Awaken In Wisdom

(The following is a translation of Goenkaji’s article in the August 1995 issue of the Hindi Vipassana Patrika.)

 

Let us liberate ourselves from the bondage of ignorance. To become liberated from ignorance means to be liberated from the bondage of dukkha (suffering) in this life and dukkha resulting from the cycle of future births and deaths. It is ignorance that keeps us bound to dukkha in this life and in future lives.

What is ignorance? It is the state of dullness and heedlessness. Because of ignorance, we keep generating new saṅkhārā (mental reactions) and keep defiling our minds with fresh negativities. We are barely aware of what we are doing: how we imprison ourselves with the bonds of craving, with the bonds of aversion; and how, in our ignorance, we tighten the knots of these bonds.

We can eradicate ignorance by remaining aware, alert, and attentive every moment. Then we will not allow new saṅkhārā to make deep impressions on our minds like lines chiselled on granite; we will not allow ourselves to be enchained by the fetters of craving and aversion.

This quality of attentiveness of mind, endowed with understanding, is called paññā (wisdom) and it eradicates ignorance at the root.

To awaken this wisdom, and to get established in it, we practice Vipassana.

Yathaṃ care: when we walk, we walk with awareness.

Yathaṃ tiṭṭhe: when we stand, we stand with awareness.

Yathaṃ acche:when we sit, we sit with awareness.

Yathaṃ saye:when we lie down, we lie down with awareness.

Whether asleep or awake, upright or sitting, in every state, we should remain aware and attentive every moment. No action of ours should ever be done without awareness.

Paccavekkhitvā paccavekkitvā kāyena kammaṃ kātabba: All bodily activities should be done with full awareness.

Paccavekkhitvā paccavekkhitvā vācāya kammaṃ kātabba; All vocal activities should be done with full awareness.

Paccavekkhitvā paccavekkitvā manasā kammaṃ kātabba: All mental activities should be done with full awareness.

Thus, we should be heedful with regard to every physical, vocal, or mental action; we should examine every action.

At the same time, this awareness should be endowed with paññā. This means that, along with awareness, we should develop the experiential understanding of the three characteristics of paññā:

• all phenomena have the inherent nature of impermanence(anicca);

• all phenomena which are impermanent give rise to suffering (dukkha); and

• all such phenomena which are impermanent and give rise to dukkha are without essence and cannot be “I” or “mine” or “my soul” (anattā).

Once we understand this at the experiential level, we realize how meaningless it is to react with craving or aversion, clinging or repugnance towards any phenomenon that arises. Instead, we learn to be aware and, at the same time, equanimous towards every phenomenon. This is Vipassana. This is the experiential wisdom that destroys ignorance.

Meditators! In the destruction of ignorance alone is our welfare, our happiness, our liberation (nibbāna). 

One-day course with Goenkaji on Sharad Purnima

A one-day course has been arranged within the main dome of the Global Vipassana Pagoda on 23 October 2010, Saturday from
11 am to 4 pm. Goenkaji will be present during this course. Registration for this course is compulsory.

Contact: Mobile: 98928-55692, 98928-55945;

Tel: (022) 2845-1182, 2845-1170 (11 am to 5 pm).

Registration email: global.oneday@gmail.com

Online registration: www.vridhamma.org

 

Dhamma Service at Global Vipassana Pagoda

The Vipassana Peace Pagoda is implementing various beautification projects and requires service from Vipassana meditators in the following areas.

Assistant Manager: Maintenance: Electrical or mechanical engineer with 6 to 8 years experience in mechanical troubleshooting, civil projects and maintenance of large properties.

Purchase Officer: Purchase activities for projects with cost and inventory control experience. Working knowledge and familiarity of the Mumbai industrial market with minimum experience of 5 years is preferable.

Electrician with Electronics: ITI with ‘C’ license and 10: 12 years experience of trouble –shooting at project sites, motors & control circuits, electronic controls and telecom operations.

Civil Supervisor: Diploma in Civil Engineering with 3 to 5 years of experience in projects and building construction.

