
Svargadadi Gariyasi,” which says honouring the motherland is
far superior to honouring even the celestial world. And mine was a
special motherland where I was born not only once, but twice: first,
I emerged from the womb of my mother and secondly, I came out of
the womb of ignorance by practicing Vipassana.
So, on one hand there was this emotional pressure not to give up
Myanmar citizenship, and on the other, there was the call of duty to
fulfil the Dhamma desire of my teacher.
A few days of this tug-of-war in my mind passed. Ultimately I
decided to accept my friend U Thi Han’s suggestion and I made a
Dhamma sankappo with the adhiṭṭhāna of sacca kiriyā (a strong
determination made with the base of a statement of truth) as follows:
“Whatever Dhamma service that I have given till now is totally free
from any selfish interest and it has only been given with the sole
motive of helping others. I have acted thus to fulfill the Dhamma
wishes of my revered teacher. May my teacher feel free from the
debt of Dhamma received from India. May I feel free from the debt
of Dhamma I received from my teacher. It is only with this motive
that I have given Dhamma service. These are words of truth and with
the strength of these true words I leave the decision to Dhamma. If
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Dhamma wants me to carry on my Dhamma duties only in India
then may I remain a Myanmar citizen, and if Dhamma wants me to
travel the world for the spread of Vipassana, then at the completion
of ten years of my Dhamma service in India, may I receive Indian
citizenship.”
When the end of this ten year period was nearing, I submitted my
application for Indian citizenship. I did this with the determination
that if Dhamma wanted me to go around the world as an Indian
citizen may it so happen.
At that time, the thought arose that the geographical boundaries
between countries were merely for political and business purposes.
Dhamma cannot have geographical barriers. Definitely, I am not
changing my nationality for any political, commercial or financial
gain. Even if I adopt Indian citizenship I will continue the same
Dhamma work around the world. My motherland Myanmar and my
ancestral holy land of India will both feel honoured with the credit
of spreading Dhamma. One country is where Dhamma originated,
and the other is where Dhamma has been preserved in its purity.
May both enjoy this honour.
“My only aim is to spread Dhamma for the good and benefit of
suffering humanity around the world. My love and feeling of
gratitude and honour for my motherland will not diminish even a
little by changing my nationality for this good cause.”
After submitting my application to the Indian government, I
was quite confident I would soon obtain the citizenship. But my
experience was that whenever an important step was taken on the
path of spreading Dhamma, an unexpected obstacle always raised
its head. But the obstacle could not stand for long. The obstacle this
time: I was informed, later, that my application was stuck in the
Intelligence Department of the government of India.
I knew very well that some years before, the Intelligence Department
had started making serious enquiries about myself and my activities.
The Indian members of our family, specially two of my brothers and
one nephew, were intensely involved in the Ananda Marga.
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This organization was looked upon very suspiciously by the
government of India as its activities were designed to gain political
power by violent means. During the days of Emergency both of
these brothers were put behind bars for a number of days. So it was
natural that the government was suspicious that perhaps I too was
indirectly working for Ananda Marga, while conducting the courses
under the name of Vipassana.
I knew that the Intelligence Department of India had made exhaustive
enquiries about my activities and a few officials had also interviewed
me on this subject.
Some of them had even attended a 10-day course in disguise.
One such high official had revealed his identity at the completion
of the course he had attended. He had told me that he was highly
impressed by my selfless service and had seen for himself how this
non-sectarian technique was spreading for the good of others. He
also revealed to me that a few junior officials had made enquiries
and had reported that my work was free from any ulterior motive.
Now he said he personally had been able to observe this and he was
fully convinced that it was faultless and had no connection with the
Ananda Marga movement.
But it was only at the time of my application for citizenship that I
came to know that my file had not yet been closed in the Intelligence
Office. Perhaps the top people in the Intelligence Department wanted
to keep further watch on my activities for sometime. Or because,
although I had totally retired from all commercial activities, my
sons were doing business jointly with the members of the family
who were followers of Ananda Marga. Maybe this was why they
wanted to keep a watch on my activities for a few more years.
But in spite of this gloomy situation, I was fully convinced that
because of the adhiṭṭhāna I had made, I surely would attain Indian
citizenship and an Indian passport as soon as the period of ten years
service was completed. I could then freely go to foreign countries to
teach Dhamma.
With this strong confidence I had given consent to my students in
the West to arrange 10-day Vipassana courses in Guyon, France,
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from the 1st to the 11th of July, in Plage, France, from the 14th to
the 24th of July, in Montreal, Canada from the 26th of July to the
6th of August, and then in Godalming, England from the 9th to the
20th of August, and from the 21st of August to the 1st of September.
Thus I had committed myself to five Vipassana courses in the West
and sites had been reserved for them.
The biggest problem was the first course in Guyon, France, where
the meditators had booked a very costly youth hostel, and had paid
the whole rent in advance. Most of those who had registered to
join the course were from the higher strata of society. One of them,
from Switzerland, was a diplomat. All of them had arranged their
holiday to cover the course dates. If the course could not be given on
schedule the organizers would have to face great difficulties.
What could be done? The anti-Dhamma forces had erected barriers to
prevent the spread of Dhamma throughout the world - the Myanmar
government was not able to give endorsements in my passport due
to their strict policies, and the Indian government was not giving
me citizenship. My application was stuck in Delhi. There seemed
to be no hope. The only confidence I had was from the Dhamma
adhiṭṭhāna that I had taken with the base of sacca kiriyā. I had great
confidence that the forces of Dhamma would ultimately help.
The 1st of July - the day the first course was due to start in France
- came nearer and nearer. Days passed. Just one week to go. There
seemed to be no light at the end of this dark tunnel.
There was no possibility of getting Indian citizenship in time,
and even if I did, it would be impossible to get a passport in time.
There are many lengthy formalities to get a passport. It seemed
I would have to cancel that first course in France, though I knew
that it would be a great disappointment to my students, and they
would also have to bear great financial losses. The worst part was
that they would lose confidence in me. I had been telling them,
“Believe me, the course will be held on schedule.” But now,
what could be done? In this situation, time was melting away.
My Dhamma adhiṭṭhāna had been: “When I finish ten years of
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Dhamma service in India, may I get the opportunity to teach
Dhamma beyond India.” On the 22nd June, 1979, these ten years
were completed.
The 23rd, 24th, 25th, and 26th also passed away. A feeling of
helplessness increased. Perhaps the Dhamma did not want to use
me as a medium for the spread of the work around the world. “Well,
leave it to Dhamma. Let it happen as Dhamma desires. If Dhamma
wants me to limit my service to India, may it be so.”
In this frame of mind, on the next day, the 27th of June, I got a call.
It was a happy shock. A government official phoned to say that the
citizenship papers for my wife, Mrs. Ilaichi Goenka, and myself,
were ready. We were asked to go to the Metropolitan Magistrate
in the Esplanade Court of Bombay, and receive our citizenship
certificates. The next day we both went there and easily received
our certificates.
A great hurdle for the spread of Dhamma around the world was now
crossed. But there was still the problem of getting our passports, and
in such a short time of just two days this was an impossibility. We
could not reach France in time for the first course.
Until now, we could not even apply for a passport. Now even if
everything went rapidly, the passport would still take three to four
weeks to be ready. But my mind was still not prepared to cancel
the courses in France. I had left everything to Dhamma. “Let us see
what Dhamma desires, and how Dhamma plans it to happen.”
As we came out of the Magistrate’s Office with our citizenship
certificates we saw our travel agent standing there. He had passport
application forms in his hands, and he asked us to fill them out,
which we did then and there. We were of course happy to have our
citizenship, but there was still a doubt whether the courses in France
could be given. With this uncertainty we returned home to another
pleasant shock. The travel agent phoned and said that because of
instructions from above, the passports would be issued the very next
day.
The 28th of June. The passports were in our hands. Now hope of
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conducting both the French courses increased. But yet, we needed
a visa. By the time we received our passports, the French embassy
was closed.
The 29th of June. Only one day left now. Even if we could get the
French visa, we still needed visas for U.K. and Canada. And then
there are so many other formalities to go through for an Indian
citizen before leaving the country. All in one day? But look how
Dhamma works. All the closed doors were miraculously opened.
Before the 29th of June was over, we had our French visas and had
completed all the formalities required to leave the country. And
our travel agent said that we may not need visas for the U.K. and
Canada, as we were now citizens of a commonwealth country. Even
if they were required they could be obtained from the respective
embassies in Paris.
It was thus we could leave Bombay by a flight on the night of the
29th of June. On the 30th, we reached Paris. From there, we went
by car to Guyon and the course started on the 1st of July, just as
scheduled.
After that, one after the other all the courses were conducted very
successfully. With a feeling of great satisfaction and gratitude to
Dhamma we returned home.
My confidence in Dhamma was strengthened by these wonderful
events, and also my belief that I am only a medium - it is only
Dhamma that is working. Dhamma has to choose some medium to
get the work done.
The mystery of receiving our clearance to travel in time became
clear as we learned that my son Murari and his wife Vatsala had
discussed my difficult situation with Mr. Radhe Shyam Murarka,
who is the maternal uncle of Mr. Hari Prasad, Vatsala’s father.
Mr. Murarka promised Murari and Vatsala that he would try to help
me. I knew that Mr. Murarka was an important person in the Congress
Party. He had been a member of parliament for a number of years
and was always chosen to lead the Public Accounts Committee
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because of his expertise on the subject. He was a close friend of Shri
Morarji Desai who was then the Prime Minister of India.
But in spite of all this, knowing fully well how slow the government
machinery works, I was not confident that he could do much to help
us in this matter. However, he took all the details of our case and
went immediately to Delhi and met the Prime Minister, Shri Morarji
Desai.
Shri Morarji Bhai called for our file from the Home Ministry, and
saw that the Central Intelligence Department note on it, that they
wanted to make further enquiries before granting me citizenship.
Morarji Bhai said that under such circumstances, he was helpless.
Hearing this Mr. Murarka told him, “What further information
will your Intelligence Department gain about this person? Do you
think that we gave our daughter to his family without making any
enquiries?” Hearing this the Prime Minister was dumbfounded. He
immediately decided in favour of my application, and also gave
instructions that all the formalities for my foreign travel should be
completed in time.
It is so wonderful how Dhamma works, how Dhamma uses different
people as mediums for different purposes.
Dhamma arose in the minds of my daughter-in-law, Vatsala, and my
son Murari, and they went and met Murarkaji. Murarkaji got some
Dhamma inspiration and went to meet the Prime Minister Morarji
Bhai. Some Dhamma wisdom arose in Morarji Bhai and thus my
Dhamma adhiṭṭhāna could be fulfilled.
These three Muraris, together, completed this Dhamma work which
has proved so beneficial to people around the world. The Ganges of
the pure Dhamma started flowing throughout the world as Vipassana.
So many thousands began experiencing the benefit of Dhamma.
My son, Murari, and my daughter-in-law Vatsala had already learnt
Vipassana, but I very much wanted Mr. Murarka and Shri Morarji
Bhai to also take this Dhamma dāna for their liberation from the
cycle of birth and death. But now both of them are no more.
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The best that I can do is to send my deep mettā to them. May they
both share all the merits that I acquire by spreading Dhamma in the
world. May they both be happy, may they both be peaceful, may
they both be liberated.
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FORTY YEARS OF A NEW LIFE
Vol.7 No. 8 November, 1997
Forty Years Of A New Life first appeared in the Vipasyana Patrika in
the autumn of 1995, marking the fortieth anniversary of S. N. Goenka’s
beginning the practice of Vipassana. This article has been translated and
adapted from the original.
The first ten days of September 1955 were the most precious of my
life. Sitting at the feet of the supremely compassionate householdersaint, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, I learned the pristine art of observing the
truth within. It was a great fortune, an exalted pāramī (wholesome
deed) of some past life that had borne a priceless fruit. I could never
have dreamed that these sacred moments would happen. It was a
new birth.
My first birth had taken place thirty-two years earlier. Now I was
truly twice-born. This second birth was indeed a worthy birth.
Like a bird born of its mother encased in a shell, my first birth was
shrouded in the darkness of deep ignorance. A bird’s second birth
is its true birth - when it breaks the eggshell and emerges into the
light. Just as the little bird blinks its eyes when it emerges from its
shell into the sunlight, so was I astounded when the dark layer of
ignorance was penetrated for the first time and I glimpsed the rays of
true understanding. Indeed, the darkness of ignorance is darker than
the absence of light within an eggshell or the womb.
Hitherto I had not even remotely perceived the truth within. Yet how
well I experienced it in those ten days. This perishable, material
body which had always seemed so solid and heavy - now its every
atom trembled and came alive. Yet a still greater achievement was
that I found a simple and scientific method of eradicating mental
defilements. By realizing the true relationship between the body and
mind, the shackles of those deep-rooted mental defilements now
began to disintegrate. I had read or heard about the highly valued
stages of meditation practice, and now I was experiencing them. My
heart overflowed with gratitude toward my Teacher, Sayagyi U Ba
Khin.
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After returning home I practiced Vipassana every morning and
evening without a break, despite the acute demands of my busy
schedule. This brought about fundamental changes, and profound
gratitude toward my revered Teacher deepened immensely.
Vipassana became a part of my life. The mind that had burned
incessantly in the fires of passion, anger and ego now experienced
a rare spiritual peace and calm. Where it had been plagued by
the constant tension of myriad domestic, business and social
responsibilities, my mind was now enriched by happiness and health.
Vipassana did not draw me away from my worldly responsibilities,
rather it gave me renewed energy to dispassionately fulfill them.
Consequently, my capacity for work increased significantly.
For years I had been immersed in serious scriptural studies and
steeped in sentimental devotional practices, tremulously praying
to the deities my family worshipped. Despite these practices, deepseated defilements remained. But now they began to weaken due to
this simple and natural process of meditation. My heart overflowed
with thankfulness.
Since my childhood I had been conditioned by beliefs about our
family deity. Although it was taught that Lord Buddha was the ninth
and most evolved incarnation of the god Vishnu, his teachings were
portrayed as oriented toward magic; they were considered unfit for
true believers. These beliefs were stumbling blocks which caused
me to hesitate to join my first course of Vipassana.
But I had also heard that the Buddha was deeply compassionate. As
a child I had read the story in which his cousin Devadatta wounded a
swan with an arrow and how young Gotama compassionately saved
it. I had also observed that the people of Myanmar (Burma) were so
simple, straightforward and guileless. A question arose in my mind:
If the Buddha’s teachings were wrong, then how could his followers
be such decent people?
Confounding my mind still further were blind beliefs that I had
clung to since childhood. Some came from one of my uncles who
held a high position in my father’s firm. He was much older than me
and a Sanskrit scholar. He had read the scriptures extensively and
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his frequent weapon in an argument was: “The scriptures say so.”
Immersed in rites and rituals, he prayed and worshipped for four
or five hours every day. His daily chants were impressive; from a
young age they inspired me to recite important scriptural passages
for which I am grateful to him. I enjoyed these daily morning
recitations; the words reverberated in my mind long afterwards. My
entire family was deeply devoted to the gods Vishnu, Krishna and
Shiva. My chants further strengthened this inherited devotion.
My uncle was extremely strict. Though he did not oppose Lord
Buddha, he strongly opposed his teachings. I, on the other hand,
often visited the famous Mahamuni (Buddhist) temple in Mandalay
with my grandfather, and felt very peaceful there. My uncle often
said to me, “The old man has become senile, but you are still young
and should refrain from taking the wrong path.” But I continued to
visit the temple even after my grandfather’s death. The peace and
cleanliness of Buddha’s temples attracted me. I knew nothing about
meditation then, but whenever I visited the Mahamuni temple I felt
very calm.
I finally joined a Vipassana course after speaking with Sayagyi U
Ba Khin. His explanations, given with deep compassion and mettā,
allowed me to understand how blemish-free this meditation practice
is. In the very first course I realized how false and misleading was
the centuries-old propaganda against the Buddha’s teachings.
I now saw clearly: What can be wrong in practicing a meditation
which is based on universal truth and can bring this wild, unruly
mind to one-pointed concentration? What, indeed, can be wrong in
establishing the mind in wisdom and knowledge based on one’s own
experience - a mind that hitherto had depended on somebody else’s
wisdom? Can anything be wrong in learning the art of leading a new
life, the result of a mind cleansed and purified from defilements, and
filled with mettā (loving kindness), karuṇa (compassion), muditā
(sympathetic joy) and upekkhā (equanimity). I had read and heard
about the importance of these subtler qualities since childhood. Now
I felt: If someone teaches the experiential aspects of the eternal truth
- which had only been described in empty rhetoric - then how can
these teachings be considered false, illusory or magical? I found the
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Vipassana practice faultless.
