LET DHAMMA GLOW IN ITS PURITY

Dhamma to Spread

My dear Dhamma children:

You are all eager to see the pure teaching of the Enlightened One revived here, and I too am eager for this to happen. However, if you arrange ten-day courses but do not emphasize the importance of applying Dhamma in life, the courses will become just another type of rite, ritual or ceremony, and they will not have the effect they should.

With Vipassana one learns how to apply sīla in life, and sīla starts with sammā-vācā, right speech. Right speech means abstaining from false statements, chatter and backbiting. So wherever Vipassana is taught we advise that if anyone finds fault with a Dhamma brother or a Dhamma sister, they should not say a word about it to others, but meet the brother or sister privately and politely explain, “I do not think your action is according to Dhamma.”

You can explain your view politely once or twice, and if the person still has not understood you can say, “I am going to inform a senior or the Teacher that we have a different understanding of this situation.” This is the proper way of dealing with people with whom you have a difference of opinion. The moment you start talking ill of another in his or her absence you are breaking sīla, the first important sīla of sammā-vācā.

You should examine yourself. If you have said something bad about a Dhamma brother or sister, correct it as quickly as possible. Go and ask pardon, saying, “I made this mistake, I said bad things about you when I should have come and talked with you.

This is a sa gha, a family of Vipassana meditators. Speaking ill of others will create friction and divisions. Some may accept the information they hear and others may not, and gradually conflict will start, which is totally against Dhamma. The Buddha stated clearly that some actions are extremely unwholesome and give very harmful results; creating a division in the sa gha is one of these few very harmful actions. There are bound to be differences of opinion when family members live together or meditators serve together; there is nothing wrong in that. You should not blindly follow one student, however senior this person may be. But this difference of opinion should not lead to a split in the Vipassana sa gha.

I keep teaching that all the members of the Dhamma family, the Vipassana family, must have nothing but love in their eyes towards each other, with never a trace of anger or hatred.

There are political and social organizations where people who crave power and status try to create a group of their own followers and to denounce others, but such behaviour is not appropriate for the field of Dhamma. The moment you realize that there is a group which follows you and another group which does not, you should immediately realize, “There is something wrong with me, that is why I want everyone to fulfil my wishes. Oh, my ego is so strong! I am not fit to serve Dhamma, let alone to lead in Dhamma. I’d better retreat and practise Dhamma at this time.” Unless one starts accepting the fact that one’s ego is strong, and one’s attachment to the ego is strong, one can never come out of this bad habit of finding fault with others. The moment one realizes, “Look, I have said these words and taken this action because of my ego,” then the ego automatically starts dissolving, dissolving. But if you keep justifying your actions, either vocal or physical, then the ego becomes stronger and stronger.

This morning I heard that at a recent event one or two of my Dhamma daughters became upset because their seating plan was not followed. This is such a sorry situation. Where is Dhamma in this attitude? The ego is so important to these people. I have so much compassion for them. They must grow in Dhamma so that they have love and compassion for others, instead of finding fault.

This is a minor incident but it is how impurity starts and develops. If we don’t say a word against this kind of impurity, you will make your ego stronger and generate aversion for others.

Something else damaging has come to my attention: The traditional teaching of Vipassana is the same everywhere in the world; you are not permitted to make any change in it. I have the history of Vipassana before my eyes. Vipassana was totally lost within 500 years in India because people from different sects started to add something from their own tradition to it. Gradually whatever was added became predominant and Vipassana faded out. The purity has been maintained for 2,300 years in the land of my birth, Burma; handed down from teacher to pupil. If they had added anything to it, the addition would have become predominant and Vipassana would have been lost; but they kept it pure and this is why we have received it today. We must not start spoiling it in the name of improvement. Everybody who spoils it says, “I am improving it!”—as if he or she is much wiser than the Buddha or the tradition. This is a dangerous tendency; one has to be very careful.

Therefore, those who wish the pure Dhamma that is arising now to be maintained for centuries must understand we have a great responsibility. We have no authority to change the discipline, the teaching or the instructions. If you really want to change something, send the main Teacher your suggestion, and only if the Teacher agrees can the change be made. If you feel you are wiser than the Teacher and you can alter the teaching according to your own wisdom, you will harm the tradition, you will harm the spread of Dhamma.

Another point should be clear: The evening discourses, the daily instructions and the teaching of Anapana, Vipassana and Metta have been translated into more than thirty languages and we have to ensure these translations are made correctly. An incorrect translation will give wrong instructions for years to come to those who speak that language.

Understand the process: Once a translation has been completed, one or more students who are well versed in both the relevant languages must verify it. Then I am sent samples of the voices of several students from that country, and from these I select the voice that has the proper vibration. Finally, that person has to come all the way to Igatpuri to record the tapes. People have come from far-off places like Mongolia, Indonesia and Russia. The recordings must be done only at Igatpuri or at a centre that is nearly as developed as Igatpuri because the vibration of the atmosphere is very important. Your input on the tape carries the vibration of the atmosphere around you. If this vibration is not healthy, whatever you say, even if you are giving a hundred-percent correct translation, will not have the effect it should have. We have seen the difference in recordings, and that is why these rules have been made.

Regarding the courses, we want people to get established in the technique by sitting several ten-day courses before they take a Satipa  hāna course. The Satipa  hāna course provides an intellectual understanding of the practice and confirms that what we are practising does indeed accord with the words of the Buddha.

Generally people are more interested in understanding Dhamma at the intellectual level than practising it, but in Dhamma the practice is much more important than anything else. We can’t make any kind of concession here. If the Satipa  hāna course becomes a student’s first course what will this person actually practise? He or she will only play intellectual games.

If we keep giving Satipa  hāna courses to students who are only interested in playing intellectual games, we are harming these people, creating a barrier to their progress. They will never practise seriously because they are happy playing intellectual games. Dhamma is not for intellectual games. Be careful.

The other day I came to know of another small incident: Students were asked to sit, meditate and chant just before the press arrived for an interview. It is shocking to make an exhibition of our meditation; this is against Dhamma.

On the last day of the ten-day course discourses I say, “Meditate at your home for an hour in the morning and evening, and when you are travelling in a bus or a train observe the truth within with open eyes.” The moment you close your eyes in public you are making a show for others, “Look, I am a great meditator, even while travelling I meditate!” Making an exhibition of Dhamma means you have not understood Dhamma.

Whenever I see somebody making a show that he is a religious person with a mark on the forehead or an ornament or a certain kind of cloth, I understand this person has no trace of Dhamma. If Dhamma is present, what need is there to make an exhibition of it? Your behaviour will say that you are a good Dhamma person. Whenever I give a public talk anywhere in the world, students arrive about an hour earlier and meditate in the hall. About fifteen minutes after the meditation is over the public arrives and the discourse begins. While the students are meditating, no non-meditators are allowed in; otherwise their meditation would become a show.

These are small details but they are important because one always starts to slip because of a small inattentiveness, and then one keeps slipping further and further down. In the past this is how Dhamma deteriorated, not only in India but also in other countries.

You are all leaders of Vipassana here. It is good that particular incident happened during the press conference; it convinced me that now is the time to explain to my sons and daughters that this is not a Dhammic way to work. If I were to refrain from explaining, in case somebody becomes unhappy, I would not be a good teacher. It is my duty to explain these things. Wherever I have found such mistakes, I point out the errors with love and compassion; the mistakes are rectified and then the Dhamma starts glowing in its own purity.

I see great potential for the pure Dhamma to arise here. My dream is that one day the great nations of China and India will take up Dhamma in its purity, and the entire world will accept it, and there will be great benefit to miserable people.

So not only in your interest but also in the interest of all humanity, see that you maintain the purity of the technique, the purity of the discipline, the purity of the rules and regulations. They are all framed to keep the technique pure, to keep the Dhamma pure.

This is the path of pure Dhamma. We are not here to please people, we are here to serve them, to help them come out of their misery. Whether there are fewer or more students doesn’t matter. Pure Dhamma should be given so that they can develop and come out of misery. That is more important for us than counting heads.

In the fourteen years I was with my teacher, I saw how he taught Dhamma with strong discipline. In the twenty-nine years I have been teaching Dhamma, success has come only because of the strong discipline. People feel a Goenka course is hard, but good results come from it and they attend.

I am sure all of you will maintain the purity of Dhamma and spread Dhamma in its purity—for your good and for the good of many, not only of this generation, but of the coming generations.

May Dhamma grow in its purity. May more and more people benefit by Dhamma.

 Bhavatu sabba ma gala 

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/questions-answers-on-childrens-courses/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 10:32:05 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3519 ANNUAL MEETING: Dhamma Giri, India January 8, 1998

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS (On Children’s Courses) 

Questioner: What are the guidelines regarding teaching sīla and the origins of the technique, while teaching Anapana in schools in the West? For example introducing Buddha without the school system’s thinking of it as a religion.

Goenkaji: Well, first this person who is teaching must be fully convinced that this is not a religion. Buddha was not a religious teacher, he was not the founder of a religion. Buddha taught a way of life. If you are fully convinced of this, you can convince others. When you talk of the law of gravity you have to use the name of Newton. But you do not become a member of Newton’s sect. You must first understand what you are teaching, then it becomes very easy to explain it to people—whether children or adults.

And what about sīla?

Well, you must explain sīla to them. Sīla is important. There is nothing wrong in this. 

Should the junior assistant teachers be responsible for conducting the mettā sessions at 9 p.m. with the servers in the same way as the AT conducts these sessions on a 10-day course?

No. How did that start? That is not a part of the children’s course. I have been getting information from many places that when we name somebody a junior assistant teacher the word “junior” gets lost, and the word “assistant” is also lost. They think, “Now I am a teacher, I must get all the respect and status that a teacher gets. I must have a high seat to sit on. I can now give mettā. Let all sit before me.” That is why we will now change this name of junior assistant teacher to children’s course teacher.

In some cases this person may have only taken one or two courses. Sometimes I make such a person a children’s course teacher because this person is capable of handling children.

But such a person does not know anything about the details of Vipassana. Then they start behaving as if they are a big teacher and can give mettā in the evening. Was there any mettā session in the children’s course that we taught? No, there was not. It should not be done. I think you all must inform your children’s course teachers: Don’t act like an assistant teacher—you are a children’s course teacher. You should only do whatever is asked of you, never do more. §

How can children be encouraged to practise at home if their families do not meditate? Can they attend Vipassana group sittings?

The Vipassana adult group sitting? No. A child should never be brought to the adult group sitting. During the one-hour group sitting the child will get bored within 10 or 15 minutes. Then what will he or she do? The child will develop aversion towards meditation. No. A child should never be brought. If there is a group sitting for children only, then it is all right. That will be only for 10 or 15 minutes, or a maximum of 20 minutes. §

Should the Dhamma seat be used by the children’s course teacher at a centre?

Why would a children’s course teacher want to sit on the high seat where the assistant teacher sits to give a course, or where a teacher sits? That madness should be taken away. Sit on a cushion, or at most, a low chauki, that’s all. Don’t allow these children’s course teachers to sit on the Dhamma seat and start giving guidance. Everyone must understand, “This is my duty, and I am doing this duty to help others, not to increase my ego or pride.” Otherwise one is not fit even to give children’s courses. §

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/concluding-message-on-childrens-courses/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 09:09:51 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3521 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

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/the-importance-of-daily-meditation/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 06:08:10 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3533 Nagpur, India October, 2000 

THE IMPORTANCE OF DAILY MEDITATION

My dear Dhamma sons and Dhamma daughters:

Sukho buddhāna  uppado.

Happy is the arising of Buddhas in the world.

Sukhā saddhammadesanā.

Happy is the teaching of pure Dhamma.

Sukhā sa ghassa sāmaggī.

Happy is the coming together of meditators.

Samaggāna  tapo sukho.

Happiness is meditating together.

Two thousand six hundred years ago Gotama the Buddha lived in this country and taught the pure Dhamma, resulting in great happiness for the world. People started to live in accordance with this teaching and to meditate together; there is no greater happiness than this.

Each meditator must develop the strength to face the vicissitudes of life. Therefore it is necessary to meditate an hour every morning and evening, to meditate with other Dhamma brothers and sisters once a week, and to take a ten-day course at least once a year. If we do this, we will keep progressing on the path of Dhamma.

Householders face many obstacles to their meditation practice, even those who have renounced the householder’s life tell me that they are not able to meditate regularly; but do not give up no matter what difficulties you face.

