Concluding Message on Children’s Courses
These children’s courses are very important because this is the time when you can give them proper guidance to help them live a good Dhamma life. One thing should be very clear in the mind of the children’s course teachers: We are not at all interested in converting somebody from one organized religion to another. We are, of course, against any kind of sectarian grouping because that is so harmful to society. This is very evident.
We are giving a seed that helps you to understand that instead of living a life of sectarianism, well look, you can live a life of Dhamma which is so pure. Living a life of morality, a life where you control your mind, a life where you purify your mind— nobody can object to that.
So whoever is teaching must be fully convinced that what they teach will not convert people to any religion. The most unwholesome action of any Vipassana teacher, either junior or senior, would be to try to bring people to a particular sect. That would mean that we have totally lost our goal. Our aim is to take people out of communalism, sectarianism, all the narrow-mindedness where people start fighting with one another—take them out of that and give them this broad truth of Dhamma which is for everybody, which is universal.
If the one who is teaching does not understand this, then this person should not start teaching. Take more courses, come and discuss with me, with other senior teachers, and get rid of this wrong view.
Your thinking should be, “I am here to help people so that they live a better life, good for them, good for the society.” Then you can easily answer any question that comes from their parents or teachers. However, it is important to mention Buddha because in Dhamma gratitude is an important aspect of development.
We give the seed of pure Dhamma to these boys and girls and after 15 or 20 years the new generation that comes up will have responsibility towards their family, towards society, the country, the world, towards humanity. They should grow up to be ideal human beings. This is our only aim.
If one who is teaching is very firm and is convinced that what he or she is teaching is perfectly good for everyone, then it becomes easy to explain to others. If one is not sure whether the whole mission is to convert people to Buddhism or something else, then better not be a teacher. Don’t take that responsibility.
People practise yoga āsanas or prā āyāma; this does not mean they get converted to this religion or that religion. They are practising it to be healthy. Now here is a technique which helps one to live a healthy mental life. It is a mental exercise to make the mind healthy.
This should be very clear to everybody. See that more and more children’s courses are given, and more and more children get the seed of Dhamma, so that the next generation grows up to be an ideal generation. This is going to happen.
You should feel very fortunate that you are able to take part in this mission and develop your own pāramīs. The Dhamma is bound to spread whether or not we join. Join in this good cause, which is good for others and for oneself. May there be more and more children’s courses. May the next generation grow up an ideal generation around the whole world.
Bhavatu sabba ma gala