I then decided to read the Buddha’s words, thinking that perhaps I’d
find something false or misleading lurking there. But as I read the
scriptures I saw with increasing clarity that Dhamma was sublime
and pure, beneficial to one and all.
In those days I used to come to India to visit established ashrams
(centres for spiritual practice) and meet various religious leaders. I
wanted to determine if I had, perhaps, started walking on a wrong
path, if I had become entangled in a delusion. I also sought to learn:
If Vipassana was a proper path, how could I progress beyond what
I had already learned? Alas, after these explorations, I felt certain
that India had become spiritually poorer since losing the sublime
knowledge of the Buddha’s teaching.
India’s neighbour Myanmar is truly blessed in having preserved
these priceless jewels in their pristine purity: not only Vipassana
meditation, but the original Buddhist scriptures which were lost due
to our Indian ancestors’ lack of wisdom. I now clearly understood
the way in which misinformation had been propagated all over India,
whereby Buddha was praised but his teachings were denounced.
I was saddened and dismayed when I realized how the educated
classes of India had been duped and so lost our country’s ancient,
timeless, priceless treasure. It was time for the country to awaken.
Besides my daily practice of meditation, I visited my revered
Sayagyi at his centre in Yangon every Sunday morning at 7:00 for
group meditation and I continued to go deeper in Vipassana paññā
(experiential wisdom) by taking at least one ten-day course a year.
At times I also undertook longer, more intensive retreats. Gradually
I came to realize the true purpose for human existence. The reality
of the senses at the mental and physical levels, their universal
characteristics of anicca (impermanence), dukkha (suffering) and
anattā (egolessness), became increasingly clear experientially. I
could see the truth as obviously as a piece of fruit held in my hand.
The state of total dissolution that I had experienced so naturally and
effortlessly in my first course had created the illusion that this was
indeed the permanent, eternal, absolute state; whereas in reality, this
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dissolution was nothing but physical and mental sensations, clearly
within the realm of anicca (rising and passing away).
Subsequently, when I experienced even subtler realities and their
concomitant states of deep peace and sublime bliss and joy, I
realized the importance of experiencing these states with increased
alertness. This is essential to prevent the seeker from getting stuck in
this elevated but illusionary experience, which is still in the field of
mind and matter. The meditator must clearly perceive whether this
blissful state is one of heightened awareness of the senses, or the
experience which transcends the senses. In this experience beyond
the senses, the senses do not work; if this has not happened, then one
is still in the field of mind and matter. With deepened awareness I
experienced rising and falling in this profoundly subtle realm also.
Without the awareness of anicca, this state would have trapped me
with the illusionary thought of “me”, “my”, “mine,” and “permanent,
eternal, absolute soul.” That is why it is vital to remain totally aware
of the reality of this experience.
Through practicing constant awareness and experiencing the various
stages on the path to total liberation, all doubts were gradually
dissolving. At every step, the sublime purity and spiritually
beneficent aspects of Dhamma manifested themselves. Naturally my
heart overflowed with feelings of gratitude, gratitude toward Gotama
the Buddha who, despite tremendous hardships, rediscovered the
technique of Vipassana which had been lost for eons - the only
technique which leads to mental purification and total liberation.
Not only did he seek out the path and liberate himself, but with
boundless compassion he shared it with one and all.
Deep gratitude flows toward the unbroken tradition of teacherstudent, diligently maintained in India and thereafter in Myanmar,
which preserved the basic tenants of this knowledge in total purity.
Gratitude flows toward my Dhamma father, Sayagyi, who taught me
Vipassana with such compassion, and firmly established me in the
theoretical and practical aspects of pure Dhamma.
When I survey the last forty years of my new life on the path of
Vipassana, my heart brims with deep satisfaction and joy. In the
worldly sphere, during these forty years, there have been so many
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ascents and descents, so many springs and autumns, so many turns
of the tide. But the daily practice of Vipassana never failed to help
me to develop equanimity in all situations.
My life is fulfilled. From the abundant compassion of my respected
Teacher, I have received incomparable sustenance, and I continue to
receive it in such abundance. The rejuvenating medicine of Dhamma
gives me confidence to move firmly on. It continues to benefit me
so much and uplifts so many others also. Pondering this, a spark of
gratitude toward my respected Teacher rekindles in my heart.
The river of Dhamma that started flowing 25 centuries ago through
the efforts of the supremely compassionate Buddha - may it spring
forth once again in the current era due to the efforts of my deeply
revered Sayagyi. May it liberate all those who are enchained, who
are tired and thirsty, who are in pain and sorrow. May it benefit
all, may it uplift all - this wish of goodwill flows from my heart.
Having experienced and appreciated the Buddha’s teaching, deep
like the ocean, broad like the vast earth and high like the Himalayas,
I feel very comfortable in accepting, practicing and passing it on in
its pristine purity. There can be no question of practicing or teaching
anything but this wonderful Dhamma. Dhamma is paripuṇṇa - it is
complete, there is nothing to add. And it is parisuddha - so pure, that
there is nothing to be removed.
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BUDDHASAHASSANĀMĀVALĪ
Vol. 8 No. 12 December 3, 1998
It is my great good fortune that I was born and grew up in an extremely
devout Indian family settled in Myanmar. The devotional books of
the Gita Press, Gorakhpur, had a great influence on the whole family.
My father was a devotee of Shiva while my mother was a devotee
of Sri Krishna. In the first decade of my life, I used to daily recite
either the Vishnu Sahastranama or the Gopal Sahastranama or the
Shivamahimna Stotra or the Shivatandav Stotra or some chapters
of the Gita. I used to enjoy it. Besides strengthening my devotion,
another important benefit was that I learned the proper pronunciation
of Sanskrit and also gained some knowledge of it.
In the second decade of my life, my good fortune increased when
I came in contact with the Arya Samaj. The teachings jolted my
mind. I began to understand the difference between true devotion
and blind devotion, true faith and blind faith. Instead of blindly
accepting everything that I heard or read, I developed the wisdom of
examining it and testing whether it was logical and rational. I was
indeed fortunate.
In the third decade of my life, I got sufficient opportunity to study the
Dharma literature of Sura, Tulasi, Meera, Kabir, Nanak, Dadu etc.
I was greatly influenced by them. During these days, I also studied
in detail the Gita and a few important Upanishadas. I was going
through the entire spectrum of the spiritual literature of India. I was
wonder struck. It was in those days that I made it the ideal of my
life to become “Sthita Pragya” free from craving, fear, anger, and
make my life filled with equanimity and total detachment, although
it looked so difficult to achieve.
At the end of the third decade of my life, my good fortune reached
its peak. As a result of an unbearably painful incurable disease, I
came in contact with the pure teaching of the Buddha. In 1955, at
the age of 31 years, sitting at the feet of the Myanmese householder
saint, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, I learnt Vipassana, the ancient technique
of India. I was freed from my physical ailment, but now this seemed
very insignificant. The most notable attainment was that I found the
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medicine that could liberate me from the miseries of existence. I
found the straight path that could liberate me from the endless cycle
of birth and death.
Whatever I read and heard in childhood while immersing myself
in devotion was “received” knowledge. Whatever I understood
through my contact with the Arya Samaj and Gita, Upanishad etc.
was intellectual knowledge. But now, whatever I realised through
my contact with Vipassana was experiential knowledge. The first
and second kinds of knowledge were indirect knowledge but the
knowledge that I gained now was direct knowledge, meaning
paññā, experiential wisdom in the real sense. The first and second
steps generated the desire for high spirituality, while this third step
established me on the royal road for progress towards its perfection.
On one hand, my mind was filled with high spiritual ideals; on the
other hand, achievement of worldly success beyond all expectations
at a very young age filled my mind with tremendous ego. A mental
conflict resulted. When the mind was immersed in devotion, it
would become calm temporarily but after some time, it would
again become agitated. Upon intellectual reflection, the mind would
become balanced for some time, but after a short while it would
again become disturbed. By the practice of Vipassana, I acquired a
beneficial technique that freed the mind from defilements at the depth.
I began to thoroughly understand, on the basis of body sensations,
the manner of the arising, multiplication, and accumulation of
defilements, and at the same time, the means of their suppression
and destruction, expulsion and eradication became clear. There was
a complete transformation in my life through the application of the
practical aspect of this pristine pure Dhamma of ancient India.
Because of some false belief, there are delusions about the Buddha
and his teaching in the minds of many Indians. I was also a victim
of such deluding misconceptions. Therefore while taking part in the
Vipassana course, there was some hesitation in my mind. But in
the very first ten-day course I was pleasantly surprised to find that
there was not the slightest blemish in whatever I learnt. I could not
find any cause for opposition. What objection could anyone possibly
have in living a life of morality, in concentrating the mind on the
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basis of experiential truth, in awakening of wisdom that eradicates
defilements from the roots by the experiential analytical study of
the truth of the interrelationship of the body and mind, and in filling
the purified mind with mettā (loving kindness), compassion and
goodwill? What objection could I have? Indeed I felt as if I have
understood the true nature of the ancient pure Dhamma (Dharma) of
India. I received the essence of Dhamma. After tasting the flavour of
this spiritual technique giving results here and now, there was also
the sorrowful surprise in my mind about why the spiritual nation of
India had lost this beneficial technique.
When the depths of truth were experienced by the study of this
remarkable technique, a desire arose in my mind to study the
mother-tongue of Lord Buddha which was the ancient language of
the people of North India, the language that preserved and protected
the teaching of the Buddha and therefore was called Pāli. I did not
have any knowledge of Pāli. But I gradually started to understand
it because of my knowledge of Sanskrit and Hindi. I began to
savour the nectar of the Buddha’s words in his own language. While
reading, my mind was often filled with joy and rapture. The depth of
the technique of Vipassana became clearer and clearer. The practical
application of Vipassana and the related theoretical knowledge
started strengthening each other. My good fortune was boundless.
*
*
*
*
*
My revered teacher had immeasurable goodwill for India. His
heart used to be constantly filled with boundless gratitude towards
this nation. He used to say repeatedly that we have received this
invaluable jewel from India. We have become blessed! Now we
must repay this debt of India. Unfortunately this technique has been
lost in India. If India obtains this technique, the anguish caused by
discrimination among the people of high and low castes and disputes
and quarrels among different religions will be pacified. The sacred
Ganges of the universal eternal Dhamma will again flow in that great
nation. The inhabitants of that country will be abundantly benefited.
He had total faith in the ancient prophecy that 2500 years after
the Buddha, this lost spiritual technique of India would return to
the land of its origin and India would accept it joyfully leading
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to infinite welfare of the people. From India this technique would
once again spread to the whole world and benefit many. He used
to say repeatedly that the clock of Vipassana had struck. We must
become free of the debt towards India. He wished to repay this debt
by coming to India himself and teaching the technique of Vipassana
to the people here but he was unable to come because of certain
reasons. In 1969 when it so happened that I had to come to India,
he was overjoyed. Anointing me as a teacher, he entrusted me with
the responsibility of returning the invaluable jewel of Vipassana
to the people of India as his representative. I did not consider the
understanding of this profound technique that I had been able to
gain in his presence in 14 years adequate enough for this great
responsibility. Therefore there was hesitation in my mind. But finally
upon his abundant encouragement, I accepted the responsibility of
fulfilling his strong Dhamma wish.
I was a stranger to India. Other than the members of my family in
India, I was acquainted only with a few renowned scholars of Hindi
who had come to Myanmar to help in the spread of Hindi there. How
could Vipassana courses be held in this vast country; who would take
part in them; who would organise them? How could the necessary
facilities be arranged? All these problems seemed insurmountable
but I was astonished that the first Vipassana course was held within
one month of my arrival in India. My mind was filled with wonder;
my heart overflowed with happiness. After a long period of about
2000 years, its ancient technique had returned to India. With the
success of the first course itself, the Ganges of Dhamma started
flowing again in India. Proving the truth of the prophecy, in the
past thirty years, people of different classes, different religions,
and different traditions have accepted it and benefited from it. After
irrigating the fertile soil of India with the nectar of Dhamma for ten
years, Vipassana started flowing in foreign countries also.
Many of the intelligent people of India joyfully dedicated
themselves to this technique. Just as after receiving this invaluable
jewel, the Dhamma desire to learn the teaching of the Buddha in
his original words had arisen in my mind, it now arose in the minds
of many meditators in India. Therefore the monumental work of
publishing the extensive lost treasure of the ancient Pāli literature
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of India was started. For the people engrossed in the responsibilities
of their lives, it is not easy to spare time for the systematic study
of the Pāli language. Nevertheless, because Pāli is so close to
Sanskrit and Hindi, a person with a good Pāli vocabulary will be
able to understand it easily even without a sufficient knowledge
of grammar. Thinking thus, the auspicious resolution arose in my
mind to compose “Buddhasahassanāma”, so that while reciting it,
along with the knowledge of the innumerable Pāli synonyms of the
Buddha, meditators will remember the qualities of the Buddha and
develop gratitude towards him, resulting in rapture in the mind and
thrill in the body, which will strengthen their practice of Vipassana
meditation.
My creativity in composing verses in Hindi and Rajasthani arose
and along with it arose the Dhamma inspiration to compose verses
in Pali. Even though my knowledge of Pāli grammar was not
complete, I engaged myself in composing these verses. I started
out with the aim of composing one thousand names of the Buddha
for which about 200 verses would have been sufficient but there
is no limit to the virtues of the Tathāgata. “Appamāṇo buddho”.
Verses were being constantly composed by the heart overflowing
with devotion and 1250 verses were composed. After this, an
equal number of verses could have been further composed with the
collection of words that remained. But keeping in mind my other
multifarious responsibilities, I had to unwillingly stop my pen at this
point. I have selected a few of the verses among them and compiled
“Buddhasahassanāmāvalī” so that the auspicious beginning of its
distribution may be made during the Buddhamahostav of November,
1998.
Those who are interested in the mother tongue of the Buddha and
the language of the people of North India 2600 years ago will derive
ample benefit from it. But I can also see a big danger for which it is
necessary to be alert. In future the recitation of this sahassanāmāvalī
should not become a lifeless, meaningless ritual. The false idea
should not spread that by reciting it, the sins of innumerable past
lives are automatically eradicated. If this happens, the practice
of Vipassana that actually eradicates the past stock of saṅkhārās
(mental conditionings) in a scientific manner will be lost and people
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will be trapped in this false belief. Just as many other spiritual
traditions got corrupted over a period of time, let not Vipassana also
become devalued. All meditators of the present and the future will
have to be alert about this danger.
May the teaching of the Tathāgata always remind them of this
danger. Let them continuously keep in mind the proper way to pay
respects to the Buddhas
“Imāya dhammānu Dhamma paṭipattiyā Buddhaṃ pūjemi.”
“I walk on the path of Dhamma and thus pay my respects to the
Buddha.” Walking on the path of Dhamma means the practice of
applying sīla, samādhi and paññā in one’s life and only this is the
real worship of the Buddha. This understanding will have to be
constantly strengthened.
Upon being asked by someone, the Buddha explained in plain words
about the right way to worship the Buddhas:
Āraddha viriye pahitatte,
niccaṃ daḷha parakkame;
samagge sāvake passa,
etaṃ Buddhāna vandanaṃ.
Look! How these disciples are gathered together and completely
engrossed in meditation. They are continuously engaged in resolute
effort for purification of mind. Truly, this is the proper way to
worship the Buddha.
When there was a shower of celestial flowers on the Buddha just
before his parinibbāna, he repeated this truth in plain words:
“Na kho ānanda! Ettāvatā tathāgato sakkato vā hoti, garukato vā,
mānito vā, pūjito vā, apacito vā.”
Ananda! The Tathāgata is not respected, honoured, revered,
worshipped in this way.
“Yo kho ānanda! Bhikkhu vā bhikkhunī vā upāsako vā upāsikā
vā dhammānu Dhamma p-paṭipanno viharati sāmicippaṭipanno
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anudham-macārī, so tathāgataṃ sakkaroti garukaroti māneti pūjeti
apaciyati paramāya pūjāya.”
(But) Ananda! If any monk or nun, or male or female lay devotee
dwells established on the path of Dhamma, the path of truth, living
according to the Dhamma for the attainment of the highest welfare,
then the Tathāgata is respected, honoured, revered and worshipped
by it.
“Evaṃ hi vo ānanda! Sikkhatabbanti.”
Oh Ananda! You should learn this.
The Buddha is truly worshipped by practising sīla, by developing
samādhi, and by establishing equanimity and remaining aware and
attentive through the awakening of paññā.