We do physical exercises to keep the body healthy and strong, but it is even more necessary to keep the mind healthy and strong. Vipassana is a mental exercise, and practising morning and evening is not a waste of time. We live in a complex and stressful world; if the mind is not strong, we will lose our balance and become miserable.

It is fortunate to be born as a human being because only human beings can observe their own mind and eradicate mental defilements from the depth. This work cannot be done by animals or other lower beings. Even a human being cannot do this if he or she does not know this technique. To have a human birth, to find such a wonderful technique, to use it and to benefit from it but then to discontinue the practice is such a misfortune! It is like a bankrupt person who finds a treasure but discards it and returns to bankruptcy, or a sick person who finds medicine but discards it and becomes sick again. Do not let that happen!

Sometimes meditators say to me, “I’ve stopped meditating because I’m too busy.” But that is a poor excuse. After all, you eat three or four times a day, don’t you? You do not say, “I am so busy that I don’t have time to eat today.” Doing this meditation every morning and evening makes the mind strong, and a strong mind is even more important than a strong body. We will harm ourselves if we forget this.

Sometimes it is not possible to meditate in the same place and at the same time. Although that is ideal, it is not a necessity; what is important is to meditate twice in twenty-four hours. Occasionally one is not even able to meditate alone, so meditate with eyes open and the mind directed inwards, even though people are around. Remember not to make a show of meditation; the others need not know what you are doing. You may not be able to meditate as well as if you had been alone, but at least you have calmed and strengthened the mind a little. Without regular practice the mind will become weak, and a weak mind makes you miserable because it reverts to its old behaviour pattern of generating craving and aversion.

This is truly a sublime teaching: As one starts feeling sensations on the body the door of liberation opens; as one learns to remain equanimous towards the sensations, one enters that door and starts to walk on the path of liberation. Every step taken on this path brings one closer and closer to the final goal. No effort is wasted, each bears fruit.

Lack of awareness of sensations takes us onto the path of misery because one reacts blindly to the sensations out of ignorance.

At the time of death some sensation will arise; if we are unaware and react with aversion, we will go to the lower planes of existence. But a meditator who remains equanimous towards the sensations at the time of death will go to an auspicious plane; this is how we create our own future. Death can come at any time. We do not have an agreement that it will come only when we are prepared, we must be ready whenever it comes. Vipassana is not an ordinary technique; it is a priceless gem that can liberate us from the cycle of birth and death and improve not only this life but also future lives, ultimately leading to full liberation.

The Buddha said, Vedanā samosara ā sabbe dhammā. Whatever arises in the mind is called a dhamma, and a sensation arises on the body with whatever dhamma arises in the mind. This is the law of nature; mind and body are interrelated. Whenever there is sorrow or despair or dullness in daily life for any reason, this technique will help us if we understand, “At this moment there is sorrow or despair or dullness in my mind,” and at the same time we start observing either the breath or the sensations. The external reason for the emotion is not important. One understands that there is a defilement in the mind and observes sensations in the body. One practises this thoroughly—not just once or twice but again and again, understanding that every sensation is impermanent, and so the defilement connected to the sensation is also impermanent. After some time the defilement becomes weak and ceases, like a thief who enters a house and, finding that the master of the house is awake, runs away.

Now that we have learnt this technique, we have learnt the art of living. One is not overpowered no matter what defilement arises—whether lust, egotism, envy, fear, or anything else. All that we have to do is to accept, “This defilement has arisen. Let me face this enemy. Let me see what is happening in my body. It is impermanent, anicca, anicca.”

Defilements will keep coming throughout life for various reasons. When you become fully liberated from all defilements, you will become a fully liberated person, an arahant, but at present that stage is far away. Now, in ordinary life, one has to face these difficulties and we have found a very effective weapon in the form of the sensations. No enemy will be able to overpower us throughout our life, so how could it overpower us at the time of death? It cannot do so. This is the technique for becoming one’s own master.

We have learned the art of living, so how can there be sorrow in our lives? Sorrow is caused by defilements, not by external events. If a certain external event occurs and we do not generate defilements, we do not become miserable. Likewise, when we generate defilements we become miserable. We are responsible for our misery. Unfavourable external events will continue to occur, but if we are strong and do not generate defilements, our lives will be filled with happiness and peace. We do not harm others, we help ourselves and help others. Every meditator should understand that one has to meditate regularly so that one is happy and peaceful for the whole life.

May all those who have come on the path of Vipassana recognize that they have received an invaluable jewel.

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

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/dhamma-determination/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:15:43 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3529 ANNUAL MEETING: DHAMMA GIRI, India JANUARY 10, 1999 Closing Address

Dhamma Determination

My dear Dhamma meditators:

Once again we have gathered for this annual meeting. I have listened to the report of what was done during the last year, and it is quite satisfactory, quite encouraging. I also noted what you are going to do in the coming year. This is a very important year because it is the birth centenary of the great lay saint, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who was so compassionate. In his memory we have to work hard.

There is nothing wrong in making memorials and monuments to Sayagyi, but the best memorial to him is an individual—each of you is a memorial to him. Develop yourself in Dhamma to such an extent that others think, “Here is a Vipassana meditator who learned Dhamma in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Look how it changes people!” Make this effort to show your gratitude towards him, to encourage people to come on the path and liberate themselves, and also because it is in your own interest.

There are two important things that each meditator in this tradition has to do: Do your best to get established in pure Dhamma and work to fulfil the noble mission of this saintly person.

What a strong Dhamma volition he had! He said, “I have to pay back the debt of gratitude to the country from which we received this invaluable jewel.” When he discussed newspaper reports on the situation in India, we saw how much compassion he had. He said, “What is happening in that country where Buddhas arise, where pure Dhamma arises? People are quarrelling and fighting in the name of religion! There is sectarian conflict, racial conflict and caste conflict. If they get this wonderful Dhamma, the whole country will come out of misery. There is no other way. So long as these conflicts exist there will be nothing but misery, and they can be eradicated only if the country gets pure Dhamma.”

I was fearful and thought, “Who will accept Vipassana in India? Nobody knows me there.”

“Don’t worry,” he answered, “The time has ripened. People who have good pāramīs have taken birth as human beings on this earth and they will automatically come to take Dhamma. As soon as they hear the word ‘Vipassana’, they won’t be able to resist. Once India starts to accept Dhamma it will spread like wildfire around the world. Previously it spread from that country, and now once again the time has ripened and it will spread from there. The clock of Vipassana has struck.” He was so confident about this.

I doubted that I would be successful, but somehow, within just one month of my arrival in this country, the first course was given, and then course after course, the Ganges of Dhamma started flowing.

People are miserable. A short-tempered person who is full of negativity understands at the intellectual level, “This is not good for me. I am making myself and others miserable; I want to come out of it.” But how can this person come out of it? Anybody involved in any kind of vice is unhappy and wants to change from vice to virtue, but how? Mere sermons won’t help. People keep listening to good sermons and expect that by some miracle their life will change, but it doesn’t work. Everyone has to work out their own salvation. But how?

People should know there is a way which does not depend on blind faith or blind belief. Vipassana is scientific, rational and pragmatic, and brings results here and now. If you work on it you will get results, and then naturally you will have confidence in it. Step by step you will reach the final goal. The entire Dhamma is to abstain from unwholesome activities, perform wholesome activities, and purify the mind—the totality of the mind, not just the surface. There is nothing more to add, and nothing to take out—paripu  a, parisuddha. All beings desire to come out of misery, and here is a way. Everyone who feels misery and wants to come out of it should hear that this technique exists, and that they are welcome to give it a trial. This is how Vipassana spread at the time of Buddha, and this is how my Dhamma father wanted it to spread.

We are not interested in increasing the number of people who call themselves disciples of Goenka or U Ba Khin; that would be meaningless. We are not here to establish an organized religion. The moment that happens the organized religion becomes predominant and Dhamma is lost. A teacher or assistant teacher should never say to a student, “Well, you are so weak, how can you liberate yourself? Come and surrender to me, take refuge in me, and I will liberate you.”

Then once people have given Vipassana a trial we should help them to progress further on the path. What facilities are needed to do that? How can we encourage them? We start helping by sharing the best we have with them. The only aim is that more and more people come out of their misery and experience peace and harmony: Bahujana-hitāya, bahujana-sukhāya.

There is a danger that in the future a son or a grandson of a Vipassana meditator might say, “I am a vipaśyī because I was born in a family of vipaśyīs,” and the vipaśyī caste will start. Without practising Vipassana or knowing what it is, people will be called “vipaśyī.” This is a big danger, and you have to be careful from now onwards. Understand, without actually practising Vipassana there is no benefit. Encourage others to work by working ardently yourself. This is the way we can pay back the debt of gratitude to this saintly person.

This wonderful technique was lost not only in India, but all around the world. The time has come now for Vipassana to spread again, and we have to see that it remains as long as possible to serve people. It will serve people only when the purity of the technique is maintained. Once anything is mixed with it the efficacy is gone. Then people won’t care for it and it will be lost, as it was lost thousands of years ago. We have to be very careful that this does not happen.

Whatever we have received from this saintly person, which he in turn received from the tradition, we have to maintain in its pristine purity. We won’t add anything to it or subtract anything. Kevala  paripu  a —it is complete. Kevala  parisuddha — it is pure. If we maintain the purity from generation to generation, a large number of people will start coming out of misery. Now the time has come and the bell of Vipassana has rung. Vipassana will start to spread—but not miraculously. Somebody has to maintain the purity of the technique, and work so that it spreads.

At this annual conference these few points should be very clear. And each of you leaving this conference must think, “How can I best apply my ability, my intelligence and my strength so that this message spreads, and more people learn about it? “When people want to practise this, how can I help them develop further? What can I do so that more and more people get established in Dhamma?”

And thirdly, make the determination: “I myself will never spoil the purity of the technique, and as far as possible I will not allow, encourage nor support anybody to spoil the purity of the technique.”

Our conference will have been successful if you carry these determinations with you. And it will be successful, there is no doubt about that. Dhamma is there to help you. Dhamma has been helping till now and it will continue to help you. But it requires a strong determination from you to pay back the debt of gratitude to this saintly person, because of whom you received the Dhamma.

 Just as we have a feeling of gratitude towards the Buddha so we also have deep gratitude towards the tradition which maintained the purity, and deep gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin, who had such a strong Dhamma volition. To fulfil his noble desire we will do everything we possibly can—not only for our good but also for the good of all others.

A large number of people around the world are suffering, suffering.

May pure Dhamma spread around the world. May more and more miserable people come in contact with Dhamma, apply Dhamma in life, and be liberated from all miseries.

Bhavatu sabba ma gala

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/questions-answers-5/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 05:08:00 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3523 ANNUAL MEETING: Dhamma Giri, India January 10, 1998

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questioner: Guruji, how do you select your trustees, assistant teachers and teachers from among the meditators?

Goenkaji: Ask me how I don’t select them. What are the reasons for not selecting somebody as an assistant teacher, trustee or other position?

You see, this is more or less a new tradition—the responsibility has fallen on me to start a new tradition of householder teachers of Vipassana.

We are very grateful to Venerable Ledi Sayadaw who, a hundred years back, was the first person who broke the barrier. Before that Vipassana was limited only to the bhikkhus. He said, “Why only bhikkhus? Even lay people must also learn Vipassana.” And he started teaching householders. Then he opened another gate for the householders—there must be householder teachers also. He appointed the first lay teacher of Vipassana—Saya Thetgyi. That was a big opening, because he saw the future very well. Now 2,500 years are going to be completed, and the next Buddha-sāsana [period of time in which the teaching of the Buddha is available] is going to start.

In countries where the people are followers of Buddha—or at least they call themselves Buddhist—and a bhikkhu sits on the Dhamma seat, they are very happy, they will accept everything that he says and follow him. But in so-called non-Buddhist countries, if a bhikkhu goes there and says, “Well, come to me, I will teach you Dhamma,” nobody will come, they will all run away. They will think, “Oh, he has come to convert us from our organized religion to his organized religion.” But if a layman teaches, that problem goes away. And the layman has to be very careful to make it clear that certainly we are not interested in converting people from one religion to another. So that is one reason why this tradition of lay teachers has started—because Ledi Sayadaw foresaw this need.

During Sayagyi U Ba Khin’s time there were very few students, and now the numbers are growing. So the tradition which is starting now must begin in a proper way. Any mistake that happens today will worsen as the generations pass. As far as my wisdom allows, as far as my intellect allows, I have to see that the beginning should be in a very pure way.