Housekeeping & Security Supervisor: 6 to 8 years experience in housekeeping and security management.

Fitters: ITI Fitter with 10 to 15 years of experience in civil construction equipment maintenance, fabrication and other assembly work.

Plumbing & AC Mechanic: ITI Plumber with 10 to 15 years experience in large, multipurpose complexes and in repairing servicing and installing AC units.

Tourist Guide: 3 to 5 years of experience as guide with any national monument or tourist group.

Junior Architect: GDARCH / BARCH, min 5 years experience, capable of handling independently on site, experience in trouble shooting at site projects, coordinating with consultants and government agencies.

Benefits: Opportunity to contribute to this unique project, regular meditation practice, right livelihood, good remuneration package including meals, and accommodation for deserving candidates.

Contact: Manager, GVF, Gorai, Borivali (W), Mumbai 400 091

Tel: (022) 28452111, 28451204 Email: globalpagoda@hotmail.com Website: www.globalpagoda.org

(Meditators wishing to serve at Dhamma Pattana centre should contact Ms. Priti Dedhia, Mobile: 92223-34524(12 noon to 6 pm), Email: priti.dedhia@gmail.com)

One-day Vipassana Seminar at Gandhidham

This seminar will be held on 19 Sept 10 from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm at Kutchi Visa Oswal Jain Hall, Near Hotel Satkar, Opposite railway station for Vipassana meditators. For more details, contact: Kishore Ranwala, (02836) 233-054, 94272-09001; or Hitesh Ranwala, 94262-14531 

AT Training Workshops in 2010

Gujarat: Dhamma Divakara, Mehsana: 29-9 to 3-10

West: Dhamma Pala, Bhopal: 12-10 – 16-10

South: Dhamma Setu, Chennai: 27-10 to 31-10

Nepal: Dhamma Janani, Lumbini: 27-10 to 31-10

Assistant teachers are requested to contact the above centres for registration and more information.

Pilgrimage to the Buddha Sacred Sites

IRCTC, the tourism arm of Indian Railways, in the year 2007, started running a fully airconditioned special train named the Buddhist Circuit Special Tourist Train, touring the Buddha Sacred Sites: Lumbini, Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Sravasti, Rajgir andKushinagar. Complete details can be viewed on www.railtourismindia.com/buddha

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

Global Vipassana Foundation (GVF) has negotiated a special discount of 15% with IRCTC for the benefit of Vipassana mediators.

IRCTC & GVF has additionally agreed to structure in two slots of group meditation for the Vipassana meditators, subject to the number of meditators being not less than ten. The first, GS under the Bodhi tree in the Mahabodhi Temple at Bodh Gaya and the second GS at Kushinagar. The group sittings will be scheduled for after the close of visiting hours to the temple so as to provide a quiet environment for group meditation. This would be subject to no other engagement happening on the particular day in the temple premises.

The circuit of the Buddhist Circuit Special Tourist Train starts and ends at Delhi. The forthcoming schedule and tariff appear below:

	Starting	Ending
Sept 2010	25Sept	2 Oct
Oct 2010	16& 30Oct	23 Oct & 6Nov
Nov 2010	13& 27Nov	20Nov & 4Dec
Dec 2010	11& 25Dec	18Dec & 1st Jan
Jan 2011	8& 22 Jan	15Jan & 29Jan
Feb 2011	12& 26Feb	19Feb & 5March
Mar 2011	12& 26Mar	19 March & 2 April

Class	Rack Rate		15 % Discounted Rate
	Rs	USD $	Rs	USD $
First AC Coupe	55272	1176	46981	1000
First AC	48650	1050	41353	893
2T AC	41650	875	35403	744
3T AC	34650	735	29453	625

Registration: Visit www.railtourismindia.com/buddha or contact: Hemant Sharma, Mobile: 97176-44798, Izhar Alam, Mobile: 9717635912,IRCTC, Ground Floor, STC Building, 1-Tolstoy Marg, New Delhi -110001. Tel: [91] (011) 23701100, 23701101, Email: arunsrivastava@irctc.com