Let these words of the Buddha about proper worship echo in the
minds of all Vipassana meditators and other readers. Let them keep
proper understanding that they can gain inspiration by the recitation
of these verses, while keeping the ideal of the Buddha in mind. Just
as the Buddha became enlightened by liberation from all defilements
and by perfection of all virtues, let them walk step by step on the
Dhamma-path of sīla, samādhi, and paññā and remain engaged in
the meritorious work of avoiding vices and accumulating virtues.
This spiritual technique capable of totally eradicating all suffering
from the human mind must be kept free from all hollow rituals. Let
everyone practise Dhamma in its pristine purity.
If this Dhamma volition is maintained, it will certainly lead to great
happiness, great welfare.
Kalyāṇamitta,
S. N. Goenka
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FAREWELL DHAMMA BROTHER
Vol. 8 No. 11 December 3, 1998
(The following is a translation of an article by Goenkaji published
in the November 1998 issue of the Hindi Vipashyanā Patrikā.)
“How extraordinary!”
Speaking in his customary soft voice, Dr Om Prakashji repeated, “It
is really extraordinary. I have seen so many people die, but never
like this.” He was referring to my aunt and adoptive mother, Rami
Devi. Truly, her illness and death were extraordinary. At the age of
75, about 15 days before she died, she was chatting with Illaichi
Devi (Mataji) and happened to remark that for several months she
had felt constant pain in her abdomen. She was able to endure it and
remain equanimous, but she mentioned the fact in passing.
At once I called our doctor and my close friend, Dr Om Prakashji,
who had become an inseparable part of the family. He examined my
mother and then, taking me aside, he said, “It might be cancer of the
liver. The signs all clearly point toward this diagnosis, except for one
fact: in such a case the pain is intolerable, and the distressed patient
keeps crying and weeping. No person could suffer from the pain
of this cancer for months and not so much as mention it to anyone.
Even now your mother is so peaceful. I shall have to investigate
further.”
Two days later, Dr Om Prakashji came with Col. (Dr) Min Sein, a
well-known doctor in Rangoon. After examining Mother, the colonel
said much the same thing: “All the signs suggest an advanced stage
of cancer. But the patient is so peaceful, so free from distress; it is
difficult to accept that she is suffering from cancer. We shall have to
carry out further tests before making a diagnosis.”
After they left, Illaichi Devi asked Mother, “What is the pain like
that you feel?” The reply astonished everyone; Mother said, “It is
much more severe than the excruciating pains of childbirth. But
what is the use of crying? I observe the pain with equanimity. After
all, isn’t this what Guruji [Sayagyi U Ba Khin] taught us to do?”
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Mother was an outstanding Vipassana meditator. At the meditation
centre of my revered teacher, only one ten-day course was held each
month, starting on the first Friday of that month. Ever since she had
started walking on the path of Vipassana six or seven years before,
there had not been a single course in which Mother had not taken
part. Just recently she had completed a special 30-day course. Her
equanimity had become so established that there was no possibility
of her giving way to lamentation.
After many tests, both doctors concluded that it was definitely cancer
and that it had already advanced to the terminal stage. They believed
that Mother had only a few days left. Any kind of treatment would
be useless and would only increase the suffering. Nevertheless, they
continued with palliative care.
At 3:00 a.m. on her last night, Mother told the nurse that the time
of her death was approaching, and she asked for her children to be
called. We all went to her room. I immediately telephoned Dr Om
Prakashji. He had not yet gone to bed; just two hours before, he had
been called out to see another patient who was dying. Even so, he
came at once. I also called Sayagyi, and fortunately he too came
with Mother Sayama.
Dr Om Prakashji checked and could not find a pulse. Mother had
only a few minutes left. Shortly before her death, she said, “I want
to sit up.” Dr Om Prakashji forbade it, saying, “It would be better
for her to keep lying down. The pain will worsen if she sits up.” But
Mother insisted and, understanding this as her last wish, I supported
her so that she could do as she wished. To our astonishment, she
made the effort to sit up cross-legged and started meditating. Truly
this was remarkable Dhamma strength.
A few minutes before, her pulse had been undetectable, and now she
was sitting cross-legged and meditating! To reinforce her resolve in
meditation I said, “Tai mā, ‘anaissā, anaissā’,” pronouncing anicca
as they do in Burmese. She lifted her right hand and, touching the
top of her head, said, “Yes, son, anaissā, anaissā.” Then she lowered
her hand. She looked at me, she looked at Dr Om Prakashji, she
looked at Sayagyi and Mother Sayama, and then she looked upward
and breathed her last.
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The sight of such a death had astonished Dr Om Prakashji. It was
about 4:20 a.m. Mother’s body had been removed from the bed and
placed on the floor. We would have to wait for the others to arrive
before the funeral could take place. Relatives living in Rangoon
and other members of the community would arrive by 8:30 a.m. In
the intervening hours, all of us remained in a sitting room nearby,
including Dr Om Prakashji. We kept talking of this unusual death.
Finally the hour of 8:30 a.m. approached, when we would proceed
to the cremation ground. Before the body was placed on the bier, it
would have to be bathed and dressed in new clothes. Illaichi Devi
went to Mother’s bedroom to perform this task, but she returned
immediately and startled us all by saying that Mother was still alive.
Dr Om Prakashji said, “How can this be?” Illaichi Devi explained
that Mother’s body was still soft and warm, unlike a dead body.
We all went to Mother’s room with Dr Om Prakashji. He examined
the corpse carefully and said that though Mother was certainly not
alive, it was true that the whole body was still warm. Her face was
exceptionally tranquil and illuminated by some divine radiance. It
seemed as if she was in deep sleep. And this was the moment when
Dr Om Prakashji remarked, “How extraordinary!” There was no
doubt that she was dead but what marvel was this? I was at a loss
for words.
We performed the funeral ceremony and returned home. Everyone
in the family was a Vipassana meditator, and so no one cried. I
meditated most of the time to maintain a Dhamma atmosphere. By
early evening all the Vipassana meditators in the city had assembled
for a one-hour group sitting. Sayagyi and Mother Sayama were also
present. After the hour, other members of the community who were
not Vipassana meditators came and, with Sayagyi’s permission, I
gave a one-hour Dhamma discourse. Immediately afterwards, Dr Om
Prakashji came to me and said that he wished to sit a course. “Tell me
when the next course will be held,” he requested. It was scheduled
to be held after about fifteen days. I assured him that I would inform
him well in advance. Next day again there was a Dhamma discourse
in the evening. Again at the end, Dr Om Prakashji came to me and
said, “The next course will not be held for some days; I wish to sit as
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soon as possible.” Sayagyi was standing nearby. Seeing the strong
Dhamma impulse that had arisen in Dr Om Prakashji, he agreed to
hold a course immediately. We were astonished that Sayagyi would
conduct a course for just one person, but he directed me to come to
the meditation centre on the following day with Dr Om Prakashji.
The next day Dr Om Prakashji came to the meditation centre himself.
I also arrived there on time, and one or two other people joined the
course. After the giving of Ānāpana, I returned home, and Sayagyi
went to his office. As usual, he returned to the centre in the evening,
and later came to my home for the group meditation. On completion
of the Dhamma discourse, Sayagyi told me that Dr Om Prakashji
was making excellent progress. I was very pleased to hear this.
The next morning I received a summons from Sayagyi: “Your friend
is endowed with abundant pāramīs. After only one day of Ānāpana,
he has become worthy of Vipassana. Come immediately; he must be
given Vipassana now.” I went to the centre for the giving of Vipassana
to Dr Om Prakashji, and once more returned home. Sayagyi came
again for the evening meditation and discourse. There was no limit
to his happiness. He said that after only one day of Vipassana, Dr
Om Prakashji had attained the state of bhaṅga (dissolution) and was
now working on the bhavaṅga (“centre”).
The next morning he called me again and said, “Come at once.
The progress of your friend is extraordinary. It seems that he has
abundant pāramīs of many lives. He has reached close to the state
of nibbāna. He will have to be given the necessary instructions
now.” Overwhelmed with great joy and wonder, I went to the centre
and took my seat near Sayagyi. Dr Om Prakashji was given the
requisite instructions. There was no limit to my happiness when he
immediately experienced nibbāna, the state transcending the senses.
Sayagyi was also happy. He examined closely and found that all
the signs indicated this was the state of nibbāna. What limit could
there be to my happiness! My dear friend had entered the stream of
liberation, had become a sotāpanna, an ariya (noble person).
Even in worldly terms he could be called an ariya. In appearance he
was tall-statured and of fair complexion, with large eyes and long
nose. He was the president not only of the Arya Samaj of Rangoon
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but also of the Akhil Brahmadeshiya Arya Pratinidhi Sabha [AllBurmese Delegation of Arya Sabha]. For these reasons, he had been
called an ariya. But now he truly deserved the title.
* * * * *
My first contact with Dr Om Prakashji was at a public meeting in
Rangoon after the Second World War in 1947. We were immediately
drawn towards each other. Fortunately the friends whom I met
socially were good people and I had affectionate relationships with
all of them. But of them all, Dr Om Prakashji was closest to me. We
used to work together in various fields. In the post-war period, we
re-established the Akhil Brahmadeshiya Hindi Sahitya Sammelan
[All-Burmese Hindi Literature Society], and branches opened
in many places throughout the country. A symposium on Hindi
literature was organised every week in Rangoon. Hindi colleges
were established for the primary, secondary and post-secondary
levels of study of the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, and many students
took part. Work was also done on exchanges between Burmese and
Hindi literature. Hindi textbooks were written and published. The
Indo-Burmese Cultural Centre was established, and through it many
cultural programmes were organised. Together, both of us set up an
orphanage and took responsibility for its management. Thus, after
working together in several public service activities, now we had the
opportunity to dedicate ourselves in the field of Vipassana.
Dr Om Prakashji had also treated me for my migraine headaches.
When other medications proved ineffective, he started giving me
morphine injections. But he himself worried that I might become
addicted to morphine, and so he urged me to go abroad for treatment.
“Even if you do not find a cure for migraine,” he said, “you will at
least free yourself from dependence on morphine. You will certainly
find some other effective painkiller abroad.” Heeding his suggestion,
I travelled to many countries for treatment, but in the end I returned
disappointed. Dr Om Prakashji shared my concern. Subsequently,
when I joined a Vipassana course and became free from my disease,
he shared my happiness.
But when I started taking repeated courses, meditating daily, and
attending group meditation every Sunday at the centre, he became
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worried that I might become a Buddhist, an atheist. He often tried
lovingly to dissuade me. I would explain to him, “With the deep
influence of the Arya Samaj, I cannot be trapped in any blind belief.
I have examined the teaching of the Buddha very objectively on
the basis of experiential truth, and I have found it to be completely
faultless. For centuries, erroneous conditionings had led the people
of India to shun the stainless teaching of the Buddha. I myself was the
victim of this false propaganda. But now I have found by experience
that there is no trace of blemish in this teaching. I am amazed that
this pure, invaluable technique of India became lost in the country
of its origin.” I do not know what effect my words had on him, but
after my mother’s death his immense pāramīs were awakened and
he became eternally dedicated to this technique.
I came to India in 1969, and Vipassana courses started to be held
here. But Dr Om Prakashji stayed in Myanmar for some years longer.
Even after he passed through some extremely painful experiences,
his mind was not tinged with bitterness. He did not even report the
misconduct of certain officials to the president of the country, who
had been his classmate in college. His mind continued to be full
of mettā and equanimity. Vipassana was his bulwark. Even before,
his nature had been calm and stable. Now Vipassana made it more
so. After some years he came to India, and became engaged in
Vipassana activities.
He had been one of the leading doctors in Myanmar, but because
of his generous nature, he used to practise medicine in a spirit
of service. He did not charge any fixed fees. He gladly accepted
whatever payment the patient offered after regaining health. He took
nothing from many poor patients. Instead, to some he used to give
free medicines. This was his natural disposition. After coming to
India, whenever he was in Delhi, he regularly served two hours a
day at the Arya Samaj free clinic; the rest of the time he devoted
to the service of Vipassana. Even at the age of 87, he travelled to
different places and conducted courses with unflagging enthusiasm,
outdoing those much younger than himself. He also went abroad
quite a few times.
Recently, he again visited America to conduct numerous courses.
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His itinerary brought him to Los Angeles, with the next stop to be
Kansas City, followed by courses in Dhamma Kuñja (near Seattle)
and Dhamma Sirī (near Dallas). While in Los Angeles, however, he
suffered a stroke. When brought to the hospital, he explained his
condition to the attending doctors with complete lucidity, but while
doing so he entered a coma. He was in this state in the intensive care
ward for some days.
During this time I myself was on a Dhamma tour of Southeast Asia.
When I reached Singapore, I received the news of his illness. I
telephoned and gave him mettā, but his son-in-law, Dr Soni, who
was then with him, said that there was no physical sign by which
it could be said that the mettā was effective. He said, “His brain is
not functioning at all, and so no sense organ is functioning.” I was
very sad to hear this. But a few minutes before death, he seemed to
regain his sense of hearing. Tapes of dohas and Dhamma discourses
were being played continuously nearby. His son, Dr Rajiv, said that
near the end his eyes opened slightly, his lips moved a little and he
seemed to be looking at something above. Then his breathing started
becoming slower only nine breaths in one minute. His respiration
gradually kept slowing until he breathed his last peacefully. His face
was glowing with a divine radiance. From this we may conclude that
the inner consciousness had really been present all along, but he had
been unable to make any physical movement though he may have
wanted to. In the end his Dhamma strength arose, his eyes opened,
and his lips moved proof that the inner consciousness was awake.
* * * * *
When I returned to Mumbai after a long Dhamma tour of seven
countries, I saw that among the pile of papers awaiting me was a
letter he had written on 26 August. In it he described his journey up
to Los Angeles, gave details of future courses, and asked for mettā.
His Dhamma service was most effective. Many Vipassana centres
were eager to have courses conducted by him. In America as well,
people awaited him with great eagerness. But midway in the journey
he departed and attained a great promotion. The people were kept
waiting. After reading his letter, I drew a deep sigh and spontaneously
these words came forth:
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Baḍe gour se sun rahā thā zamānā,
tumhi so gaye dastān kahte kahte!
The world was listening very intently,
but you fell asleep while narrating the story!
* * * * *
The world Vipassana family is increasing day by day, but my
Dhamma brothers are dwindling in number. How many Dhamma
brothers now remain who received the teaching directly from Sayagyi
U Ba Khin? This Dhamma brother also carried out his mission:
“Anta
samaya
taka
dharma
ki,
seva
hoti
jaya
Let me serve the Dhamma until my final moment.”
I was extremely fortunate to have such a Dhamma brother.
The ideal that Dr Om Prakashji set for all Vipassana meditators and
teachers will serve as a beacon in future. This inspiration will bring
welfare to many, happiness to many. India will regain its ancient
glory and dignity, leading to immense welfare for the entire world.
Incomparable Refreshing Tranquillity
Once, while on a Dhamma tour of North India, I stayed at Dr Om
Prakashji’s residence in Delhi for two days. He gave us his own
bedroom and slept in another room nearby. The morning after our
arrival, I meditated together with him on the bed in his bedroom. Near
the end of the one-hour sitting, suddenly an incomparable nibbānic
cooling tranquillity emanated from him and spread throughout the
room. On completion of the sitting he said with great humility,
“Meditating with you today, I have become blessed. I experienced
incomparable refreshing tranquillity.” I replied, “You know best
about your own experience, but after experiencing your nibbānic
cooling tranquillity I have become truly blessed!”
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MY FRIEND MUNINDRAJI
Vol. 14 No. 9 August 30, 2004
“Mr Goenka, please go to Thathana Yeikta (meditation centre) and
meet your guest from India. If you wish, you may take vegetarian
food for him”
This phone-call was from my friend, U Chan Htoon, who was the
Attorney-General of Myanmar as well as the General Secretary of
the Buddha Sāsana Council. After hosting the Chaṭṭha Saṇgāyana,
the government of Myanmar decided to invite people from different
countries who wanted to learn Vipassana and treat them as state
guests. It had invited several people to Myanmar. Many householders
got the opportunity to earn merits by giving donation (dāna) for
this government project. Prime Minister U Nu sent a message to
me that I could earn merits by taking part in this project. By then, I
had benefited immensely by the practice of Vipassana. Therefore, I
wanted more and more people to benefit by practising this benevolent
technique and make their lives truly meaningful. Such feelings arose
in my mind repeatedly. Hence, I considered it my good fortune to
take part in this noble project and gladly agreed to sponsor the
travel and other expenses of two pilgrims. U Chan Htoon decided to
entrust my family with the responsibility of hosting a Japanese and
an Indian pilgrim.