What is a pure way? Dhamma is so pure. The moment I come to know that some person has indicated that he or she wishes to be an assistant teacher, I feel very sorry for this person, but I have to draw a line—this person is not fit to be an assistant teacher. Somebody tries to indicate, “Well, if I become a trustee, it will be so good; I can do this, I can do this,” they are blacklisted. Somebody gives me an indication that he wants to become a president or general secretary of a certain Vipassana organization—blacklisted.

However close this person may be to me, I don’t care, because this person has not ripened in Dhamma. He or she wants the position, the power, the status, which is more important for this person than serving. But suppose somebody comes to me and says, “I can serve in any way, but I want to serve. Look, I have so much time, please tell me which way to serve.” If so, I start giving good marks. And when I find he or she is really doing selfless service without expecting any position, power, status, etc., then slowly this person is chosen.

Somebody may be chosen and later on I find they are developing more and more ego, they are becoming arrogant in dealing with people, generating nothing but aversion and hatred, harming themselves. I feel very compassionate towards this person, “Look, I am responsible for this person’s generating impurities. If I had not placed him or her in this high position, this person would not have generated this kind of ego, would not have used aggressive words, and would not have harmed people.” It is better then to wait.

I can’t take the teachership away from that person, but I will take him or her away from that particular job and give another job. And I explain, “Well, this is your mistake. When you come out of it you will get a more important job—more important in the sense that you get more opportunities to serve more people, to help them develop in Dhamma.” This becomes a big responsibility of a Dhamma teacher who wants to start a tradition of householders.

Also, when I notice that assistant teachers or trustees—people who have been given a responsible task—are intentionally or unintentionally forming a group with the thought, “This is a member of my group and I’d better support the person who is in my group, I’d better try to bring down the person who is not in my group”—then I realize these people have no Dhamma at all. Such things are all right in a political party, in all sorts of social organizations, but not in a pure Dhamma organization. The moment that starts, it becomes my duty to see that it is stopped here and now. Break these groups and don’t allow people to create this kind of situation.

This is not just for me, but also for the future principal teachers, so they have guidance on an ideal way of running Dhamma centres and Dhamma management. These points should be set now. So for this reason, even if I have made a mistake I will try to rectify it.

As I said, we cannot remove an assistant teacher because anybody who sits on the Dhamma seat and teaches Dhamma develops a rapport with their students. I don’t want to break that rapport. So that continues—unless it becomes totally unavoidable. In such a case, of course, I have to tell this person, “No, you are no longer an assistant teacher.” This is very rare. It has happened, but it is very rare. But when it comes to trustees, management, etc., then certainly I would like to keep changing them. In a trust, every year they have to resign, and I may appoint somebody else, I may re-appoint some of them. Why? Not because there is anything wrong with them. But the trouble is, somebody in the same post for a long time may unintentionally, unconsciously, develop a kind of attachment, “I am the general secretary, nobody else can do this job. I am so perfect in it, I must continue. If I don’t continue the whole thing will collapse.” What has happened? What is he doing? He starts feeling that he is indispensable. This is not Dhamma. So every year, change. Another reason is that more people should get opportunity to develop their pāramīs, more people should come into the fold of serving people, serving the students.

Whenever I ask a trustee, a president or a secretary to resign, from that moment his period of testing starts. I ask myself, “Now how he is serving? When this person was president he was serving with so much enthusiasm and working so hard. Now he’s no longer president or general secretary, what happens?” If I find that this person has lost all interest in Dhamma work, then he had been interested in the post to increase his own ego, and it had nothing to do with service. So I have compassion for this person and try to explain, try to bring him back to Dhamma. This is the job of a principal Dhamma teacher, to see that his Dhamma sons and daughters keep growing in Dhamma. It is very important. All these things happen and one observes. Another thing that has to be kept in mind is: This is now a tradition of lay teachers. At the time of Buddha there were householder teachers, but then later on only bhikkhus taught. When a bhikkhu lives according to the vinaya there is nothing wrong because he won’t accumulate wealth. He can’t accumulate wealth, only his needs are taken care of. If I see that a bhikkhu teacher does not keep himself governed according to the vinaya, he breaks vinaya, he is there just to accumulate money or this or that, then I realize he is not fit for that position. Well, that is a problem concerning bhikkhu teachers. But my concern is about lay teachers. I have to start a very healthy, wholesome tradition for the householder teachers; I have to be very careful.

Say somebody is made a teacher—assistant or senior or whatever it is—and he or she has no means of livelihood. As a householder this person has certain family responsibilities but no means of livelihood. Then possibly, because of this situation, he or she may start spreading the hands, “I want something. Look, my son, my daughter is sick, my son or daughter is going to be married, I have this or that family problem.” And students, out of sympathy or respect for the teacher, may start giving donations. If this ever happens the whole tradition will get spoiled.

So I have to examine whether this person whom I am going to appoint has at least the necessary income to maintain the family. If so, then it is perfectly all right. When I find this person has no means of livelihood, then however perfect he or she may be as a teacher, I don’t appoint them. It may look as if I am prejudiced against people who are poor, but actually if one becomes a teacher when one cannot support one’s family it would be very harmful to the tradition.

We are facing these problems now and trying to solve them in the best Dhamma way, to set an ideal for future generations to follow. With everything that is done, always keep in mind that the purity of Dhamma should not get spoiled. People should not make it a means of livelihood—that would be very dangerous. People should not take up service to increase their ego or pride, and then become haughty and start talking roughly with others. All this is for the benefit of responsible future principal teachers, because this is going to spread. We are seeing this happening now, and within one or two generations it will spread throughout the world.

If proper guidelines for this tradition are not made now, if proper principles are not laid down, it will be very harmful in the long run. This is the vinaya of the householder teachers. As different situations arise, more rules may come. Even at the time of Buddha, he made certain vinaya rules and then something happened requiring one more. And then something else happened requiring one more. In the same way, with experience, we have to keep on adding rules, changing rules, because this is as it is. But the whole aim is to keep the Dhamma mission totally pure. Nothing should go wrong. This is the only way by which I appoint people. §

Guruji, there is an apprehension that the pagoda now being constructed at Mumbai may turn Vipassana into another sect.

Yes, yes. Well, if this teacher has at least a few more years of life you will see that he will not allow anything we do to turn to sectarianism. If the pagoda becomes a tool for making Buddha’s teaching a sect, an organized religion, then all our teaching has gone to mud—we have not understood what Buddha’s teaching is. If this pagoda is used for people who come and pray, “Oh pagoda, please give me this, I need this,” then the whole thing will become an organized religion, certainly.

How are we going to use the pagoda? It will be used in the proper way: For meditation and for the spread of Vipassana, so people learn what Vipassana is. Many people will come just out of curiosity wondering, “Such a magnificent building, what is inside it?” And when they go inside they will get some information, “Well look, this was the Buddha, this is what he taught, these things happened in his life, Vipassana made him a Buddha, and Vipassana made him a good Dhamma teacher for the whole world.” People will get so much benefit.

If they get the inspiration to enquire about Vipassana, we will give information. Out of say 10,000 people who come, if even 100 get inspired to take a course, well 100 benefit and at least the rest get the right message. So we will see that this pagoda is not allowed to develop into another sect. Otherwise our purpose will be lost. §

The year 1999 is the birth centenary of Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and also your 75th birthday. How should we celebrate this important year?

Forget that 75th birthday, I am still alive! Give more importance to the centenary year. Wonderful, the centenary year of a real saint of this era! We must all keep thinking what the proper way to celebrate this is. One may think that we must write articles and books, and praise him saying, “What a wonderful saint he was.” But that won’t help. How can more and more people get attracted to Vipassana, or at least come to know what it is, so that then they will get attracted to it? That is more important.

History will say what a wonderful person he was. History will say Ledi Sayadaw was a wonderful person because he was the first person who opened gates for ouseholders, and he made Saya Thetgyi the first lay teacher. Then came Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and he opened the gates to Vipassana for the whole world, telling his students, “Go and teach. Teach like this… like this.” The entire world will feel so grateful to him. So the best thing now is that we give the greatest amount of information to make people aware of Vipassana. For this reason the pagoda is being built. §

Are new editions of the CD-ROM being planned? And does this have any relevance to pa ipatti?

Well, the first work is completed and I congratulate all those people who worked on this. This is not final, other versions will come out. But one point should be very clear with all those who are working on the project: For us the propagation of pariyatti is not the final aim. For us pa ipatti is the aim. Pariyatti will help.

Why have we collected all these scriptures? Because many books, many old scriptures were lost in China, Tibet and other countries. Who knows if more will get lost? If I look at a Pāli book printed about a 100 years back in Burma, many of the books listed in the references are no longer available. Within these 100 years so many books have been lost. Before more get lost, it is my duty to keep them alive by putting them on CD-ROM.

Now we have three scripts on CD-ROM and two more scripts will be added, and quite possibly four or five more. In all it might be six, seven, we cannot say. But when another two scripts and some more volumes are included—which may be completed in a few months—we will put it on the Internet and make it open for discussion.

What is the main purpose of that? Now Dhamma Giri is a world centre for pa ipatti and the Internet will be used by this centre for discussion on all aspects of pa ipatti. So we will start a sort of discussion on the Internet. We will put forward an item, and say, “We feel that bodily sensation is very important in the teaching of Buddha.”

People will respond, “No, no. The word ‘vedanā’ means ‘feeling’, the ‘feeling’ means ‘mind’.” Let it come, let communication start in that way. If we are making a mistake, we don’t feel shy to rectify it. But if others have gone wrong somewhere, then at least they will learn what is the correct translation of what the Buddha said. This is only one example. There can be so many things like this that we can discuss. For instance, there is the question, what is ‘sampajañña’? Even the A  hakathās sometimes might have not have given the proper answer. For us, when there is a difference between A  hakathā and the Tipi aka, Tipi aka is more important.

Instead of Buddhaghosa I go to Buddha, “What do you say, sir? How should I understand this?”—not to Buddhaghosa. If the A  hakathās give a clear explanation, it is perfectly all right. But if the explanation is not clear, for me Buddha is more authentic. So all those things will come up now, with this international discussion which will start in a few months’ time as soon as we put it on the Internet. Now a wonderful thing has arisen because of this CD-ROM—here is one example: When I came to this country to fulfil my teacher’s wish that Vipassana should get established in India and then spread around the world, the first thing that came in my mind was, “I have come here to teach Buddha’s teaching as Dhamma, not as Buddhism. The moment I say I have come here to teach Buddhism, nobody will even listen to me, let alone spend ten days with me to learn it.” But this was not strategy for me—it was my conviction, because Buddha was so very much against sectarianism.

After so many years, the CD-ROM came out and I asked somebody who was working on it, “Please look for the word ‘Bauddha’—that means Buddhist or Buddhism—is it written anywhere?” There are 146 volumes, more than 55,000 pages, millions of words—but not a single ‘Bauddha’ is there. “Buddhism” is never used anywhere— neither in A  hakathā, Tipi aka nor īkā—nowhere is this word found. Not at all. I was so happy.

How did the teaching of Buddha deteriorate? Now we have to investigate how this word Bauddha started. Who first used this word? To me—I am very frank—whoever first used the word Buddhism or Buddhist, in any language, was the biggest enemy of Buddha’s teaching. Because the teaching had been universal, and now out of ignorance, he made it sectarian. Buddhism is only for Buddhists but Dhamma is for all. The moment you say Buddhism, then you are making Buddha’s teaching limited to a certain group of people, which is totally wrong.

So we will make inquiries and discuss these things with people on the Internet. We will give information to people and if they have any other information, we’ll be able to get this from them. This centre here will become important for the discussion of Buddha’s teaching pertaining to Vipassana. If anything comes which is pertaining to any kind of philosophical arguments, we will say, “No, no, thank you. We don’t discuss that. We will discuss only things which will support the work of Vipassana.” §

Many old students are teaching Anapana on their own, and some are even teaching Vipassana. Is it proper?

It is not proper, but what can we do? We don’t have any lawyer keeping control to say, “This is registered by Goenka and is his monopoly, this is his trademark.” Nothing like that. And it should not be like that. Why? Because it is open for everybody.

But of course, we say that if you feel like spreading this to others, first get established in Dhamma yourself, and then get proper training as to how to teach. Get a proper training and then yes, teach. In spite of that, if somebody doesn’t agree, all right, be happy. What can we do? We won’t take any legal action, that is true. §

In your discourses you talk about 31 lokas but often this looks very speculative. Can this be understood at the level of sensations?