Children’s Courses in Mumbai Schools

Vipassana Research Institute has again started a program to teach Anapana to the BMC schoolchildren. About 8000 students appearing for the SSC examination next year will be taught Anapana. The first phase may start from 1 July. The schedule is available online at www.vridhamma.org

There is a great need for Dhamma servers to work in these courses. Meditators who have done at least three ten- day courses and are 20-50 years old are welcome to serve in these courses. They must have the aptitude and a desire to work with children. Training will be provided for the same.

Those wishing to serve should send an email to cc@vridhamma.org giving their name, age and number of ten-day courses completed.

Research Paper on Value of Vipassana in Prisons

A few years ago, the Israeli prison authorities started to examine the possibility of conducting Vipassana course in Israeli prisons, and two courses were conducted in Hermon Jail. Upon the request of Israeli prison authorities, two of the most respected criminologists in Israel (with the help of two assistants) tried to evaluate the rehabilitative value of the courses. Two academic articles were based on the study. The first article The Evaluation of the Vipassana Program – As an Applicable Rehabilitative Model in an Israli Prisonby Frid Noa, Timor Uri, Ronel Natti and Borochovsly Yigal was published in Glimpse into Prison, Crimes and Penalties in Israel Theory and Application, Issue No. 13, March 2010.

Article Summary:

Looking for alternative methods for prisoner rehabilitation, the researchers studied the impact of Vipassana, an ancient meditation technique based on observing bodily sensations and detachment from everyday events for ten days. Afew former studies indicated the rehabilitative potential of this program.

Twenty-two prisoners from Hermon prison participated in the current study. All were recovering substance-dependents who voluntarily participated in the program and in the study. The program and its study were conducted in an isolated unit within the prison, and were assisted by members of the prison staff.

In-depth, semi structured interviews provided the data for this qualitative phenomenonological study. Each participant was interviewed three times: before the course, immediately after its completion and 3-4 months later.

Two main themes emerged from the findings.

1. Impact of Vipassana on relationships among participants, and between them and others:

The researchers found a positive transformation of the prisoners’ perception of the prison staff, the creation of a new social network among participants with a positive social atmosphere and the creation of a mutual moral commitment. However, the return to the regular department after the course was accompanied by a sense of confusion and frustration (and therefore the article suggests an after-course program and a joint accommodation for the students after the course).

2. Impact of Vipassana on the inner world and behavior of the participants:

the researchers found that participants self-reflected on their inner world, were willing to face their emotional, cognitive and behavioral difficulties, attempted to improve their familial relationships and experienced a sense of achievement and self-worth due to completing the course tasks.

Conclusion: The researchers concluded that Vipassana has a high rehabilitative value and can meet various therapeutic needs of the prisoners.

This was only a preliminary research and the number of the students, and the duration of the study were limited. However, it is one of the first academic articles about Vipassana in prisons in a recognized journal in the western world.

 

Georgia Vipassana Center, Dhamma Patapa

Located in a forested, rural area of the coastal plains of Georgia, Dhamma Patāpa offered its first ten-day course to 30 students in March 2008. As is typical of new centers, the accommodations for students, servers, and ATs have been crowded. However, enthusiastic support from old students in the south-eastern United States has permitted Dhamma Patāpa to rapidly expand.

Vipassana centers have learned that long-term servers, who provide operational continuity and experience, are key to conducting courses in a calm and efficient manner. Attracting and keeping long-term servers are easier when servers are provided with pleasant, quiet, and private quarters away from course activities.

The Southeast Vipassana Association therefore decided that the first expansion priority would be the construction of such accommodations. A pair of cabins, one for men, the other for women, was constructed in spring 2009 in a wooded area near the center kitchen and dining facility.

This year, Dhamma Patāpa will begin construction of several structures that will double student capacity from 30 to 60-70 students.