The Indian pilgrim had arrived in Rangoon (present-day Yangon)
the previous day. The government had arranged accommodation for
him at Thathana Yeikta. U Chan Htoon had phoned me to inform me
about his arrival. I went to Thathana Yeikta to meet my guest and
took food for him. I saw that he was a slender and short person of my
age. His face was very serene and his eyes were filled with humility.
I learned that he was a member of the Barua community from the
eastern part of Bangladesh and was a follower of the Buddha by birth.
He had taken a vow of celibacy. He was called anāgārika because
he had not married and did not have a family. Even though he had
not taken robes, he wore white clothes and lived the life of a monk
(bhikkhu). He had settled in India with many other members of his
community and was presently the superintendent of the Bodhgaya
temple. Because the beneficent technique of Vipassana taught by the
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Buddha had been completely lost in India, he had come to Myanmar
to learn it. This was my first meeting with Anagarika Munindra
Barua, who became a very close friend. We respectfully called him
Munindraji.
After a few days, he told me that he had developed a liking for
the food cooked at Thathana Yeikta. Therefore, I need not take the
trouble to send food for him daily. We stopped sending food daily
but he would come home once every five-ten days to have Indian
food. Illaichi Devi [Mataji] used to be happy to serve Indian food to
him because he liked it very much.
Within three months, he completed his study of Vipassana. Then
he expressed the desire to stay in Yangon for a few more months to
study the Abhidhamma. The Abhidhamma scholars of Myanmar are
highly praised and renowned in all the Buddhist countries. They had
a deep knowledge of this profound subject, therefore, Munindraji
wanted to undertake a special study of the Abhidhamma under their
guidance. While staying at Thathana Yeikta, he had become friendly
with many householders who were only too happy to arrange for
his stay in their homes and to provide meals and other requirements
to one who they considered to be a good-natured and simple living
lay-devotee (upāsaka). Munindraji wanted my permission for this
because he was my guest. What objection could I have! I was very
happy with his wholesome resolution.
Even then, he came to my residence once every five-ten days to have
Indian food. My family had also arranged to fulfil his daily needs.
His needs were very simple, which could have been easily fulfilled
by any ordinary householder.
Munindraji stayed in Myanmar for nine years and studied the
Abhidhamma as well as the other Pitakas in detail. Whenever he
came to my residence for an Indian meal and if it was a holiday, I
used to get the benefit of discussing Dhamma and Pāli with him.
During this time, he also went to other meditation centres and
learned numerous other meditation techniques.
Sometimes, we had discussions about meditation. After learning
about my meditation experiences, he was extremely attracted to the
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meditation technique of Ledi Sayadaw that was taught by Sayagyi U
Ba Khin. He was eager to learn this ancient technique of Myanmar
as well. But my revered teacher refused to accept him on a course. I
pleaded with Sayagyi to accept him. Another student of Sayagyi, U
Lun Baw, Chairman of the Public Service Commission of Myanmar,
who was very devoted to Munindraji, also requested Sayagyi to
accept Munindraji. But Sayagyi still refused. There was a reason for
this decision.
Some time ago, a monk (bhikkhu) from India had come to a meditation
centre to learn Vipassana but before completing the three-month
course, he became mentally unbalanced. I used to bring Indian food
for him. When I went to meet him, I found that his mental condition
had become very unstable. Therefore, I met the main teacher of the
centre and asked his permission to take the bhikkhu to my residence.
Within a few days, his mental state returned to normal and he became
completely healthy.
He was happy to learn that I was a Vipassana meditator. He was
even more pleased to learn that my teacher was Sayagyi U Ba Khin
who he knew intimately in the past. Before the Japanese War, he was
a chief engineer when Sayagyi was the Accounts Officer of Burma
(Myanmar) Railways. He became eager to meet Sayagyi. I took him
to Sayagyi. Because he was such an old friend, Sayagyi arranged a
special course for him alone. He worked with great devotion and
enthusiasm and was highly benefited by the course.
After the course, before returning to India, he went to Mandalay
to meet some of his pre-war friends. There, he gave a few public
talks, in which he showered lavish praise on the ancient technique of
Vipassana taught by Sayagyi. Unfortunately, he also denounced the
meditation centre where he had first stayed to learn Vipassana after
coming from India. When Sayagyi learned about this after his return
to Yangon, he became very unhappy. He said, “It is an unwholesome
kamma to criticize any bhikkhu or his teaching. You should not do
this.” But, out of overenthusiasm, even in Yangon, while staying at
my residence, he kept repeating that Vipassana being taught in the
tradition of Ledi Sayadaw was the best and all the others had flaws.
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He returned to India but Sayagyi was very displeased by this
incident. He made a strong decision that if anyone had already taken
a Vipassana course with a monk teacher, he would not allow him to
take a course with him. He was totally against any kind of quarrel
or argument caused by comparing different techniques. He had a
natural feeling of devotion towards monks. Therefore, he could not
accept anything said against them. It was because of this reason that
Munindraji could not get a chance to learn meditation from him.
Munindraji was very disappointed about this but I was helpless.
After serious study of Buddhist literature for nine years in Myanmar,
Munindraji returned to India and settled at Bodhgaya.
When I came to India in June 1969, I was discouraged by the
situation here. It was totally impossible to conduct a ten-day
residential course without active help from others. However,
within a few days, the Adukia family took up the challenge
of organizing a Vipassana course in Mumbai and successfully
accomplished it. After that, courses were organized in different
sites in Mumbai and South India. But it was very difficult to
organize a course in North India. My close friend, Shri Yashpal
Jain arranged a small course in Delhi at the guest-house of Birla
Mandir, after which, more courses were organized in North India.
I was very keen that a course should be organized at Bodhgaya.
The manager of Samanvay Ashram, Shri Dwarko Sundrani, came
forward to organize it. Munindraji gave ample help for that course.
He himself wanted to participate in the course. But how could
I take a person in my course who had been refused by Sayagyi.
On Munindraji’s strong urging, I phoned Sayagyi in Yangon. He
immediately gave his permission because, in India, there was no
danger of any controversy caused by comparison with Vipassana
taught by any bhikkhu.
Munindraji was extremely happy that he could join the course.
He experienced the arising and passing away of kalāpas [small
indivisible units of matter] in the entire body, the state of bhaṇga.
After the course, Munindraji wrote a letter full of gratitude and
Dhamma sentiments to Sayagyi. He gained so much benefit from
the course that he started to send many foreign students who came
- 109 -
to him to my courses. They were also benefited, which made
Munindraji very happy.
He stayed at Bodhgaya for some time and then went to America on
the insistence of some of his students. However, he did not enjoy his
stay there and returned to India. He met me and expressed the wish
to spend his old age meditating at Dhamma Giri. I was delighted to
know his wish. A separate room and a meditation cell were arranged
for him at Dhamma Giri. My students were happy to get the chance
to serve Munindraji. He endeared himself to everyone there not
just because he was my close friend but by his simple lifestyle and
affectionate nature.
All his daily requirements were fulfilled at Dhamma Giri. He was
content to spend his remaining years there and sat long courses and
my self-course every year. He meditated the rest of the time as well.
He used to go to Kolkata every year to meet his family and friends.
During his last visit, he passed away in Kolkata. Certainly, he went
to a higher plane.
I feel that there must have been deep friendship between us for
many lives in the past, which was further strengthened in this life.
The friendship of this saintly meditator was extremely delightful.
The company of a meditator friend is very beneficial. Whenever I
remember him, mettā arises spontaneously in my mind. May he be
happy in the celestial world!
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Munindraji’s Letter To Sayagyi
(The following is Anagarika Munindraji’s letter to Sayagyi U Ba
Khin after his first Vipassana course with Goenkaji. It was published
in the April 1972 issue of The Maha Bodhi journal.)
Dear respected Sayagyi,
Kindly accept my profound regards and affectionate loving thoughts
for you.
You will be glad to know that we had the opportunity to organize
a ten-day Vipassana meditation course at the most sacred place of
Buddhagaya and it was started on the 19th of April. It was conducted
by my Dhamma-mitta and Kalyana-mitta Shri Satya Narayanji
Goenka, who is one of your competent and devout disciples. The
arrangement was made without previous preparation and at short
notice.
In this meditation-training seminar, 25 yogis took part, out of
which 6 were monks of different nations. I myself took advantage
of participating in this seminar and have been greatly benefited by
this Vipassana course. In such a short time, the technique helped to
open up the new dimension of understanding that it was surprising.
The sincere and earnest meditators having accumulated previous
paramis could quickly see, feel and understand the characteristics
and functions of the rupakalapas in their body through the
concentrated mind and penetrating insight. It is very strange to see
the true nature of the body-the anicca-state-the state of continuous
flux of four elements, which is perceptible to the inner eye of insight.
I experienced sleepless nights with mind inward, observing aniccathe continuous change of my corporeal body. Body became so
sensitive and alive that some times with the very contact of objects
of sense doors I felt and observed the whole body like bubbles in
the water appearing and disappearing when I was deeply aware and
mindful.
During this ten-day course, my Dhamma-mitta Shri Goenkaji
used to give a talk on Dhamma every evening to all the yogis. All
talks were on different aspects of Buddha Dhamma - related to the
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practice and true to the point and meaning in accordance with the
teaching. The talks were so inspiring, encouraging and ennobling
that since my return from Burma I had no opportunity to hear such
good Dhamma-desana anywhere in India. I had no idea that my
friend was so well conversant with and such a good exponent of
Dhamma in its true spirit both in theory and practice. I feel so happy
and fortunate myself that I took part in it.
During my long sojourn of about nine years in Burma from 1957 to
1966 for study and practice of Buddha-Dhamma, I had the privilege
to study the whole Tipitaka together with all their commentaries
under competent and expert teachers; I practiced meditation there
under the guidance of noted teachers with most sincerity, earnestness
and profound devotion. I have derived rich benefit of it. It has
changed my whole outlook and character. In later years, during
my stay in Burma, I took advantage of studying and practising
different aspects of Satipatthana meditation in almost all the main
Kammaṭṭhana centres in Rangoon, such as Mingun, Sonlum, Ledi
Yeitha, Hanthawady, Nanasagi etc. and I have been greatly profited
by all these practices and studies that gave me more knowledge on
different aspects and approaches. Though India is my birthplace
(janma-bhumi), Burma is my Dharma Bhumi-where Dharma was
born in me. Everyone everywhere was so kind to me, so hospitable
and so generous-this I cannot forget. I always bear these happy and
sweet memories in me with deep gratitude and respect and give all
my good wishes and mettā for the welfare, happiness and progress
of the people of Burma daily.
During my stay in Burma, I had several occasions to visit your
meditation centre and I liked the place very much-the environment
was so calm and serene. I was very much inspired to stay there
for some time and practise meditation under your kind guidance.
You had been always very kind and sweet to me. Due to certain
reasons during those days I could not get the opportunity to stay
and practice there, and fulfil my intense desire. I understood your
difficulty and appreciated deeply your friendliness and affectionate
loving kindness towards me.
My keen desire to be in your centre under your noble guidance
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has been fulfilled now at the hand of your true disciple. The tenday seminar was successfully completed on 19th April with great
satisfaction. The result was beyond expectation. We learned many
things. All meditators were extremely happy to have spent these ten
days in retreat. Since my arrival in India I have dedicated my life for
the cause of sasana and have been doing the sasana-work through
practice and talks on Dhamma.
This ten-day meditation course has added more knowledge that I
value and treasure very much for my Dhamma-work. This has been
also a refresher course for me. All credit goes to you for everything
and I am deeply grateful to you and Shri Goenkaji for all this.
Whatever merits I have acquired by observing Sila, practicing
concentration and cultivating insight, all I share with you. By virtue
of these merits, may you live long with sound health and mind so
that you may be in a position to continue sasana work for long and
many more people may be benefited by you. May Dhamma the true
law reign forever for the happiness of all beings.
Yours in the service of Dhamma,
Anagarika Munindra
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FIFTY YEARS ON THE PATH OF DHAMMA
Vol. 19 No. 8 August, 2009
(The following is a translation of an article by S. N. Goenka
published in the September 2005 issue of the Vipasyana Patrika. It
has been adapted for the Vipassana Newsletter.)
1 September 1955! An extremely important day of my life! The
incurable and unbearable migraine headaches, which had been a
terrible curse, now became a boon for me. I joined the Vipassana
meditation course of my revered teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, for
ten days. I had serious doubts about the course. Still I went for the
course and gained astonishing benefits from the course. This is well
known.
My main reservation about Vipassana was that it was a Buddhist
meditation technique. What if it made me leave my Hindu religion?
What if I became a Buddhist? Surely I would go astray and become
debased if I left my religion! Though I had devotion towards the
Buddha, I had nothing but disdain for his teaching! Even then I joined
the course because Sayagyi convinced me that in the Vipassana
course, nothing else would be taught other than sīla (morality),
samādhi (concentration of mind) and paññā (wisdom). How could
a Hindu like me or any person of any religion object to morality,
concentration of mind and wisdom?
Living a life of morality, developing mastery over the mind and
purifying the mind by developing wisdom-how can any reasonable
person object to these three teachings? I wanted to get rid of my mental
defilements such as anger and egotism that resulted in a life full of
tension and was the root cause of the migraine headaches. In addition,
the family in which I was born and the atmosphere in which I grew up
gave great importance to the ideal of abstaining from unwholesome
conduct, practice of moral conduct and keeping the mind free from
negativity. Therefore, I was reassured to some extent when Sayagyi
stated that this is what the Buddha taught and only this will be taught
in the Vipassana course, nothing else. Still, some doubt lingered. I
decided that I would practice only sīla, samādhi and paññā in the
course and would not accept anything else.
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I thought that it was indeed true that there were good things in
the Buddha Dhamma and that was why it had been accepted and
honoured in so many countries and by so many people. But all the
good elements had been taken from our Vedic texts. I decided to stay
away from the rest.
At the end of the ten days, I saw that in accordance with Sayagyi’s
statement, nothing other than sīla, samādhi and paññā was taught
in the course. The claim that this technique gave results here and
now proved to be true. The practice of only ten days had started
to eradicate my mental defilements. My tension started to decrease
and, as a result, the migraine was cured. I was also relieved forever
from the misery caused by the morphine injections and the need
to take sleeping tablets. Daily practice of Vipassana weakened my
mental defilements. My misery started decreasing. I did not find any
fault in the technique. It was totally flawless. I could not see any
harm in the technique. It was truly benevolent.
In the first course itself, my spiritual search was fully satisfied. I found
Vipassana so pure that I did not feel the necessity to go anywhere else
in search of another meditation technique. To develop in Vipassana,
every day I meditated one hour in the morning and evening and
joined at least one ten-day course every year. Sometimes, I joined a
long course of one month, which gave me a deeper understanding at
the experiential level. I found Vipassana very rational and logical,
practical and scientific. There was no place for blind belief in it.
There was no insistence on a belief just because my teacher had
said it or the Buddha had said it or it was given in the Tipiṭaka. One
understood the teaching at the intellectual level, then at the level of
experience, and only then accepted it. One did not accept without
knowing, without understanding and without experiencing.
The Arya Samaj made me a rational thinker and kept me away from
blind beliefs. This, itself, was a great benefit. Vipassana went further.
It liberated me from dry intellectual philosophical arguments and
the frenzy of sentimental devotion and taught me to experience
true spirituality. Accepting whatever truths I actually experienced,
I progressed further and experienced subtler truths. I continued to
examine whether my mental defilements were becoming weaker
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or not. The emphasis of the teaching on actual improvement in the
present appealed to me. I understood that if the present improved,
the future would improve automatically. If this life improves, the
next life will improve automatically. It also became clear to me
that I was fully responsible for defiling my mind. Why should any
external invisible force defile my mind? Similarly, I alone had the
responsibility of purifying my mind. The teacher would, with great
compassion, show us the path. But I would have to walk on the
path step by step. I became free from the delusion that someone else
would liberate me.
This technique did not teach me to develop contempt or aversion
towards invisible gods and goddesses but taught me to develop
mettā for them. The sentiment of “Apni mukti, apne hatha, apna
parisrama, apna puruSartha - our liberation is in our own hands; it
depends on our own diligence and efforts,” did not result in egotism
but generated humble awareness of my own responsibility. I liked
this self-reliance. I was filled with rapture on recalling these words
of a poet: “Svavalanbana ki eka jhalaka para nyauchavara Kubera ka
koSa - renounced is the treasury of Kubera (the god of wealth) for
one glimpse of self-dependence.” My life was transformed. I felt as
if I had been born anew.