Certainly. The whole technique takes you to that stage where you will start feeling— some students, very few, but some have started feeling—”Now what sort of vibration am I experiencing?” And they understand a vibration of this particular loka is of this type, a vibration of that loka is of that type. And later on they can also go in much more detail.

But it is not necessary that one should first accept the reality of these 31 planes and only then will one progress in Dhamma. Nothing doing. People come to me from different traditions—there are traditions where they don’t believe in a past or future life. All right. Then I say, “Do you believe in this life? Yes. All right, work to improve this life. Later on, when you reach a stage where you can understand what a past or future life is—by experience—then accept it, not now.” §

If one is given the opportunity to serve by doing some work which is against one’s nature, for example a person who likes to work with people is asked to work on a computer, is it wise to accept this work?

This is a problem for the management. No work should be imposed on anybody. People come here to give service. And suppose this person is not competent to do some particular work and you say, “No, you must only do this work.” Then you are putting a barrier for the progress of this person. You are putting a barrier for the progress of the whole centre. This should never be done. But the management has to take care of this.

Of course nothing should be imposed on a Dhamma server. At the same time, the management has to be very careful. Suppose somebody comes here and says, “I will live here for six months or one year, but look, I can’t do this or this. I can’t do any service. I am here just to meditate twice a day and then the rest of the time I will gossip here, talk there and rest. After six months I will go away.” No. Then this person has started harming himself or herself and also has started harming the centre. So we have to be very careful about this. But that does not mean that we impose work on somebody which one cannot do at all. §

Guruji, we have heard that you have agreed to be the chief guest at the unveiling of the statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar [a well-known political leader responsible for the mass conversion of people from the untouchable caste into Buddhism, known later in India as neo-Buddhism] in Mumbai. We have an apprehension that this might give a signal that you are supporting a sectarian organization. Kindly clarify.

Well, if somebody calls me to be chief guest, how can I say, “Don’t make me a chief guest, make me a third-class guest?” All right, as chief guest I will sit there. But whatever I say there will be nothing which goes against pure Dhamma. I have great respect for Ambedkar because this was one person who achieved so much. For so many generations my forefathers and all the upper-class people have suppressed these people. What a great injustice has been done to them. I have all sympathy for them and I want them to develop in Dhamma.

But at the same time, what is pure Dhamma? They have not understood. So it is my duty to explain to them that this is pure Dhamma. So I made a condition, “If you invite me I will talk about Vipassana, nothing but Vipassana.” And they said, “Wonderful. Speak only about Vipassana. We are inviting you for that purpose, so that people will know what Vipassana is, what the real teaching of Buddha is.” All those people have been suppressed for generations. Babasaheb did a very good thing when he took them out of the caste system and gave them at least self-respect. But then the real teaching of Buddha is missing. If that also goes to them, wonderful. So I will play my role to bring the pure Dhamma to them. §

Is it not a violation of one of the eight precepts when an AT wears jewellery or impressive garments on the Dhamma seat?

Well, the ATs have not taken eight precepts, they are on five precepts. When the AT sits his own course, then he or she must be on eight precepts. Otherwise, assistant teachers can’t be on eight precepts all the time because they keep on giving courses here and there. That means they must live on eight precepts the whole life—no. The old students who are taking that course have to work according to the eight precepts, but the teacher, of course, must be very perfect in five precepts. §

Is having children a possible hindrance to progress in Dhamma?

Why a hindrance? Look after your children with Dhamma. You get a wonderful opportunity to give mettā to your children, and that will help you to give mettā to the whole world. It is not a hindrance. Mother Visākhā had twenty children, and still she developed so much. That doesn’t mean you should not have any family planning, but even with children you can progress in Dhamma. §

I don’t like to see non-meditators divorce, but I find it especially disturbing when I see an established Dhamma couple in the West separate. Can you give us your advice?

It is certainly disturbing—to everybody, whether in the West or the East. You see, when you make a commitment with somebody, and you keep the door open—well, any time the male can run away or the female can run out—this is not an ideal family life. What about the children? They wonder, “Now whom shall I call my mother? Whom shall I call my father?” When I read the student forms when I was conducting courses, and saw somebody had written “three parents” I felt so sad for this person. That means this person never had the love of the mother or of father— they have gone away with somebody else.

So this is definitely anti-Dhamma, we are not going to encourage that. But it happens. Slowly we have to try to change. To me, this is the biggest curse of Western culture now. But at the same time, it should not be so rigid that one is bound and cannot separate if a particular situation has come about. If you separate, then you take the vow, “I will not marry again. I have tried married life, finished. Now I will live the life of celibacy.” Wonderful. Then divorce is allowed. §

Could you give some advice to mothers with infants who are struggling to keep up their practice and who are distressed by the fact that they can’t do so?

Why can’t they do so? The child is on the lap and still you can practise. You can give mettā to the child, you can give mettā to others. You must learn in every situation how you can carry on practising your Dhamma. Use Dhamma for all your duties. A mother’s duty is to look after the child. Do this in a Dhamma way. This will help. § I have heard students wonder why teachers and ATs dine separately and are given very congenial accommodation during courses.

Why are they given congenial accommodation? Understand, we can’t provide congenial facilities for every student. A student comes for ten days only, but the teacher has to live there for months, or years, and if you don’t give the necessary facilities, then how can he or she teach properly? So it is not a luxury, but a necessity. We have to provide certain facilities for them, more than what is given to the students. §

Kindly explain again why you say that self-sex is a breakage of sīla.

Well, I don’t say that self-sex is breaking sīla, but it leads you towards breaking of sīla. It means you have become a slave of your passion—if you don’t get anything else, then you start using self-sex. That will take you further on the wrong path. So we try to take people out from this and out of passion. That is the aim of Vipassana. §

How does one find the balance between selfless service and taking care of oneself?

[Laughs] If one cannot take care of oneself, what service will one give? First take care of yourself, and then start giving selfless service. §

In the teaching of Vipassana, in the theoretical aspect, there are many things which don’t seem appropriate. For example, there is the mention of innumerable lives of the Enlightened One and his supernormal powers. Is it necessary to accept all this before getting the benefits of Vipassana?

It is not necessary. As I said just now, people come here who don’t believe in past or future lives, and still they progress. People need not accept it. But as a responsible teacher, with whatever experience and understanding I have, I have to place before them the facts as they are. I cannot say just to please people, “Oh no, there is no past life, there is no future life, there is nothing.” Then I would be misleading people. So I have to be very careful. People may or may not accept, it is not my problem. §

When you get a birth in deva realms, are you born to deva parents in the human way?

When I get such a birth I will come and tell you. Why now? [Laughs] § Why did the Buddha hesitate initially to ordain females?

Ask Buddha, not me. But you must understand the situation of that time. You see, there was no security at all. Even business people going from one city to the other had to pass through jungles where there were only dacoits [bandits] and other dangers. And we see so many cases of rape happening—even of those who had taken vows and become nuns—not only in the Buddha’s tradition, but in other traditions also. So naturally he advised that in such a situation you practise the same thing living at home. And he taught all his own family members while they lived at home. They became sotāpanna, and from sotāpanna the father became an arahant.

Although the progress is slower, you can continue. But when they insisted, and Ānanda also insisted, then he had to agree to that. But that was the main reason.

Nothing else. Even now, in most of the countries, women are not allowed in the Sangha.

What can I do if the Sangha is lost there? If the Bhikkhunī Sangha is lost, who will start it? There is a tradition that says five bhikkhus should be together to initiate somebody as a bhikkhu. Similarly five bhikkhunīs are needed to iniate a bhikkhunī. If there are no bhikkhunīs at all, what can be done? This is not my responsibility. My responsibility is to teach Dhamma. Whether someone is a bhikkhunī or a laywoman, it makes no difference to me, I teach them. §

Do we have any control over finding a Dhamma partner, or is it all kamma?

If so, you might say, “It is all kamma. Why should I work for my food? Now it is breakfast time. Well my kamma, bring me my breakfast!” Is it possible? One has to work, but work in a proper way. Don’t start running after everybody looking for a partner. That is not the way. Work for it in a proper, balanced way. §

Dhamma Sikhara, India March 22, 1998

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questioner: What is the most important quality needed while serving the Dhamma?

Goenkaji: If you don’t have mettā, it is better that you don’t give Dhamma service. Sometimes a Dhamma server shouts like a policeman or a policewoman at students who do not observe the rules, and this is totally wrong. Every Dhamma server is actually a representative of the Dhamma; students watch their behaviour and if they are just as arrogant as others, the students will lose confidence in the Dhamma. Therefore Dhamma service is a great responsibility. If someone cannot work with mettā in a humble way, it is better to refrain from taking this responsibility. §

Please elaborate on why daily sittings are important.

You are Vipassana meditators and you don’t sit daily? What sort of meditators are you? [laughter] Take more courses! §

Why is abstaining from sexual misconduct and intoxicants so important for a Dhamma server?

They are important in order to progress in Dhamma. All the sīlas are important for a Dhamma server, but these two are the most important.

If you keep taking any intoxicant you will remain a slave to intoxication, and you cannot progress in Dhamma; the mind cannot be balanced when it is enslaved. You must become your own master, and intoxication cannot make you your own master. Similarly for sexual misconduct: By practising Dhamma, both husband and wife will ultimately reach the stage where they naturally live a life of celibacy. But if there is a connection with more than one person, sexual desire will continue to increase. It is like adding petrol to a fire that you hope to put out.

So the first discipline is that a sexual relationship should only exist between spouses, nowhere else. If both are good Vipassana meditators, when passion arises they observe the sensations arising and accept the fact, “There is passion in my mind.” As they observe the sensations they will probably come out of passion. But if they don’t and have bodily relations, there is nothing wrong because they have not broken their sīla. I have seen many cases where, if they keep working like this, people easily come out of passion and still feel so contented, so happy. The need does not arise. A sexual relationship is actually designed by nature for reproduction, but it is human beings’ weakness to go against nature and use it only for passion.

Slowly, if you keep working with Vipassana, you will come out of passion and reach a stage where there is a natural celibacy—a celibacy achieved through suppression doesn’t help—and this natural celibacy will help you to develop so much in Dhamma. You progress by leaps and bounds once you reach that stage. §

How should a Dhamma server deal with conflicts that arise with other servers?

In a Dhamma way! If there is conflict and you start quarrelling and creating a negative atmosphere in the Dhamma centre, it is unwholesome. If there is any difference of opinion between servers, resolve it with mettā towards each other, don’t quarrel about it. If you can’t sort it out, go to your elders (whoever is available) and discuss the situation with them. They will give you some guidance.

It is unwholesome to stay at a Dhamma centre and generate negativity. If you generate negativity at your home it is harmful enough, but there the harm is limited to your family members. At a centre mettā vibrations create a positive atmosphere and if you pollute it with any kind of negativity you will harm so many people who come here to take advantage of Dhamma.

If you find you are becoming negative it is better to retire for some time. Meditate, come out of negativity, and then start serving once again. §

What are the benefits of bowing down to pay respect?

In the eyes of most people when you bow down to somebody you pay respect to that person, and that is all there is to it. Actually, this [the top of the head] is the receiving part of the body, and it receives good or bad vibrations. For a Vipassana meditator it is really worthwhile keeping the attention here and bowing down to somebody who is giving mettā or generating Dhamma vibrations.

I remember my teacher instructed us how to bow down: The first time should be with awareness of sensations here [at the top of the head] and understanding anicca, the second time should be understanding dukkha, and the third time should understanding anattā. At times when we bowed down, he would ask, “Did you bow down properly?”

When you are observing anicca in this area you understand, “Look, everything is changing.” When you observe dukkha you understand, “Whatever is changing is a source of dukkha, it can’t be a source of happiness.” With anattā you understand, “There is no ‘I’ in this, no ‘mine’, it is just a mind-matter phenomenon.” So the way to bow down is with understanding and awareness of sensations at the top of the head. §

Can you explain how the four formalities at the beginning of a course have practical benefit and are not simply a ritual?

I explain this every time the course is given. When you take refuge in the Triple Gem it is not a ritual; you are taking refuge in the qualities of the Triple Gem with the intention of developing those qualities in yourself. If you don’t have that intention and you merely recite the refuge, of course it will only be a ritual.

Similarly when you take the Five Precepts you should do so with the intention that you will observe them at least for the coming ten days. Then it is not a ritual, it is a strong decision.