The largest structure, which will eventually be the dining hall capable of seating 120 meditators, will be used for the next few years as a temporary meditation hall capable of seating 60-70 meditators and including ten meditation cells. A bath house and a set of surrounding cottages will add 22 beds. In combination to the original dormitory for 30 students and temporary housing for 6 more students, there will be a total capacity of 58 beds.

Another priority for this year is the construction of a new AT residence and expansion of the kitchen in order to prepare meals for 60 students. This latest construction phase has begun in July 2010 and is expected to be finished in spring 2011.

 

Workshop for Dhamma Serversat Dhamma Giri

Workshop is from 3 to 4 Dec 2010. Applications should include your full name, age, address, phones, email, number of courses done, and number of courses served.

 

Ownership of Vipassana Newsletter and other information

Name of the Newletter: Vipassana Newsletter

Language: English

Frequency of publication: Monthly (every Purnima)

Place of publication: Vipassana Research Institute,

Dhamma Giri, Igatpuri 422 403

Name of the printer,

publisher and editor: Mr. Ram Pratap Yadav

Nationality: Indian

Place of printing: Akshar Chitra, B-69, Satpur, Nashik 7

Name of the proprietor: Vipassana Research Institute

Registered Main Office: Green House, Second Floor,

Green Street, Fort, Mumbai 400 023

I, Ram Pratap Yadav, declare that the above-mentioned information is true to the best of my knowledge.

Ram Pratap Yadav

14 August 2010 Printer, Publisher and Editor

 

Children’s Courses in Mumbai

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

Date	Venue	Age	Registration
12-9	Ulhasnagar	9-16 years	9 and 10-9
19-9	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	16 and 17-9
17-10	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	14 and 15-10
21-11	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	18 and 19-11
19-12	Ghatkopar	10-16 years	16 and 17-12

 

Course Timings: 8:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Registration: 11 am to 1 pm

Course Venues: Ghatkopar (W): SNDT School, New Bldg., Cama Lane, Opp. Vidyut Soc. Tel: 2510-1096, 2516-2505.

Ulhasnagar: Guru Nanak School, Kurla Camp, Ulhasnagar-4. Tel: (0251) 252-2693.

NB Please: *bring cushion, *register on specified phone numbers, *inform in advance if unable to attend after registration, *arrive on time for the course.

 

Goenkaji’s Discourses on Television

UTV Action TV channel is telecasting Goenkaji’s discourses every Monday to Saturday, from 4.45 am to 5.45 am.

Please confirm exact telecast timings.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Ācaryas:

1. Mr. Bill Hart: To serve Canada

2. & 3. Dr. Roop & Mrs. Beena Jyoti: To serve Nepal

4. Daw Nini Shwe (Sushila): To serve Myanmar

NEW RESPONSIBILITIES

Ācaryas:

Mr. Narayandas & Mrs. Meena Saparia, Canada: To serve Dhamma

Senior Assistant Teachers

1. Mr. Haridas Meshram, Balaghat

2. Mr. Ashok Kumar Khobragade,Balaghat

NEW APPOINTMENTS

Assistant Teachers

1. & 2. Mr. Gobind & Mrs. Beena Agarwal, Mumbai

3. Mr. Dineshchandra Deshmukh, Nagpur

4. & 5. Mr. Itamar Sofer & Mrs. Jung Im Jung, Korea

6. Mr. Kang Young-uk, Korea

7. Dr. (Ms.) Gosia Myc, Poland

8. Mr. Eric Garcia, Spain

9. Ms. Barbara Huffsmith, USA

Children’s Course Teachers:

1. & 2. Mr. Pravin & Mrs Rekha Karia, Anjar

3. Mrs. Pushpa Momaya, Bada 4. Mrs. Jyoti Chandwani, Bhuj

5. Mr. Pravin Zaveri, Bhuj 6. Mr. Pravin Shardul, Mumbai

7. Mrs. Duangporn Kungwanklai, Thailand

8. Mr. Sakachat Tunprawat, Thailand

 

DHAMMA DOHAS