1954 was the last year of the first Buddha sāsanā of 2500 years.
In this year, I came in contact with the Buddha sāsanā for the first
time when I was appointed as a member of the food organization
committee for providing vegetarian food during the Chattha
Sangayana. 1955 was the first year of the second Buddha sāsanā. In
this year, I learned Vipassana meditation. It seems that this first year
of the second Buddha sāsanā was the sunrise of my good fortune.
The final year of the first Buddha sāsanā was the dawn signaling
this auspicious sunrise. The fifty years of this Dhamma journey have
made my life meaningful, made it successful. I feel blessed.
May the rest of my life be dedicated to Dhamma.
Wayfarer on the path of Dhamma,
S. N. Goenka
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SEVENTY YEARS HAVE BEEN COMPLETED
Vol. 8 No. 2 February 3, 1998
Nābhinandāmi maraṇaṃ,
nābhinandāmi jīvitaṃ.
Nikkhipissaṃ imaṃ kāyaṃ,
sampajāno paṭissato.
I do not long for death nor do I desire to be alive.
(When the time comes) I shall leave this body
with mindfulness and insight into its impermanent nature at the
level of sensation.
Theragāthā, Sāriputtathera 54
My life has seen seventy autumns. And who knows how many
more are left? How can the ones that are left be best used? May this
awareness be maintained.
On this occasion some beneficial words of the Buddha come to mind.
The incident is of Sāvatthi, in Anāthapinḍika’s Jetavanārama. It is
night-time. A devaputta has come to meet the Buddha. He expresses
his thoughts to the Buddha in the form of a gāthā of four lines—
Accenti kālā, tarayanti rattiyo
—Time is passing, nights are passing.
Vayoguṇā anupubbaṃ jahanti
—Life is gradually coming to an end.
Etaṃ bhayaṃ maraṇe pekkhamāno
—Observing the fear of (approaching) death
Puññāni kayirātha sukhāvahāni
—Perform meritorious deeds that yield pleasant fruits.
Someone has rightly said,
“Morning comes, evening comes,
Thus the end of life comes.”
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Do not let this priceless human life end in vain. Even if it is only out
of fear of the approaching death, be engaged in meritorious deeds
that yield pleasant fruit. If we perform unwholesome deeds, they
will result in suffering for us. If we perform wholesome deeds, they
will result in happiness for us. This is the unbreakable law of nature.
Therefore it is better to do wholesome deeds rather than unwholesome
deeds in order to avoid suffering and to enjoy happiness.
We do not know how long we have been crushed under the
everchanging wheel of existence of worldly happiness and suffering,
and for how long this wheel of worldly happiness and suffering
will continue in the future. The Buddha discovered a simple and
direct path to full liberation from this wheel of existence. He
made it easily accessible to all. He taught the liberation-endowing
technique of Vipassana to the people, by the practice of which they
could be liberated from the wheel of existence and attain the eternal,
unchanging nibbānaṃ paramamaṃ sukhaṃ meaning the ultimate
happiness, the ultimate peace of nibbāna, which is much superior
to worldly pleasures. But this is possible only after the habit of
heedlessly running after the enjoyment of worldly sensual pleasures
is broken. And this is just what Vipassana enables us to do. It breaks
the habit pattern of multiplication of the saṅkhāras of craving and
aversion which lie in the depth of the subconscious mind. It digs out
the saṅkhāras of craving for pleasure and aversion towards suffering.
It eradicates the longstanding habit of blind reaction. As long as
craving for worldly pleasures remains, aversion will continue to
arise towards worldly suffering and because of these two, the wheel
of existence will continue to roll. Only when the wheel of existence
breaks, can ultimate peace, which is supramundane, beyond the
worlds, beyond the round of existence, beyond the field of senses,
be attained. It was with this purpose that the Buddha taught the
beneficial technique of Vipassana.
Hinting at this, upon hearing the above gāthā of four lines, the
Buddha, changing its fourth line, said—
Lokāmisaṃ pajahe santipekkho
—One who hopes for the ultimate peace should give up the desire
for worldly happiness.
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Only by the intensive practice of Vipassana can one eradicate this
worldly desire. While practising Vipassana, a meditator should
maintain awareness of one’s impending death, but there should not
be a trace of fear of death. Whenever death comes, one should be
constantly prepared for it with a tranquil mind.
On the occasion of every birthday, a Vipassana meditator should
certainly look back at the past. He should make a firm resolution that
he will not repeat the mistakes he has committed in the past and that
he will continue to perform whatever wholesome deeds he has done
until now for the rest of his life. The most important wholesome
deed of all is the practice of the liberating technique of Vipassana.
This should not be neglected; it should be diligently practised. Do
not postpone today’s practice till tomorrow. Let these words of the
Buddha constantly echo in your ears like a warning—
Ajjeva kiccamātappaṃ
—Perform the work of meditation today itself. (Do not postpone it
till tomorrow.)
Kojaññā maraṇaṃ suve
—Who knows, death may come tomorrow.
It is not necessary to invite death, but when it comes, there is no
need to be afraid of it. Let us be prepared for it every moment.
From time to time we should practise maraṇānusati (contemplation
about death). I have seen from my own experience that this is very
beneficial. Sometimes while doing this, one should examine one’s
own mind, “If I die tomorrow morning, what will be the state of the
last moment of this life? Will any longing remain, even though this
desire may be to complete some Dhamma mission? Whenever the
saṅkhāra of some excessive emotion arises in the mind, we should
immediately practise maraṇānusati and understand that, “If I die
in the very next moment, what fearful direction will this excessive
emotion give to this stream of becoming?” As soon as this awareness
arises, it becomes easy for one to be liberated from this excessive
emotion.
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There is one more advantage of maraṇānusati from time to time. The
mind thinks, “Who knows how many lives I have been rolling in the
cycle of existence? This time, as a result of some wholesome deed,
I have obtained the invaluable life of a human being. I have come in
contact with pure Dhamma. I have developed faith in pure Dhamma,
which is free from meaningless rituals and philosophies as well as
from sectarian barriers. What benefit have I derived from this?”
When one makes an assessment of this, whatever shortcomings
remain, one develops enthusiasm to correct them. Whether death
will come tomorrow morning or after a hundred autumns, I do not
know. But no matter how many days I have to live, I will use them
to perfect my pāramitās with a contented mind and make my human
life meaningful. Whatever results come, let them come; whenever
they come, let them come then. I leave that to Dhamma. On my part,
let me continue to keep making the best use of the remaining time of
this important life to the best of my ability.
For this purpose, let these inspiring words of the Buddha be with
us—
Uttiṭṭhe nappamajjeyya dhammaṃ sucaritaṃ care.
—Arise! live the Dhamma life with diligence.
May I keep living the life of Dhamma. The results will naturally be
beneficial.
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CELEBRATION OF THE CENTENARY YEAR
Vol. 9 No. 3 March 2, 1999
(The following is a translation of an article by S. N. Goenka published in
the March 1999 issue of the Hindi Vipaśhyanā Patrika)
My life has seen seventy-five springs.
Someone came and said, “Let us celebrate amrit mahostav on your
birthday.”
Amrit mahostav?
Meaning celebration of one who has not died till now. But one who
has seen seventy-five springs and has not died, will surely die after
seeing a few more springs. What is the use of amrit mahostav of
such a mortal person?
Instead, let us celebrate the amrit mahostav of my revered Teacher,
Sayagyi U Ba Khin. His rūpa kāya (physical body) may be no more
but on the strength of our boundless devotion to him, we will not
allow his glory to be forgotten. We will immortalise it. That would
be a meaningful amrit mahostav.
On the auspicious occasion of his first centenary year, let us make a
resolve in all gratitude: we will immortalise the glory of that epochmaking Bodhisatta. The Vipassana family not only of today but
also of future generations will gratefully remember his benevolence
for centuries. As long as the sacred memory of Sākyamunī Gotama
Buddha remains alive on this earth, the glorious memory of the
boundless benevolence of this Dhamma son of the Buddha will also
endure.
We shall also be eternally grateful to Myanmar, who not only
preserved the original teachings of the Buddha through the saintly
Teacher-student tradition but also preserved the beneficial technique
of Vipassana, the greatest gift of the Buddha to humanity, in its
pristine purity.
We also feel boundless gratitude to the revered eminent bhikkhu
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Ledi Sayadaw, who not only made the technique of Vipassana, which
had been preserved by bhikkhus for centuries easily accessible to
householders, but also trained a householder as a Vipassana Teacher.
We feel boundless gratitude also to the first householder Teacher,
Saya Thetgyi, who carried out this special responsibility with
remarkable success, so that people were assured that a householder
can also fulfil the role of a skilled Vipassana Teacher filled with
mettā.
And words cannot express the gratitude we feel towards his chief
disciple, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, whose irrepressible enthusiasm
and extraordinary Dhamma-inspiration resulted in our receiving
this liberating technique. This technique which had been lost for
centuries was rediscovered by Sākyamunī Siddhattha Gotama, not
only for his own benefit but also for the welfare of innumerable
beings. But it was again lost in India, the country of its origin, and
in the rest of the world, except in suvaṇṇabhūmi Myanmar. My
revered Teacher had unwavering faith in the ancient belief that this
technique would arise again and return to the country of its origin.
He used to repeatedly say that the clock of Vipassana had struck
and that Vipassana would arise again in its birthplace, India. Many
people with pāramīs have been born in India at this time who will
happily accept it, and thereafter, like the sun it will penetrate the
darkness of ignorance enveloping the entire world and become the
cause of infinite welfare in the world.
He used to say that Myanmar received this technique centuries ago
and was indebted to India. In order to repay this debt, it would have
to return the technique of Vipassana to India. He wished to come
to India to carry out this sacred work himself but could not do so.
Although unable to come to India physically, he certainly came
with his Dhamma son in spirit and helped him to accomplish this
Dhamma mission.
Let there be no delusion in the minds of Vipassana meditators that
they have received this priceless technique from Goenka. Goenka
is only a medium. Actually all have received this technique from
Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Since July 1969 when Goenka gave his first
course up to the present time, he has been humbly acknowledging
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this truth while giving every course and will do so in the future as
well. While giving Ānāpana, his Dhamma voice reverberates in the
course with the words
“Guruvara! Terī ora se, deuṅ dharama kā dāna....”
“Revered Teacher, I am giving the gift of Dhamma on your behalf...”
And similarly while giving Vipassana
“Guruvara! Terā pratinidhi, deuṅ dharama kā dāna....”
“Revered Teacher, I am giving the gift of Dhamma as your
representative...”
And at the end of the course, after mettā, while returning to my
residence
“Guruvara! Tero punya hai, tero hī paratāpa;
logāṅ nai baṅṭyo dharama, dūra karaṇa bhavatāpa.
“Revered Teacher, it is because of your merit, your glory;
That I distribute Dhamma to the people to eradicate their misery.
All assistant Teachers also play these tapes during their courses, and
in future, all Teachers of this generation and of future generations
will conduct courses with these tapes. Therefore, it is clear that the
real credit for the return of pure Vipassana to India and its spread to
the entire world from India goes to my revered Teacher, Sayagyi U
Ba Khin. How can any Vipassana meditator forget his benevolence?
This is a luminous historical fact: if it were not for Myanmar,
Vipassana would not have been preserved. If Vipassana had not been
preserved, there would have been no Ledi Sayadaw. If there had
been no Ledi Sayadaw, there would have been no Saya Thetgyi. If
there had been no Saya Thetgyi, there would have been no Sayagyi
U Ba Khin and if there had been no Sayagyi U Ba Khin, how could
there be Goenka? Goenka is the Dhamma son of Sayagyi. If the
strong Dhamma inspiration to repay the old debt of India and the
Dhamma aspiration to spread Vipassana throughout India and the
world had not arisen in the mind of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, how would
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it have been possible to achieve all that has been achieved? This
great householder saint played a major role in the revival and spread
of the second Dhamma sāsana. How can we repay our debt to him?
Truly
Roma roma kṛitajña huā, ṛṇa na cukāyā jāya.
Every pore is filled with gratitude, this debt cannot be repaid.
The best way to repay this debt is to Jīyeṅ jīvana dharma kā!
Live the life of Dhamma.
On the auspicious occasion of his centenary, let all Vipassana
meditators make a firm resolution to live the life of Dhamma to
the best of their ability. We, the students of Sayagyi U Ba Khin,
will continue to increase his glory. Walking resolutely on the path
of Dhamma, not only will we benefit ourselves but we will also be
the cause of the benefit of others. Seeing our Dhammic behaviour,
those who do not have faith in Vipassana will develop faith; and
those who have faith will strengthen their faith. Thus, the spread of
Vipassana will pave the path for the welfare of innumerable people.
It is by virtue of the infinite mettā of my revered Teacher Sayagyi U
Ba Khin that Vipassana has gained a firm footing in India within the
past thirty years. The people of every class and of every religious
community of India have joyfully accepted it. People from more
than a hundred countries in all six continents of the world have
accepted it without hesitation and gained much benefit.
I do not wish to devalue whatever work has been done in such a
short time, but certainly a lot more remains to be done. Accepting
whatever has been achieved as the foundation, let us all prepare
ourselves for the multi-fold progress of Vipassana. Let us come
together on this occasion and resolve to complete the following
projects, so that the beneficent technique of Vipassana may enter the
next millennium in an abundantly effective manner, thus fulfilling
the Dhamma wish of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
• The established Vipassana centres in India and around the world
where regular Vipassana courses are being organised as well as the
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newly-formed centres should develop so that many more people can
gain benefit from them.
• Even though about 600 students are given admission in every course
at the Vipassana International Academy at Dhamma Giri, many have
to wait for months to gain admission to a course. It is becoming
difficult to conduct 20, 30, and 45-day courses along with 10-day
courses because of insufficiency of accommodation. Therefore, it
has been decided that only 10-day courses will be held at Dhamma
Giri. A new centre called Dhamma Tapovana will be established
adjacent to Dhamma Giri, where not only 20, 30, and 45-day courses
but 60, 75, and 90-day courses will be conducted. All meditators at
the new centre will be provided with self-contained single rooms
with all necessary facilities as well as solitary meditation cells to
enable them to meditate for long periods without any disturbance.
This centre should be developed quickly so that serious meditators
can meditate intensively there and derive maximum benefit from
this technique.
• Many people addicted to gambling, tobacco and intoxicants
have become free from such addictions because of the practice
of Vipassana. In Australia and Switzerland, government-funded
research work has been done and continues in the application of
Vipassana in rehabilitation of drug addicts. Such beneficial research
should be encouraged in other countries as well.
• Thousands of school children are benefiting from Ānāpana and
college students are benefiting from Vipassana in India as well as
in many other countries. Multi-fold progress should be made in
this area so that future generations will be able to live happy and
harmonious lives with mutual love, affection and goodwill.
• In India, particularly in Mumbai, Ānāpana is being successfully
taught to street children. This should be encouraged elsewhere.
• Paṭipatti Vipassana is the practical aspect of Dhamma. The
Vipassana Research Institute which was established to throw light on
pariyatti, the theoretical aspect of Dhamma, has achieved remarkable
success. It has produced a CD-ROM containing the original Pāli
Tipiṭaka along with all its commentaries, sub-commentaries, sub- 125 -
sub-commentaries, and many other Pāli texts. The remaining rare
Pāli texts wherever available should be included in this CD. The
publication of these books is also progressing satisfactorily.
• Similarly the praiseworthy work of producing a CD containing the
entire scriptural literature in Sanskrit has begun. It is necessary to
complete it soon. This will help to undertake serious research work
which will enable us to understand why the beneficial technique
of Vipassana and its related literature was lost in this country.
Awareness of these causes will help to preserve Vipassana and its
literature for a long time so that my revered Teacher’s wish “ciraṃ
tiṭṭhatu saddhammo” will be fulfilled. This work should never be
done by generating aversion towards any other religion it should
be done only for the investigation of the actual reality. My revered
Teacher was a supporter of the Dhamma policy of satyameva jayate
the truth will prevail. These very words were written behind his
chair in Myanmar language.
• In order to complete the above objective, a Dhammakula (university)
will soon be established in Vipassana Research Institute, where
students of different countries will be provided with accommodation
and training facilities. Foreign students will be taught Pali, Sanskrit,
Hindi, and other Indian languages and Indian students will be
taught Myanmar, Sri Lankan, Thai, Cambodian, Chinese, Japanese,
Korean, Mongolian, and other languages. These bilingual or
multilingual students will revive ancient Indian literature in India
and abroad where it has been lost. They will translate it enabling
serious research work to be carried out.