When you surrender yourself, you undertake to work according to the guidance that is given to you. In fact, you surrender to the technique. There’s nothing wrong in surrendering if you do so with this understanding.

Lastly there is the request of Dhamma. There is a healthy tradition that Dhamma should not be imposed on anybody; it can only be given to somebody who requests it. When you request the Teacher to give you Dhamma, it also signifies that you understand that the Teacher is giving something and that you are receptive to this, you are ready to learn.

These formalities are not rituals, the meaning behind them is clear. Their purpose is explained every time that Anapana is given. §

What is the role of the ācariya [teacher] of a centre in preventing the burnout of long-term Dhamma servers?

Well, it is the duty of the ācariya to see that nobody is over-taxed. Each server must work according to his or her capacity. If the ācariya finds that somebody is very much fatigued by Dhamma service, he or she should give the server time to relax, to meditate, to gain strength, and only then should the server serve again. If too much work falls on the shoulders of somebody who is not capable of working at that time, it is not healthy. The ācariya must prevent that happening. §

What should I do if neither my body nor my mind is ready to practise mettā at the end of my daily sitting, even after relaxing?

Well, if you are not in a state to practise mettā, then it is better not to do mettā. But at least at the surface level of your mind you can think, “May all beings be happy.” It won’t be very powerful, but you can try to work like that. However, if the mind is very agitated it is better not to practice mettā.

When there are subtle vibrations and you feel peaceful and harmonious the mettā that you generate is very powerful; it helps the atmosphere around you, making it very positive. §

If our senior in Dhamma takes an independent decision which goes against the guidelines you have formulated, what should we as Dhamma servers do?

Very humbly and politely place your view before this person, saying, “Well, according to my understanding of the guidelines, this is an incorrect decision. I believe the guidelines suggest another course of action.” Then your senior can explain the reasons for his or her decision. If you still find there is a difference of opinion you can say, “Since we do not agree on this matter I will write to a senior teacher or to Goenkaji. Let us explain the situation to a senior and let him or her decide.” But never write to a senior without first discussing your difference of opinion with this person, otherwise it would be backbiting, a breakage of sīla. Be careful not to break your vocal sīla. 

Often people write letters to me saying, “So-and-so is behaving like this. So-and-so is doing this.” Then I ask whether they have discussed the matter with the person they are complaining about and they reply that they have not. In such a situation why write to me?

It is very important that you talk over the problem with the person concerned first. Most of your difficulties will be settled when you discuss the matter directly — not with a negative attitude but a positive attitude, making an effort to understand the other person’s view. Maybe your view is wrong or maybe the elder’s view is wrong, and when you discuss with them things will become clearer. If you find that the situation is not becoming clearer, then there is nothing wrong in informing other elders. §

I know that an experienced Dhamma server should treat new students and visitors with more mettā than old students. How can one do this?

By practising Dhamma more and more. When your mind becomes purer naturally you will have more mettā. In an earlier question you asked why it is important to practise daily. Understand, if you don’t practise daily you will not have any mettā, and if you have no mettā you can’t serve. So practise daily, make yourself strong in Dhamma, and naturally your mettā will become strong and have a great impact on the students who visit.

As I said, those who come to a course always look at the Dhamma servers, the teacher and all those who manage the centre. If they find these people are not practising what is being taught here, they will think that this is a sham. They will say to themselves, “Look, the technique has not helped those who practise here, why should I waste my time?”

Be very careful: Make yourself strong in Dhamma so that you can give more mettā. Keep the atmosphere full of mettā, full of mettā. If you do that you will be successful and the centre will be successful; more and more people will be benefited. §

Ramana Maharshi spoke about the belief that there is awakening without “doership.” I have a question about doership, in that there are times when the effort to do does not lead towards equanimity. I feel that sometimes I long not to long, or I seek not to seek. I would like to be awake rather than in pursuit. The more I’m in pursuit, the more I seem to be moving away from my goal.

What Ramana Maharshi said was correct, but he was speaking of a higher stage. A beginner who starts on the path has to work. You are being taught to reach the stage that is without “I” (anattā), and when there is no “I” there is no doer. But if we say there is no “I” in the beginning, you could become confused and think you do not need to work. You must first understand, “Well, I have to take steps on the path.”

A time will come when you understand, “There is a path but there is nobody to walk over it, there are only steps being taken on the path.” That stage has to come naturally. If the “I” is still there in you and you try to impose a feeling that the “I” is not there, it is not helpful.

That is why the Buddha’s teaching is to work first with anicca. When you get established in anicca, then dukkha will naturally become clear to you, and you will understand that however pleasant a feeling may be it passes away. If you develop attachment to it you will become miserable. So misery is inherent in even the most pleasant experience. Understanding of dukkha becomes more and more predominant once you are established in anicca.

When you are established in anicca and dukkha, then the third stage—an understanding of anattā—develops, and you think, “What is this phenomenon? Where is ‘I’? Things are just happening, there is just a flow of mind and matter interacting.” When the “I” dissolves at the experiential level it is helpful. An imposed conception of anattā will not help. That is why the Buddha never advised us to start with anattā. Start with anicca, then dukkha will follow, and anattā will develop. When Ramana Maharshi spoke of no doer, he spoke of anattā, the third, final stage. He must have reached that stage, so naturally he spoke about it to people who he felt were developed. But it does not mean that a beginner should start working in that way. §

Why shouldn’t we fell trees at a Dhamma centre?

Why fell trees anywhere? Why only refrain from cutting them down at a Dhamma centre? Trees are so helpful, they create a conducive atmosphere. The environment becomes charged with good vibrations from trees; that’s why felling them is not healthy.

It is especially helpful in a Dhamma centre to have foliage all around. An area that is very dry, without trees or plants, won’t make a very good Dhamma centre. Foliage is important, therefore trees are important. §

While practising Vipassana shouldn’t we also focus on other things than the physical sensations? Like seeing and hearing and so on?

Yes, but not at this stage. That will come later. First you have to develop to the stage where you feel sensations on every particle of the body. Once you become established in this awareness, and a sound comes, it will be so easy to feel the sensations resulting from the sound. If you are not aware of sensations, and you just repeat to yourself, “Oh, this is sound, this is sound,” it will not help because it is only a superficial truth.

Sound is a vibration; light, colour and shape are vibrations; smell is a vibration; taste is a vibration; touch is a vibration; any thought arising on the mind is a vibration. But you are not experiencing these vibrations, so you have to first get established in feeling the sensations on the body, and then all other things will follow. §

If the same issue keeps coming in many courses, would it be appropriate to deal with that worldly issue? Or if I continue sitting courses will this issue go away? For example, I worry whether I should have a certain career or get a more serious job. Sitting and thinking about a good career but not looking for one won’t help. The basic point to bear in mind when looking for a career is that the work should not help others to break their sīla. If you do something that helps others to break their sīla, this is as bad as breaking your own sīla. If you are aware of this, you will naturally abstain from any kind of career that harms others.

Meditation will give you the clarity of mind that will help you to choose which career is best. But while you meditate in a course don’t keep thinking about your career. That is wrong, don’t do that. §

We have heard that the colours black, red, and dark green are not conducive to practising Vipassana. Is this true?

Well, you cannot experience this for yourself at this stage because you can’t feel the vibrations of inanimate things. But continuing to grow in Dhamma, a stage will come where you will start to feel the vibrations not only of animate beings, but also of inanimate things. At that time the difference between colours will become clear to you. At this stage you had better accept what your elders say. What else can be done? [laughter] §

In daily life I practise yoga. I would like to incorporate yoga into the Vipassana course.

During the recess periods on a course you can have a good walk; only walking is permitted as a physical exercise. For the rest of the time, you should sit and meditate.

But I have difficulty sitting and I find the stretching helps a lot.

Then walk a little during meditation hours, but don’t do yoga. There are two reasons for this: First, you have joined the course because you want to remain within yourself, and if you do yoga your attention will be diverted to think about the different yoga postures.

Another problem is that on the course there are others around you meditating seriously, and if they see you perform this or that exercise, they will say, “That is wonderful! I have never done that, please teach me how to do it.” You will create a distraction for others.

So during a meditation course, only meditate and walk. Walking is good enough exercise for the body. When you go home, then yes, yoga is a wonderful exercise for your physical health. §

I have a question related to the previous question: I think sitting for a long time is not good for the body. I know long-term meditators who have sciatic nerve problems. I wondered whether the sensation of discomfort at some point indicates danger, and people need to know that maybe sitting twelve hours a day isn’t so good for them.

If it is good for so many others, then it is good for you also! [laughter] Of course, when you are not accustomed to sit cross-legged, you will find it difficult, so we say, “It is not necessary to sit cross-legged. Sit in any posture that suits you.”

But meditating on a course doesn’t harm anyone in any way. No case has come to us suggesting that sitting for a long time has harmed people. In fact the whole technique opens up energy, and a free flow of energy inside purifies the body as well as the mind. If there is anything wrong in the body it is actually helped by the meditation, not harmed.

If you forcefully sit adhi  hāna for eight, ten or eleven hours a day it would be wrong. Adhi  hāna is given for three hours a day, and only after Vipassana. The rest of the time you are free to change your position, you can even lie down. Practise in the sitting position, but when it becomes unavoidable, lie down or walk for five minutes and then again sit. There are no restrictions on moving.

How can more and more people get attracted to Vipassana, or at least come to know what it is, so that then they will get attracted to it? That is more important

History will say what a wonderful person he was. History will say Ledi Sayadaw was a wonderful person because he was the first person who opened gates for ouseholders, and he made Saya Thetgyi the first lay teacher. Then came Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and he opened the gates to Vipassana for the whole world, telling his students, “Go and teach. Teach like this… like this.” The entire world will feel so grateful to him. So the best thing now is that we give the greatest amount of information to make people aware of Vipassana. For this reason the pagoda is being built. §

Are new editions of the CD-ROM being planned? And does this have any relevance to pa ipatti?

Well, the first work is completed and I congratulate all those people who worked on this. This is not final, other versions will come out. But one point should be very clear with all those who are working on the project: For us the propagation of pariyatti is not the final aim. For us pa ipatti is the aim. Pariyatti will help.

Why have we collected all these scriptures? Because many books, many old scriptures were lost in China, Tibet and other countries. Who knows if more will get lost? If I look at a Pāli book printed about a 100 years back in Burma, many of the books listed in the references are no longer available. Within these 100 years so many books have been lost. Before more get lost, it is my duty to keep them alive by putting them on CD-ROM.

Now we have three scripts on CD-ROM and two more scripts will be added, and quite possibly four or five more. In all it might be six, seven, we cannot say. But when another two scripts and some more volumes are included—which may be completed in a few months—we will put it on the Internet and make it open for discussion.

What is the main purpose of that? Now Dhamma Giri is a world centre for pa ipatti and the Internet will be used by this centre for discussion on all aspects of pa ipatti. So we will start a sort of discussion on the Internet. We will put forward an item, and say, “We feel that bodily sensation is very important in the teaching of Buddha.”

People will respond, “No, no. The word ‘vedanā’ means ‘feeling’, the ‘feeling’ means ‘mind’.” Let it come, let communication start in that way. If we are making a mistake, we don’t feel shy to rectify it. But if others have gone wrong somewhere, then at least they will learn what is the correct translation of what the Buddha said. This is only one example. There can be so many things like this that we can discuss. For instance, there is the question, what is ‘sampajañña’? Even the A  hakathās sometimes might have not have given the proper answer. For us, when there is a difference between A  hakathā and the Tipi aka, Tipi aka is more important.

Instead of Buddhaghosa I go to Buddha, “What do you say, sir? How should I understand this?”—not to Buddhaghosa. If the A  hakathās give a clear explanation, it is perfectly all right. But if the explanation is not clear, for me Buddha is more authentic. So all those things will come up now, with this international discussion which will start in a few months’ time as soon as we put it on the Internet. Now a wonderful thing has arisen because of this CD-ROM—here is one example: When I came to this country to fulfil my teacher’s wish that Vipassana should get established in India and then spread around the world, the first thing that came in my mind was, “I have come here to teach Buddha’s teaching as Dhamma, not as Buddhism. The moment I say I have come here to teach Buddhism, nobody will even listen to me, let alone spend ten days with me to learn it.” But this was not strategy for me—it was my conviction, because Buddha was so very much against sectarianism.

After so many years, the CD-ROM came out and I asked somebody who was working on it, “Please look for the word ‘Bauddha’—that means Buddhist or Buddhism—is it written anywhere?” There are 146 volumes, more than 55,000 pages, millions of words—but not a single ‘Bauddha’ is there. “Buddhism” is never used anywhere— neither in A  hakathā, Tipi aka nor īkā—nowhere is this word found. Not at all. I was so happy.

How did the teaching of Buddha deteriorate? Now we have to investigate how this word Bauddha started. Who first used this word? To me—I am very frank—whoever first used the word Buddhism or Buddhist, in any language, was the biggest enemy of Buddha’s teaching. Because the teaching had been universal, and now out of ignorance, he made it sectarian. Buddhism is only for Buddhists but Dhamma is for all. The moment you say Buddhism, then you are making Buddha’s teaching limited to a certain group of people, which is totally wrong.

So we will make inquiries and discuss these things with people on the Internet. We will give information to people and if they have any other information, we’ll be able to get this from them. This centre here will become important for the discussion of Buddha’s teaching pertaining to Vipassana. If anything comes which is pertaining to any kind of philosophical arguments, we will say, “No, no, thank you. We don’t discuss that. We will discuss only things which will support the work of Vipassana.” §

Many old students are teaching Anapana on their own, and some are even teaching Vipassana. Is it proper?

It is not proper, but what can we do? We don’t have any lawyer keeping control to say, “This is registered by Goenka and is his monopoly, this is his trademark.” Nothing like that. And it should not be like that. Why? Because it is open for everybody.

But of course, we say that if you feel like spreading this to others, first get established in Dhamma yourself, and then get proper training as to how to teach. Get a proper training and then yes, teach. In spite of that, if somebody doesn’t agree, all right, be happy. What can we do? We won’t take any legal action, that is true. §

In your discourses you talk about 31 lokas but often this looks very speculative. Can this be understood at the level of sensations?

Certainly. The whole technique takes you to that stage where you will start feeling— some students, very few, but some have started feeling—”Now what sort of vibration am I experiencing?” And they understand a vibration of this particular loka is of this type, a vibration of that loka is of that type. And later on they can also go in much more detail.

But it is not necessary that one should first accept the reality of these 31 planes and only then will one progress in Dhamma. Nothing doing. People come to me from different traditions—there are traditions where they don’t believe in a past or future life. All right. Then I say, “Do you believe in this life? Yes. All right, work to improve this life. Later on, when you reach a stage where you can understand what a past or future life is—by experience—then accept it, not now.” §

If one is given the opportunity to serve by doing some work which is against one’s nature, for example a person who likes to work with people is asked to work on a computer, is it wise to accept this work?

This is a problem for the management. No work should be imposed on anybody. People come here to give service. And suppose this person is not competent to do some particular work and you say, “No, you must only do this work.” Then you are putting a barrier for the progress of this person. You are putting a barrier for the progress of the whole centre. This should never be done. But the management has to take care of this.

Of course nothing should be imposed on a Dhamma server. At the same time, the management has to be very careful. Suppose somebody comes here and says, “I will live here for six months or one year, but look, I can’t do this or this. I can’t do any service. I am here just to meditate twice a day and then the rest of the time I will gossip here, talk there and rest. After six months I will go away.” No. Then this person has started harming himself or herself and also has started harming the centre. So we have to be very careful about this. But that does not mean that we impose work on somebody which one cannot do at all. §

Guruji, we have heard that you have agreed to be the chief guest at the unveiling of the statue of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar [a well-known political leader responsible for the mass conversion of people from the untouchable caste into Buddhism, known later in India as neo-Buddhism] in Mumbai. We have an apprehension that this might give a signal that you are supporting a sectarian organization. Kindly clarify.

Well, if somebody calls me to be chief guest, how can I say, “Don’t make me a chief guest, make me a third-class guest?” All right, as chief guest I will sit there. But whatever I say there will be nothing which goes against pure Dhamma. I have great respect for Ambedkar because this was one person who achieved so much. For so many generations my forefathers and all the upper-class people have suppressed these people. What a great injustice has been done to them. I have all sympathy for them and I want them to develop in Dhamma.

But at the same time, what is pure Dhamma? They have not understood. So it is my duty to explain to them that this is pure Dhamma. So I made a condition, “If you invite me I will talk about Vipassana, nothing but Vipassana.” And they said, “Wonderful. Speak only about Vipassana. We are inviting you for that purpose, so that people will know what Vipassana is, what the real teaching of Buddha is.” All those people have been suppressed for generations. Babasaheb did a very good thing when he took them out of the caste system and gave them at least self-respect. But then the real teaching of Buddha is missing. If that also goes to them, wonderful. So I will play my role to bring the pure Dhamma to them. §

Is it not a violation of one of the eight precepts when an AT wears jewellery or impressive garments on the Dhamma seat?

Well, the ATs have not taken eight precepts, they are on five precepts. When the AT sits his own course, then he or she must be on eight precepts. Otherwise, assistant

teachers can’t be on eight precepts all the time because they keep on giving courses here and there. That means they must live on eight precepts the whole life—no. The old students who are taking that course have to work according to the eight precepts, but the teacher, of course, must be very perfect in five precepts. §

Is having children a possible hindrance to progress in Dhamma?

Why a hindrance? Look after your children with Dhamma. You get a wonderful opportunity to give mettā to your children, and that will help you to give mettā to the whole world. It is not a hindrance. Mother Visākhā had twenty children, and still she developed so much. That doesn’t mean you should not have any family planning, but even with children you can progress in Dhamma. §

I don’t like to see non-meditators divorce, but I find it especially disturbing when I see an established Dhamma couple in the West separate. Can you give us your advice?

It is certainly disturbing—to everybody, whether in the West or the East. You see, when you make a commitment with somebody, and you keep the door open—well, any time the male can run away or the female can run out—this is not an ideal family life. What about the children? They wonder, “Now whom shall I call my mother? Whom shall I call my father?” When I read the student forms when I was conducting courses, and saw somebody had written “three parents” I felt so sad for this person. That means this person never had the love of the mother or of father— they have gone away with somebody else.

So this is definitely anti-Dhamma, we are not going to encourage that. But it happens. Slowly we have to try to change. To me, this is the biggest curse of Western culture now. But at the same time, it should not be so rigid that one is bound and cannot separate if a particular situation has come about. If you separate, then you take the vow, “I will not marry again. I have tried married life, finished. Now I will live the life of celibacy.” Wonderful. Then divorce is allowed. §

Could you give some advice to mothers with infants who are struggling to keep up their practice and who are distressed by the fact that they can’t do so?

Why can’t they do so? The child is on the lap and still you can practise. You can give mettā to the child, you can give mettā to others. You must learn in every situation how you can carry on practising your Dhamma. Use Dhamma for all your duties. A mother’s duty is to look after the child. Do this in a Dhamma way. This will help. § I have heard students wonder why teachers and ATs dine separately and are given very congenial accommodation during courses.

Why are they given congenial accommodation? Understand, we can’t provide congenial facilities for every student. A student comes for ten days only, but the teacher has to live there for months, or years, and if you don’t give the necessary facilities, then how can he or she teach properly? So it is not a luxury, but a necessity. We have to provide certain facilities for them, more than what is given to the students. §

Kindly explain again why you say that self-sex is a breakage of sīla.

Well, I don’t say that self-sex is breaking sīla, but it leads you towards breaking of sīla. It means you have become a slave of your passion—if you don’t get anything else, then you start using self-sex. That will take you further on the wrong path. So we try to take people out from this and out of passion. That is the aim of Vipassana. §

How does one find the balance between selfless service and taking care of oneself?

[Laughs] If one cannot take care of oneself, what service will one give? First take care of yourself, and then start giving selfless service. §

In the teaching of Vipassana, in the theoretical aspect, there are many things which don’t seem appropriate. For example, there is the mention of innumerable lives of the Enlightened One and his supernormal powers. Is it necessary to accept all this before getting the benefits of Vipassana?

It is not necessary. As I said just now, people come here who don’t believe in past or future lives, and still they progress. People need not accept it. But as a responsible teacher, with whatever experience and understanding I have, I have to place before them the facts as they are. I cannot say just to please people, “Oh no, there is no past life, there is no future life, there is nothing.” Then I would be misleading people. So I have to be very careful. People may or may not accept, it is not my problem. §

When you get a birth in deva realms, are you born to deva parents in the human way?

When I get such a birth I will come and tell you. Why now? [Laughs] § Why did the Buddha hesitate initially to ordain females?

Ask Buddha, not me. But you must understand the situation of that time. You see, there was no security at all. Even business people going from one city to the othe, had to pass through jungles where there were only dacoits [bandits] and other dangers. And we see so many cases of rape happening—even of those who had taken vows and become nuns—not only in the Buddha’s tradition, but in other traditions also. So naturally he advised that in such a situation you practise the same thing living at home. And he taught all his own family members while they lived at home. They became sotāpanna, and from sotāpanna the father became an arahant.

Although the progress is slower, you can continue. But when they insisted, and Ānanda also insisted, then he had to agree to that. But that was the main reason.

Nothing else.

Even now, in most of the countries, women are not allowed in the Sangha.

What can I do if the Sangha is lost there? If the Bhikkhunī Sangha is lost, who will start it? There is a tradition that says five bhikkhus should be together to initiate somebody as a bhikkhu. Similarly five bhikkhunīs are needed to iniate a bhikkhunī. If there are no bhikkhunīs at all, what can be done? This is not my responsibility. My responsibility is to teach Dhamma. Whether someone is a bhikkhunī or a laywoman, it makes no difference to me, I teach them. §

Do we have any control over finding a Dhamma partner, or is it all kamma?

If so, you might say, “It is all kamma. Why should I work for my food? Now it is breakfast time. Well my kamma, bring me my breakfast!” Is it possible? One has to work, but work in a proper way. Don’t start running after everybody looking for a partner. That is not the way. Work for it in a proper, balanced way. 

MAY SAYAGYI’S DHAMMA MISSION BE FULFILLED

Namo tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā-sambuddhassa

My dear Dhamma children, Dhamma brothers and sisters:

We have assembled this afternoon on this sacred land to express our feelings of gratitude and devotion to Sayagyi U Ba Khin. Many have come from far-off places— from about thirty countries—and we are fortunate to be here in this Dhamma country that has preserved both pariyatti as well as pa ipatti in their pristine purity. This is a pilgrimage to a sacred land.

 First, we express our feelings of deep gratitude and devotion towards Gotama the Sammāsambuddha. As a recluse by the name of Sumedha Brahmin he came in contact with the Sammāsambuddha of that time, Dīpa kara, and he had sufficient pāramīs to easily become an arahant on receiving the technique of Vipassana. He had liberation in his hand yet he sacrificed it, saying, “I am not interested in my own liberation. I want to become a Sammāsambuddha like you sir, so that I can help countless beings to come out of misery.” He understood that to become a Sammāsambuddha would take innumerable eons and he would continue suffering while he accumulated pāramīs. What a great sacrifice! What great compassion! If at that time he had attained arahanthood, or had later attained the stage of Pacceka

Buddha [solitary Buddha], how could we have received this wonderful Dhamma?

After becoming a Sammāsambuddha he spent the remaining forty-five years of his life serving people with love and compassion. The arahants trained by him also started serving with infinite compassion throughout the country and beyond. Then from teacher to pupil, the Ganges of Dhamma kept flowing in its pristine purity. We feel so grateful to all the saintly people who maintained it, and express our feelings of devotion towards them.

Unfortunately for India, the pure Dhamma was lost there after only five hundred years. If it had not previously been sent beyond that country’s borders, it would have been totally lost. We are grateful to this beautiful land, Burma, in those days called Suva  abhūmi [the Golden Land], which became all the more wonderful when the Dhamma came here.

We are grateful to the two Burmese brothers, Tapassu and Bhalluka, who were the first two laypersons to offer the Buddha food after his enlightenment. They requested a few hairs from the Enlightened One’s head and brought them to this country, where they are enshrined in the historic Shwedagon Pagoda.

The vibrations of the wonderful Shwedagon Pagoda, with the relics of the Enlightened One within, not only help this country but also all humankind. Those who pay respects there by offering flowers etc. are benefited by the vibrations, gain inspiration to keep walking on the Path of Dhamma, and receive merits because of their devotion; those who meditate there receive limitless merits. Now hundreds of you on pilgrimage to this revered land will meditate on the platform of Shwedagon and realize what a wonderful sacred place it is.

Today we feel grateful to Tapassu and Bhalluka, who brought these relics to this country and later returned to India, learned Dhamma from the Buddha and brought that too to this country.