• One more extremely important project is the early completion
of the construction of the memorial of revered Teacher Sayagyi U
Ba Khin in the form of the Grand Vipassana Pagoda in Mumbai.
This Pagoda will be used only for Vipassana meditation, which will
help to fulfil my revered Teacher’s Dhamma dream. Thousands of
Vipassana meditators will benefit from group meditation or one
day courses in its vast meditation hall. It can be easily inferred that
when meditators benefit so much from group meditation of 50-100
meditators, how much more effective and beneficial will be the
group meditation of thousands. The words of the Buddha will be
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directly experienced there, “Samaggānaṃ tapo sukho” Meditating
together is a source of happiness.
It is natural for misconceptions to arise in the minds of uninformed
people about this Pagoda. They may feel that the symbol of some
sectarian religion is being created. But when they see that no other
religious ritual is being performed, there is no sign of incense,
lamps, offerings, bells or idol worship only Vipassana meditation is
practised this misconception will be dispelled.
It is true that even without the external shape of a pagoda, it would
have been possible to construct a vast pillarless hall for the group
meditation of ten thousand people. Then why create this shape of
a pagoda that can produce this misunderstanding of sectarianism?
People will stop harbouring this misconception when they become
aware that the purpose of this shape is a reminder of the gratitude
that we owe to Myanmar. This Pagoda is a symbol of our boundless
gratitude towards that Dhamma country. When the technique of
Vipassana went to neighbouring countries, the first pagodas built
by those people were replicas of the stupas in India of that time.
They were built so that whenever the people there saw those stupas,
they would remember this great gift of India and bow their heads in
devotion. In exactly the same way, people here will see the replica of
the Shwedagon Pagoda and will remember the gift of Myanmar, the
country that preserved this technique for a long time like a priceless
inheritance. They will also remember the householder saint born
in Myanmar, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, because of whose irrepressible
enthusiasm India regained this ancient treasure and which spread
from here to the corners of the world, as a result of which India
again became worthy of fulfilling the role of viśhvaguru Teacher of
the world. Therefore, this Pagoda will be a symbol of our gratitude,
not the symbol of any sectarian religion. In fact, this Pagoda will be
a magnificent symbol of the revival of Vipassana in India. It will be
a monument to the greatness of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.
The special gallery that will be built outside the Pagoda will throw light
on the true nature of the glorious historical superhuman personality
of Gotama Buddha by extricating it from the mire of mythological
legend so that India will again be able to hold its head high in the
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world. This gallery will depict numerous important events of the life
of the Buddha as well as the ancient technique of Vipassana through
the use of sophisticated audio-visual techniques. As a result of this,
the widespread darkness of ignorance in India about the Buddha and
his true teaching will be dispelled and many people will accept his
non-sectarian, scientific and beneficial teaching. A large number of
people who come to see this magnificent Pagoda will learn about
Vipassana meditation and many among them will take part in a
Vipassana course in India or in their own countries and gain great
benefit. In this way, Vipassana will spread throughout the world and
result in world happiness.
This was the sacred Dhamma aspiration of my revered Teacher,
Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Come, completing all the above projects and
fulfilling his noble wishes, let us attain our own welfare and help in
the welfare of others.
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FAREWELL BROTHER RADHE SHYAM
Vol. 17 No. 3 March 3, 2007
(The following is a translation of an article by Goenkaji published in the
March 2007 issue of the Hindi Vipaśyanā Pātrikā. It has been adapted for
the Newsletter.)
My father had great respect for his elder brothers. His elder brother
and my uncle, Shri Dwarkadas, was advancing in age and his health
was also deteriorating. He had eight daughters but no son. My father
was worried about him. He had already given his eldest son, Bal
Krishna, for adoption to his other elder brother who was childless.
So my father decided to give me for adoption to Shri Dwarkadas.
This was in the year 1937 when I was thirteen years old. It is easy
to separate an infant from its mother and father. But, at thirteen
years of age, even the thought of separation from my parents was
unbearable. My elder brother, Babulal, was about two years older
than me but we were always together like twins.
My mother and I were deeply attached to each other. Even at that
young age, I was afflicted by excruciating attacks of migraine, once
or twice a year. During such attacks, my mother would lay my head
in her lap and massage it with fresh butter or almond oil. Within a
short time, because of my mother’s loving touch, a tingling sensation
would start in my head which would soon spread through the entire
body and all the pain would disappear. This was a foretaste of the
experience of Vipassana. Then I would fall asleep with my head in
her lap. Even a discussion about separation from my loving mother
was unbearable for me.
My uncle was much older than my father. He taught my father the
skills of the trade and personally resolved all his business difficulties.
He gave my father easy chores to keep him satisfied and did all the
difficult jobs such as touring the northern towns in Myanmar to sell
clothes.
One day, my father explained my responsibility to ease his elder
brother’s burden. “My brother needs a son to help him. He will be
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happy to have you as his son. Since we all live together in the same
house, you will not be living far away from us even after he adopts
you as his son.”
Seeing my father’s boundless devotion and gratitude towards
his elder brother, I could not oppose his wishes and accepted his
decision. My uncle and aunt were very noble. I never ever heard my
aunt raise her voice throughout her life.
About a year or so after my adoption, my aunt and adoptive mother
gave birth to Radhe Shyam. I was filled with joy. At the same time,
I felt a strong urge to return to my biological parents. I went to my
father and requested him to allow me to return. I was not unhappy
in my adoptive home but I found it very difficult to stay away from
my mother.
This time, my father was a little harsh. He said, “You know very well
that my brother is very ill and may pass away soon. (As a matter of
fact, he passed away after a year.) It is now your responsibility to
look after his family and you should not shirk this responsibility. I
have made this decision after considerable thought. It is your duty
to fulfil it.”
I had been deeply influenced by Ramcarita Manas since childhood.
I was inspired by Lord Ram’s filial devotion even after being exiled.
It is not easy to renounce the throne and live in the forest. But Lord
Rama accepted his father’s decision willingly.
Rājīvalocana rāma cale,
taji bāpa ko rāja baṭāū kī nāhī.
The lotus-eyed Rama goes,
leaving behind his father’s kingdom like a (unattached) pilgrim
(who leaves one place for another without any attachment).
I would sing this verse and be overcome by emotion.
Similarly, my father has ordered me to serve his elder brother’s
family. I would respect it and consider it my good fortune to fulfil his
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wishes. After this, I never again harboured the thought of returning
to my parents.
In 1940, I passed the tenth class and joined the family business.
Within two years, we had to leave Myanmar because of the invasion
by Japan. We had to face many hardships in India because we were
forced to leave behind all our possessions in Myanmar. I sought
business opportunities in India and at the same time, looked after
my adoptive family and Radhe Shyam’s education. He was good in
studies and progressed well. We started a business in South India
and settled there. Radhe Shyam continued his education there. After
the war, we returned to Myanmar. Radhe Shyam had a strong desire
to become an engineer. I always regretted that I had been unable
to study in college even though I had stood first in the tenth class
and had received a scholarship from the government. Therefore, I
decided that Radhe Shyam’s education would not be hindered. He
would be allowed to study as much and as long as he wished. Radhe
Shyam duly completed his engineering studies at the Birla college
in Pilani and thereafter joined the family business.
We had to leave Myanmar again. Radhe Shyam continued to be a
part of the family business. In 1969, I came to India with Sayagyi
U Ba Khin’s blessings to teach Vipassana and started conducting
Vipassana courses. But I had doubts about successfully carrying out
this great responsibility.
While conducting a course in Bodh Gaya, I received the news that
my revered teacher had passed away. I did a ten-day self-course
at Bodh Gaya and then decided that I would free myself from all
family and business responsibilities and devote the rest of my life
to Vipassana. I wrote to my brothers about this resolution. The rest
sent encouraging replies but Radhe Shyam and my younger brother,
Gauri Shankar, immediately came to Bodh Gaya to assure me that
I need not bother about my worldly responsibilities and should
devote myself completely to teaching Vipassana. Thanks to their
encouragement, I devoted myself to my Dhamma mission.
Radhe Shyam wholeheartedly supported my Dhamma mission.
He helped as much as possible in every sphere of Dhamma while
looking after his business responsibilities. His biggest contribution,
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which I will always remember, is in helping me to achieve my strong
desire: Just as Vipassana, which had been lost in India, had returned
from Myanmar and had become established here, the Buddha’s
original teaching, the Tipitaka with its commentaries, should be
published in India and benefit more and more people. The Vipassana
Research Institute was founded to accomplish this and Radhe Shyam
undertook the responsibility to look after its functioning.
The entire literature of the Tipitaka was ready but it could not be
published and printed. All the people who took up this work were
unsuccessful. Finally, Radhe Shyam undertook this responsibility to
publish the entire literature of the Tipitaka in 140 beautifully bound
books. This is a great contribution from him to India.
He also successfully accomplished the production of the CD-ROM
containing the entire Tipitaka and allied Pali literature. He helped
to create software with the help of which it was possible to view
the Tipitaka in seven scripts—Devanāgarī, Roman, Myanmar, Sri
Lankan, Thai, Cambodian, and Mongolian. He also helped to create
a search engine that could be used to search the text in the CDROM in different ways. Radhe Shyam also helped in printing many
Vipassana books and CDs. He lived with me so he worked under my
guidance about all aspects of publication work.
Recently, it was necessary to publish two books within a week. I was
writing the books but because of ill health, I was unable to complete
them. How could they be published in time? Radhe Shyam took the
responsibility of printing these books. He had to go to Bhopal due to
earlier plans. Before going, he again assured me that I should send
the material to the printer and the books would be ready in two days.
I found it difficult to believe this. Radhe Shyam passed away in
the train before reaching Bhopal. He had assured me that the books
would be ready. And in fact, the printer printed and handed over the
books two days after Radhe Shyam’s death.
Radhe Shyam passed away while fulfilling his responsibilities in
Dhamma. The Dhamma service that he rendered will be of great
help in his future journey. May he keep progressing on the path of
liberation!
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Shri Radhe Shyam Goenka, a senior Vipassana teacher and younger
brother of our Principal Teacher, Goenkaji, expired on the night of
1 February, 2007 due to heart attack. He gave invaluable Dhamma
service for many years in various fields including Vipassana Research
Institute, Dhamma Tapovana, Tipitika Project, publications and
conducting courses worldwide. He was active in Dhamma service
until the very last day of his life.
His wife, Vimalaji, also a Vipassana teacher, passed away a few
years ago. The worldwide Dhamma family shares the deep sense of
loss of Goenkaji and Mataji.
May Radhe Shyamji be happy, peaceful and liberated.
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I CANNOT FORGET THEIR HELP
Vol. 18 No. 6 June 18, 2008
I am in the twilight of my life; I have entered the eighty-fifth year
of my life. The list of people towards whom I wish to express my
gratitude is very long. It is impossible to include all the details of
their Dhamma service in this small article. If I find the time to write
a book about my journey on the spiritual path, I may be able to do
justice to all of them. Those whose names could not be included
in this article should not feel hurt. They should understand the
constraints of time and space and should generate mettā.
My deepest gratitude is towards my virtuous parents and family.
I also feel grateful towards my primary school teachers, Pandit
Kalyandutt Dube and Madan Mohan Sharma. I am profoundly
grateful to my Dhamma father, revered Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who
gave me a new birth in Dhamma. I am also grateful to my Dhamma
mother Daw Mya Thwin, to my companions and supporters in the
field of Dhamma: Prof. U Ko Lay, U Ba Po, U Tint Yee and fellowwriter, U Pargu.
Among my other family members, I am grateful to my eldest
brother, Bal Krishna, who supported me from my early days as a
Vipassana teacher. While serving in India for the spread of Dhamma,
I saw many cases of Indian relatives ill-treating refugees who had
arrived here after leaving their jobs or businesses in Myanmar. In
one case, a person was cheated by his own son. On the other hand,
after arriving here, I did not serve a single day in the industries or
businesses of my extended family in India. Despite this, eight years
after my arrival, when my brothers divided their business assets,
my generous elder brother gave me an equal share. During those
eight years, he provided for all my necessities. He paid for my travel
and meals as well as for donations in all the Vipassana courses in
India, right from the first course. On arrival, he instructed a newly
appointed Hindi typist in his office, Ram Pratap Yadav, to serve me
day and night. Since then, he has been serving me as my devoted
assistant along with Narayan Dasarwar.
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Despite following a different spiritual path at that time, my brother
Bal Krishna supported me in the spread of Vipassana. Now, as a fullfledged Vipassana teacher, he is supervising the meditation centres
of South India with the help of L. Shivappa and others. My late
brother Babu Lal also supported me and later became a Vipassana
teacher.
My sons also supported my Dhamma service. I had handed over
all the businesses and cash from my share of the family business to
them. I did not sit with them for even a single day to help in these
businesses. They continued to bear my travel and other expenses
while serving courses. They took full care of my medical expenses
as well as all my other necessities. So I was able to devote all my time
to serve Dhamma. If my elder brother had ordered me to participate
in the family business, how could have I accomplished the noble
task of revival and spread of Vipassana in India? Similarly, after the
division of family assets, none of my sons had sufficient experience
in business. If they had insisted that I help and guide them in
business, and fully knowing and understanding their inexperience,
if I had got involved in the business, how could have I accomplished
the task of spreading Vipassana in the world? How could have I
spread the knowledge of Dhamma to thousands of people? Due
to their inexperience, my sons had to face some initial setbacks.
However, they still kept me free from all worldly responsibilities
to allow me to serve in a detached way. Now, my sons are growing
old and their children—my grand children—have joined them in
business. Soon it will be time for my sons to free themselves from
their business responsibilities. My son, Sri Prakash is looking after
the publication of Vipassana books, CDs and DVDs, which was
earlier the responsibility of my younger brother, Radhe Shyam. I
would be happy if any of my sons wishes to accumulate merits by
serving in other spheres of Dhamma.
Finally, how can I forget my life partner? How could I have
completed this long Dhamma journey so successfully without her?
Amongst bhikkhus, I am grateful to late Venerable Rewata Dhammaji
and Venerable Bhikkhu U Ratanapalaji. I am also grateful to
Anagarika Munindraji for his wholehearted support of my mission.
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Boundless mettā towards all other servers
The first course in Mumbai was organised by Dayanand Adukia and
his son, Vijay Adukia. After the Mumbai course, the first course in
Chennai was organised by my elder brother and the first course in
North India was organised by my friend, author Yashpal Jain. After
that, courses began to be held at different places.
At Bodhgaya, courses were organised by Dwarko Sundarani. Jay
Prakash Narayan who came to a couple of these courses to listen
to the evening discourses was deeply influenced. However, due
to his wife Prabhavatiji’s ill-health, he could not join a course.
Nonetheless, he invited me to the annual gathering of Sarva Seva
Sangh at Nashik and arranged my discourse there. As a result, the
head of the Sangha, Siddharaj Dhaddha and other prominent Sangha
leaders attended courses.
Mrs. Nirmala, Gandhiji’s daughter-in-law, organised a course in
Sevagram, Wardha which was attended by many elderly companions
of Gandhiji. The participants of the course took me to Vinoba
Bhave’s ashram at Pavnar and organised a meeting with him.
On being challenged by him, the first course for children was held
in a school at Bagaha, Bihar. Later, the first course for prisoners in
jail was held in the Jaipur Central Jail. These two kinds of courses
continue to be held all over India.
The Home secretary of Rajasthan, Ram Singh and his wife
benefitted from a course at Jaipur. Many other high-ranking officers
of Rajasthan such as S. N. Tandon and S. Adaviyappa and their
wives benefitted from Dhamma and they all played an important
role in the spread of Vipassana. Vimalchand Surana, Sher Singh, late
Ram Niwas Sharma and late Paliwal helped them in the spread of
Vipassana in Rajasthan.
By successfully organising a course in Tihar Jail, my Dhamma
daughter Kiran Bedi cleared the path for prisoners of many countries
in the world to gain benefit from Vipassana.
Sriram Taparia had a major role in the establishment and management
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of Dhamma Giri at Igatpuri. In addition, others from the Maheshwari
community such as late Laxmi Narayan Rathi and late Ramsukh
Mantri from Pune, Toshniwal family and S. S. Taparia also joined
Vipassana courses and helped in spread of Vipassana.