Then we remember the arahant Gavampati, who just seven years after the parinibbāna of the Enlightened One came to this country to meet King Siiha (or Si gharājā). This king ruled the whole country of Suva  abhūmi, which at that time was not limited only to today’s Burma but included a great portion of Thailand, the entire peninsula of Malaysia and even Singapore. However, we remember Si gharājā not for his political powers but because, with the help of the arahant Gavampati, he spread the Dhamma throughout his kingdom.

A few hundred years later the great Emperor Asoka, inspired by his teacher the arahant Mogaliputissa, decided to send Dhamma Dūta [ambassadors of Dhamma] to countries beyond India, and the arahants So a and Uttara came here. The first sermon they gave was the Brahmajāla Sutta, and this is no ordinary discourse: From it we can clearly understand that the Buddha’s teaching was already known in this part of the world, although it seems people did not understand it deeply. This wonderful sutta was given to help establish them in Dhamma. It deals with many wrong views—perhaps views the local people held. It throws light not only on pariyatti but also pa ipatti; it says every philosophical belief is generated and experienced within the field of mind and matter, whereas Vipassana takes you beyond mind and matter to a stage where there is no vedanā and no ta hā. The arahants So a and Uttara established both pariyatti as well as pa ipatti Dhamma in this part of the world, so we express our feelings of deep gratitude towards them.

We don’t have the names of all the teachers who taught here after So a and Uttara, but one brilliant name shines before us; that of the arahant Dhammadassī, known popularly as Ashin Arahan, who lived eight hundred years ago. Being possessed of all the abhiññās [special abilities], he could see a danger in the northern part of the country that the pure Dhamma would deteriorate. The Dhamma teachers there were called Ari, indicating their claim to be ariya or noble ones, but instead they were actually enemies (ari) of the Dhamma because they had spoiled its purity. Also, there was a powerful king in the north called Anorata (or Anuruddha), while in lower Burma there was a weak king, Manoharī (or Mannua). Dhammadassī realized danger to the Dhamma came from the stronger king, as a strong king who was anti-Dhamma was capable of destroying the Dhamma in Burma.

In order to preserve the Dhamma in its pristine purity Dhammadassī went to northern Burma, where he was able to convince King Anorata of the importance of maintaining the whole Teaching contained in the Tipi akas in its pristine purity, both pariyatti as well as pa ipatti. For their preservation, the Tipi akas were taken to Pagan, called in those days Arimattanapura, meaning the city where the enemies were destroyed. For this we express our feelings of deep gratitude towards the arahant Dhammadassī.

Dhammadassī lived for a number of years in that part of the country, ensuring that the Dhamma was firmly established there; then it is said he went further north and settled in the Sagaing Hills. Not only did he meditate there for the rest of his life, but also he taught many who wanted to learn pa ipatti Dhamma. Therefore Sagaing is another sacred place of Dhamma.

After that we don’t have the names of the teachers, but from generation to generation, from teacher to pupil, the Dhamma in that area was maintained in its pristine purity.

A hundred and fifty years ago a brilliant teacher of both pariyatti and pa ipatti named Ledi Sayadaw taught. We have a feeling of infinite gratitude towards this far-sighted monk. He could see that two thousand five hundred years after the Buddha, the second sāsana would arise and the Dhamma would spread around the world; and he prepared for this spread.

He knew in most parts of the world people do not respect the Buddha because they know nothing about him or his teachings, so he wondered how the Dhamma could spread. In countries where people have devotion towards the Buddha, the monks can teach; but where they are not accepted he decided laypeople would teach. Until that time the teaching of the Dhamma, especially pa ipatti, had been limited only to monks. He opened the gates for laypeople to learn this technique, get established and serve others—a historic and fruitful decision.

 He trained one wonderful lay teacher named Saya Thetgyi: We remember him and pay respects to him. He provided a shining example of how a lay teacher should live and serve others with love and compassion. Although outwardly a family man, he lived the pure life of a monk. Generations to come will gain inspiration learning about him: We have deep feelings of gratitude toward Saya Thetgyi.

 Then comes this brilliant, shining star in the galaxy of Dhamma; Sayagyi U Ba Khin, my Dhamma father. He had such love and compassion for all suffering humanity and a great Dhamma aspiration for the Dhamma to spread around the world. He was confident that pure Dhamma would once again migrate to India, become established, and from there spread around the world to serve all. He very much wanted to go to India himself but for certain reasons was unable to. Then a situation arose in which, even though I was a Burmese citizen, I received a passport for India. He was so pleased and said, “Now you will go as my representative and you will fulfil my vision, my mission, my wishes.”

 I hesitated because I knew my limitations and asked, “How can I be successful teaching Dhamma in a country where people have such deep misunderstandings about the Buddha and his teaching?”

 But he encouraged me, saying, “You have nothing to worry about because the Dhamma is going there, and through you I am going. You will be successful, you need not worry.”

 When I went, all was darkness before me. I wondered, “How will people have enough confidence to stay with me for ten days? Who will arrange the courses?”

But with Sayagyi U Ba Khin’s blessing the first ten-day course was held within one month of my arrival in India, and then the Ganges of Dhamma started flowing throughout the country. It was unbelievable.

 Thousands of people from around the world came to India at that time, for one reason or the other, and they started taking courses. In turn these meditators pressed me to visit their countries to teach the Dhamma because, they explained, many of their friends and relatives needed Dhamma but could not travel to India to take a course. But I was handicapped because my passport was only endorsed for one country, India. I remembered Sayagyi and his wish that the Dhamma should spread around the world, and I took an adhi  hāna that within ten years of my arrival I would either receive an endorsement from my country, Burma, to travel to different countries, or I would take Indian nationality in order to teach the Dhamma abroad.

  That ten-year deadline drew nearer and the Burmese government still did not give me an endorsement, but I kept waiting. Finally, as the deadline approached, I applied for Indian nationality, although I realized it takes a long time for naturalization, and even longer to receive a new passport. How Dhamma worked! Three days before the ten-year deadline expired I received Indian nationality, and my passport was given to me exactly ten years to the day after I first arrived in India!

  Since the first course I conducted, whenever I teach either Anapana or Vipassana, I begin, of course, by paying respect to the Sammāsam-buddha, and then I say: Guruvara, terī ora se,

 Deu  dharama kā dāna.

 On your behalf, my Teacher, I am giving the gift of Dhamma. I am your representative.

 When people congratulate me on spreading the Dhamma around the world, I feel quite embarrassed: People should not have the wrong impression and think I am giving the Dhamma. No, my Teacher is giving Dhamma to the world; I am simply a representative. This feeling prevents egotism from developing.

I request all those whom I have trained as teachers to have this same feeling whenever they give Dhamma: The Dhamma is being given by Sayagyi U Ba Khin; you are all simply his representatives.

 Therefore, on this day when we have assembled to pay homage to this great householder saint, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, our Dhamma father, let us strengthen our determination to keep serving his mission so that suffering people around the world benefit by the teachings he received from Gotama the Buddha.

 The only way to really pay respects to Sayagyi U Ba Khin is to live the life of pure Dhamma and to be a good example to others. Keep serving egolessly, always thinking, “I am a representative of Sayagyi U Ba Khin.”

 May the Dhamma vision, the Dhamma mission of that great teacher Sayagyi U Ba Khin be fulfilled. May more and more people around the world benefit by this wonderful Dhamma. May all come out of their suffering. May all be happy, be peaceful, be liberated.

 Bhavatu sabba ma gala 

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/questions-answers-6/ Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:53:47 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3527 ANNUAL MEETING: Dhamma Giri, India January 10, 1999

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Questioner: Goenkaji, please explain how the Dhamma servers should meditate at 9:00 p.m. when assistant teachers play the workers’ mettā tape.

Goenkaji: The Dhamma servers should understand properly what they are doing. They should not make it a rite or a ritual; otherwise it will be a waste of time, and this will set an unwholesome precedent which will be harmful in the future.

They should keep their attention on the top of the head, be aware of any sensation there and the truth that this sensation is impermanent. When they are with the truth of anicca they are ready to accept the mettā vibrations or Dhamma vibrations that are given. They should also have a feeling of acceptance of good vibrations. If they start working like this they will soon start experiencing that there are good vibrations which they can receive.

 During the day they have been working hard; then in this session they gain new strength, and become fresh to work again the next day. §

 May we hold three-day Anapana courses for adults?

 The three-day residential Anapana courses for new adult students are at present prohibited. An experimental course with new discourses was given a few months back in Jaipur, and we are watching the results. We also have to get feedback from the West because some courses have been given there.

 In some cases, especially in India, people go to a meditation course with high expectations. They think, “I will get peace and harmony when I meditate, wonderful!” But within the three-day course they don’t experience peace because this is a type of meditation where the mind is operated on. You all know that during the first three days of a course there is a lot of reaction. So the poor student returns home with all this on the surface—pains here and there and agitation. At home he will say to others, “I have done Vipassana and it is useless, I wasted my time.” Now we have put up a barrier preventing this person from taking a course in the future, and we have also made him a tool to spread negativity to others.

Those who feel some peace on the three-day course say, “Now that I know what those people teach, I will continue at home. Why should I spend ten days there? They have explained the rest of the technique of Vipassana, I’ve got enough.” Again, we have created a barrier.

 So we have to see whether these Anapana course experiments are really fruitful. At present, three-day courses for new adults should not be given. §

 Can parents teach Anapana to their children and vice versa? Can doctors teach their patients, and meditators their terminally ill relatives and friends?

 Only those specially permitted may teach Anapana; others should not do so. The special permission is for parents to show their children, sons and daughters their parents, schoolteachers their pupils, and doctors their patients.

 Parents may ask their children, “Just observe the breath, observe the breath,” for two, three or five minutes, that’s all; they should not teach a whole day course. Like this—to your parents, children, pupils or patients, you may show how to practise Anapana for a few minutes, but not for the whole day, not as a course. §

Although there is an emphasis on secularism in India there are many castes, creeds and faiths. Would you like to say something about resolving the problems that arise out of these?

 Vipassana solves all such problems. One cannot be said to be a high- or low-grade person just because one has come out of the womb of a woman of a particular caste. Dhamma does not discriminate in that way. A human being is a human being whether of this or that caste or community. If one is established in Dhamma this is wonderful, and others have to pay respect. But if somebody is of very high caste but does not practise Dhamma, this person deserves pity.

 At a Vipassana centre everyone works together and understands that it is only the Dhamma that makes one high or low. The problems of caste or community dissolve. People from all communities, religious traditions and castes sit together, stand in line and eat together. They forget whether they are rich or poor, highly educated or uneducated, from high or low caste. Vipassana is the only solution, not only for this country, but also for the world. §

Can an assistant teacher add anything to the instructions or discourses on a ten-day course or children’s course?

Why would a teacher want to add something or correct something? Is there any defect in the teaching? The teaching has been accepted by the whole world and there have been no comments that there is something wrong with it.

 There is a tendency for subtle ego to arise in a teacher sitting on the Dhamma seat and for him or her to think, “I am not here just to handle this equipment. Guruji has spoken a lot, so I should say something now.” And as soon as one teacher adds something, another teacher will feel he or she must add even more. Deviation will start, and within a few generations, or maybe even within a few years, the whole teaching will be spoiled.

  The Buddha’s teaching which is given here is kevala  paripu  a —complete, with nothing to be added; kevala  parisuddha —so pure that nothing has to be taken out of it. No teacher, assistant teacher, or children’s course teacher should make the mistake of adding to or subtracting from this teaching. Work as you are asked. §

 Why is it important for us—students, Dhamma servers, trustees, ATs, and teachers— to practise a few minutes of mettā after our daily sittings?

 Do this for your own benefit. Mettā generates good, wholesome vibrations for others and as soon as you start generating these, you yourself benefit. In the same way, when you generate unwholesome vibrations of ill will towards others you are the first victim and become miserable.

 Now you have to change that habit pattern so you think, “Instead of generating ill will let me learn how to generate goodwill for others.” You can’t generate goodwill unless your mind is to some extent pure, so you sit for an hour to purify your mind, and then learn how to generate goodwill for others. It is an exercise that helps you to change your behaviour pattern. §

 Since Vipassana is so simple, direct, free from trappings and can be practised anywhere, why do we need the Grand Pagoda?

You can practise Vipassana anywhere, but why do I ask you all to sit together once a week? Although you practise at home every morning and evening it is possible that due to different adverse circumstances, your meditation might become weak. One of your Dhamma brothers or sisters might generate good vibrations during meditation and if you sit together your battery will be charged, you will be able to work well.

You will be refreshed for the whole week and strong enough to face difficulties. This benefit can result from twenty, thirty or fifty people sitting together. When this large pagoda is built eight to ten thousand people will sit there together every week—maybe for an hour, half a day or a full day. People will gain such benefit from the sittings, such Dhamma energy. §

 Do you see any danger in Vipassana meditators mixing Vipassana with the therapies or techniques with which they earn their livelihoods?

 As soon as you mix Vipassana with your livelihood you are harming yourself and also others. Understand how this happens: You might help people by some kind of therapy, and there is nothing wrong with helping people, carry on with that; but once you add Vipassana to it, people will think that the benefit they have gained from Vipassana is because of the other therapy. Even if they realize that the benefit is due to Vipassana, now Vipassana will be seen as a secondary therapy—just a supplement to the main therapy.

 That is how you might start harming others. Anybody who creates an obstacle in the progress of another on the path of liberation is performing the most unwholesome action possible. It is very harmful. Under no circumstances, either directly or indirectly, should Vipassana be used as a profession, as a livelihood. §

Why is the Dhamma seat higher than the students’ seats in the Dhamma Hall?

The only purpose of all the rules that have been made for a centre is that those who come to learn Vipassana should receive the maximum benefit from their stay. There is no other reason for the rules. The Dhamma seat is not placed higher so that the ego of the teacher can be puffed up. No.

 One mundane reason is that unless the teacher is slightly higher, he or she won’t be able to see the students and the students won’t be able to see the teacher. However this is not the only reason. Another reason is the teacher does not teach in a mechanical way, but generates vibrations of love and compassion. Vibrations always move from a higher level to a lower level, therefore the students who sit below the teacher can benefit from these mettā vibrations. Everything that is done is so that the student who comes to a course, leaving behind all the responsibilities of life for ten days, gets the maximum advantage from their stay. §

Should there be flowers and fruit trees at a centre?

When you talk of trees at a centre, certainly everything must be green, full of flowers and fruit. There is nothing wrong with this. Here we have flowers and fruit—it doesn’t harm anybody. Let there be flowers and fruit! §

 You say that we should practise “effortless observation,” and then you tell us we have to control our minds. Could you please clarify?

“Effortless observation” means you should not make any effort to create a sensation that you like, or to get rid of any kind of sensation that you don’t like. It is effortless because things are happening and you don’t make any effort to change them. You are not the master of the sensations, it is the law of nature that is working. Just observe, do nothing. But effort has to be made to observe. If you don’t make an effort to observe sensations the mind will wander here and there and you will think, “Oh, this is effortless,” but what will you gain by that? So the effort to be aware and attentive is a very important part of the meditation, but effort to create a particular type of sensation is wrong. §

  You teach attā hi attano nātho—you are your own master. Then how can any external agency, or Māra, affect us, our minds, or our Dhamma pursuits?

 Māra is not an external agency but an internal agency. Māra is the personification of your own impurities, the habit pattern of the mind which keeps generating impurities, keeps dwelling on this or that sensual object. Now you have to develop attā hi attano nātho, you have to develop mastery of your mind, so that Māra does not play a game that results in your leaving the path and harming yourself. Again become master of yourself and Māra cannot harm you in any way. No Māra can harm you if you are really attā hi attano nātho. §

  In the Satipa  hāna Sutta we are asked to become aware of our lack of awareness. How is this possible?

 To come out of this lack of awareness you have to be alert and realize, “Look, I am losing awareness now. My mind is wandering away or is becoming drowsy. I must be aware.”

  You are aware that something is going wrong. At times you are not aware of this, quite true. But as soon as you realize what has happened, think to yourself, “Oh look, I made that mistake, now I will be very alert, I won’t allow it to happen again.” So as soon as this laziness, drowsiness or lack of awareness starts, you are alert, and you don’t allow it to overwhelm you. This alertness is necessary. §

Could you give us some guidelines on how to obtain funds for Dhamma outreach activities?

 I am not here to teach people how to raise funds. That is not the job of a Dhamma teacher. The more you ask people for money, the more they will run away from you. Don’t make people run away from Dhamma! Just place the information before them, whether they are meditators or non-meditators, “Here is an opportunity to gain merits. This type of good work is being done.” If the person is convinced and feels like giving, well he or she gets an opportunity to earn merits. But never press anybody saying, “Give money, give money. Look, our project is so wonderful! You must give money.” That is totally wrong; it is not allowed in Dhamma.

 A monk stands before the home of a householder with a begging bowl but he is not there only for food. His volition is to give an opportunity to the householder to gain merits by giving alms. If the householder does not want to gain those merits, smilingly, giving mettā, the monk moves further. This tradition has to be maintained in every sector of Dhamma. §

In these two special years of Sayagyi’s birth centenary and the new millennium, what projects would you like us to focus on? Are there further guidelines for us? The most important thing for the coming one or two years is that everyone around the world who has taken even one course, and has even slightly benefited from Vipassana should develop a feeling of gratitude towards this great person and express this gratitude.

 U Ba Khin was not an ordinary person. Those who were close to him understood what strong pāramīs he had from the past, and what infinite mettā he generated for others. He had such a great Dhamma volition that Vipassana should return to India, the country from which Burma received it, in order to pay back the debt of gratitude. He was convinced that from India it would spread around the world. If he had not had that great volition there would have been no Goenka. None of the credit should go to Goenka, the whole credit for the spread of Dhamma goes to U Ba Khin. In this centenary year of the birth of U Ba Khin we should all feel great gratitude towards him.

 The best way to express this gratitude is to strengthen yourself in Dhamma. Become an ideal Vipassana meditator. People who know you should think, “This is a student of the U Ba Khin tradition, what a wonderful example this person is!”

The second way of showing your gratitude to him is to help more and more people to benefit from Vipassana. People around the world do not know that this wonderful technique exists by which they can come out of their misery. The technique is so scientific, rational, result-oriented and non-sectarian—no conversion is involved in it. People should know this. Think what you can do to help this awareness spread.

 In the West a seminar will be held to inform people about Vipassana. Good, this will help those in the West to hear about the Dhamma. Near Mumbai the new pagoda is coming up. Because of it people will remember for centuries how Dhamma returned to India from Burma, sent by Sayagyi U Ba Khin. This pagoda will be like a lighthouse that will spread light throughout the world inspiring respect and gratitude towards Sayagyi U Ba Khin.

 The Dhamma hall inside the pagoda will be used only for Vipassana, nothing else. Others will not be able to enter even to see what is inside. Only those who have come to meditate will be welcomed.

 Outside there will be a gallery where visitors can see what sort of person the Buddha was, how he taught this wonderful technique, and the benefit that people gained during their lifetime. This will give them inspiration to take a Vipassana course at a centre somewhere. This gallery is important because unfortunately in this country people know nothing about the Buddha or his teaching.

 Continue to serve Dhamma with all the gratitude to Sayagyi U Ba Khin. May you all be successful. §

[Note: At this point the questions being asked by assistant teachers came to an end. The remaining questions were asked by Dhamma servers.]

 Guruji, can you tell us what makes a good Dhamma server?

You become a good Dhamma server by doing good Dhamma service. Good Dhamma service is done when your volition is that those who have come to the course should benefit. You are not serving in order to increase your ego by behaving like a police officer, shouting at those who are not working according to discipline. If you behave like that, the unwholesome sa khāras that you create will harm the students. Make wholesome sa khāras, full of mettā, and you will become a very good Dhamma server. §

 Guruji, can you tell us what makes a good trustee?

 One who is trustworthy is a trustee. Get established in Dhamma and become a trustworthy person. The purpose of serving as a trustee is to spread Dhamma, to serve Dhamma. It is not a position of power or status. It is madness to think, “Now I am a trustee I have a certain power so I can take this action.” No, you have no power, you only have an opportunity to serve people.

 After one, two or three years each trustee has to resign and another person is given the opportunity to serve. One reason for this policy is to give more and more people the opportunity to gain merits by serving Dhamma as a trustee. Another reason is that once a trustee has stepped down we can examine how much this person has really developed in Dhamma. Is the same amount of service still being given? If not then he or she has not learned Dhamma, and previously the service was not to Dhamma but to the position, to one’s own ego. If someone who is no longer a trustee continues to give the same amount of service, then it is clear that this person is developing in Dhamma. §

  Guruji, finally, can you tell us what makes a good assistant teacher?

 If one serves in a proper way one is a good assistant teacher. How does one serve properly? The position of assistant teacher is not to inflate the ego; it is a chance to serve people, to develop one’s pāramis. There must not be a trace of ego in the teacher. One is serving others so one should be filled with humbleness and mettā. For this purpose we ask that every assistant and teacher should serve one course either as a course manager or as an ordinary server. The teacher’s ego is deflated by this service, and others see that this is a wonderful tradition where the teachers also serve. This is good for the teacher and good for others.

 There is only one yardstick to measure an assistant teacher: If the ego is increasing and the behaviour is becoming rough and rude, this person is not a good Dhamma teacher. If the ego is decreasing and the teacher is full of love and compassion, one is a good Dhamma teacher. The whole idea is to serve more and more people in Dhamma. 

]]> https://thienvipassana.net/the-responsibility-of-dhamma-service/ Wed, 18 Mar 2026 18:10:02 +0000 https://thienvipassana.net/?p=3531  DHAMMA GIRI, India JANUARY 25, 1999

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF DHAMMA SERVICE

My dear Dhamma children:

Giving Dhamma service is a great responsibility. While fulfilling it, you must understand you have your own limitations and work within them. A Dhamma server should help students with management problems but should not give them meditation advice. Only those who have been authorized may teach Dhamma. When you are developed enough to give such instructions, I will happily make you assistant teachers, but it takes time to ripen in Dhamma; until then continue to work within the limitations set for you.

When a student is in trouble, you might feel you could say the same thing the teachers would say, for example, “Have slightly hard breathing. Bring your attention to the extremities.” But you must never give instructions because there is a danger that although you might be helpful, you might also give guidance that goes totally against Vipassana. This is what happened last night when a student complained of intense pain and an experienced Dhamma server said, “I will give you acupressure to relieve your pain.” What a serious mistake!

A few months back I got a call saying someone on a course in the Himalayas had practised Reiki on a student who was in a great deal of pain. These two events were serious errors. In both cases I had to take strong action in order to protect the purity of the technique.

Understand why this is so important: Impurities are brought to the surface by the practice of Vipassana, and only Vipassana can eradicate them—no other technique. If you mix another technique with Vipassana, it will become predominant and Vipassana will be forgotten.

In the past this happened in India. Our research tells us that for the five hundred years following the Buddha, Vipassana was taught in its pristine purity. Then unscrupulous people started to add to it, and whatever was added became predominant and Vipassana faded away. Even during the short time I have been teaching, some people who had benefited after taking several courses decided to use this wonderful technique in their own religion. But if they had taught it exactly as we do, their sectarian views would have had no place, so they added the instruction to observe the soul. The result was that within ten years their students came to me and said, “Now we don’t observe sensations, we only observe the soul.” They have totally lost Vipassana. And the same thing will happen here in centres if anything is added. The Dhamma has returned to India after two thousand years and is now spreading around the world. My responsibility as the Teacher is to see it is maintained in its pristine purity for the benefit of future generations. One who is at the helm has to be very careful; therefore I cannot tolerate certain activities that harm the spread of Dhamma. The first such activity is sexual misbehaviour, and the second is instructing students to add anything to Vipassana.

I know most of you would never make such mistakes, but you should learn from yesterday’s incident and ensure such things never happen in the future, wherever you give service.

My teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, wouldn’t allow me to take my first course because I had told him I intended to join it in order to rid myself of migraine. Even though I was a leader of the Indian community in Rangoon, a leader of the business community, the president of the Chamber of Commerce, a multi-millionaire, Sayagyi said, “No, I can’t teach you. If you wish to learn a high spiritual path I will help you, but if you come for relief from a physical disease then leave; you are devaluing Dhamma.”

If a student is in pain and we start using acupressure, Reiki or anything else, we would harm the students; we would devalue Dhamma. Be careful. This advice is given with mettā to help you understand: Wherever you give any Dhamma service, you must ensure that no server ever gives meditation instructions to students and nobody advises students to mix anything else with Vipassana. I am sure you yourselves won’t do such things.

Bhavatu sabba ma gala

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