Vipassana flourished greatly in the Jain, Gujarati and Kutchi
communities with the support of Shivjibhai, Harakchand Gala,
Dipchand Shah, Mukundrai Badani, Dr. Bhimsi & Mrs Pushpa Savla,
Premji & Madhu Savla, Veena Gandhi, late Natubhai & Kaushalya
Parekh, Ratilal & Chanchal Savla, Mahasukh & Manju Khandhar,
Shanti Shah, Sudhir & Madhuri Shah and family, Kashyap &
Kamala Dharmadarshi, Jayesh Soni, Manhar Patel, Rajubhai Mehta,
Jayantilal Thacker, Anil Dharmadarshi, Indravadan Kothadia,
Bachubhai Shah, late Ratilal Mehta and his family and many others.
Terapanth’s Acharya Tulsiji ensured that almost all his ascetics,
males and females, benefited from Vipassana courses. Similarly,
Pramukh Acharya Dr. Shivmuniji, Rajgir’s Amarmuniji, Munishri
Amarendra Vijayji, Acharya Munishri Bhuvanachandraji, Mahasati
Karunabai and many other prominent Jain Acharyas benefitted from
Vipassana. Therefore, many people from the Jain community joined
Vipassana courses.
With the support of my Dhamma daughter Usha Modak, N. O. Patil,
Prakash Borse, Vishwambhar Dahat, Dr. Dhananjay Chavan, Dr.
Hamir & Dr. Nirmala Ganla, Dinesh Meshram, Prakash Mahajan,
Vimla Mahajan, Mahavir Patil, Champalal Khinvasara, Sudhakar
Funde, N. Y. Lokhande, Digambar Dhande, Kamalatai Gavai, late
Rajaram Beri, Arun Suryavanshi and others, Dhamma spread in the
entire state of Maharashtra. The following also helped in spread of
Dhamma in India: Gita Kedia, Sabrina Katakam, Khaddaria, Kurup,
Jaya Modi, Pai family, Rajendra Singh, Iladevi Agrawal, Balraj
Chaddha, Chikkanarayanappa, Dr. Chokhani, Sudha and Mohini
Dalal, Chothmal Goenka, Dr. Subramanyam, L. N. Todi, Mohan Raj
Adla, Ravi Reddy, Praveen Bhalla, Sajjandevi Dhariwal, Rameshwar
Sharma, Madan Mutha, late J. K. Tibrewala and Vasudeo Kamath.
Due to the efforts of senior officers in the Maharashtra government
such as Ratnakar Gaikwad, D. R. Parihar, Dr. Prem Singh Meena,
S. Krishna and others, many government officers took Vipassana
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courses.
Prof Pyare Lal & Sushila Dhar, Ashok Talwar, late Dr. Om Prakash,
late Dr. Vithal Das Modi, late Gurumukh Siddhu, Rajesh Gupta,
Manju Vaish, Ashok & Uma Kela, Dr. Narayan & Sharda Wadhwani,
Gopal Sharan & Pushpa Singh and others helped to spread Dhamma
in northern and central India.
Shashikant & Dr. Sharda Sanghvi, Deshbandu Gupta, Subhash
Chandra, Nayan Shah, Vallabh Bhansali, late Radhe Shyam Goenka,
Durgesh Shah, Dhanesh Shah, Dr. Rohi Shetty and others played an
important role in research and spread of Vipassana.
The role of Thomas Crisman, late Radhe Shyam Goenka, Priti
Dedhia, Dhanesh Shah, Craig Miller, Bill Nugent, Frank Snow,
Ramnath Shenoy, Gino Morena, Brihas Sarathy and Jay Prakash
Goenka in establishing modern electronic mail facility, website
development and data entry is equally praiseworthy. Due to their
tireless efforts, the vast literature of Vipassana, the entire set of
Tipitaka, Newsletters and detailed information related to meditation
practice has been made available on the Internet.
S. N. Tandon, Dr. Paul Fleischman, Dr. Savitri Vyas, Bill & Virginia
Hamilton, Ram Avadh Verma and others have contributed greatly in
the field of literature.
One of my dear Dhamma sons is Bill Hart, whose book ‘The Art of
Living’ introduced Vipassana to the entire world. This book has been
and continues to be translated and published in many languages.
Thousands of copies of this book have been sold. The merits that he
has gained are immeasurable.
Nepal’s Yadukumar Siddhi, Maniharsh Jyoti, Uttam Ratna
Dhakhwa, Nani Maiya Manandhar, Anand Raj Shakya, Dr. Roop
Jyoti, Bodhi Bajra, Bed Nath, Madan and others; Thailand’s Nirand
and Sutthi Chayodam; Sri Lanka’s Brindley (now Ven. Siddhartha)
& Damayanthi Ratwatte; Myanmar’s Dr. Kay Wain, Daw Yema
Maw Naing, U Thaung Pe & Daw Myint Myint Tin, Daw Saw Mya
Yee, Sushila & U Shwe (Banwarilal) Goenka, Parsu Ram Gotama,
Daw Win Kyi, U Kyaw Khin & Dr. Daw Mya Mya, Daw Sein Sein,
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U Tin Maung Shwe, U Thein Aung, and others; Iran’s Daryush
Nowzohour; Mongolia’s Shirendev, Cambodia’s Mien Tan, Klaus
and Nadia Helwig serving Philippines and Vietnam; Atsushi serving
Japan, George Hsiao and Venerable Minjia from Taiwan, Patrick
Given-Wilson & Ginnie Macleod, late Graham Gambie, Anne
Doneman, John Burchall, Steve & Christine Smith, Michael & Trish
Barnes, Volker Bochmann & Doris Herrmann from Australia; Don &
Sally McDonald serving Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, New
Zealand’s Ross Reynolds, UK’s late Drs. Gandhi, John & Joanna
Luxford, Dr. Khin Maung Aye & Dr. Daw Kyi Sein, Kirk & Reinette
Brown, Chris & Sachiko Weeden, Steve & Olwen Smith serving
France, Andy & Caroline, Drs. Shwe & Sann Sann, Ian & Dr. Shelina
Hetherington, Spain’s Martin & Deni Stephens, Belgium’s Dirk &
Meike, Germany’s Floh Lehman, Heinz & Brunhilde, America’s
Barry & Kate Lapping, Harry & Vivian Snyder, Bill & Anne, Dr.
Jacques & Denise, Rick & Gair Crutcher, Bruce & Maureen Stewart,
Ben and Cathy, Tim and Karen, Parker & Laura Mills, Philix Lee &
Yu Yen serving China, Arthur Nichols and Daniel Mayer serving
South America, Canada’s Dr. Geo & Cathy Poland, Bob & Jenny,
Alain & Rachel, Evie Chauncey and others have played a major role
in the spread of Dhamma worldwide.
An important incident:
I was on a world tour to conduct courses. When I reached Japan, an
important person spread the rumour by phone that revered Sayagyi
U Ba Khin had withdrawn his blessing and support to me; and that
he would not even give mettā to me in courses. This message made
everyone nervous. I too felt that if this is true, I should not conduct
any more courses. I felt that all courses in Japan and elsewhere
should be cancelled and I should return home. We were staying in
Dhamma daughter Sachiko’s home. This unpleasant news has been
spread by what seemed to be a reliable source. According to this
news, since I was no longer a teacher in the tradition of Sayagyi U
Ba Khin, Sachiko could have told us to leave but she didn’t.
John Beary proposed to all the assembled meditators that the next
course should not be cancelled. This message may have been spread
out of ill will. He suggested that the course should be held and if
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mettā is found to be weak, then the remaining courses could be
cancelled. The course was conducted and it was very successful.
Everyone said that the mettā was even stronger that before. I
am grateful to John Beary who ensured that the course was not
cancelled. Otherwise, future courses would have stopped. Because
of the success of this course, everyone including me was convinced
that Sayagyi’s mettā and blessing were definitely with me. Future
courses continued to be held successfully without any obstacles.
Whenever I recall this incident, I am filled with boundless mettā.
Another incident:
At the end of my first course in North America, I learned that money
had been collected from many new students at the beginning of the
course. I was saddened because this was totally against the pure
tradition of Dhamma. This had never happened in the courses in
India in the preceding ten years. The course organisers said that
they didn’t have sufficient money to organize the course. I felt that
if sufficient funds were not available, the course should not have
been held. I decided that henceforth I would not conduct courses
in America. On hearing this, my Dhamma daughter Kate Pratt
(Lapping) donated enough money for future courses. Therefore,
courses began to be held regularly in America. When I recall this, I
am filled with joy and mettā for Dhamma daughter Kate.
One more incident:
A course was being held in England. There were many requests to
conduct courses in the West in addition to the courses in India. It
was not possible for me to visit so many places and to conduct so
many courses. Many students had ripened in Vipassana and had
become ready to teach Vipassana. However, it was difficult for them
to give the discourses every evening. France’s Jean Claude and Dr.
Sukhdev Soni from Chicago proposed that my discourses should
be video-taped so that videotapes could be given to the students
whom I appointed as assistant teachers. They made the necessary
arrangements to video-tape my discourses. This opened the doors
for the spread of Dhamma. Though the format used by them for
recording could not be used in other countries, an important task had
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begun. So I remember both of them with gratitude.
When I visited America, Thomas Crisman said that he would create
videotapes in VHS format from the existing set, which could be used
worldwide. Thanks to his efforts of providing teaching sets to them,
hundreds of assistant teachers were able to use the videotapes of my
discourses in Vipassana courses and the Ganges of Dhamma began
to flow in many countries. The merit of my Dhamma son Thomas is
immeasurable.
Eilona and Ayelet produced the documentary film ‘Doing Time,
Doing Vipassana’ which won many awards and led to the introduction
of Vipassana in many prisons. Their other films along with films by
Donnenfield played an important role in the spread of Vipassana.
The vital task of proper storage, distribution and transcription of all
kinds of audio and video cassettes and CDs of course material and
other tapes has been meticulously done by Larry & Ruth since many
years. Now suitable arrangements have been made to ensure that
these tapes are well protected.
And my Dhamma sons, Dr. Dhananjay Chavan and Dr. Rohi Shetty,
while discharging their family responsibilities and sacrificing their
livelihood, have been serving me and Dhamma, not for one or two
days but for many years.
May the pāramīs of all servers and meditators keep growing! May
all beings be happy! May all beings be peaceful! Boundless mettā
towards all!
Mettā, S. N. Goenka
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FORTY YEARS OF DHAMMA DANA
Vol. 19 No. 8 5 August, 2009
Forty years of Dhamma dana have been completed. I recall a 45year old man who left his beloved motherland, Myanmar, and came
to India, the land of the Enlightened One. My teacher, Sayagyi U
Ba Khin, emphasized repeatedly that many centuries ago, India has
gifted the invaluable gem of Dhamma to Myanmar. Myanmar is
greatly indebted to India. It has preserved this noble teaching in its
pristine purity. Unfortunately India has totally lost it. Now Myanmar
has to repay this invaluable debt.
Sayagyi U Ba Khin wanted to come to India to revive the Vipassana
technique that was lost in this country. However, he was unable to
do so. Therefore, in the last week of June, in 1969, he appointed me
as a teacher of this ancient tradition and gave me the responsibility
of repaying this debt. I was taken aback. Though he had taught me
the practice of Vipassana meditation as well as the Buddha’s words
and trained me to conduct Vipassana courses, I felt I was totally
incompetent to fulfil this heavy responsibility.
Seeing my apprehension, Sayagyi exhorted me, “Why are you
troubled? You are not going alone; I am accompanying you in the
form of Dhamma. Many people with paramis have taken birth in
India and they will be attracted to you; they will be attracted to
Dhamma. Dhamma will work on its own. 2500 years of the Buddha
Sasana have been completed. The time has ripened for the debt has
to be paid back. Vipassana will be revived in India and this will be
accomplished through you. So go without any anxiety.”
I left for India two-three days later. However, I still felt anxious.
Who would accept me as a Dhamma teacher? My appearance
and attire were not that of a conventional spiritual teacher. I did
not have saffron robes or long matted hair or fully shaven head or
beard and moustache. I was an ordinary Burmese householder, who
had brought the invaluable spiritual teaching from Myanmar. I was
opposed to any pretence. I was disinclined to let go of my simple
attire of the Burmese loongyi and angyi (over shirt). Who would
accept me as a Dhamma teacher?
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I arrived at my family home in Mumbai. None in my family had any
inclination towards Vipassana. They were all following a different
path that was incompatible with Vipassana. There was no hope of any
support from them to organize a Vipassana course. How could the
first course be organised? Where could it be organized? Who would
organize it? Who would take part in the course? My mind became
overwhelmed with disappointment, helplessness and sorrow.
It was the second or the third night in India. While I was sleeping,
there was a sudden flash of light. As soon as my eyes opened, I
thought, “Who is this ‘I’ who will organize a course? This is
Dhamma’s job. Dhamma will take care of itself.”
Some friends and acquaintances came to visit me early the next
morning. There was a discussion about conducting a Vipassana
course. I asked, “Is a suitable place available to conduct a course?
Even if it is available, who will organize the course and who will
agree to sit for ten days with me?”
On hearing this, one of the visitors, Dayanand Adukia said, “Do not
worry. I shall arrange for the venue and I will manage the course”.
Hearing this, my close friend from Myanmar, Kantilal G. Shah said,
“I will take part in the course and will also bring one or two of my
friends.”
Dhamma started working and the first course was organized.
Dayanand Adukia managed the course and his son, Vijay Adukia,
joined the course. Kantilal Shah and his friend, B. C. Shah, joined
the course. And much to my pleasant surprise, my father and mother
agreed to sit the course. A few other relatives also sat the course
and the first course was successfully completed with 13 students.
Dayanand Adukia managed the course very well. He and Kantilal
Shah will always be remembered in the history of the revival of
Vipassana in India.
As soon as the first course was completed, I went to Madras. I had
a pleasant surprise there. My elder brother Bal Krishna and all his
family members were deeply involved in a tradition opposed to
Vipassana. Even then, out of affection for me, he organized many
public talks and also organized a course. I felt blessed. Along with
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other family members, Shyamsundar, brother Chothmal’s son, sat
the course.
Some more courses were held in a guest-house in Mumbai. Then I
went to northern India, where my friend and author, Shri Yashpal
Jain, arranged a course at a guest-house in Birla Mandir. Some more
courses were organized in Northern India.
The 14th course was held in the Samanvaya Ashram at Bodhgaya in
which were many bhikkhus and my old friend Anagarika Munindra
Delighted with his first experience of free flow of sensations, he
wrote a letter to my teacher who was in Rangoon.
Courses were held at different locations all over northern India and
a few Western students took part in every course. I would explain to
them separately, giving short discourses and instructions in English.
They worked very seriously.
For the twentieth course, some Western students requested me to
hold a course for them in English. I did not accept their request. I was
teaching two-three Western students in the courses but felt that I did
not have the ability to give discourses in English fluently. So I was
not willing to conduct an entire course exclusively for foreigners.
They complained to my revered teacher at Rangoon. I received
strict instructions from him that I should conduct a course for them.
He said that Dhamma would take care of the barrier of language. I
reluctantly went to Dalhousie to conduct a course. On the night of
the first day, I gave a discourse for just 15 minutes, the second day
for 30 minutes and from the third day onwards I gave an hour-long
discourse, as fluently as the discourses in Hindi. I was surprised.
This was due to the strength of Dhamma and the strong mettā of my
beloved teacher. The course was completed successfully.
After this course, in addition to Indian householders, bhikkhus and
sanyasis, young men and women from abroad started participating
in large numbers. I started conducting courses in Hindi and English.
The number of Westerners in courses started growing. One among
them was Daniel Goleman, who later became consultant to many
American businessmen and industrialists. Joseph Goldstein and
Sharon Salsburg also took part in some courses and later started
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teaching Vipassana in America.
The practice of sīla, samādhi and paññā started attracting others just
as it has attracted me because it did not leave room for intellectual
arguments and did not need acceptance of any sectarian belief. This
pure scientific teaching started attracting everybody.
A large number of foreigners participated in some courses held
at Dalhousie. An elderly Christian priest and two elderly nuns
participated in one of these courses. They were happy that many
hippies discontinued LSD and other intoxicants as well as sexual
misconduct after practising Vipassana. But they wanted to find
out whether I was converting their followers to Buddhism. After
directly experiencing the benefits gained from the course, they were
delighted. Mother Mary said, “Goenka, you are teaching Christianity
in the name of Buddha.”
After this course, many Christian priests and nuns started
participating in courses. Now, a course is held exclusively for them
in Mumbai. More than six thousand priests and nuns have benefited
from Vipassana courses so far.
My friend, Shri Yashpal Jain and Vishnu Prabhakar attended one
of the courses held at Dalhousie. Both of them were pleased with
this teaching. Shri Yashpal Jain told Acaryashri Tulsiji, the principal
teacher of Terapanth Sangha, about Vipassana and introduced me
to him. Acaryashri Tulsiji was impressed and organized a course
in Delhi for Acarya Munishri Nathmalji and other male and female
disciples. All of them liked the purity of this teaching. As a result,
he organized two courses in Tulsi Adyatma Needam of Ladnun, in
which many of their male and female disciples participated and
took benefit. After Acarya Tulsiji, the young Acarya Mahapragya
(Munishri Nathmalji) became the principal teacher of Terapanth
Saṅgha. He had already taken four courses in Vipassana. He made
some modifications and started teaching it as Preksha Dhyan.
Sthanakvasi Sramansanghiya Chaturth PatdharAcarya Dr. Shivmuniji
and Munishri Amarendravijayji, Munishri Bhuvanchandraji,
Munishri Parshwachandraji of Parshwachandragaccha Saṅgha
had participated in many courses. However, there is no report of
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any of them making changes in the teaching of Vipassana. Along
with Upadhyaya Amarmuniji, Sadhvishri Chandanaji, the manager
of Virayatan, arranged a course at Rajgir and also at their second
branch Naval Virayatan in Pune. Several other munis and sadhvis
benefited from Vipassana and encouraged others to practise it.
Nirmalaji, Gandhiji’s daughter-in-law organized the 50th Vipassana
course at Mahatma Gandhi Ashram, Wardha. Some of Gandhiji’s
followers participated in it. At the end of the course, I was taken to
Vinoba Bhave’s Ashram. He stated that he will accept Vipassana
only if it benefits prison inmates. I accepted the challenge. However,
due to the government’s policy, a course could not be organized in
the prison then.
Later, the first prison course was made possible by the efforts of
Shri Ram Singhji, the Home Secretary of Rajasthan, who had
participated in the 109th course. He relaxed the prison rules so
that the courses could be conducted in the Central Jail of Jaipur.
The beneficial results achieved in these courses paved the way for
Vipassana courses in prisons all over the world. Kiran Bedi arranged
several courses in Tihar Jail and a Vipassana centre was established
there. Courses are being held in prisons of different countries. The
Government of Myanmar has also allowed courses in prisons and
centres have also been opened in two prisons there.
In India, in the initial 7-8 years, Vipassana courses were organized
in guest-houses, schools, temples, educational institutions, viharas
(monasteries), churches, mosques, dargahs, etc. People attended these
courses and followed all the course rules in spite of inconvenience.
In 1976, Shri Sriram Taparia and Shri Ratilal Mehta organized the
construction of Vipassana centres at Igatpuri and Hyderabad. After
that, Vipassana centres were started all over the world.
During the first ten years in India, 165 courses were conducted and
16,496 students participated in them. Munis, bhikkhus, sanyasis,
priests, nuns; Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Sikhs, Christians, Jews,
Parsis; Indians and foreigners; men and women; people of all races,
and classes participated in the courses. They participated in courses
conducted by an unknown person like me and presented me the
wonderful opportunity to give Dhamma dana, the gift of Dhamma. I
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am grateful to each one of them.
Some of those who participated in the courses learnt the technique
partially and started teaching Vipassana after making some changes
in it. I recall some who got distanced from me or started practicing
some other form of meditation or discontinued practicing Vipassana.
I am grateful to all of them because they spared their invaluable ten
days to attend the course. Many other students accepted Vipassana
in its pure form and started spreading the light of Dhamma in India
and abroad. I am deeply grateful to them too.
Till now, 147 Vipassana centres have been opened in India and
abroad. Nearly two thousand trained teachers are holding regular
courses as well as courses for children in English, Hindi and other
languages all over the world. The teaching in my words has been
translated into 58 languages and courses are held in all those
languages. I am grateful to all these teachers, course organizers
and Dhamma servers. Today, nearly 80,000 people are benefitting
every year from about 1600 courses held all over India and abroad.
The numbers are increasing every year. It is thanks to them that
the Global Vipassana Pagoda has come into existence. Shri Subhash
Chandra and his family have donated the land and meditators and
others have worked together to construct the Pagoda.
The Enlightened One said, “Sabbadānaṃ dhamma dānaṃ jināti—the
gift of Dhamma exceeds all gifts.” (Dhammapada 354, Taṇhāvaggo)
I brought this invaluable gem to India. However, if no one had
accepted this Dhamma dana from me, if they hadn’t spared ten days
of their life to learn this technique from me, how could I have earned
this supreme merit? Therefore, I am grateful to each and every one
of them.
In addition, they proved right this ancient belief: On completion of
2500 years of the Buddha Sasana, the pure Dhamma will return to
the India, the land of its origin; the people here will accept it and
then it will spread all around the world.
Therefore, I feel indebted towards them and I wish to meet all of
them again so that I can voice my deep gratitude to them. I wish
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that any meditator who knows anyone who has done any Vipassana
course with me in the first ten years (1969 to 1979), invite him or her
to the Gratitude Gathering on Sunday, 17 January, 2010 at Global
Vipassana Pagoda, Gorai (Borivali), Mumbai.
Cordial Invitation
I extend a cordial invitation to every student who took part in the
ten-day Vipassana courses held in India in the first ten years from
1969 to 1979 to participate in the Gratitude Gathering.
In gratitude,
S. N. Goenka
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REALIZING THE DREAM OF DHAMMA
Vol. 16 No. 4 - April 13, 2006
(The following is a translation of Goenkaji’s remarks to about 5000
Vipassana meditators attending the first one-day course under the
main dome of the Global Pagoda in Gorai, Mumbai, on March 19,
2006. It has been adapted for the Newsletter.)
My mind is filled with joy at seeing this large gathering of the
Vipassana family. In future, within this great dome, thousands of
people will sit together and meditate. A small glimpse of that scene
is before my eyes. The Buddha said, Samaggānaṃ tapo sukho—“To
gather together and meditate brings joy.” A very fruitful joy.
This is a land for meditation. Whenever I come here, my mind feels
delight. At the time when a Dhamma son donated this priceless land,
I did not fully understand. But afterwards, each time I came here,
strong faith developed in my mind that this land is very pure, it is
a land for meditation. Many saints have meditated in this vicinity.
Therefore this land has drawn all of us to come here. Tremendous is
the attraction of this land!
In the time of the Buddha, an ascetic named Dāruciriya was
meditating in this area when he heard that someone in the world had
become a sammāsambuddha. He resolved to meet the Enlightened
One in order to learn the path of liberation. Dāruciriya walked from
here to Sāvatthī, encountered the Buddha, reached liberation, and
became an arahant.
Another incident that happened here comes before my eyes: A man
from this region named Puṇṇa went to Sāvatthī for his business, and
there he met the Buddha. He was fortunate, he learned Vipassana.
He was even more fortunate; he progressed rapidly on the path of
Vipassana. His business remained important to him. However, he
could not help thinking, “This is such a wonderful teaching, but the
region where I live knows nothing of it. Nobody even knows that
there is such a technique that offers liberation from the cycle of life
and death. If people there learn and practice it, they will get the same
benefit.”
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With deep enthusiasm he went to the Enlightened One and said, “Sir,
I request your permission to go back to my home and proclaim there
the doctrine taught by the Buddha. Allow me to make Vipassana
known to the people.”
The Buddha smiled and asked, “Are you aware that in your region,
people will strongly oppose you. They will heap abuse on you. What
will you do then?”
“Lord, with folded hands I shall humbly say, ‘You are so kind, so
good! You have only heaped abuse on me, you have only used a few
harsh words. Someone else might have pelted me with stones. You
did not throw stones at me. You are so kind!’”
“And if they start throwing stones at you, what will you say then?”
“With folded hands I shall say, ‘You are so kind! Someone else who
had become angry might have beaten me with sticks. You only threw
stones at me. You are truly kind.’”
“And if they started beating you with sticks, what will you say then?”
“With folded hands I shall say, ‘You are so kind! You have only
beaten me with sticks. Someone else would have attacked me with a
sword. You did not attack me with a sword. You are indeed kind.’”
“And if some of them attack you with swords, what will you say
then?”
“With folded hands I shall say, ‘You are so kind, so good! So
many people in this world are miserable. In their great misery, they
commit suicide. You are saving me from that evil act. You are truly
merciful!’”
The Buddha said, “Good! You have ripened in Dhamma. Now, you
are fit to preach the doctrine.”
This is the region in which the ascetic Puṇṇa spread the Buddha’s
teachings. And the archeological remains in this region, the nearby
caves and statues, show that people gladly accepted the Buddha’s
teachings.
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In our own time, when the foundation stone of this pagoda was being
laid, someone asked me, “Sir, why did you choose this place?”
I replied, “I did not choose the place. The place chose me.”
The entire picture is revealing itself. The greatness of this land!
The purity of this land! Somewhere nearby there used to be a large
port known as Suppārakapattana. It was a huge centre of business
activity in ancient India, as Mumbai is today. And near this place
many ascetics used to perform penances. When Vipassana started
spreading, people started practicing it in large numbers.
The same is happening today. Not only in India but around the
world, people are accepting Vipassana, they are accepting the words
of the Buddha. In doing so, they have not joined a sect. What matters
is not to call oneself a Buddhist but to practice Vipassana, to practice
the Noble Eightfold Path taught by the Enlightened One, to practice
sīla, samādhi, paññā, and to really benefit from the teaching of the
Buddha.
The teaching of the Enlightened One does not belong to any particular
caste, creed, race or sect; it is universal. And everyone accepts it.
Today, there is not a single religious group whose followers do not
come to join Vipassana courses. And not only that, their leaders and
their teachers come to learn Vipassana.
I am dreaming of a day when as many as ten thousand people will
gather here in this dome to meditate. Some will call themselves
Hindus, some Buddhists, some Jains, some Muslims, but all will
practice Vipassana. All will practise sīla, samādhi, paññā. This is
the greatness of the Buddha’s teaching. It is universal, for one and
all.
This magnificent pagoda is a symbol of the deep gratitude we feel, a
symbol stretching toward the sky. My mind feels infinite devotion,
infinite gratitude toward those who preserved the words of the
Buddha in their pure form, as well as the practice in its pristine
purity.
This pagoda is not intended for prayers or rites and rituals; it is
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meant for meditation. This is a land for meditation. Even in the past,
how many saints have meditated on this land! Again people will
meditate, for centuries they will meditate. And all humanity will
benefit.
Meditators of this generation carry a great responsibility. Practice
Dhamma not just for your own benefit, your own liberation, but
for the benefit of suffering people around the world—for their
liberation. Ripen yourselves to help others ripen. When Dhamma
arises, it brings great benefit to one and all.
The Enlightened One explained that when one helps others with
proper volition, no other wish arises but the urge to help, to serve.
One thinks, “How can others be helped? How can others get this
teaching? How can others receive benefit? How can they become
liberated from misery?”
Every meditator must realize, “The way to serve is without expecting
anything in return. How can I help for the benefit of many? How can
I serve? What can I do so that more and more people benefit?” That
is the proper volition for serving.
And along with the wish to help others is a feeling of gratitude.
Gratitude to Gotama the Buddha, who rediscovered the teaching and
used it not simply for his own benefit but for the liberation of so
many other people.
Gratitude to Emperor Asoka, who preserved the teaching by sending
it to neighboring lands, so that it stayed alive after it was lost in
India.
Gratitude toward those neighboring countries, which carefully kept
the teaching in its pristine purity.
Gratitude to the saints of those countries, the chain of teachers, who
kept the living practice of the Buddha’s teaching down to the present
day.
Because of them, the Dhamma has returned to India and has started
spreading around the world for the benefit of many.
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To those who came before, let us feel gratitude. And to those still
waiting for the Dhamma, let us develop mettā, the wish to serve
without expecting anything in return. May all beings be happy!
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Highlights
of
2002 Sangha Dana
Day 54, June 2, Azusa, California
The expatriate communities of a number of South Asian countries
came together to organize a Sangha Dana on behalf of Goenkaji
and Mataji. It was a massive undertaking to bring together monks
and nuns from different traditions. This auspicious event was made
possible because of the tireless efforts of U Tin Htoon, with help
from Henry Kao and many other selfless volunteers.
On the day of the Sangha dana, the venue was filled with more than
a thousand people. Goenkaji and Mataji offered food and requisites
to the Sangha.
In his introductory speech, Ven. Piyananda, the president of the
Southern California Buddhist council, told the audience that he had
taken his first ten-day course with Goenkji in 1973. Later on,
Goenkaji gave a Dhamma talk.
It is a great joy to see and pay respect to monks from various
traditions – a rainbow spectrum. These are all branches of the
same tree – they all get nutrition from the Buddha Dhamma, the
essence of which is paticca-samuppāda (Dependent Origination),
the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Noble Path, which are
accepted by all as the basic, principal teaching of the Buddha. These
are acceptable not only to Buddhists but to all people of all faiths.
Morality, concentration of mind and purity of mind is common to all
faiths, all religions.
For morality, one-pointed concentration of a wholesome mind
– kusala cittassa ekaggatā – is necessary, which means the mind
should be free from craving and aversion. The Buddha gave a simple
technique, where one concentrates one’s mind on the in-breath and
out-breath, keeping one’s attention at the tip of the nose (nāsikagge) or
just below the nostrils above the upper lip (uttaraoṭṭhassa vemajjhappadese). When one practices this way, the mind becomes
sharp enough to start feeling sensations in this area. As a meditator
starts observing the realities within, he discovers the same realities
that the Buddha discovered.
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The special discovery of the Buddha was a chain of cause and effect
relationships. Imasmim sati idam hoti, imasmim asati idam na hoti.
If this (cause) is present then that (result) comes; if this (cause) is not
present then that (result) does not come.
In dependent origination, the Buddha explains, salāyatana paccayā
phassa, phassa paccayā vedanā, vedanā paccaya tanhā – dependent on the six sense doors contact arises, dependent on contact sensations arise, and dependent on sensations craving and aversion arise.
Goenkaji also talked about how there is a revival of interest in the
Buddha’s teaching in India.
(Excerpt from: “The Caravan of Dhamma” – Diary of S. N. Goenka’s “Meditation
Now” Tour of Europe and North America by Dr. Dhananjay Chavan, Secretary to
Principal Teacher S. N. Goenka.)
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Bhavatu Sabba Maṅgalaṃ
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The Passing
of the Day
THE PASSING OF THE DAY
Following is an account of how Shri Satya Narayan Goenka faced
his last moments, on Sunday, September 29, 2013.
Sometimes the end of life comes as peacefully as the passing of the
day.
In the last months of his long life, Goenkaji was confined to a
wheelchair and faced increasing pain, yet he strove to carry on with
his daily routine. Often he had recalled how the Buddha served until
his last moments. It was clear that Goenkaji intended to follow that
great example. He continued to meet with visitors and to take a close
interest in the Dhamma work.
On his last day, at breakfast time Goenkaji asked his son Shriprakash
how work was proceeding at the Global Vipassana Pagoda.
Shriprakash replied that he would be visiting the Global Pagoda that
day and would make a full report on his return.
During the day, Goenkaji worked on a selection of 500 of his dohas
(couplets) for possible future publication. As always, this was a
labor of love for him.
At lunch, Goenkaji said, “I am relieved of the doctor.” Mataji attached
no special significance to these words; she thought he was referring
to a particular doctor who had recently visited him. However, it was
obvious that Goenkaji wanted to spend the day quietly, undisturbed.
After teatime, Goenkaji reviewed major stories in the newspapers,
as he was accustomed to do every day. He then meditated in a chair
in his room. He came to the table for the evening meal but kept silent
during it and returned directly to his room afterwards.
He remained seated there for some time and then asked to be helped
to bed. As soon as he was lying down, he started breathing faster.
Noticing this when she returned the room, Mataji asked Shriprakash
to come. Goenkaji opened his eyes and recognized his son but spoke
no word. Shriprakash called the family doctor, and then a doctor
who lived in the same building and was able to come at once. But
events moved swiftly to their end. The breath came in, the breath
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went out and then ceased. The heart had stopped beating, There was
no sign of pain or stress on Goenkaji’s face, and the atmosphere in
the room was serene and peaceful. The time was 10:40 p.m. - the
end of the day and a fitting close to a long life of Dhamma.
(Reproduced from the book the Art of Dying by Vipassana Meditation
Teacher S. N. Goenka and others.)
Bhikkhus and devotees paying their last respects
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After cremation in Mumbai, India.
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Ashes brought over to Myanmar
Ashes scattered in the Irrawaddy river, Myanmar
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Vipassana Meditation Centers
Courses of Vipassana meditation in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba
Khin as taught by S. N. Goenka are held regularly in many countries
around the world. Information, worldwide schedules and application forms are available from the Vipassana website:
www.dhamma.org
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